Just when I think it's safe to relax, work comes and dumps a giant mess on me, kinda like that motor oil commercial where the people are sitting in their cars and suddenly get doused with motor oil sludge. Whoever made that commercial must have been a huge Double Dare fan when they were a kid.
So the VSLM's keep on pounding away and scoring runs, even when their opposition does the same... the Mavs took Sunday off to make what J at Mariner Minors hilariously referred to as a rigorous 45 minute trip back home to Adelanto from Rancho Cucamonga... still no Triunfel, and still no pop from the T-Rats against the Quad Cities... no Tui for some reason, and thus no offense for the DIAMOND JAXX either, while SP Andrew Baldwin did his best 'guy in bomb shelter waiting for help that never comes' impression... but the Rainiers had their bats working, especially Bryan LaHair, and Jorge Campillo, if only for one start, got his groove back.
Rk: VSL Mariners 12, VSL Mets 8
Jessie Nava: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 2 K
Kervin Montbrum: 3 IP, 3 H, (3 R) 0 ER, 5 K, 2 wild pitches
Carlos Sanchez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, (3 R) 0 ER, 3 walks, hit batter
Danny Ayala: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Jose Jimenez: 1 IP, K
Terry Serrano: 0-3, R, 2 RBI, walk
Jorge Agudelo: 0-4, R, RBI
Carlos Ramirez: 0-3, RBI, walk
Jose Rivero: 3-5, double, 2 R, RBI, K, SB
Cesar Fuentes: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, walk, SB
Rigoberto Rangel: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, K, SB
Jonathan Loaisiga: 1-2, R, 2 RBI, 2 walks, K
The VSLM's blew up for 5 runs in the 3rd, but the VSL Mets came back with 2 in the 4th and 3 more in the 5th to tie it back up. However, the VSLM's blew up for 4 runs in the 6th to make it 9-5, and despite a 3 run rally from the Mets in the 7th, the VSLM's answered with 3 of their own in the bottom half to stretch it out of reach. Meanwhile, the VSLM's like to sacrifice, as they had at least 4 runs batted in without a hit.
High Desert had Sunday off. They start a home series in the space park today with the M's old affiliate, Inland Empire. Ruben Flores will try to continue K'ing batters at a nice clip.
Quad Cities 4, Wisconsin 2
Anthony Varvaro: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER (HR), 5 walks, 4 K, hit batter
Michael Wagner: 0.2 IP, 1 H
Brian Kappel: 1.2 IP, K, hit batter
Rollie Gibson: 1 IP, walk
Alex Meneses: 1-4, R, RBI, walk, K, 2 SB (.182)
Jair Fernandez: 2-4, double, R, K (.281)
When I know more about Phenom's injury, I will let you know.
A very wild Blake King walked enough batters to force in a run, but also struck out 6 over 3 innings and did not allow a hit. Then the bullpen came in and locked it down for the Swing, as they got to a similarly wild Anthony Varvaro in the 5th, for 3 runs, including a 2 run shot by Brandon Buckman (his 12th) and a bonus run in the 6th off Michael Wagner after they chased Varvaro. Alex Meneses did knock in a run in the bottom 5th, but the T-Rats never came back.
NEXT: ... well, nothing today, because today's game has already been postponed due to rain. It would've been Tony Butler, so I'll guess that Tony Butler goes tomorrow.
AA: Mississippi 5, West Tenn 1
Andrew Baldwin: 7.1 IP, 7 H, (3 R) 2 ER, walk, 3 K
Aaron Troila: 0.2 IP, 1 H, (2 R) 0 ER (HR), walk, K
Sebastien Boucher: 2-4, R, SB #12 (.205)
Prentice Redman: 0-3, RBI, walk (.287)
Erick Monzon: 1-4, double (.265)
Rene Rivera: 1-3 (.190)
rest of DIAMOND JAXX lineup: 1-17, walk, 5 K
Tui out again. Don't tell me HE'S hurt too.
The AA Braves pitching wasn't exactly spectacular yesterday. The only factor I can think of for the low output besides a weak lineup and the only lineup threats (Redman, Jimerson, maybe Hubbard) being ice cold is the- oh wait.
Okay, that and a decent left to right 10 mph wind, which impairs drives to left.
Anyway, with a 1-1 tie through 7, Andrew Baldwin held on for as long as he could, but he began to slip in the top 8th, and Aaron Troila was not one of the better choices to hold the fort, and it showed, as Diory Hernandez crapped all over a Troila suck pitch for a 3 run bomb, part of the backbreaking 4 run 8th.
Also, just to show you how not with the times managers are at all levels, Sebastien Boucher continues to bat leadoff despite hitting 205/325/273... because of his 12 stolen bases. It's certainly not unique to the minors, as Juan Pierre and Podzilla still have jobs, but yeah, base stealing ability in the leadoff spot is WAY overvalued.
NEXT: Robert Rohrbaugh's turn against Mississippi at 5:05 pm PDT today.
AAA: Tacoma 7, Iowa 3
Jorge Campillo: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER (HR), walk, 3 K
Jamie Cerda: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 walks, K
Gookie Dawkins: 3-4, double, R, RBI, walk (.243)
Jeremy Reed: 1-5, double, R, RBI (.284)
Adam Jones: 2-4, double, RBI, K (.299)
WLAD: 0-3, walk, 3 K (.315)
Bryan LaHair: 2-4, 2 solo HR (!), K (.261)
Rob Johnson: 1-2, 2 R, 2 walks (.257)
Sean Burroughs (DH): 1-3, R, walk
Ronnie Prettyman: 0-3, not out of Tacoma yet (.217)
Oswlado Navarro: 1-4, RBI (.214)
Jeff Clement and Mike Morse had the day off.
After a run of mediocre starts, Jorge Campillo finally had himself a good one, pitching 7 strong innings and allowing the Rainiers to pound away and coast to an easy win. The Rainiers got 2 out of the gate, 2 more in the 4th, 2 more in the 5th, another in the 7th, and it was in the bag by then.
Oh, hey, and two of those runs were thanks to Bryan LaHair, who blew up for two solo bombs and has actually started to turn on the jets, FINALLY, these last couple weeks. I was starting to worry.
NEXT: Justin Lehr's turn against Iowa's Cubs tonight at 7:05 pm PDT in Cheney.