INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Durham righthander Wade Davis (Rays) improved to 3-0, 2.25 through four Triple-A starts with six shutout innings against Richmond yesterday. The 22-year-old struck out five, walked two and gave up five hits. Best of all, Davis kept the ball in the park after allowing two home runs in each of his past two starts.

Prospect Nuggets

It’s been a challenging year for Indianapolis 3B Neil Walker (Pirates) in his first full season at Triple-A. He’s batted .235/.267/.425 through 405 at-bats, but more troubling for the 22-year-old Walker are the two other young third basemen the Pirates have acquired during the season: Andy LaRoche (in the Jason Bay trade) and Pedro Alvarez (the No. 2 overall pick who has yet to sign). Walker continued to hit for power yesterday, rapping a double (23) and a triple (six) as part of a 3-for-5 day with three RBIs . . . Though Rochester RHP Anthony Swarzak (Twins) gave up a pair of home runs at Lehigh Valley (to Brandon Watson and Jason Jaramillo), the 6-foot-3 righthander did give the Red Wings seven strong innings to improve to 2-0, 2.25 in two starts. He struck out five and walked one, while allowing two runs on eight hits. Coincidentally, he shares a birthday with Neil Walker: Sept. 10, 1985.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

It wasn’t the most impressive strikeout performance of the day, but 21-year-old New Orleans lefthander Jon Niese (Mets), in making his second career Triple-A start, allowed just two runs in six innings in a win against Las Vegas. He struck out two, walked two and gave up six hits. Niese induced 11 groundouts in the game, compared with four fly outs, and now sports a ratio of 19-to-10 (1.9) for the Zephyrs.

Prospect Nuggets

Salt Lake SS Brandon Wood (Angels) launched his 26th home run, a three-run shot, in the Bees’ 9-4 win against Iowa. He went 1-for-4 with four RBIs. Wood now has hit 12 home runs in a scant 71 post all-star break at-bats, giving him a .944 slugging percentage. In the first half, he hit 14 home runs and slugged .500 in 248 at-bats . . . Tacoma C Rob Johnson (Mariners) continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-4 with a two doubles (28) and three RBIs. The 24-year-old backstop is something of a road warrior. Check out his numbers away from offense-suppressing Cheney Stadium: .333/.402/.503 in 165 at-bats.