Who's hot
ZACK COX (AA Tigers/Arkansas Razorbacks) continues to swing a hot bat, going 11 for 32 (.344) -- including a home run -- with 4 RBI and 4 runs scored in his past 10 games through Thursday. Cox went 2 for 4 with a run scored June 4 in the Erie SeaWolves' 6-3 victory over the Harrisburg Senators (AA Nationals), then went 2 for 3 with a walk Thursday in a 2-1 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Blue Jays). Jonathan Davis (UCA/Camden) went 2 for 5 with 1 RBI and 1 stolen base in that game for the Fisher Cats.
RYAN SCOTT (A Red Sox/UALR/North Little Rock) has especially liked the pitching of the Hickory Crawdads (A Rangers), going 6 for 14 (.429) with 5 RBI and a run scored over his past 3 games. Scott went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI on Tuesday in the Greenville Drive's 2-1 loss to the Crawdads, then went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI on both Wednesday and Thursday in consecutive 5-3 victories over Hickory. Tyler Spoon (Razorbacks/Fort Smith) went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored for Greenville in Thursday's victory.
Who's not
MICHAEL BERNAL (A Giants/Razorbacks) has gone 4 for 22 (.182) with 2 runs scored, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts over his past 7 games, and his batting average has dropped from .357 to .250. Bernal's last multihit game was May 30, when he went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored for the Augusta GreenJackets in an 8-2 loss to the Columbia Fireflies (A Mets).
DELTA CLEARY (independent/Jonesboro) has gone 6 for 33 (.181) with 3 runs scored, 3 RBI and 6 strikeouts in his past 10 games. Cleary went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League on June 3 in a 10-1 victory against the Bridgeport Bluefish, then went hitless (0 for 10) over the next 3 games before going 1 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored Thursday in a 3-2 victory over the New Britain Bees.
News and notes
• Outfielder Forrestt Allday (UCA) of the Mobile BayBears (AA Angels) and third baseman Brian Anderson (Razorbacks) of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AA Marlins) were named Wednesday to the South Division roster for the Southern League All-Star Game on June 20 at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, Fla.
Anderson, 24, is the Marlins' No. 3 overall prospect, according to MLB.com, and he will play in an All-Star game for the third consecutive season after playing in the High-A Florida State League's All-Star Game in each of the past two seasons.
Allday, 26, was tied for third in the Southern League with a .311 batting average through Thursday's games and had reached base in 34 consecutive games dating back to April 24 before going 0 for 3 Friday in a 1-0 loss to the Birmingham Barons (AA White Sox). He also had a 10-game hitting streak between April 25 and May 5. Allday was briefly promoted to the Class AAA Salt Lake Bees on June 1, going 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI in an 11-10 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA Padres) in his only game for the Bees before being sent back to Mobile on June 3. Allday went 1 for 4 with a run scored and a strikeout June 4 in his return to Mobile as the BayBears lost 3-2 to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA Reds).
• Two pitchers with Arkansas ties who were designated for assignment have both cleared waivers and been sent outright to Class AAA teams. Daniel Wright (Arkansas State), who was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels organization May 31, was sent to the Angels' Class AAA affiliate in Salt Lake City on June 3. Wright, who had not pitched since taking a loss to the Tacoma Rainiers (AAA Mariners) on May 30, did not factor in the decision in his return Thursday as Salt Lake defeated the Las Vegas 51s (AAA Mets) 4-3. Wright pitched 42/3 innings for the Bees, allowing 3 runs -- none earned -- on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts. Mike Bolsinger (Razorbacks), who was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays on June 1, was sent to the Class AAA Buffalo Bisons on Thursday.
• Outfielder Brett Eibner (Razorbacks) was optioned to Class AAA Oklahoma City by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday after the Dodgers activated Justin Turner from the disabled list. Turner had been on the disabled list since May 19 with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Eibner had 6 hits, including 2 home runs, with 6 RBI in 17 games during his latest call-up. He'd also recently been throwing bullpen sessions to possibly be used as a reliever. Eibner has a .258 batting average with 3 home runs and 10 RBI this season with Oklahoma City.
• Pitcher Jalen Beeks (Razorbacks/Fayetteville) was promoted to the Class AAA Pawtucket (R.I.) Red Sox from the Class AA Portland (Maine) SeaDogs by the Boston Red Sox organization June 3. Beeks took the loss in his Pawtucket debut June 4 as the Red Sox lost 5-4 to the Durham Bulls (AAA Rays). He went 6 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. Three of the four runs came in the third inning after a 24-minute rain delay.
• Pitcher Zach Jackson (Razorbacks) was promoted to the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays from the Class A Lansing Lugnuts by the Toronto Blue Jays organization June 3. Jackson went right to work, pitching two-thirds of an inning and allowing three walks in the Blue Jays' 4-2 loss to the Daytona Tortugas (High-A Reds) on June 3. He took his first loss of the season Thursday in Dunedin's 2-1 loss to the Bradenton Marauders (High-A Pirates), in which he allowed 1 earned run -- an RBI single by Will Craig in the top of the seventh inning -- on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts over 2 innings.
• Reliever Chandler Hawkins (Arkansas State) was sent down to the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals from the Class AA Springfield Cardinals on Friday. Hawkins' last appearance for Springfield was Wednesday in a 5-4 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA Royals) in the second game of a doubleheader. He allowed 1 hit with 1 strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Hawkins went 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 16 appearances for Springfield, allowing 12 runs (9 earned) on 16 hits with 13 walks and 13 strikeouts over 202/3 innings and opposing batters hit .211 against him.
Around the horn
• Pitcher Mark Reyes (Jessieville) snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday as the San Jose Giants (High-A Giants) beat the Lancaster JetHawks (High-A Rockies) 7-4. Reyes earned the victory after allowing three hits over two innings. ... Pitcher Trey Killian (Razorbacks/Mountain Home) took an ugly loss for the Lancaster JetHawks on June 3 in a 9-3 defeat to the Stockton Ports (High-A Athletics). Killian went 4 innings, allowing 9 runs -- 6 earned -- on 11 hits, including a home run, with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. ... Pitcher Hunter Wood (Rogers Heritage) nearly went the distance for the Montgomery Biscuits (AA Rays) on Thursday in a 3-2, 7-inning victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AA Marlins) in the first game of a doubleheader. Wood went 61/3 innings, allowing both Jacksonville runs (only 1 earned) on 8 hits with 4 strikeouts. The victory evened Wood's record at 4-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 11 starts this season. Brian Anderson (Razorbacks) went 0 for 3 in the loss for the Jumbo Shrimp. ... Pitcher Ashur Tolliver (Sylvan Hills) was activated from the disabled list Friday by the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA Astros). Tolliver was placed on the disabled list May 29, retroactive to May 27, with an undisclosed injury.
-- Todd J. Pearce
Sports on 06/11/2017