INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Most famous for his World Baseball Classic seven-inning no-hitter for the Dutch team, Columbus righthander Shairon Martis (Nationals) set another personal milestone Tuesday in striking out a career-high 12 batters. The 21-year-old Curacao native allowed only one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings in the Clippers’ 4-1 victory against Pawtucket. Martis has an impressive feel for pitching and he commands an 89-91 mph fastball and a plus changeup, but his curveball and slider often lag behind.

Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson told the Providence Journal:

“I like (Martis). He had some good offspeed pitches and was aggressive. It took about five or six innings for us to make adjustments. We could have done a better job identifying what we were seeing. We were chasing a lot of offspeed stuff outside of the zone. . . . Sometimes you’ve got to give credit to the opposition.”

Prospect Nuggets

Rochester LHP Francisco Liriano (Twins) pitched seven shutout, two-hit innings in the Red Wings’ 13-0 win against Toledo. He struck out a season-high 10 and walked two. Liriano, 24, has been all but untouchable in July, going 4-0, 0.32 with 33 strikeouts, four walks and 15 hits allowed (no homers) in 28 innings. . . . Red Wings 3B Trevor Plouffe drove in three of the 13 runs in his 3-for-4 showing, with two doubles (10) and two runs scored. Meanwhile, CF Jason Pridie was 2-for-6 with a double (13), a triple (13) and a run scored. . . . Lehigh Valley LHP J.A. Happ (Phillies) struck out eight Durham batters to wrest the IL strikeout lead from David Purcey. Happ allowed three runs on four hits in six innings, walking only one.

What To Watch For Today

Richmond RHP Anthony Lerew (Braves) makes his second Triple-A start of the season as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Though he hit just .196/.265/.346 in a 32-game big league trial this season, Tacoma outfielder Wladimir Balentien (Mariners) has regained his footing in the PCL. He went 2-for-4 in win against Nashville yesterday, stroking two doubles (13), driving in a run and scoring once. The 24-year-old slugger, who has played left and center field in addition to his customary right, now is batting .266/.368/.593 for the Rainiers with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs in just 177 at-bats, with most of the damage coming in July (.333/.442/.710). Like IL Prospect of the Day Shairon Martis, Balentien is a native of Curacao.

Prospect Nuggets

Tacoma C Rob Johnson (Mariners) seems to have found himself at Triple-A this season after a couple of down years in the PCL. Still just 24, Johnson is batting .290/.360/.444 on the year after going 2-for-3 yesterday with a double (25), a walk, a strikeout and a run scored. . . . Colorado Springs RHP Greg Reynolds (Rockies) recorded 10 groundouts against four fly outs in his five innings of work yesterday. He struck out one and walked two in allowing one run on two hits. The Sky Sox defeated New Orleans 7-6 in 12 innings. . . . Portland LHP Wade LeBlanc (Padres) struck out seven and walked two in giving up one run in six innings to Memphis.