Kansas City Royals prospects lead the way in Texas League All Star Game
By Wayne Cavadi
The best of the midwest went head to head on Tuesday night, in a battle of Texas League divisions. The Texas League All Star Game was a tight race between the North All Stars and the South All Stars… that is until Jorge Bonifacio came to bat.
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Tied up at four a piece in the eighth inning, the San Diego Padres No. 9 ranked prospect Tayron Guerrero came to the mound for the South. Shortstop Charlie Tilson, the St. Louis Cardinals No. 9 prospect, who was already having a big night with two hits and two RBI to his credit came to bat.
The Cardinals speedster would start the rally for the North. He singled up the middle and would steal second base on the ensuing pitch. Bonifacio, the Royals No. 9 prospect (does anyone else see a pattern here?), worked the count to 2-2. The next fastball would change the outcome of the game.
Bonifacio drove the 2-2 pitch out of the stadium for a two-run blast. It would put the North division ahead for good, and earn Bonifacio Top Stars honors.
“I had two strikes on me and a guy on second, so I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Bonifacio told MiLB.com. “I got a fastball in and hit it hard. It feels good to come through like that.”
Much like their Major League counterpart in Kansas City up until a week ago, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Royals Double-A affiliate, stacked the North All Stars with talent, and they all delivered.
25-year old first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor delivered a 3-for-4 day with a double and an RBI. Terrance Gore, who scored a run in last year’s World Series, likes to score on the bigger stages as he scored a run last night as well. 26-year old Alex Liddi provided a pinch hit and went 1-for-2 on the night. 25-year old righty J.C. Sulbaran made the most of his one inning pitched allowing no hits or walks and striking out two.
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The North All Stars sent ten pitchers to the mound in the combined four-hit victory. The Los Angeles Dodgers 22-year old right hander Chris Anderson, pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the victory. His Tulsa Drillers team mate Jeremy Horst would pitch a third of the ninth inning to bring home the save. The 29-year old is 7-for-9 in save opportunities on the season.
Most of the South’s offense came from San Antonio Missions star Travis Jankowski. The Padres No. 12 prospect provided two of the four South All Star’s hits on the night, including a solo blast. The Oakland As No. 21 prospect Ryon Healy would add a solo blast of his own.
”If you can’t get yourself ready to go for a Double-A All-Star Game, then you’re in the wrong business,” said North manager Razor Shines of the Tulsa Drillers to MiLB.com. “This is Double-A, where people go from here to the Major League level all the time.”