Minor-league report: Jensen loses in final of home run derby
Reno first baseman Kyle Jensen lost in the finals of the Triple-A Home Run Derby in Charlotte, N.C., to Pawtucket outfielder Chris Marrero.
Jensen belted 17 home runs in the 4-minute final round, but Marrero took the title when he swatted his 18th with about a minute left on the timer.
Kyle Jensen
Jensen and Marrero each hit 16 home runs in the semifinals of the competition, which began with eight contestants.
Marrero, who was paired with celebrity captain Steve Smith, an NFL wide receiver, had a stretch of seven consecutive swings in which he homered.
Jensen's celebrity captain was former professional wrestling champion Sgt. Slaughter.
"That was fun," said Jensen. "It couldn't have been any better than that. (Seventeen) was a good amount, but with this guy you never know."
--Jensen will be joined by Reno starting pitcher Braden Shipley and infielder Jack Reinheimer on the PCL roster for Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star Game. Reinheimer, was selected as a replacement for catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, who was recalled by the Diamondbacks last week. Reinheimer, who was raised in Charlotte, is hitting .286 with two homers, 36 RBI and 50 runs scored for the Aces.
--Reno left-hander Anthony Banda was the losing pitcher for Team USA in the Futures Game at Petco Park in San Diego.
Banda came on to pitch against Team World with a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning. After getting the first out, Raimel Tapia reached on shortstop Alex Bregman's error, and Yoan Moncada followed with a home run to left center to give the World a 4-3 lead.
Banda was removed with two outs in the eighth, but Team World tacked on seven more runs in the ninth to wrap up an 11-3 victory.
Anthony Banda is removed from the All-Star Futures Game by Team USA manager Trevor Hoffman.
--Relief pitcher Jimmie Sherfy suffered his first lost of the season in the Aces' final game before the break, a 4-3 loss to Fresno in the second game of a double-header on Saturday. Sherfy gave up a 2-out solo home run to Max Stassi in the bottom of the sixth inning for the decisive run.
The home run ended a streak of 17 consecutive scoreless outings for Sherfy, who has given up two earned runs in 37 innings for the season at three different levels: Reno, Mobile and Visalia. He's got a 2-1 record, 19 saves, 60 strikeouts and an 0.49 ERA over 32 appearances.
Zack Godley started the game but was removed with two outs in the second after giving up five hits, one walk and two earned runs.
--Peter O'Brien is 3 for 20 with one home run and eight strikeouts since returning to Reno from the Diamondbacks.
Left-handed pitcher Josh Taylor, a graduate of Centennial High School in Peoria, was named Southern League Pitcher of the Week for July 4-10.
Taylor has pitched 16 innings in two starts for Mobile since being promoted from Visalia and has allowed one run on eight hits while striking out 15 and not walking a batter.
--Jamie Westbrook, a second baseman from Basha High in Chandler, had 3 hits in Mobile's 11-8 win over Mississippi on Monday, raising his average to .280. Third baseman Dawel Lugo had a pair of hits in his first game since being promoted from Visalia. Lugo was hitting .314 with 13 home runs for Visalia and is in the midst of an 18-for-37 streak.
--Right-hander Taylor Clarke, a third-round draft pick in 2015, also turned in a dazzling performance for the Bay Bears in a 4-3 victory over Pensacola on Thursday. Clarke, 7-7 with a 3.17 ERA over three levels, gave up two hits and one unearned runs in eight innings, striking out 10 and not walking a batter.
After seeing his 13-game hitting streak come to an end on Saturday, second baseman Domingo Leyba has put up consecutive two-hit games. He's hit in 15 of 16 games, going 27 for 69 with 12 doubles to lift his average to .295.
-- Justin Donatella gave up four hits and one unearned run in his first start since being promoted from Kane County, pitching the Rawhide to a 2-1 win over Bakersfield on Friday.
Jose Almonte, acquired from Boston in the Brad Ziegler deal, took the loss in his first start for the Cougars on Monday, giving up five hits and two runs over six innings in a 4-0 loss to Cedar Rapids. Almonte walked three and struck out two.
Second baseman Luis Alejandro Basabe, also acquired in the Ziegler deal, is 0 for 8 in his first two games with Kane County.
Center fielder Anfernee Grier, the D-backs' first pick in the 2016 draft, had two doubles among his three hits in the Hops' 7-4 win over Eugene on Monday. He's hitting .255 with seven stolen bases in 13 games for Hillsboro.
Catcher Andy Yerzy, the D-backs' second-round pick out of Toronto, was 3 for 4 in his professional debut for the Osprey last Wednesday and is 6 for 15 over his first four games.
