| 09 April 2010
Colorado Springs 0 (COL 0), Tacoma 4
One thing I was interested in seeing coming out of spring training was whether or not LHP Luke French (0.00, W) would be able to keep up the 2:1 groundball tendencies he showed in camp. In this game, he did not, with four groundballs to five flies. And you know what? I don't care, because he went six innings, allowed just four hits and a walk, and struck out seven. Seven! That's like most other pitchers striking out ten or more. RHP Chad Cordero (0.00) also impressed, which kind of makes me curious now, seeing as how he struck out three and got the other three outs on the ground in his two frames of work. RHP Mike Koplove (0.00) turned in an uneventful ninth to end the game.
The strength was not so much the offense so much as the Sky Sox' lack thereof, but the few hits were generally productive, so to go over the important notes, 1B Mike Carp (HR, RBI, .167) had a home run and a walk, SS Josh Wilson (3B, RBI, .143) tripled, 3B Matt Mangini (2B, R, .125) doubled, and DH Tommy Everidge (.500) had a single and a walk, while RF Gregory Halman (R, SB, .000) and C Josh Bard (.000) both drew two walks. Two walks and no strikeouts for Halman in this game also means that he's now drawn an even K/BB on the year of 3/3. As a corollary, it also means that your whole life and everything you previously held to be true is nothing more than a filthy, filthy lie. Good luck sorting that one out, champ.
West Tenn 16, Jacksonville 8 (FLA - 2)
Lt. LHP Nick Hill (32.40) was not so hot starting things out Friday night, giving up six runs on six hits (HR), three walks, and three Ks to open things. Following him, RHP Aaron Jensen (0.00) managed to keep things mostly under control, allowing just an unearned run to score after four hits and a walk. LHP Robert Rohrbaugh (0.00, W) wasn't perfect in his first game in the better part of a year, but he was pretty good, and gave the offense the opportunity to come back, pitching three innings and allowing one hits while throwing a wild pitch, walking three and striking out three. LHP Edward Paredes (5.40) had some trouble in the next inning and two-thirds, giving up a run on three hits and three Ks, but RHP Josh Fields (0.00) managed to escaped unscathed after walking two and striking out one in the ninth.
It is really great when a team scores twice as many runs as their opponent. It is even more great if that takes them into double-digits and involves everyone in the lineup getting a hit and three home runs total, one each off the bats of DH Mike Wilson (2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, SB, .429), who went 2-for-3 with two walks, C Guillermo Quiroz (HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .500), who was 1-for-4 with one walk, and 3B Alex Liddi (HR, 2 RBI, .333), who was 2-for-5. If you were to tell me on opening day that the Wilson and Quiroz were going to be tied for the league lead in home runs with two apiece after Friday, I would have laughed at you, and then, today, slowly backed away, wide-eyed and presuming you to be some kind of witch. 1B Johan Limonta (2B, 3 R, RBI, .273) and RF Carlos Peguero (2B, 2 R, RBI, CS, .625) both had three hits, with Peguero adding a walk (I'm not going to call him Peggy. Ever.), LF Joe Dunigan (R, RBI, .250) had two singles, and 2B Dustin Ackley (2 R, SB, E, .111) and SS Carlos Triunfel (2 R, E, .200) both had a hit and a walk, and an error, I guess. Liddi and Dunigan both had bases-loaded singles late in the game that kept the bases loaded, and while not especially productive, those are my favorite kind of singles!
High Desert 8, Lake Elsinore 2 (SD 0)
RHP Kenn Kasparek (0.00) had a start that I don't rightly know quite how to put into words, but to make an attempt, he went six innings and allowed an unearned run to score on three hits, a hit batter, a wild pitch, and a walk, and he didn't strike out anyone. So, I guess it's not words that I'm lacking here so much as adjectivew. This needs some kind of adjective, and not one of those dime-a-dozen ones either. RHP Luis Munoz (0.00, W) pitched the next two innings, and also gave up an unearned run after three hits and a walk, but he had two Ks. RHP Marwin Vega (0.00), who probably isn't the closer but might be anyway, got through the ninth without incident.
What's funny about this particular game is that up to the eighth inning, the offense had only reached on three singles, a walk, and two throwing errors and was looking perfectly dreadful, but then there was a single, and a walk, and another single to load the bases, and SS Juan Diaz (3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, .111) promptly cleared that with a triple and everyone abruptly learned how to score runs again. It took them eight batters to record an out that inning. It's too early to start a Free Juan Diaz campaign, but mark my words, it will happen at some point, probably as a follow-up to a Free Ackley or Free Triunfel movement. DH Nate Tenbrink (2B, R, .333) and CF Denny Almonte (3 RBI, .444) both ended up with three hits, 1B Rich Poythress (HR, 2 RBI, .222) hit his first of many home runs this year, which scored Diaz, and 2B Kyle Seager (R, .500) and C Trevor Coleman (.500) both had a single and a walk, setting up the Diaz triple. After, of course, Coleman was pulled for a pinch runner. Don't anyone go getting confused on me.
Peoria 4 (CHC 0), Clinton 5
I would call the start LHP Anthony Vazquez (0.00, PO) put together pretty impressive, as he pitched five strong innings letting an unearned run score on for hits, a walk, and six Ks. LHP Jose Jimenez (6.75) came in next, and struggled a bit, as the defense behind him didn't quite hold up and he allowed three runs (one earned) to score on three hits and a K in the next inning and a third. LHP Brian Moran (0.00) scored one of those, not for lack of effort on his part, as he allow just one hit and a wild pitch in two and a third innings. RHP Daniel Cooper (0.00, W) got the final out, and the win too, because yaaaaaaaaaaaay walk-off!
The gameball would go to RF Kalian Sams (2B, HR, 2 RBI, E, .375) for that walk-off bomb that won the game, with no outs in the ninth. CF Daniel Carroll (HR, 2 RBI, .250) also hit a home run, which perhaps is an indication that his wrists are okay? DH Vinnie Catricala (R, .333) had a hit and two walks, which is pretty cool. Baron had a throwing error and two passed balls which is what?
Saturday's Games:
Tacoma: RHP Steven Shell, in Tacoma, @ 7:00 pm PDT
West Tenn: RHP Steven Hensley, at Jacksonville, @ 4:00 pm PDT
High Desert: RHP Maikel Cleto, at Lake Elsinore, @ 7:05 pm PDT
Clinton: RHP Tyler Blandford, in Clinton, @ 4:30 pm PDT
Organization Record:
Tacoma Rainiers: 1-1, T-1st in PCL Pacific Northern
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx: 2-0, T-1st in SL North
High Desert Mavericks: 1-1, T-1st in CAL South
Clinton Lumberkings: 1-1, 0.5 GB in MWL Western
Overall Record: 5-3, .625
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