The losing continued last night, with all four minor league affiliates dropping their openers. The Mariners as an organization are now 0-7 in 2004. Good times.
Tacoma lost 9-8 in 12 innings on a Chad Tracy home run off Craig Anderson. Starter Bobby Madritsch pitched decently, striking out five through five innings, but the bullpen struggled. The offensive star was Bucky Jacobson, who went 3-6 with a home run and five driven in.
San Antonio also felt 9-8, again due to a bullpen implosion. Starter Troy Cate gave up 3 runs in 4 innings, but Jared Hoerman got the loss by allowing 3 runs in the 9th after Emiliano Fruto had given up two in the 8th. Greg Jacobs went 2-3 with a home run, a double, and a walk to pace the offense.
Inland Empire lost 1-0 to Lancaster after Cesar Jimenez balked in the winning run. Bobby Livingston pitched 8 shutout innings, giving up just two hits (one an infield single) and no walks while striking out three. On a night where the team got four hits and no runs, there were no offensive stars. Felix Hernandez takes the mound for IE tonight, the day after his 18th birthday.
Wisconsin fell 5-1 as the bullpen implosions continued. Tom Oldham went 4 shutout innings to start, but Nibaldo Acosta gave up 2 unearned runs, followed by Eric O’Flaherty giving up a run, and finally Kenly Chang giving up two more in his inning of work. The team managed just six hits, with Chris Colton accounting for the one run with a solo home run in the second inning.