Crescenta Valley High’s Trevor Bell fares well in short-lived promotion
The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.
Trevor Bell (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher: It was only a matter of time until Bell got bumped up in the Cincinnati Reds organization. A spotless run in Pensacola at the double-A level earned him a promotion to the triple-A Louisville Bats.
Despite keeping a perfect earned-run average, Bell’s stay at triple-A was short-lived. He received the call to the next level on June 29 and after making two relief appearances was optioned back to double-A Pensacola on July 4.
Bell recorded a hold in his first outing with the Bats on June 30. He threw 1 1/3 innings of spotless relief, not allowing a base runner, and notching a strikeout, in the team’s 4-2 win over the Indianapolis Indians.
With two outs and runners at the corners, Bell got a big test in the eighth inning of another game with Indianapolis on July 2. After falling behind, 2-0, to the first batter, the Crescenta Valley High graduate gave up a run-scoring double to the Indians’ Alex Presley.
He then hit a batter to load the bases before inducing a fly-out to center to end the inning. Bell was kept in to pitch the ninth and gave up a leadoff walk and two hits before dancing out of danger to keep his perfect ERA in tact.
Since returning to the Blue Wahoos, Bell has made two appearances and been as dominant as ever. He’s pitched two innings in two appearances — July 4 and on Monday. He recorded his fourth save of the year — giving up just a single and striking out a batter — in a 2-1 win over the Jackson Generals July 4. He didn’t allow a base runner in a 3-2 loss to the Generals Monday.
On the year in Pensacola, Bell has allowed nine runners (five hits, four walks) for a 0.73 WHIP in eight appearances and 12 1/3 innings. He has 14 strikeouts this season.
In the second half of the Southern League South Division season, the Blue Wahoos were tied for fourth place with a 9-11 record coming into Wednesday’s game with the Montgomery Biscuits.
Joe De Pinto (St. Francis High, 2007) Winston-Salem Dash outfielder: Finally, De Pinto is getting an extended look in Winston-Salem and had a chance to show what he can offer a team.
After being used cautiously for the first two-and-a-half months of the season, the St. Francis High graduate has played the past 11 days for the Dash.
In that span, De Pinto is batting .343 (12 for 35) with seven runs, four runs batted in, two doubles, two homers and just three strikeouts.
Perhaps De Pinto’s finest game of his recent hot streak and the season came Monday when he went two for four with a two-run home run and two runs scored in a 12-9 win over Potomac.
He’s boosted his season batting average, which was once as low as .158, to .268 (34 for 127). On the year, he’s posted 11 RBI, 10 doubles and drawn 13 walks to 18 strikeouts.
In the second half of the Carolina League Southern Division, Winston-Salem was in third place coming into Wednesday with an even 10-10 record.
Chad Nacapoy (Crescenta Valley High, 2007) Princeton Rays catcher: Nacapoy is back in minor league action after the Rays kicked off the 2013 season on June 20.
Through 17 games, Nacapoy has appeared and started in three contests. The catcher may have earned himself some more time on the diamond after had a fine effort Friday with a two-for-three performance in the second game of a doubleheader with the Burlington Royals.
Earning the start as a designated hitter, Nacapoy had two singles in a 5-4 loss to the Royals to lift his batting average to an even .200 (two for 10) on the year. He’s struck out four times and is yet to draw a walk.
Princeton came into Wednesday in the cellar of the five-team Appalachian League East Division with a 4-13 record. It’ll look to get moving in the right direction with a three-game homestand with the Greeneville Astros that ends Friday.