Richie Shaffer named Triple-A All-Star MVP

INT All-Stars 4, PCL All-Stars 6

Box Score

The Triple-A All-Star Game took place yesterday, and it featured a pair of names familiar to those who follow the Indians farm system. Richie Shaffer started at designated hitter (so much more on him in a moment), and Eric Stamets came off the bench for an at-bat.

Stamets struck out in his one shot at All-Star glory, but Richie Shaffer homered, doubled, and took home MVP honors. He accounted for half of the International League’s runs, yet they still couldn’t get it done.

Shaffer is having a hell of a season, slashing .258/.358/.495 with 18 home runs. At just 26 years old, he could still have some upside as a versatile 1B/3B/DH type. What an interested potential trade piece. Let’s Go Tribe should considering adding a talented new writer to cover this. Hmm.

EAS West All-Stars 1, EAS East All-Stars 7

Box Score

Four Indians prospects were forced to play in this blowout — Yu-Cheng Chang, Cameron Hill, Thomas Pannone, and of course starting catcher Francisco Mejia.

Mejia was held hitless, an accomplishment in itself, while Chang went 1-for-2 with a double, one of only two extra-base hits for the West All-Stars.

On the mound, Pannone and Cameron Hill each pitched a hitless frame; the former struck out two of the three batters he faced.

Lynchburg Hillcats 4, Wilmington Blue Rocks 5 (F/13)

Box Score · Hillcats fall to 53-36

A lengthy battle between the Lynchburg Hillcats and WIlmington Blue Rocks ended on a wild pitch in the 13th inning.

After a flurry of scoring in the first three innings — it was tied 3-3 after three — the middle innings turned into a pitcher’s duel. From the fourth inning on, the Hillcats managed just one run and the Blue Rocks two, including their game-winning run on a wild pitch.

Sam Haggerty had two hits, which is normally good, but he also had seven at-bats. Similarly, Willi Castro was 3-for-6 and catcher Sicnarf Loopstok went 1-for-7. The Hillcats struck out 12 times as a team compared to just five walks, but Loopstok and Jodd Carter each homered.

Shao-Ching Chiang pitched four innings, walking two and striking out one. All three of the runs scored while Chiang were on the mound went down as unearned.

Lake County Captains 3, Peoria Chiefs 10

Box Score · Captains fall to 36-52

For five innings of this game, both teams were held to one or fewer runs. Then the sixth inning happened and the Peoria Chiefs offense exploded for nine in the final three frames while the Lake Captains added three of their own.

Justin Garza took the brunt of the earned runs, allowing five to cross the plate and pushing his already-not-great 5.33 ERA on the season to 6.00. In his last four relief appearances, Garza has allowed 13 runs over 11 innings and walked nine batters.

Mitch Longo continued his incredible season since returning from injury, going 2-for-4 with another double. He’s now slashing .369/.408/.554 on the season with four doubles.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers 5, Brooklyn Cyclones 4

Box Score · Scrappers improve to 12-10

Nineteen-year-old Oscar Gonzalez continued to ear up Low-A pitching yesterday. The Dominican-born left fielder added three more hits yesterday — he’s slashing .329/.341/.476 on the season with two home runs and already six doubles in 19 games.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hosea Nelson can’t escape his slow start to the season. He’s just 6-for-32 on the season and is now batting ninth in the Scrappers lineup.

Reliever Elijah Morgan kept his squeaky-clean ERA at 0.00 with another shutout performance over two innings yesterday. In three relief appearances this season he has allowed just two hits and struck out seven batters.

DSL Indians 10, DSL Pirates 3

Box Score · Indians improve to 13-21

Four DSL Indians batters had multi-hit games yesterday on their way to a 10-3 route of the DSL Pirates. The top-third of the Indians lineup — Jean Montero, Jonathan Lopez, and Yainer Diaz — combined to go 5-for-15 with two doubles and four runs batted in.

The AZL Indians had a scheduled off-day.