So I should be back to work sometime next week, handling accounts payable materials for a rather large bank for the next few months.
In the meantime, goodbye, Sebastien Boucher :`( Hello, Matt ThorERRR John Parrish.
Don't worry, there IS good news under the jump. Chris Tillman's slump is long over and he's starting to conquer the Cal League! A Midwest League pitching duel between highly touted prospects didn't go all that well, but the T-Rats guy won the match on points, while his team overcame a comeback to pull off the win. And the rookie leaguers had sucky games but they usually win anyway and this sort of thing happens.
On to the wrap-up!
Dominican: Phillies 3, Mariners 2, 6 innings (rain)
DSLM's: 31-22... DSL Phils: 36-17
Ariel Alcantara: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, walk, 2 K
Victor Duarte: two outs, 1 H
Amelis Carvajal: 2-3, K
Robert Rodriguez: 2-2, SB
rest of DSLM's lineup: 0-14, 2 R, walk, 4 K
The Phils broke a 1-1 tie by pounding in two runs in the 5th to chase Ariel Alcantara as the sky began pissing. The Phils warmed up for the top 6th, but the rain built up momentum, the umps said the hell with it and called the game official.
Arizona: Athletics 12, Mariners 0
AZLM's: 6-5... AZLA's: 4-5
Johnny DuRocher: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 3 K, balk
Stephen Bills: 1.2 IP, 4 H, (5 R) 3 ER, walk, hit batter
Travis Mortimore: 1.1 IP, 3 H, (5 R) 1 ER, 3 walks, 4 K
Guy Welsh: 1-3, double, walk (.203/.294/.220)
rest of AZLM's lineup: 2-23, 8 K
At first, I saw the score and saw Backup QB's name and though 'oh hell' but turns out the blowout wasn't necessarily his fault. Sure, he gave up the winning run, which came as soon as the A's scored, because his offense fell completely flat, but he only surrendered 2 runs on 2 hits over 5 and pitched a solid hard luck game.
The blowout came in the 7th, as the defense imploded along with reliever Stephen Taylor Bills.
* Daniel Wentzell walks.
* Herbert Hudson out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher S. Taylor Bills to first baseman Brandon McConnell. Daniel Wentzell to 2nd.
* Leonardo Gil singles on a ground ball to center fielder Maximo Mendez. Daniel Wentzell scores. Leonardo Gil to 2nd on the throw.
* Javier James grounds out, second baseman Luis Nunez to first baseman Brandon McConnell. Leonardo Gil to 3rd.
* Yunior Rodriguez doubles (6) on a ground ball to left fielder Tyson Gillies. Leonardo Gil scores.
* Adam Klein hit by pitch.
* Carlos Arrieche singles on a ground ball to center fielder Maximo Mendez. Yunior Rodriguez scores. Adam Klein to 2nd.
* Pitcher Change: Travis Mortimore replaces S. Taylor Bills.
* With Jareck West batting, Adam Klein advances to 3rd on caught stealing error by Guy Welsh, assist to pitcher Travis Mortimore.
* Jareck West walks.
* Ben Barrone walks. Adam Klein scores. Carlos Arrieche to 3rd. Jareck West to 2nd.
* Daniel Wentzell reaches on fielding error by third baseman Guy Welsh. Carlos Arrieche scores. Jareck West scores. Daniel Wentzell to 2nd. Ben Barrone advances to 3rd, on throwing error by shortstop Anthony Phillips.
* Herbert Hudson called out on strikes.
The 8th inning was just as awesome, and by awesome, I mean 'like taking a bullet in your genitals.'
* Leonardo Gil singles on a ground ball to right fielder Denny Almonte.
* Javier James called out on strikes.
* Yunior Rodriguez doubles (7) on a ground ball to right fielder Denny Almonte. Leonardo Gil to 3rd.
* Adam Klein hits a sacrifice fly. Fielding error by left fielder Tyson Gillies. Leonardo Gil scores. Yunior Rodriguez scores. Adam Klein to 2nd.
* Carlos Arrieche strikes out swinging.
* Jareck West walks.
* Ben Barrone singles on a line drive to left fielder Tyson Gillies. Adam Klein scores. Jareck West to 2nd.
* Daniel Wentzell reaches on fielding error by second baseman Luis Nunez. Jareck West scores. Ben Barrone to 2nd.
* Herbert Hudson strikes out swinging.
So yeah. In all, six errors, some of which aren't mentioned here: two from young SS Anthony Phillips (fielding gaffe, throw YIKES AND AWAY), two from 3B Guy Welsh (dropped ball, fielding gaffe), one from reserve LF Tyson Gillies (fielding gaffe) and one from 2B Luis Nuñez (fielding gaffe). If today's game isn't preceded by some serious fielding practice, we've got some problems.
a: Yakima 5, Everett 2
EVE: 22-27... YAK: 20-29
Doug Salinas: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 5 K
Ryan Moorer: 2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 K, wild pitch
Ogui Diaz: 2-5, 2 doubles, R, 2 K (.256/.280/.383)
Kris Sanchez: 0-3, sac fly RBI, K (.230/.310/.320)
Welington Dotel: 2-4, double, triple, R, K (.274/.311/.452)
Jeff Dunbar: 3-3, double, RBI, walk (.213/.319/.362)
Ryan Moorer came in with a 2-2 tie, but allowed the Short A Bears to blow it open in the bottom 8th FTW.
A: Wisconsin 5, Beloit 4
WIS: 17-27... BEL: 25-19
Nolan Gallagher: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 walks, 6 K
Drew Fiorenza: two outs, 3 H, 2 ER
Family Warrior Harold Williams: 1.2 IP, walk, 3 K
Justin Souza: 1 IP, K
Kuo Hui Lo: 1-3, triple, 2 R, 2 walks
Ronald Garth: 3-5, 2 run HR, 3 RBI, walk
Alex Liddi: 2-3, double, R, walk
Reed Eastley: 1-4, double, R, 2 K
Gavin Dickey: 1-3, RBI
Juan Beltran: 1-4, double, 2 K
This game was actually a highly anticipated pitching matchup between touted prospects, Nolan Gallagher on the T-Rats side and Matt Fox on the Snappers' side (Beloit is the Twins MWL affiliate). Fox came in looking like an MWL ace, while Gallagher was only making his 3rd MWL start after a sucessful debut run in Everett.
The Lost Oasis Brother won a bowling-shoe ugly pitching battle, as both pitchers only finished the 5th while allowing 10 baserunners apiece, Gallagher pitching into the 6th while striking out 6, his only two runs coming during that 6th and final frame on two doubles and a single. Fox gave up a HR and only struck out 2, walking 3... surrendering 7 hits and 4 runs in all. Advantage: Gallagher.
The only problem is that, while Drew Fiorenza got him out of the 6th, Drew himself got into trouble in the 7th, the Snappers groundballing and bunting their way into a 4-4 tie (a Fiorenza throwing error on one grounder sure didn't help), requiring Family Warrior Harold Williams to come to the rescue of his 2nd family, strike out 2 of the next 3 batters and bail the T-Rats out of further trouble.
We stayed knotted until the bottom 9th, when Kuo Hui Lo led off with an electric triple, and Ronald Garth immediately singled to cash him in for the walkoff win.
Speaking of which, what the hell has gotten into Ronald Garth? A 2 run HR in this, another multi hit game, gave Garth his 4th consecutive game with a home run and sixth in his last 7. Garth is 348/388/783 since July 30th.
A+: High Desert 5, Rancho Cucamonga 4
Mavs: 16-30... Quakes: 23-23
Chris Tillman: 7.2 IP, 6 H, (3 R) 2 ER, 3 walks, 6 K
Ivan Blanco: 1.1 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, walk, 3 K (ERA: 13.89)
Casey Craig: 2-4, double, solo HR, 2 R, walk (.350/.442/.516)
Carlos Triunfel: 2-4, R (.323/.353/.378)
Jesus Guzman: 1-3, solo HR, walk (.291/.363/.520)
Johan Limonta: 2-4, 2 doubles, R, 2 RBI (.305/.376/.473)
Another good, encouraging start from Chris Tillman, as he pitches into the 8th and displayed some degree of mastery over the Quakes lineup, though he left with the bases loaded and two outs in the 8th, and Ivan Blanco, struggling rather badly in High A, allowed two of them to score, turning a 5-1 ballgame into a 5-3 ballgame but getting out without further severe run damage.
He did allow another run in the 9th but Scott Steinmann left him in, and Blance managed to get an Eddie-like save.
When I was 17 years old, the Mariners had just completed their miracle playoff run, I was arguably the worst member of my high school's bowling team, in the honor society for no real reason, trying not to fail Honors Trigonometry, wrote for the school newspaper, and had a bad thing for the all-around honor-roll daughter of a connected local newswriter.
Carlos Triunfel, at 17, is hitting 323/353/378 in High A ball. Who's more talented?
AA: Tennessee 6, West Tenn 5
WTN: 18-28... TEN: 24-22
Travis Chick: 2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER (2 HR), 2 walks, 2 K, wild pitch
Chris Jakubauskas: 3.2 IP, 3 H, K
David Asher: 1 IP, 1 H, K
Michael Hrynio: 1.1 IP, walk
Brent Johnson: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, K (.284/.365/.385)
Charlton Jimerson: 2-5, 3 run HR, K (.276/.346/.565)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-4, double, K (.275/.388/.420)
Jesus Merchan: 2-4, 2 doubles, 2 R, K (.330/.401/.489)
Travis Chick finally had a bad outing, only lasting two innings as the Smokies built a quick 6-0 and ended this game quickly. OR SO WE THOUGHT... as Charlton Jimerson hit a 3 run blast to power a 4 run 3rd that put West Tenn back in this thing. Brent Johnson also knocked in Jesus Merchan (who BTW has not dropped off at all so far from his excellent AA performance in Reading) to cut the lead to 6-5... but after that, the DIAMOND JAXX just couldn't push another run across. The relief corps did an excellent job holding the fort and not allowing any more offense, but there were no more runs from West Tenn.
A one out double from Tui in the 5th? Nothing.
A one out walk from Prentice Redman followed by a Michael Wilson single? Nothing.
Brent Johnson, red hot Luis Valbuena and Charlton Jimerson due up in the top 9th? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
AAA: Tacoma 3, Nashville 2
TAC: 54-65... NSH: 71-47
Robert Rohrbaugh: 6 IP, 9 H, 2 ER (HR), 3 walks, 2 K
Cesar Jimenez: 2 IP, 3 H, walk, 2 K
Rick White: 1 IP, walk (intentional), K
Mike Morse: 4-5, 2 doubles, R, 2 RBI (.335/.398/.500)
Jeff Clement: 2-4 (.261/.354/.479)
Sebastien Boucher: 1-1, R, 3 walks (.298/.398/.381)
The good news is that the Rainiers came back in the 5th and 6th from a 2-0 deficit to get Robert Rohrbaugh the 3-2 lead before he left, and the bulpen held onto it for the getaway victory.
The bad news is that Sebastien Boucher's 3 walk and hit performance was his last, not just for the Rainiers, but for the Mariners organization. Bill Bavasi suffered an aneurysm posing as a conscious decision, and sent Boucher to the Orioles organization for John Parrish, a lowly veteran lefthanded reliever for a bad MLB team. Parrish was having a bad year and walking nearly a batter an inning. Of the dozens of relievers on the table across the league, it's baffling that Bavasi would sacrifice a decent OF prospect a speedy, perfectly useful AAA outfielder for such a terrible reliever, as if he couldn't have gone out and gotten a terrible reliever for free on the waiver wire. The Orioles get a speedy outfielder with a good eye, and it wouldn't be beyond reason to think that Boucher could scrap for a 4th OF role with them next year. We get Matt Thornton without the fastball.
So anyway, I'm not sure who will start at CF for the Rainiers from here on out. Boucher proved a decent guy for that job and for now it doesn't appear there's any other alternative than to give Charlton Jimerson a 3 week Tacoma audition to see if his crazy hacking power displayed in AA is for real.