Class A Wisconsin Rattlers: Matt Tuiasosopo wanted to take his parents to dinner when they came to watch him play baseball last week for the Mariners’ Class A team in Appleton, Wis.
The only problem was that Tuiasosopo had barely settled in Appleton himself, having just started his season with the Timber Rattlers. He had no clue where the hot spots are in that town, at least the ones he was willing to share with Mom and Dad.
So Matt took his parents, Manu and Tina Tuiasosopo, to a restaurant he knew they would enjoy, Bret Favre’s Steakhouse in nearby Green Bay.
The football theme works in that family, and it became a trip back in time for Manu Tuiasosopo. He told the Appleton Post-Crescent that he hadn’t been to Green Bay since 1981 when he played in the NFL.
The rest of the Tuiasosopos’ trip was just as tasty, watching their son tear up the Midwest League.
Matt Tuiasosopo, who was still a student at Woodinville High School at this time last year, went into Saturday’s game second in the league with a .438 batting average. He has hit two home runs and driven in 12.
He’s one reason the Timber Rattlers have jumped into first place in the Western Division with an 11-4 record. Last year, they won just nine games in April.
The Rattlers are getting solid pitching, too.
Right-hander Jason Snyder, who made eight starts last year with the Everett AquaSox, is 3-0 with a 2.41 earned run average. Right-hander Aaron Jensen, also a starter for the AquaSox in 2004, is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA.
Left-hander Eric O’Flaherty, of Walla Walla, hasn’t allowed an earned run in six innings of relief.
Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers: The Rainiers finished a disappointing homestand Friday, losing to Sacramento to fall to 7-9 for the season and 31/2 games out of first place in the Pacific Coast League Pacific Division. The Rainiers lost six of eight games at home.
The good news is that outfielder Chris Snelling is healthy and he’s hitting. Snelling, in seven games after coming back from knee surgery, was batting .417 with six RBI.
The bad news is that Snelling was the only Tacoma player batting better than .300. Third baseman Justin Leone was batting .294 with two homers and five RBI.
Nineteen-year-old right-hander Felix Hernandez is 1-2 with a 1.59 earned run average and 17 strikeouts in 17 innings. Right-hander Jorge Campillo was 1-0, 3.20 going into his outing Saturday night.
Right-hander Cha Seung Baek, after going 2-0, 3.75 and winning the PCL pitcher of the week award, landed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained flexor bundle near his elbow.
Class AA San Antonio Missions: Outfielder T.J. Bohn leads the team with a .327 batting average and catcher Rene Rivera is batting .293 for the Missions, who entered Saturday 8-7 and three games behind first-place Midland in the Texas League West.
Right-handed reliever Jeff Harris, a 31-year-old who was signed out of independent ball last year by former M’s scout Charlie Kerfeld, is 2-0 with an 0.93 ERA that is third-lowest in the league.
Left-handed starter Bobby Livingston is 1-1, 2.50 and his 14 strikeouts were third-most in the league.
Class A Inland Empire 66ers: It hasn’t been the best April in San Bernardino, where the 66ers entered Saturday 5-10 and last in the California League South.
Infielder Matt Rogelstad was batting .500 with 13 RBI and outfielder Wladimir Balentien was batting .322 with seven home runs and nine RBI, but also 15 strikeouts.
Infielder Michael Garciaparra was batting .300.
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