51s Survive PCL Slugfest In Reno

Las Vegas 51s @ Reno Aces

June 22, 2016

Duane Below @ Braden Shipley

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Las Vegas	0	1	2	1	0	1	0	5	2		12	10	0
Reno	1	0	0	0	0	5	0	3	1		10	14	2

W: Walters (1-2, 837 ERA); L: Leone (3-1, 3.42 ERA); Save: Sewald (9)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Duane Below (4.29 ERA) – 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 2B, 1 3B, 8 TB, 2 BB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 7 GB: 8 FB: 4 LD: 0 PU, 89 Pitches (57 Strikes), 6 Swinging, 15 Called, 6.7% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing, 16.7 Pitches/IP, 23 BF

Jeff Walters (BS, 3)(W, 1-2, 8.37 ERA) – 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 TB, 4 GB: 1 FB: 3 LD, 29 Pitches (21 Strikes), 7 Called, 17.4 Pitches/IP, 8 BF

Josh Edgin (1.93 ERA) – 0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 2 FB: 2 LD, 23 Pitches (14 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 4 Called, 13% SwStr, 30% Whiff/Swing, 34.5 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Paul Sewald (S, 9, 4.15 ERA) – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 HR, 4 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 1 GB: 2 FB: 1 LD, 18 Pitches (14 Strikes), 1 Swinging, 3 Called, 5.6% SwStr, 9.1% Whiff/Swing, 13.5 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Batters

SS - Gavin Cecchini - 2-6, 2 R, 1 GIDP, 3.8% SwStr, 7.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.33 Pitches/PA

LF - Brandon Nimmo - 3-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 5.6% SwStr, 12.5% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

2B - Dilson Herrera - 2-6, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 K, 12.5% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 2.67 Pitches/PA

CF - Roger Bernadina - 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 20% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA

1B - Marc Krauss - 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 10.3% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 5.8 Pitches/PA

3B - Niuman Romero - 1-1, 3 R, 1 2B, 3 BB, 1 SAC, 4.6 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            The ‘Cardiac Kids’ held on during a PCL slugfest in Reno Wednesday night, winning their 5^th straight game by the final of 12-10. That’s 51s announcer Russ Langer’s moniker for the team when they are involved in this see-saw PCL slugfests, which seem to happen at least once a week and are always entertaining.

            After the Bartolo Colon early departure domino effect led to a bullpen start Tuesday, the 51s were hoping Duane Below could give them some serious length Wednesday. Unfortunately he had to leave with one out and Reno temporarily taking the game over in the 6^th. Per Langer, he had been dealing with a cut on his pitching hand during his last start, which affected the grip on his cutter (because of course it did). Langer wasn’t sure if the cut on Below’s hand had healed fully in time for the start, so he might not have had his full repertoire available again.

51s Take Finale For 4-Game Series Win In Salt Lake

Las Vegas 51s @ Salt Lake Bees

June 20, 2016

Rafael Montero @ Nate Smith

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Las Vegas	0	2	1	0	0	0	4	0	1		8	10	1
Salt Lake	1	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	1		5	10	1

W: Montero (3-4, 5.78 ERA); L: Broussard (1-2, 7.11 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Rafael Montero (W, 3-4, 5.78 ERA) – 6.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 2B, 1 HR, 14 TB, 1 BB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 10 GB: 7 FB: 4 LD: 1 PU, 88 Pitches (62 Strikes), 4 Swinging, 15 Called, 4.5% SwStr, 8.5% Whiff/Swing, 13.2 Pitches/IP, 27 BF

Josh Edgin (H, 4, 0.00 ERA) – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 BB, 3 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB, 28 Pitches (15 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 7 Called, 7.1% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 21 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Jeff Walters (8.24 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 TB, 1 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 1 GB: 1 FB, 18 Pitches (11 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 4 Called, 11.1% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 18 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Batters

LF - Brandon Nimmo - 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 14.3% SwStr, 30% Whiff/Swing, 4.2 Pitches/PA

1B - Eric Campbell - 1-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 8.7% SwStr, 40% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA

DH - Johnny Monell - 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K, 5% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA

RF - Travis Taijeron - 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 13% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA

CF - Roger Bernadina - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 13% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA

C - Nevin Ashley - 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K, 10.5% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA

2B - Danny Muno - 1-4, 1 K, 8.3% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            The Las Vegas 51s won their third straight game in Salt Lake to take the uncommon 4-game series win on the road Monday night. The 51s got some timely hitting and key performances out of the pen, which is not how the script was going just a few weeks ago.

            For 51s starter Rafael Montero, the final line wasn’t pretty again, but there were finally some positive results to take from this start. First of all, he threw 70% strikes, which speaks to how well he was attacking the zone. Second, he was hitting 95-97 MPH throughout, which Wally Backman confirms here and I detail below. He’s been more 91-94 throughout the season, with most of his heaters coming on the lower end of that range.

            All of Montero’s problems can be traced to two Bees batters in particular: Ji-Man Choi and Quintin Berry. Choi hit a solo blast to RF in the 1^st inning, added a sac fly in the 3^rd, made a nice over the shoulder catch near the stands in the top of the 6^th, and then hit a ground-rule double off the left-center warning track in the bottom half of the 6^th. Berry hit a pair of doubles off of Montero, though he only came around to score the 1^st time.

51s Offense Explosion Arrives In Albuquerque

Las Vegas 51s @ Albuquerque Isotopes

June 9, 2016

Sean Gilmartin @ Jeff Hoffman

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Las Vegas	1	1	6	2	0	4	0	3	0		17	23	3
Albuquerque	0	1	0	2	0	4	0	0	0		7	15	0

W: Gilmartin (6-3, 5.43 ERA); L: Hoffman (3-4, 3.49 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Sean Gilmartin (W, 6-3, 5.43 ERA) – 5.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 ER), 3 2B, 1 3B, 14 TB, 2 BB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 13 GB: 4 FB: 4 LD, 104 Pitches (71 Strikes), 9 Swinging, 13 Called, 8.7% SwStr, 15.5% Whiff/Swing, 19.5 Pitches/IP, 28 BF

Zack Thornton (5.86 ERA) – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 1 FB, 12 Pitches (8 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 1 Called, 16.7% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 18 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Josh Edgin (0.00 ERA) – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB, 10 Pitches (8 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 1 Called, 30% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 15 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Chase Bradford (2.57 ERA) – 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 1 GB: 3 LD, 23 Pitches (17 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 3 Called, 8.7% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing, 17.3 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Seth Lugo (7.15 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 TB, 2 GB: 3 FB, 16 Pitches (12 Strikes), 0 Swinging, 2 Called, 0% SwStr, 0% Whiff/Swing, 16 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Batters

2B - Dilson Herrera - 4-6, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 22.7% SwStr, 38.5% Whiff/Swing, 3.67 Pitches/PA

CF - Brandon Nimmo - 3-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 8.7% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing, 3.83 Pitches/PA

3B - T.J. Rivera - 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 GIDP, 3.83 Pitches/PA

C - Johnny Monell - 3-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3.7% SwStr, 8.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

1B – Eric Campbell - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 3 K, 13% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA

RF - Travis Taijeron - 4-6, 4 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 4.8% SwStr, 10% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA

SS - Gavin Cecchini - 2-6, 1 R, 1 RBI, 4.8% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA

SP – Sean Gilmartin - 3-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 1 SAC, 2.5 Pitches/PA

1B (sub) – Marc Krauss - 1-2, 1 R, 1 K, 33.3% SwStr, 66.7% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            The Las Vegas 51s made a loud statement upon arriving in Albuquerque Thursday night, trouncing the Isotopes 17-7 in the opener of their weekend series. Hits were bountiful on both sides, but the 51s outslugged the Isotopes with 5 homeruns on the night.

            51s starter Sean Gilmartin didn’t have his best night on the mound, but he kind of made up for it with a huge night at the plate. He was having an OK start until everything fell apart in the 6^th inning.

May Stat Review: Las Vegas 51s

T.J. Rivera

Wally Backman’s crew went 14-12 in the month of May

            The Las Vegas 51s offense has climbed to second on the PCL OPS leaderboard, but the team ERA has dropped to second worst – interestingly enough, El Paso is the only team with a better OPS and only team with a worse team ERA. The 51s are 2 games behind the Chihuahuas in the PCL Pacific Southern division, with the Salt Lake Bees right on their tail for second place. The biggest problem has been the bullpen, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a pen shakeup in June. Below I’ve posted everyone’s May statline, with some comments added for each player.

May

MVP: T.J. Rivera. Rivera and Brandon Nimmo had similar offensive output by OPS last month, but Rivera was an RBI machine for Las Vegas and did it over an extra 30 PA.

Cy: Gabriel Ynoa has been the 51s ace so far and he finished May with more innings pitched and fewer runs allowed than any other Las Vegas starter.

Fireman: Josh Edgin hasn’t had his best fastball yet, but his slider has been a weapon for him, and he’s yet to allow a run in the PCL.

April Stats

Offense

Jeff Glenn - 3 PA, 0.333/0.333/1.333, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 15.4% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 4.3 Pitches/PA, 0 BABIP

The 9^th round draft pick from 2009 picked up his first Triple-A homer of his pro career and pitched an inning during his limited duty

Ty Kelly - 80 PA, 0.394/0.462/0.592, 13 R, 8 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 8 BB, 1 HBP, 10 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 2 CS, 4% SwStr, 10.4% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA, 0.441 BABIP

Kelly’s hot hitting at the plate turned into a major league callup, but he hasn’t been able to get going yet in the majors

Brandon Nimmo - 107 PA, 0.326/0.421/0.565, 15 R, 8 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 15 BB, 16 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 3 CS, 10.8% SwStr, 21.6% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.378 BABIP

Nimmo’s bat came alive in May and he was as good at the plate as I’ve seen him. He looks closer to the player who came up to Binghamton midway through the 2014 season than the guy who tried start hitting for power last year. He looks really comfortable at the plate and is spraying line drives to all fields, just hitting the ball where it’s pitched. He missed a week in May with some soreness, but didn’t miss a beat in his first game back, when he launched a solo blast to CF

T.J. Rivera - 138 PA, 0.373/0.413/0.548, 22 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 7 BB, 3 HBP, 2 SF, 18 K, 1 GIDP, 2 CS, 10% SwStr, 19% Whiff/Swing, 3.3 Pitches/PA, 0.400 BABIP

Rivera is wearing out the PCL at an impressive clip and opponents’ announcers are happy to see him leave town. He’s not going to walk often, but he has a good contact rate, and doesn’t beat himself by chasing out of the zone very often

Montero Occasionally Wild But Effective, Then Pen Blows Late Lead

Nashville Sounds @ Las Vegas 51s

May 25, 2016

Daniel Mengden @ Rafael Montero

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12		R	H	E
Nashville	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	2		5	12	0
Las Vegas	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0		3	9	1

W: Wendelken (1-2, 4.08 ERA); L: Thornton (0-1, 4.76 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Rafael Montero (3.98 ERA) – 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 2B, 4 TB, 5 BB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 7 GB: 5 FB: 4 LD: 1 PU, 97 Pitches (52 Strikes), 9 Swinging, 13 Called, 9.3% SwStr, 23.1% Whiff/Swing, 16.2 Pitches/IP, 25 BF

Josh Smoker (4.58 ERA) – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 HR, 5 TB, 1 BB, 3 K (2 K/Sw), 1 GB: 1 FB: 1 LD: 1 PU, 36 Pitches (22 Strikes), 5 Swinging, 9 Called, 13.9% SwStr, 38.5% Whiff/Swing, 18 Pitches/IP, 8 BF

Paul Sewald (BS, 2, 2.74 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 2B, 3 TB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 2 LD, 30 Pitches (20 Strikes), 4 Swinging, 6 Called, 13.3% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 30 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Josh Edgin (0.00 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 TB, 1 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 2 GB: 1 LD, 25 Pitches (11 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 4 Called, 12% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 25 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Chase Bradford (1.61 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 1 GB: 1 LD, 20 Pitches (12 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 5 Called, 10% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 20 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Zack Thornton (L, 0-1, 4.76 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 2B, 3 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 3 GB: 1 LD, 14 Pitches (11 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 3 Called, 21.4% SwStr, 37.5% Whiff/Swing, 14 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Batters

DH - Dilson Herrera - 1-6, 2 K, 1 CS, 15.8% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 3.17 Pitches/PA

3B - T.J. Rivera - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 HBP, 1 K, 1 CS, 15% SwStr, 30% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA

RF - Travis Taijeron - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4.3% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA

1B - Marc Krauss - 1-5, 3 K, 13.8% SwStr, 30.8% Whiff/Swing, 5.8 Pitches/PA

SS - Gavin Cecchini - 1-5, 1 K, 1 SB, 13.3% SwStr, 22.2% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

2B - Niuman Romero - 1-5, 1 K, 3.8% SwStr, 8.3% Whiff/Swing, 5.2 Pitches/PA

LF - Kyle Johnson - 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 SB, 3.4 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            Rafael Montero was occasionally wild but overall effective against Nashville Wednesday night in the desert, but the Las Vegas 51s pen blew a late lead en route to a third straight loss to the Sounds. The 51s finished with 9 hits, but only managed two extra base hits (Travis Taijeron’s homerun and Kyle Johnson’s double), and only one player finished with multiple hits (Johnson).

            Due to the high walk rate, Montero wouldn’t have a clean frame until the 5^th inning, but he finished strong by retiring the final 7 in a row. Four of the five walks came on 4 pitches (one was intentional), but he actually had really sharp command during the rest of game – his strike rate was greater than 70% against the other 21 batters he faced.

            The Sounds struck first, getting to Montero in the 4^th without the aid of any walks. Andrew Lambo led off with a single and Matt Olson doubled him to 3B two batters later. Jaycob Brugman would come through with the RBI single in the frame, and it would’ve been a two run single if not for the great throw home from Brandon Nimmo – check out the zoomed out footage below. Josh Rodriguez was due up next, and he became Montero’s last walk, though that may have been more of a unintentional/intentional walk due to how hot J-Rod has been this series.