Tacoma downed Tucson, 3-0. A little run support went a long way, as Andrew Lorraine spun a complete-game shutout to lower his ERA to 4.52 and raise his record to an even 5-5. Incidentally, his opponent? None other than Chris Michalak, who you may remember as a finesse lefty who had a hot start for Toronto in 2001 before regressing to league-averageness. The Rainiers managed just six hits, all by different hitters, but Miguel Olivo's RBI single in the second stood up as the winning run (Olivo was subsequently picked off. Tricky southpaws.) Greg Dobbs drove in a pair of runs with a single and a sac fly, while Scott Spiezio picked up a hit and scored a run. Notables:
Lorraine: 9 IP, 5 H, 2 K
Snelling: 1-2, 1 BB
Spiezio: 1-3
Dobbs: 1-2
Choo: 0-3, 1 BB
Olivo: 1-3
Gonzalez: 1-3
San Antonio fell to Springfield, 7-2. Jon Huber had himself a miserable day, putting his team behind by three in the first and gutting out five innings, over which he allowed 13 baserunners, a pair of homers, and seven runs. Not that the Missions' lineup or defense were much help, contributing just six hits and three errors to the losing cause. Chris Key lowered his AA ERA to 1.47 with two shutout innings out of the bullpen, so you'll probably start hearing his name pretty soon in Mariner Mailbags and such, but he doesn't strike anyone out, so don't pay attention. Jesse Horrelbeke's two-run homer in the eighth was all the offense the Missions would get, while Ismael Castro chipped in two hits to balance out his two errors. Notables:
Huber: 5 IP, 9 H, 7 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Bohn: 0-4
Hoorelbeke: 1-4, 1 HR
Castro: 2-3
Jones: 0-3
Guzman: 1-4
Inland Empire was dropped by Lake Elsinore, 5-1. Jason Mackintosh had Ryan Franklin's start, and the 66ers provided Ryan Franklin's run support, settling for a BJ Garbe ninth-inning RBI single. It was Garbe who had two hits to lead the offense, a rare feather in the cap of someone who's descended from the realm of hot prospects into the world of high-A corner outfielders who hit like Toby Hall. Wlad Balentien continued his cold streak with an o'fer day, but at least Asdrubal Cabrera chipped in another extra-base hit. Notables:
Mackintosh: 5 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Garciaparra: 0-3, 1 BB
Cabrera: 1-4, 1 2B
Garbe: 2-4
Balentien: 0-4
Lahair: 0-3, 1 BB
Wisconsin fell just short against Quad Cities, losing 16-15. This. Was. A. Barnburner. There were six half-innings of 3+ runs; the T'Rats trailed 4-1 after one, led 6-4 after three, trailed 12-6 after six, and trailed 16-9 after eight and a half. That bottom of the ninth was a memorable frame indeed:
Thomas Hubbard walks.
Michael Wilson strikes out swinging.
Rob Johnson singles on a fly ball to right fielder Wes Swackhamer. Thomas Hubbard to 2nd.
Brent Johnson walks. Thomas Hubbard to 3rd. Rob Johnson to 2nd.
Oswaldo Navarro singles on a ground ball to left fielder Matt Lemanczyk. Thomas Hubbard scores. Rob Johnson to 3rd. Brent Johnson to 2nd.
Pitcher Change: Jaymie Torres replaces Wayne Lundgren.
With Josh Womack batting, wild pitch by Jaymie Torres, Rob Johnson scores. Brent Johnson to 3rd. Oswaldo Navarro to 2nd.
Josh Womack triples (2) on a fly ball to center fielder Simon Williams. Brent Johnson scores. Oswaldo Navarro scores.
Pitcher Change: Mike Sillman replaces Jaymie Torres.
Sebastien Boucher triples (2) on a line drive to right fielder Wes Swackhamer. Josh Womack scores.
Yung Chi Chen out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Simon Williams. Sebastien Boucher scores.
Matt Tuiasosopo walks.
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Jack Arroyo replaces Matt Tuiasosopo.
Thomas Hubbard walks. Jack Arroyo to 2nd.
Michael Wilson strikes out swinging.
11 batters, six runs, three pitchers, two triples...and a loss, thanks to Michael Wilson fanning with the tying run just 180 feet away (and the winning run on first). Even so, the fans got their money's worth. Randall Frye lasted just 3.1 with the start, and Stephen Grasley was the only of six Wisconsin pitchers who didn't allow a run. Sebastien Boucher led the lineup with four hits from the top, while Yung Chen added three. Notables:
Frye: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Boucher: 4-6, 1 3B
Chen: 3-4, 1 BB
Tuiasosopo: 1-5, 1 BB
Hubbard: 2-4, 1 2B, 2 BB
Womack: 2-5, 1 3B
Navarro: 1-4, 1 BB
Everett blasted Boise, 8-1. Hello, win column! Eric Carter was fantastic, fanning ten in five innings of work, feeding off a bunch of early run support. The Aquasox' lineup drew 13 walks, three of which contributing to a four-run second inning that put the game out of reach. David Hall and JB Tucker led the way with two hits apiece, with Tucker and Jeff Flaig each driving in a pair of runs. And hey, no errors for Everett! Notables:
Carter: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K
Hall: 2-3, 2 BB
Tucker: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB
Gary: 1-4, 1 BB
Saunders: 0-2, 3 BB
Zorn: 0-3, 2 BB
Flaig: 1-1
The Peoria Mariners (heretofore known as the ASL Mariners) lost to the ASL Angels, 7-5. Harold Williams left after four with a narrow lead that Juan Zapata couldn't hold on to, as two errors contributed to a four-run sixth inning. Andy Hargrove's professional debut went about as well as possible, reaching base all four times he came to the plate and hitting a home run, while Kent Dixon and Samuel Bradford Jr. each also had two-hit days. Of note: Peoria's current roster consists of 38 players. Notables:
Williams: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Bradford: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB
Hargrove: 2-2, 1 HR, 2 BB
Dixon: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB
Hernandez: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB
Coming up:
Jeff Harris for Tacoma, Bobby Livingston (?) for San Antonio, Mumba Rivera for Inland Empire, Aaron Jensen for Wisconsin, Rafael Soriano (!!!) for Everett, and some guy for Peoria.
Felix Hernandez and Chris Snelling have been selected for the PCL All-Star team.