Thanks for your patience, everybody. I spent the morning and afternoon traveling to the airport and flying into Las Vegas. I had to hurry and get ready to make the trip, then the airport did not have free wi-fi, so I wasn't able to check in until about a couple hours ago. Once they brought me back to my mother's place, my mother and brother took off to take my sister shopping (today is her 25th birthday) and I stayed behind to catch up with this recap. Tomorrow should be more predictably timed.
Game thread aboard shortly! Wrap-up below the jump....
VENEZUELA~... oh wait: the VSLM's had the day off.
Dominican: Mariners 13, Cardinals 2
Walter Suriel: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 6 K
Nelson Germocen: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk, 6 K, balk
Angel Echavarria: 2 IP, 1 H
Rey Lebron: 2-3, 3 run HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, walk, K
Emmanuel Familia: 2-3, GRAND SLAM, 2 R, walk (.295/.400/.459)
Joel Mendez: 2-5, double, R, 2 K (.292/.344/.382)
Cristan Rijo: 1-4, 3 run HR, 2 R, K (.258/.290/.409)
Rudy van Heydoorn: pinch hit RBI double
The Mariners had 10 runs before the end of the 6th, and it was already over by the 5th with the DSLM's leading 7-1. And I'm strongly resisting the temptation to make several out of plate Lebron James jokes with Rey Lebron's name.
AZL: Padres 13, Mariners 6
Renee Cortez: 1 IP, 1 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 K
Greg Moviel: 1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, K, 2 wild pitches, 2 hit batters
Ramon Romeijn: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, K, balk
Tom Ellis: 1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 walks, K
Johnny DuRocher: 2 IP, 1 H, K, wild pitch
Travis Mortimore: 2 IP, walk, K
Daniel Carroll: 1-3, R, RBI
Wellington Dotel: 1-2, double, R
James Davenport: subbed for Alfredo Mateo, RBI single
Dwight Britton: 1-2, R, RBI
The bats looked alright, but after a fine 1st inning by the rehabbing Renee Cortez, the other relievers crapped the bed and put the game quickly out of reach, leading the AZLM's to call in the bench scrubs.
a: Boise 8, Everett 7
Juan Carlos Ramirez: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 4 walks, 2 K, wild pitch, hit batter
Keith Meyer: 2.2 IP, 1 H, walk, 2 K
Brandon McKerney: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER (HR), 2 walks, 2 K
Ogui Diaz: 2-5, R, RBI
Matt Mangini: 2-4, double, R, RBI, walk
Edilio Colina: 2-4, triple, 2 R, 2 RBI, K
Kalian Sams: 2-2, R, RBI, walk
Jeff Dunbar: 1-3, double, 2 RBI, 2 K
Okay, this whole 'let the crappy team take a game for a change' thing was nice and all, but after dropping two straight, it's probably time to drop the hammer, get back on track and show who's who on the pecking order here.
Ahem.
Juan Carlos Ramirez set the tone with a terrible outing that started well but ended badly, punctuated by a 4th inning meltdown that knocked him out of the game and put the Aquasox behind 7-3. The 4th started with 2 walks and a hit batter, then another walk after a pop out. Then Marquez Smith tripled to clear the bases, and Ogui Diaz could not field a grounder in time, Marquez Smith scored, and that was it. Six of his eight grounders came in the first 2 innings and featured little offensive white noise.
Flyballs: 4
Groundballs: 8
Line Drives: 2
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 4 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 2
The Aquasox battled back in the top 5th. Manelik Pimentel and Matt Mangini singled, as did Edilio Colina and Kalian Sams, before Jeff Dubar doubled to TIE THE BALLGAME at 7 apiece.
And so it remained as both teams traded zeroes, and it looked like extra innings in the bottom 9th after Brandon Mckerney came in following a perfect 7th and 8th, as Ty Wright popped out and William Mottram struck out... except Josh Donaldson hit a solo HR to left field to win the ballgame. Buhhhh.
A: Cedar Rapids 7, Wisconsin 2
Eddy Fernandez: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER (3 HR), 2 K
Rollie Gibson: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 K
Shawn Kelley: 1 IP, 1 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 3 K, wild pitch
Michael Wagner: 2 IP, 3 K
Joe Kantakevich: 1 IP, 1 H, walk
James McOwen: 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 K
rest of T-Rats lineup: 4-27, 2 R, 4 walks, 11 K
No team ever likes getting swept in a doubleheader, and Cedar Rapids responded to this with a resounding victory in which they asspounded Eddy Fernandez for 3 HRs (including back to back bombs to start the 3rd... followed by a triple) and put the game quickly out of reach.
Flyballs: 7
Groundballs: 3
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 2
Despite a revamped lineup, the T-Rats as a team are hitting 237/299/341, last in the MWL in AVG, OBP and OPS (Kane County has a 333 SLG). For reference, the average line for a MWL team to date is around 255/315/370... so it's not like they're horrible for single A... just below average, and improving with every day! When I get more time, I'll post a line for the new guys for reference, but trust me when I say it's an improvement over the overmatched kids that now have better competition in Everett.
A+: Rancho Cucamonga 10, High Desert 3
Nick Allen: 1.2 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, K
Ruben Flores: 3.1 IP, 2 H, walk, 6 K
Steve Uhlmansiek: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER (3 HR), 2 walks, 2 K, balk
Aaron Cotter: 1 IP, K
Michael Saunders: 2-3, solo HR, walk (.302/.401/.492)
Eddy Hernandez: pinch hit RBI double
Travis Scott: 2-4, double (.312/.390/.462)
Carlos Triunfel: 1-4, double, R
It should have been Marwin Vega starting. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a reason why that was changed.
Also, PHENOM! Triunfel was declared good to go, and after his stellar performance in Wisconsin, the 17 year old is now getting to try High A ball. A double in his High A debut is an excellent sign.
That's the good news. The bad news is that Vega's replacement, Nick Allen, was absolutely horrible in his 3rd start of the season, and Feierabent this ballgame (yes, I went there).
Flyballs: 1
Groundballs: 6
Line Drives: 6
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
AA: West Tenn 6, Birmingham 1
Justin Thomas: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 7 K, hit batter
Chad Fillinger: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Brent Johnson: 2-5, double, 2 R, RBI (.297/.377/.411)
Marshall Hubbard: 1-4, double, 2 RBI, 2 K (.244/.337/.397)
Charlton Jimerson: 1-4, 3 run HR, K (.268/.328/.549)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 0-4, 2 K (.276/.389/.427)
Erick Monzon: 2-4 (.230/.305/.365)
Luis Oliveros: 1-4, K (.294/.313/.367)
Chris Minaker: 3-3, 3 R, walk (.233/.291/.283)
Nice reobund game in Birmongham by the DIAMOND JAXX. Brent Johnson, at this point leading off because he's the team's most consistent hitter, recovered from a quiet game to put up two hits, including a double. Meanwhile, Justin Thomas tiptoed around baserunners to throw six solid innings, and Chad Fillinger had an exceptional relief appearance, pitching the rest of the way for a rare save. Seven strikeouts sure helped Thomas over his six innings.
Flyballs: 3
Groundballs: 11
Line Drives: 4
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 7
AAA: Tacoma 6, Portland 1
HoRam: 6 IP, 1 H (!), 1 ER (HR), walk, 3 K
Brodie Downs: 1 IP, 1 H, walk, 2 K
Cesar Jimenez (!): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K
Wife Vulture: 1.1 IP, 2 H, K
Nick Green: 1-4, solo HR (.281/.317/.596)
Jeremy Reed: 1-4, walk, K (.290/.349/.429)
Adam Jones: 0-4, R, walk, K (.310/.381/.577)
Bryan LaHair: 2-5, K (.261/.310/.383)
WLAD: 3-5, double, triple, R, RBI (.327/.397/.599)
Jeff Clement: 1-4, triple, R, walk (.273/.361/.521)
Ronnie Prettyman: 1-4, RBI, K (.278/.316/.365)
Oswaldo Navarro: 1-4, R, RBI, K (.233/.291/.324)
Sebastien Boucher: 3-4, 2 run HR
It looks like the AZL unloaded most of its rehabitants, as Cesar Jimenez returned to Tacoma, as a reliever, and despite 3 baserunners still got two outs in his first appearance since arm surgery. Also, HoRam shocked the world after a 1st inning HR by not allowing another hit afterward over 6 strong innings. What.
HoRam, touted for his ability to induce groundballs, did just that. I would hope the Mariners don't just declare him healed after this, given he got hammered one start ago in Tacoma (and I don't mean with gin)... but all signs point to Feierabend making his next start, then rejoining the Rainiers so HoRam can retake his spot in the rotation the next time around.
Flyballs: 7
Groundballs: 9
Line Drives: 0
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 3