Arizona Diamondbacks’ Minor League Playoffs Update
By Thomas Lynch
Mike Jacobs has 7 RBI’s so far in the playoffs for the Reno Aces. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
It seems the only club in the organization of the Arizona Diamondbacks not participating in the playoffs is the Major League one. Four D’back affiliates are participating in their respective league’s playoffs. All of them started play earlier this week so let’s provide a look as to how the young Snakes are faring.
Reno Aces (Triple A)-After dropping the opening contest in their best-of-five series against the Las Vegas 51’s, the Aces have responded with two straight victories. In Game 2, Andrew Chafin fired a complete game shutout and Mike Jacobs blasted a first inning grand slam for a 6-0 victory. Chafin allowed only four hits and did not walk anyone. On Friday, the Aces used a five run fifth to offset three errors and take Game 3 by a score of 7-5. Jacobs went deep again, this time with a three-run shot with Roger Kieschnick contributing three RBI’s. Jess Todd picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Jake Barrett got the save. Reno looks to close it out tonight at home. The winner of this series plays the winner of the Omaha-Memphis series to decide the Pacific Coast League Championship.
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Mobile BayBears (Double A)-Mobile opened the Southern League playoffs with two home games against the Jacksonville Suns. The BayBears dropped the opener by a score of 5-4. They held a 4-0 lead after two innings but three errors helped tip the balance to the Suns. Archie Bradley gave up three earned runs in six innings while walking only one and striking out eight. Mobile evened the series on Friday with a 4-3, 11 inning victory. Braden Shipley allowed three runs in the first inning but nothing over the next six. The BayBears’ Tom Belza had two doubles in five at-bats and scored the winning run on a single by Todd Glaesmann. The best of five series shifts to Jacksonville tonight with the winner playing the winner Chattanooga-Huntsville series for the Southern League Championship.
Visalia Rawhide (Single A)-Visalia will play for the California League Championship against the Bakersfield Blaze after defeating the Stockton Ports in their best of three first round. The Rawhide took the first game by the score of 13-3 on the strength of Steve McQuail‘s three home runs. Visalia got the clean sweep on Thursday by winning a 2-1 thriller. Rudy Flores homered for the second straight day for Visalia while Andrew Barbosa pitched 5 1/3 innings for the victory. Enrique Burgos got the save after loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning. He proceeded to get a force out at home, a strikeout and a ground out to clinch the series. The Championship series opens tonight in Bakersfield.
South Bend Silver Hawks (Single A)-Unfortunately, South Bend was eliminated from the Midwest playoffs on Thursday by the Lake County Captains. In Wednesday’s opener, second basemen Jamie Westbrook drove in the Hawks’ only two runs with a fifth inning ground out and a seventh inning single as the Captains won by a score of 6-2. In the clincher, Lake County used a five run fifth inning to breeze to a 7-2 victory. South Bend right fielder Justin Williams reached base four times with two doubles and two walks with an RBI. On the bright side, South Bend set a single season attendance record for 2014 by drawing 258,836 fans.