Just came from LL Night II: LL REVENGE, and I had a lot of fun, though I'm beat, and realize I will be DOA tomorrow morning, plus there's a few things going on at work that will likely distract me during the morning.
In the interim, I'm quickly throwing up box scores and a brief recap of the VSLM's game for your perusal, and will look to fill in the blanks tomorrow.
TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: I have now added fun and exciting recaps to go with the box scores. Format will be as usual tomorrow morning.
VSL Mariners 5, VSL Pirates 1
Jose Rios: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 4 K, hit batter
Rhonny Acosta: 3 IP, 3 walks, 3 K, wild pitch, hit batter
Reynaldo Sabala: 1 IP, K
Terry Serrano: 1-4, 2 RBI
Jonathan Loaisiga: 1-3, solo HR, 3 R, walk
Humberto Espinoza: pinch hit 2 run double
Terry Serrano knocked in the go ahead run in the 5th with an RBI single. The VSLM's piled on against the hopeless Pirates with 3 more in the 9th, fueled by Humberto Espinoza, who has been like Lenny Harris in Venezuela, hitting a 2 run double.
Wisconsin's game was postponed due to rain. They will look to play two tomorrow.
High Desert 11, Inland Empire 8
Ruben Flores: 6 IP, 5 H, (3 R) 1 ER (HR), 4 walks, 5 K, hit batter
Nicholas Allen: 1 IP, 4 H, (5 R) 4 ER (2 HR), 2 walks
Aaron Cotter: 1 IP
Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 1 IP, 1 H, K
Casey Craig: 2-4, R, K (.329)
Michael Saunders: 2-5, R, 2 K (.285)
Jesus Guzman: 2-5, R, K (.284)
Johan Limonta: 3-5, triple, 3 R, RBI (.319)
Adam Moore: 3-3, triple, solo HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 walks (.292)
Jeff Flaig: 3-4, R, 4 RBI (.212)
Jeff Dominguez: 1-5, RBI, K (.261)
The Mavs teed the hell off on Jesus Castillo for 5 runs in the 1st to take a quick 5-1 lead. Castillo barely finished the 2nd before ceding to Mario Alvarez, who wasn't much better, allowing 3 more runs in the 3rd to make it 8-1. The Mavs added another run in the 5th and after Inland Empire tacked on two in the top 6th, the Mavs added another run in the bottom 6th to make it 10-3.
Inland Empire did stage a big rally in the 8th off Nicholas Allen, left out there just a bit too long after he pitched a scoreless 7th. Allen surrendered two bombs in a 5 run 8th that closed the gap to 10-8. Thankfully, Aaron Cotter came in a few batters too late and slammed the door on the 8th, the Mavs added another run and ABD shut the door in the 9th. Those worried about the sidearmer need not worry, because he's looking good all over again.
Each of the first 6 batters in the lineup had at least 2 hits (yes, even Jeff Flaig; in fact, he led the team with 4 RBI). Adam Moore blew up for a triple and solo shot in a 3 for 3 night. Ruben Flores was a bit erratic but pitched 6 good innings, allowing a HR and 3 runs total, only 1 earned, striking out 5 against 4 walks.
AA: Mississippi 7, West Tenn 6
Robert Rohrbaugh: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 4 K
The Aircraft Carrier: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER
Kam Mickolio: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 2 K, hit batter
Charlton Jimerson: 2-5, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, K (.222)
Prentice Redman: 0-3, 2 sac fly RBI, 3 K (.281)
Matt Tuiasosopo: a-okay, 1-2, RBI, 2 walks, K (.291)
Jeff Frazier: 2-4, RBI (.236)
Luis Oliveros: 1-3, R (.333)
Robert Rohrbaugh and James Parr had a duel going, but the AA Braves struck in the 4th. Mike Rozema led off with a triple and Brandon Jones doubled him in to make it 1-0. Diory Hernandez, the Diamond Jaxx Killer, lined a single later to score Jones and make it 2-0.
The DIAMOND JAXX did respond in the top 6th, Charlton Jimerson lined a one out single to center, then stole 2nd, then stole 3rd, but before he could go full-out Willie Mays Hayes, Prentice Redman hit a sac fly to knock him in. Marshall Hubbard got plunked, Tui drew one of his bazillion walks, and Jeff Frazier of all people lined a single to score Hubbard, then Luis Valbuena... yeah.
But Rohrbaugh was tiring and he fell apart in the bottom 6th. Brandon Jones and another thorn in the DIAMOND JAXX's side, Matt Esquivel, hit back to back singles. But Diory Hernandez, miracle of miracles, grounded into the 6-4-3 double play for two outs, though Brandon Jones took 3rd.
Mark Jurich then doubled in Jones to give the AA Braves the lead again, and that was it for Robert Rohrbaugh, ceding to Jose De La Cruz. The Aircraft Carrier watched Clint Sammons line a single to center to move Jurich to 3rd, then Josh Burrus and Van Pope hit back to back DOUBLES to score 3 runs and make it 6-2 AA Braves.
Secure with the lead, James Parr called it a night and ceded to Brad Nelson. Nelson plunked Luis Oliveros and Luis, realizing that charging the mound would mean a suspension, which would mean 4-5 straight days of Rene Rivera, calmly took 1st base. Erick Monzon lined a single to right, when Sebastien Boucher walked to load the bases... for Charlton Jimerson. And Jimerson DOUBLED to left to score two and put Boucher on 3rd, cutting the lead to 6-4.
Prentice Redman, for the 2nd time, hit a sac fly to score a runner, this time Boucher, to make it 6-5. With two out sfollowing a Hubbard flyout, Tui came up and drilled a line drive single to right to score Jimerson and TIE THE BALLGAME. CLUTCH GENETICS.
Kam Mickolio came on to pitch the 7th and jokingly walked a batter to set up an inning ending 6-4-3 double play. That silly Kam.
The 8th passed without incident, and the DIAMOND JAXX went quietly in the top 9th. Kam came out to work the 9th and plunked Josh Burrus. Van Pope bunted him ahead for one out. Kam Mickolio intentionally walked Carl Loanderthal, then K'd Mike Rozema to set up the inning ending force all over the infield. Except Brandon Jones lined a single to center and Burrus beat Jimerson's throw home to score the walkoff win for the Braves. WHOOPS.
AAA: Iowa 12, Tacoma 5
Justin Lehr: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 8 ER (3 HR), 3 walks, 4 K
Jason Mackintosh: 2.2 IP, 3 H, (3 R) 0 ER (HR), hit batter
Ryan Rowland-Smith: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K, hit batter
Michael Hrynio: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K, wild pitch
Juan Sandoval: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER (HR), walk
Gookie Dawkins: 3-5, RBI, K (.255)
Jeremy Reed: 1-5, K (.283)
Adam Jones: 1-5, K (.296)
WLAD: 1-5, R, 2 K (.312)
Jeff Clement: 1-3, double, R, RBI, walk (.247)
Jon Nelson: 1-4, triple, R, 2 RBI, 2 K (.213)
Brant Ust: 1-2, RBI, walk (.276)
Oswaldo Navarro: 1-3, double, R, walk (.216)
After a season of consistently solid performances, you had to figure that Justin Lehr was due for a bad game, and he had one. WHOO BOY did he have one.
Lehr was lucky to even make it to the 4th, let alone hand off the ball with one out in the 4th, 8 runs and THREE home runs later, to Jason Mackintosh. Mack didn't do much better, but he did escape the 4th allowing only one run, and the Rainiers were only trailing 8-5 thanks to a big 5 run 2nd of their own.
Mackintosh eventually called it a night after the 6th, having allowed a bomb of his own and 3 runs in all. But it was 11-5 and the Rainiers bats didn't have any fight left in them. The late innings were notable mainly for the 2007 debut of Michael Hrynio, who went a lot of AWOL last season and can't be counted on for much more than to fill a spot in the Rainiers pen when he is present. He did work a scoreless 8th and strike out two batters, though uncorked a wild pitch.
The notable bat deeds were Jon Nelson's 2 run triple during the big inning, though it was his only hit. After a hot start, Nelson's average has fallen to a bleh .213. Jeff Clement hit an RBI double during the inning, and in all, Gookie Dawkins collected 3 hits in another start as the SS and leadoff guy. No Sean Burroughs, though. His portly posterior needed a day off after those two consecutive games (one at DH). A man needs his beauty sleep in his quest to become the white Jose Vidro.