Jason Kipnis; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball, including a cycle from one of Kentucky’s best minor league alumni:

• One-time Kentucky outfielder Jason Kipnis, promoted to AAA Columbus for the International League finals, hit for the cycle to lead Columbus to a championship-clinching 13-2 win over Durham.
• Former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke closed out AAA Tacoma’s Pacific Coast League championship clinching 10-6 win over Memphis with a scoreless inning.
• Former NKU right-handed pitcher Nathan Jones took the loss despite surrendering just two runs in six innings in high A Winston-Salem’s 2-1 loss to Potomac. The Nationals clinched the Carolina League championship with the win.
• Zachary Levine, writing for Baseball America, selected 2010 Lexington Legends outfielder J. D. Martinez the Astros’ best MiLB player. Levine named 2009 Legend Jordan Lyles the organization’s best pitcher and 2009 Legend Patrick Urckfitz “one to watch” in the system. (Subscription required)
• Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere received his first MLB start for the Minnesota Twins Friday but went 0-3 with a walk in the leadoff spot.
• Eric King of WLKY in Louisville reports former University of Louisville baseball player Isaiah Howes has been identified as the shooter that killed former UofL football player Daniel Covington. Police believe the shooting was in self-defense.