Minor League Update: Turley posts another victory for Sacramento River Cats
The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.
Nik Turley (La Cañada native) Sacramento River Cats starting pitcher: Turley has received a decision in each of his last seven appearances. In that stretch, the left-handed starter is 4-3.
Turley picked up a victory in his most recent outing July 30 for Sacramento, the triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
It turned out to be an impressive effort for Turley, who allowed one run on three hits and struck out eight in seven innings in Sacramento’s 4-2 home victory against the Las Vegas 51s. Turley made 97 pitches, including 66 for strikes. He struck out the side in the first inning and struck out two in the fifth to propel the River Cats, who compete in the Pacific Coast League’s Northern Division.
Turley, 25, bounced back nicely after a rough road start against the Albuquerque Isotopes on July 25. In four innings, Turley yielded nine runs (five earned) and 11 hits in a 9-4 defeat.
Turley, who was scheduled to start Wednesday against the host Fresno Grizzlies, was 5-5 with a 4.90 earned-run average in 12 starts with Sacramento. Through 60 2/3 innings, he struck out 49, walked 24, allowed 42 runs (33 earned) and 60 hits.
Through Tuesday, the River Cats were 52-59 and in last place in the division.
David Olmedo-Barrera (St. Francis High, 2012) Princeton Rays outfielder: Backed by a steady stretch in which he batted .351, the former All-Area and All-Mission League selection has seen his average climb to .257 through Tuesday with the rookie team of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Olmedo-Barrera, who was selected by Tampa Bay in the 12th round with the 358th pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft on June 10 after helping Cal State Fullerton reach the NCAA College World Series, went 13 for 37 with two runs and six runs batted in during that time frame. He hit safely in eight of the 10 games, which ranged from July 21 through Tuesday.
Olmedo-Barrera’s best outing came July 30 against the visiting Bluefield Blue Jays. He finished four for four with one run scored and drove in a run to help Princeton pick up a 10-7 victory. Olmedo-Barrera, 21, collected four singles and drove in a run in the eighth to close out the scoring.
In addition, Olmedo-Barrera had multiple-hit contests against the Pulaski Yankees on Friday and Sunday. On Friday, Olmedo-Barrera recorded a game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th with one out to spark Princeton to a 4-3 win. Olmedo-Barrera then had a fourth-inning RBI single in a 9-3 road defeat Sunday.
Through Tuesday, Olmedo-Barrera is hitting .257 (19 for 74) with one home run, one double and seven runs. He’s driven in 10 runs and stole two bases in 20 games.
The Rays were 24-16 and in first place in the Appalachian League’s East Division through Tuesday.
Kelson Brown (La Cañada High, 2006) Indianapolis Indians second baseman: Brown, selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 34th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, has appeared in six games with Indianapolis since July 22. In that stretch, the former All-Area and All-Rio Hondo League honoree has recorded two hits in 14 at-bats.
Brown, 27, did have a timely hit during a game against the Louisville Bats on July 26. Brown drove in the winning run with a second-inning single to help Indianapolis, the triple-A affiliate of Pittsburgh, register a 4-0 home victory. In the fourth, Brown walked and scored on a two-run double by Gustavo Nunez to give the Indians a 4-0 lead.
Through Tuesday, Brown was batting .250 (six for 24) with two doubles, four runs and three runs batted in.
Indianapolis was 64-47 and in first place in the International League’s West Division.
Angelo La Bruna (La Cañada native) Gulf Coast Nationals first baseman: La Bruna, a former USC infielder who was taken in the 33rd round (1,004th overall) of the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft in June, has hit safely in his last two games for the rookie ball team in the Gulf Coast League. He’s hit safely in five of his last 10 games and driven in a run.
La Bruna, who secured Pac-12 All-Academic second-team accolades last season, had a seventh-inning single to center field in the Nationals’ 2-1 home win against the Gulf Coast Mets on Monday. On Saturday in a road contest against the Gulf Coast Marlins, La Bruna, 23, finished with a single in the third and a walk in the seventh in the Nationals’ 4-2 victory.
Through Tuesday, La Bruna was batting .238 (15 for 63) with two doubles, one triple, three walks, seven runs and four runs batted in. He’s participated in 23 games for the Nationals, who were 17-20 and in last place in the league’s East Division.