Culp, DeMark Rocked in AAA

Nate Culp and Mike DeMark, two pitchers sent from Double-A San Antonio to Triple-A Portland in the past few days, surrended a combined 13 runs (11 earned) in five innings of work today against Colorado Springs.

Culp, a soft-tossing lefty who wasn’t dominating Double-A, got the start, as the Beavers are looking to find a reliable fifth starter (Matt Buschmann, who started the year in Double-A as well, hasn’t cut it), and was pounded for eight runs (six earned) in four innings. He gets some grounders, but Culp clearly doesn’t have the stuff to do much in the high minors, at least as a starter.

DeMark had a microscopic 0.60 ERA in Double-A, but it’s now 15.43 in Triple-A, as he surrended five runs in just one inning of work.

Infielder Anthony Contreras did put up three hits in the 20-8 loss, and pitched the ninth, allowing four unearned runs. Red-hot Josh Barfield had three hits as well, raising his average to .372.