Cannonballs Coming: Kramer and Barnes injured, offense picks up

Indianapolis stomped Columbus 9-3 to end a four-game losing streak. Tyler Eppler rebounded with a strong start, going seven innings, only allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Indy amassed 13 hits, with Austin Meadows and Eric Wood leading the way with three each. In news that will shock absolutely no one, Barrett Barnes left the game with an injury. He was 2-2, but pulled up on an infield hit with an apparent hamstring injury. After an infield single in the bottom of the fifth Barnes was lying face down in obvious pain. He had been hitting very well recently. After Eppler departed Steven Brault came in to pitch the eighth. Neal Huntington mentioned on his radio interview Sunday they would be rotating Indy’s starters to periodically experience late-game relief situations, particularly with six starters there with Tyler Glasnow sent down. Johnny Barbato continued to pitch like Johnny Barbato, allowing a meaningless home run in the ninth.

Austin Meadows 3-5, double, 1 K

Eric Wood 3-4, 1 K, 1 walk

Tyler Eppler 7 IP, 4 hits, 6 K, 2 walks

Altoona rallied against the Flying Squirrels and scored eight late runs to defeat Richmond 9-3. The very unfortunate news coming out of Altoona is that Kevin Kramer will be going on the disabled list with a fractured hand. Tanner Anderson worked six efficient innings, throwing only 70 pitches and generating a lot of ground balls. Pablo Reyes, Edwin Espinal, Elvis Escobar and Jerrick Suiter all had two hits. Suiter hit a three-run homer (his third) to give the Curve an 8-3 lead in the 7th.

Kevin Newman 0-3, 2 walks

Jordan Luplow 0-4, 1 K, 1 walk

Jerrick Suiter 2-5, home run (3), 2 K

Tanner Anderson 6 IP, 8 hits, 3 K, no walks

Bradenton rolled over Dunedin 8-4 and their offense collected 14 hits. Pedro Vasquez went five innings and gave up three runs on three hits and recorded five strikeouts. All of the damage was done on a three-run homer in the bottom of the first. Vasquez did not allow a hit after the first inning. The under-the-radar return for Arquimedes Caminero continues to be one to monitor, with both Vasquez and Jake Brentz showing some promise. Ke'Bryan Hayes, Logan Hill, and Will Craig were all 2-4 with a walk. Logan Ratledge was 3-5 and Jordan George was 2-3 with four RBIs. Another positive takeaway was Brandon Cumpton pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Pedro Vasquez 5 IP, 3 hits, 5 K, 2 walks

Greensboro feasted on West Virginia pitching and beat the Power 12-1. James Marvel only lasted three innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits, and Blake Cederlind continued his very disappointing 2017 campaign with another four runs surrendered in 2 1-3 innings pitched. However, he did record five strikeouts. It looks as if outfielder Alex Bastardo came in to get the final five outs and was predictably ineffective.

Albert Baur 2-3, double (.826 OPS on the year)

Hunter Owen 2-3, double (.869 OPS)