Late recap, not as long as the others, but various delays intervened today.

The Mavs got shelled again.  The Rainiers may like Vegas so much they ought to move there, and not for the gambling.  The DIAMOND JAXX took a page from Pulaski and played a 13 inning thriller with their nemeses from Huntsville, while Pulaski and Wisconsin took a page from the Mariners, and lost.

On to the wrap-up!

VENEZUELA~!  VSL Rays 7, VSL Mariners 3
VSLMs:  19-13... VSL Rays:  15-18
(League:  261/347/361... 3.75 ERA)

Gerardo Esparza:  5.1 IP, 6 H, (6 R) 2 ER (HR), 2 walks, 5 K, wild pitch, hit batter ( GS +1, 1.22 IP, 37 IP, 1 HR, 9/29 BB/K)
Manuel Campos:  2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER (HR), K (11 app, 2.50 ERA, 18 IP, 1 HR, 5/13 BB/K)
Roberto Velasquez:  2-4, walk, K (315/447/413)
Jorge Agudelo:  1-3, RBI, K (324/438/381)
Mario Yepez:  1-4, double, R, walk, K (359/410/521)
Michael Acevedo:  2-4, triple, R, RBI (274/361/396)

RICO (was not) SUAVE.  Down 2-0, Gerardo got bombed for 4 runs in the 6th with some help from bad defense, was chased, and this game was over quickly.

Dominican:  DSL Mariners 7, DSL Phillies 5
DSLMs:  12-4... DSL Phils:  6-8
(League:  231/336/322... 3.68 ERA)

Miguel Celestino:  6 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 4 K
Francisco Garcia:  1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, K
Gregorio Aquino:  1 IP, 2 K
Nelson Germocen:  1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, walk, 2 K, wild pitch
Hassiel Jimenez:  1-4, RBI
Rudy van Heydoorn:  2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Axel Wel:  3-4, 2 RBI
Victor Ozuna:  1-5, double, K
Efrain Nuñez:  0-1, 2 R, 3 walks, K

Tied at 1, the DSLMs bombed Phils pitching for 5 runs in the 5th to seize control of this ballgame, and a 3 run Phils rally in the 7th was the only reason it looks close.

The Peoria (AZL) Mariners begin play tomorrow!

Rk+:  Elizabethton 4, Pulaski 1
(League: 256/337/374... 3.91 ERA)

Brooks Mohr:  5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER (HR), walk, 4 K (27th rd 2007... pro debut)
Philip Roy:  2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Nick Czyz:  2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, 4 K
Dwight Britton:  2-4, triple, R, K
Mario Martinez:  3-4, double, RBI
Kris Sanchez:  2-4, double

And Pulaski's quest for a 68-0 season comes to a close in game 4, the home opener against the Elizabethton Twins.  Brooks Mohr's long awaited debut went fine until Jeanfried Brito beat out a grounder to 2nd with two outs in the 5th, and Andrew Schmiesing took him deep to make it 2-0 Liz Twins.

The PMs got a run back in the 6th after Dwight Britton bunted himself on to lead off, and later scored on a Mario Martinez single up the middle.  But the PMs just had no answers down the stretch, and the Liz Twins got another run in the 8th on a Juan Richardson sac fly, and another in the 9th when Andrew Schmiesing, quickly establishing himself as the series menace, doubled home Eric Santiago to make it 4-1.  Despite a leadoff double in the 9th by Mario Martinez, the PMs had no answers.

A-:  Spokane 8, Everett 3

Bobby LaFromboise:  3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER (HR), walk, 2 K, balk, hit batter (8th rd 2008)
Michael Renfree:  2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, (intentional) walk, 4 K
Mark Pettis:  one out, 3 walks, K, wild pitch
Robbie Dominguez:  2.1 IP, 3 H
James Davenport:  1-4, double, R, 3 K
Nate Tenbrink:  1-4, 2 run HR
Luis Nuñez:  2-2, solo HR (!)

And it looks like Spokane has the Aquasox's number.  Even in his good inning, te 1st, Bobby LaFromboise allowed a 2 out lined single and plunked a batter before getting out of it.  In the 2nd, he walked Doug Hogan with one out, saw Joey Butler single up the middle, then balked to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd before Jacob Kaase lined a single to center to cash in Hogan and put runners at the corners.  Cody Podraza beat out a grounder to 3rd, bringing in another run to make it 2-0 before David Paisano's flyout found Beef Roids in RF, and Jared Bolden's liner did the same.  Not encouraging for LaFromboise.

Luis Nuñez did surprise us by leading off the top 3rd with his 1st career HR.  Still, the Indians led 2-1, and Matthew West led off the bottom 3rd with a lined single of LaFromboise before Eric Fry took his finest suck pitch deep to right to make it 4-1.  Jason Ogata flew to center for one out and Doug Hogan smoked a grounder into left, but LaFromboise got out of the inning without further damage... aaaaaand that was all for him.

Michael Renfree almost ran into trouble himself in the 4th by allowing a one out double to David Paisano, but caught Paisano off the bag for the pickoff, and got out of the inning without trouble. Matthew West lined a single to lead off the 5th but the next three batters all struck out.  I'm highlighting the pitching because the Aquasox are doing nothing at the plate.

Renfree tried to work a 3rd inning in the 6th and quickly ran into trouble, as Joey Butler tripled to center, before Jacob Kaase lined a single to center to cash him in and make it 5-2 Spokane.  Cody Podraza lined a single, and David Paisano bunted them over for one out.  After intentionally walking Jared Bolden, Renfree got the hook for Mark Pettis, who then uncorked a wild pitch to bring in a run, 6-2. and move the runners over to 2nd and 3rd.  Pettis then walked Matthew West before striking out Eric Fry... but then walked Jason Ogata to force in a run, 7-2, and walked Doug Hogan to force in ANOTHER run, 8-2.  Pettis got the hook, and Robbie Dominguez watched Joey Butler single to left... except the batted ball struck an off-guard Jason Ogata, thus he was out for the 3rd out.

And that was basically that, the last three innings little more than an exercise.

A:  Burlington 3, Wisconsin 2
(League:  249/321/368... 3.61 ERA)

Nathan Adcock:  6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 walks, 7 K, wild pitch (13 GS +1, 3.60 ERA, 3 HR, 29/80 BB/K)
Travis Mortimore:  1.2 IP, 2 K (21 app, 0.60 ERA, 30 IP, 10/23 BB/K)
Robert Harmon:  1 IP (18 app (3 GS), 8.37 ERA, 23.2 IP, 3 HR, 17/23 BB/K)
Ronald Garth:  1-3, sac fly RBI (257/309/377)
Jonathan Arias:  1-3, RBI
rest of T-Rats lineup:  1-23, 2 R, 3 walks, 5 K

Bees batter Johnny Giavotella lined a single to center with one out in the 1st, and Mike Moustakas promptly doubled him in to make it 1-0.  Jason Taylor walked, and David Lough's tapback to the mound for two outs moved the runners over, so that Nathan Adcock's wild pitch could cash in Moustakas to make it 2-0 before Clint Robinson popped out to end the frame.

And with the T-Rats bats dormant, it's amazing they managed any offense at all.  But Juan Diaz led of the 4th with a lined single to center.  Edilio Colina looked to kill the rally with a DP ball to short, but after getting Diaz for one, 2B Johnny Giavotella threw YIKES AND AWAY to not only fail to get Colina, but give him 2nd base as well.  Pitcher Mathew Mitchell then uncorked a wild pitch to move Colina to 3rd before Ronald Garth's flyout to left allowed Colina to tag up and score to cut the lead to 2-1.

With two outs in the 5th, Alex Meneses walked, and took 2nd on yet another Matthew Mitchell wild pitch before Jonathan Arias, in only his 2nd game of the year, singled up the middle to allow Meneses to score and TIE THE BALLGAME.

But Burlington would have none of this.  Jason Taylor singled up the middle with one out, stole his 23rd base of the season, then scored easily on a David Lough double down the RF line to give Burlington a 3-2 lead that was more than enough against the T-Rats 1900s era offense, a shame given Nathan Adcock's start was one of his usual effective ones.

Groundballs:  12
Flyballs:  2
Line Drives:  3
Pop Ups:  1
Walks:  2
Strikeouts:  7

A+:  Stockton 13, High Desert 3
(League:  267/338/400... 4.47 ERA)

Anthony Varvaro:  4.1 IP, 6 H, (5 R) 2 ER (HR), 3 walks, K, wild pitch, hit batter (13 GS +2, 6.42 ERA, 67.1 IP, 8 HR, 51/66 BB/K)
Nick Hill:  1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER (R), 3 walks, K (18 app, 10 GS, 4.52 ERA, 69.2 IP, 9 HR, 25/53 BB/K)
Ricky Orta:  2 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 K (10 app, 7 GS, 4.32 ERA, 33.1 IP, 4 HR, 11/26 BB/K)
Steve Uhlmansiek:  1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, walk, K, wild pitch (15 app, 2.65 ERA, 17 IP, 1 HR, 9/13 BB/K)
Leury Bonilla:  2-4, R, walk, 2 K (290/372/404)
Kuo Hui Lo:  2-5, 2 doubles, R, K (251/303/399)
Chris Minaker:  1-3, sac fly RBI (291/326/460)
Travis Scott:  1-4, solo HR, 3 K (254/311/415)
Erick Monzon:  0-1, 3 walks (185/265/277)

You know how awesome Thursday's game was?  This game was just as awesome.  GG, bullpen.  Anthony Varvaro hasn't had a good season, but he's had better games than this:

Groundballs:  7
Flyballs:  9 (1 HR)
Line Drives:  0
Pop Ups:  2
Walks:  3 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts:  1

AA:  West Tenn 8, Huntsville 7, 13 innings
(League:  260/340/393... 4.14 ERA)

Travis Chick:  4.2 IP, 7 H, (4 R) 2 ER, 3 K (19 app, 3 GS, 3.99 ERA, 49.2 IP, 3 HR, 22/40 BB/K)
Brodie Downs:  2.1 IP, 2 H, (2 R) 0 ER, 2 walks, K, hit batter (25 app, 4.50 ERA, 42 IP, 3 HR, 19/29 BB/K)
Roman Martinez:  2 IP, 1 H, (intentional) walk, K (20 app, 5.04 ERA, 25 IP, 1 HR, 14/20 BB/K)
Mumba Rivera:  1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk, K, hit batter (27 app, 2.59 ERA, 31.1 IP, 1 HR, 10/34 BB/K)
Shawn Kelley: 1.1 IP, 2 H, K (7 app, 0 ER, 8.1 IP, 3/10 BB/K)
Brent Johnson:  pinch ran for Mangini in 11th, run, then played LF, then pitched: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K
Greg Halman:  2-7, double, R, RBI
Jeff Dominguez:  1-5, R, RBI, 2 walks, K (228/299/291)
Jon Nelson:  1-5, double, RBI, K (308/359/442)
Mike Wilson:  1-5, double, RBI, walk, 3 K (270/354/531)
Adam Moore:  2-5, solo HR, 2 R (313/385/484)
Mark Kiger:  3-5, 2 R, walk, K (227/348/298)
Luis Valbuena:  1-4, double, R, 2 RBI, walk (304/378/488)

West Tenn actually staked (stook?) themselves to a big lead, powered by a 4 run 5th sparked on part by a throwing error from a familiar face at Huntsville: Michael Garciaparra.  That set up two runners in scoring position, both of which Luis Valbuena punched in with a lined double.  Greg Halman doubled home Valbuena for another run, and Halman later scored on a Jon Nelson sac fly to make it 5-0.

But Huntsville took the lid off the can of whoop-ass in the bottom 4th, and back to back doubles cashed in a run before Carlos Corporan lined a single to score another to make it 5-2.  In the 5th, Mark Kiger botched a grounder from Freddy Parejo, and Parejo later scored on a Mike Bell lined single to make it 5-3.  Alcides Escobar lined a single as well to chase Travis Chick, as he once again couldn't manage 5 innings without bunches of trouble.

Groundballs:  6
Flyballs:  1
Line Drives:  9
Pop Ups:  2
Walks:  0
Strikeouts:  3

Brodie Downs came in and saw Angel Salome line a single to left to cash in Bell and cut the lead to 5-4.  Cole Gillespie walked, but Carlos Corporan grounded harmlessly to 2nd to end the rally.

Downs worked a 1-2-3 6th, and Adam Moore went deep in the top 7th to stretch the lead back to 6-4.  But Michael Brantley led off the bottom 7th by getting a grounder into left, then Brodie plunked Mike Bell to put runners at 1st and 2nd.  Alcides Escobar tapped back to the mound, and Brodie threw YIKES AND AWAY to leave everybody safe and load the bases.

Angel Salome worked the count, drew a walk and forced in a run to cut the lead to 6-5.  Cole Gillespie flew to left for the 1st out, and Jeff Dominguez got it in fast enough to cut off a tag-up run.  But Carlos Corporan grounded to 1st, and Johan Limonta had no play but to take the out at the bag, allowing Mike Bell to score and tie the ballgame.  Chris Errecart grounded harmlessly to 1st to end the frame, but the damage was done.

Roman Martinez pitched the 1st and found trouble quickly.  Freddy Parejo grounded to 3rd and likely had a throw beaten out, but Matt Mangini though he had a shot, hurried the throw and threw YIKES AND AWAY past Limonta to give Parejo 2nd.  Little Garciaparra grounded to 3rd, and Mangini checked the runner before throwing Garciaparra out.  Roman intentionally walked Michael Brantley to set up the DP, but Mike Bell struck out, and Alcides Escobar's liner found Mike Wilson in right to end the threat.

Both sides went 1-2-3 in the 9th and we headed to extras.  Neither side got far in the 10th, though Chris Errecart FUBAR'd after getting on in the bottom half by getting too far off the bag on a foul ball that Mike Wilson caught before throwing to Mark Kiger to double up Errecart and end the frame.

In the 11th, Matt Mangini led off with a lined single, then got lifted for pinch runner Brent Johnson.  Luis Valbuena bunted him over for one out.  Greg Halman popped out for the 2nd out, but Jeff Dominguez smoked a grounder into right, and Johnson came home as the throw from RF Freddy Parejo was YIKES AND AWAY, so badly off that Dominguez got all the way to 3rd.  But Jon Nelson could not capitalize, grounding harmlessly to 3rd to end the frame.

Dominguez, who had started in left, moved over to 3rd as Brent Johnson took over in left, and closer Mumba Rivera, who had worked a scoreless 10th, came on to finish the 11th.  Michael Brantley flew to center for one out.  Mike Bell worked another walk, but Alcides Escobar flew to center himself for two outs, and Halman must have been well backed up or made some sort of sliding/diving catch, because Bell tagged up and took 2nd.  With a flyout, walk and flyout, Mumba must have been tiring and struggled to hit his spots, as he got lifted with two outs for Shawn Kelley, one day removed from ironically maintaining his streak of innings without an earned run since promotion from Wisconsin (now at 19) despite blowing the save (the run he allowed was credited elsewhere).

Angel Salome lifted a flyball that dropped out of the reach of Greg Halman, and Bell scored to tie the ballgame once again.  So oh well to that, and once again, Kelley blew a lead without getting charged with the earned run.  Cole Gillespie lined a single, but Carlos Corporan struck out, and off we go to the 12th.

The DIAMOND JAXX went quietly in the top half, but Chris Errecart led off the bottom 12th with a lined single to left, and bailing Kelley out was one of the worst bunts ever from Freddy Parejo, as he popped the ball up and down into Kelley's glove, and Kelley threw to Valbuena covering 1st for the double-off.  Little Garciaparra beat out a tapbacker, but Michael Brantley's grounder to 2nd ended the inning and off we go to the 13th.

Mark Kilger led off the 13th with a walk, and Brent Johnson bunted him over for one out, because BRENT JOHNSON GETS THAT BUNT DOWN.  Luis Valbuena walked.  Greg Halman tapped back to the mound, where pitcher Omar Aguilar threw to Alcide Escobar at 2nd for one, and Escobar the SS threw YIKES AND AWAY past Errecart, as Kiger turned 3rd and came home to score the unlikely go-ahead run, Halman racing into 2nd!

After Jeff Dominguez flew out to left, the DIAMOND JAXX had ANOTHER chance to finish in the bottom 13th.  Shawn Kelley, not quite himself at the moment anyway, was out of gas, and with the bullpen tapped, Scott Steinmann made a curious decision.  Ronnie Prettyman was announced for DH Jon Nelson and came in to play 3rd base, West Tenn ceding the DH as Jeff Dominguez headed back into left field... and Brent Johnson came to the mound to pitch the 13th.

Mike Bell grounded one into left field for a leadoff base hit.  But Brent got Alcides Escobar on strikes for one out, because BRENT JOHNSON GETS THAT PITCH DOWN (IN THE ZONE).  He did hang one to Angel Salome, who flew to center, but Greg Halman had it under control for two outs.  But then Cole Gillespie walked.  And then Carlos Corporan walked, and the bases were loaded!  But Chris Errecart, perhaps a little eager to jump on a suck pitch from a non-pitcher, got a bit too much lift on a flyball to center, and Greg Halman got under it and gloved it to end the ballgame, netting Brent Johnson a very unlikely save.

AAA:  Tacoma 14, Las Vegas 7
TAC:  38-36... LVG:  41-35
(League:  273/345/433... 4.71 ERA)

Robert Rohrbaugh:  7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 7 K (14 GS, 5.42 ERA, 79.2 IP, 6 HR, 25/64 BB/K)
Scott Shoemaker:  1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, walk (17 app, 5.06 ERA, 32 IP, 5 HR, 14/26 BB/K)
Scott Williamson:  1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER (18 app, 6.05 ERA, 19.1 IP, 3 HR, 6/20 BB/K)
Tug Hulett:  1-4, triple, 2 R, RBI, 2 walks, 2 K (278/353/434)
Matt Tuiasosopo:  RBI single, R, left game early.  Hmm... (260/342/400)
Yung Chi Chen:  2-3, double, 2 R, RBI, walk (253/314/335)
Bryan LaHair:  1-6, R, RBI, 3 K (252/344/458)
Victor Diaz:  4-6, 2 doubles, 2 run HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K (306/385/507)
Michael Saunders:  2-5, double, 4 RBI, walk, K
Rob Johnson:  3-6, R (260/325/363)
Oswaldo Navarro:  2-3, 2 doubles, 2 R, 2 RBI, walk (296/377/381)

The Rainiers jumped all over Justin Orenduff for 7 runs in chasing him from the game in the 2nd. Orenduff was all over the place, though Oswaldo Navarro's double, Tuglett's triple and Victor Diaz's double sure didn't help.  Michael Saunder spunctuated the frame with a worm burner to right that cashed in WLAD and Diaz and made it 7-0 before Orenduff got the hook.

Michael Saunders doubled home two more in the 6th, and Robert Rohrbaugh cruised, his only blemish coming in the bottom half of the 6th when John Lindsey took him deep with two outs for his 15th HR of the year.  The Rainiers responded with another explosion, as Yung Chi Chen doubled, Terrible Terry Tiffee botched a WLAD grounder, and Victor Diaz went deep in a 5 run 7th to make it 14-1.  Rohrbaugh finished the 7th without incident and called it a satisfying night, a great start that he needed after a run of struggles.

Groundballs:  10
Flyballs:  6 (1 HR)
Line Drives:  3
Walks:  2
Strikeouts:  7

Tui also took a curiously early exit after getting plunked in the big 2nd inning.  Hopefully, he's okay and the benching was just precautionary.