Mariners Minor League recap for 4/12/09

A: Clinton and the entire Midwest League had the day off today.

A+: Lancaster 7, High Desert 4
Mavs: 3-1… Jethawks: 1-3

Nathan Adcock: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER (2 HR), 2 walks, 3 K
Travis Mortimore: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Juan Zapata: 1 IP, 3 K
Steven Richard: 1 IP, 1 H, K
Edilio Colina: 1-5, RBI
Alex Liddi: 1-4, solo HR, 2 K
Travis Scott: 1-4, double, K
Joe Dunigan: 2-3, triple, R, RBI, walk, K

Key: Nathan Adcock got rocked in the 3rd with a home run and triple for three runs, then got rocked again in the 6th for three more. His final pitch got taken deep by Brian Pellegrini (2008: 226/331/503 in Class A Lexington) to make it 6-3 Lancaster, and the Jethawks never looked back.

Adcock got his share of groundballs, but he didn’t miss a lot of bats and just gave up too many flyballs for comfort. The home runs were amazing given the wind was blowing in from LF.

Groundballs: 11
Flyballs: 8 (2 HR)
Line Drives: 1
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 3

Lost in this was Alex Liddi’s first Cal League home run off Taiwanese prospect Chia-Jen Lo in the bottom 6th, which one can argue isn’t saying much, but he didn’t have the wind on his side. The Jethawks did get the run back off Travis Mortimore in the 7th.

Juan Zapata deserves a mention for striking out the side on the 8th. More of that is always welcome, Juan.

AA: West Tenn 8, Montgomery 1
WTN: 3-1… MTG: 1-3

Luis Muñoz: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 3 K (63 pitches, 40 strikes)
Nick Hill: 1 IP, 1 H, K (11-8)
Josh Fields: 1 IP, 1 H, walk, K (31-17)
Mumba Rivera: 1 IP, 1 H, K (14-8)
Oswaldo Navarro: 3-5, double, R, RBI
Javier Brito: 2-4, double, R, 2 RBI
Yamid Haad: 1-4, 2 run HR, 2 K
Brent Johnson: 1-2, solo HR, 2 walks
Erick Monzon: 1-2, solo HR, 2 R, 2 walks, SB

Key: A stranger named Yamid Haad hit a 2 run blast in the 2nd for the DIAMOND JAXX, and Luis Muñoz threw six innings of one hit ball to lock down the Biscuits. But the backbreaker came in the 9th, as the DIAMOND JAXX took advantage of a wild Neal Frontz to draw four walks and cash in four more runs to put the game out of reach (and could have scored more had Adam Moore not been thrown out at 3rd after a Javier Brito 2 run single.

Muñoz (129.1 IP, 19 HR, 57 BB, 78 K, 5.98 ERA with three teams in AA and AAA) scattered groundballs, flyballs and strikeouts over six innings. The lone hit he allowed was a leadoff home run by JT Hall (269/355/425 in Vero Beach and Montgomery) in the 5th. Muñoz threw only 63 pitches on a short leash and still gave the DIAMOND JAXX six innings. Can’t ask for more than that.

Groundballs: 8
Flyballs: 7 (1 HR)
Line Drives: 0
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 3

Josh Fields had a vastly improved second pro outing, but he still took 31 pitches to finish his inning of work, putting runners on 1st and 2nd before escaping unharmed. It beats 3-4 runs and several walks, however.

Erick Monzon got the call from extended spring training to replace Carlos Triunfel in West Tenn, and he took advantage, going deep, drawing two walks and stealing a base. If Monzon plays more like this and less like the punchless out machine we’ve seen over the last couple season, he may salvage a career in pro ball yet.

Who is Yamid Haad? This 31 year old Colombian (243/294/370 career) was brought in to back up Adam Moore and maybe get a few starts at 1B, like he got tonight. Now in his 12th season of minor league ball, he’s become a journeyman backup, last seeing consistent playing time in AAA Fresno during 2005 (282/310/491), and even getting 28 ABs with the Giants that year (but only a double and a single). He’s got some pop, as we saw today, and there’s not much of a future for him other than what he’s doing now: backing up Adam Moore. But he’s a solid backup to Moore, and a welcome presence on the bench.

AAA: Tacoma 6, Sacramento 3
TAC: 3-1… SAC: 1-3

Chris Seddon: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 walks, 4 K (85 pitches, 50 strikes)
Eric Hull: 3 IP, 0 H, walk, K (43-26)
Justin Thomas: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 K (22-15)
Prentice Redman: 2-4, R, 2 K
Chris Burke: 3-4, double, 2 run HR, 2 R, walk, K
Mike Carp: 2-3, double, R, 2 walks
Chris Shelton: 2-5, double, R, 2 RBI
Chris Woodward: 1-4, RBI
Jamie Burke: 1-3, double, sac fly RBI

Key: Chris Seddon (152 IP, 23 HR, 69 BB, 126 K, 5.09 in Albany (FLA)) took an early exit thanks in part to a three run 3rd. But Eric Hull pitched into the 8th without allowing a hit, and Chris Shelton’s RBI double helped power a three run 6th to give the Rainiers a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish. Justin Thomas redeemed himself from some early, shaky outings by getting the last five outs (with only one flyball to the outfield) for the save.

After a quiet series, Chris Burke blew up with a double, a 2 run bomb and three hits in all, plus a walk. Mike Carp reached base four times, Prentice Redman had a couple hits and I mentioned Chris Shelton, who had a couple hits in all. The Rainiers take three of four as they head to Fresno for a series with the Grizzlies.