I'm still waiting on a new work assignment, and also getting to bed later, which means waking up later, which means getting going later, which means later wrap-ups. I assure you I'll work on reversing this trend.
Meanwhile, we're moving on up, as the upper levels recorded WINS!
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~! VSL Tigers 9, VSL Mariners 6
VSLM's: 36-18... VSL Tigers: 28-26
Reynaldo Sabala: 4.1 IP, 5 H, (4 R) 3 ER, 2 walks, 6 K, wild pitch, hit batter
Manuel Campos: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, walk, 2 K, wild pitch
Carlos Sanchez: one out, 2 H, 4 ER (HR), walk, hit batter
Mayckol Guaipe: 1 IP
Roberto Velasquez: 3-4, R, walk (.275/.360/.333)
Jose Rivero: 2-4, 3 run HR, walk, K (.292/.395/.461)
Cesar Del Rio: 1-4, solo HR, 2 R, walk (.284/.398/.519)
Terry Serrano: 2-5, RBI, K, SB (.224/.318/.247)
The VSL Tigers took this game with two big innings. They cut a 5-1 lead to 5-4 with 3 runs in the 5th while chasing starter Reynaldo Sabala, and then destroyed Carlos Sanchez in a 5 run 7th that made it 9-5 and put them ahead for good. Pieces of Carlos Sanchez have yet to be collected and reassembled.
Dominican: Mariners 5, AthleticsUno 3
DSLM's: 22-13... DSLA1's: 23-13
Henry Perez: 3 IP, 2 H, walk, 3 K
Miguel Celestino: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, K, hit batter
Felix Bautista: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, walk, 3 K
Victor Duarte: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Anthony Fernandez: 1 IP, 1 H
Henry Mercedes: 2-4, R (.219/.296/.288)
Cristian Rijo: 1-4, double, R, 3 RBI (.244/.289/.385)
Robert Rodriguez: 2-4, double, R (.233/.286/.301)
Rudy van Heydoorn: 1-4, double, 2 RBI (.246/.373/.410)
every starter in the lineup not named Rey Lebron had a hit.
The DSLM's got 3 runs in the 4th, but the A-1's responded with 3 of their own off Miguel Celestino and Felix Bautista. But the DSLM's won it with two runs in the top 9th, and Anthony Fernandez held on for the victory.
Arizona: Mariners 7, Royals 1
AZLM's: 15-6... AZLRoyals: 9-12
Miguel Marquez: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 walks, 3 K, hit batter
Eddy Fernandez: 2 IP, 1 H, walk
Jacob Wild: 2 IP, 3 K
Daniel Carroll: 2-3, RBI (.366/.464/.437)
Luis Nuñez: 1-3, RBI, K (.290/.319/.403)
Juan Fuentes: 1-4, double, R. 3 more games before I list his line.
Brandon McConnell: 1-4, R, RBI. Only 29 AB's in 11 games so far.
Maximo Mendez: 1-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, walk, K (.273/.372/.455)
every starter in the lineup not named Brandon Fromm had a hit
Like the big league Royals, the AZL Royals scored a run in the 1st and then completely disappeared, as the AZLM's tied it in the 3rd, poured on 3 runs in the 5th, scored again in the 7th and added 2 more in the 8th. Reportedly, as Mario Martinez plated his run in the 8th he asked, "Is anybody out there?!"
a: Boise 8, Everett 1
Everett: 12-16... Boise: 13-15 (since their 2-12 start, they are 11-3!)
Robert Harmon: 3 IP, 8 H, 5 ER (3 HR), 2 walks, 3 K, wild pitch. Yuck.
Philip Roy: 4 IP, 1 H, walk, 5 K. Not yuck.
Aaron Solomon: one out, 1 ER, 4 walks, wild pitch, believes throwing strikes is a myth perpetuated by that stathead Bill James
Will Brown: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER (HR), K
Edilio Colina: 2-4, triple, R, K (.272/.299/.444)
rest of Aquasox lineup: 2-24, 2 walks, 11 K
Okay, so I'm never going to diss the Boise Hawks again. This is why I don't diss the A's or the Rangers, because next thing you know, karma bitchslaps me, they play .900 ball the rest of the year and suddenly the Mariners fall shellshocked into the cellar, wondering WTF just happened, while I bury my face in my hands knowing the answer. And Jeff puts a hit on me.
So, Robert Harmon sucked again, and now you have to wonder if it's more than just being a kid overmatched, as he's now facing other kids and still getting whipped. His key undoing? The 3 home runs he surrendered in the 3rd inning, two to guys who hadn't hit a home run all season (Bill Moss and Tony Thomas), and one to Marquez Smith, who had only hit one other bomb this season. He also threw in (HA SEE WHAT I DID THERE) a walk and a wild pitch that inning. Harmon took a seat after that frame for Philip Roy and, honestly, hadn't looked that impressive before the disaster inning.
Flyballs: 5
Groundballs: 4
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 3
And then Philip Roy goes and throws 4 impressive innings, albeit against a team who had the game well in hand and threw on the cruise control with a 5-0 lead, but you still have to face those batters, they're still trying to hit, and you still have to get those outs. He netted 5 K's, induced a peculiar plethora of pop ups, and in a moment of irony, the only base hit he allowed came on the only groundball he induced.
Flyballs: 2
Groundballs: 1
Line Drives: 0
Pop Ups: 5
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 5
And yeah, the relievers coughed up more runs in the 8th and 9th, while the offense fell asleep (only 3 batters had hits), but good to see that some good came of this bad game.
A: Beloit 4, Wisconsin 3
WIS: 8-15... Beloit: 12-11
Ricky Orta: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER (2 HR), 3 walks, 10 K, 3 wild pitches
Keith Renaud: 1.1 IP,1 H, 1 ER, walk, 2 K
Rollie Gibson: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 walks (1 intentional)
Kuo Hui Lo: 1-3, double, RBI, 2 walks, K, SB #19, still alive (.275/.332/.364)
Joe White: subbed for Carlos Peguero, double, RBI, walk (.328/.417/.492)
James McOwen: 1-4, RBI, K (.270/.292/.286)
Calvin Beamon: 1-4, double, R (.238/.323/.286)
Nine. The T-Rats have now lost nine straight games. Their season record of 30-61 puts them at a season high 31 games under .500. It hasn't been a good week for the T-Rats. This game, they were actually winning, because Ricky Orta showed up and pitched arguably the best game of his young pro career, striking out 10 over 6 strong innings, his only blemishes coming on two solo home runs, one in the 4th and one in the 6th, as he was pulled with a 3-2 lead after a 6th inning in which he threw two wild pitches and gave up a home run.
Flyballs: 5
Groundballs: 6 (plus 2 bunts)
Line Drives: 0
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 3
Strikeouts: 10
But then the bullpen gagged. Keith Renaud worked the 8th, gave up a leadoff walk, watched Joe Benson steal his 13th base and score when Steven Singleton's grounder snuck into RF. Tie ballgame.
In the 9th, Rollie Gibson absolutely choked, walking the leadoff batter, allowing a single, walking the bases loaded intentionally, then unintentionally walking home the winning run.
Also, Anthony Varvaro was sent to Peoria. Apparently, Orta had been transferred to the Peoria roster, and the T-Rats needed to clear a spot to bring him back.
A+: High Desert 8, Modesto 7
Mavs: 8-18... Modesto: 15-11
Chris Tillman: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER (HR), 2 walks, 9 K, wild pitch
Aaron Cotter: 1.1 IP, 2 H, walk, K
Paul Fagan: 2 outs, (2 R) 0 ER, 2 walks
Nick Allen: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER (HR), walk, hit batter
Jose Escalona: 1.2 IP, 2 H, wild pitch
Michael Saunders: 2-5, GRAND SLAM, 2 R, 3 K (.300/.395/.487)
Carlos Triunfel: 1-5, RBI, K
Jesus Guzman: 1-3, triple, R, walk, K (.279/.342/.500)
Johan Limonta: 2-4, RBI, walk, K (.300/.371/.464)
Jeff Frazier: 1-5, RBI, K (.321/.394/.452)
Jeff Flaig: 3-4, double, 2 R (.226/.275/.309)
A WIN! I had actually started typing in Modesto's name in the header first, as I had gotten so used to continental affiliates dropping games.
The Mavs sure tried to give it away, though. They only managed one run and Tillman left the game before the 5th with a 2-1 deficit after striking out half of the batters he faced.
Flyballs: 1
Groundballs: 5
Line Drives: 2
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 9
The Nuts added 2 runs in the 7th. After Paul Fagan politely loaded the bases to lead off the 7th, Nick Allen came in, got a grounder that 3B Jeff Flaig grabbed and got the runner at home for one out... then walked in a run, then gave up a sac fly to cash in another run, before Allen got a flyout to end the threat, the Mavs trailing 4-1.
It looked like lay-down-and-die time in the bottom 7th as Jeff Frazier and Travis Scott promptly struck out to start, but Eddy Hernandez snuck a grounder through, then Jeff Flaig snuck a grounder through, then Jeff Dominguez walked to load the bases... for Michael Saunders.
And Saunders destroyed a Chaz Roe suck pitch, sending it far over the RF wall for the GRAND SLAM to make it 5-4 Mavs.
But Lino Garcia homered for Modesto in the top 8th to tie the ballgame, Allen put two more runners aboard and allowed an RBI triple to give Modesto the 6-5 lead before he took a seat for Jose Escalona, as if that makes anyone feel better. Justin Nelson hit a sac fly to bring in another run and make it 7-5 before Escalona got a pop out to end the threat.
It was still 7-5 in the bottom 9th, the Mavs down to their final three outs against Jon George. Jeff Flaig singled, then Jeff Dominguez singled, then Michael Saunders bunted them ahead, and got aboard anyway to load the bases... for Carlos Triunfel.
Phenom grounded to 2nd and was thrown out for one out, but Flaig came in to cut the lead to 7-6 as the runners moved over. Kevin Reynolds grounded to 3rd, and 3B Jose Valdez had no real choice other than the out at 1st, so Dominguez came in as the 2nd out was recorded... TIE BALLGAME.
George intentionally walked Limonta to set up the force, but Jeff Frazier smoked a grounder into right, and Michael Saunders came in for the winning run!
AA: West Tenn 10, Mobile 6
WTN: 9-17... MOB: 11-15
Travis Chick: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 walks, 4 K, hit batter
Michael Hrynio: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, walk, 3 K
Chad Fillinger: two outs, 1 H, 2 K
Brent Johnson: 1-4, R, RBI, walk, K (.277/.358/.383)
Luis Valbuena: 1-6, triple, R, K (.229/.293/.363)
Prentice Redman: 1-4, double, R, RBI, walk (.264/.372/.430)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-3, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 walks, SB (.277/.392/.427)
Charlton Jimerson: 1-4, double, R, walk, 2 K (.276/.337/.556)
Michael Wilson (!): 3-5, 3 run HR, 4 RBI (.121/.212/.259)
Rene Rivera: 1-5, R, RBI, K (.183/.253/.271)
Chris Minaker: 1-4, RBI, K (.227/.284/.273)
Could the BayBears be what the DIAMOND JAXX doctor ordered? It certainly didn't seem that way for several innings, as the BayBears quietly took a 2-1 lead in the 6th as the DIAMOND JAXX bats managed little after a 2nd inning run.
And then the 7th inning happened. Hell got a little cold as Rene Rivera led off with a single. Chris Minaker bunted him over for one- uh YIKES AND AWAY by the pitcher Mark Rosen, as Rivera took 3rd and Minaker took 2nd.
Brent Johnson lined a single and cashed in Rivera to TIE THE BALLGAME. Luis Valbuena grounded to 1st, but 1B Javier Brito wisely threw home to get Minaker for one out and save the run.
And then Prentice Redman doubled to cash in Johnson and make it 3-2 DIAMOND JAXX! Marshall Hubbard walked to load the bases, and Tui lined a double to right to cash in Valbuena and Redman to make it 5-2.
And then Michael Wilson came up. The embattled faux-prospect had returned to the team a while back and then disappeared again, but here he was DHing, and he took Mark Rosen deep over left center field's wall to make it 8-2 in a triumphant moment for a guy who hasn't had many of them this season.
And then Rene Rivera struck out, and all was once again right with the world.
The BayBears did score in the 8th, and after 2 more runs by the DIAMOND JAXX in the top 9th made it 10-3, even a 3 run rally by Mobile couldn't make it close.
AAA: Tacoma 12 Salt Lake 6
TAC: 43-54... SLK: 51-46
Brad Thomas: 7 IP, 12 H, 6 ER (3 HR), 2 K, wild pitch
Juan Doñe: 2 IP, 1 H, walk, wild pitch
Nick Green: 3-5, triple, 2 R, K (.316/.350/.622)
Jeremy Reed: 3-5, 3 R, 3 RBI (.288/.349/.434)
Adam Jones: 5-5, double, triple, R, 3 RBI (.314/.378/.598)
Bryan LaHair: 3-5, double, R, 2 RBI, K (.268/.315/.390)
WLAD: 0-5, 2 K (.319/.392/.578)
Jeff Clement: 1-5, double, R, RBI (.272/.362/.516)
Rob Johnson: 2-5, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, K (.260/.322/.368)
Oswaldo Navarro: 1-4, R, RBI, K (.235/.298/.322)
Blah blah Adam Jones blah blah ready for the majors blah blah blah.
After a 7 run 6th made it 11-5 Rainiers, it didn't matter that Brad Thomas got shelled. He went as long as he could, and then Juan Doñe finished. With the bullpen as thin as it is right now, this is probably how the bullpen usage will be, save for when there's a narrow lead, in which case Kam Mickolio or Wife Vulture will finish.
Also, it slipped by me during the vacation, but Byron Embry, who was really struggling with closing games and avoiding fatty foods down the stretch, was released from his minor league contract and is now closing games for the independent St. Paul Saints.