Petey Halpin off to a hot start, bullpens sturdy for Guardians affiliates

Cleveland Guardians minor league recap for Monday, April 8, 2024

Columbus Clippers 0, Omaha Storm Chasers 2

Box Score · Clippers fall to 3-5

Offense has been hard to come by for Columbus thus far in the 2024 campaign. The Clippers were shut out on five hits Sunday.

Jose Tena had the strongest day at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Micah Pries and Johnathon Rodriguez also reached base safely twice, both singling and reaching on a hit by pitch and walk, respectively.

The pitching was solid, it just didn’t get any help from the bats. Starting pitcher Adam Oller allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in four innings.

The bullpen was particularly excellent as recently-acquired Zak Kent struck out five batters in two scoreless innings of relief and Jaime Barria, Anthony Banda and Franco Aleman all tossed a scoreless frame as well.

Akron RubberDucks 1, Altoona Curve 0

Box Score · RubberDucks improve to 2-1

If you’d have told me former top pitching prospect Ethan Hankins’ 2024 starting pitching debut lasted just 1 ²⁄₃ innings, I’d have assumed Akron would have lost the game, not that it ended in a 1-0 shutout victory, but that was the case Sunday against Altoona.

Hankins cruised through the first inning before running into trouble in the second inning, leaving the game with the bases loaded after a pair of singles and a walk (while also striking out a pair).

Thankfully, reliever Davis Sharpe saved the day with 1 ¹⁄₃ innings of scoreless relief, followed by piggy-back partner Rodney Boone, who impressively pitched 4 ²⁄₃ scoreless frames out of the bullpen with three strikeouts, two walks and just one hit allowed during his appearance.

Fellow former top pitching prospect Lenny Torres Jr. came in to close out the game. Torres Jr. was drafted in the first round competitive balance alongside Hankins in 2018, with both young men having undergone Tommy John surgery. Torres was converted to a bullpen role in 2023 and he’s embraced it. He was throwing up 90s heat Sunday and went 1-2-3 with a strikeout to earn his first save of the season. He could be a bullpen arm to watch this season.

There wasn’t much to say offensively as Akron managed just three hits, but the big blow of the game came in the fifth inning off the bat of leadoff hitter Petey Halpin, who blasted a solo shot, his first of the young season.

Halpin also walked. He has gotten off to a tremendous start this season with a 1.417 OPS through his first three games. Christian Cairo singled, walked and stole two bases while Alexfri Planez doubled. Cairo also is off to a strong start with a 1.238 OPS.

Lake County Captains 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2

Box Score · Captains improve to 2-1

The bullpen was the hero of this game. Undrafted free agent Carter Spivey made his pro debut as the starting pitcher for the Captains, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks in 3 ¹⁄₃ innings, then the bullpen followed with 5 ²⁄₃ scoreless innings.

Juan Zapata tossed ²⁄₃ of a scoreless inning, Adam Tulloch threw three scoreless frames and Zach Jacobs earned the win by closing out the game with two more scoreless innings of relief.

Offensively, it was the catcher show. Cooper Ingle, a 2023 fourth-round pick, went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Backup catcher Johnny Tincher, an 11th round pick last year, blasted his first professional home run while playing as designated hitter.

Other standouts included Justin Boyd, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, and Maick Collado and Jonah Advincula, who both walked twice.

Lynchburg Hillcats 6, Down East Wood Ducks 7 (F/11)

Box Score · Hillcats fall to 0-3

Lynchburg showed some fight in this on, but the Hillcats came up just short in an extra-inning affair.

Yorman Gomez, a 21-year-old Venezuelan pitching prospect, allowed four runs (one earned) in five innings on three hits with three hits and four strikeouts with no walks.

Steven Perez impressed out of the bullpen with two scoreless innings of relief and three strikeouts while Jake Berry was a tough-luck loser, allowing an inherited runner to score with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning as Down East walked it off.

Offensively, Luis Durango led the way with three hits including a double, a walk and a stolen base for the Hillcats. Juan Benjamin went 2-for-6 while Manuel Mejias and Tommy Hawke both doubled and walked and 21-year-old Venezuelan outfield prospect Esteban Gonzalez singled, walked and was hit by a pitch.