Tacoma throttled Las Vegas, 18-8. Every blue moon you have one of these games where the offense can literally do no wrong. Every batter contributes something, and while the pitching wasn't anything to write home about, at least it didn't allow the 51s back into the game. Heading into the third with the Rainiers down 2-0, they strung together the following: reach on error, single, single, ground out, double, single, walk, walk, pop out, triple, hit by pitch, single, single, strike out. That would have been a lot of fun to watch at Cheney, especially after UnNomar performance, people would be freaking out. Clint Nageotte wasn't horrible ans stuck around for six innings allowing a pair of runs on eight hits. Despite Aaron Looper's best efforts, he only managed to give up four runs in the ninth and couldn't sabotage the team once again. Better luck next time, Aaron.
Notables:
Clint Nageotte: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Shin-soo Choo: 1-5, 1 BB, 2 RBI.
Adam Jones: 3-7, 3 2B, 5 RBI.
Hunter Brown: 2-4, 1 2B, 2 BB, 1 RBI.
Jon Nelson: 3-5, 1 3B, 3 RBI.
Little Garciaparra: 3-4, 2 BB, 2 RBI. (.364/.474/.409. This is insanity.)
San Antonio fell to Frisco, 5-2 (11). Hats off to Jason Mackintosh who threw a great game before getting the hook. Mackintosh went six and two-thirds giving up a run on four hits while walking no one and fanning three. In the ninth, Stephen Kahn came in to close it out and just couldn't get it done as he allowed a game tying sacrifice fly. It could have been a lot worse too as he then loaded the bases with only one down but was able to slip out of it. In the 11th, Deadweight Pitcher of the Year Mike Flannery was craptacular:
Jim Fasano hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by pitcher Mike Flannery. Enrique Cruz scores. Jake Blalock to 3rd. Jim Fasano to 2nd.
Oh, and they scored three times too. Good one.
Notables:
Jason Mackintosh: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K.
Sebastien Boucher: 1-5, 1 BB.
Jesus Guzman: 2-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI.
Erick Monzon: 2-4, 1 2B.
Oswaldo Navarro: 2-5, 1 RBI.
Inland Empire smashed Lancaster, 12-3. After watching Tacoma's ten run inning, IE must have felt invigorated and attempted to match it with their own eight spot in the seventh. Everyone in the lineup managed at least one basehit and while together there were 16 hits, a grand total of one went for extra bases. Marinerific!
Notables:
Robert Rohrbaugh: 7.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR.
Brent Johnson: 2-4, 1 BB.
Reed Eastley: 2-5, 2 RBI.
Matt Tuiasosopo: 3-5, 2 RBI.
Josh Freakin' Womack: 2-3, 1 RBI.
Kane County beat Wisconsin, 5-1. Zzzz... With the T-Rats bats doing next to nothing all night, it was on Paul Fagan to keep it close. He got bit by a few defensive miscues and in the end got the loss after going seven inning and giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits while walking four and striking out one. With the exception of multi-single days from Casey Craig and Michael Saunders, the offense sucked. Plain and simple.
Notables:
Paul Fagan: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K.
Jeff Dominguez: 1-4.
Casey Craig: 2-4.
Michael Saunders: 2-4, 1 BB.
Luis Valbuena: 1-4.
On the docket:
Tacoma: Francisco Cruceta at Sin City. Game time is 7:05pm PDT.
San Antonio: Ryan Feierabend vs. Frisco. Game time is 5:05pm PDT.
Inland Empire: Ivan Blanco vs. Lancaster. Game time is 7:11pm PDT.
Wisconsin: Harold Williams vs. Kane County. Game time is 5:05pm PDT.