The All Star Break is also an opportunity for the Single A Midwest League, AA Southern League and AAA Pacific Coast League to take extended breaks. As a result, an inordinate amount of focus in this recap is going to get placed on rookie ball... well, as much of my limited focus as I can muster since, of course, I am also on vacation. I return to Seattle on Wednesday night.
VENEZUELA~! VSL Mariners 8, VSL Mets 3
Danny Cruz Ayala: 5 IP, 1 H, 3 walks, 6 K, hit batter
Mayckol Guaipe: 0.0 IP, (2 R) 1 ER, 2 walks
Yoervis Medina: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 4 K
Yidid Batista: 2-4, walk (.286/.368/.321)
Terry Serrano: 1-4, RBI (.236/.337/.264)
Cesar Fuentes: 2-4, double, 3 R, 2 RBI, K (.317/.394/.427)
Rigoberto Rangel: 3-4, 2 run HR, 3 RBI, K (.258/.354/.458)
Jorge Agudelo: 1-4, RBI, K (.219/.374/.305)
Larry Gonzalez: 1-4, double, R
Roberto Velasquez: 2-3, walk (.240/.327/.300)
He's not Danny Ayala... He's Danny Cruz Ayala.
Seven quick runs in the first 3 innings put this game away quickly. Of the names above, the only ones who may get the org's attention are Cesar Fuentes, who has been quietly consistent... and Rigoberto Rangel, who has been money for the VSLM's all season long. Fun fact: Rigoberto isn't actually a native of Venezuela. He's from Panama. Also, he has 6 triples in 155 ABs. He's fast, but more like Yuni fast than Rickey fast.
Dominican: Mariners 2, AthleticsDos 1
Michael Pineda: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K
Juan Franco: 3 IP, 1 H, walk, 5 K
Ramon Morla: 1-4, RBI, K (.169/.330/.239)
Mario Flores: 1-3, double, RBI, walk
rest of DSLM's lineup: 1-19, 2 R, 8 walks (!), 5 K
These DSLM's clearly did not get the memo that you do not get off the island with a walk... though that is, given the composition of this org's hitters, VERY encouraging... even if this is just rookie ball.
The lowly AthleticsDos used three singles in the 2nd with a Earving Fernandez stolen base to cash in a run and make it 1-0 in what turned out to be a tight, scrappy contest.
Rey Lebron drew a two out walk in the 5th for the DSLM's, stole 2nd, and Ramon Morla cashed him in to TIE THE BALLGAME.
It got even better: The DSLM's drew FOUR walks in the bottom 6th, forcing in what proved to be the winning run, and all seven batters that inning did not put the ball in play:
* Pitcher Change: Jose Rey replaces Pedro Vidal.
* Emmanuel Familia walks.
* Joel Mendez walks. Emmanuel Familia to 2nd.
* Cristian Rijo walks. Emmanuel Familia to 3rd. Joel Mendez to 2nd.
* Pitcher Change: David Mota replaces Jose Rey.
* Robert Rodriguez strikes out swinging.
* Mario Flores walks. Emmanuel Familia scores. Joel Mendez to 3rd. Cristian Rijo to 2nd.
* Rey Lebron strikes out swinging.
* Ramon Morla strikes out swinging.
AZL: Mariners 5, Royals 4
Robbie Dominguez: 2 IP, 2 H, (2 R) 0 ER, 3 K, hit batter
Richard Ortiz: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, K, wild pitch
Michael Renfree: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, K
Stephen Bills: 2 IP, 3 K
Jacob Wild: 1 IP, K
Daniel Carroll: 1-4, R, RBI, K
Guy Welsh: 2-3, R, walk
Jonathan Arias: 2-4, double, R, RBI, K
Luis Nuñez: 2-4, double, R, RBI, K
Fun fact: The left fielder for the AZL Royals was some dude named Justin Huber. He's on the comeback trail.
The AZLM's were swinging at everything in the 3rd, and when they weren't striking out, they were hitting singles and knocking in runs, 3 in all to take a 3-2 lead.
Richard Ortiz surrendered a run in the 4th when, after two singles and a sac bunt, he uncorked a wild pitch to bring it in and tie the ballgame.
In the bottom 6th, Matthew Renfree surrendered a leadoff single, then threw a pickoff throw YIKES AND AWAY, allowing a Diego Cruz double to easily cash in a run and give the AZL Royals a 4-3 lead.
But never fear! Down to their final three outs in the top 9th, the AZLM's got a one out single from Guy Welsh, then Jonathan Arias, with two outs, doubled to left to cash in Welsh and TIE THE BALLGAME! Anthony Phillips pinch ran, and Luis Nuñez hit a one hopper over the wall in right to cash in Phillips and give the AZLM's the lead! Maximo Mendez walked and Daniel Carroll got plunked by new pitcher Onassis Sirrett (your name gets four stars) to load the bases for Brandon Fromm... but he flew out.
Jacob Wild came in and put down the side in order to finish off the comeback win.
a: Everett 5, Salem-Keizer 1
Mark Lowe: 1 IP
Edward Paredes: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 walks, 6 K
Brandon McKerney: 2 IP
Greg Halman: 1-3, 2 run HR, walk (.324/.382/.632)
Kris Sanchez: 2-4, R
Kalian Sams: 2-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI, K (.167/.211/.273)
Jeff Dunbar: 2-4, R (.227/.314/.364)
So it appears that Lowe's rehab outings in Tacoma were lacking in confidence-inspiration, so here he is in Everett. No, actually, Mark Lowe wasn't being 'sent down' in starting this game in Everett. He's on a schedule, per Dave below, and with Tacoma on their All-Star break, they just sent him to nearby Everett to get his work in on-schedule. This rehab outing looked more convincing, and they'll take it from there.
Welcome, also, to Wellington Dotel, who apparently was making the circuit in playing CF at High Desert for Michael Saunders the previous day. He made his Everett debut yesterday and should roost here until his skills show otherwise.
After that, staff ace Edward Paredes came in and commenced mowing down Volcanoes. Okay, not really: it was a decent outing with questionable control but good variance where he managed to hold them to one run over his 6 innings. And the 3 runs the Aquasox scored in the 4th (Kalian Sams doubling in Matt Mangini) and 5th (Greg Halman going deep with a man on) left him with a 3-1 lead once he left.
Flyballs: 4
Groundballs: 8
Line Drives: 1
Walks: 4
Strikeouts: 6
The Aquasox turned this into a wash with 2 more runs in the 8th. Kalian Sams doubled in Matt Mangini and Kris Sanchez came in on a Wellington Dotel groundout.
BTW, Kalian Sams (24/4 K:BB) and Greg Halman (22/7 K:BB) are still severely lacking in patience.
A: Wisconsin's game got rained out. They're taking two days off and will resume play on Thursday, the 12th in Lansing against the Lugnuts.
A+: Inland Empire 10, High Desert 4
Jose Escalona: 2.2 IP, 5 H, (6 R) 4 ER (2 HR), 2 walks, 3 K
Roman Martinez: 2.1 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 5 K, wild pitch, hit batter
Paul Fagan: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, K, hit batter
Nick Allen: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, walk, K
Jesus Guzman: 2-4, 2 doubles, walk, K (.283/.346/.502)
Johan Limonta: 1-2, triple, 2 R, 2 walks (.299/.371/.470)
Kevin Reynolds: subbed for RF Eddy Hernandez, sac fly RBI
Jeff Flaig: 1-3, RBI, K (.206/.259/.289)
Omar Peña: 2-4, R, K (.250/284/.328)
Escalona got bombed for 5 runs in the 2nd and did not make it out of the 3rd, turning this game into a 6-2 wash. The Mavs did add a run in the 5th and, after Empire scored in the bottom 5th, another run in the 6th to cut the lead to 7-4, but Paul Fagan and Nick Allen got touched up for 3 runs in the 7th and that was that.
And as stated before, AA West Tenn and AAA Tacoma are off for the All Star Break.