All Hands on Deck: Mason Martin walks it off twice

Mason Martin homered in the bottom of the seventh of both ends of a double-header, providing the walk-off winning hit in each as Greensboro took a pair from Lakewood.

Triple-A

Indianapolis (22-18) dropped an 8-4 decision to visiting Norfolk (20-21) as the bullpen imploded to allow all the runs.

Luis Escobar (0-0, 0.96) made a spot start in place of the scratched Mitch Keller and although he threw only 20 of 40 pitches for strikes, threw three scoreless, one-hit innings. Brandon Waddell went next but didn’t fare nearly as well, coughing up four runs in two innings, three of them on a homer to #3 hitter Ryan Mountcastle (325/353/519), his sixth, raising Waddell’s ERA to 8.24 in 19 ²⁄₃ innings. Sean Keselica (1.93) took the loss as he allowed three more runs in only two innings, even though he’d previously allowed only one earned run in 16 ²⁄₃ innings between Altoona and Indianapolis.

The Indians only managed four hits, two of them by RF Eric Wood (189/299/405), which included a three-run homer, his fifth of the year. Jason martin went 0-for-4, dropping his BA to .224, Will Craig’s 0-for-2 dropped him a .239, and Pablo Reyes isn’t hitting any better in the minors, with a .129 BA after an 0-for-3 day.

Double-A

Altoona (22-20) scored a pair in the bottom of the eighth, breaking a 4-4 tie, en route to their second straight win over high flying Harrisburg (29-13) by a score of 6-4.

Pedro Vasquez (3-1, 3.32) allowed four runs but only one earned over five innings, on six hits and no walks, with five K’s. Beau Sulser added a pair of scoreless innings, with Angel German and Blake Weiman working an inning apiece.

Cather Jason Delay, batting 6th, was the hitting star for the Curve. His 4-for-4 day raised his batting line in 19 games to 394/452/712. 3B Hunter Owen (310/374/600) added a solo homer, his tenth.

High-A

Cody Bolton pitched well but Bradenton (23-19) got just two hits in a 2-0 loss to Palm Beach (27-15)

The 20 year old right-hander Bolton (5-2, 1.90) allowed just one earned un on four hits and three walks in five innings, keeping his season ERA under 2, but he was outdueled by Cardinals’ prospect Alex Fagalde (5-2, 2.37) who allowed the two hits over seven shutout inning, with one walk and six K’s.

RF Cal Mitchell (288/328/456) and 25 year old DH Lucas Tancas (262/307/377) where the only Marauders to collect hits.

Low-A

Greensboro (28-14) swept a pair of seven innings games from Lakewood (14-28), game one by an 8-7 score and game two 6-5, both wins coming on Mason Martin (241/345/524) walk-off homers.

20 year old right-hander Steven Jennings (2-5, 6.42), a second round pick in 2017, started the first game and got knocked around again, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in only three innings.

The Grasshoppers entered their last at bat trailing 7-4 when 2B Raul Siri led off with a double to center followed by a walk to CF Lolo Sanchez. After a mound visit, LF Fabricio Macias grounded a single to right to score Siri, then 1B Martin ended the game on a line drive over the right-center fence, his tenth homer of the season,l making the final score 8-7.

In game two Conner Loeprich (1-1, 3.63) was pressed into his first start of the year and had a similar poor performance, coughing up four runs in four innings, but Cam Alldred (2.75) followed with two scoreless relief innings and Yerry De Los Santos (0.00 in 5 IP) one of his own.

This time Greensboro trailed 5-3 entering the bottom of the final frame. Justin Harper and Zac Susi each grounded out, leaving the home team with only one out remaining. Lolo Sanchez grounded a single to left and took second on defensive indifference, Kyle Mottice was hit by a pitch, then on a 1-1 pitch, Martin once again line a ball over the right-center fence, his 11th homer of the year, driving in three to give Greensboro the 6-5 victory.

Martin, who turns 20 in two weeks, has 36 home runs in 183 career games but with 247 strikeouts and a 242/363/465 batting line.