Groover Continues Hot Streak, Organizational Pitching Stays Dominant

The Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league affiliates combined for a 3-1 record. Pitching ruled the day for the second straight night, as Amarillo, Hillsboro, and Visalia combined to allow just one run total and pitched two shutouts.

Here's a recap of all the action for Friday's games.

AAA: Reno Aces 2, Albuquerque Isotopes 8

This ended up being the lone game where an Arizona affiliate's starter wasn't dominant. Casey Kelly got rocked for seven runs on 12 hits. Kelly surrendered an astonishing eight extra-base hits and three home runs in 4.2 innings and put the Aces in a 7-0 hole.

Reno only combined for three hits, a Tristin English home run in the fifth and back-to-back doubles by Connor Kaiser and Jorge Barrosa in the sixth.

The trio of Joe Mantiply, Christian Montes De Oca, and Kyle Backhus combined for 3.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Montes De Oca struck out two in the eighth and Kyle Backhus punched out the side in the ninth.

AA: Amarillo Sod Poodles 1, Corpus Christi Hooks 0

Pitching carried the day for Amarillo. Avery Short scattered six hits, all singles, over five scoreless innings. Short walked two and struck out five.

The game's only run was scored on an RBI double by Caleb Roberts, plating LuJames Groover. Groover continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3-for-4. He's hit safely in four straight games, collecting eight hits in his last 16 at-bats (.500 average). His average sits at .307 on the year with a .896 OPS.

The Amarillo bullpen bent but did not break. Alfred Morillo struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings and Philip Abner pitched around a couple of hits in a scoreless eighth. Landon Sims retired the first two hitters of the ninth, but found the third out to be slightly difficult. He gave up a line drive single then walked a hitter on a full count before inducing a soft line drive up the middle that Tommy Troy made a leaping grab on.

A+: Hillsboro Hops 4, Everett AquaSox 1

Hillsboro pitchers kept Everett's top prospect-laden lineup at bay. Right-hander John West turned in his best start of the season, allowing just one run on five hits, one walk, and a season-high seven strikeouts over seven innings.

Ryan Waldschmidt reached base three times, on two singles and a walk, driving in the Hops' first run of the game. Kenny Castillo doubled in a run in the fourth to reclaim the lead for good.

In the eighth, Hillsboro took advantage of a leadoff walk to Druw Jones and blew the game open. Cristofer Torin doubled Jones home, and productive fly ball outs from Jansel Luis and Ben McLaughlin scored an important insurance run. Torin finished 1-for-3 with that double and a walk.

Facing the top prospects in Seattle's system, with the potential tying run on base, the Hops countered with their bullpen ace Hayden Durke. He retired all four hitters he faced, striking out Tai Peete on a wicked backfoot slider to end the game for a drama-free save. It was Durke's fourth save in as many chances this year.

A: Visalia Rawhide 1, Lake Elsinore Storm 0

Juan Corniel's bases-loaded walk in the second accounted for the game's lone run, as Visalia's pitching took care of the rest. Junior Sanchez carried the bulk of the work with six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, walking three, and striking out three. Dawson Brown and Victor Morales combined for three scoreless innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.

With their top prospect, Slade Caldwell, out of the lineup, the Rawhide managed to collect just four hits. They were aided by six walks by Storm pitchers, including Corniel's run-scoring free pass. Their one hit with a runner in scoring position was an infield single by Trent Youngblood, right before the walk.