AAA -- Tacoma 11, Fresno 5  -- Box

The Rainiers busted out of a six-game losing streak in a big way, and it was the big bat of a big guy leading the way:

Rich Poythress (26intheMix): 3-for-5, 2 HR (his eighth and ninth), triple

Hey Bulldog! (He's from Georgia.)  He has a .274 BABIP, which keeps his .257/.344/.459 line from looking as good as is (31 XBH and 35 BB).   But he's still losing ground on the pecking order.

And there was the evidence right in front of him.  Poythress was at DH while Jesus Montero played first.

Montero had two hits and two walks.

And on the mound was a guy in a similar position with Poythress: Blake Beavan.  Probably nothing he does at AAA will keep him from losing ground to the next wave.  Saturday was typical: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K.

AA -- Mississippi 7, Jackson 5 [11 innings]  -- Box

Jack Marder (Talk40 #17) is trying to rescue himself from the hole he dug for himself, but when your first half involves a .559 OPS, that's a lot of digging.  He homered (his third) and singled, but was still pinch-hit-for in the 10th. 

James Jones (Watch List) had three hits.

One of our favorites, Carson Smith (Talk40 #13), blew the save, giving up three walks and a run in the 9th.

High-A -- High Desert 7, Visalia 4 -- Box

You know the drill:  Pow! Pow! Paolini!

Number 18 for the guy from Siena College.

Patrick Brady and Nathan Melendres (Watch List) also went deep.

And quietly making his case in the bullpen is David Colvin (Watch List), who struck out five in 2.0 IP and yielded no runs.  Colvin's ERA is now 2.48 with 2.2 BB/9 and 9.9 K/9.

Low-A -- Great Lakes 4, Clinton 3 -- Box

What is Pike's Peak?  We don't know, but it's looking good for Tyler Pike (Talk40 #14): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Unfortunately, the Loons squeezed a couple of runs off the bullpen to get the win.

The orginal "Tyler Too" -- Tyler Marlette (26intheMix) -- had a double and a single.

Short Season-A -- Everett 8, Boise 7 -- Box

Austin Power! First pro home run for Austin Wilson -- who also had kind of a breakthrough game with a single, a walk and a steal in addition to the the longball. 

And ...

Dutch Master!  Another very promising performance for Lars Huijer: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K.

The Aqua Sox had to scramble to hold on, since the bullpen gave up seven runs after Huijer left the game.

Rookie -- Burlington 6, Pulaski 5 -- Box

One of the "learning curve" games for Luiz Gohara (Talk40 #21): 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K.

But good offense from increasingly noteworthy Jeffrey Zimmerman (3-for-4, triple), and another one of those Tylers, Tyler Smith (3 hits).

Outfielder Wilton Martinez got his fifth home run.

Looking Ahead

Another one of the Tylers -- Tyler Olson -- will pitch for Everett.  Is he Tyler Three or Tyler More?  I don't remember.

Chance Ruffin (Watch List) is set for Tacoma.