Minor Matters: Intrasquad Games

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Jake Westbrook, Rafael Betancourt and Joe Borowski were sharp, but Aaron Fultz was hit around during minor-league intrasquad games at the Chain of Lakes complex on Wednesday. Fultz, belted last week for nine hits and seven runs on 16 pitches by the Atlanta Braves, made 55 pitches in two innings against the Class AA Akron Aeros and yielded five hits, three walks and four runs.

Fultz threw only three first-pitch strikes to the 11 batters he faced. When he did get the ball over, it was hit.

Borowski allowed one hit and one run over two innings for the Triple-A Buffalo squad, walking one and striking out two. He worked on his breaking pitches, reaching only as high as 81 mph on the radar gun in his 36-pitch outing.
Betancourt hit 89 mph and also made 36 pitches, allowing only one hit and fanning three in his two-inning stint.

Minor-league right-hander Chris Niesel finished up for the Bisons, allowing two hits and two runs in the seventh and final inning. He hit a high of 88 in his 25-pitch outing.

For Akron, Westbrook gave up six hits and one run over five innings, fanning six without a walk. He had the minor-leaguers swinging over his sinker, but did crank it up as high as 92 mph in his 81-pitch outing.

Right-hander Bubbie Buzachero followed Westbrook and gave up three runs on five hits over two innings, striking out two. He also reached 92 during his 41-pitch appearance.

Akron's final pitcher was lefty Matt Meyer. His fastest pitch was 88. He gave up two hits and one run over one inning.

Buffalo first baseman Ryan Mulhern hit a solo homer in three times up, scoring twice with a walk. Outfielder Trevor Crowe had a two-run single in four trips; catcher Chris Gimenez was 2-for-3 with two runs; third baseman Wes Hodges 1-for-4 with two RBI, and outfielder Nate Panther 2-for-4 with a double and RBI to round out Buffalo's offensive highlights.

At the other end of the spectrum was Jordan Brown, who struck out all four times up as the DH.

For Akron, first baseman Todd Martin was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI; shortstop Carlos Rivero 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI; while outfielder Jason Denham went 1-for-4 with an RBI, but fanned three times in the 6-6 tie.

Kinston defeated Lake County, 6-3, in a Class A intrasquad match. Shortstop Jansy Infante went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a stolen base; third baseman Beau Mills was 1-for-4 with an RBI; outfielder Roman Pena tripled and scored in three times up.

On the mound, lefty Scott Lewis gave up one hit in three scoreless innings, walking two and striking out three. He made 50 pitches, with a fastest clocking of 88 mph. Right-hander Hector Rondon had command issues and yielded six runs (four earned) in 2 1-3 innings, giving up three hits and two walks in his 58-pitch outing. He threw first-pitch strikes to seven of 13 batters faced, reaching a top speed of 91. Mark Rodrigues finished up, yielding two hits and fanning two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings, clocking a top speed of 87.

Right-hander Ryan Miller worked 3 1-3 hitless innings, walking three, striking out two and hitting 90 mph on the gun in a 42-pitch outing. Austin Creps hit a high of 89, yielding one walk, one hit and one walk over two innings.

Lefty John Gaub worked one hitless inning, walking two with a strikeout. His top speed was 91. Big right-hander Daniel Morales gave up two hits and two runs in his one inning, reaching only 83 mph and making 31 pitches.

In a simulated game involving lower-level players, four pitchers from last year's Dominican Summer League Indians were impressive. Skinny lefty Alexander Perez fanned one over two innings with a high speed of 87; Danny Salazar, a right-hander who had a 1.96 ERA last season at age 17 in the DSL, was clocked at 88; lefty Anillins Martinez (11-3, 2.73 ERA over three DSL seasons) hit 89, walked two and fanned one over 2 1-3 innings; and right-hander Jose Jimenez (no, not THAT Jose Jimenez from a few Tribe seasons ago), pitched a bit like him, walking four in two innings.

The Tribe minor-leaguers return to exhibition play on Thursday, facing teams from the Detroit Tigers' system.