On the Farm: Mariners minor league affiliate report for Aug. 17
Salt Lake 11, Tacoma (AAA) 9
SALT LAKE CITY – Eric Young Jr. tripled, doubled and singled, driving in two runs as the Salt Lake Bees (64-61) defeated the Tacoma Rainiers (61-64) 11-9 on Thursday.
Carlos Perez doubled and singled twice with two runs for Salt Lake.
Trailing 7-6 in the sixth, Tacoma went out in front when Taylor Motter hit an RBI double and then scored on a single by Daniel Vogelbach.
After Tacoma added a run in the seventh on a double by Gordon Beckham, the Bees took the lead for good with four runs in the seventh inning. Young Jr. hit an RBI triple, driving in Sherman Johnson en route to the two-run lead.
Manny Banuelos (5-4) got the win in relief while Ernesto Frieri (1-2) took the loss in the Pacific Coast League game. Jason Gurka retired the side in order for his first save of the season.
Motter was a triple short of the cycle, scoring four runs while driving in two for the Rainiers.
Frisco 3, Arkansas (AA) 0
FRISCO, Texas – Jake Diekman and four other pitchers combined for a shutout as the Frisco RoughRiders (52-71) topped the Arkansas Travelers (55-68) 3-0 on Thursday.
Diekman (1-0) went one scoreless inning, striking out two to get the win. Aaron West (0-2) went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits while walking one in the Texas League game. Reed Garrett retired the side in order for his eighth save of the season.
Frisco scored its runs when Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Scott Heineman scored on an error in the fourth inning and Heineman hit an RBI triple in the eighth.
Heineman tripled and singled, driving in a run and also scoring one in the win.
The Travelers were held off the scoreboard for the ninth time this season, while the RoughRiders’ staff recorded their eighth shutout of the year.
Modesto (High-A) 4, Visalia 1
VISALIA, Calif. – Donnie Walton had three hits and three RBI, and Nathan Bannister allowed just two hits over five innings as the Modesto Nuts (66-58) beat the Visalia Rawhide (61-63) 4-1 on Thursday.
Bannister (7-6) picked up the win after he struck out three while allowing one run.
Visalia cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth after Henry Castillo hit a solo home run.
The Nuts extended their lead in the eighth inning when Walton hit a two-run single.
Robbie Ray (0-1) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits in the California League game. He also struck out 11 and walked two. Matthew Festa pitched two scoreless innings for his fifth save of the season.
Clinton (Low-A) 3, Kane County 2
CLINTON, Iowa – Gareth Morgan hit a walk-off solo homer, as the Clinton LumberKings 954-66) beat the Kane County Cougars (67-53) 3-2 on Thursday.
In the top of the fourth, Kane County took the lead on a home run by Ramon Hernandez that scored Marcus Wilson. Clinton answered in the sixth inning when Nick Thurman scored on an error and Yojhan Quevedo hit a sacrifice fly.
Starters Ljay Newsome and Connor Grey both pitched gems in a classic pitchers’ duel. Newsome struck out six while allowing two runs and six hits over seven innings. Grey went seven innings, allowing two runs and five hits while striking out nine.
Jeffeson Medina (5-0) got the win with two innings of scoreless relief while Junior Garcia (2-2) took the loss in the Midwest League game.
Despite the loss, Kane County is 8-4 against Clinton this season.
Everett (Short-A) 6, Tri-City 2
EVERETT, Wash. – David Banuelos drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, leading the Everett AquaSox (29-31) to a 6-2 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils (32-28) on Thursday.
The walk by Banuelos started the scoring in a five-run inning and gave the AquaSox a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Joe Venturino hit a two-run single and then scored on a two-run double by Ronald Rosario.
The AquaSox tacked on another run in the fourth when Eugene Helder hit an RBI single, scoring Chris Torres.
Jose Santiago (2-4) got the win in relief while Tri-City starter Osvaldo Hernandez (2-3) took the loss in the Northwest League game.
Everett improved to 7-3 against Tri-City this season.