Lo has hot hand for High Desert
Published 11:24 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Back for his second season with the Class A High Desert Mavericks, outfielder Kuo Hui Lo is having little trouble with California League pitching this time around.
He was named the league’s player of the week after batting .429 with four home runs in five games last week, including two homers Sunday against San Jose.
Lo, of Taiwan, entered Tuesday’s game at Inland Empire with a six-game hitting streak, batting .462 with four triples, four homers and 12 RBI during the streak. He led the league with six triples and an .811 slugging percentage.
In his fourth season at the Class A level, Lo is batting .340 with 15 RBI. He played 16 games for the Everett AquaSox in 2006 before moving up to low-A Wisconsin, where he played all of 2007 and stole 32 bases. He batted .252 last year in 82 games with High Desert.
The Mavericks entered Tuesday 13-5 and first in the Cal League South Division, four games ahead of Lake Elsinore.
Right-hander Phillippe Aumont, who’s been converted into a closer, has a 0.96 earned run average and two saves in nine relief appearances. He’s allowed three hits in his past seven innings and opponents are hitting .167 off him.
Elsewhere around the Mariners’ minor league system:
CLASS AAA TACOMA RAINIERS
Jeff Clement played his first game at first base Monday night at Colorado Springs as the Mariners explore their options with the left-handed-hitting catcher.
Clement went hitless in that game to end a seven-game hitting streak, but he has rebounded well with the bat after a slow start. After going 1-for-22 to begin the season, Clement has raised his average to .246 with two home runs and seven RBI. In his past eight games, he has batted .371 with six extra-base hits.
First baseman Mike Carp has a .328 average with five homers and 14 RBI.
CLASS AA WEST TENNESSEE DIAMONDJAXX
Shortstop Oswaldo Navarro entered Tuesday batting .340, outfielder Ezequiel Carrera.328 and catcher Adam Moore .306.
Outfielder Greg Halman was batting just .174, but led the team with six home runs and 17 RBI.
Right-hander Mumba Rivera was 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA in eight relief appearances, with 14 strikeouts in 111/3 innings. The DiamondJaxx were 8-10 and third in the Southern League North, two games behind first-place Huntsville.
CLASS A CLINTON LUMBERKINGS
Third baseman Nate Tenbrink was batting .340 and had six hits in seven at-bats entering Tuesday. He has hit safely in 11 of 13 games.
Right-hander Steven Hensley was 3-0 in three starts and hadn’t allowed an earned run in 172/3 innings.
Going into Tuesday’s game, the LumberKings had a 2.55 team ERA, were 9-7 and tied for second in the Midwest League Western Division, three games behind first-place Kane County.
