Thanks to a late rise (I didn't wake up until 11:30, astonishingly late for me), and not having internet until around now, it looks like many of today's games have already played. Therefore, with Saturday's games left to recap plus today's, and the long holiday wekend meaning I don't have to hurry and finish erands before tomorrow morning, we get the chances for a special SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER DELUXE WRAP-UP
Yes, we're gonna cover both Saturday's and today's contests. I have a migraine after 3 cups of coffee and 3 hours of writing, so no creative convoluted intro for you.
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~!
Saturday: VSL Mariners 3, VSL Phillies 3, 11 innings
VSLMs: 6-5... VSL Phillies: 6-3
Erasmo Ramirez: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 K, wild pitch
Manuel Campos: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K, 2 hit batters
Mayckol Guaipe: 2 IP, 3 H, (1 R) 0 ER, K
Leonardo Rodriguez: 1 IP, 1 H, (intentional) walk, K
Kervin Montbrum: 1 IP, 1 H, wild pitch
Ricardo Pereira: 1 IP, 2 walks, K
Yidid Batista: 2-6, R, K, SB
Michael Acevedo: 1-3, triple, RBI, walk
Carlos Ramirez: 2-5, R
Mario Yepez: 2-2
Eduardo Garcia: 1-4, RBI
That's right, folks. Just like they do in Japan, the VSL calls of tied games after 11 innings, and the teams get to besan a sus hermanas. The VSLMs went ahead and emptied the bullpen to get through the frames, even going to starters to work the extra innings for reasons I'l get into in a bit.
The Phils got the first run in the 2nd when Francisco Diaz tripled in a run with two out. In the bottom half, my favorite play of all time, the double steal, brought home the first VSLMs run: with runners on the corners and one out, Reginald Lampe got thrown out at 2nd, but Cesar Del Rio came home from 3rd to tie the game at 1.
The Phils did get a runner on 2nd with one out in the 3rd, but could not get another hit. The VSLMs got a break in the bottom 3rd when Yidid Batista grounded to short and SS Edgar Duran muffed it with one out. Batista got to 2nd on a groundout and Michael Acevedo's triple knocked him in to make it 2-1 VSLMs.
But Jorge Guerra led off the top 4th with a triple, and Erasmo Ramirez uncorked a wild pitch to let Guerra in and re-knot the ballgame at 2. With a runner on 3rd and one out in the bottom 4th, Reginald Lampe bunted Carlos Ramirez over for two outs, then Ramirez took 3rd on a wild pitch by one of the dozens of Jose Hernandezes in baseball before scoring on an Eduardo Garcia infield single. to make it 3-2 VSLMs.
The Phils almost tied it in the top 6th. Carlos Perdomo beat out a bunt with one out, though reliever Manuel Campos also threw the gronder YIKES AND AWAY to give him 2nd. Campos then plunked back to back batters to load the bases. Luis Martinez grounded to 3rd, and 3B Michael Acevedo threw out the lead runner at home for two outs, before Francisco Diaz struck out to end the threat.
The Phils also got runners at 1st and 2nd in the 7th against Mayckol Guaipe, but came up empty. However, after several ironic defensive switches, the Phils got another rally going in the 8th. Jorge Guerra singled with one out before getting lifted for pinch runner Vernal Bogle. Bogle took off for 2nd and catcher Cesar Del Rio threw YIKES AND AWAY, giving Bogle 3rd base as well. An Anderson Alvarez groundout didn't get the runner in, but Luis Martinez's comebacker did cash him in to tie the ballgame.
The VSLMs got Mario Yepez on 2nd with two out in the bottom 8th, but Roberto Velasquez popped out. The VSLMs almost gave away the go-ahead run in the top 9th, when Edgar Duran singled with two outs, then got 2nd on a passed ball by Del Rio. Leonardo Rodriguez intentionally passed the next batter, then got an inning ending 3-1 putout to escape the threat.
The Phils put the pressure on again in the top 10th. Vernal Bogle singled with one out. Kervin Mntbrum got the next batter, but he uncorked a wild pitch to put Bogle on 2nd. Luis Martinez then smoked a liner... right to 2B Yidid Batista to end the threat.
The VSLMs got a two out single from Carlos Ramirez in the bottom 10th. Mario Yepez's grounder into right allowed the fleet-of-foot Ramirez to get to 3rd. Eduardo Garcia then was lifted for... struggling Kenny Hart, not exactly the best choice. And Hart indeed grounded out to 2nd to end the threat.
A wild Ricardo Pereira walked the leadoff batter in the 11th, but Francisco Diaz took off for 2nd and catcher Cesar Del Rio FINALLY made good, throwing him out for the 1st out. Nelson Sosa laughably tried to bunt with two strikes... and missed for the strikeout. It's one thing to bunt with two strikes, another to strike out by bunting foul, but to miss the bunt completely for strike three... wow. Edgar Duran drew a two out walk, and Levi Rossi grounded to short for the inning ending fielder's choice. The Phils could do no better than tie.
Not that the VSLMs challenged them, as they went 1-2-3 in the 11th to end the ballgame with the 3-3 tie.
Aaaaaand just like that, I'm already looking like a liar because...
Sunday: The VSLMs and the rest of the VSL always take Sunday off. This is probably why they had no problem emptying the bullpen in today's extra inning tilt.
¡MUY CALIENTE (para semana de 18-24 de Mayo)!
Mario Yepez: 8-19, double, HR, 2 R, RBI, walk, 4 K, 6 game hitting streak
Yidid Batista: 10-29, triple, 5 R, 4 RBI, walk, 4 K, SB, 8 game hitting streak
Mayckol Guaipe: 3 app, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 walks, 2 K
¡QUE LASTIMA!
Kenny Hart, 1-12, 2 R, triple, RBI, walk, 5 K
Rafael Torrealba: 2-14, both hits were doubles, 2 R, walk, 4 K
Reynaldo Sabala: one out, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 walks on May 23
A: Wisconsin T-Rats
Saturday: Peoria 5, Wisconsin 4
Michael Pineda: 5.1 IP, 8 H, (5 R) 4 ER (HR), 2 walks, 4 K, balk, hit batter
Justin Souza: 2.2 IP, 1 H, walk, K, hit batter
Juan Diaz: 1-4, double, RBI
Edilio Colina: 1-4, 2 run HR, 2 K
Alex Liddi: 1-4, triple, R, K
Calvin Beamon: 1-3, sac fly RBI, K
Juan Diaz's 1st inning double knocked in Maximo Mendez to make it 1-0 right away... but Michael Pineda got squared up out of the gate, and a one out (253/321/306) Nate Samson double turned into a run on a two-out Jovan Rosa single (312/375/486) that tied the ballgame. Marquez Smith (260/327/442) singled to put runners on the corners but Luis Bautista's liner found 1B Scott Robinson to end the threat.
Alex Liddi led off th 2nd with his 1st triple of the season, and Calvin Beamon promptly sac flied him in to make it 2-1 T-Rats. But Dylan Johnston (250/315/463) led off the bottom 2nd by crapping all over a meatball from Pineda to tie the ballgame back up. Pineda, like the stomach of a man who just puked, did settle down after that and got the next three batters on groundouts.
Pineda did not allow any more damage until he began tiring in the 5th. Elvis Lara (284/322/358) lined a single to lead off, then Pineda, trying to hold Lara, balked to ironically give him 2nd. Nate Samson got plunked to put runners at 1st and 2nd, no outs. Brandon Guyer struck out, but Lara tagged up on Jovan Rosa's flyout to take 3rd, and Marquez Smith lined a single to center to cash in Lara and make it 3-2. Mendez threw home and his throw went YIKES AND AWAY to cash in Samson and make it 4-2 as Smith took 3rd. Pineda struck out Luis Bautista to end the threat, but the damage was done.
Pineda went back out for the 6th and, after a strkeout, put the next two batters on before getting the hook for Justin Souza.
Groundballs: 10
Flyballs: 4 (1 HR)
Line Drives: 6
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 4
Souza got Elvis Lara to ground out, but a runner came in to extend the lead to 5-2. The T-Rats gave a rally a go in the 8th off Stephen Vento (17 app, 4.40 ERA, 28.2 IP, 4 HR, 7/20 BB/K). Edilio Colina homered with a man on and two out to cut the lead to 5-4... and Gavin Dickey grounded to short, only for Nate Samson to throw YIKES AND AWAY and put him on. But Dickey tried to steal 2nd with Scott Robinson batting (not a bad idea given Robinson's inconsistent power bat) but Dickey got thrown out to end the frame.
There would be no rally in the 9th, despite a two out Calvin Beamon single.
Sunday: Wisconsin 3, Peoria 2
WIS: 21-25... PEO: 19-31
Juan Ramirez: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, walk, 6 K (9 GS, 3.51 ERA, 51.1 IP, 14/50 BB/K)
Keith Meyer: two outs, 2 H, 1 ER, K (12 app, 3.20 ERA, 19.2 IP, 2 HR, 9/20 BB/K)
Robert Harmon: 1.1 IP, walk, 2 K (12 app, 3 GS, 10.38 ERA, 17.1 IP, 2 HR, 13/17 BB/K)
Edilio Colina: 1-4, R, RBI (313/372/427)
Gavin Dickey: 3-4, double, R, RBI, K, SB (327/375/442)
Ronald Garth: 2-4, RBI (238/297/317)
The T-Rats got Juan Ramirez 2 early runs, and he cruised into the 7th inning, where he ran into the only real trouble he saw all day. Two Chiefs doubles produced a run, though no other batter had luck that inning. The T-Rats got the run back anyway in the 8th on a Gavin Dickey double, and Ramirez called it a night before the 8th with a 3-1 lead, a temendous bounceback effort from the last start, where he struggled.
Groundballs: 7 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 7
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 6
Keith Meyer got into some bad trouble in the 8th. Gian Guzman doubled with one out, then took 3rd on an Elvis Lara single. Nate Samson flied to center, and Denny Almonte... Craig Monroe'd the flyball. Guzman, who was ready to tag up anyway, came in to cut the lead to 3-2, and Samson was on safely. Then Lara and Samson pulled off a double steal of 2nd and 3rd... but Brandon Guyer struck out for the 2nd out, and Robert Harmon, who has now become the T-Rats closer, came in and struck out Dylan Johnston to end the threat. Harmon is saving his own career with his success as a reliever, after a disastrous tenure as a starter.
The T-Rats did load the bases with no outs in the top 9th, but Israel Nuñez struck out, Maximo Mendez grounded into a 5-2 putout to prevent the run, and Juan Diaz grounded out to kill the rally dead.
Despite a walk, Harmon finished the 9th without incident to seal the deal on his 3rd save.
A+: High Desert Mavs
Saturday: High Desert 12, Inland Empire 3
Keith Renaud: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 walks, 3 K, wild pitch
Steve Uhlmansiek: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 1.1 IP, K
Julio Santiago: 1 IP, K
Carlos Triunfel: 2-5, double
Chris Minaker: 2-2, double, 2 R, RBI, walk
Carlos Peguero: 0-2, 2 R, sac fly RBI, 2 walks
Leury Bonilla: 2-4, solo HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
Korey Feiner: 1-3, R, 3 RBI
Ogui Diaz: 1-4, R, RBI, K
The Mavs unloaded a 7 run asshammering on Alberto Bastardo(11 app, 7 GS, 7.81 ERA, 40.1 IP, 4 HR, 20/28 BB/K), with help from 3 wild pitches from Bastardo, an error by 1B Austin Gallagher and catcher interference by Carlos Santana, which wasn't very Smooth... to put themselves way ahead, and cashed in 3 more runs in the 7th to build an 11-3 lead. Needless to say, Bastardo did not finish the 2nd inning. The Mavs finished with 12 runs... on 8 hits. Empire finished with 4 errors.
Leury "Latin Campaneris" Bonilla Watch: with Leury settling in at 1B, I'll go ahead and give the Watch a rest... though I will bust it back out should Leury end up spotted at any other positions, and especially if he ends up pitching again.
Sunday: High Desert 4, Inland Empire 2
Mavs: 24-26 (and leading the Cal League South division)... Empire: 19-31
Anthony Varvaro: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 9 K
David Asher: one out, K
Aaron Cotter: 1.2 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER
Michael Wagner: one out, 2 H
Shawn Kelley: 1 IP, 1 H, K
Carlos Triunfel: 2-4, R
Carlos Peguero: 2-4, double, 2 RBI
Jose Yepez: 2-3, solo HR, 2 RBI
Varvaro surrendered a leadoff solo home run in the 1st. It would be the only run he surrendered in what would easily prove his best start of the season, as he struck out the next 6 batters, struck out 9 in all, worked into the 6th and the only trouble he got into was the trouble he left behind for reliever David Asher, as he left runners on 1st and 2nd. Asher struck out the next batter to end the threat.
Groundballs: 5
Flyballs: 4 (1 HR)
Line Drives: 1
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 9
By then, the Mavs had cracked the Quakes bullpen and built a 3-1 lead, and would add another run in the bottom 6th on a Jose Yepez single. The Quakes would stage a 2 out rally in the 8th on Aaron Cotter and Michael Wagner, scoring a run before bad baserunning ended the threat. They would hold on for the 4-2 win.
Also, welcome to Tyson Gillies, who made his starting debut in CF with the Mavs today. He went 1 for 3 batting 9th. Interesting... CF is usually where Greg Halman starts but don't get excited/nervous: this could be a day off for the powerful free-swinger.
AA: West Tennessee DIAMOND JAXX
Saturday: West Tenn 5, Chattanooga 2
Justin Thomas: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, walk, 3 K, balk (8 GS +1, 4.70 ERA, 51.2 IP, 5 HR, 25/49 BB/K)
Travis Chick: 1.1 IP, K (13 app, 2.48 ERA, 29 IP, 1 HR, 13/25 BB/K)
Mumba Rivera: 1 IP
Luis Valbuena: 2-4, double, R, K
Adam Moore: 2-4, RBI (295/375/436)
Johan Limonta: 2-4, R, 2 K (278/365/481)
Mike Wilson: 3-3, 2 run HR, 2 R, walk (263/353/542)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, RBI
Mark Kiger: 1-4, double, K
Justin Thomas ran into trouble and gave up 2 runs in the 1st, and a balk led to manager Scott Steinmann pitching a fit and getting ejected... but like Varvaro, Justin stayed out of trouble and held down the fort after that, pitching into the 7th. He wasn't spectacular, and he needed a bit of luck in the form of line drives finding his defense, but still.
Groundballs: 4 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 8
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 3
Adam Moore singled in a run in the 1st, Brent Johnson singled in another in the 6th and Luis Oliveros came in on a double play ball to give the DIAMOND JAXX a 3-2 lead. Mike Wilson crapped on a suck pitch in the 8th with one on to add more runs, and Mumba Rivera locked down the 9th inning to seal the deal.
Sunday: West Tenn 5, Chattanooga 4
WTN: 32-18 (leading the Southern League North Division!)... CHA: 25-25
Ryan Ketchner: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, walk, 4 K, hit batter (10 GS, 4.26 ERA, 50.2 IP, 2 HR, 17/35 BB/K)
Craig James: 2 IP, 1 H, K (15 app, 3.77 ERA, 14.1 IP, 8/15 BB/K)
Marwin Vega: 1 IP, walk, K (13 app, 6.33 ERA, 27 IP, 2 HR, 23/15 BB/K)
Mumba Rivera: two outs, 3 H, 2 ER, hit batter (18 app, 2.25 ERA, 20 IP, 1 HR, 6/22 BB/K)
Jason Mackintosh: one out, 1 H (16 app, 3.79 ERA, 19 IP, 5/13 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, triple, walk, K
Luis Valbuena: 2-3, RBI, 2 walks (319/399/471)
Luis Oliveros: 0-1, R, 3 walks (419/471/500)
Ronnie Prettyman: 1-4, triple, R, 3 RBI (215/257/392)
Mark Kiger: 2-4, R, RBI, K (199/335/283)
The Lookouts- LOOK OUT! scored two early runs on Ryan Ketchner, spelling doom, but he would hear no such argument for paranoia, finishing the minimum without any further damage. He did come out for the 6th, but after walking the leadoff batter, he got the hook for Craig James.
Groundballs: 5
Flyballs: 6
Line Drives: 5
Walks: 1 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 4
The DIAMOND JAXX picked him up in the 6th. Adam Moore and Johan Limonta both walked following a leadoff single from Luis Valbuena. Mike Wilson did his part to kill the rally by grounding into a 5-2-3 double play, but after Luis Oliveros received an intentional walk from Ben Jukich (10 GS, 2.63 ERA, 61.2 IP, 2 HR, 29/45 BB/K), Ronnie Prettyman distributed punishment with a bases clearing triple to make it 3-2. Mark Kiger's single cashed him in to make it 4-2 and Jukich got chased.
Mumba Rivera came on for the 2nd consecutive 9th inning to finish and ran into disaster, giving up a 2 run one out double to Daniel Dorn (239/357/326) to tie the ballgame. If not for a 2nd base pickoff by Luis Oliveros on said Daniel Dorn, matters could have been much worse. Chris Denove (237/341/289) singled, and Jason Mackintosh had to relieve the tiring Mumba Rivera. Cody Strait (312/349/541) also singled, but Justin Turner (211/273/316) flied out to end the threat and send us to an unlikely bottom 9th.
Mark Kiger led off with another single. Michael Saunders bunted him over for one out. Up is down.
Reliever Pedro Viola (21 app, 6.64 ERA, 20.1 IP, 1 HR, 14/24 BB/K) intentionally walked Brent Johnson, and it didn't matter, because Luis Valbuena singled up the middle to bring in Kiger for the walkoff win!
AAA: Tacoma Rainiers: Not good enough for FSN! (but the Portland Beavers are!)
Saturday: Colorado Springs 11, Tacoma 4
Robert Rohrbaugh: 5 IP, 9 H, (6 R) 5 ER, 2 walks, 4 K (9 GS, 6.26 ERA, 46 IP, 2 HR, 19/29 BB/K)
Cesar Jimenez: 2 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 0 ER (HR), 3 K (17 app, 4.56 ERA, 23.2 IP, 3 HR, 6/27 BB/K)
Tracy "I Ate Jim" Thorpe: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, walk, K
Jeff Clement: 2-5, 2 doubles, R, RBI, 2 K
Shawn Garrett: 2-4, double, RBI
Charlton Jimerson: 1-4, solo HR, K (248/267/436)
Yung Chi Chen: 2-4, K
NEEEEEEXT.
Rohrbaugh:
Groundballs: 5 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 11
Line Drives: 4
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 4
You're not supposed to give up flyballs in Colorado. Rohrbaugh's start went exactly the opposite way it needed to go for him to succeed.
Sunday: Tacoma 4, Colorado Springs 3
TAC: 24-25... COL: 23-26
Sean White: 7.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, K, hit batter (10 GS, 4.37 ERA, 59.2 IP, 4 HR, 14/23 BB/K)
Potatoes: one out, walk, K, wild pitch (12 app, 3.29 ERA, 13.2 IP, 1 HR, 6/16 BB/K)
Roy Corcoran: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 walks (9 app, 7.27 ERA, 8.2 IP, 11/7 BB/K)
Tug Hulett: 1-3, R, RBI, walk, 2 K (229/311/343)
Shawn Garrett: 2-4, RBI, K (295/317/474)
Jeff Clement: 1-4, double, RBI (383/504/738)
Yung Chi Chen: 2-4, double, solo HR, 2 R, K (236/303/299)
Yung Chi Chen's leadoff double in the 3rd set up the first Rainiers run to take a 1-0 lead. But the Sky Sox rallied off the always-hittable Sean White for 2 runs in the bottom 4th. After that, Sean held the fort and despite himself did not allow a run.
In the 6th, Sean White gave up 4 line drives to all 4 batters he faced. Three went for outs.
The Rainiers finally blew up the Sky Sox in the 8th. Yung Chi Chen led off with a solo HR to TIE THE BALLGAME, then after Prentice Redman's one out walk, he stole 2nd before Tuglett drew a walk to chase reliever... try not to laugh... Victor Zambrano. Chris George came in and gave up an infield RBI single to Shawn Garrett before Jeff Clement's double cashed in another run to make it 4-2 Rainiers.
Sean White allowed an RBI double in the 8th before FINALLY getting the hook for Potatoes. I'm amazed he goes so deep into ballgames, as it appears he is trying to fancy himself an innings eating groundballer.
Groundballs: 9 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 11
Line Drives: 7
Walks: 0 (but 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 1
Potatoes finished the 8th without incident, and Roy Corco worked a shutout 9th for yet another AAA save.