Alex Speas returns to game action

Alex Speas, the 2016 2nd round pick who underwent Tommy John surgery in June, 2018, made his return to game action tonight. The 21 righthanded pitcher threw 7 pitches, all strikes, in retiring the side in an inning of work, fanning 2. Speas moved full time to the bullpen in 2018 and was having success in low-A Hickory, putting up a 2.20 ERA in 28.2 IP over 20 outings, before going down with the torn UCL.

Speaking of Hickory. Yerry Rodriguez went 6.2 IP for the Crawdads tonight, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 7. Hever Bueno struck out 2 in a scoreless inning of work, lowering his ERA to 1.98. Hickory didn’t get it’s first hit until the 9th, when Jonathan Ornelas doubled for the only Crawdad hit of the game.

Jason Bahr made his second start for Frisco tonight, and followed up his previous 0 run, 5 IP outing by going 6.2 IP this evening, striking out 6, walking 2, and allowing 3 hits and 4 runs. C.D. Pelham has another rough outing, walking 4 of the 5 batters he faced, and then Demarcus Evans relieved him mid-inning and walked the first two batters he faced before recording a strike out, then gave up a single before fanning the final batter of the inning. Offensively, Charles Leblanc had 3 hits, and Leody Taveras had a hit and a walk.

Oh, and Ryan Dorow pitched the 9th for Frisco, because why not? And retired all 3 batters he faced.

For Spokane, Ricky Vanasco threw 65 pitches over 4.2 IP, with 3 walks, 4 Ks, and no hits or runs.