Former Utah slugger C.J. Cron is back in the big leagues with Los Angeles after a brief stint in Triple-A Salt Lake.
The Angels recalled Cron from Salt Lake on Saturday and he returned to the lineup on Sunday, where he went 0-for-3 against the New York Yankees.
Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia told O.C. Register beat writer Jeff Fletcher that Cron had a successful stint with the Bees. He added the plan is to get Cron more at-bats as the season wears on.
“He definitely found some things in his swing down below and got a chance to get a little continuity,” Scioscia told Fletcher. “I think we want to get him out there while he’s swinging well and keep him in the lineup.”
Fellow ex-Ute Tyler Wagner, on the other hand, returned from the majors to Double-A Biloxi, where he started in the Shuckers' debut of their brand new stadium, MGM Park, on Saturday. Wagner’s start completed the team’s 55-game road trip to start the season because the stadium hadn’t been completed in time.
The righty picked up where he left off in Double-A, allowing one run in seven innings. Not only did he throw out the first pitch of the stadium’s history, he also doubled and scored the Shuckers' first run of the ballpark.
"I think as a team we've been waiting for this day to come all season, to see the excitement and play in front of the home fans,” Wagner told Biloxi Sun Herald’s Patrick Magee about the opening of MGM Park.
In the end, Wagner ended up with a no-decision and the game went into 14 innings. That’s when the Shuckers christened the ballpark with a walk-off 5-4 win over Mobile. Nick Shaw drove in a pair of runs on a single off BYU alum and Mobile closer Adam Miller to win the game.
Meanwhile, BYU alum Jaycob Brugman delivered the fireworks in another 14-inning Double-A affair over the week. Brugman launched a grand slam to right field in the 14th inning of Double-A Midland’s 9-3 win over Tulsa on Thursday. The grand slam, Brugman’s second home run of the season, capped a six-run 14th inning for the RockHounds.
The slam also overshadowed Brugman’s former teammate’s day at the plate. Fellow ex-Cougar Adam Law went 3-for-5 at the dish and reached base five times in a losing effort for Tulsa.
Brugman is hitting .267, with 18 extra base hits, 24 RBIs and 26 runs scored in 54 games for the RockHounds (Oakland Athletics affiliate) this season.
MLB
Christian Colon (Taylorsville H.S.), Kansas City Royals: Zero hits in four at-bats against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The one-time Taylorsville High infielder is batting .269 in 23 games with the Royals this season.
C.J. Cron (Utah), Los Angeles Angels: Zero hits in three at-bats against the New York Yankees on Sunday. Cron returned to the Angels on Saturday after a brief 11-day stint in Triple-A Salt Lake, where he hit .333 and drove in seven runs in 10 games. He continues to struggle in the majors, however, hitting .192 in 32 games with Los Angeles this season.
Jeremy Guthrie (BYU), Kansas City Royals: 0-0, 2.25 ERA in two starts over the week. Guthrie rebounded nicely a week after giving up 11 runs in one inning of work against the Yankees, picking up two no-decisions on the week. He allowed just one run on two hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings in Kansas City’s 2-1 loss to Cleveland on Monday.
On Sunday, he allowed a pair of runs in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five batters and walking two others while scattering three hits in Kansas City’s 4-3 win over Texas. Guthrie is 4-3 with a 5.82 ERA in 11 starts this season.
Brandon Kintzler (Dixie State), Milwaukee Brewers: Remains on the 15-day disabled list with left knee tendinitis. Kintzler has a 6.43 ERA in seven games with the Brewers this season.
Triple-A
Matt Carson (BYU), Nashville (Oakland Athletics): Five hits, including a home run, two RBIs and five runs scored in 20 at-bats over the week. Carson homered in Nashville’s 5-1 win over Las Vegas on Monday and scored a run in five of seven games played over the week. He’s batting .189 in 50 games this season, with two home runs, 19 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
Braeden Schlehuber (Viewmont H.S.), Gwinnett (Atlanta Braves): One hit in five at-bats over the week. The Bountiful native is batting .168 in 32 games this season.
Matt Spring (Dixie State), Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox): One hit in seven at-bats over the week. Spring launched his fourth home run of the season on Wednesday. He hit a solo home run in Pawtucket’s 5-1 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He’s batting .165 in 27 games.
Double-A
Jaycob Brugman (BYU), Midland (Oakland Athletics): Four hits, four RBIs and two runs scored in 25 at-bats over the week. Brugman hit a grand slam in the 14th inning of Midland’s 9-3 win over Tulsa on Thursday, capping a six-run rally. He’s batting .267 with two home runs, 10 doubles, six triples, 24 RBIs and 26 runs scored in 54 games this season.
Taylor Cole (BYU), New Hampshire (Toronto Blue Jays): Allowed eight hits, one walk and four runs in five innings, picking up a loss in New Hampshire’s 12-1 loss to Richmond on Friday. He also struck out five. Cole is 2-5 with a 5.26 ERA in 11 games with the Fisher Cats.
Jacob Hannemann (BYU), Tennessee (Chicago Cubs): Three hits, including an RBI and two runs scored, in 17 at-bats over the week. He’s batting .183 in 37 games with the Smokies this season, with 13 RBIs, 11 runs scored and eight stolen bases.
Brady Lail (Bingham H.S.), Trenton (New York Yankees): Allowed five hits and two runs, picking up a no-decision in Trenton’s 6-2 win over Harrisburg on Saturday. Lail also struck out eight batters, his most since a promotion to Double-A.
He allowed a run in the third inning, which snapped a streak of 19 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, dating back to May 6. Lail is 3-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 11 games for the Thunder.
Adam Law (BYU), Tulsa (Los Angeles Dodgers): Five hits and a run scored in 21 at-bats over the week. Law picked up three hits and reached base safely five times in Tulsa’s 9-3 extra-inning loss to Midland on Thursday. He also picked up a multi-hit game on Saturday. He’s batting .206 in 17 games with the Drillers.
Marcus Littlewood (Pine View H.S.), Jackson (Seattle Mariners): Five hits in 14 at-bats over the week. Littlewood went 3-for-3 in a loss to Mississippi on Tuesday, and he also drove in a pair of runs over the week and scored another. He’s batting .243 in 12 games with Jackson.
Adam Miller (BYU), Mobile (Arizona Diamondbacks): 0-1, 4.50 ERA, one save and one blown save in three appearances over the week. Miller picked up his seventh save of the season on Tuesday, closing the door on Mobile’s 6-5 win over Pensacola with a perfect inning.
He was charged with a blown save and a loss on Saturday after allowing two runs (one earned) in a 14-inning loss to Biloxi, including a walk-off single to Nick Shaw. Miller is 1-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 21 games this season. He also has converted seven of nine save opportunities.
Parker Morin (Utah), Northwest Arkansas (Kansas City Royals): One hit in nine at-bats over the week. The Royals reassigned Morin to Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, following an extended spring training and a three-game rehab stint in Single-A.
Tyler Wagner (Utah), Biloxi (Milwaukee Brewers): Allowed one run on six hits and two walks in seven innings, picking up a no-decision in Biloxi’s 5-4 win over Mobile on Saturday. Wagner, who was optioned back down to Double-A after his MLB debut last Sunday, is 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 10 starts with the Shuckers.
Wagner also doubled and scored a run in the same game. The run tied the game up in the sixth inning. Biloxi went on to win on a walk-off in the 14th inning.
Keenyn Walker (Judge Memorial H.S.), Birmingham (Chicago White Sox): Two hits and an RBI in 17 at-bats over the week. Walker returned to Birmingham on Tuesday after hitting .260 in 51 games with Single-A Winston-Salem. He also stole 25 bases there.
Single-A
Eddy Alvarez (Salt Lake C.C.), Kannapolis (Chicago White Sox): Six hits, including three RBIs and four runs scored in 26 at-bats over the week. Alverez is batting .272 in 55 games this season.
Tanner Banks (Utah), Kannapolis (Chicago White Sox): 0-0, 2.08 ERA in three appearances over the week. Banks pitched a pair of perfect frames on Tuesday and Thursday. He also allowed one run on two hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings during Kannapolis’s 7-2 loss to Delmarva on Saturday.
The lefty has a 4.50 ERA in seven games this season.
Bubba Blau (Dixie State), AZL Brewers (Milwaukee Brewers): Has not pitched this season.
Nick Green (Utah), Wilmington (Kansas City Royals): Allowed three hits and two runs in two innings against Frederick on Saturday. He has a 7.17 ERA in 21 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Trey Nielsen (Utah), Palm Beach (St. Louis Cardinals): Allowed just one run on five hits and a walk in seven innings, picking up a win as Palm Beach cruised past St. Lucie 7-1 on Saturday. Nielsen, who struck out a season-high seven in the win, lowered his ERA down to 2.03 on the year. He also has six or more strikeouts in each of his last three starts.
Dominique Taylor (Northridge H.S.), Wilmington (Kansas City Royals): Four hits, four RBIs and four runs scored in 17 at-bats over the week. Taylor collected a pair of hits and drove in two runs in Wilmington’s 6-5 win over Carolina on Tuesday. He’s batting .227 with 13 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 51 games this season.
Mitch Watrous (Utah), AZL Padres (San Diego Padres): Out after undergoing shoulder surgery. His timetable to return is unclear.