Sorry I'm late.  I'm cleaning house.

You missed a couple of performance disasters.  I'll leave it to you to click through the jump to see where they happened.  I also point out the AAA All Star Game balloting, with some personal, only somewhat educated picks.

On to the wrap-up!

VENEZUELA~!  VSL Mariners 4, VSL Cardinals 2
(League:  261/348/363... 3.86 ERA)

Jessie Nava:  6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 7 K, 2 wild pitches, hit batter
Angel Raga:  no outs recorded, 2 H, 1 ER
Kervin Montbrum:  2 IP, 3 walks, 3 K, wild pitch
Manuel Campos:  1 IP, K
Rigoberto Rangel:  1-2, R, RBI, 2 walks
Mario Yepez:  2-4, RBI, K
rest of VSLMs:  2-23, 3 R, 2 walks, 4 K

With most of the lineup playing dead, you'd have no idea without checking the game log how they won this game 4-2.  The VSL Cards got a run in the 1st off Jessie Nava, who was otherwise unhittable over an impressive six innings of work.

In the 4th, Jorge Agudelo drew a walk with one out, then took 2nd on a wild pitch before Michael Acevedo struck out for the 2nd out.  Rigoberto Rangel drew another walk to keep it alive, then Mario Yepez smoked a grounder into RF to cash in Agudelo and tie the ballgame.

After los Cardenales took the lead off Angel Raga in the 7th, the VSLMs struck back.  Rigoberto Rangel led off with yet another walk.  Mario Yepez smoked a grounder into RF to put runners at the corners.  Jetsy Extrano grounded to 3rd, and the Cards 3B got a little confused as to where to go and threw YIKES AND AWAY, allowing Rangel to score and TIE THE BALLGAME.  Carlos Ramirez pinch hit and drew a walk to load the bases with no outs.  Cesar Del Rio grounded to 3rd, and this time the 3B went home to get the 1st out and prevent the run.  Roberto Velasquez grounded to 2nd, and the 2B threw home to get the NEXT lead runner for the 2nd out.  This isn't working, guys.

But reliever Yonathan Gonzalez helped them out by uncorking a wild pitch to bring in Ramirez and make it 4-2, before Yidid Batista struck out to end the frame.  YIDOING IT WRONG.

But the bullpen did their jobs right, as Kervin Montbrum and Manuel Campos finished off the 8th and 9th without damage.

Dominican:  DSL Mariners 3, DSL AthleticsUno 2, 7 innings
(League:  230/337/328... 3.79 ERA)

Felix Bautista:  5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, walk, 5 K
Francisco Garcia:  2 IP, 1 H, walk
Mario Flores:  1-3, RBI
Oliver Garcia:  1-3, double

Shortened probably due to weather, the DSLMs broke the tie in the 7th and final inning... or, moreso, the A1s did, when a bad pickoff throw with the bases loaded and no outs allowed Efrain Nuñez to score the winning run.

A:  Burlington 6, Wisconsin 4
WIS:  27-31... BUR:  26-38
(League:  249/321/369... 3.60 ERA)

Phillipe Aumont:  1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER (HR), 2 walks, 2 K, balk (12 app, 6 GS, 2.62 ERA, 44.2 IP, 3 HR, 13/43 BB/K)
Jake Wild:  3.1 IP, 3 H, walk, 4 K (15 app, 3.07 ERA, 29.1 IP, 2 HR, 9/29 BB/K)
Ryan Moorer:  2 IP, walk (20 app, 3.97 ERA, 22.2 IP, 1 HR, 10/17 BB/K)
Jose Escalona:  1 IP, walk, K, hit batter
T-Rats 1-2-3 hitters (Mendez, Meneses and Colina):  0-11, walk, 5 K
Ronald Garth:  2-4, double, 2 R, SB
Denny Almonte:  2-4, 2 doubles, 3 RBI

There comes a time in many a top prospect's development when he hits that first brick wall.  Philipe Aumont walked onto the mound in Burlington on Monday night and hit it pretty hard.

It wasn't all his fault, but he sure didn't help.  Adrian Ortiz led of with a single up the middle, then stole his 22nd base, then got a good lead and took 3rd base without a fight after Aumont got called for a balk.  Aumont did get David Lough to ground to 2nd, and Meneses checked the runner before throwing to 1st for the 1st out.  Mike Moustakas watched strike three for two outs, and it looked like Aumont would be fine.

Then Jason Taylor crapped all over a meatball and it was 2-0 like that.

Clint Robinson blooped one to center for a base hit.  Nick Van Stratten beat out a grounder to 1st to put runners at 1st and 2nd.  Zach Evangelho smoked a grounder into LF to cash in Robinson, 3-0, and put runners back at 1st and 2nd.  Then (Not That) Juan Rivera blooped a ball past Maximo Mendez in center for a double that cashed in Van Stratten, 4-0.  Ryan Eigsti struck out to end the disaster inning, and the T-Rats got two back in the 2nd on a two out Denny Almonte double.

The first two Bees batters went quietly in the 2nd, but Mike Moustakas worked a walk.  Then Jason Taylor worked a walk.  Then Clint Robinson lined a double to left to cash in both runners, 6-2, and Terry Pollreisz gave Aumont the hook after that.  Aumont had a little bad luck with the groundballs, but he needed to hold up his end of the bargain, keeping the ball down and throwing consistent strikes (and not balking with runners in scoring position), to get out of those innings unscathed, and he simply did not.

Groundballs:  5
Flyballs:  4 (1 HR)
Line Drives:  1
Walks:  2
Strikeouts:  2

The bullpen, however, locked down the Bees and did not allow another run, especially Jake Wild, quite the underrated mop-up man, getting the T-Rats through the 5th.  Almonte struck again with a two out RBI double in the 7th to cut the lead to 6-3.

Ronald Garth led off the 9th with a double.  Joe Dunigan lined a ball to center that somehow slipped out of the grasp of CF Adrian Ortiz, putting runners at 2nd and 3rd.  Gavin Dickey grounded to short for one out, but got a run in to make it 6-4.  Alex Liddi, however, also grounded out (to 2nd), and Denny Almonte grounded harmlessly to 1st to end the game.

A+:  Lake Elsinore 21, High Desert 4
Mavs:  27-37... Lake:  32-32
(League:  267/338/400... 4.44 ERA)

Keith Renaud:  4 IP, take a wild guess (12 GS +1, 7.21 ERA, 63.2 IP, 9 HR, 44/32 BB/K)
Julio Santiago:  1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, K, wild pitch (19 app, 4.05 ERA, 26.2 IP, 1 HR, 17/25 BB/K)
David Asher:  1.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, K, wild pitch (26 app, 6.95 ERA, 22 IP, 1 HR, 9/17 BB/K)
Aaron Cotter:  1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K (25 app, 3.45 ERA, 31.1 IP, 3 HR, 8/26 BB/K)
Erick Monzon, because at this point, why not:  1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER (HR), K
Ogui Diaz:  subbed in at 3B, double, R (237/284/303)
Kuo Hui Lo:  2-3, double, R, RBI, walk, K (230/285/345)
Carlos Peguero:  2-4, 2 RBI, 2 K (290/313/461)

For a visual representation of this ballgame, please watch this video.  The role of the High Desert Mavericks will be played by Trevor Berbick, and the role of the Lake Elsinore Storm will be played by Mike Tyson.

On a more positive note, Kyle Parker was named to the Cal League All Star Team, which will travel to Myrtle Beach, SC to face the Carolina League All Stars.

AA:  Huntsville 8, West Tenn 6
WTN:  38-27... HUN:  39-26
(League:  263/341/400... 4.25 ERA)

Denny Stark:  4 IP, 4 H, (3 R) 2 ER (HR), 2 walks, K (6 GS, 4.91 ERA, 29.1 IP, 2 HR, 16/15 BB/K)
Craig James:  2 IP, 4 H, (5 R) 1 ER (HR), 2 K (21 app, 4.32 ERA, 25 IP, 2 HR, 11/30 BB/K)
Marwin Vega:  1 IP (20 app, 5.56 ERA, 34 IP, 28/19 BB/K)
Shawn Kelley!:  1 IP, walk
Brent Johnson:  2-4, R, RBI, walk (341/411/553)
Mike Wilson:  2-4, R, walk, K (262/354/517)
Adam Moore:  2-5, R, RBI (296/378/446)
Johan Limonta:  3-5, 2 RBI, 2 K (330/414/580)
Kevin Reynolds:  1-4, RBI, K
Matt Mangini:  1-4, double, R, RBI, K
Luis Valbuena:  1-4, double, K (293/369/463)

All it took was one disastrous Craig James inning for Huntsville to put this game out of reach.  Don't be fooled by the final score: it took a lot of scratching and clawing for the DIAMOND JAXX to even make it that close, and they likely had no gas left in the 9th to make up the final two runs.

Also, kudos to Shawn Kelley, who started the year in Wisconsin, earned himself a promotion to High Desert, and was impressive enough in 12 scoreless innings to net ihmself yet another promotion to West Tenn.  Here's to more success in AA, Shawn.

AAA:  Salt Lake 8, Tacoma 7
TAC:  31-32... SLK:  41-21
(League:  273/345/432... 4.70 ERA)

Andrew Baldwin:  6 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 walks, 3 K (8 GS +5, 6.51 ERA, 47 IP, 2 HR, 19/25 BB/K)
Jake Woods:  1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, K (19 app, 4.46 ERA, 34.1 IP, 5 HR, 13/27 BB/K)
Tracy Thorpe:  1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER (2 HR), K (7 app, 9.39 ERA, 7.2 IP, 3 HR, 5/6 BB/K)
Tug Hulett:  2-5, triple, 2 R, K (290/361/451)
Yung Chi Chen:  2-4, double, 2 R, RBI (258/313/340)
Jeff Clement:  1-5, 2 run HR, 2 K (364/484/748)
Victor Diaz:  1-5, RBI, 4 K: The Golden Sombrero (274/358/538)
Shawn Garrett:  3-5, R, RBI (289/320/446)
Bryan LaHair:  1-4, 2 run HR, walk, K (263/348/482)

Rather than recap this game, in which Tracy Thorpe chewed up and swallowed a Rainiers lead, then crapped out a Salt Lake win... I'll remind you that voting is still open for the AAA All Star Game.  Here are my current selections.  I only selected one Rainier, and if you have to ask who, you probably don't read this much....

International League:

SP:  David Purcey (SYR)
SP:  Mitch Talbot (DUR)
RP:  Steve Green (LHV)
RP:  TJ Beam (IND)
C:  Dusty Brown (PAW)
1B:  Jeffrey Larish (TOL)
2B:  Michael Hollimon (TOL)
3B:  Mike Hessman (TOL)
SS:  Reid Brignac (DUR)
OF  Brett Cleleven (TOL)
OF  Jeff Bailey (PAW)
OF  Dewayne Wise (CHA)
DH  Dan Johnson (DUR)

PCL:

SP  Tony Armas (NOL)
SP  Randy Keisler (IWA)
RP  Jason Motte (MEM)
RP  Ron Flores (MEM)
C  Jeff Clement (TAC)
1B  Terry Tiffee (LVG)
2B  Mike Aviles (OMA)
3B  Matthew Brown (SLK)
SS  Angel Berroa (OMA)
OF  Nelson Cruz (OKL)
OF  Joe Mather (MEM)
OF  Chris Aguila (NOL)
DH  Russ Branyan (NAS)