Apologies: I was AWOL for basically all of Saturday. Pimpin' ain't easy. Thus, you're getting stats for Friday AND Saturday below the jump. I did some research on both days, though, as you'll see. Thanks again to Smith Tavern for letting me occupy a back booth for 2.5 hours while writing this.
- After two solo bombs in Pulaski's 15-3 blowout win over Elizabethton, Kalian Sams leads the Appalachian League with 10 HRs. Granted, he's also one shy of the league lead in strikeouts with 39 (Greeneville's Devon Torrence leads with 40) and his .308 OBP is a large byproduct of this Kingman-like conundrum, where more than half of his 93 ABs have ended with a long ball or a strikeout. Maybe Kalian Sams has an autistic need to end all of his at bats with a walk to the dugout.
- Ryan Feierabend continued his rehab with a full length start in Everett yesterday, allowing 4 runs and a long ball over 6 innings to the always-challenging Salem-Keizer Volcanoes lineup. All but one of the 25 batters Ryan faced put the ball in play.
The Aquasox won that game 5-4 despite getting caught stealing FIVE times.
- How far have the A ballers fallen? Last night's High Desert DH was utility infielder Ogui Diaz (259/290/333).
On the bright side, pitcher Steven Richard is the only High Desert Mav with more than 10 innings on the team to have not allowed a home run this season, quite the feat considering the environment. He has 23.1 IP in 15 appearances, and a 3.86 ERA with 13 walks and 22 K.
- After losing his scoreless innings streak, Shawn Kelley has gone ahead and started another one in West Tenn. Since the fateful end to the streak, he's had four consecutive scoreless appearances to run his current total up to 7.
- All of a sudden, Brodie Downs looks like he may have a future at this whole baseball thing. The only hit he allowed in a 7 inning outing last night came in the 4th inning, as he combined with fellow elder Denny Stark on a 2 hit shutout against the Jacksonville Suns. Downs, the 29 year old surveyor who somehow got drafted by the M's last season, but was struggling as a reliever with meh peripherals and an ERA in the 5's, has not allowed more than 3 runs or posted fewer than 5 innings in any of his 4 starts since getting railroaded into the rotation.
- Too bad I was AWOL much of Saturday, because I'm sure several of you were wondering how JJ Putz's rehab start with Tacoma went on Friday. Actually, it went great, as JJ retired all 5 batters he faced, with a K, 3 groundouts and a flyout. The rest of the game... well, it was going great, especially after the Rainiers followed JJ's 1st rame with a 4 run barrage in the bottom 1st, until PHAT ANDY 22 got hammered in the 6th, and I don't mean with Jack & Cokes or Anchor Stout.
The 5 run barrage turned a 6-0 lead into a 6-5 ballgame, and even after the Rainiers got a run on a bases loaded walk from Victor Diaz in the bottom 6th, the Sidewinders rallied in the 8th off the retreads Randy Messenger and Jason Kershner (with some help from a YIKES AND AWAY throw by Michael Saunders) to tie the ballgame, and in a moment of irony, it was actually Baek Bait himself, Jared Wells, who came in and bailed the Rainiers out to maintain a tie. Neither side managed anything else in regulation and they ground their way through extra frames.
The Sidewinders appeared ready to wrap this up in the 12th, as Tim Raines Jr led off with a triple, and Josh Whitesell eventually sac flied to left to allow Son of Rock to tag up, score and make it 8-7.
But the returning hero, Tug Hulett, came up with one out in the bottom 12th and belted a ball over the RF fence to tie the ballgame back up! WLAD and Craig Wilson looked ready to end it there, singling back to back with two outs, but Michael Saunders tacked another bad moment onto a bad game, swinging and missing strike three to end the frame.
And it proved the Rainiers' undoing. After Tracy Thorpe was spared the loss, he got yanked for Jon Huber, and Hubertime watched Matt Morgan bunt himself on, Don Kelly bunt him over, then uncorked a wild pitch before rendering it all moot by throwing Jeff Salazar a fine suck pitch, which Salazar belted to right for an RBI triple. Trent Oeltjen's flyout to center let Salazar in to make it 10-8.
Rob Johnson did get a lucky single to center to lead off and Luis Valbuena drew a walk to put the tying runs on. Prentice Redman bunted them over for one out... then Tui struck out. Tuglett did draw a walk to load the bases, but Victor Diaz struck out as well to end the ballgame.
That was Friday. Was your Friday as exciting as Mike Curto's and Daren Brown's?
- White Saturday's game wasn't quite as thrilling, the result was much more satisfying for the Rainiers. Sean White allowed 4 runs over 7 innings in a 13-4 blowout win. Jon Huber found some redemption in striking out the side in the 9th, even if the situation had far lower leverage. We also got a Shawn Garrett sighting (he had 3 hits after starting in RF) so clearly he hasn't been dropkicked out the door yet.
Take a look at two days worth of stats, while I head off to LL Softball and try to get some energy after a long, busy weekend.
VENEZUELA~!
Friday: The VSLMs game with the VSL Mets was postponed due to rain.
Saturday: VSL Pirates 8, VSL Mariners 3, 10 innings
VSLMs: 34-21... VSL Bucs: 37-19
(League: 253/335/343... 3.48 ERA)
Nolan Diaz: 5 IP, 8 H, (3 R) 2 ER, walk, 4 K, 2 balks (13 app, 5 GS, 2.72 ERA, 53 IP, 15/34 BB/K)
Kervin Montbrum: 4 IP, 1 H, walk, 3 K (14 app, 4.20 ERA, 30 IP, 22/23 BB/K)
Manuel Campos: 1 IP, 4 H, (5 R) 4 ER, wild pitch, 2 hit batters (16 app, 4.61 ERA, 27.1 IP, 1 HR, 8/20 BB/K)
Mario Yepez: 1-5, 2 RBI, K (330/393/442)
Jetsy Extrano: 2-4, R (269/356/413)
Jorge Agudelo: 2-4 (293/407/347)
Roberto Velasquez: 2-3, R (301/414/372)
Dominican:
Friday: DSL Mariners 13, DSL AthleticsDos 4
DSLMs: 27-12... DSLA2s: 15-17 (League: 235/338/319... 3.71 ERA)
Ambioris Hidalgo: 3 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 walks, 3 K, wild pitch (7 GS +3, 5.40 ERA, 30 IP, 4 HR, 14/26 BB/K)
Jose Perdomo: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, K (6 GS +5, 4.46 ERA, 36.1 IP, 1 HR, 5/23 BB/K)
Enrique Rosario: 1.2 IP, 4 walks, K, 2 wild pitches (9 app, 2.78 ERA, 22.2 IP, 10/27 BB/K)
Fello Yan: 1 IP, 1 H, K (10 app, 5.52 ERA, 14.2 IP, 1 HR, 10/9 BB/K)
Joan Vizcaino: 1 IP, walk
Marbin Beltre: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, walk, SB #11 (275/409/304)
Efrain Nuñez: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 walks, K (292/404/531)
Hector Mercedes: 2-3, 3 R, RBI, 2 walks, K (316/448/520)
Mario Flores: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, walk, K (305/443/495)
Rudy van Heydoorn: 1-2, 2 run HR, 2 R, 3 walks, SB (212/432/341)
Janelfry Zorrilla: 1-3, R, RBI (147/207/213)
The DSLMs had Saturday off.
Rk-AZL:
Friday: Brewers 11, Mariners 10
Nolan Gallagher: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 ER (HR), 3 walks, 3 K, hit batter
Brian Oates: 3 IP, 6 H, (6 R) 5 ER, 5 walks, 4 K, wild pitch
Richard Ortiz: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, (intentional) walk, K (8 app, 1.35 ERA, 13.1 IP, 10/13 BB/K)
Terry Serrano: 3-4, triple, 2 R (272/299/407)
Cesar Fuentes: 2-4, double, R, RBI, walk, K
Alfredo Mateo: 1-3, RBI, 2 walks, 2 K
Randy Molina: 1-4, R, RBI
Joel Mendez: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, K (310/326/368)
Jarrett Burgess: 1-3, R, RBI, walk, K (205/279/256)
Henry Contreras: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, K
Saturday: Mariners 6, Athletics 5
AZLMs: 9-14... AZLAs: 9-13... AZL Brewers: 5-16
(League: 269/350/390... 4.62 ERA)
Kenta Suda: 5 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER, 6 walks, 7 K, wild pitch, hit batter (3 GS +2, 2.66 ERA, 23.2 IP, 1 HR, 15/17 BB/K)
Randy Castillo: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, balk
Colin Buckborough: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, K (7 app, 4.42 ERA, 18.1 IP, 1 HR, 11/16 BB/K)
Cesar Fuentes: 1-3, 2 run HR, 2 R (321/374/440)
Jharmidy De Jesus: 2-3, double, 2 run HR, walk (349/407/566)
Alfredo Mateo: 1-4, solo HR, K (262/379/405)
Robert Rodriguez: 2-4, solo HR, K (308/323/418)
Rk+:
Friday: Elizabethton 9, Pulaski 0
Taylor Lewis: 2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER (HR), 3 walks, 2 K, wild pitch
Jose Rios: 2.2 IP, 4 H, (3 R) 2 ER (HR), 4 K, 2 wild pitches, hit batter (7 app, 3.47 ERA, 23.1 IP, 2 HR, 3/27 BB/K)
Brent Gaphardt: 2.1 IP, K
Stephen Penney: 1 IP, 2 K
Dwight Britton: 1-4, double, K (208/262/377)
rest of PMs lineup: 2-26, 9 K
Saturday: Pulaski 15, Elizabethton 3
PMs: 21-10... ELI: 19-10
(League: 262/333/394... 4.28 ERA)
Fabian Williamson: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER (HR), 2 walks, 8 K (7 GS, 5.57 ERA, 32.1 IP, 6 HR, 14/38 BB/K)
Kyle Brown: 1 IP, walk
Tommy Johannesen-Ellis: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, walk, 2 K, 2 wild pitches (8 app, 7.71 ERA, 11.2 IP, 2 HR, 6/12 BB/K)
Jordan Alvis: 1 IP, 2 walks, K
Deybis Benitez: 3-6, double, solo HR, 2 R, 3 RBI (304/340/478)
Mario Martinez: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, K (351/387/509)
Juan Fuentes: 2-5, 2 R, sac fly RBI, walk (451/500/610)
Jose Rivero: 0-3, 2 sac fly RBI, K (303/381/444)
Kalian Sams: 2-5, solo HR, solo HR, 2 K (226/308/602)
Guy Welsh: 3-5, double, 2 R, K (377/452/492)
Tommy Johnson: 4-5, 2 doubles, 3 R, K (395/435/512)
A-:
Friday: Everett 4, Salem-Keizer 2
Kenn Kasparek: 5 IP, 2 H, (2 R) 0 ER, walk, 5 K
Javier Martinez: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 walks, 2 K, hit batter (11 app, 6.17 ERA, 11.2 IP, 1 HR, 11/10 BB/K)
Matt Renfree: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, K (12 app, 2.35 ERA, 23 IP, 1 HR, 9/25 BB/K)
Bennett Billingsley: 1-4, RBI (270/337/446)
Luis Nuñez: 3-5, R, K (327/330/398)
Kevin Reynolds: 2-5, double, R, RBI (360/413/477)
Brandon Fromm: 1-3, double, RBI, K
Saturday: Everett 5, Salem-Keizer 4
EVE: 15-17... S-K: 16-16
(League: 257/346/367... 4.25 ERA)
Ryan Feierabend: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER (HR), K, wild pitch
Mark Pettis: 2 IP, 1 H, 4 K (8 app, 4.38 ERA, 12.1 IP, 10/12 BB/K)
Doug Salinas: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K (9 app, 5.13 ERA, 26.1 IP, 1 HR, 13/25 BB/K)
Brandon Fromm: 1-4, triple, 3 RBI (309/352/439)
Travis Howell: 3-4 (342/465/430)
Nate Tenbrink: 3-4, double, R, K (237/333/377)
Tyson Gillies: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, K (309/371/400)
Anthony Phillips: 1-3, double, R, walk, K
A:
Friday: South Bend 2, Wisconsin 1
Michael Pineda: 6.1 IP, 5 H, (2 R) 1 ER, walk, 4 K (13 GS +5, 2.16 ERA, 87.1 IP, 5 HR, 29/69 BB/K)
Joe Kantakevich: 1 IP, 2 H
Jose Escalona: 1.2 IP, K (23 app, 5.74 ERA, 26.2 IP, 5 HR, 16/28 BB/K)
Denny Almonte: 1-4, RBI, 2 K (267/312/443)
Alex Liddi: 1-4, triple, K (231/297/344)
Joe Dunigan: 2-3, double, walk (209/273/377)
Saturday: Beloit 7, Wisconsin 2
WIS: 5-23... BEL: 17-11... SB: 18-11
(League: 251/323/373... 3.68 ERA)
Brett Lorin: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 5 K
Keith Meyer: one out, 3 H, 3 ER, K, 2 hit batters (29 app, 4.79 ERA, 41.1 IP, 4 HR, 21/43 BB/K)
Natividad Dilone: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 walks, K, balk (12 app, 7.07 ERA, 14 IP, 2 HR, 10/11 BB/K)
Jeff Dunbar: 1 IP, 1 H
Ronald Garth: 1-3, RBI, K (268/325/409)
rest of T-Rats lineup: 4-27, 3 walks, 9 K
A+:
Friday: Rancho Cucamonga 7, High Desert 0
Jose Jimenez: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER (2 HR), walk, 3 K, hit batter
Justin Souza: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K, hit batter
Steven Richard: 1 IP, K
Julio Santiago: 1 IP, walk, K (29 app, 5.53 ERA, 42.1 IP, 2 HR, 27/34 BB/K)
Aaron Cotter: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, K (38 app, 3.42 ERA, 47.1 IP, 4 HR, 13/43 BB/K)
Mavs lineup: 6-37, 5 K. No one had more than a single, not even Joe Simokaitis, who is absolutely tickled about his futility.
Saturday: Lancaster 9, High Desert 7
Mavs: 11-18... Jethawks: 16-12... Quakes: 15-13
(League: 272/342/410... 4.55 ERA)
Travis Mortimore: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER (2 HR), 4 walks, 4 K (4 GS +2, 5.64 ERA, 22.1 IP, 5 HR, 15/17 BB/K)
Michael Wagner: 1 IP, 1 H, walk (36 app, 4.96 ERA, 45.1 IP, 1 HR, 16/37 BB/K)
Bryan Harris: one out, 5 H, 5 ER (3 HR) (25 app, 7.55 ERA, 31 IP, 9 HR, 6/22 BB/K)
Nick Hill: 1.1 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER, K (20 app, 10 GS, 4.50 ERA, 72 IP, 9 HR, 25/55 BB/K)
Steven Richard: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K (15 app, 3.86 ERA, 23.1 IP, 13/22 BB/K)
Carlos Triunfel: 2-5, R, RBI, K (249/304/336)
Chris Minaker: 2-5, R, 2 K (291/321/444)
Kuo Hui Lo: 3-5, solo HR, some other RBI, K (250/309/398)
Geraldo Valentin: 3-5, double, R, 3 RBI, SB
Gavin Dickey: 1-4, RBI
Ogui Diaz: 3-4, double, R, SB (259/290/333)
AA:
Friday: West Tenn 4, Jacksonville 2
Travis Chick: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 walks, 4 K (24 app, 8 GS, 4.27 ERA, 78 IP, 5 HR, 38/61 BB/K)
Jason Mackintosh: 2 IP, 2 walks, K (31 app, 2.72 ERA, 43 IP, 1 HR, 10/23 BB/K)
Shawn Kelley: 1.1 IP, 2 K (16 app, 0.41 ERA, 22 IP, 10/21 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, double, R
Greg Halman: 1-3, double, R, walk, K
Johan Limonta: 3-4, 2 doubles, R, 2 RBI
Jeff Dominguez: sac fly RBI, walk (208/273/267)
Saturday: West Tenn 2, Jacksonville 0
WTN: 11-18... JAX: 12-17
(League: 262/340/396... 4.17 ERA)
Brodie Downs: 7 IP, 1 H, 2 walks, 2 K, hit batter (31 app, 4 GS, 3.73 ERA, 70 IP, 3 HR, 32/44 BB/K)
Denny Stark: 2 IP, 1 H, walk, 2 K (8 GS +2, 4.67 ERA, 34.2 IP, 2 HR, 19/18 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-3, triple, R, walk, K (317/399/459)
Greg Halman: 1-4, RBI, K (277/314/500)
Johan Limonta: 2-4, triple, R (306/387/536)
Mike Wilson: 2-4, RBI, K, 2 SB (279/376/551)
Matt Mangini: 2-3 (227/261/250)
AAA:
Friday: Tucson 10, Tacoma 8, 13 innings
JJ Putz: 1.2 IP, K
Andrew Baldwin: 3.2 IP, 8 H, (5 R) 4 ER (HR), 2 K (14 GS +7, 5.57 ERA, 93.2 IP, 8 HR, 30/52 BB/K)
Randy Messenger: 1.2 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER, K (32 app, 4.60 ERA, 45 IP, 4 HR, 13/33 BB/K)
Jason Kershner: one out, 2 H, K
Jared Baek Bait Wells: 1.2 IP, K (38 app, 5.40 ERA, 40 IP, 1 HR, 21/37 BB/K)
Tracy Thorpe: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, walk, 3 K (18 app, 9.53 ERA, 22.2 IP, 9 HR, 13/24 BB/K)
Jon Huber: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, K, wild pitch
Prentice Redman: 1-6, double, R, walk, K, SB (317/371/567)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-7, double, R, RBI, 3 K
Tug Hulett: 3-7, solo HR, walk, SB (300/380/509)
Victor Diaz: 2-7, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, walk, 3 K, SB
WLAD: 3-6, 2 run HR, 2 R, walk, K, SB
Craig Wilson: 2-4, double, 2 RBI, 2 walks
Rob Johnson: 2-6, R, walk, K
Saturday: Tacoma 13, Tucson 4
TAC: 49-51... TUC: 41-60
(League: 275/346/439... 4.78 ERA)
Sean White: 7 IP, 9 H, 4 ER (HR), 3 walks, 3 K (20 GS, 5.21 ERA, 121 IP, 10 HR, 40/49 BB/K)
Jake Woods: 1 IP, 2 H, walk, K (29 app, 4.53 ERA, 53.2 IP, 6 HR, 26/42 BB/K)
Jon Huber: 1 IP, 3 K (37 app, 7.55 ERA, 47.2 IP, 3 HR, 17/35 BB/K)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, walk, K (267/355/407)
WLAD: 3-3, solo HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 walks (257/354/575)
Victor Diaz: 2-5, 3 run HR, some other RBI, 3 K (285/367/508)
Shawn Garrett: 3-5, 2 R, double, 2 RBI, K (284/316/419)
Rob Johnson: 2-5, 2 doubles, R, 2 RBI, K (283/351/428)