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Guardians Farm Report: Will Brennan Homers And Drives In Two More Runs In Columbus Win

Here is a recap of what happened with the Guardians minor league teams last night
Todd Paquette|
Guardians Farm Report: Will Brennan Homers And Drives In Two More Runs In Columbus Win
Guardians Farm Report: Will Brennan Homers And Drives In Two More Runs In Columbus Win

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Cleveland Guardians

Six of the seven Cleveland Guardians minor league clubs were in action Saturday with Double-A Akron having their second game this week postponed by rain at Bowie.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 4 Indianapolis 2

Will Brennan added to his Guardians farm leading RBI total on Saturday driving home two more runs including a solo home run for Columbus in their 4-to-2 defeat of Indianapolis.

Brennan now has 75 RBI's in 80 games between Akron & Columbus on the season. He has 21 RBI's more than the Guardians prospect Jhonkensy Noel who is number two in the organization with 54 on the year. 

For Brennan the season has not just been about the amount of runs he has driven. He now has 35 extra base hits, including an organization leading 26 doubles and his .324 average also currently leads the organization.

Clippers left-hander Kirk McCarty who was just claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles would earn the win coming on in the second inning of the game. McCarty went three and two thirds' innings allowing just one run on two hits while walking two and striking out two.

Columbus improves to 51-38 on the season with the win.

Top Performers:

  • Will Brennan 1-2 R HR 2RBI BB 
  • Will Benson 1-3 R 2B BB 
  • Oscar Mercado 1-4 3B RBI 
  • Bo Naylor 0-1 R 2BB 
  • Kirk McCarty 3.2(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 2BB 2SO (W) 
  • Tim Herrin 2.1(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Akron @ Bowie (Postponed by Rain)

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 5 Dayton 2

Captains starter Tommy Mace would shut down the Dragons offense Saturday night in one of his best outings of the season earning his first career win. Mace threw five and two thirds scoreless innings striking out six allowing five hits and two walks.

Mace now has a 1.59 ERA over his last two starts allowing just two runs and eight hits while striking out 12 batters.

On offense left fielder Johnathan Rodriguez would collect a team high four hits including his 12th double on the season. Rodriguez who has already set a new career high with 10 home runs now has 25 extra base hits and a .812 OPS for Lake County in what has been a bit of a breakout season for the 22-year-old.

The Captains would only hit one home run on the day coming off the bat of second baseman Aaron Bracho. Bracho would plate three of the teams five runs on the blast and give the team a 3-to-0 lead at the time. He now has three home runs over his last nine games. 

Davis Sharpe would earn his second save with Lake County pitching two scoreless innings striking out three Dragons. The win improves the Captains record to 46-39 on the year.

Top Performers:

  • Johnathan Rodriguez 4-4 2R 2B 
  • Aaron Bracho 1-4 R HR 3RBI 
  • Petey Halpin 2-4 2R 2B 
  • Gabriel Rodriguez 2-2 RBI BB 
  • Korey Holland 2-4 RBI SB 
  • Tommy Mace 5.2(IP) 5H 0R 0ER 2BB 6SO (W) 
  • Davis Sharpe 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO (SV)

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Charleston 6 Lynchburg 3

Lynchburg was locked in a pitcher's duel with Charleston trailing 1-to-0 after six innings of play. 

Hillcats starter Will Dion was outstanding tying a career high with 10 strikeouts on the day over five and two thirds' innings pitched. Dion would only allow one run on three hits and did not walk a single batter. 

For Dion he now has a team high 98 strikeouts to go with an impressive 2.26 ERA over 83.2 innings on the season.

Unfortunately for the Hillcats the RiverDogs would put plate five runs in the seventh inning off reliever Sergio Morillo who continues to make his way back from TJ surgery and take a 6-to-0 lead.

The Hillcats would plate one run in the seventh and two in the eighth, but it would be enough as their three-game winning streak would come to an end. The loss drops the team back to .500 on the season at 43-43.

The offensive standout on night for Lynchburg was 19-year-old second baseman Jake Fox. Fox would reach base in all five plate appearances going 3-for-3 with two walks. Over his last 16 games Fox is hitting .397 with a .507 OBP.

Top Performers:

  • Jake Fox 3-3 2B RBI 2BB 
  • Jorge Burgos 2-5 RBI 
  • Luis Durango 0-2 R RBI BB 
  • Richard Paz 1-3 BB 
  • Will Dion 5.2(IP) 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 10SO 
  • Miguel Vinicio 2.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 2BB 2SO

Arizona Complex League Guardians

ACL Guardians 7 ACL Reds 5

The ACL Guardians would take down the first place ACL Reds on Saturday improving their record 19-11 on the year. They are now just one game back of the 20-10 Reds in the ACL Central division.

Guardians 25-year-old RHP prospect Cody Morris made his second rehab appearance in the Arizona Complex League starting the game throwing two scoreless frames allowing just one hit while striking out four Reds batters.

On offense 20-year-old outfield prospect Wuilfredo Antunez would get the Guardians on the board first with a grand slam in the second inning. The home run for Antunez was his fourth of the season tying him with Marlin Made for the team lead. Antunez now has a .982 OPS over 21 games on the year.

18-year-old switch hitting catching prospect Manuel Mejias would also have a nice night going 2-for-4 with a double scoring and driving in a run in the contest.

Top Performers:

  • Wuilfredo Antunez 2-3 2R 3B HR 4RBI BB 
  • Manuel Mejias 2-4 R 2B RBI 
  • Sterling Romero 2-5 RBI 
  • Juan Benjamin 1-4 R SB 
  • Cody Morris 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 4SO (Rehab) 
  • Abel Brito 5.0(IP) 2H 2R 1ER 2BB 7SO (W)

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Blue)

DSL Yankees 10 DSL Guardians (Blue) 7

The DSL Guardians (Blue) squad fall to 17-14 on the season with a loss to the DSL Yankees.

17-year-old switch hitting infield prospect Jeffrey Mercedes continued his strong start to his career adding two more hits including his second triple of the season. Mercedes is now hitting .333 with 10 extra base hits and 16 RBI's in just 18 games on the year.

Top Performers:

  • Jeffrey Mercedes 2-4 R 3B RBI 
  • Nomar Velasquez 2-4 2R BB 
  • Oscar Cedeno 1-1 2B 2RBI 
  • Luis Aparicio 1-5 R 2B 
  • Jose Cedeno 1-5 RBI 
  • Wagner Castillo 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Red)

DSL Pirates (Black) 8 DSL Guardians (Red) 2

The struggles would continue for the DSL Guardians (Red) team as the fall to 9-22 on the season with their latest loss to the DSK Pirates on Saturday.

18-year-old OF prospect Christopher Espinola would reach base twice going 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Espinola has had a strong start to his season as he's hitting .294 with a .865 OPS over 21 games.

Top Performers:

  • Christopher Espinola 1-3 BB SB 
  • Brayan Guedez 1-4 R BB SB 
  • Yefri Rivera 1-5 R SB 
  • Ronald Pena 1-2 
  • Jose Ruviera 1.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 2BB 1SO

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Read More:

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Guardians Vs. Tigers Game Preview: Guardians Look To Clinch Series Victory Over Tigers

Guardians Farm Report: Palacios Remains Red Hot With Four More His In Columbus Victory

Andres Gimenez To Start At Second Base In The All-Star Game

Why Jose Ramirez Can Win The Home Run Derby

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Todd Paquette
TODD PAQUETTE

Todd Paquette is a Cleveland-area sportswriter and minor league insider who covers the Cleveland Guardians and their farm system. He has been writing professionally since 2014 and has worked for Cleveland Guardians On SI since 2021.

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