Former Vaq saves day
GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes playing minor league baseball.
Bill Spottiswood (Glendale Community College, 2005) Visalia Rawhide, relief pitcher: The right-hander pitched a scoreless ninth inning to help Visalia, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, earn a 4-3 road victory against the Stockton Ports on Sunday.
Spottiswood (2-0) picked up his second save of the season. He walked one, but proceeded to pick off Michael Richard at first base before retiring the next batter.
Entering today’s home game against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Spottiswood has struck out 22 and sports a 1.96 earned-run average. He’s allowed four runs and 17 hits in 18 1/3 innings.
The Rawhide are 24-22 and in third place in the California League’s North Division.
Jason Hirsh (St. Francis High, 2000) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, starting pitcher: Hirsh didn’t fare well during his last appearance. The right-hander yielded three home runs and eight hits in a 5-1 loss to the host Louisville Bats on Sunday.
In nine appearances, Hirsh is 4-5 with a 3.90 earned-run average. He’s struck out 32, walked 22 and allowed 41 hits in 55 1/3 innings.
In his previous start May 18, Hirsh and the Yankees suffered a 3-0 road loss against the Indianapolis Indians. Hirsh went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
He walked three and struck out three.
Entering Tuesday’s game against Louisville, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, was 27-17 and in second place in the International League’s North Division.
Al Quintana (Glendale Community College, 2002) Dunedin Blue Jays, third baseman: Quintana recently enjoyed a career night. The Cal State Northridge graduate collected four hits, including his first home run of the season, to help Dunedin, the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, notch an 11-3 home victory against the Bradenton Pirates on May 17.
Quintana drove in four runs, capped by a solo home run in the eighth inning.
He drove in a run with a single in the first and a double in the sixth. Quintana also scored a pair of runs.
Through Monday, Quintana was batting .283 (13 for 46) with one home run and seven runs batted in. He’s collected four doubles in 13 games with Dunedin.
In his last 10 games, Quintana is batting .229 (eight for 35) and driven in six runs. He’s hit safely in four of those 10 games.
Entering Tuesday night’s road game against the Clearwater Threshers, the Blue Jays were 28-17 and in first place in the Florida League’s North Division.
Fernando Rios (Glendale High, 1997) Dorados de Chihuahua, outfielder: Through Sunday, Rios, a former Nitro standout, is batting .330 (33 for 100) with three home runs and 15 runs batted in. Rios has participated in 33 contests and scored 24 runs for the Dorados de Chihuahua, a Triple-A team in the Mexican League.
On Sunday, Rios collected a single and scored a run to help Dorados de Chihuahua register a 7-6 win against visiting Saraperos de Saltillo.
Through Monday, Dorados de Chihuahua was 5-1 and tied for first in the second half of the Madero Division.
Fernando Valenzuela Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan, designated hitter: The former St. Francis and Glendale Community College standout is batting .288 (44 for 153) with three home runs and 23 runs batted in through Saturday.
Valenzuela has also recorded 12 doubles in 52 games for Yucatan, which is 2-3 and in sixth place in the second half of the Madero Division.
In his last 10 games, Valenzuela is hitting .270 (10 for 37) with four doubles and six runs batted in.
