Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers: With so many of the Rainiers’ regulars now in Seattle, what’s left in Tacoma? Plenty, although the Rainiers’ lead in the Pacific Coast League North dwindled to two games over Edmonton entering the weekend.
Outfielder Jeremy Reed, acquired from the White Sox in the Freddy Garcia trade, was batting .333 with one homer and five RBI in his first 42 at-bats; third baseman Greg Dobbs was at .333 with three homers and 13 RBI after being called up from Class AA San Antonio; outfielder Jamal Strong was hitting .303 with two homers, 22 RBI and 13 steals; and first baseman A.J. Zapp was batting .305 with 18 homers and 64 RBI, but a team-high 109 strikeouts.
Dobbs has hit safely in 18 of the 23 games since he arrived in Tacoma, with 11 multi-hit games.
Right-handed pitcher Gil Meche, who started the season in the Mariners’ rotation, struggled in his last start Thursday, allowing seven hits, three home runs and nine runs in four innings against Fresno. Meche is 1-2 with a 5.20 earned run average and 21 walks in 45 innings.
Class AA San Antonio Missions: Outfielder Shin-soo Choo entered the weekend batting .299 and ranked fourth in the Texas League with 22 steals. Outfielder T.J. Bohn was hitting .333, infielder Hunter Brown .297 and first baseman John Lindsey .295 with a team-high 13 home runs.
Right-hander Felix Hernandez, a 19-year-old who started the season at Class A Inland Empire, is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA after three starts, with 18 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 innings.
Right-hander Rick Guttormson’s 16 saves ranked third in the Texas League. Aaron Taylor, continuing his comeback from shoulder surgery last fall, is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA.
The Missions are 15-8 in the second half of the season and lead Round Rock by four games in the Texas League West.
Class A Inland Empire 66ers: Third baseman Jesus Guzman entered the weekend hitting .370 in July with 10 runs, six doubles, a triple and seven RBI. Outfielder Carlos Arroyo’s .321 average ranked seventh in the California League, and outfielder Garry Harris’ 12 triples led the league.
Outfielder Jon Nelson was hitting .294 with 11 homers and 57 RBI, and his 19 steals tied Harris for the team lead.
Left-hander Bobby Livingston, 8-4, led the league with 1262/3 innings, and his 3.69 ERA ranked seventh. Lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith, 4-2, was eighth with a 3.73 ERA.
The 66ers entered the weekend series at Lancaster 10-12 and four games out of first place in the South Division second-half standings.
Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: Right-hander Thomas Oldham pitched his first professional complete game Thursday in a 9-2 victory over Cedar Rapids. He’s 6-4 with a 2.83 ERA and ranks third in the Midwest League with 116 strikeouts.
Outfielder Chris Colton entered the weekend with a league-leading nine triples, with outfielder Josh Womack second with eight.
Right-handed closer Brian Stitt has 16 saves and 45 strikeouts in 452/3 innings.
Rookie Peoria Mariners: Matt Tuiasosopo, the Mariners’ first draft pick who chose baseball over football, is making it look like a wise decision. He hit safely in his first five games, including a home run in his first pro at-bat. He was hitting .533 with two home runs and five RBI in 15 at-bats.
Outfielder Jaimie Bubela, who is rehabbing an injured knee, was batting .343 (eighth best in the Arizona League) with two home runs and 13 RBI.
The Mariners were hitting .305 as a team, second in the league, and their 12-8 record left them one game out of first place.
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