Indians minor league recap: Eric Stamets makes incredible leaping grab in Akron win

A lot of great defensive plays go unnoticed in the minor leagues. Even the biggest ones, like Eric Stamets leaping roughly 4,000 feet into the air to snag a line drive are left without their own MiLB highlights. That injustice ends today, because if you have an MiLB.tv subscription I am going to have to ask you stop reading this post, open the Akron RubberDucks’ game archive, and start around the 34-minute mark.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Amazing, right? The Akron shortstops, who the Cleveland Indians acquired for David Murphy at least year’s trade deadline, absolutely robbed an Erie SeaWolves batter of a hit with that leaping grab.

Columbus Clippers 2, Durham Bulls 3

Box Score · Clippers fall to 79-58

The Columbus Clippers did their best Indians impression for much of the game, trailing 1-0 as late as the sixth inning, but their two-runs seventh was not enough for them to hold onto a comeback victory. Instead, the Durham Bulls responded with their own two-run eighth inning, scoring what would end up being the game winner on a sacrifice fly.

Columbus batters combined for six hits, but half of those came from Ronny Rodriguez, who also hit the team’s only extra-base hit — a two-run home run.

Collin Cowgill, Yandy Diaz, and Adam Moore had the other hits while Bradley Zimmer went hitless for the second straight game. The Tribe’s top prospect has one hit in his last 17 at-bats.

Shawn Morimando turned in an excellent six innings of work worthy of a win, holding the Bulls to one run off of four hits. He also struck out eight and walked just one. However, it was Craig Stammen who ultimately blew the lead — two earned runs and two hits were charged to the reliever, bringing his Triple-A earned run average on the season to an even 8.00.

Akron RubberDucks 4, Erie SeaWolves 2

Box Score · RubberDucks improve to 71-62

Outside of some major collapse, it looks like the Akron RubberDucks will have no issue making the Eastern League playoffs. They currently sit second in the EL Western division, 2.5 games ahead of the Harrisburg Senators and 2.0 games back of the leading Altoona Curve. Last night’s 4-2 victory of the Erie SeaWolves went a long way towards helping them secure that playoff spot.

Greg Allen started the game in the most Greg Allen way possible — by hitting a ball straight back at the mound that bounced off the pitchers thigh and rolled slowly to the shortstop. Allen has found a way to get on base one way or another all season long. If he was considered a qualified batter in the Eastern League, his .407 on-base percentage would lead the league.

Allen would finish the game with two hits, his fifth steal of the season, and two of the RubberDucks’ four runs batted in. Joe Sever was the only other batter to enjoy a multi-hit day, while Luigi Rodriguez had a triple in his only hit of the game.

Eric Stamets had only one hit in the game, but he provided the biggest highlight: A tremendous leaping grab to get the first out of the second inning. The shortstop leaped to grab a line drive that he had no business being in range of. Unfortunately, MiLB.tv didn’t bother to make a highlight of it, so you’ll have to either take my word for it, or go to the game archive yourself right around 34:00. It’s worth it.

It took a great play for Rob Kaminsky to get that out, but he did not need many of them. Kaminsky continued his second-half surge last night, pitching 7.1 strong innings, allowing one run off of four hits.

Lake County Captains 6, Lansing Lugnuts 12

Box Score · Captains fall to 69-65

The Lake County Captains were done in by a huge, 10-run third inning yesterday as they slowly creep back down towards the .500 mark on the season.

Several Captains batters had two-hit games, including the top third of the lineup — Willi Castro, Jodd Carter, and Andrew Calica. The 22-year-old Calica is 9-for-16 in Single-A this season.

Casey Shane was rocked for 10 innings, lasting just 2.2 innings and walking two in the process.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers 6, Williamsport Crosscutters 5

Box Score · Scrappers improve to 35-33

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers jumped out to an early lead last night, but the Williamsport Crosscutters chopped away at it over the early innings. It was not until the 10th that the Scrappers were able to plate the go-ahead run.

Gabriel Mejia had the only multi-hit game of the evening, going 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Silento Sayles hit is second home run of the season in the eighth inning.

Starting pitcher Aaron Civale was brilliant over his 3.0 innings of work, striking out two and keeping the Crosscutters scoreless off of one hit. Switch-pitcher Ryan Perez faced three batters and struck every one of them out — two on called strikes, one swinging.

AZL Indians 0, AZL Brewers 2

Box Score · Indians fall to 31-25

The AZL Indians were blanked on just four hits yesterday in their afternoon game against the AZL Brewers. Nolan Jones recorded two of the hits, while Samad Taylor and Hosea Nelson added the other two.

The Lynchburg Hillcats had a scheduled off day.