Feature photo of Jordan Wicks by Todd Johnson (taken tonight!)
Sure enough as I’ve taken over the writing of this daily feature from Todd for the day, we get what was possibly the easiest decisions for this award yet this year. Only three affiliates played with Myrtle Beach’s game being delayed to tomorrow, and the performances on the field really stood out.
While the two Nelsons showed out the only way they know how for Tennessee (Velazquez with a homer and Maldonado with a pair of two-baggers), its the axe swinger Alexander Canario that takes home the award for Hitter of the Day. He put together a 3-for-4 day at the plate including two moonshot home runs and he tacked on a base on balls for good measure. He drove in three runs and scored three runs on the evening.
As for Starting Pitcher of the Day, both Adrian Sampson and Anderson Espinoza were just a couple mistake pitches away from taking this award. Instead, its BDJ Jr. Jordan Wicks threw 63 pitches in four innings of work, avoiding the Jetstream that was blowing out to left field and giving up just one run on four hits, one walk, and five punchies.
The Reliever of the Day was the stiffest competition but ultimately it goes to another piggybacker. We know how good piggybackers have been this year and Conner Menez continued that trend tonight. The former Rule Five selection went 2.1 innings out of the pen, allowing a bunch of zeros except for a four spot in the strikeout column.
Todd will be back tomorrow for five games worth of Players of the Day.
