Bus Leagues Express: August 31

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Empire State clinches division: Just days after punching their playoff ticket, the Empire State Yankees clinched the International League North division with a 5-0 win over rival Lehigh Valley. Although this is their 5th division title in the last six years, this is still a remarkable season for a team that didn’t play a single home game. While they called Rochester their home for much of the season, it’s not the same as playing in their actual home ballpark which is undergoing renovations. Dave Miley was rightfully awarded the league’s Manager of the Year award; not only did he manage a nomadic team to great success, he had to do it with an ever-changing roster due to injuries, promotions and disappointing performances.

Taveras breaks up no-hitter late: Just a day after Chris Corrigan‘s perfect game, Josh Outman was one batter away from a no-hitter. Unfortunately for Outman and the Tulsa Drillers, that batter was top prospect Oscar Taveras. Oscar’s single drove in Springfield’s only run as they fell 9-1 to Tulsa. Taveras’ single prevented Springfield from being no-hit for the second time this season, months after a handful of Northwest Arkansas arms, primarily Chris Dwyer, no-hit them. Outman is struggling to find consistency coming off Tommy John surgery while still with Oakland, and that was on display tonight as he walked five batters. Taveras is winding down a breakout season as the Texas League’s Player of the Year, and he’ll find himself in the top 10 of many prospect lists this offseason.

Sox prospects top Carolina League All-Stars: The White Sox may have the worst system in the league, but a couple of their better performers this year represented Winston-Salem on the Carolina League Postseason All-Star team. Infielder Carlos Sanchez went from high-A to AAA in 2012 with a stop at the Futures Game as one of MiLB’s best hitters with a .325 average. Free swinging outfielder Trayce Thompson also made the same jump, and his 25 home runs set a career high. A pair of Red Sox top prospects also made the team. Jackie Bradley Jr. posted a .480 OBP in 67 games before moving on, and Xander Bogaerts cemented his status as one of the top power hitting prospects in baseball.

West Virginia prospects lead SAL All-Stars: Gregory Polanco was awarded the leagues top prospect award, but teammate Alen Hanson couldn’t have been far behind. The pair of Pirates prospects could both rank in the top 50 nationally this offseason, and they’ll be coming through the organization at just the right time as Pittsburgh grows into a winning team. They’re joined in the South Atlantic League All-Star infield by Delino DeShields Jr. who’s on the verge of stealing 100 bases across two levels this year, and breakout 2011 draft pick Trevor Story. Ejection king Joe Mikulik is Manager of the Year.

Appy League semis head for decisive games: With the talent in the Appalachian League, it seemed guaranteed that there wouldn’t be a sweep. After being shut down by J.O. Berrios the night before, Danville got to Elizabethton starter Brett Lee and scored seven runs in the 4th inning on the way to a 9-2 win. Logan Robbins‘ bases clearing double in that inning was the big blow in forcing a deciding game three. In Burlington, two solo home runs by Terrance Gore and Bubba Starling broke a 2-2 with Johnson City, and they were backed up by their bullpen throwing 5.2 scoreless innings. Gore’s tiebreaking home run was the first of his professional career, and it came in a season that saw him slug under .300.

Big inning propels Rangers, A’s to Arizona League Championship: The Arizona League is one of the most slanted toward hitters in baseball, and that was evident Thursday night in the one game semi-finals. The A’s scored seven 6th inning runs en route to beating the Cubs 15-3, and the Rangers used a five run 5th to defeat the Dodgers 7-3. The A’s faced a tough task in the Cubs’ pitching, but they combined to score four runs against prospects Paul Blackburn and Juan Paniagua before blowing the game wide open later, largely due to Renato Nunez‘s big game. The Rangers also got a big contribution from a seven figure Latin American signing; Nomar Mazara‘s solo home run contributed to the five run inning that sunk the Dodgers.

On tap today

MiLB.TV schedule

Rangers, A’s meet for Arizona League title

Northwest League regular season wraps up

Kyle Gibson makes second start for Rochester

Shelby Miller looks to continue momentum

Taylor Jungmann goes for 12th win

Parker Markel hopes to continue great second half