51s Pen Implodes Late In Blowout Loss

Las Vegas 51s @ El Paso Chihuahuas

May 4, 2016

Rafael Montero @ Brandon Morrow

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Las Vegas	0	5	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	6	12	2
El Paso	0	1	5	1	0	0	1	9	X	17	17	1

W: Northcraft (1-0, 1.46 ERA); L: Montero (1-1, 6.50 ERA)

MiLB.com Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Rafael Montero (L, 1-1, 6.50 ERA) – 4 IP, 8 H, 7 R (7 ER), 2 2B, 2 HR, 16 TB, 3 BB, 4 K (3 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 6 GB: 7 FB: 2 LD, 89 Pitches (60 Strikes), 10 Swinging, 11 Called, 11.2% SwStr, 20.4% Whiff/Swing, 22.2 Pitches/IP, 22 BF

Josh Edgin (0.00 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 1 GB, 13 Pitches (8 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 23.1% SwStr, 37.5% Whiff/Swing, 13 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Chase Bradford (1.29 ERA) – 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 2B, 4 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 3 GB: 1 FB: 1 LD, 16 Pitches (10 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 2 Called, 12.5% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 16 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Josh Smoker (3.48 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 1 GB: 1 FB, 16 Pitches (10 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 3 Called, 18.8% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 16 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Erik Goeddel (7.88 ERA) – 0.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R (5 ER), 3 TB, 2 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB: 2 LD, 19 Pitches (9 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 3 Called, 10.5% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 7 BF

Stolmy Pimentel (8.66 ERA) – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 2B, 3 TB, 1 BB, 1 GB: 3 FB: 1 LD, 17 Pitches (11 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 2 Called, 11.8% SwStr, 22.2% Whiff/Swing, 6 BF

Batters

2B - Dilson Herrera - 1-5, 2 K, 36.8% SwStr, 63.6% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA

CF - Brandon Nimmo - 2-5, 1 RBI, 1 K, 15% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA

1B - T.J. Rivera - 1-5, 1 RBI, 6.2% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.2 Pitches/PA

RF - Travis Taijeron - 1-4, 1 R, 3 K, 22.2% SwStr, 57.1% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

3B - Matt Reynolds - 1-4, 1 R, 14.3% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA

SS - Gavin Cecchini - 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 4.75 Pitches/PA

LF - Ty Kelly - 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3.75 Pitches/PA

SP – Rafael Montero – 1-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 2 RBI, 16.7% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

PH – Daniel Muno – 1-1, 1 RBI, 4 Pitches/PA

Recapish

The Las Vegas 51s lost to El Paso Wednesday night, with the game turning into a laugher by the end. The 51s were sitting pretty after a 5-run 2^nd inning, but starter Rafael Montero would allow 7 runs over the next 3 innings, and the Chihuahuas never looked back. The game stayed close until the 8^th, when Erik Goeddel and Stolmy Pimentel were tagged for 9 runs on just 5 hits.

The knock on Montero has always been that he lacks a go to wipeout pitch, and that problem was apparent in his start Wednesday. He threw 89 pitches over his 4 innings, and nearly 27% of all of his pitches resulted in foul balls – for comparison, that’s the rate his sinker gets fouled off in the majors, while all other pitches have foul/pitch rates in the teens. As much as he struggled in this game, he left only trailing 7-6 after 4, so the 51s still had a chance to come back.

Unfortunately, Las Vegas would never get another rally going after the 5^th inning thanks to a great performance from the El Paso bullpen. I recap the 51s scoring highlights below, so don’t forget to check it out! I’ve also included a pitch log for Rafael Montero and rehabbing Josh Edgin, with velocities courtesy of the El Paso scorebug.

Scoring Highlights

Things were going great for Las Vegas as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the 2^nd inning. Johnny Monell led off with a walk, went to 2B on Travis Taijeron’s only hit of the game, to 3B on Gavin Cecchini’s single, and then scored on a hit from Ty Kelly. Rafael Montero, Brandon Nimmo, and T.J. Rivera would add RBI singles in the frame before Monell grounded out to end it.

Travis Taijeron

Gavin Cecchini

Ty Kelly

Rafael Montero

Brandon Nimmo

T.J. Rivera

Nimmo added a second hit in the 4^th inning.

Danny Muno picked up a pinch-hit single to drive in Matt Reynolds in the 5^th inning. Reynolds had singled to CF with one out in the frame, and advanced to 2B on Kelly’s third hit of the game.

Matt Reynolds

Daniel Muno

Pitcher Coverage

Rafael Montero

Table 1 – Montero pitch stats by inning

	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	Total
Total	13	27	30	19	89
Strikes	8	19	22	11	60
Swinging*	0	4	5	1	10

*11.2% Swinging strike rate; 20.4% Whiff/Swing

Velocities courtesy of the El Paso score bug

1^st inning

1) Manuel Margot hit a groundout to Cecchini (63/G)

i. 90 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

ii. 88 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-2

iii. 89 MPH Fastball – in play

2) Carlos Asuaje hit a groundout to Dilson (43/G)

i. 89 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0, outside

ii. 89 MPH Fastball – foul 1-1

iii. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 2-1, outside

iv. 84 MPH Changeup – called strike 2-2

v. 84 MPH – in play

3) Jose Pirela flied out to Nimmo in deep CF (8/F)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0, high

ii. 83 MPH Changeup – ball 2-0, inside

iii. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 3-0, outside and low

iv. 91 MPH Fastball – called strike 3-1

v. 90 MPH Fastball – in play

2^nd inning

1) Hunter Renfroe lined a double to RF (D9/L)

i. 90 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

ii. 81 MPH Slider – ball 1-1, low and away

iii. 91 MPH Fastball – foul 1-2

iv. 90 MPH Fastball– in play

2) James Loney walked (BB)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0, outside

ii. 91 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-1

iii. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 2-1

iv. 83 MPH Changeup – foul 2-2

v. 92 MPH Fastball – ball 3-2, outside

vi. 93 MPH Fastball – foul 3-2

vii. 83 MPH Changeup – ball 4

3) Casey McElroy struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. 92 MPH Fastball – foul 0-1

ii. 93 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

iii. 91 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

iv. 85 MPH Changeup – swinging strike 3

4) Rocky Gale lined a single that deflected off of Montero (S1/L)

i. 92 MPH Fastball – foul 0-1

ii. 92 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

iii. 84 MPH Slider – in play

5) Nick Noonan hit an RBI single to RF (S9/F)

i. 94 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0, high and outide

ii. 85 MPH Changeup – in play

6) Brandon Morrow struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. 93 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

ii. 93 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 1-1

iii. 93 MPH Fastball – ball 2-1

iv. 93 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 2-2

v. 94 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 3

7) Margot hit a groundout to Cecchini (63/G)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – foul 0-1

ii. 91 MPH Fastball – in play

3^rd inning

1) Asuaje blooped a single to RF (S9/F)

i. 89 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

ii. 90 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-2

iii. 89 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

iv. 90 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

v. 83 MPH Changeup – foul 0-2

vi. 93 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

vii. 82 MPH Slider – in play

2) Pirela walked (BB)

i. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

ii. 89 MPH Fastball – ball 2-0, low

iii. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 3-0

iv. 91 MPH Fastball – called strike 3-1

v. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 4

3) Renfroe flied out to Nimmo (8/F)

i. 81 MPH Slider – swinging strike 0-1

ii. 82 MPH Slider – foul 0-2

iii. 91 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

iv. 80 MPH Slider – foul 0-2

v. 80 MPH Slider – in play

4) Loney grounded an RBI single back up the middle – ball deflected off the 2B bag (S8/G)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – in play

5) McElroy doubled Pirela and Loney home on a grounder down the 3B line (D7/G)

i. 85 MPH Changeup – ball 1-0

ii. 92 MPH Fastball – ball 2-0

iii. 91 MPH Fastball – in play

6) Gale launched a 2R-HR to left center field (HR/F)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – in play

7) Noonan struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. 92 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

ii. 93 MPH Fastball – ball 2-0

iii. 83 MPH Changeup – foul 2-1

iv. 93 MPH Fastball – foul 2-2

v. 85 MPH Changeup – swinging strike 3

8) Morrow struck out looking (K/Lo)

i. 92 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

ii. 93 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-2

iii. 93 MPH Fastball – called strike 3

4^th inning

1) Margot launched a solo blast to left center field (HR/F)

i. 80 MPH Slider – called strike 0-1

ii. 79 MPH Slider – ball 1-1

iii. 89 MPH Fastball – ball 2-1

iv. 88 MPH Fastball – foul 2-2

v. 88 MPH Fastball – in play

2) Asuaje walked (BB)

i. 91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

ii. 93 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-1

iii. 85 MPH Changeup – swinging strike 1-2

iv. 85 MPH Changeup – foul 1-2

v. 85 MPH Changeup – ball 2-2

vi. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 3-2

vii. 83 MPH Slider – foul 3-2

viii. 94 MPH Fastball – foul 3-2

ix. 90 MPH Fastball – ball 4

3) Pirela hit a grounder to Dilson that started a double play (463/G)

i. 81 MPH Slider – ball 1-0

ii. 90 MPH Fastball – in play

4) Renfroe flied out to Nimmo (8/F)

i. 82 MPH Slider – ball 1-0

ii. 83 MPH Slider – foul 1-1

iii. 82 MPH Slider – in play

Josh Edgin

5^th inning

1) Loney walked (BB)

i. 86 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

ii. 80 MPH Slider – ball 1-1

iii. 88 MPH Fastball – foul 1-2

iv. 75 MPH Slider – ball 2-2

v. 89 MPH Fastball – ball 3-2

vi. 87 MPH Fastball – foul 3-2

vii. 78 MPH Slider – foul 3-2

viii. 88 MPH Fastball – ball 4

2) McElroy struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. 88 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

ii. 87 MPH Fastball – ball 1-1

iii. 87 MPH Fastball – foul 1-2

iv. 76 MPH Slider – swinging strike 3

3) Gale hit a grounder to Dilson that started a double play (463/G)

i. 88 MPH Fastball – in play

Josh Smoker

Smoker came into a tough situation in the 7^th inning and struck out 2 of 3 batters he faced – the other batter hit a sac fly to make it an 8-6 game.

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