Rockies Class A Affiliates Spokane and Fresno Close Out Regular Seasons, Set for Playoffs
Rockies affiliate Spokane finished the regular season a half game back of Giants affiliate Eugene in the High-A West. The Indians, however, will host as many games as are needed in the best-of-five championship matchup of the Indians and Eugene.
Bottom line is Eugene was left homeless after Sept. 10 with the start of classes at the University of Oregon, which reclaimed the field for the fall workouts of the school baseball team.
It’s a new experience for Eugene, which finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed thanks to a 69-50 record and .580 winning percentage. Spokane was 67-49 with a .578 winning percentage.
What was known as the Northwest League prior to the restructuring of Minor League baseball this season, played a short-season schedule, beginning in June and ending prior to Sept. 10, which was the final day that Eugene had access to the baseball field, according to the annual lease with Oregon. This year, however, Sept. 10 came 10 days before the regular season ended, much less the start of the post-season.
Technically, Eugene will still have the first-place edge in the series with Spokane. Spokane will bat last in the playoff games on Tuesday and Wednesday with Eugene having the last at-bat in the remainder of the best-of-five series.
Spokane’s last chance for the “home field” advantage was erased when the Indians’ scheduled regular-season finale at Mariners affiliate Everett was rained out on Sunday.
The regular seasons ended Sunday for all minor-league teams, except Triple-A teams, which will continue to play until the MLB regular season ends on Oct. 3. MLB extended the Triple-A season as protection for big-league teams, which were allowed to expand September rosters to 28 players, instead of the full 40-man roster that was available in the past.
In Sunday games involving Rockies affiliates:
Triple-A Albuquerque (52-66) won 8-5 at first-place Sugar Land (69-49). Ryan Rolison (2-2, 7.14) picked up the victory, working five shutout innings, but was charged with four runs while retiring only two batters in the sixth. Joshua Fuentes (.260) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two home runs and four RBI. Greg Bird (.261) hit his 24th home run.
Double-A Hartford (39-79) closed out a disappointing season with a 5-2 victory against Red Sox affiliate Portland (67-47). Micha Kaczor, whose 12 previous appearances this season were with the short-season ACL Rockies, worked five shutout innings in relief, was credited with the win, allowing one hit and one walk, striking out three.
Low-A Fresno (76-41) closed out the regular season with a 7-4 victory against Giants’ affiliate San Jose (76-44) in a preview to the Low-A West post-season, which opens Tuesday with Fresno having the home-field advantage. Mike Ruff (6-2, 4.34) worked five shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out five while earning the victory. A.J. Lewis (.283) appeared in his 15th game at Fresno and went 2-for-3 with his first home run.. He had opened the season hitting .179 in 21 games with High-A Spokane. Eddy Diaz (.295) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.