DotF: Culver homers twice in Scranton’s win

A couple notes before we get to tonight’s games:

• IF Donovan Solano was placed on the Triple-A Scranton disabled list with a calf injury, reports Shane Hennigan. IF Billy Fleming is up from Double-A Trenton to fill the roster spot. That’s notable because the Thunder now have an open infield roster spot, which figures to go to a certain top prospect expected to come off the disabled list any day now.
• RHP Luis Cessa has been dealing with lower back tightness the last few days, according to Hennigan. It can’t be that bad because Cessa threw 88 pitches in 6.2 reasonably effective innings last night. The Yankees are usually cautious to the extreme with their pitchers. This really must be something minor for Cessa to pitch through it.
• OF Jeff Hendrix has been activated off the High-A Tampa disabled list, according to Nick Flammia. I’m not sure what was wrong with him, but Hendrix has not played at all this season. Must have gotten hurt during Spring Training. OF Austin Aune was sent to Extended Spring Training to open a roster spot.
• Matt Eddy has an interesting post looking at park factors using the 20-80 scouting scale. Aside from High-A Tampa, the Yankees have pitcher’s parks in the farm system. It’s important to keep that in mind when looking over the stat lines.

Triple-A Scranton (10-5 win over Louisville)

• SS Tyler Wade: 2-4, 1 BB, 1 SB
• LF Clint Frazier: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 K — threw a runner out at third … two homers, seven doubles, six singles
• RF Dustin Fowler: 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K
• 1B Rob Refsnyder: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 HBP
• CF Mason Williams: 1-3, 1 K — threw a runner out at third
• 3B Cito Culver: 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 E (both throwing) — fourth career two-homer game, if you can believe that … this is his first multi-homer game since 2013
• RHP Chad Green: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 5/1 GB/FB — 51 of 79 pitches were strikes (65%) … in our poll the other day the majority of voters said they would keep Green in Triple-A for the time being
• LHP Joe Mantiply: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 4/1 GB/FB — 30 of 45 pitches were strikes (67%)
• LHP Chasen Shreve: 1 IP, zeroes, 3 K — eleven of 16 pitches were strikes … 10/0 K/BB in 5.1 innings down here
• RHP Ben Heller: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GB/FB — eleven of 14 pitches were strikes … nice rebound from his disaster outing the other day

Double-A Trenton had a scheduled off-day.

High-A Tampa (3-2 loss to Clearwater)

• SS Jorge Mateo: 1-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB — 12-for-13 in steal attempts in 20 games
• 2B Kyle Holder: 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 CS, 1 E (fielding) — 5-for-13 (.385) in his last five games, so he’s maybe starting to come around a bit
• LF Tito Polo: 0-4, 2 K
• RF Trey Amburgey: 0-3, 1 RBI
• CF Jeff Hendrix: 1-4, 1 CS
• DH Jhalan Jackson: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 K
• LHP Ian Clarkin: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 12/4 GB/FB — 69 strikes out of 101 workmanlike pitches (68%)
• RHP Colten Brewer: 2 IP, zeroes, 3 K, 2/1 GB/FB — 13 of 17 pitches were strikes (76%) … 15/1 K/BB in 9.1 innings for the minor league Rule 5 Draft pick

Low-A Charleston (2-1 loss to Delmarva in 13 innings)

• RF Estevan Florial: 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K — has a 31.6% strikeout rate at the moment … I’d love to see him get it down to 20.0% or so … he’d be a monster making that much contact
• 2B Hoy Jun Park: 0-4, 1 BB, 2 K
• CF Blake Rutherford: 0-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS — in a 1-for-20 (.050) slump, though he’s still taking his walks … the hits will fall in eventually
• C Donny Sands: 2-5, 1 CS
• 1B Isiah Gilliam: 1-5, 1 K, 1 CS
• SS Diego Castillo: 1-5, 1 K
• 3B Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-5, 1 K, 1 E (throwing)
• DH Leonardo Molina: 0-5, 2 K
• RHP Brian Keller: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 7/3 GB/FB — 63 of 96 pitches were strikes (66%)