Bird homers three times in River Dogs win

To the notes:

Congrats to IF Hector Crespo, who became the first 2013 draftee to reach Triple-A Scranton. He made the announcement on Twitter. The team’s 34th round pick gives the Triple-A squad a sorely-needed middle infielder.
C/3B Peter O’Brien ranked eighth in this week’s Prospect Hot Sheet. I could be wrong, but I think he is the first Yankees farmhand other than RHP Rafael DePaula and OF Tyler Austin to make the weekly list.
VP of Baseball Ops Mark Newman confirmed to Josh Norris that C Gary Sanchez will not be promoted this year. Disappointing, but not exactly surprising at this point.
Newman also said LHP Ian Clarkin is throwing off flat ground, according to Norris, so don’t expect to see him in a game anytime soon. The team’s third first round pick in last month’s draft has a slightly sprained ankle.
LHP Matt Tracy threw a simulated game today and is on the comeback trail, reports Norris. The southpaw is coming back from a hip problem.
OF Adonis Garcia has been taking ground balls at second and third base, according to Joel Sherman. Garcia did play the infield in Cuba once upon a time.

Triple-A Scranton (2-1 loss to Louisville)

2B David Adams: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 HBP — nine for 27 (.333) with three doubles, a triple, and a homer since being sent down
DH Alex Rodriguez: 2-4, 1 K — had a little more on him earlier
RF Adonis Garcia: 2-4, 1 K
3B Ronnie Mustelier: 0-4
C J.R. Murphy: 1-4, 1 K
CF Melky Mesa & LF Thomas Neal: both 0-3 — Mesa struck out once, Neal twice … both guys are on their way to Boston in the wake of the OF Zoilo Almonte injury
RHP Brett Marshall: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 8/4 GB/FB — 62 of 95 pitches were strikes (65%)
RHP Chase Whitley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 15 of 24 pitches were strikes (63%)

Double-A Trenton (4-3 loss to New Hampshire in ten innings)

LF Ramon Flores: 1-5, 1 R, 1 3B, 2 K
CF Slade Heathcott: 0-5, 2 K
RF Yeral Sanchez: 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K — threw a runner out at first … six hits in ten at-bats since the promotion
RHP Shane Greene: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HB, 10/3 GB/FB — 71 of 98 pitches were strikes (72%)
LHP Cesar Cabral: 0.1 IP, zeroes — only two of five pitches were strikes

High-A Tampa (6-5 loss to Jupiter)

CF Mason Williams: 2-5, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI — got picked off first …. 17 hits in his last 39 at-bats (.436) with with three doubles, two walks, and two strikeouts
RF Taylor Dugas: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
3B Peter O’Brien: 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K — 16 hits in his last 40 at-bats (.400) with four doubles and two homers
C Gary Sanchez: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
RHP Bryan Mitchell: 5 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3/3 GB/FB
RHP David Herndon: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GB/FB

Low-A Charleston (7-5 win over Greensboro)

CF Jake Cave: 2-4, 2 R, 1 CS, 1 HBP
SS Cito Culver: 3-5, 2 R, 1 SB
DH Greg Bird: 4-5, 3 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1 K — 12 hits in his last 28 at-bats (.429), and half are homers … second three-homer game in the system this year, joining Murphy
2B-LF Angelo Gumbs: 0-5, 4 K — played left for one-third of an inning after OF Kelvin DeLeon hurt his leg running after a ball … it’s the first time he’s every played the outfield as a pro
3B Dante Bichette Jr.: 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Evan Rutckyj: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 2/5 GB/FB

Short Season Staten Island (3-2 loss to Batavia)

CF Brandon Thomas: 1-4, 3 K
DH Michael O’Neill: 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K
3B Eric Jagielo: 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
LHP Caleb Smith: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 24/7 K/BB in 20 innings

Rookie GCL Yanks1 (4-3 loss to GCL Astros)

SS Tyler Wade: 0-4, 1 BB, 2 K
DH Abi Avelino: 0-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB
2B Gosuke Katoh: 1-5, 1 R — eleven hits in his last 30 at-bats (.367)
RF Austin Aune: 0-5, 3 K — 28 strikeouts in 56 plate appearances (50%)
3B Chris Tamarez: 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K
SwP Pat Venditte: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 2/0 GB/FB
RHP Hayden Sharp: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1 HB, 6/2 GB/FB — only the second time in five appearances he had more strikeouts than walks

Rookie GCL Yanks2 (9-5 win over GCL Blue Jays)

SS Thairo Estrada: 1-6, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 E (fielding)
DH Miguel Andujar: 1-6, 2 R, 1 2B
C Luis Torrens: 1-3, 2 BB — eleven walks and seven strikeouts in his last nine games
LF Nathan Mikolas: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
2B Jose Javier: 4-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 3 SB — seven hits in his last nine at-bats
LHP Omar Luis: 2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 Balk, 1/1 GB/FB — 16/8 K/BB in 8.1 innings