Once again, it took a single win to avoid the org sweep, as the T-Rats were the team to get it done this time, and they had to put up some uncanny offense to get it done. Meanwhile, there were plenty of bullpen meltdowns, one hard-luck loss for an SP who had one of his best outings, and a surprise callup.
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~! VSL Astros 3, VSL Mariners 2
VSLMs: 8-9... VSL Astros: 9-9
Gerardo Esparza: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 K (4 GS +1, 0.86 ERA, 21 IP, 4/14 BB/K)
Oberth Guanire: two outs, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, K
Yoervis Medina: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, K, wild pitch (5 app, 2.35 ERA, 15.1 IP, 4/13 BB/K)
Rigoberto Rangel: 2-4, R (382/436/456)
No other VSLMs batter had more than a single.
The VSLMs built a 2-1 lead after 6 and got a stellar outing from Gerardo Esparza, but the bullpen could not hold it, as Oberth Guanire and Yoervis Medina gave up the lead and the game in the 8th and 9th.
Dominican: DSL Mariners 7, DSL AthleticsDos 5 (12 innings)
Jose Perdomo: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, walk, K, 3 hit batters
Fello Yan: 2 IP, K, hit batter
Bruno Mercedes: 2 IP, walk, 3 K, wild pitch
Felix Bautista: 2 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 0 ER, walk
Nelson Germocen: 2 IP, 1 H, walk, 3 K
Ameilis Carvajal: 2-4, RBI, 3 walks
Hector Mercedes: 2-5, double, walk, K
Efrain Nuñez: 2-4, triple, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 walks, K
Bertin Sanon: 1-4, RBI, K
Victor Ozuna: 1-2, double, R
Trailing 3-1, the DSLMs rallied for 4 runs in the 4th, fueled by a bases clearing Efrain Nuñez triple, to take a 5-3 lead... but Felix Bautista coughed it up in the 9th, and it took extra innings to take the lead for good in the top 12th on an Ameilis Carvajal single with two outs. Despite getting the tying run on 3rd with two outs, the AthleticsDos could not get a run across in the bottom 12th on Nelson Germocen.
A: Wisconsin 9, Peoria 6
WIS: 23-30... PEO: 24-33
Nathan Adcock: 4.1 IP, 8 H, (5 R) 3 ER, 2 walks, 5 K, wild pitch, hit batter (11 GS, 3.41 ERA, 60.2 IP, 3 HR, 25/63 BB/K)
Jacob Wild: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER (HR), 4 K, wild pitch (13 app, 3.60 ERA, 25 IP, 2 HR, 8/24 BB/K)
Walter Suriel: 1 IP, walk, K (8 app, 6.75 ERA, 12 IP, 12/10 BB/K)
Robert Harmon: 1 IP, 1 H (14 app, 3 GS, 10.31 ERA, 18.1 IP, 2 HR, 14/17 BB/K)
Maximo Mendez: 1-2, R, RBI, 2 walks (266/365/383)
Edilio Colina: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, walk, K, SB (302/360/409)
Ronald Garth: 1-4, double (217/269/292)
Calvin Beamon: 2-4, double, R, 2 RBI (231/293/314)
Denny Almonte: 2-4, double, R, 2 RBI (224/258/362)
Israel Nuñez: 1-3, R, RBI, walk (205/295/256)
Nathan Adock got horribly unlucky on his groundballs. He allowed two well hit BsIP in the air. All the other hits were groundballs that got through his world-class infield.
Groundballs: 13 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 1
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 5
The Chiefs had a 5-2 lead by the end of that top 5th, but the T-Rats finally woke up and thundered the Chiefs bullpen for 7 runs before the end of the 7th inning, leaving them ahead 9-6. An improving Walter Suriel and a reborn Robert Harmon finished the ballgame in relief.
A+: Modesto 1, High Desert 0
Mavs: 26-32... Nuts: 27-31
Nick Hill: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 5 K (14 app, 9 GS, 4.27 ERA, 59 IP, 5 HR, 21/44 BB/K)
David Asher: one out (23 app, 4.66 ERA, 19.1 IP, 1 HR, 8/15 BB/K)
Bryan Harris: 1 IP (9 app, 9.58 ERA, 10.1 IP, 3 HR, 1/8 BB/K)
Tyson Gillies: 2-4, 2 K
rest of Mavs lineup: 0-23, 8 K
Modesto starter Aneury Rodriguez (12 GS, 2.54 ERA, 74.1 IP, 4 HR, 13/66 BB/K), a fine Dominican prospect who had already thrown one previous shutout this year, went ahead and threw another against the Mavs, a 10-strikeout two hitter no less. Scrappy newcomer Tyson Gillies had the only two hits for the Mavs, and even he struck out twice.
Military Man Nick Hill had one of his best starts to date, but thanks to the 1st inning run he allowed, it became a hard-luck loss.
Groundballs: 12 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 9
Line Drives: 0
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 5
AA: Tennessee 5, West Tenn 4
WTN: 34-24... TEN: 25-33
Travis Chick: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER (HR), walk, 2 K (15 app, 2 GS, 3.68 ERA, 36.2 IP, 2 HR, 17/29 BB/K)
Brodie Downs: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk (19 app, 5.46 ERA, 28 IP, 3 HR, 11/21 BB/K)
Marwin Vega: 1 IP, 2 walks, 2 K (17 app, 5.81 ERA, 31 IP, 2 HR, 26/18 BB/K)
Mumba Rivera: 1 IP, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 walks (21 app, 2.35 ERA, 23 IP, 1 HR, 8/25 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, double, K (255/305/436)
Mark Kiger: 1-3, triple, R, RBI, walk (201/341/291)
Manny Pimentel: 1-2, 2 RBI, K
Notre Dame football boy Jeff Samardzija pitched 6 strong innings for the Smokies, outpitching Travis Chick, who was only making his 2nd start and had to consider it an accomplishment just to finish the minimum with any sort of a decent performance.
Making his AA debut was Matt Mangini! That was quite the unexpected call, but apparently his OBP prowess and recent power signs were enough for the Mariners to promote him. He started at 1B, moved over to 3B later in the game, and went 1 for 4 with a run and a K.
This was a tie game after the DIAMOND JAXX loaded the bases, Adam Moore came in on a groundout, and Manny Pimentel, making his 2nd appearance of the season, knocked in two runs to tie the ballgame at 4!
But Mumba Rivera walked two batters in the 9th, loaded the bases, and despite a great 4-2 putout to get a runner at home, Rivera eventually gave up a flyout to Sam Fuld. Nate Spears tagged up and barely beat the throw home from CF Michael Saunders. Manager Scott Steinmann did not concur, got into an argument with home plate umpire Arthur Thigpen, and was thrown out of the game.
Mike Wilson led off the 9th by grounding to short and getting an error from Matt Camp. Kevin Reynolds drew a walk, and a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position before Mark Kiger walked to load the bases with no outs.
And then, like true MARINERS IN THE MAKING, Manny Pimentel undid the goodwill of his game tying single by striking out, and Luis Valbuena channeled Jose Lopez by grounding into the 4-6-3 game ending double play. For taking a sure-fire shot at tying or winning the ballgame and somehow losing the game anyway, I'm going to give this dynamic duo the Cibney Bello Memorial [COATHANGER] Award. Failing to rally in the 9th is one thing. Failing to rally from a run down after loading the bases with nobody out in the 9th is an accomplishment that deserves to be rewarded.
AAA: Salt Lake 10, Tacoma 5
TAC: 27-29... SLK: 37-18
Andrew Baldwin: 5 IP, 10 H, 6 ER (HR), walk, 3 K, wild pitch
Jake Woods: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 4 K
Potatoes: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, walk, 2 K, wild pitch
Tug Hulett: 2-4, R, walk
Jeff Clement: 2-4, 2 run HR, K
Bryan LaHair: 1-4, double, R, 3 K
Prentice Redman: 3-3, R, RBI, walk
Yung Chi Chen: 1-4, 2 run HR, K
No cumulative stats, as this game just concluded. In fact, let's just leave it at that. Bombs from Clement and Yung Chi Chen, 3 hits from Prentice Redman, and lots of suck.