Triple-A Empire State (1-0 win over Buffalo)
LF Kevin Russo, 2B Matt Antonelli & 3B Brandon Laird: all 0-4, 1 K
1B Steve Pearce: 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB — there’s the only run of the afternoon
DH Jack Cust: 0-2, 2 BB, 1 K — 53.7% of his plate appearances this year have ended in a walk, strikeout, or homer
CF Colin Curtis: 0-3, 2 K
C Frankie Cervelli: 0-2, 1 BB, 1 SB
RF Cole Garner & SS Ramiro Pena: both 1-3 — Garner doubled … Pena struck out twice
RHP Ramon Ortiz: 6.2 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 8/2 GB/FB — 65 of 83 pitches were strikes (78.3%) … two runs and one walk allowed in his last 21.2 IP
LHP Juan Cedeno: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — nine of his dozen pitches were strikes
RHP Kevin Whelan: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GB/FB — 15 pitches, nine strikes

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Voting for the Triple-A All-Star Game is now open. 1B Steve Pearce, DH Jack Cust, RHP Kevin Whelan, and LHP Juan Cedeno are all legit All-Star candidates and deserve your vote.

Triple-A Empire State (8-7 loss to Buffalo)
CF Kevin Russo, LF Ronnie Mustelier & 3B Brandon Laird: all 1-5, 1 K — Laird doubled and scored a run
SS Matt Antonelli: 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K — only his 22nd career game at short
1B Steve Pearce: 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
DH Jack Cust: 3-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K – three homers in the last two games and four in the last six
RF Cole Garner & 2B Ramiro Pena: both 2-4, 1 K — Garner doubled and drove in a run … Ramiro scored a run
C Gus Molina: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K — picked a runner off second with a snap throw
RHP D.J. Mitchell: 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 8/1 GB/FB — 60 of 104 pitches were strikes (57.7%) … hooray for strikeouts and grounders, boo for runs and walks
LHP Justin Thomas: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K — seven of his 12 pitches were strikes
RHP Manny Delcarmen: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 16 of 27 pitches were strikes (59.3%) … blew the one-run lead in the eighth

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Make sure you scroll down for tonight’s game thread.

Remember RHP Jairo Heredia? He started the season on the DL with “something internal” but resumed throwing earlier this week. Heredia is one of the most enigmatic pitchers in the system, dominating for weeks at a time before forgetting how to record outs. He could be ticketed for Double-A Trenton once healthy.

In other injury news, RHP Diego Moreno had Tommy John surgery. He’s one of the two players the Yankees received from the Pirates in the A.J. Burnett trade. The other player, OF Exicardo Cayones, is in Extended Spring Training. Neither player is much of a prospect, but Moreno throws hard and has a non-zero chance of helping out of the bullpen at some point.

Anyway, if you’re unfamiliar with minor league baseball in general, friend of the blog @leokitty put together a pretty great primer for you. Make sure you check it out even if you know your way around the bush leagues.

Triple-A Empire State (8-7 win over Buffalo in ten innings, walk-off style)
CF Kevin Russo: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 E (fielding)
2B Matt Antonelli: 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 E (fielding)
3B Steve Pearce: 0-5, 1 K, 1 E (throwing) — only his third game at third base this year
DH Jack Cust: 3-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K — walk-off homer
LF Ronnie Mustelier: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K — his two-run homer in the seventh tied the game
1B Brandon Laird: 0-4, 1 E (fielding)
C Frankie Cervelli: 2-4, 2 R, 1 K — eight hits in his last 22 at-bats (.364)
RF Cole Garner: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
SS Ramiro Pena: 0-3, 1 RBI, 2 K
RHP Dellin Betances: 2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 1 Balk, 1/1 GB/FB — 31 of 65 pitches were strikes (47.7%) … 42 walks and 41 strikeouts in 46.2 IP
LHP Mike O’Connor: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 5/4 GB/FB — 31 of 59 pitches were strikes (52.5%)
RHP Chase Whitley: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 4/0 GB/FB — 25 of 40 pitches were strikes (62.5%)
RHP Jason Bulger: 1.2 IP, zeroes, 4/0 GB/FB — 14 of 23 pitches were strikes (60.9%)
LHP Juan Cedeno: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 1/1 GB/FB — nine of 14 pitches were strikes
RHP Kevin Whelan: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K — nine pitches, five strikes

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The Triple-A SWB Yankees have set up a Twitter account (@SWBBallpark) with updates on the construction at PNC Field, if you’re interested. They even put together a live construction cam for those of you who want to stare at the parking lot for various lengths of time.

Also, make sure you check out Dom Amore’s piece on Tim Norton. The right-hander has officially retired as a player and has begun his career as a coach within the organization. We heard he was leaning that way last month.

Triple-A Empire State (6-2 loss to Buffalo)
CF Kevin Russo & 2B Matt Antonelli: both 1-4, 1 R
1B Steve Pearce: 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB — six hits in his last 12 at-bats
DH Jack Cust & LF Ronnie Mustelier: both 0-4 — Cust struck out three times
3B Brandon Laird, RF Cole Garner & SS Ramiro Pena: all 0-3 — Laird walked and whiffed … Gardner struck out
C Frankie Cervelli: 1-3, 1 K
RHP Adam Warren: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 10/2 GB/FB — 63 of 103 pitches were strikes (61.2%) … underwhelming again
LHP Justin Thomas: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 11 of 17 pitches were strikes
RHP Nelson Figueroa: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/2 GB/FB — 20 of 37 pitches were strikes (54.1%)
RHP Manny Delcarmen: 1 IP, zeroes, 0/3 GB/FB — 10 of 12 pitches were strikes

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Baseball America put together a quick study on pitchers drafted out of high school that suggests more work in the minors is better, not less. It’s an incomplete study because they’re separating injury from performance and that’s not the case (one affects the other), so don’t take it to heart. I would like to see the Yankees extend their young arms a little further, however.

Double-A Trenton (4-2 loss to Akron)
CF Shane Brown, DH Corban Joseph, 1B Luke Murton, 3B Addison Maruszak & SS Yadil Mujica: all 1-4 — Brown struck out and got hit by a pitch … Maruszak doubled and struck out twice … Mujica and Murton each struck out
2B David Adams & LF Cody Johnson: both 1-4, 1 R — Johnson hit a solo homer and struck out
RF Kevin Mahoney: 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E (throwing) — first career start in the outfield, and he threw a runner out at the plate
C Jose Gil: 0-4, 1 K
RHP Mikey O’Brien: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 7/5 GB/FB — 59 of 95 pitches were strikes (62.1%)
RHP Ryan Pope: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3/1 GB/FB — 21 of 35 pitches were strikes (60%)
RHP Michael Dubee: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/0 GB/FB – ten of 19 pitches were strikes

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Another day, another round of injury updates…

• RHP Jose Campos is still dealing with his “elbow discomfort” and doesn’t appear to be close to returning. An MRI showed no structural damage earlier this month. [Josh Norris]
• RHP Dellin Betances has been pitching with a cracked fingernail and it is has contributed in part to his control problems. I’m not sure we would have been able to tell anyway given his usual walk problems. [Norris]
• LHP Jeremy Bleich has resumed pitching in Extended Spring Training and is likely to come back as a reliever. The team’s highest signed draft pick in 2008 hasn’t pitched since mid-2010 due to major shoulder surgery. [Norris]
• RHP Conor Mullee threw live batting practice today for the first since having Tommy John surgery last June and everything went well. Mullee has thrown just 22 IP since being the club’s 24th round pick in 2010, but he’s one of the hardest throwers in the organization and is part of that relief pipeline the Yankees have built out of late-round draft picks in recent years. [Mullee's Twitter]
• RHP Danny Burawa was scheduled to appear in an ExST game today, his first game action since suffering an oblique tear in camp. He impressed this spring and should head to Double-A Trenton once fully rehabbed. [Burawa's Twitter]
• In case you missed it earlier, LHP Manny Banuelos‘ had an MRI on his sore elbow and it came back clean. The DL stint is precautionary.

Triple-A Empire State (6-2 win over Columbus)
CF Kevin Russo: 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 SB — five straight two-hit games
2B Matt Antonelli: 0-5
1B Steve Pearce & RF Brandon Laird: both 2-4, 1 R — Pearce drew a walk … Laird doubled
3B Ronnie Mustelier: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI — .337/.387/.568 in 42 games this year
C Frankie Cervelli & LF Cole Garner: both 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 K — Cervelli walked twice and got hit by a pitch … Garner walked once
DH Gus Molina & SS Ramiro Pena: both 1-4, 1 RBI — Molina doubled and struck out twice … Pena whiffed once
RHP Ramon Ortiz: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 7/4 GB/FB — 66 of 91 pitches were strikes (72.5%) … two runs or less in three of his last four starts
LHP Juan Cedeno: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 11 of 21 pitches were strikes

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Lots of notes, mostly injury related and from Josh Norris…

• LHP Nik Turley (blister), OF Melky Mesa (sore arm), and IF Walt Ibarra (finger) have all been placed on the DL. RHP Craig Heyer hit the DL with an arm injury last week, but it’s nothing serious and he will return this season.
• OF Zoilo Almonte (hamstring) and IF Jose Pirela (mystery injury) are working out in Extended Spring Training and should return to Double-A Trenton soon enough. LHP Josh Romanski (blister) has yet to start throwing off a mound, so he’s still a few weeks away.
• LHP Vidal Nuno (High-A to Double-A) and LHP Evan DeLuca (ExST to High-A) have been promoted to help cover for this wave of pitching injuries.
• In case you missed it earlier, both Eduardo Nunez (thumb) and Manny Banuelos (sore elbow) were placed on the DL this afternoon.

Remember when RHP Armando Galarraga was working out with the Yankees in Tampa earlier this month? Don’t worry about then signing him, he’s hooked on with the Astros. The club has enough veteran filler in Triple-A as it is.

Triple-A Empire State (9-6 win over Columbus)
CF Kevin Russo: 2-5, 1 R, 1 BB
2B Matt Antonelli: 1-4, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 BB
1B Steve Pearce: 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K — three homers in his last ten games
DH Jack Cust: 0-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP — the HBP was apparently intentional and the pitcher got ejected for it
RF Ronnie Mustelier: 0-5, 2 K
3B Brandon Laird: 1-3, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
C Frankie Cervelli: 1-5, 2 RBI, 1 K
LF Cole Garner: 3-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K — his second and third homers of the season
SS Ramiro Pena: 2-5, 1 R, 1 K
RHP D.J. Mitchell: 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 3 HB, 8/6 GB/FB — 47 of 78 pitches were strikes (60.3%) … certainly did his part in the beanball war
LHP Justin Thomas: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 4/0 GB/FB — 15 of 25 pitches were strikes
RHP Chase Whitley: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GB/FB — only seven of 16 pitches were strikes (43.8%)
RHP Kevin Whelan: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 WP — eight of 16 pitches were strikes

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Triple-A Empire State (4-1 loss to Columbus)
CF Kevin Russo & 3B Brandon Laird: both 2-4
2B Matt Antonelli: 1-4, 1 K
1B Steve Pearce & C Gus Molina: both 0-4, 1 K — Molina allowed a passed ball
DH Jack Cust: 0-3, 1 BB — 32 walks in 39 games
RF Ronnie Mustelier: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K — hitting .348/.401/.584 with just 25 strikeouts in 40 total games this season
LF Cole Garner & SS Ramiro Pena: both 0-3 — Garner struck out twice
RHP Dellin Betances: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 4/3 GB/FB — 47 of 87 pitches were strikes (54.0%) … 39/38 K/BB in 44.2 IP
LHP Mike O’Connor: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 2/5 GB/FB — 38 of 68 pitches were strikes (55.9%)

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LHP Nik Turley left yesterday’s game after three innings because his blister problem flared up again. That’s both good and bad news. It’s bad because you don’t want him to miss any time but good because it’s not something more serious. Meanwhile, RHP Jose Ramirez was placed on the DL the other day with a lat strain. That’s another one for the “could be worse” pile. OF Ray Kruml was placed on the DL to make room on the roster for the recently claimed Matt Antonelli.

I need a breather, so you get bullet points tonight…

• Triple-A Empire State (win): Ronnie Mustelier had three hits including a pair of doubles and Jack Cust went deep. Kevin Russo and Brandon Laird also doubled and Frankie Cervelli had a pair of knocks. Adam Warren allowed five runs in six innings but also struck out seven. Juan Cedeno, Chase Whitley, and Manny Delcarmen each threw an effective inning of relief.
• Double-A Trenton (win): Corban Joseph had three singles and Cody Johnson continued his big season with two doubles. David Adams went hitless while playing the field. Adam Miller threw four scoreless in his first Double-A start before giving way to a parade of uninteresting relievers.
• High-A Tampa (loss): Ramon Flores (two hits) and J.R. Murphy (one hit) each doubled while Rob Segedin chipped in a single. Southpaw Matt Tracy allowed two runs (one earned) in 4.2 IP with three strikeouts and seven ground ball outs.
• Low-A Charleston (win): Dante Bichette Jr., Tyler Austin, and Gary Sanchez each doubled while backup catcher Francisco Arcia continued his hot hitting with a homer. Mason Williams and Angelo Gumbs both took 0-for-4s. Nothing noteworthy happened on the mound.

RHP Cory Arbiso was placed on the DL with a mid-back strain.

Triple-A Scranton (9-8 win over Toledo)
2B Kevin Russo: 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
RF-CF Colin Curtis: 3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 1 CS — seven hits in his last 13 at-bats (.538)
1B Steve Pearce: 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 K — fourth homer in his last ten games
DH Jack Cust: 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
LF Ronnie Mustelier: 2-4, 1 HBP
3B Brandon Laird: 1-3, 2 BB — six hits in his last 18 at-bats (.333)
C Frankie Cervelli: 1-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB — helluva game, but he also bounced into a 5-4-3 triple play
SS Ramiro Pena: 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB
CF Ray Kruml: 1-1, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI — not sure why he was lifted in the fifth
PH-RF Cole Garner: 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K
LHP Manny Banuelos: 4 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 Balk, 1 HB, 3/4 GB/FB — 56 of 94 pitches were strikes (59.6%) … first dud since coming off the DL
RHP Nelson Figueroa: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2/2 GB/FB — 31 of 51 pitches were strikes (60.8%)
LHP Justin Thomas: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/0 GB/FB — 12 of 19 pitches were strikes (63.2%)
RHP Kevin Whelan: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — seven of 17 pitches were strikes … loaded the bases with no one out, but then got a strikeout and a double play to escape

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