So my mother heard that I write minor league wrap-ups for this here weblog, and she wanted the link to give it a read. So go figure that she'll probably check it out today and there's only 2 games to cover, both Rookie league games, albeit one featuring one of our favorite losers on the 40 man roster.
Not only are the AA and AAA squads off for the break, but the T-Rats are off, the Mavs were off and the VSLM's got rained out. Today will feature some light reading... and Ho Ramirez. See, I just spoiled the only surprise I had under the jump. I'm no good at surprises. Now watch, shortest wrap-up ever, my mother's probably reading, and there will be about five typos.
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUEL- ...uh. The VSLM's game was postponed due to rain.
Dominican: Cardinals 5, Mariners 2
Cards: 17-13, DSLM's: 17-12
Walter Suriel: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 6 K, wild pitch
Jose Perdomo: faced one batter, walked him. uh...
Anthony Fernandez: 2 IP, 2 H, (4 R) 2 ER, 4 walks (1 intentional), 3 K, balk
Angel Echavarria: 1.1 IP, 1 H, K, wild pitch
George Soto: 1-4, double, R (.247/.324/.419)
Emmanuel Familia: 1-4, RBI, K (.279/.386/.426)
Rudy van Heydoorn: 2-3, double, walk (.213/.333/.340)
Luis Peguero: 2-3, R, walk, K, SB (.279/382/.372)
So with the bats silent on both sides most of this game, it looked pretty pedestrian until the DSLM's coughed up a costly run in the 5th. With Walter Suriel tiring, Jeudis Polanco hit a one out double, and after Ramon Ito struck out for the 2nd out, Suriel unraveled and imploded... how one would unravel, then implode, is kind of hard to imagine, so observe: Jose Pasen drew a walk. Then Juan Mosquera came up, and catcher Emmanuel Familia passed a ball, moving little Polanco to 3rd. Then Suriel uncorked a wild pitch, cashing in Polanco and moving Pasen to 2nd. Then Mosquera walked, and Suriel was yanked. Reliever Jose Perdomo did walk Juan Cabrera to load the bases... then in inspiring fashion, got immediately pulled himself for Anthony Fernandez, who got Edwin Gomez to pop out. If I'm related to that loser, I'm ashamed.
A shining example of the DSLM's offensive futility came in the top 7th. Joel Mendez singled with one out. Mario Flores came up and Mendez stole 2nd. Then pitcher Juan Jaquez uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Mendez to take 3rd. Flores then drew a walk to put runners at the corners, one out. Victor Ozuna pinch ran for Flores and Carlos Meija came in to pitch. Rudy van Heydoorn, the most unlikely name for a Latino this side of Yuniesky Betancourt, came up, and Ozuna stole 2nd. van Heydoorn walked to load the bases with one out... for McyQuin Lora- no wait, pinch hitter Amelis Carvajal.
And Carvajal proved to be worth it, grounding into the 6-4-3 inning ending double play... wait.
And the the DSL Cards blew up Anthony Hernandez in the bottom half for two runs, then got replacement Angel Echevarria for two more to put them ahead 5-0, an insurmountable lead given their struggles at the plate yesterday.
The DSLM's did get two runs in the 8th on an Emmanuel Familia single and a wild pitch by Carlos Meija with runners on the corners. But that was pretty much all they had yesterday.
Arizona: Mariners 6, Giants 1
AZLG's: 7-9... AZLM's: 13-3
HoRam!!!: 7 IP, 9 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 4 K, balk
Tom Ellis: 1 IP, walk, K
Travis Mortimore: 1 IP, 1 H, K
Luis Nuñez: 0-2, sac fly RBI, walk, 2 K
Alfredo Mateo: 2-4, double, solo HR, 2 R, K
Brandon Fromm: 1-1, double, R, 2 RBI, walk
Mario Martinez: 2-3, RBI
Like the rehabbing Mark Lowe before him, the rehabbing Ho Ramirez, with Tacoma on their All Star Break, traveled to a different, currently active minor league squad to get his work in, and 7 innings against a bunch of rookie leaguers is the biggest gimme for an MLB starter on the planet. Fail here and you might as well retire. As disconcerting as it is to see your future #5 SP balk (!) and allow 9 hits to a bunch of 18-20 year old kids, most of whom will likely never get past A ball... I guess we'll have to call this a successful tune-up, as he didn't really get shelled.
Meanwhile, the AZLM's took a 2-1 lead in the 7th on a wild pitch with men on the corners, and then blew it open in the 8th with 4 runs. HoRam gets his first, and hopefully his last, AZL win. I'm guessing he didn't get shaving cream pied after the game.
a: Everett had the day off. They're on their way to lovely Eugene, OR for a 3 game set with the Emeralds, then head up the road to play Salem-Keizer, since they loved that so much.
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A: Wisconsin has Tuesday off and will have today off as well. They'll head to Lansing in time for Thursday's game.
A+: High Desert also had Tuesday off. YOU BUNCH OF SLACKERS! DON'T YOU HAVE BILLS TO PAY? (lol)
They'll head down the street to Bakersfield for a series with the Blaze, who, early in this 2nd half of the Cal League season... still suck (6-13). Not that the Mavs have anything to crow about themselves so far (6-13).
AA: West Tenn... yep. Carolina today at 5:05 pm.
AAA: The Rainiers of course are also off. They will return to action... HOPEFULLY WITHOUT ADAM JONES (!!!!!)... against Fresno at 7:05 pm PDT.