Recently in rehabilitation assignment Category

Mavericks right-hander Chris Sorce (6-5) pitched only the fourth nine-inning complete game in the California League this year and the first of his pro career as the Mavericks (8-9 second half) downed the Sixers (5-12) 6-2 before 3,522 on Dan Haren Bobblehead Night at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

Sorce retired the first 13 batters he faced before Casey Haerther doubled with one out in the fifth. He struck out five, and did not walk a batter and allowed only one earned run, on Eric Oliver's leadoff homer in the seventh.

Sixers starter Manuel Flores (8-6) struck out 10 in six innings and was pitching a shutout through five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth. In the sixth, he walked the first two batters and Shaver Hansen followed with a two-run double that broke up the shutout. Flores allowed three runs.

The Quakes, (10-7 second half) snapped a four-game losing streak, scoring all their runs in the first five innings and routed Lancaster 12-3 at Clear Channel Stadium. Jake Lemmerman was 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs, Pedro Guerrero was 3 for 5 and Austin Gallagher was 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs. The Quakes had 16 hits, including one by Dodger catcher Rod Barajas, playing his third game with the team as part of a rehab assignment. Barajas was 1 for 4 on Saturday, and is now 5 for 13 in the three games.

Matt Magill (8-2) allowed three runs on nine hits in six innings for the Quakes.

Bonita HS product Jiovanni Mier was 1 for 4 and his average with Lancaster sits at .225.

When the High Desert Mavericks came to Rancho Cucamonga for a four-game series that began on Wednesday, the Quakes had a chance to put a stranglehold on the first half South Division race. The Quakes led by 5 games with 18 to play. Instead, thanks to the Mavericks winning 3 of 4 (including Saturday's 7-4 win), the Quakes' once formidable lead is down to 3 games with 14 remaining.

The teams are done playing each other for the first half, but the Mavericks hold all the momentum now.

The Quakes' remaining first half schedule beginning today: 3 at Bakersfield (29-27), day off, 4 vs. Visalia (25-30), 3 vs. 66ers (24-32), 4 at Stockton (29-27). The Mavericks' remaining schedule beginning today: 3 vs. 66ers (24-32), day off, 4 vs. Lake Elsinore (25-31),  3 at Stockton (29-27), 4 at Lake Elsinore (25-31).

Meanwhile, the Mavericks will have a deal with a big leaguer for at least one game beginning Sunday: Angels outfielder Vernon Wells, who will begin a rehab assignment with the 66ers as he recovers from a groin strain. Game time in Adelanto is 5:05 p.m. It seems Wells was originally supposed to rehab with Triple-A Salt Lake, but possible bad weather in Reno (where Salt Lake is supposed to play) had the Angels shift his rehab assignment to the Cal League. No word on how many games he's scheduled to play for the 66ers.

After the Quakes made a season-high seven errors (they hadn't made more than 3 in any game during the regular season) leading to four unearned runs in a 5-0 loss to Lake Elsinore in Game 1 of the South Division Finals, Quakes manager Keith Johnson had this to say.

"As bad as it was, there were positives," he said. "They only had one inning where they put up a two spot and it could've been worse. That says something about the compeitiveness of these guys."

"It's a wake-up call. We've been going so good for so long defensively."

Did the importance of the game get to them?

"I don't think so, but we'll know tomorrow (for Game 2)."

Game 2 is Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Lake Elsinore left-hander Juan Oramas (7-3, 3.00) will face Angels right-hander Joel Pineiro (10-7, 4.18 ERA) as part of a rehab assignment with the Quakes. Pineiro hasn't pitched since a July 21 loss at New York. Pineiro has been out with a strained oblique muscle and is scheduled to throw 75-80 pitches.

In what could be considered good news for Quakes fans, Pineiro has had four previous rehab stints (in 2005, 2007, and 2008) during his career, compiling a 2.05 ERA with 16 strikeouts in in 22 innings.

After going 1-for-2 with a walk in his first game of his latest rehab assignment, Manny Ramirez returned for Game 2 in San Bernardino on Thursday.
Ramirez started and played in left field Thursday. He struck out twice and walked, before leaving the game after five innings. He did not appear to be bothered by the sore calf that put him on the DL, but also did look tentative playing left field.

Ramirez is tenatitively expected to play a third game for the 66ers tonight as they wrap up their four-game series with Lake Elsinore at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

The Dodgers said on Tuesday that their oft-injured outfielder, Manny Ramirez will begin yet another rehabilitation assignment with the 66ers on Wednesday. The Sixers are currently hosting Lake Elsinore for a four-game series that runs through Friday before hitting the road.

Ramirez has been out for about a month with a strained right calf, his third stint on the disabled list this season.

In early May, Ramirez played two games for the Sixers at Lake Elsinore, going 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and an RBI. From July 10-12, he played three games in San Bernardino for the Sixers against Lancaster, going 0-for-9 and striking out five times.

Although he served as DH four times in his five previous Cal League rehab games this year, he is expected to play more left field this time. Regardless, fans seemed less enthused this year than last year about Ramirez's appearance, and Ramirez seemed less enthused, too as seen in his performance.

If you want to see a 500-home run hitter in a Cal League ballpark, great. Just don't expect many fireworks.

Last year, he was much more productive for the Sixers, going 3-for-7 in three games with a home run as he returned from suspension.

The 66ers hadn't swept the Lake Elsinore Storm in any series since June 10-12, 2008, and hadn't swept a series at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore since July 31-August 2, 2007.

So despite each pitching staff walking a season-high 11 batters and the Sixers leaving 13 men on base, the Sixers' 10-8 victory over host Lake Elsinore was a thing of beauty for them, giving the Sixers a three-game sweep and a fifth straight win.

It gives the team a lot of momentum heading home for a three-game series against Lancaster. Manny Ramirez is expected to play in a rehabilitation assignment for Saturday's game.

The Sixers snapped a 6-6 tie with four runs in the top of the ninth, the last two of which were unearned against Aaron Breit (2-5). Chris Gutierrez's RBI double snapped the tie, and an insurance run scored on a fielding error by Jesus Lopez on a Brad Ausmus grounder. Two more runs scored to make it 10-6 on a bases-loaded walk by Travis Denker and a sacrifice fly by Pedro Baez, which proved important.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Storm rallied. Allan Dykstra hit a leadoff homer and Jesus Lopez walked before Adam Zornes struck out against Brandon Mann (3-0), who had allowed the tying run to score in the eighth.

Matt Sartor (fifth save) then replaced Mann and allowed an RBI single to Daniel Robertson to make it 10-8, and a double off the wall in right by Cole Figueroa, after Vince Belnome walked for the fourth time in the game to load the bases, Sartor got Cody Decker to pop up and Jaff Decker to fly out to end the game.

It was the second straight crazy win. On Thursday, the Sixers trailed 4-2 entering the ninth, only to score three times to take the lead. Lake Elsinore tied it 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth before Austin Gallagher's sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th gave the Sixers the lead. They had to hold on, however, as the Storm left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th.

Fans of Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez were already expected to be well-represented for Saturday's 66er home game at Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernardino. After all, the Sixers are giving away Ramirez action figures to the first 1,000 fans 12 and under.

But now, Ramirez himself will be in a Sixers uniform for the game.

Ramirez (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment with the 66ers beginning on Saturday, his third such rehab assignment in the last two years.

Ramirez is scheduled to serve as DH for Saturday's game against Lancaster, the opening of a three-game series. He might return to play Sunday and Monday with the team. Both of those games are at home as well.

Earlier this year, Ramirez served a two-game rehab assignment with the Sixers May 4 and 6, going 1-for-4 at Lake Elsinore  He was recovering from a calf injury.

Last year, on June 27-29, Ramirez played three games for the Sixers, as he was returning from a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test. He went 3-for-7 in the three games, homering in his first game, at Lake Elsinore, then playing two games at home against the Quakes.

Also expected to play for the Sixers is Dodgers catcher Brad Ausmus, recovering from a strained back. It would be Ausmus' fourth game of a rehab assignment with the Sixers. He served as DH Wednesday and Friday, and caught Thursday. He is expected to catch Saturday.

After an off-day Wednesday (the last of the first half), both the Quakes and 66ers return home from road trips on Thursday. The Quakes went 5-2 on a seven game road trip to Visalia and San Jose and will play host to Lancaster for a four-game series that starts Thursday.

The 66ers went 2-1 on a brief trip to Lancaster, and return home to host High Desert on Thursday.

In that game, the Sixers are expected to have two Dodgers pitchers making rehabiliation assignments: left-hander George Sherrill and right-hander Vicente Padilla.

Padilla, who hasn't pitched for the Dodgers since April 22, has been on the disabled list with nerve irritation in his throwing arm. He is expected to start Thursday's game for the 66ers. Sherrill (back), who made his first appearance for the Sixers on Tuesday, allowing one run in one inning, is expected to follow Padilla in Thursday's game.

Manny Ramirez IS with the 66ers in Lake Elsinore. He just finished stretching and is about to take batting practice. He is set to bat leadoff and play left field as he rehabilitates from a right calf injury.

He played on Tuesday in the first game of his rehab assignment and was 1-for-3. He originally was expected to play Wednesday and tonight, but he just took batting practice with the Dodgers Wednesday. Undoubtedly there were some fans who showed up Wednesday in Lake Elsinore expecting to see Manny. The Storm promoted it and I could see several Ramirezs jerseys among the crowd. But he is here tonight in what is expected to be his last appearance with the Sixers.

One day after hearing that Dodgers right-hander Jeff Weaver (back) would be rehabilitating with the 66ers in the opener of a three-game series at Lake Elsinore on Tuesday, the team received a bigger piece of news.

Manny Ramirez (right calf), who played for the Sixers last year, is also expected to be playing for the Sixers on Tuesday on a rehab assignment. It's been reported in several places, including Dodgers.com. There is no word yet how long Ramirez's rehab assignment would be, but he's likely not coming to San Bernardino. After three games in Lake Elsinore, the Sixers play four games at Lancaster. The team returns home May 11.

Last year, Ramirez played for the Sixers at the end of his 50-game suspension for failing a drug test. That first game was also at Lake Elsinore, where he went 2-for-2 with a walk and a home run. He then played the next two days in San Bernardino, going 1-for-5 with a walk.

Not too bad for the Storm. Two years in a row, they get a home game with Ramirez rehabbing for the Sixers. Last year, it was on a Saturday, when there was already going to be a big crowd (over 8,000 ended up turning out). This year, it's on a Tuesday, so an otherwise light night will be quite a bit busier.