Sorry for being so late today. There was a lot going on this morning and I had some cleaning up to do before calling the apartment manager about a bathtub leak blah blah blah, and I didn't get a chance to even look at the box scores until 7 pm. But I do deliver... albeit late, and I assure you tomorrow's wrap-up will not be nearly as late.
The Single A clubs won pitching duels, the VSLM's took a walkoff loss to the VSLDRs/Rs (LOL), Doug FISTER allowed runs and took another loss, though this one was not necessarily his fault, and think Sean White sucks? So does Jake Woods.
Rk: VSL Devil Rays/Reds 2, VSL Mariners 1
Yorjans Chourio: 5 IP, 6 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 walks, K
Edlando Seco: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 K, hit batter
Carlos Sanchez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K
Carlos Ramirez: 2-4, double
Rigoberto Rangel: 1-4, double, RBI, 2 K
This was a 1-1 tie after 3 innings and appeared headed to extra innings. But the VSLDR/Rs struck in the bottom 9th: Julio Cedeno led off with a double, and reliever Edlanco Seco took a seat for Carlos Sanchez, whose qualifications at this point were 'is currently fresher than Edlando Seco.' David Hernandez flew to center for one out. Alejandro Torres struck out for two outs and it appeared this was another VSL DOA rally. But Gustavo Omana came on to pinch hit, and Carlos Sanchez intentionally walked him to get to Cesar Colmenares. And then Sanchez walked him (unintentionally) to bring up Henry Rodriguez (not the flash in the pan Cubs slugger)... who smoked a grounder into left to plate the winning run.
A: High Desert 2, Rancho Cucamonga 1
Jose Escalona: 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 2 K
Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Casey Craig: 0-4, K (.323)
Michael Saunders: 1-4, RBI (.275)
Jesus Guzman: 1-4, double, K (.286)
Johan Limonta: 0-3, walk (.315)
Josh Womack: 2-3, double, R, RBI (.239)
This quickly became a pitchers duel between Jose Escalona and Brok Butcher. In terms of personal performance, advantage Butcher, who not only was the much better pitcher coming in, but induced 19 groundouts and went the distance, allowing only 6 hits and 2 runs.
The bad news... well, for the Quakes... is that Escalona and ABD combined to hold the Quakes to only one run, sealing the win in a pitchers duel. The Mavs got the winning run in the 8th, when Josh Womack led off with a double and Michael Saunders knocked him in with one out. Jose and Austin did the rest.
A: Wisconsin 2, Burlington 1, 13 innings
Kyle Parker: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER (HR), 4 walks, 4 K
Joe Kantakevich: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Andrew Barb: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K
Rollie Gibson: 2 IP, 2 H, walk
Kuo Hui Lo: 1-5, RBI, K (.271)
Alex Liddi: 2-5, double, RBI, K (.320)
Kalian Sams: 0-5, 4 K: The Golden Sombrero (.214)
Hargrove's kid: 0-2, walk, 2 K (.237... I guess he doesn't get to go to his sister's graduation)
Little did the Bees know when Chris McConnell led off with a solo shot to tie it in the top 6th that he set the table for a 13 inning marathon.
The closest either team came to scoring the go-ahead run:
Burlington, top 10th: Derrick Robinson was on 1st with two outs and stole 2nd. Joe DIckerson drew a walk, but Michael Thompson grounded to short to end the threat.
Burlington, top 11th: Matthew Morizio doubled with two out, but Jeremy Jirschele flew to right to end that frame.
Burlington, top 12th (sensing a theme here?): Derrick Robinson got on again with a one out single, then Chris McConnell drew a walk to move him to 2nd. But Joe Dickerson flew to center for two outs and Michael Thompson grounded to 3rd to end the frame.
Burlington, top 13th: Matthew Morizio lined a single to right with two outs. Jeremy Jirschele grounded to 3rd, but Alex Liddi threw YIKES AND AWAY to pu Morizio on 3rd. However, O.D. Gonzalez (do the locals call him El Overdosio?) grounded to short to end that threat.
Finally, the T-Rats had enough of this nonsense. Danny Santin led off with a walk. Ogui Diaz lined a single to left, and Trevor Lawhorn made his T-Rats season debut by pinch running for Santin. Pitcher Aaron Hartsock tried a pickoff throw and threw YIKES AND AWAY to move the runners over. Alex Meneses drew a walk to load the bases... for red hot Kuo Hui Lo.
Lo flew to right and El Overdosio caught it, but Trevor Lawhorn tagged up and broke for home. OD threw home and the throw was... NOT IN TIME, and the T-Rats won!
AA: Tennessee 5, West Tenn 1
Doug FISTER: 7 IP, 8 H, (4 R) 1 ER (HR), 4 K
Chad Fillinger: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Travis Chick: 1 IP, 2 K, 1 ER
Marshall Hubbard: 1-4, solo HR, K (.237)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-4, 2 K (.289)
Luis Oliveros: 0-3, K (.333)
The Smokies had some help in putting 4 runs on before the 3rd. In the top 1st, Jake Fox grounded to 3rd with two outs, and Tui made a good throw, but Marshall Hubbard muffed it and Fox was safe. Then Josh Kroeger took FISTER deep to make it 2-0.
Matt Craig led off the 2nd with a double, then Jemel Spearman bunted down the 3B line. Tui fielded it and threw home... YIKES AND AWAY to let Craig score and make it 4-0.
Sean Gallagher did the rest, hurling 7 strong innings and allowing only 3 hits while striking out 9 for his 7th win of the season, the only major blemish being a solo shot by Marshall Hubbard in the 7th.
AAA: Omaha 4, Tacoma 3
Jake Woods: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 4 walks
Ryan Rowland-Smith: 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Wife Vulture: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Jamie Cerda: 1 IP, walk
Adam Jones: 2-4, solo HR (10), 2 RBI, walk (.300)
Jeremy Reed: 1-4, R, walk (.279)
WLAD: 1-5, double, K (.324)
Jeff Clement: 1-4, K (.240)
Gookie Dawkins: 2-4, R (.229)
We were tied at one until the 4th, and then the AAA Royals remembered they were facing Jake Woods and smacked the mystic tan right off his face, scoring twice in the 4th and one more in the 5th because he had to be told twice.
The bullpen was much better, not allowing a run after Woods ceded the 6th to RRS, but the Rainiers were hard pressed to score runs against a wind blowing in from left, because it sure wasn't the AAA Royals garbage pitching staff shutting them down.
Jeremy Reed singled in the 6th with one out, and WLAD drove him in with a double- oh no he didn't, because Reed held up at 3rd. Bryan LaHair's groundout to 2nd meekly plated Reed to cut it to 4-2.
Jeff Clement led off the 7th with a base hit and Ronnie Prettyman reached with one out on an error, putting runners at 1st and 2nd. Oswaldo Navarro grounded to 3rd, exactly the one place he shouldn't have grounded to, and 3B Fernando Cortez stepped on the 3B bag for two outs. Adam Jones drew a walk, but Jeremy Reed grounded to 2nd to end the frame.
The Rainiers didn't allow any more damage, but they were down to their last 3 outs down 4-2. Gookie Dawkins led off by lining a single to center. Ronnie Prettyman drew a walk to put the tying runs on. Oswaldo bunted back to the pitcher to move the runners ahead for one out. Adam Jones tapped back to the mound, and pitcher Ken Ray took the out at first and ceded the run from Dawkins to cut the lead to 4-3. Jeremy Reed drew a walk, and Ken Ray got pulled for Roberto Giron. WLAD put a charge in one to right, but Jorge Padilla got under it for the final out.