These are high times at High Desert, where the Seattle Mariners’ Class A affiliate has all but clinched the first-half title in the California League South Division.
The Mavericks went into Tuesday’s game against Rancho Cucamonga with a 41-23 record and a five-game lead over Lake Elsinore with six to play in the first-half schedule. It would be the first time the Mavericks have won a first-half title since 1993.
The Mavericks have done it with something their parent Mariners would love: consistent hitting.
High Desert ranks first in the league in most offensive categories, including team average at .299 and home runs at 85, and the lineup features several who are among the top individual hitters.
First baseman Joe Dunigan is second in the league with a .345 average and his 56 RBI are second only to his High Desert teammate, third baseman Alex Liddi, who has 57 RBI.
Liddi, shortstop Juan Diaz and center fielder Tyson Gillies each were hitting .332 and tied for fourth in the league, and Liddi’s 15 home runs were third in the league.
Gillies hit two home runs Sunday against Lancaster, giving him four this season, and he batted .483 in six games entering Tuesday.
DH Carlos Peguero’s 13 home runs ranked fourth in the league, and left fielder James McOwen entered Tuesday with a 26-game hitting streak. McOwen was batting .312 with eight doubles and 35 RBI.
Dunigan, Liddi, Diaz and catcher Travis Scott will represent the Mavericks in the California League-Carolina League All-Star game next Tuesday in Lake Elsinore. Scott was batting .317 with 10 homers and 29 RBI.
Right-hander Donald Hume was 7-3 with a 4.48 earned run average in 13 starts and closer Phillippe Aumont ranked third in the league with 11 saves. Aumont had a 3.06 ERA.
Elsewhere around the Mariners’ minor league system:
Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers
The Rainiers have four hitters with averages at .300 or better and six who are producing consistently.
Third baseman Mike Morse entered Tuesday with a .318 average, seven homers and 45 RBI; outfielder Prentice Redman a .316 average, 10 homers and 18 doubles (tied for ninth in the Pacific Coast League); third baseman Chris Shelton .314, 18 doubles and a team-high 47 RBI; and first baseman Mike Carp .300 with 10 homers and 36 walks (tied for sixth in the PCL). DH Jeff Clement was batting .285 with seven homers and 18 doubles (tied with Redman and Shelton for ninth in the league) and left fielder Brian LaHair was batting .275 with 12 home runs.
Right-hander Randy Messenger was tied for third in the league with 12 saves. He had a 1.67 ERA in 27 appearances.
The Rainiers were 33-31 and 3½ games behind Salt Lake in the PCL Pacific North Division.
Class AA West Tennessee DiamondJaxx
First baseman Marshall Hubbard batted .500 with a Southern League-leading .615 on-base percentage in six games last week and was named the league’s hitter of the week. He had six extra-base hits, including three home runs to give him eight this season Hubbard has 32 RBI for the season.
Outfielder Greg Halman entered Tuesday second in the league with 13 home runs, although he also had a league-leading 101 strikeouts — and only 14 walks — and was batting .183.
Right-hander Justin Souza was 4-6 with a 3.40 ERA and his 48 strikeouts were tied for ninth in the league.
Right-hander Kyle Parker, of Yakima and the University of Washington, won two of his past three decisions and is 3-3 with a 3.84 ERA in 12 starts. No DiamondJaxx starter had a record better than .500.
Josh Fields, last year’s first-round draft pick by the Mariners, hadn’t allowed a hit or run in his past three relief appearances, covering four innings. He was 3-0 with a 3.48 ERA and had pitched six times since being shut down in early May because of a tired arm.
The DiamondJaxx were 25-40 and last in the North Division, 13 games behind first-place Huntsville.
Class A Clinton LumberKings
Eight players will represent the LumberKings on the West Division squad at the Midwest League All-Star game next Tuesday at Clinton — outfielder Denny Almonte, first baseman Nate Tenbrink, shortstop Terry Serrano, DH Scott Savastano, DH Kris Sanchez, right-hander Brett Lorin, right-hander Aaron Pribanic and closer Ruben Flores.
Almonte, whose 11 homers were tied for third in the league, will start in the outfield. His 39 RBI were tied for ninth. Tenbrink was batting .286 with five home runs and 32 RBI; Serrano .236 with 15 steals; Savastano .305 and Sanchez .318.
Pribanic has gone 4-1 in his past six starts and is 6-2, with a 2.25, the third-lowest ERA in the league. Lorin is 4-3 and was fourth in the league with a 2.41 ERA in 13 starts. Flores had 11 saves and 40 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings. The Clinton pitching staff led the league with a 3.16 team ERA.
Center fielder Maximo Mendez was tied for first in the league with eight triples, and his 19 steals tied him for 10th.
LumberKings manager Scott Steinmann, pitching coach Lance Painter and hitting coach Jesus Azuaje will comprise the West staff for the all-star game.
Clinton was 37-27 and tied for second in the West standings, one game behind Kane County. Entering Tuesday’s game at Beloit, the LumberKings had won nine of 10 games.
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