Full slate today! Plenty of offense up and down the board, though the pitching suffered accordingly.
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~! VSL Astros 3, VSL Mariners 2
(League: 261/346/359... 3.72 ERA)
Gerardo Esparza: 7 IP, 1 H, 5 walks, 4 K, 2 hit batters (8 GS +1, 1.02 ERA, 44 IP, 1 HR, 14/33 BB/K)
Mayckol Guaipe: 1 IP, 1 H, (2 R) 0 ER, walk (12 app, 1.96 ERA, 23 IP, 1 HR, 12/17 BB/K)
Yoervis Medina: two outs, 1 H, (1 R) 0 ER, hit batter, walkoff fail (10 app, 2.28 ERA, 23.2 IP, 1 HR, 4/15 BB/K)
Carlos Ramirez: 1-4, solo HR, K (228/333/316)
rest of VSLMs lineup: 3-25, 3 walks, 3 K
RICO SUAVE allowed only one hit, but gave up seven, SEVEN free passes, yet did not allow a run in his 7 innings as the VSLMs somehow eked out a 2-0 lead from a punchless lineup.
Then Mayckol Guaipe walked the leadoff batter in the 8th, uncorked a wild pitch to move him to 2nd and threw YIKES AND AWAY on an ill-advised pickoff attempt to move him to 3rd, allowing said runner to later score on a sac fly and cut the lead to 2-1.
Then Guaipe allowed a leadoff single in the bottom 9th before getting lifted for Yoervis Medina, who got one out on a sac bunt but watched 3B Jorge Agudelo candyarse a grounder to put a batter on, then plunked the next hiter before Raymer Lopez smoked a grounder into right to cash in the game-tying and game-winning runs.
Dominican: DSL Mariners 8, DSL AthleticsDos 2
DSLMs: 17-5... DSLA2s: 5-8
(League: 234/338/323... 3.79 ERA)
Jose Perdomo: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER (HR), 2 K, wild pitch (5 GS, 3.68 ERA, 22 IP, 1 HR, 3/15 BB/K)
Felix Bautista: 4 IP, 3 H, walk, 5 K (7 app, 1.90 ERA, 23.2 IP, 1 HR, 8/28 BB/K)
Marbin Beltre: 1-5, double, R (283/400/321)
Angel Zapata: 2-4, R, K, SB (266/338/281)
Hassiel Jimenez: 2-4, double, R, K, SB (365/459/442)
Rudy van Heydoorn: 2-4, double, 2 R, RBI (280/471/440)
Ameilis Carvajal: 1-3, double, 3 RBI, K (222/393/333)
Axel Wel: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, K
Augusto Marte: 1-2, double, RBI, K
Doubles from Hassiel Jimenez and Ameilis Carvajal powered a 4 run 1st inning, more than enough for Jose Perdomo to work an effective minimum before handing the ball to The Other Felix, who worked 4 scoreless innings for the long "save". Of course, it wasn't enough for the DSLMs, who added 4 more, but I can't complain.
Rk-AZL: Mariners 3, Royals 2, 10 innings
(League: 270/359/397... 4.83 ERA)
Fray Martinez: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, 4 K, wild pitch, balk
Nick Love: 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Dustin Birosak: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk
Chris Kirkland: 1 IP, K
Gabriel Noriega: 3-4, R, RBI
Cesar Fuentes: 3-5, R
Jharmidy De Jesus: 2-5, double, 2 RBI
Take two went far better for converted infielder Fray Martinez, as he gave the AZLMs 6 effective innings with 10 groundouts vs 4 flyouts before leaving with a 2-1 lead.
But the Royals tied it in the 9th off Dustin Birosak with a couple line drive singles and a stolen base. Birosak got out of the 9th with the tie, and walked the leadoff batter in the 10th before Chris Kirkland came in, got lucky when he snagged a blooper near the mound and doubled off the runner, then struck out the next batter to get out of it.
In the bottom 10th, it looked like the AZLMs would go quietly before Cesar Fuentes got a grounder into right with two outs, and uber prospect Jharmidy De Jesus doubled him home for the walkoff victory!
Rk+: Kingsport 6, Pulaski 4
PMs: 6-5... KIN: 5-6
(League: 263/339/399... 4.39 ERA)
Fabian Williamson: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, 4 K, wild pitch, 2 hit batters
Philip Roy: 2 IP, K
Andres Esquibel: 2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER (HR)
Jose Rivero: 2-3, R, walk
Juan Fuentes: 2-4, R
Deybis Benitez: 2-4, double, R, 2 RBI
Fred Bello: 1-3, RBI, 2 K
Fabian Williamson has had better games, but this wasn't nearly all his fault. The offense played dead for 8 innings, and it was off reliever Andres Esquibel that the K-Mets did most of their damage, turning a reachable 2-0 deficit into a sizable 6-0 deficit in the 7th and 8th innings. The PMs rallied furiously for 4 runs in the 9th, but could not overcome the deficit.
A-: Salem-Keizer 6, Everett 5
EVE: 4-7... S/K: 6-5
(League: 243/330/344... 3.81 ERA)
Brett Lorin: 4.1 IP, 5 H, (5 R) 4 ER, walk, 6 K, hit batter
Aaron Brown: 3 IP, 2 H, (intentional) walk, 2 K
Philip Hann: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, (intentional) walk
Nate Tenbrink: 2-4, 2 R, K
Manny Pimentel: 1-4, RBI
Fleming Baez: 2-4, RBI
Luis Nuñez: 2-4, R, RBI
Bennett Billingsley: 0-2, sac fly RBI, K
It took about 60 games for last year's installment of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes to lose their 5th game, so that they already have 5 losses after 11 games indicates that playing them in a series should not be the hopeless exercise of doom that it was last season for the Aquasox.
It's quickly becoming apparent that Brett Lorin has a knack for fooling Short Season A ballers, but as we saw Friday, low A pro hitters can still hit him. He started out effectively, then plunked Casey Bond in the 2nd with two out before Damon Wright tripled him home to cut the Aquasox lead to 2-1. Then Jeremiah Luster lined a single to cash Wright in and tie the ballgame... before Brooks Lindsley struck out.
Casey Bond illustrated the big problem with Lorin's size in the 4th, as he walked, then stole 2nd, then stole 3rd before scoring on an unfortunate George Soto error at SS to make it 3-2 Volcanoes. Sure, NWLers make Mike Morse look like Omar Vizquel, but Bond clearly had a bead on Lorin on the basepaths, and if he doesn't get to 3rd so easily, Soto's error doesn't cost the Aquasox a run.
Luis Nuñez singled on a grounder into left to lead off the 5th, stole 2nd, tagged up and took 3rd on a flyout, then scored on a sac fly to tie the ballgame. But the Volcanoes led off with back to back singles to put the pressure back on a tiring Lorin, a groundout moved the runners over and Lorin got the hook for Aaron Brown, who watched Mike Loburg lace a grounder up the middle to cash in both runners and make it 5-3 Volcanoes as the Human Temp Agency Kevin Reynolds threw YIKES AND AWAY to give him 3rd. Brown intentionally passed Trent Kline... before picking him off at 1st. That's as good a way to get your man as any... I guess... though I can see the utility in not pitching to the guy, as in pitching to him you give the runner on 3rd a chance to come in for cheap on most balls in play. Casey Bond then grounded harmlessly to 2nd to end the rally.
The Aquasox took advantage of an outfield error on a Manny Pimentel flyball to squeeze in a run and cut the lead to 5-4. In the 9th, wth three outs to doom, Beef Roids drew a leadoff walk, Fleming Baez lined a single to put runners at the corners, and Luis Nuñez's lined single cashed in Welington to TIE THE BALLGAME. With a good chance at the lead... George Soto flew out and Travis Howell grounded into the 1-6-3 frame ending double play.
Then in the bottom 9th, Brooks Lindsley lined a single to left off Phil Hann with one out, Caleb Curry lined a single to left and took 2nd on a bad play of the hop by LF Ryan Royster (who, ironically, was a 9th inning defensive replacement). Hann's best hope of extra innings was a GIDP, so he intentionally walked Ryan Lormand to put the force at any base. Jose Flores gave them exactly what they needed, grounding to 2nd, where Nuñez threw to Soto for one, and Soto COULD NOT get the batter at 1st! Lindsley came home safely and the Volcanoes won the game.
George Soto, for your run-producing error in the 4th, your inability to help sustain a key Aquasox rally in the top 9th, and your failure to turn a critical game-extending double play in the bottom 9th, I am forced to designate you our latest recipient of the Cibney Bello Memorial [COATHANGER] Award. You're not a terrible player, but this was a terrible game.
A: Burlington Bees 8, Wisconsin 4
WIS: 3-6... BUR: 5-4
(League: 250/321/370... 3.62 ERA)
Juan Ramirez: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 5 ER (2 HR), 3 walks, K (14 GS +1, 4.25 ERA, 78.1 IP, 4 HR, 26/68 BB/K)
Keith Meyer: 1 IP, 1 H, (2 R) 0 ER, 2 walks, K, 3 wild pitches (22 app, 3.38 ERA, 29.1 IP, 4 HR, 15/31 BB/K)
Justin Souza: 1.1 IP, 2 walks, 3 K (26 app, 3.86 ERA, 32.2 IP, 3 HR, 10/35 BB/K)
Robert Harmon: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, walk, K (20 app, 7.48 ERA, 27.2 IP, 3 HR, 20/30 BB/K)
Edilio Colina: 1-3, R, RBI, K (289/361/372)
Juan Diaz: 1-4, R, RBI, K (245/283/300)
Alex Liddi: 1-3, RBI, walk (243/306/348)
The T-Rats had quickly built a 4-0 lead in the 2nd, but the Bees quickly unraveled Juan Ramirez, bookending back to back HRs in the 3rd with a litany of grounders through his porous infield defense, chasing him in the 5th while taking the lead 5-4.
Groundballs: 11
Flyballs: 5 (2 HR)
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 3 (1 intentional)
Strikeouts: 1
Keith Meyer lost control of his stuff in the 6th, helping the Bees net two more runs with three wild pitches and two walks in extending the lead to 7-4. The Bees snuck home another run in the 8th of Robert Harmon to hammer the point home, not that the T-Rats were putting up much of a fight at the plate after the 2nd.
A+: Rancho Cucamonga 7, High Desert 6
Mavs: 4-4... Quakes: 5-3
(League: 268/339/401... 4.46 ERA)
Anthony Varvaro: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER (HR), 3 walks, 4 K, wild pitch, hit batter (14 GS +2, 6.46 ERA, 71 IP, 9 HR, 54/70 BB/K)
Michael Wagner: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 K (29 app, 4.75 ERA, 36 IP, 9/29 BB/K)
Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER (HR), K (25 app, 7.01 ERA, 34.2 IP, 8 HR, 11/23 BB/K)
Steve Uhlmansiek: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER (17 app, 3.44 ERA, 18.1 IP, 1 HR, 11/13 BB/K)
Kuo Hui Lo: 3-3, R, walk (260/318/405)
Daniel Carroll: 2-4, double, 3 RBI, walk, 2 K
Jamie McOwen: 1-4, double, RBI (261/321/350)
Travis Scott: 1-4, solo HR, 2 K (255/319/426)
Leury Bonilla: 2-4, R, SB (297/377/410)
Erick Monzon: 1-3, solo HR, 2 R, walk (197/279/326)
No, I'm not sure what Anthony Varvaro's deal is, nor what ABD's deal is. In any case, the Quakes tied the game at 6 in the 7th off ABD with a barrage of hits, and took the lead off Steve Uhlmansiek in the 8th by pushing Ryan Mount home with two outs on a Larry Infante worm-burner into left.
AA: Tennessee 12, West Tenn 6
WTN: 3-7... TEN: 8-2
(League: 262/341/396... 4.20 ERA)
Ryan Ketchner: 5 IP, 13 H, 9 ER (2 HR), 2 walks, K, balk, hit batter (16 GS, 4.32 ERA, 85.1 IP, 7 HR, 28/54 BB/K)
Brodie Downs: 2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, walk, K, hit batter (27 app, 4.60 ERA, 47 IP, 3 HR, 20/32 BB/K)
Roman Martinez: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, walk, 3 K (22 app, 4.94 ERA, 27.1 IP, 1 HR, 15/23 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, double, R, walk (309/386/449)
Greg Halman: 3-5, 2 run HR, 2 R, K
Mike Wilson: 1-3, double, R, 2 RBI, walk, K (270/353/562)
Adam Moore: 1-4, 2 run HR, walk (306/383/475)
Johan Limonta: 2-5, double (303/392/487)
I don't know what's up this series but man has Tennessee beaten the crap out of DIAMOND JAXX pitching. The Smokies racked up 20 more hits today. Here's Ketchner's line of doom:
Groundballs: 9 (plus 2 bunts)
Flyballs: 9 (2 HR)
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 2 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 1
AAA: Salt Lake 9, Tacoma 5
TAC: 41-39... SLK: 49-31
(League: 274/345/435... 4.73 ERA)
Sean White: 7 IP, 6 H, (4 R) 1 ER, walk, 3 K (16 GS, 5.32 ERA, 93 IP, 6 HR, 26/39 BB/K)
Mumba Rivera (!): 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, walk
Jake Woods: one out, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 walks (24 app, 4.97 ERA, 41.2 IP, 6 HR, 16/29 BB/K)
Tracy Thorpe: two outs, walk, 2 K, hit batter (12 app, 7.43 ERA, 13.1 IP, 4 HR, 7/16 BB/K)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-3, double, R, RBI, 2 walks (257/338/391)
Victor Diaz: 1-5, R, RBI, 2 K (298/377/500)
Bryan LaHair: 0-4, walk, 4 K: The Golden Sombrero (254/347/454)
WLAD: 1-5, double, 3 K (237/333/557)
Rob Johnson: 2-3, double, R, RBI, walk (272/338/395)
Prentice Redman: subbed in at LF, 2 run HR (298/366/583)
The Rainiers pounded in three runs in the 1st, an encouraging sign, especially as Sean White cruised through the first 4 innings with only 1 unearned run allowed for a 3-1 lead.
But the Bees got to White in the 5th, pounding away with help from a throwing error at 2nd by... Oswaldo Navarro... to take a 4-3 lead. White lasted 7 innings and was more effective than usual.
Groundballs: 12
Flyballs: 5
Line Drives: 4
Pop Ups: 3
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 3
And the game was still in reach... except the Rainiers hadn't done anything since the 1st by the time the Bees extended the lead to 6-3 in the 8th off the recently promoted Mumba Rivera. But Prentice Redman, fresh off spelling Charlton Jimerson in LF, hit a two run bomb in the bottom 8th to cut the lead to 6-5. The Rainiers managed to load the bases after that, with one out... but Victor Diaz went down on strikes, and Bryan LaHair notched the Golden Sombrero with K #4 to end the threat.
Suitably deflated, the Rainiers let the game get away in the 9th, as Mystic Tan got hit to bring in a run, 7-5 Bees. Mystic Tan then followed an intentional pass with an unintentional walk to load the bases. Tracy Thorpe came in, got a strikeout, then walked home a run, and plunked a batter to force in another run to make it 9-5.