As we approach the final games of May a 3-3 week keeps the Sluggers one game over.500, not really where they wanted to be but better than being one under.500. The disappointment of the week has to be the trip to the expansion Wichita where they lost the two games, the first by one run and the second in the 12th innings. That game was the most worrying, it was Carlos Rosa’s fifth blown save of the season and Lando Klomp surrendered a two-run homer to even his record at 3-3. Rosa & Klomp so far haven’t reached the height that Louisville expected when they lost Felipe Murrillo in the expansion draft. Still, they’re both young and taking the responsibility for the first time, hopefully as the season progresses they will show their undoubted talent and take the load. Staff ace Kevin Morales took his first loss of the season as the team provided no run support in a 1-0 loss to Hawaii while Mario Villarreal pitched his second complete game, unfortunately in a 3-6 loss in Jacksonville.
Another player in a slump is Brian Clough, after a promising start to the season he is now deep in a 3-43 slump and two of those hits came in a single game against Charm City. He hasn’t been totally unproductive though earning nine walks, six RBI and scoring three times. A sign of his growing frustration though is the five times he had struck out in the last four games compared to his three strikeouts in the previous 18 games in May. Gabriel Talamante continued to improve his season hitting three homers during the week to take his season tally to 11 homers and 27 RBI, Sean Maguire was really on fire, hitting .455 for the week, scoring five times including two homers and 19 total bases. Desiderius Kirshbaum added three steals to his total taking him to 22 sharing the team lead with Jamie Ramirez, both having 22 swipes from 29 attempts. Vince Osborn, a 2034 second round draft pick, spent last year at Rookie League Mobile and now has a .327/.386/.538 slashline at BBA level with three homers and 16 RBI.
Down on the farm a three-game sweep of South Bend, Madison’s Triple-A affiliate, took Missouri’s record to 25-23. Mike Singleton and Keith Huber pitching complete games in their wins. A 4-2 week in Double-A Alabama took their record to 29-19. Alberto Delgardo added two homers to take his tally to 11 while Pedro Debesa added one for a team leading 12th homer. A-ball Ocala were grateful to get no further injuries and added a 4-2 week to take their record to 27-21 despite having a -6 run differential. Wilson Padilla took his record to 6-0 as he was credited with the win in a 13-4 game over Eau Claire, Rockville’s affiliate.
Wilson Padilla, 6-0 after surrendering just 17 runs in 60 IP with a WHIP of 0.83