Gage flirts with no-hitter for second time this year
BOX SCORES: SAC / RIC / SJ / AUG (1) / AUG (2) / SK
Matt Gage came close to throwing a no-hitter back on May 21, eventually going eight strong allowing one hit and one walk after holding the Erie SeaWolves hitless through seven frames. Gage almost accomplished the feat again on Wednesday night to end August on a high note. Facing the Hartford Yard Goats, Ryan McMahon broke up this chance at a no-no with one out in the seventh. Gage finished up the inning with his season-high ninth strikeout, which gave him another season-high — 20 swinging strikes.
Gage's line was superb: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K. He needed just 85 pitches to do it, and remarkably tallied a mere 19 balls the entire night, which is a ridiculous average of 2.7 per inning.
Catching his final punch out of the night in the highlight below, it appeared as if Gage was using a combination of a two-seam fastball and a slider to attack right-handed hitting Michael Benjamin.
Outside the spotlight of Giants' top prospects Tyler Beede, Sam Coonrod, and Andrew Suarez, Gage has been one of the best minor league starters in the organization this year. Gage's 2016 season puts him on a likely path to Sacramento to begin the 2017 season. He's been stellar for the Flying Squirrels in his first full season in Double-A. In 23 starts, Gage owns a 3.38 ERA, 1.199 WHIP, and 2.81 FIP while striking out an average of seven per nine innings and walking an average of 2.2 per nine innings.
OTHER NOTES
— Heath Quinn promoted to San Jose Thursday morning to bolster the team's playoff run, but not before he put the finishing touches on an outstanding debut campaign in the Northwest League. He clubbed two doubles among three hits to bring his slash line up to .337/.423/.571. He left the Pacific Northwest leading the league in slugging percentage, OPS, wOBA, wRC+, and ISO, while being second in home runs and on-base percentage.
— Replacing Quinn on the Volcanoes roster was Jacob Heyward, who was blocked for quite awhile with all the talent already in Salem-Keizer's outfield. Now that Quinn and Reynolds have left, Heyward earned the well-deserved call-up and went 1-for-5 in his debut. He didn't quite qualify for average stats with only 125 plate appearances in the Arizona League, but among players with at least 100 plate appearances in the rookie league, Heyward was be first in walk rate, OPS, wOBA, wRC+, and ISO.
— Jake McCasland dominated South Atlantic League hitters again on Wednesday, because what else is new? He struck out nine and allowed just five baserunners in six innings. Over his last eight starts, opposing hitters have tallied 29 hits and eight walks in 50 innings.
TOMORROW'S STARTERS
- Sacramento: Dan Slania (3.01 ERA, 1.135 WHIP)
- Richmond: Kyle Crick (5.33 ERA, 1.660 WHIP)
- San Jose: Caleb Baragar (2.28 ERA, 1.139 WHIP)
- Salem-Keizer: TBD
TOP-30 PROSPECTS ROUNDUP
- Christian Arroyo: 1-for-6, RBI
- Tyler Beede: DNP
- Chris Shaw: 1-for-1
- Bryan Reynolds: 1-for-7, 3 SO
- Sam Coonrod: DNP
- Aramis Garcia: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B
- Joan Gregorio: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K
- Andrew Suarez: DNP
- Jordan Johnson: DNP
- Steven Duggar: 1-for-6, R, SO
- Steven Okert: DNP
- Rodolfo Martinez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- C.J. Hinojosa: 3-for-5, SO
- Clayton Blackburn: DNP
- Jalen Miller: 1-for-3, R, 2 SO
- Ray Black: DNP
- Dylan Davis: DNP
- Chase Johnson: DNP
- Heath Quinn: 3-for-5, R, 2 2B, RBI, SO
- Matt Krook: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 1 K
- Hunter Cole: 3-for-6, SO
- Austin Slater: 0-for-2, 2 SO
- Ty Blach: DNP
- Reyes Moronta: DNP
- Kyle Crick: DNP
- Chris Stratton: DNP
- Cory Taylor: DNP
- Ian Gardeck: DNP
- Ronnie Jebavy: 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, SO
- Gio Brusa: DNP
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