Austin’s big day carries Thunder to a win

Triple-A Scranton (8-0 win over Norfolk)

• 2B Corban Joseph: 0-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 HBP
• RF Thomas Neal: 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K — hitting .355/.459/.484 with more walks (six) than strikeouts (five), but it’s only 37 plate appearances
• LF Zoilo Almonte: 3-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS — 19 hits in his last 47 at-bats (.404), so he’s starting to head up
• 3B Ronnie Mustelier: 3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI — ten hits in his last 28 at-bats (.357), so he’s starting to come around again
• CF Melky Mesa: 0-4, 1 K
• RHP Chien-Ming Wang: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 10/8 GB/FB — 48 of 83 pitches were strikes (58%) … pretty close to vintage CMW with all the quick outs, just need a few more grounders and a few less fly balls

Double-A Trenton (7-4 win over Bowie)

• LF Ramon Flores: 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
• CF Slade Heathcott: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• RF Tyler Austin: 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI — needed a big game like this, hope more are on the way
• C J.R. Murphy: 0-5, 1 K
• RHP Jose Ramirez: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 4/4 GB/FB — 56 of 91 pitches were strikes (62%) … served up two homers, the fourth and fifth of the year in 31.1 innings after allowing just seven in 98.2 innings last year
• RHP Tommy Kahnle: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 11 of 16 pitches were strikes (69%)

High-A Tampa had a scheduled off-day. On Memorial Day. Bad job by the schedule makers.

Low-A Charleston (11-5 win over Rome)

• CF Jake Cave: 0-5, 1 K
• 3B Dante Bichette Jr.: 2-5, 1 R, 1 K — 19 hits in his last 51 at-bats (.373) with three doubles, a triple, a homer, eight walks, and eight strikeouts …
• 1B Rey Nunez: 3-5, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI — had been a 7-for-37 slump (.189)
• LHP Evan Rutckyj: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 2 HB, 6/6 GB/FB