- Still no word on Joe Dunigan after he took a line drive Pohlman Field hop to the face in Monday's game. That he walked off the field under his own power is encouraging, but there's been no other word. I'm surprised that none of the media outlets or blogs commented on this.

- In allowing the only two VSL Astros hits of the game over his 6 innings, Jessie Nava also picked off THREE runners at 1st base, pretty sad for the VSL Astros given they only had 7 baserunners all game.

- After Fray Martinez got bombed in the first 3 innings of the AZLMs 7-0 loss to the AZL Cubs, the AZLMs ran out one heck of a bullpen relay: five different relievers each threw a single inning, with only the last one of the bunch, Yao Wen Chang, allowing a hit or a run. Save for Yao Wen Chang, this was likely to get some infrequently used relievers some work: Eddy Hernandez hadn't been used in 8 days, this was Cheyne Hann's first appearance of the season with the AZLMs, only Taylor Stanton's 5th, and Chris Kirkland's 4th.

- The Pulaski Mariners got no hit... technically. Rain shortened their game against the Danville Braves, and the Braves, who lead the league with a 2.75 ERA, watched David Francis strike out 16 of the 22 PMs he faced without allowing a hit over 6 frames. Then, after Matthew Small recorded the first out of the top 7th, the crew chief pulled both teams off the field in the rain, and called the game 3 hours after 1st pitch, the delays during the game lasting over an hour and a half.

That Brooks Mohr threw 6 effective innings without allowing more than a run off 7 hits and a walk indicates that the humid conditions made offense a bit difficult.

- The Mavs game with Inland Empire had some excitement. Down 9-6, Gavin Dickey led off the bottom 6th by trying to bunt himself on, and appeared to beat out the throw, but umpire Masaki Nonaka called him out, and the resulting rage from Dickey and Mavs manager Jim Horner got both men ejected!

The Mavs got two men on in the bottom 7th with two out before Kuo Hui Lo hit a game tying 3 run bomb off reliever Tim Sexton. With the game still tied, reliever Matthew Santor got wild for Empire in the bottom 9th, allowing Carlos Triunfel to sneak to 3rd base after his leadoff single, and Phenom scored the winning run off a Jose Yepez sac fly.

- Compared to the launchpads throughout the PCL, Nashville's Greer Stadium seems like offensive death in comparison. No high altitude, a good amount of humidity... it's enough to simulate the conditions of an actual MLB ballgame... if not for the cheesy guitar-shaped scoreboard in left field.

Such is life in the PCL's American North and American South divisions. Save for the outliers in Albuquerque, most of these teams play in offense-neutral or pitcher-friendly conditions, a stark contrast to the blastoff conditions the Rainiers usually face on the road. Given the Rainiers play home games in a pitchers park, they will likely seem more at home in conditions friendly to a 5-3 game rather than a 12-8 game. Since the Rainiers are in the opposite Pacific North division, they don't see very much of these parks, and you often get a different look at the Rainiers, akin to NASCAR racing on a twisting road track like Watkins Glen rather than the usual ovals.

Oh, and the Nashville Sounds kinda suck. Their pitching staff isn't horrible, but the lineup just isn't consistent no matter what the environment. So don't get too excited that Mystic Tan threw 5 shutout innings against the Brewers AAA affiliate, and be wary of getting too excited in the likely circumstance that Ryan Feierabend throws a good game in his start. Rainiers pitching SHOULD look a lot better in this series.

Likewise, don't get too down on hitters for not putting up big power numbers. The environment just isn't as conducive for it. At the same time, take note if guys are hitting well during this series and subsequent series in the 'dead' parks. That shows a lot more than a 5 hit night in Colorado Springs.

- Marc and others mentioned it in the comments of yesterday's wrap-up, but Michael Saunders is heading to Beijing this weekend to compete with the Canadian national team in the Olympics, and likely will be gone through mid to late August. His absence will tighten up the outfield rotation in Tacoma, and it certainly could use some tightening up, given the outfield corps has looked like the DMV at 3 pm on Friday recently. No, this probably does not mean Victor Diaz is going to disappear and that Greg Halman will get called up. More than likely, Prentice Redman and WLAD will platoon in CF while the collection of 1B/RF/DH retreads the M's inexplicably stockpiled the Rainiers with will man the corners.

VENEZUELA~! VSL Mariners 4, VSL Astros 0
VSLMs: 36-21... VSL Astros: 30-28
(League: 253/335/343... 3.49 ERA)

Jessie Nava: 6 IP, 2 H, walk, 6 K, hit batter (11 GS +1, 1.17 ERA, 61.1 IP, 16/40 BB/K)
Rhonny Acosta: 2 IP, walk
Johalbi Chourio: 1 IP, 2 walks (10 app, 4.35 ERA, 20.2 IP, 13/6 BB/K)
Carlos Ramirez: 3-4, double, 2 R, SB (312/382/392)
Rigoberto Rangel: 2-4, 2 RBI, K (292/382/362)
Jetsy Extrano: 2-4, double, R, RBI (286/366/429)
Mario Yepez: 1-4, RBI, SB #10 (320/382/427)
Larry Gonzalez: 2-4, double (245/304/311)

Dominican: DSL Mariners 6, DSL Cardinals 4
DSLMs: 28-14... DSL Cards: 14-26
(League: 236/339/320... 3.72 ERA)

Bruno Mercedes: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, 10 K, 2 wild pitches, hit batter (15 app, 4 GS, 2.18 ERA, 41.1 IP, 15/44 BB/K)
Enrique Rosario: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, wild pitch (10 app, 3.42 ERA, 23.2 IP, 12/27 BB/K)
Jose Perdomo: 1.1 IP, 1 H, walk (13 app, 6 GS, 4.23 ERA, 38.1 IP, 1 HR, 6/23 BB/K)
Nelson Germocen: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 K (17 app, 1.32 ERA, 27.1 IP, 12/43 BB/K)
Marbin Beltre: 1-5, double, 3 R, 2 K, SB #13 (279/409/315)
Ameilis Carvajal: 3-4, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, walk, K, SB (260/404/394)
Mario Flores: 1-2, RBI, 2 walks (320/465/500)
Bertin Sanon: 1-3, RBI, walk, K (250/375/417)
Ramon Morla: 2-4, R (208/387/302)

Rk-AZL: Cubs 7, Mariners 0
AZLMs: 9-15... AZL Cubs: 15-9
(League: 267/349/387... 4.56 ERA)

Fray Martinez: 3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, walk, 3 K, wild pitch, hit batter (5 GS +2, 6.61 ERA, 31.1 IP, 4 HR, 15/31 BB/K)
Eddy Hernandez: 1 IP
Cheyne Hann: 1 IP, 2 K
Taylor Stanton: 1 IP, walk, 2 K
Chris Kirkland: 1 IP, 2 K
Yao Wen Chang: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, walk, wild pitch, hit batter
None of the AZLMs had more than a single.

Rk+: Danville 1, Pulaski 0, 6 innings (rain)
PMs: 22-12... DAN: 20-15
(League: 261/332/389... 4.16 ERA)

Brooks Mohr: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, walk, 3 K (7 GS, 2.60 ERA, 34.2 IP, 1 HR, 14/30 BB/K)
PMs lineup: 0-19, 2 walks, 16 K

A-: Boise 5, Everett 4
EVE: 15-20... BOI: 22-13
(League: 257/345/370... 4.21 ERA)

Steven Hensley: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 5 K, 2 wild pitches (5 GS +2, 4.97 ERA, 25.1 IP, 2 HR, 9/30 BB/K)
Doug Salinas: 1.1 IP, 3 H, (3 R) 2 ER (HR), walk, K (10 app, 3 GS, 5.53 ERA, 27.2 IP, 2 HR, 14/26 BB/K)
Matt Renfree: 1.2 IP, 1 H, walk, 2 K (13 app, 2.19 ERA, 24.2 IP, 1 HR, 10/27 BB/K)
Luis Nuñez: 2-4, double, RBI (345/354/427)
Kevin Reynolds: 1-3, double, walk (361/418/484)
Nate Tenbrink: 1-4, solo HR (230/324/381)
Fleming Baez: 2-4, triple, R, RBI, K (255/339/382)
Anthony Phillips: 0-3, sac fly RBI

A: The T-Rats had Tuesday off.

A+: High Desert 10, Inland Empire 9
Mavs: 13-19... Empire: 17-15
(League: 273/342/411... 4.55 ERA)

Alfredo Venegas: 5 IP, 8 H, 6 ER (HR), 3 walks, 4 K, 2 balks (10 GS +8, 5.08 ERA, 79.2 IP, 8 HR, 24/72 BB/K)
Nick Hill: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, walk, 2 K (21 app, 10 GS, 4.79 ERA, 73.1 IP, 9 HR, 26/57 BB/K)
Bryan Harris: 1 IP, 1 H (26 app, 7.31 ERA, 32 IP, 9 HR, 6/22 BB/K)
Steven Richard: 1.2 IP, 2 (intentional) walks, 3 K, 2 wild pitches (16 app, 3.60 ERA, 25 IP, 15/25 BB/K)
Carlos Triunfel: 3-5, double, 4 R, SBs #17 and 18 (264/315/366)
Joe Simokaitis: 1-5, double, R, 3 K
Ronnie Prettyman: 2-4, solo HR, some other RBI, walk (303/341/500)
Jose Yepez: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, walk (277/341/402)
Kuo Hui Lo: 2-4, 3 run HR, 2 R (254/313/409)
Ogui Diaz: 2-3, 2 run HR, walk (262/295/351)
James Davenport: 3-4, double, K

AA: West Tenn's series opener in Chattanooga was postponed due to rain. There will be a doubleheader tomorrow.

AAA: Tacoma 5, Nashville 2
TAC: 51-52... NSH: 40-63
(League: 275/346/438... 4.75 ERA)

Jake Woods: 5 IP, 5 H, walk, 5 K (30 app, 2nd start, 4.14 ERA, 58.2 IP, 6 HR, 27/47 BB/K)
Tracy Thorpe: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 4 K, 2 wild pitches (19 app, 9.12 ERA, 25.2 IP, 9 HR, 15/28 BB/K)
Randy Messenger: 1 IP, 1 H (33 app, 4.50 ERA, 46 IP, 4 HR, 13/33 BB/K)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 1-5, double, R, RBI, 3 K (263/351/404)
WLAD: 2-4, 2 doubles, R, walk (264/364/588)
Shawn Garrett: 2-5, double, RBI, K (289/320/422)
Rob Johnson: 2-3, double, R, walk, K (290/360/444)
Luis Valbuena: 1-4, double, R, RBI (192/298/260)