- It sneaks up on you:  After today, the VSLMs have only 8 games remaining in their season, which ends August 2nd.

- The VSLMs had to play a doubleheader with the competitive VSL Phillies yesterday.  Starter Erasmo Ramirez saved the bullpen with a surprising complete game in which he allowed 3 runs, only one earned, walked none, struck out 5 and allowed 7 hits.  What the heck, I haven't done this in a while:

Groundballs:  18
Flyballs:  3
Line Drives:  6
Pop Ups:  2
Walks:  0 (but 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts:  5

Now, VSL groundball rates are always high because the league consists of 18 year old kids still struggling to drive the ball, but 18 groundballs is still impressive at any level.

- The DSLMs also had a doubleheader, and they got a little sloppy in the nightcap with the AthleticsDos, committing SIX errors in 7 innings before losing on a walkoff single.

Their front-end game, a 2-0 game, was equally interesting: no strikeouts.   Aside from a pickoff, every out was in play.

- Hi, Scott Savastano.  Peoria just started playing this year's 28th round pick from Franklin Pierce University a couple days ago.  The Mariners were the 3rd team to draft the alleged slick fielding shortstop (though it's obviously doubtful if the 6'4", 195 pound Savastano will stick at SS), and he finally decided to sign rather than return to Franklin Pierce for his senior year.  He did play a couple of games with the Aquasox, but it looks like he'll ride out the season in Peoria before the M's reassess his development path for 2009.

- One day after eating a rain-shortened no hitter, the Pulaski Mariners... ate an 8 hit shutout in a 5-0 loss to the Burlington Royals, owners of the App League's worst record at 12-24.  Slump city for the PMs.

- In the spirit of the T-Rats taking it easy with the young top pitching talent, Juan Ramirez pitched out of the bullpen yesterday, working the 7th and 8th innings of Wisconsin's 6-1 loss to West Michigan without allowing a hit.

- Carlos Triunfel is starting to turn the corner and drive the ball with authority.  A couple days after blasting an opposite field grand slam, he went 4 for 4 on Wednesday.  Be afraid.  Now it's just a matter of polishing his defense and finding him a comfortable position, probably at a corner.

- So much for streak #2: In picking up his 5th save with the DIAMOND JAXX, Shawn Kelley gave up two runs, one earned, to end his streak of frames without an unearned run at 7.

Click the jump for stats, and a return from the mothballs by PHAT ANDY 22....

They played two in VENEZUELA~!

Game 1:  VSL Mariners 9, VSL Phillies 3

Erasmo Ramirez:  CG, 7 H, (3 R) 1 ER, 5 K, hit batter (10 GS +2, 3.05 ERA, 59 IP, 2 HR, 9/45 BB/K)
Yidid Batista:  1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K (253/302/283)
Carlos Ramirez:  3-4, triple, 2 R, RBI (324/391/412)
Jetsy Extrano:  2-4, double, solo HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K (290/369/446)
Mario Yepez:  1-3, triple, R, 2 RBI
Michael Acevedo:  1-3, RBI (242/325/323)

Game 2:  VSL Phillies 2, VSL Mariners 1, 6 innings
VSLMs:  37-23... VSL Phils:  30-27
(League:  254/335/343... 3.49 ERA)

Gerardo Esparza:  5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 walks, 4 K, wild pitch, hit batter (12 GS +2, 1.81 ERA, 64.2 IP, 1 HR, 20/54 BB/K)
Oberth Guanire:  two outs, 1 H, K (10 app, 3.24 ERA, 16.2 IP, 9/15 BB/K)
Mario Yepez:  1-3, double, K (318/381/435)
Rigoberto Rangel:  2-3, double, R (296/378/366)
Jorge Agudelo:  1-3, RBI, K (296/411/346)

They also played two in the Dominican.

Game 1:  DSL Mariners 2, DSL AthleticsDos 0, 7 innings

Henry Perez:  5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 walks, 4 K, wild pitch, hit batter (7 GS +3, 1.80 ERA, 40 IP, 18/52 BB/K)
Nelson Germocen:  1.1 IP, 2 K, hit batter (18 app, 1.26 ERA, 28.2 IP, 12/45 BB/K)
Hector Mercedes:  1-3, R, RBI (288/430/468)
rest of DSLMs lineup:  3-21, 3 walks

Game 2:  DSL AthleticsDos 8, DSL Mariners 7, 7 innings
DSLMs:  29-15... DSLA2s:  18-18
(League:  236/339/321... 3.73 ERA)

Cristian Rijo:  3.2 IP, 7 H, (5 R) 3 ER, 2 K (6 app, 1st start, 4.22 ERA, 10.2 IP, 2/8 BB/K)
Ambioris Hidalgo:  2.1 IP, 3 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 K (7 GS +4, 5.01 ERA, 32.1 IP, 4 HR, 14/28 BB/K)
Anthony Fernandez:  two outs, 1 H, (2 R) 0 ER, walk (12 app, 5 GS, 4.23 ERA, 38.1 IP, 20/32 BB/K)
Jose Perdomo:  no outs recorded, 1 H (13 app, 6 GS, 4.23 ERA, 38.1 IP, 1 HR, 6/23 BB/K)
Marbin Beltre:  1-2, R, RBI (287/421/322)
Ameilis Carvajal:  3-4, double, triple, R, 4 RBI (277/410/429)
Rudy van Heydoorn:  2-4, R (216/420/330)
Ramon Morla:  1-3, R, RBI, walk (208/389/287)

Rk-AZL:  Giants 13, Mariners 7
AZLMs:  9-17.. AZL Giants:  15-12
(League:  269/350/388... 4.57 ERA)

Brian Oates:  4.2 IP, 4 H, (8 R) 2 ER, 4 walks, 2 K, 2 wild pitches, hit batter (4 GS +3, 5.28 ERA, 30.2 IP, 2 HR, 18/32 BB/K)
Brandon Maurer:  1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, K, wild pitch
Nick Love:  2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, K, hit batter (6 app, 12.08 ERA, 12.2 IP, 4/6 BB/K)
Alfredo Mateo:  1-4, R, RBI, K (253/365/379)
Robert Rodriguez:  1-4, double, R, K (282/296/388)
Joel Mendez:  2-4, R, 2 RBI, K, SB (316/330/367)
Scott Savastano:  1-4, 2 RBI

Rk+:  Burlington Royals 5, Pulaski 0
PMs:  23-13... BUR:  12-24
(League:  260/331/388... 4.12 ERA)

Taylor Lewis:  3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER (HR), 2 walks, 6 K (3 GS +3, 9.53 ERA, 11.1 IP, 3 HR, 6/12 BB/K)
Jose Rios:  3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 K (8 app, 3.76 ERA, 26.1 IP, 2 HR, 3/29 BB/K)
Brandon Pullen:  2 IP, 1 H, 2 K (9 app, 1.88 ERA, 14.1 IP, 2 HR, 2/15 BB/K)
Jordan Alvis:  1 IP, 1 H, K
Guy Welsh:  2-4, double, walk, 2 K (380/452/507)
Tommy Johnson:  2-5, K (373/407/471)
rest of PMs lineup:  4-27, walk, 8 K

A-:  Boise 16, Everett 5
EVE:  15-21... BOI:  23-13
(League:  257/345/369... 4.21 ERA)

Kenn Kasparek:  2 IP, 3 H, (3 R) 2 ER, 3 walks, 2 K
Eddy Fernandez:  one out, 5 H, (5 R) 3 ER (13 app, 6.88 ERA, 17 IP, 2 HR, 6/19 BB/K)
Mark Pettis:  2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 3 K (9 app, 4.20 ERA, 15 IP, 12/15 BB/K)
Christian Staehely:  no outs recorded, 2 H, (4 R) 2 ER, walk (10 app, 4.66 ERA, 19.1 IP, 1 HR, 15/12 BB/K)
Philip Hann:  2 IP, 3 H, (3 R) 0 ER, walk (11 app, 5.52 ERA, 14.2 IP, 1 HR, 8/12 BB/K)
Bradley Reid:  1 IP, H, hit batter
Bennett Billingsley:  2-5, 2 doubles, 2 R, 2 K (273/337/443)
Luis Nuñez:  1-4, 2 R, RBI (342/350/421)
Kevin Reynolds:  1-5, RBI, K (354/410/472)
Manny Pimentel:  1-4, 2 RBI, K (231/352/317)

A:  West Michigan 6, Wisconsin 1
WIS:  7-25... WM:  16-16
(League:  251/323/373... 3.69 ERA)

Keith Renaud:  5 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 walks, wild pitch (4 GS +1, 4.78 ERA, 26.1 IP, 18/15 BB/K)
Natividad Dilone:  1 IP, 2 H, K, 2 wild pitches (13 app, 6.60 ERA, 15 IP, 2 HR, 10/12 BB/K)
Juan Ramirez:  2 IP, 2 K (16 GS +2, 4.66 ERA, 85 IP, 6 HR, 28/75 BB/K)
Joe Dunigan:  2-4, RBI, K (227/286/388)
Alex Meneses:  2-4 (236/331/260)
rest of T-Rats lineup:  0-21, 6 walks, 6 K

A+:  Inland Empire 7, High Desert 2
Mavs:  13-20... Empire:  18-15
(League:  273/342/412... 4.56 ERA)

Jose Jimenez:  4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 walks, 4 K, 2 wild pitches, hit batter (4 GS +1, 8.72 ERA, 21.2 IP, 3 HR, 10/18 BB/K)
Steve Uhlmansiek:  3.2 IP, 1 H, 4 K (26 app, 3.78 ERA, 33.1 IP, 3 HR, 16/29 BB/K)
Michael Wagner:  two outs, 1 H, 1 ER, K (38 app, 4.94 ERA, 47.1 IP, 1 HR, 16/39 BB/K)
Aaron Cotter:  two outs, 3 H, 2 ER, K (40 app, 3.62 ERA, 49.2 IP, 4 HR, 13/46 BB/K)
Jamie McOwen:  1-3, triple, R, walk, K (257/314/385)
Carlos Triunfel:  4-4, double, R, RBI (274/323/378)
Chris Minaker:  2-4, double (292/320/442)
Ronnie Prettyman:  1-4, double, RBI, 2 K, SB (300/337/500)

AA:  West Tenn 6, Chattanooga 5
WTN:  13-20... CNG:  14-19
(League:  262/340/396... 4.17 ERA)

Justin Thomas:  4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 6 K, hit batter (17 GS +1, 4.63 ERA, 105 IP, 11 HR, 47/98 BB/K)
Denny Stark:  2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 K (8 GS +3, 4.66 ERA, 36.2 IP, 2 HR, 19/20 BB/K)
Jason Mackintosh:  1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER (HR) (32 app, 2.86 ERA, 44 IP, 2 HR, 10/23 BB/K)
Shawn Kelley:  2 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER (18 app, 0.72 ERA, 25 IP, 10/23 BB/K)
Brent Johnson:  2-5 (317/396/452)
Greg Halman:  2-5, solo HR, some other RBI (283/321/512)
Mike Wilson:  2-4, double, R, walk, K (284/383/551)
Johan Limonta:  2-5, double, 3 RBI (300/381/523)
Erick Monzon:  1-5, solo HR, 2 K (193/281/263)

AAA:  Nashville 3, Tacoma 2
TAC:  51-53... NSH:  41-63
(League:  275/346/439... 4.76 ERA)

Andrew Baldwin:  7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 4 K (15 GS +7, 5.27 ERA, 100.2 IP, 8 HR, 32/56 BB/K)
Jared Baek Bait Wells:  1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER (HR), walk, K (40 app, 5.65 ERA, 43 IP, 3 HR, 22/40 BB/K)
WLAD:  1-5, double, 2 K (259/360/578)
Victor Diaz:  2-4, double, walk, K (288/370/527)
Michael Saunders:  0-5, 4 K: The Golden Sombrero (205/271/346)
Oswaldo Navarro:  2-4 (271/341/341)

PHAT ANDY 22:  Yo
Seven strong innings, boys.  Rent's due. Good game, Lindsay Gulin.  But your team name's all wrong, cause PHAT ANDY's got the Sounds, and it ain't no country western.  Check me out....

Today's your lucky day, Lindsay
(But isn't that a girl's name?)
You pitched yourself a good game
And all my bats were swinging lame
And Baek Bait gave away the game
And once again we lose
Nice park you got, Clown Shoes
It give the power hitters blues
Their flyballs make them look like fools
Like they didn't get the news
That guitar out in left field saying CLANK-A-CLANK YOU LOSE
This rhyme's a little weak
I haven't rapped all week
The rust makes all my lyrics creak
It's like our MOTO, looking bleak
WLAD plays outfield like a freak
And yet it doesn't matter
Where are all my batters?
Where's my dugout chatter?
My lyric's gonna shatter
But Andy's getting Phatter
And don't think losses matter
Resolve will make me badder
Cuz I'll still get you bitches out
Cuz that's what Phat Andy's about!

Word to your father, Tony Gwynn Jr.  Andy is Phat, but your daddy is FAT.