Ismael Pena, CBN POW, Week XX
OF Ismael Pena (Montreal, Que.) batted .667 with the rookie-class Arizona League Mariners going 10-for-15 with three RBIs. Photo: Jacques Lanciault.
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
We’ve seen a lot over the years.
But how often mulling through box scores -- for the past 330 weeks roughly -- looking to see how Canucks fared have we ever seen something like this: a player had twice as many hits as the number of times he made an out.
OF Ismael Pena (Montreal, Que.) had 10 hits and was only retired five times playing outfield for the Arizona League Mariners. By going 10-for-15 he had a .667 average for the week to earn Canadian Baseball Network Minor League Player of the Week for Week XX. Pena was the best of the 147 Canadians in the minors, 87 playing affiliated ball.
Never mind that Pena didn’t have as many hits as Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) the triple-crown contender in the double-A Southern League. O’Neill, also a member of the Seattle Mariners farm system, batted .344 (11-for-32) with a homer and six RBIs.
Pena was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013, was released last fall and signed by the Mariners as a free agent this spring.
How the week that was for Pena
_ Went 2-for-4 playing right field and then first base in a 5-1 win over the Arizona League Giants at Peoria Stadium.
_ Was 2-for-4 with an RBI playing right field in a 8-6 win over the Arizona League Padres at Peoria Stadium. Centre fielder Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) was hitless in four at-bats.
_ Was 2-for-3 with an RBI playing right field in an 8-2 victory against the Arizona League Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Left fielder Morgan singled.
_ Pinch ran in an 8-4 win against the Arizona League White Sox at Peoria Stadium.
_ Was 4-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base playing first base in a 6-5 win against the Arizona League Rangers at Peoria Stadium. Morgan had a pair of singles.
Pena is hitting .273 with seven doubles, a triple, a homer and 16 RBIs in 36 games with a .685 OPS. Morgan owns a .290 average with seven doubles, four triples and 12 RBIs in 32 games as well as a .664 OPS, which includes three games at class-A Bakersfield.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Ismael Pena - Rkie AZL Mariners 15 4 10 - 3 .667
Tyler O’Neill - AA Jackson 32 7 11 1 6 .344
Jacob Robson - A Connecticut 25 5 8 - 1 .320
Eric Wood - AA Altoona 25 4 8 - 1 .320
Daniel Pinero - A Connecticut 20 2 6 - 2 .300
Jordan Procyshen - A Salem 14 3 4 - - .286
Vladimir Guerrero - Rkie GCL Jays 26 5 7 1 7 .269
Demi Orimoloye - Rkie Helena 20 3 5 2 2 .250
Michael Crouse - IND New Britain 23 5 11 - 2 .478
Maxx Tissenbaum - IND Quebec 30 5 11 1 6 .367
Jonathan Malo - IND Quebec 33 5 9 1 4 .273
Mike Blanke - IND Long Island 19 - 5 - 2 .263
(Minimum 10 AB’s required.)
BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
JORDAN BALAZOVIC RHP - RKIE GULF COAST TWINS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 5 - - - 2 1-0 - 0.83 0.00
Following up on two excellent appearances in the previous week, Jordan Balazovic made another very good start on Aug. 19th in a 3-1 win over Gulf Coast Red Sox. In this game he pitched six scoreless innings allowing five base hits, while striking out two Red Sox batters, to earn the win. His record in six appearances with the Twins in the Rookie Gulf Coast League, is now 2-1, with one save and a 2.28 ERA.
MIKE SOROKA RHP - A ROME BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 7.0 4 1 1 - 8 1-0 - 0.57 1.29
Mike Soroka made an excellent start this week for the Rome Braves and in fact, he prolonged his winning streak, which has now reached five wins in his last five starts. On Aug.19th, in a 3-1 victory over the Asheville Tourists he pitched seven innings surrendered four base hits and one earned run, while striking out eight Asheville batters, to earn the win. This outing improved his record in 23 appearances with Rome Braves in the Single A South Atlantic League to 7-9 with a 2.98 ERA.
SHANE DAWSON LHP - AA NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 3 1 1 1 6 1-0 - 0.67 1.50
Shane Dawson has been a consistent starter for the Fisher Cats all season, and this week he had another strong outing. On Aug. 19th in a 12-2 win over Altoona Curve he pitched six innings gave up just three base hits and one earned run while striking out six Altoona batters, to secure the win. He improved his
record in 23 appearances with New Hampshire in the Double A Eastern League to 9-4 with a 3.94 ERA.
BROCK DYKXHOORN RHP - A LANCASTER JETHAWKS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 7 3 2 - 4 1-0 - 1.40 3.60
Another very good outing for Brock Dykxhoorn this week, on Aug. 19th in a 6-3 win over Lake Elsinore Storm. He pitched five innings gave up seven base hits and two earned runs while striking out four Lake Elsinore batters and earned his ninth win of the season. This game improved his record in 22 appearances with Lancaster in the Single A California League, to 9-4 with a 5.45 ERA.
PLAYER MOVEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS
LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) - Called up to Major League Roster by Chicago Cubs from Triple A Iowa Cubs.
RHP Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) - Re called to Major League Roster by the New York Mets from Re Hab assignment with Triple A, Las Vegas 51’s.
LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) - Designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cleared waivers and was optioned back to Triple A Reno Aces.
LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC) - Sent out on a Re Hab assignment by Seattle Mariners at Triple A Tacoma Rainiers.
LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) - Moved by the Houston Astros to Triple A Fresno Grizzlies from Double A Corpus Christi Hooks. Appeared in one game with Fresno and then placed on Temporary Inactive List.
LHP Connor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) - Moved by Los Angeles Angels to Single A Burlington Bees from Rookie Class AZL Angels.
INF Joey Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) - Moved by the St. Louis Cardinals to Single A State College Spikes from Double A Springfield Cardinals.
OF Gareth Morgan (Toronto, Ont.) - Moved by Seattle Mariners to Rookie Class AZL Mariners from Single A Bakersfield Blaze.
RHP Austin Shields (Hamilton, Ont.) - 2016 Thirty Third Round Draft Pick activated by the Pittsburgh Pirates at Rookie Class Gulf Coast Pirates.
C Mike Reeves (Peterborough, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Toronto Blue Jays at Single A Dunedin Blue Jays.
RHP Devon Stewart (Maple Ridge, BC) - Placed on Disabled List by the Cleveland Indians at Single A Lake County Captains.
RHP Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) - Placed on the Disabled List by Cincinnati Reds at Single A Dayton Dragons.
C George Kottaras (Markham, Ont.) - Released by Atlanta Braves at Triple A Gwinnett Braves.
RHP David Leblanc (Beaconsfield, Que.) - Placed on the Inactive List by Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.
Weekly Winners
Week XX _ Ismael Pena (Montreal, Que.) Mariners
Week XIX _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Blue Jays
Week XVIII _ LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) Cubs
Week XVII _ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) Cubs
Week XVI _ C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.) Red Sox and OF Brett Siddall (Windsor, Ont.) A’s.
Week XV _ 1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) Marlins.
Week XIV _ RHP Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) Reds.
Week XIII _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Mariners and OF Cole Bauml (Meunster, Sask.) Tigers.
Week XII _ Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) Blue Jays.
Week XI _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Phillies.
Week X _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Blue Jays.
Week IX _ OF Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays.
Week VIII _ RHP Chris Leroux (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays
Week VII _ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) Cubs
Week VI _ LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) Astros
Week V _ RP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC) Cardinals.
Week III _ LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC) Mariners.
Week II _ OF Brett Siddall (Windsor, Ont.) A’s.
Week I _ C Dustin Houle (Penticton, BC) Brewers.