Guardians Farm Report: Williams Impressive In Double-A Debut For Akron Sunday

Here is a recap of what happened with the Guardians minor league teams last night

Author:
Todd Paquette
Jun 13, 2022 12:15 PM EDT

In this story:

Rookie leagues in Arizona and the Dominican Republic are off on Sunday but all four Cleveland Guardians full season teams were in action.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 11 Indianapolis 5

The Clippers offense came to play Sunday scoring 11 runs on 13 hits and 11 walks. The story line throughout the contest was Will Brennan who reached base in his first four times up to bat in the game and 10 straight plate appearances going back to Friday night.

Brennan's streak would come to an end in the seventh inning flying out to left field. He would finish the game going 3-for-5 with a double an RBI and two walks. During his current six game hitting streak he is 16-for-25 with seven RBI's and five walks hitting for an insane .640 average. Between Akron and Columbus Brennan has his average up to .333 on the year.

The other star on offense for Columbus was catcher Gavin Collins who would drive in four runs in the game on two hits including his fourth home run of the season.

Starter Kirk McCarty would pick up the win despite allowing five runs over five and a third innings pitched on 10 hits. The Clippers move back to 10 games above .500 with a 35-25 record.

Top Performers:

Gavin Collins 2-5 R HR 4RBI
Will Brennan 3-5 R 2B RBI BB
Alex Call 2-4 R 2RBI 2BB
David Fry 1-3 2R 2RBI 3BB
Trenton Brooks 3-5 R 2(2B)
James Karinchak 1.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 2BB 2SO

Double-A Akron RubbeDucks

Akron 7 Somerset 1 (10 Innings)

Cleveland Guardians 2021 first round pick 22-year-old right hander Gavin Williams made his Double-A debut for Akron after just being promoted from High-A Lake County where he had a 1.40 ERA over his first nine starts of his career and season.

Williams was impressive limiting the Patriots to just one run on one hit a solo home run in the second inning. He did allow three walks two of which came in the first inning throwing 30 pitches but seemed to find his command after that settling in the rest of his start. Williams would give Akron five and two thirds' innings in the debut and strike out five Patriot batters.

After Somerset took a 1-to-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run Akron would answer in the third on a solo shot of their own by George Valera tying the game at one run apiece. For Valera it was his ninth home run of the season.

Both teams would hold each other scoreless from the final six innings of regulation sending the game into extra innings. The RubberDucks offense come to life and explode for six runs in the 10th inning including a grand slam from outfielder Jonathan Engelman.

Reliever Jerson Ramirez who pitched a scoreless ninth inning would stay on for the 10th to get the final three outs earning the win.

Akron improves to 32-25 on the season.

Top Performers:

Jonathan Engelmann 2-3 R 2B HR 4RBI BB SB
George Valera 2-4 2R 2B HR RBI BB
Micah Pries 1-4 R 2B BB SB
Daniel Schneemann 1-4 R RBI BB
Gavin Williams 5.2(IP) 1H 1R 1ER 2BB 5SO
Jerson Ramirez 2.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 1BB 2SO (W)

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 5 Fort Wayne 3

The Captains were actually being no-hit in the game through the first seven innings of play before Petey Halpin would collect the first hit on a bunt single in the eighth inning.

Halpin would come around to score on a base hit by Gabriel Rodriguez would drive Halpin home on a base hit to give Lake County their first run of the game now trailing 3-to-1. Rodriguez would finish the game going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI's.

With one out in the ninth inning still trailing 3-to-1 Joe Naranjo would single setting up Jhonkensy Noel to be the hero and tie the game up at 3-to-3 on his Midwest League leading and Guardians farm leading 15th home run of the season.

Still in the ninth inning now with two outs Petey Halpin who had broken up the no-hitter in the previous inning would come through clutch hitting his second triple of the season.

The next batter up Johnathan Rodriguez would send a double down the left field line to give the Captains their first lead of the game. Lake County would tack on an insurance run making it a 5-to-3 game.

Closer Cade Smith who had already thrown a scoreless eighth inning would stay on and finish the game getting the final three outs and earn the win.

The Captains improve to 30-26 on the year with the comeback victory.

Top Performers:

Jhonkensy Noel 1-4 R HR 2RBI
Gabriel Rodriguez 2-4 2B 2RBI
Petey Halpin 2-3 2R 3B BB
Jonathan Rodriguez 1-4 R 2B RBI
Tommy Mace 2.0(IP) 2H 0ER 0BB 2SO
Randy Labaut 3.0(IP) 1H 0ER 1BB 3SO
Cade Smith 2.0(IP) 0H 0ER 0BB 2SO

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg 6 Fredericksburg 4

The Hillcats were tied at 4-to-4 heading into the ninth inning when Lynchburg would load the bases with two outs for catcher Victor Planchart. Planchart already with one hit in the game would come through clutch driving home a pair on a double making it a 6-to-4 game.

Lynchburg closer Elvis Jerez would pitch a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning striking out one picking up his sixth save of the season. The Hillcats move to 30-27 on the season with the win.

The Lynchburg offense would collect 15 hits in the game with seven different batters collecting two hits apiece. One of those players was Yordys Valdes who would hit his first home run of the season in the game.