The T-Rats got a fine performance from one of their pitching studs, though he left with a no-decision, and it took a big 8th inning for the T-Rats to get the job done.
High Desert is starting to have a problem with games running long, in part because of the windy and sometimes inclement weather, but in part because no lead is safe in the Cal League, It did give a couple of young prospects a chance at some game ending heroics.
However, R.A. Dickey's callup led to a chain of events that left the DIAMOND JAXX and Rainiers with unprepared emergency starters that were not up to the task today. And it didn't appear that the bats were ready to pick them up today either.
On to the wrap-up!
A: Wisconsin 6, Fort Wayne 2
Juan Ramirez: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, walk, 7 K
Michael Pineda: 2 IP, 3 K, wild pitch
Shawn Kelley: two outs, 2 K
Daniel Carroll: 3-4, double, 2 R, RBI, SB
Calvin Beamon: 2-4, RBI, K
Joe Dunigan: 1-4, double, 2 RBI, 2 K
Edilio Colina: 1-4, RBI, K
Blake Ochoa: 1-4, double, R, 2 K
Juan Ramirez had moments of dominance but lapses that allowed the Wizards to sneak it a couple runs before Ramirez left with one out in the 7th and the game tied at 2. The T-Rats did score 2 runs in the bottom 3rd, sparked by a rare double from Blake Ochoa that Daniel Carroll and Calvin Beamon paid off with RBI singles. But Ramirez had a great outing that would've left most teams with a comfortable lead.
Groundballs: 9
Flyballs: 4
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 7
With Michael Pineda holding the fort from the bullpen, the T-Rats did blow the game open in the 8th. Alex Meneses led off with a single and Daniel Carroll doubled him to 3rd. Calvin Beamon and Ronald Garth did try to kill the rally with strikeouts, but Alex Liddi was intentionally walked, and Juan Diaz worked a bases loaded walk to cash in a run. With Jeremy Hefner walking people, Steve Delabar was brought in to pitch, and Joe Dunigan immediately bounced a double over the wall to make it 5-2. Edilio Colina smoked a grounder to short that SS Andrew Cumberland could not play in time to make it 6-2, more than enough to finish the job.
A+: High Desert 6, Lake Elsinore 5, 10 innings
Keith Renaud: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER (HR), 7 walks, 2 K, 2 wild pitches
Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk
Michael Wagner: 2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, walk
David Asher: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K
Johan Limonta: 2-4, double, R, walk
Carlos Peguero: 3-4, double, 2 run HR, 3 RBI
Greg Halman: 1-5, R, 2 K, SB
Travis Scott: 2-4, solo HR, walk, SB
Matt Mangini: 1-4, double, RBI, walk, K
The weather (which led to a 22 minute delay during the game and stretched it out to close to 11 pm local time) wasn't cooperating today either, and Mavs pitching struggled again with 11 walks, while starter Keith Renaud added 2 wild pitches. To his credit, he did work the minimum while holding Lake to 1 run until the 6th, where he led off with a walk, then surrendered a game tying 2 run shot to Sam Carter (his 1st of the year) before taking a seat for Austin Bibens-Dirkx.
Lake did get another run in the 7th off ABD to take a 4-3 lead off a Jeremy Hunt triple. The Mavs responded in the bottom 8th in kind, when Johan Limonta led off with a walk, and Carlos Peguero crapped all over a suck pitch for his 4th HR of the year to give the Mavs a 5-4 lead. Travis Scott did line a 2 out single and steal a base later in the inning, plus Matt Mangini walked and Ogui Diaz reached on an error to load the bases... but Jamie McOwen struck out to end the threat.
Leury "Latin Campaneris" Bonilla watch: Bonilla subbed in at RF for Peguero before the bottom 9th, as Michael Wagner came on for a 2nd inning of work. Jeremy Hunt drew a one out walk, and Mike Baxter smoked a single through the right side, then Sam Carter lined a single to left to cash in Hunt and tie the ballgame. Wagner buckled down and got Aeden McQueary and Jesus Lopez to end the frame, but the Mavs couldn't get anyone across in the bottom 9th (and in fact, the inning ended with Leury Bonilla getting caught stealing) and we headed to extra innnings.
David Asher came in to pitch and got two quick groundouts, but he walked Robert Perry, gave up a lined single to Eric Sogard and walked Jeremy Hunt to load the bases and harbinger doom... but Mike Baxter channeled Jamie McOwen and struck out to end the threat.
With one out in the bottom 10th, Greg Halman singled to left, stole 2nd (which induced Richie Daigle to intentionally walk Travis Scott), and scored when Matt Mangini walkoff doubled to center to seal the deal.
AA: Mobile 5, West Tenn 2
Marwin Vega (!): 4 IP, 5 H, (5 R) 4 ER (HR), 3 walks, 5 K, hit batter
Travis Chick: 2 IP, 2 walks, K
Eric O'Flaherty: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Michael Saunders: 2-5, double, K
Prentice Redman: 1-4, double, R, K
Marshall Hubbard: 1-3, RBI, walk, K
rest of DIAMOND JAXX lineup: 2-22, R, 2 walks, 5 K
R.A. Dickey getting called up set off a chain of transactions that leeched a starter from West Tenn's rotation, leaving Marwin Vega to try and show that he's worth a rotation spot.
He certainly did not given today's performance. The BayBears had every run they needed off Vega within 4 innings, and the DIAMOND JAXX just couldn't get much going against Mobile pitching beyond the 3rd inning.
Groundballs: 6
Flyballs: 4 (1 HR)
Line Drives: 1
Walks: 3 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 5
Noted is Potatoes' AA debut, in which he showed a much better ability to locate and get guys out than the guy he replaced, Brandon Morrow, who took Erik Bedard's spot on the big club's roster.
AAA: Fresno 8, Tacoma 1
Justin Thomas: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 ER (HR), 4 walks, 4 K, 2 wild pitches
Jake Woods: 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Jon Huber: 1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER
Matt Tuiasosopo: 1-4, R, K
WLAD: 1-4, K
Jeff Clement: 0-2, 2 walks
rest of Rainiers lineup: 3-21, walk, 4 K
The Rainiers did have a 3 game winning streak, but so much for that. The West Tenn player that got the call, Justin Thomas... fared about as well as Marwin Vega did. And the Rainiers as a whole had far from a banner day today, with no punch from the offense, and even Jon Huber looking awful in the 8th, not that the game seemed in reach before his little meltdown.
Thomas' outing:
Groundballs: 4
Flyballs: 5 (1 HR)
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 4
Strikeouts: 4