Tacoma beat Salt Lake, 8-4. After a little early trouble, King Felix settled down to go seven solid, if unspectacular innings. Hernandez only gave up two hits all night, which seems great until you realize that both of them were dingers. Felix again had some issues with his control as he walked four against three strikeouts. The Tacoma offense was hitting on all cylinders tonight (for the first time this season in Cheney, it seems) and banged out twelve hits against the Stingers staff. Shin-soo Choo is offically back on track in Tacoma as he hit one out, Aaron Rifkin and Ramon Santiago also homered and Hunter Brown had three hits of his own. Justin Leone continues to be sidelined with a bruised hand...ugh.
Notables:
Felix Hernandez: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HR.
Jamal Strong (back from suspension): 1-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 RBI.
Shin-soo Choo: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 RBI. (Devin's note: According to J over at Mariner Minors, Choo's homer cleared the centerfield wall. In case you haven't been to Cheney, the CF wall is 425 feet away and 30 feet tall. Cheney sits only a mile from Puget Sound, so the air is already pretty dead, especially since it's only May and the temperature at gametime is still not breaking 65F. That's one HELL of a blast) (Trent's note: YEAH!!!)
Abraham Nunez: 1-5.
Aaron Rifkin: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 RBI.
Mike Morse: 1-4.
Hunter Brown: 3-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI.
Ramon Santiago: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI.
San Antonio smashed Arkansas, 10-6. The Missions jumped out to a 7-0 lead before the fourth inning started and really never took a look back. Juan Sandoval got the job done as he went six innings surrendering seven hits, four runs (two earned) while striking out four. An astounding seven Missions all had multi-hit games, and EVERYONE in the lineup picked up at least one hit. But the best part is this: of the 18 hits the San Antonio batters bashed tonight, 17 were singles. Jamie Bubela was the lone XB collecter with a triple.
Notables:
Juan Sandoval: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Yuniesky Betancourt: 3-5, 1 RBI.
T.J. Bohn: 2-5.
Nate Espy: 2-4, 1 BB, 2 RBI.
Jon Nelson: 2-5, 1 RBI.
Jesus Guzman: 1-3, 2 BB.
Jamie Bubela: 2-4, 1 3B, 2 RBI.
Rene Rivera: 2-5, 1 RBI.
Stockton bombed Inland Empire, 14-7. Shawn Nottingham was bad, Brian Stitt wasn't on top of his game, Chris Key sucked and Michael Steele was...well, he was fine. As you can probably tell, it wasn't the best night for the 66'ers. Like I mentioned, Nottingham was absolutely hammered as he went five innings and gave up six runs (five earned) on ten hits while striking out three. Glovework was also pretty suspect in this one as the 66'er defense committed four errors (Hyung Cho, Juan Gonzalez 2 and Bryan Lahair). Adam Jones went deep and knocked in three to lead the offense.
Notables:
Shawn Nottingham: 5.0 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
Juan Gonzalez: 1-5, 2 errors.
Adam Jones; 2-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI.
Wladimir Balentien: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI.
Bryan Lahair: 0-4, 4 K.
Chris Colton: 2-3, 1 3B, 1 BB, 2 RBI.
Dayton got by Wisconsin, 8-4. More crummy defense? More unearned runs! Jason Snyder really shouldn't have much of an excuse. Seven hits in 3.1 innings isn't anything to be proud of. But of the seven runs charged against him, a grand total of ONE was earned. Things were seemingly going alright for Snyder who entered the fourth having given up a run on two hits...then it struck:
John Purdom reaches on force attempt, throwing error by third baseman Yung Chi Chen. Chris Kroski to 3rd.
Tonys Gutierrez grounds into a force out, second baseman Oswaldo Navarro to shortstop Matt Tuiasosopo. Chris Kroski scores. John Purdom out at 2nd. Tonys Gutierrez to 1st.
Habelito Hernandez reaches on fielding error by third baseman Yung Chi Chen. Tonys Gutierrez to 2nd.
Drew Anderson singles on a line drive to right fielder Michael Wilson. Tonys Gutierrez scores. Habelito Hernandez to 3rd.
With Mayker Sandoval batting, Habelito Hernandez scores on a balk. Drew Anderson advances to 2nd on a balk.
Mayker Sandoval doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder Michael Wilson. Drew Anderson scores.
Cody Strait walks. Wild pitch by pitcher Jason Snyder. Mayker Sandoval to 3rd.
Philip Gentry singles on a ground ball to pitcher Jason Snyder. Mayker Sandoval scores. Cody Strait to 2nd.
Paul Janish doubles (4) on a ground ball to left fielder Jack Arroyo. Cody Strait scores. Philip Gentry to 3rd.
Pitcher Change: Cibney Bello replaces Jason Snyder.
Chris Kroski strikes out swinging.
John Purdom grounds out, pitcher Cibney Bello to first baseman Brandon Green.
A crapload of hits, two Yung Chi Chen errors and a balk later, people were exiting the stadium.
Notables:
Jason Snyder: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
Oswaldo Navarro: 1-4, 1 BB.
Asdrubal Cabrera: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 RBI.
Yung Chi Chen: 0-5. Butter fingers.
Matt Tuiasosopo: 1-4.
If you live in Wisconsin make sure you make it out to the ballpark on Mom's Day this Sunday. The Timber Rattlers will be wearing pink jersies to help raise awareness and money for breast cancer. Should be quite a sight.