J.A. Happ pitches well but remains winless, Billy Buckner takes a no-hitter into the eighth in the hostile environs of Albuquerque and Nick Pereira whiffs 11.

Check out Friday’s Triple-A Dish.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Lehigh Valley lefthander J.A. Happ (Phillies) could only watch as the IronPigs’ hapless bullpen saddled him with another loss. Well, he earned his first three losses (14 1/3 IP, 13 runs), but yesterday the 6-foot-6, 200-pound lefty went six innings, giving up a run on five hits and two walks, before Gary Knotts and Steve Kline combined to give up seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

The 25-year-old Happ still ranks second in the IL in walks—thanks to some early-season largesse—but he’s refined his control over his last three starts, during which he’s walked just 3.15 batters per nine innings and posted a 0.45 ERA. He’s still striking guys out (his 42 ranks second in IL) and not giving up home runs (three), so perhaps the tall lefty is on the verge of taking that next step.

Prospect Nuggets

Durham SS Reid Brignac (Rays) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and his third home run of the year. He’s off to a .257/.304/.429 start, but he’s hitting for some power and demonstrating discipline (8-19 BB-K) . . . Indianapolis 3B Neil Walker (Pirates) has homered in consecutive games. He was 2-for-4 with two RBIs yesterday. All four of his home runs have come as a lefthanded batter and he’s hitting .074/.138/.074 in 27 at-bats as a righthanded batter . . . Norfolk RHP Radhames Liz (Orioles) was battered for eight runs (six earned) in six innings against the Indians, the result of six hits and five walks . . . Buffalo RHP Adam Miller (Indians) needed 96 pitches to record 11 outs. He went 3 2/3, giving up four runs on 10 hits and a walk . . . Syracuse LHP David Purcey (Blue Jays) took his second loss of the season. The IL strikeout leader went six, surrendering two runs on five hits and three walks. He fanned six.

What To Watch For Today

With another strong outing tonight at Norfolk (7 p.m.), Louisville RHP Homer Bailey (Reds, 4-2, 2.29) could be in serious consideration for a callup. He struck out 10 Mud Hens his last time out, and six Indians the start before that.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Fresno righthander Nick Pereira (Giants) doesn’t have the stuff to blow batters away. But his command of a high-80s fastball, curveball and changeup was more than enough to stifle the Omaha Royals yesterday. Pereira, a 10th-round pick from San Francisco in 2005, struck out 11 batters in eight innings, while shutting out the Royals on just five hits. His previous high for strikeouts this season was five.

Prospect Nuggets

Don’t look now, but Tucson RHP Billy Buckner (Diamondbacks) has surrendered just one earned run in his past 14 innings. That’s a good sign for a pitcher whose ERA stood at 14.63 after two starts. Buckner did the unthinkable yesterday—he tossed eight shutout innings at Albuquerque and took a no-hitter into the eighth. In all, he gave up two hits, walked one and struck out four . . . Portland LF Chase Headley (Padres) singled four times in five at-bats yesterday and now is batting .333 with five doubles and a homer in his past 10 games . . . Tacoma 1B Bryan LaHair (Mariners) belted his seventh homer of the year in a 3-for-5 night in which he also tripled. He scored twice and drove in two . . . Sacramento OF Travis Buck (Athletics) is off to an 0-for-5 start to his rehab assignment. The guy can’t catch a break. First he opens the year in an 0-for-21 funk, and then he suffered shin splints that relegated him to the DL.

What To Watch For Today

Salt Lake tries to avoid falling to 24-6. They lost their last three games at Nashville.