Farmers Only Weekend Harvest - Austin Hendrick wraps season with a bang

Seasons wrap across the minors, while a few top Reds prospects put on a show.

Louisville Bats (AAA)

Louisville Bats 7, Columbus Clippers 5 (Friday)

Columbus Clippers 7, Louisville Bats 6 (Saturday)

Columbus Clippers 7, Louisville Bats 5 (Sunday)

The Bats lost 2 of 3 over the weekend, but who counts wins and losses around these parts, anyway? Friday saw big offensive nights from Juniel Querecuto (2B, dinger), Stephen Piscotty (1B, dinger), and TJ Hopkins (1B, dinger), and that was good enough to back a solid effort by Deck McGuire on the bump (6.0 IP, 2 ER). Ben Lively was rocked steadily again in his start on Saturday (3.0 IP, 3 ER, dinger surrendered), and that set the stage for the Bats to play trailer all day. Both Querecuto and Hopkins socked homers again on Saturday, which was noble of them, while Juniel rolled that homer streak into yet another on in Sunday’s loss, too. TJ only managed a 2-hit game on Sunday, though Piscotty joined back in with a homer again, too. Hunter Greene looked like himself with 3.0 IP of 1 ER ball (4 H, BB, 5 K), but unfortunately, the bullpen down there is the bullpen that is up here, too.

Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)

Birmingham Barons 3, Chattanooga Lookouts 2 (Friday)

Birmingham Barons 5, Chattanooga Lookouts 0 (Saturday)

Chattanooga Lookouts 6, Birmingham Barons 5 (Sunday)

The Lookouts squeaked out a Sunday victory to salvage what had otherwise been a difficult weekend (as part of a larger difficult end to their season). Mike Siani singled, walked, and stole a pair of bags in a Friday effort that also saw Allan Cerda double and drive in a pair of runs as part of his 2-hit evening. Eduardo Salazar put up a stellar 7.0 IP of 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K ball in that one, yielding just a pair of runs. Connor Phillips was the hard-luck loser on Saturday despite allowing just a lone ER in 5.1 IP, but the offense couldn’t so much as muster an XBH on the day - for those wondering, Elly De La Cruz did chip in with a single and a stolen base, at least. The Chatt Bats poked 10 total hits en route to the victory on Sunday, with Elly going HAM with a single, double, 3 steals, a pair of runs scored, and a ribbie to lead the way. Cerda walked, singled, doubled, and scored twice while Brian Rey had a 3-hit day (with a double), all of which served to back Andrew Abbott and his excellent, scoreless 5.0 IP outing of 2 H, 2 BB, 9 K ball.

Dayton Dragons (High-A)

Dayton Dragons 8, Lansing Lugnuts 4 (Friday)

Lansing Lugnuts 9, Dayton Dragons 5 (Saturday)

Dayton’s season came to an end this weekend in frustrating fashion, as Sunday’s finale was banged due to rain. Friday saw many fireworks, at least, as the Dragons got homers from each of Rece Hinds, Austin Hendrick, Hayden Jones, Michel Triana, and Jose Torres to fuel the victory. Saturday was more of a struggle, unfortunately, though Hendrick at least finished his late-season tear with another solid outing (1 for 3 with a homer, a steal, and a walk). He hit .255/.377/.543 (.920 OPS) over his final 27 games, with 7 dingers and 28 ribbies in that span (alongside 17 BB and 30 K). Over a 162 game pace, that’s 48 dingers, 168 ribbies, and 102 walks, said the author while acknowledging he knows full well that’s not how any of this really works.

Daytona Tortugas (Single-A)

Unfortunately, rain claimed the entire weekend for the Dragonas, thereby ending their regular season, too.

Thanks for following along with us for another season full of Farmers Only, folks.