Even though I slept in, this still would've been up an hour ago, but my laptop suddenly decided to cease functioning despite all applications being up and the screen offering no indication of distress. I couldn't even Ctl-Alt-Delete to the Task Manager, and efforts to close windows produced nothing. Thanks, Vista! I finally just powercycled, and once the PC rebooted, everything was fine.
So anyway, everyone's back in action... except for the DSLM's, who took yesterday off, but they'll be back. The news is mostly poor, except for the Rainiers and the Mariners' top prospect: nice work, Brad Thomas!
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~! VSL Mariners 9, VSL Cubs/Twins 5
VSLM's: 35-15... Twinkie Cubs: 25-23
Jose Rios: 4.1 IP, 6 H, (3 R) 2 ER, 3 walks, 2 K, hit batter
Manuel Campos: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Carlos Sanchez: 1 IP, walk
Yorjans Chourio: 1 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER
Yidid Batista: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, walk (.309/.387/.372)
Humberto Espinoza: 4-4, double, 2 R, RBI, walk (.370/.469/.474)
Jose Rivero: 1-3, 2 run HR, 3 RBI (.293/.397/.457)
Jorge Agudelo: 3-5, R, K (.239/.381/.319)
Larry Gonzalez: 3-4, 2 R, K (.222/.300/.267)
Roberto Velasquez: 1-3, R, RBI (.250/.331/.306)
It wasn't as close as the score indicated: the VSLCs/Ts got a couple of late inning runs to make this game resemble something competitive.
WIth the win, the VSLM's now move, mathematically, into 1st place in the VSL! The VSL Astros have played one fewer game and are 34-15.
Dominican: The DSLM's had the day off. They are in progress against the DSL Phillies.
Arizona: AZL Padres 11, AZL Mariners 2
AZLM's: 13-4... AZL Pads: 11-6
Miguel Marquez: 4 IP, 4 H, (2 R) 1 ER (HR), 3 walks, 3 K
Gregory Moviel: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 walks
Stephen Bills: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 walks, 3 K, wild pitch
Johnny DuRocher: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER (HR), 3 K, 2 incompletions wild pitches
Ramon Romeijn: 1.2 IP, 1 H, walk, 2 K
Daniel Carroll: 3-4, double, triple, R, RBI (.404/.493/.491)
Luis Nuñez: 1-4, double, RBI (.277/.321/.426)
Brandon Fromm: 2-4, 2 doubles, K
The less said about this, the better, especially for the backup quarterback.
a: Everett 5, Eugene 4
Everett: 11-12... Eugene: 15-8
Robert Harmon: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 walks, 4 K, hit batter
Craig Deaver: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, walk, K, wild pitch
Keith Meyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 walks (1 intentional), K
Brandon McKerney: 2.2 IP, walk, 2 K
Edilio Colina: 3-5, 2 doubles, solo HR, 4 RBI (.270/.304/.432)
Greg Halman: 2-4, K (.342/.400/.632)
Ogui Diaz: 2-4, double, RBI, K (.329/.355/.493)
Kris Sanchez: 1-3, double, R, walk
Robert Harmon looked marginally better than he usually has, though sadly that's not saying much. Don't get me wrong: the first three innings looked pretty good, with a salvo of pop ups and groundballs, but then the Emeralds started hitting him legitimately, and he was lucky to get through 5 with only 2 runs allowed.
Flyballs: 2
Groundballs: 7
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 3
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 3
Tied at 2 after 5, the Emeralds smacked down Craig Deaver and his hokey surname for two runs and a 4-2 lead. The Aquasox got a run in the 7th on a pair of doubles from Kris Sanchez and Edilio Colina. They could've tied the game on a Greg Halman line drive single, but RF Kellen Kulbacki threw out Edilio Colina at home.
Keith Meyer allowed a single and walked two to load the bases in the bottom 7th with one out, but Brandon McKerney came in and got the double play ball to bail Meyer's ass out.
In the top 9th, down to their final three outs, or, after Ogui Diaz and Kris Sanchez grounded to short, their final out... Jeff Dunbar singled, Jermaine Brock singled, and Edilio Colina doubled the two runners in to give Everett the 5-4 lead! Brandon McKerney stayed in and allowed no more than a walk before putting down the side for the eight out victory. He did not allow a hit!
A: Lansing 8, Wisconsin 1
WIS: 8-11... LAN: 11-9
Ricky Orta: 3.1 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 6 walks, K
Brian Kappel: 1.2 IP, 1 H, K
Keith Renaud: 1 IP, K
Rollie Gibson: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Eddy Fernandez: 1 IP, walk, K
Carlos Peguero: 1-4, double, RBI, 2 K (.259/.316/.453)
Alex Liddi: 2-3, double, walk, K (.223/.310/.390)
Leury Bonilla: 2-3, K (.236/.261/.330)
James McOwen: 2-4, K (.271/.286/.292)
So after the anticipation of this series with Lansing and Ricky Orta's first start since his quietly impressive 7 inning CG... what a disapointment, as Orta watched the game get away on his watch. He pitched batting practice in the 3rd, but somehow escaped with 'only' 3 runs allowed. Then it just got completely away from him in the 4th, and Brian Kappel came in after Orta walked in a 3rd consecutive batter, his 4th that inning and the 6th consecutive batter that inning to reach base. It was pretty much over at that point.
Flyballs: 4
Groundballs: 7
Line Drives: 3
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 6
Strikeouts: 1
A+: Bakersfield 4, High Desert 0
Mavs: 6-15... Bakersfield: 8-13
Chris Tillman: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 walks, 7 K, wild pitch, hit batter
Paul Fagan: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, walk, wild pitch
Ruben Flores: 0.1 IP, 1 H, K
Mavs lineup: 4-30, 13 K
What's amazing is that Tillman was able to duel with Andrew Walker into the 6th, where Paul Fagan relieved him, coughed up the game in the 8th inning (why was Fagan, who finished the 6th and worked the 7th, still in the ballgame?) and allowed the usually unimpressive Walker to go the distance and strike out 13 in a complete game 4 hit shutout that improved his record to a stellar 4-10 and cut his ERA down to a svelte 5.37. The Mavs basically jobbed to a poor man's Carlos Silva, a guy who strikes out about 5.5 guys per 9 but only walks 1.8 per... and sucks.
Tillman, meanwhile, was gassed after ringing up 7 K's, and got into trouble with two baserunners in the 6th before he was pulled and Fagan somehow got two pop ups to escape:
Flyballs: 6
Groundballs: 2 (plus 2 bunts)
Line Drives: 2
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 7
AA: Carolina 8, West Tenn 4
WTN: 8-14... CAR: 9-13
Doug FISTER: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER (HR), 4 K
Chris Jakubauskas: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 walks, K, wild pitch
Michael Hrynio: 1 IP, 1 H, walk
Luis Valbuena: 2-3, double, solo HR, 2 R, walk (.231/.296/.363)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 1-4, double, 2 RBI, K (.272/.386/.418)
Rene Rivera: 1-4, RBI, K (.181/.253/.271)
Iron FIST appeared to hit the wall yesterday, but did he?
Well, no, not really. He cruised for the most part, allowing 2 runs in the 2nd and his other 3 in the final frame. The 2 runs in the 2nd came rather suddenly: Brett Hayes hit a 2 out single, then Ryan Bear promptly lined a shot that cleared the LF fence to make it 2-1.
In the 5th, Dante Brinkley got a grounder into left with one out, then Eric Riggs and Chase Lambin lined back to back doubles to chase Dougie Fistball. Chris Jakubauskas, now relieving, uncorked a wild pitch and gave up a sac fly to allow that 5th run for FISTER. It was hardly an impressive outing by Doug, but not nearly as bad as the 5 runs would indicate.
Flyballs: 3
Groundballs: 8
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 4
However, it was 5-1 Mudcats at that point, and the DIAMOND JAXX could never really get in range for a comeback.
AAA: Tacoma 2, Fresno 1
TAC: 41-51... FRE: 45-47
Mark Lowe: 1 IP, 2 K
Brad Thomas: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 8 K
Kam Mickolio: 1 IP, walk, 2 K
Nick Green: 1-3, solo HR, K (.301/.346/.671)
Adam Jones: 1-3, solo HR, K (.309/.377/.592)
Jeff Clement: 1-3, triple, K (.274/.366/.522)
Oswaldo Navarro: 1-3, double, 2 K (.236/.294/.327)
Mark Lowe had a much-improved rehab outing, then Brad Thomas went out and threw an impressive ballgame. The solo home runs by Nick Green and Adam Jones in the 4th were more than enough, and the only serious blemish for Brad Thomas was a solo HR surrendered in the 8th to some dude named Justin Leone. Thomas tried to finish, but quickly put two runners on to start the 9th, and big Kam Mickolio came on to finish, walking a batter for mere suspense before racking up two strikeouts and geting the last batter to fly out to seal the deal.
Brad Thomas:
Flyballs: 4
Groundballs: 10 (plus 1 bunt)
Line Drives: 2
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 8