Wladimir Balentien’s first sniff of the major leagues went so poorly earlier this season that the Mariners sent him back to Class AAA Tacoma before his confidence was too severely shaken.
It’s looking like the power-hitting outfielder is back on his game.
Balentien has been on a home-run tear, hitting four in a four-game stretch before he went hitless Monday against Tucson. Entering Tuesday, Balentien had six homers, 14 runs batted in and a .375 average in an eight-game stretch.
It won him the Pacific Coast League player-of-the-week award.
Balentien is batting .260 with 15 homers, 41 RBI and just 32 strikeouts in 173 at-bats this season with the Rainiers.
During his 32-game stint with the Mariners, he hit four home runs, including a couple of blistering shots that displayed his strength. But he also struck out 35 times in 107 at-bats, clearly showing he wasn’t ready.
The Rainiers entered Tuesday 50-52 and in third place in the PCL Pacific North Division.
Third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo had a nine-game hitting streak and catcher Rob Johnson had hit safely in eight straight.
Right-hander Oscar Villarreal pitched a scoreless inning of relief Monday, one day after he joined the Rainiers. The Houston Astros waived him on July 11.
The Rainiers will lose outfielder Mike Saunders on Sunday when the Victoria, B.C., native joins Team Canada for the Olympics in Beijing.
Elsewhere around the Mariners’ minor league system:
Class AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx: Outfielder Brent Johnson entered Tuesday with a 15-game hitting streak, batting .345 during the streak, and catcher Adam Moore had hit safely in 13 of 14 games, with a .373 average during that time. First baseman Marshall Hubbard had reached base in 47 straight games, the second-longest streak in the Southern League this season.
The Diamond Jaxx were 11-19 and last in the five-team North Division, seven games behind first-place Tennessee.
Class A High Desert Mavericks: Shortstop Carlos Truinfel is warming up with the bat, having hit safely in four straight games, three of those multi-hit performances. He hit a grand slam in Monday’s 11-5 victory over Lancaster. Truinfel was batting .258 entering Tuesday, having gone 7-for-14 in his previous four games.
Second baseman Joe Simokaitis, formerly in the Cubs organization and signed by the Mariners early this month, was batting .389 with six extra-base hits and seven RBI in 10 games with the Mavericks.
The Mavericks were 12-19 and last in the five-team California League South second-half standings, 5½ games behind first-place Lancaster.
Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: First baseman Joe Dunigan has turned around his slow start in a big way. He has hit safely in 10 of the past 14 games, eight of them multi-hit games, with a .375 average and five home runs in that period. He’s 8-for-15 in his past four games and is batting .220 for the season.
The Rattlers are 7-23 and last in the eight-team Midwest League Western Division second-half standings, 13½ games behind first-place Peoria. Monday’s 12-6 victory over Beloit gave Wisconsin its first two-game winning streak since June 22-23.
Short-season Class A Pulaski: Catcher Juan Fuentes leads the Appalachian League with a .440 batting average, having hit safely in 22 of 26 games entering Tuesday. Third baseman Guy Welch was batting .373 and shortstop Mario Martinez .341.
Right-hander Andres Esquibel is 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA and one save in eight games, having allowed one run in his past 10 innings.
The Mariners were 22-11 and led the East Division by 3½ games over Danville.
Rookie-level Peoria Mariners: Shortstop Jharmidy De Jesus has 11 multi-hit games and a team-high .349 average, second baseman Cesar Fuentes is batting .321 and outfielder Robert Rodriguez .308.
The Mariners were 9-14 and tied for seventh in the nine-team league, eight games behind the Tempe Angels.
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