Unless you live under a rock, any minor league baseball fan knows that the Single-A California League is known for its offensive inflation. That’s not saying that a career .240 hitter will suddenly become Ty Cobb (who batted .366, capturing 11 batting titles over 24 seasons). Rather, the league offers a combination of environmental factors such as humidity, altitude and ballparks that help augment hitting statistics.

When scanning box scores for the day I see individual hitters light up the scoreboard. But last night, Houston’s Cal League affiliate Lancaster Jethawks logged one of the most amazing team batting performances I’ve seen since Jim and I started our UTR quest back in 2009.  The last time I recalled a similar game was back on May 8, 2014 when the Clinton Lumberkings (SEA) overcame a 16-run deficit (scoring the final 19 runs) to defeat the Burlington Bees (LAA) 20-17 in 12 innings. Take a look at that classic box score right here.

Last night, the (21-24) Jethawks and (19-28) Stockton Ports (OAK) combined to score 40 runs on 38 hits including seven doubles, two triples and an astounding 9 home runs. Instead of posting each individual (and incredible) line score, I’m simply posting the hyperlink so you can see for yourself. My daily lines can’t do a 40-run game justice.

Now, I also post my ‘Top Hitter of the Day” for both the National and American League, but today, as I said above, I’ll be posting the link to the game that houses today’s American League Top Hitter of the Day in Lancaster’s Bobby Boyd. 

The 2014 – 8th rounder out of West Virginia went 4-7 with a home run (3), 3 runs scored, a stolen base and 9 runs batted in. Boyd’s nine runs batted-in ranks within the Cal League top five for most runs batted in in a single game. Organizational mate Derek Fisher, now with Double-A Corpus Christi, set the Cal League single-game RBi record May 30, 2015, his HiA debut mind you, by driving in 12 runs vs the High Desert Mavericks (TEX) in a 3-home run game (two of which were grand slams).

We live for this.

National League – Top Hitter of the Day

• Dawel Lugo, 3B – HiA Visalia Rawhide (ARI) – Cal League/North – 21 yo; 
  • 3-5, 2 HR (8), 2B, 3R, 5RBi

National League: 

• Braxton Davidson, RF – HiA Carolina Mudcats (ATL) – Carolina League/Southern – 19 yo; 
  • 2-4, 2B, 2R, 3RBi
• Ray-Patrick Didder, CF – LoA Rome Braves (ATL) – Sally League/Southern – 21 yo; 
  • 2-4, HR (2), R, 2RBi, BB, SB (12) 
• JC Rodriguez, 3B – LoA Columbia Fireflies (NYM) – Sally League/Southern – 23 yo; 
  • 1-4, HR (3), R, 3RBi, K 
• Jose Marmolejos-Diaz, 1B – HiA Potomac Nationals (WAS) – Carolina League/Northern – 23 yo; 
  • 2-3, 2B, 2R, RBi, 2BB 
• Alec Keller, LF – HiA Potomac Nationals (WAS) – Carolina League/Northern – 24 yo;
  • 3-4, 3B, 2B, R, 5RBi
• Kelvin Gutierrez, 3B – LoA Hagerstown Suns (WAS) – Sally League/Northern – 21 yo; 
  • 2-4, 2R, 4RBi, K, SB (8)
•  Shed Long, 2B – LoA Dayton Dragons (CIN) – Midwest League/Eastern – 20 yo; 
  • 2-5, 2 2B, R, 3RBi, 2K 
• Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B – LoA West Virginia Power (PIT) – Sally League/Northern – 19 yo; 
  • 2-4, HR (5), R, 2RBi, K 
• Oscar Hernandez, C – HiA Visalia Rawhide (ARI) – Cal League/North – 22 yo;
  • 2-2, HR (2), 2R, 4RBi, 2BB
• Brendan Rodgers, SS – LoA Asheville Tourists (COL) – Sally League/Southern – 19 yo; 
  • 1-6, HR (8), R, 3RBi, 2K 
• Sam Hilliard, LF – LoA Asheville Tourists (COL) – Sally League/Southern – 22 yo; 
  • 3-5, HR (4), R, 3RBi, K 
• Johan Mieses, CF – HiA Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) – Cal League/South – 20 yo; 
  • 2-4, HR (6), R, 2RBi, 2K   
• Matt Jones, 1B -LoA Great Lakes Loons (LAD) – Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo;
  • 2-5, HR (6), 2B, 2R, 3RBi, 2K
•  Ariel Sandoval, DH – LoA Great Lakes Loons (LAD) – Midwest League/Eastern – 20 yo;
  • 2-4, 2 HR (7), 2R, 3RBi, BB, K 
• Austin Allen, C – LoA Fort Wayne Tin Caps (SD) – Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo; 
  • 3-4, HR (2), 2B, 2R, RBI, K

American League: 

• Wynston Sawyer, DH – HiA Frederick Keys (BAL) – Carolina League/Northern – 24 yo; 
  • 1-3, HR (2), 2R, RBi, 2BB, K 
• Aderlin Rodriguez, 1B – HiA Frederick Keys (BAL) – Carolina League/Northern – 24 yo; 
  • 3-5, HR (9), 2B, 3R, 2RBi, K 
• Mike Meyers, LF – HiA Salem Sox (BOS) – Carolina League/Southern – 22 yo; 
  • 1-1, 3B, 2R, 3BB
• Rafael Devers, 3B – HiA Salem Sox (BOS) – Carolina League/Southern – 19 yo;
  • 1-4, HR (4), R, 3RBi
• Derrick Loveless, RF – HiA Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR) – Florida State League/North – 23 yo; 
  • 3-4, 2B, 3R, BB
• Seby Zavala, C – LoA Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) – Sally League/Northern – 22 yo; 
  • 2-5, HR (3), 2R, 3RBi, BB, 2K 
• Ka’ai Tom, LF – LoA Lake County Captains (CLE) – Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo; 
  • 2-4, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, BB, K 
• Tyler Krieger, 2B – LoA Lake County Captains (CLE) – Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo; 
  • 2-3, 2R, RBi, BB, 2 SB (13) 
• Nathan Lukes, CF – LoA Lake County Captains (CLE) – Midwest League/Eastern – 21 yo;
  • 3-5, 3 2B, R, 4RBi, K, SB (13)
•  Will Allen, 1B – LoA West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) –  Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo; 
  • 3-3, 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB
• Shane Zeile, C – LoA West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) –  Midwest League/Eastern – 22 yo; 
  • 2-4, HR (3), 2B, R, 4RBi, K 
• Samir Duenez, DH – LoA Lexington Legends (KC) – Sally League/Southern – 19 yo; 
  • 2-5, 2 2B, R, 3RBi
• Daniel Kihle, LF – LoA Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) – Midwest League/Western – 22 yo; 
  • 3-5, 2B, 3R, RBi, K 
• LaMonte Wade, CF – LoA Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) – Midwest League/Western – 22 yo; 
  • 1-3, 3R, 2RBi, 3BB, K 
• Lancaster Jethawks
• Dexture McCall, 1B – LoA Quad Cities River Bandits (HOU) – Midwest League/Western – 22 yo; 
  • 2-3, HR (2), 2B, 2R, 2RBi
• James Harris, CF – HiA Stockton Ports (OAK) – Cal League/North – 22 yo; 
  • 4-6, HR (2), 2B, 3R, 3RBi, K, SB (9) 
• Sandber Pimentel, 1B – HiA Stockton Ports (OAK) – Cal League/North – 21 yo;
  • 3-5, HR (7), 2B, 2R, RBi, 2K