For those who do not follow baseball on a regular basis, there is one fact that you should be made aware of -- the Double-A Texas League has some very high-scoring games.

The eight-team league has seen its teams reach double-digits in runs on 35 occasions already this season. Fourteen runs or more have been scored by a team three times, including the Wichita Wranglers' 19-2 pounding of the Tulsa Drillers on May 22.

The amazing feat about Wichita's game is that it scored 14 runs in the third inning alone, an inning that set four records and tied another.

But for all its accolades, the inning still didn't set the league mark for most runs in a single inning.

In the third inning, Wichita tied the league record for most hits in an inning with 13, last done by El Paso on May 5, 1983. However, Wichita was able to establish a new mark with 10 singles during the frame, led by four players with two base hits apiece.

All told, a league-record five players had two hits during the inning. Third baseman Richard Paz, designated hitter Shane Monahan, first baseman Chan Perry, outfielder Brian Shackelford and shortstop Felix Martinez each had multiple-hit innings for the Wranglers.

Wichita had 16 straight players reach base, shattering the old mark of 13 consecutive players reaching base in an inning, set by Beaumont back on July 21, 1940 when it had 13 players reach consecutively during the third inning against San Antonio.

The Wranglers also had 14 players in a row score runs, breaking the previous record of 11. That had been established by El Paso on two separate occasions. The Diablos had 11 runners score in the second inning versus Midland on May 5, 1983 and against Wichita on May 7, 1999.

Harris single handedly tied a league record when came to the plate three times during the inning. Harris joined Waco's Gene Rye and Gene Molesworth as the only players in league history to make three trips to the plate during the same inning.

Unfortunately for Harris, who made two of the three outs and also singled, his inning did not quite match that of Rye's against Beaumont back on August 6, 1930.

In Rye's three trips to the plate during an 18-run eighth inning, he started with a solo home run, added a three-run homer and capped the frame with a grand slam. That's three homers and eight RBI in three trips to the plate in the same inning in Waco's 20-7 rout.

The 14-run frame by Wichita equaled the third-highest scoring inning in league history. Wichita scored 14 runs in the second inning against Arkansas on July 30, 1995 in a 22-10 win. Waco used it's 18-run eighth during its 20-7 win.

The all-time record for most runs in an inning belongs to Fort Worth, which scored 19 runs in the fourth inning of its 31-4 victory over Galveston back on June 29, 1896.

For one more night in the Texas League, a 105-year and 11-month record still stands.

Long Time Coming
Double-A right-hander Gerardo Garcia threw Orlando's first nine-inning no-hitter in 24 years on May 22 as the Rays blanked the Tennessee Smokies, 2-0.

Garcia, who retired the first 12 batters, recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and fanned the side in the fourth inning. He walked two and threw 112 pitches.

The 22-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as an undrafted free agent in January 1999, was released 18 months later and re-signed with the team in the off season after two seasons with the Mexico City Tigres.

Garcia, whose longest previous outing this season was a five-inning relief appearance last week, picked up his first Class AA win as a starter.

It was the first nine-inning no-hitter for Orlando since Terrence Sheehan tossed one against Savannah on May 26, 1978. The Smokies were no-hit for the first time since 1993.

Down, But Not Out
Two outs, nobody on base and down by six runs on the road. Most teams would have packed it in, taken their lumps and headed back to the hotel with the thoughts of winning the next three games of the four-game set.

Not Portland of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. The Beavers rallied for eight runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, posting a 12-10 victory over the Las Vegas 51s back on May 16.

After a pair of flyouts to open the inning, pinch-hitter Adan Amezcua singled into left field. Second baseman Jake Thrower followed with a base hit to left and outfielder Kory DeHaan reached on an infield single to load the bases.

Shortstop Julius Matos then stroked a two-run single into right-center field and the rally was on. First baseman Kevin Baker followed with a two-run double and scored on an RBI single by outfielder Scott Morgan, bringing the Beavers to within one at 10-9.

Catcher Wil Nieves had a base hit, putting runners on first and second, and outfielder Al Benjamin tied the game with an RBI single. Third baseman Shane Hopper snapped the tie with a two-run double into right field, giving Portland its first lead of the game.

The Beavers, who pounded out a season-high 19 hits, had 10 consecutive batters reach during the inning but just two extra-base hits.

Not Pretty
The Expression, "The Road was Unkind" is too nice of a way to describe the disaster that has come to be known as the Bowie Baysox away from Prince George's Stadium.

Bowie lost its 27th consecutive road game with a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Norwich Navigators on May 23. The Baysox, who closed the 2001 campaign with six straight setbacks on the road, fell to 0-21 away from home this season.

The longest road losing streak on record in all of baseball was by the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics, who dropped 22 consecutive games on the road in the major leagues.

So far this season, Bowie has dropped nine road games by just one run. Of those nine games decided by one run, the Baysox were either tied or held the lead heading into the bottom half of the eventual decisive inning on six occasions. They have given up 11 total runs in the last half-inning, combined, in those nine games.

Bowie has now been outscored 141-49 away from Prince George's Stadium this year.

Back on Track
Right-hander Taylor Buchholz recorded the fourth shutout of his brief pro career as the Clearwater Phillies blanked the Vero Beach Dodgers, 2-0, on May 21.

Buchholz, who retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced, allowed five hits and struck out eight to improve to 3-4 with a 4.34 ERA in 10 starts.

"It was the first time all season that I felt I could throw any pitch where I wanted to for strikes," Buchholz said the day after his outing. "I have been kind of inconsistent this season but (Tuesday) night, everything felt fine."

The 20-year-old had not gone longer than seven innings in any of his previous nine starts and had given up five runs or more in his three prior starts.

"I use my curveball as my out pitch, and I haven't been able to throw it for strikes lately," Buchholz said. "If you can't get it over, hitters aren't going to chase it."

It was the first time all season that the Phillies' 2000 sixth-round pick did not issue a walk. He loaded the bases on three straight singles in the seventh inning but recorded a flyout to right field, ending the threat.

Buchholz recorded three shutouts for Lakewood of the Class a South Atlantic League last season, including a pair in consecutive outings. The 2001 campaign was his first full season as a pro.

It Starts with your Starters
Starting pitching is everything in baseball, and no team is proving this point more during the month of May than the Stockton Ports of the Class A California League.

Stockton has used six different starters in 20 games this month. Through May 23, righthanders Josh Hall, Dustin Moseley, Ryan Mottle and Steve Kelly and lefties John Koronka and Ryan Snare had combined to go 14-1 with a 2.48 ERA and five no-decisions for the month.

Removing Koronka's start against Lancaster on May 3 in which he was tagged for 10 runs in five innings of work -- but still got the win -- the ERA of the Ports' six starters drops to a miniscule 1.88 for the month.

So far in May, Stockton's starters have pitched two complete games, including a complete-game shutout (Moseley on May 10 versus San Bernardino), gone eight innings or more on five occasions and worked into the seventh in 11 of the 20 outings. No starter has gone less than five innings.

The Ports are second in all of minor league baseball with a 34-12 record and lead the league with a 2.89 ERA. Koronka's nine wins lead the minors.

Minor League Highlights
Beloit (Class A Midwest League) first baseman Brad Nelson went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs for the second time in his last six games to lead the Snappers past Kane County, 9-8, on May 16. The 19-year-old doubled home a run in the first inning, laced a run-scoring single in the third, belted a two-run homer in the seventh and launched the game-winning blast in the bottom of the ninth to give his team the victory. He originally established his season-high five RBI during an 11-7 win over Clinton on May 9 in the second game of a doubleheader. Nelson was tied for the league lead with six homers in the month of May and led the circuit with 10 homers for the season. Nelson's 49 RBI through May 21 ranked second among all minor leaguers.

During an eight-game stretch May 16-22, Edmonton (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) outfielder Mike Restovich hit .500, going 16-for-32, with six home runs, 11 RBI and 11 runs scored. Twenty-five of his first 50 hits this season went for extra bases.

Hagerstown (Class A South Atlantic League) outfielder Mark Walker went 3-for-4 and drove in a career-high six runs to help the Suns down Lakewood, 12-2, on May 20. The 23-year-old Floridian singled home a run to cap a three-run first inning, hit a run-scoring double in the third and collected his first career grand slam to complete a five-run fifth and give his team a 10-1 cushion.

High Desert (Class A California League) first baseman Corey Hart drove home the winning runs with a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to help the Mavericks outlast Lake Elsinore, 10-8, on May 22. Hart, who finished 3-for-5 with a stolen base, knotted the score at 7-7 with an RBI single in the ninth. The 20-year-old drilled a three-run blast over the center-field wall for his team-leading 11th home run.

Kane County (Class A Midwest League) left-hander Dontrelle Willis extended his scoreless innings streak to nearly 30 before having it snapped in a 2-1 loss to Beloit on May 18. Willis, who entered the contest with 21 2/3 scoreless frames and 24 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, scattered just three hits and struck out five over the first eight innings. The 20-year-old entered the bottom of the ninth with a 1-0 lead but surrendered two runs in the final frame to take his first loss of the season. The scoreless innings streak -- 29 2/3 -- was the minors' longest this season and the league's longest since Tom Shearn recorded 35 straight scoreless frames for Quad City back in May 1998.

Lynchburg (Class A Carolina League) had its minor league-high 12-game winning streak snapped with a 5-2 loss to Potomac on May 21. The Hillcats were tied with four other teams for the league's fourth-longest winning streak of all time and became the first team since Peninsula in 1982 to post 12 consecutive victories. The streak was nearly stopped at 10 in a row on May 18, but shortstop Jose Castillo hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Lynchburg a 5-4 win over Frederick. Lynchburg's 35-11 mark to start the year was the best in the minors.

New Haven (Double-A Eastern League) outfielder Dee Haynes hit a pair of home runs for the fifth time in his career and collected a career-high six RBI to help the Ravens defeat Trenton, 14-12, on May 17. The 24-year-old homered to lead off the fifth inning, doubled home a pair of runs in the sixth, drilled a two-run shot in the eighth and laced an RBI single in the ninth. Haynes had three two-homer games and four five-RBI performances last season for Potomac of the Class A Carolina League and finished second in the league with 72 RBI.

Tacoma (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) outfielder Eugene Kingsale went 3-for-6 with a pair of home runs and a career-high seven RBI in a 14-8 victory at Calgary on May 20. Kingsale hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, another two-run shot in the seventh to move the Rainiers to within a run at 8-7 and ripped a three-run double in the eighth. The 25-year-old entered the game with just one hit in his last 28 at-bats.

Vero Beach (Class A Florida State League) third baseman Willy Aybar hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Dodgers over St. Lucie, 4-3 on May 17, when the 19-year-old switch-hitter belted a three-run shot to right-center field.

Wilmington (Class A Carolina League) designated hitter Justin Gemoll went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a career-high six RBI in the Blue Rocks' 10-5 win against Salem on May 22. Gemoll opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first inning, doubled home a pair of runs in the third and stroked and RBI singles in both the fifth and sixth innings. After getting off to a slow start in April with a .231 batting average and no RBI, the USC product was hitting .368 (25-68) with 13 RBI in May.

Minor League Leaders (Through May 23)
AVERAGE (Minimum 105 TPA): Chad Tracy, El Paso, .396; ON-BASE PERCENTAGE: Mike Campo, Rancho Cucamonga, .486; SLUGGING PERCENTAGE: Donny Leon, Louisville, .744; HITS: Joe Thurston, Las Vegas, 69; HOME RUNS: Donny Leon, Louisville, 17; RBI: Simon Pond, Dunedin, 53; STOLEN BASES: Bernabel Castro, Mobile, 28; DOUBLES: Kevin Thompson, Greensboro, 21; TRIPLES: Carl Crawford, Durham, 8; RUNS: Donny Leon, Louisville, 42; WALKS: Jack Cust, Colorado Springs, 42; STRIKEOUTS: Jorge Soto, Visalia, 75; ERRORS: Luis Montanez, Daytona, 21.

BEST ERA (35 IP): C.J. Wilson, Charlotte (FSL), 0.87; WORST ERA (35 IP): Doug Slaten, Lancaster, 9.00; WINS: John Koronka, Stockton, 9; LOSSES: Geronimo Mendoza, Charlotte (INT) 8; SAVES: Dan Carrasco, Lynchburg, Jim Mann, New Orleans and Evan Rust, Bakersfield, 14; COMPLETE GAMES: Brett Myers, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Francisco Cruceta, South Georgia and Dan Curtis, Myrtle Beach, 3; GAMES: SEVERAL tied at 24; INNINGS PITCHED: Manny Santillan, Lexington, 70.0; STRIKEOUTS: Mark Prior, Iowa, 79.

BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE/CLUB: Lynchburg (Pirates), .761 (35-11); Stockton (Reds), .739 (34-12); Akron (Indians), .705 (31-13).

BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE/ORGANIZATION: Cincinnati Reds (.588); Cleveland Indians (.576); Houston Astros (.574);

Top Pitching Performances
Carolina (Double-A Southern League) right-hander Jason Young pitched eight innings of a four-hit shutout to lead the Mudcats to a 3-0 triumph over league-leading Jacksonville. After yielding a single and a pair of walks in the first inning, the 22-year-old retired nine in a row and set down 11 of the final 13 batters he faced to pick up the victory and become the first six-game winner in the Southern League at 6-3. A second-round selection of the Rockies in the 2000 draft, Young scattered four hits, issued three walks and struck out three batters to lower his league-leading ERA from 1.82 to 1.59.

Edmonton (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) right-hander Adam Johnson pitched a three-hit shutout, striking out 10, to lead the Trappers to 4-0 victory over Tacoma on May 18. The 22-year-old retired the first six batters and 13 of 14 between the third and seventh frames. Selected second overall by the Twins in the 2000 draft, Johnson fanned two batters apiece in the first, second and ninth innings and one in each frame between the third and sixth. The California native, who allowed three hits and issued a walk in the outing, improved to 2-3 and lowered his ERA from 9.31 to 7.11.

Fort Myers (Class A Florida State League) right-hander Josmir Romero won his debut in the Class A Florida State League, spinning a one-hit shutout against St. Lucie in the second game of a doubleheader, 2-0, on May 20. The 21-year-old was 1-3 with a 2.68 ERA in nine appearances with Quad City of the low Class A Midwest League before being promoted.

Hickory (Class A South Atlantic League) right-hander Chris Young combined with right-hander Julio Guerrero on a one-hit shutout as the Crawdads defeated Charleston-WV, 10-0, on May 18. Young, who struck out five of the first six batters he faced and retired 14 of the first 15, yielded a single with two outs in the fifth inning, issued two walks and struck out eight for the win. Guerrero allowed a walk and fanned three over three hitless frames to register his second save of the season.

Jacksonville (Double-A Southern League) right-hander Steve Langone hurled seven scoreless innings of relief to help the Suns defeat Chattanooga, 8-4, on May 17. The 24-year-old retired 20 of the 23 batters he faced, including 11 in a row between the third and sixth innings. The Boston College product yielded just two hits, struck out three and hit a batter for the win.

Midland (Double-A Texas League) left-hander John Rheinecker tossed eight shutout innings in his Class AA debut to lead the RockHounds to a 3-2 victory over San Antonio on May 20. The 22-year-old struck out the side in order in the first inning, record 1-2-3 innings in both the second and the fourth and retired 10 in a row to end the game. A first-round selection of the Athletics in the 2001 draft, he scattered four hits, struck out seven and issued a walk to pick up the win. Before his promotion, Rheinecker was 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA, striking out 62 over 50 2/3 frames, in nine starts for Visalia of the Class A California League.

Omaha (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) right-hander Shawn Sedlacek spun a two-hit shutout to lead the Royals to a 4-0 victory over Fresno on May 17. The 24-year-old retired the first 11 batters and 14 of the final 15 in his second career shutout to improve to 2-4 with a 4.12 ERA. The 14th-round selection of the Royals in the 1998 draft issued a walk and struck out five batters.

Richmond (Triple-A International League) right-hander Joey Dawley recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts and pitched his first complete-game shutout of the season as the Braves topped Rochester, 5-0, on May 21. Dawley allowed only six hits, did not issue a walk and retired the final eight batters he faced for his first win since April 24.

Sacramento (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) right-hander Bryce Florie pitched eight scoreless innings but did not figure in the decision as the RiverCats suffered a 1-0 loss in 13 innings at New Orleans on May 22. Florie, yielded just two hits, struck out four, walked only one retired 12 in a row between the fourth and eighth innings. He was signed as a free agent by Oakland after being released by the Red Sox last July and then after being granted free agency by the Tigers in October. The 32-year-old Florie missed the majority of the 2001 season after being hit in a eye with by a line drive while with the Red Sox in 2000.

Streaking
Beloit (Class A Midwest League) right-hander Matt Yeatman won his sixth straight start in the Snappers' 5-1 victory over Michigan on May 22. The 19-year-old struck out four of the first five batters and scattered three hits, with six strikeouts and two walks, over five scoreless innings to improve to 6-1 with a league-leading 1.30 ERA -- sixth-best in the minors -- in nine starts. He had 51 strikeouts over his first 48 1/3 innings, including a 10-strikeout performance over five frames on May 11. Over his six-game winning streak, which began on April 25, Yeatman yielded just four earned runs and 22 hits, with 37 strikeouts and only 14 walks, over 35 innings.

Richmond (Triple-A International League) right-hander Doug Linton allowed two earned runs or fewer in six straight starts (39 1/3 IP, 26 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 32 SO) but had just a 3-2 record to show for it. In his last two starts, both losses, Linton surrendered six runs -- three earned -- and 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings of work. Despite only a 4-3 record, Linton was league the league with a 1.49 ERA through May 22.

Salem (Class A Carolina League) right-hander Justin Huisman extended his string of not yielding an earned run to 21 consecutive games though May 21 (26 2/3 IP, 21 H, 1 R, 6 BB, 16 SO). He went 3-0 with 11 saves to open the season.

Stockton (Class A California League) left-hander John Koronka won his ninth straight start with six strong innings in a 2-1 victory over Rancho Cucamonga in the first game of a doubleheader on May 18, becoming the first minor league pitcher to win nine games this season. Koronka yielded an unearned run and three hits, striking out four and walking three. The Florida native, who lowered his ERA by nearly two runs to 3.71 over his last three starts, was three wins short of tying a California League record for most consecutive wins to start the season. Fred Newman set the mark of 12 for San Jose back in 1962.

Toledo (Triple-A International League) left-hander Mike Maroth won his fifth consecutive start in the Mud Hens' 9-5 victory over Pawtucket on May 18 and righthander Brian Powell captured a win in his fifth straight start with an 8-4 victory over the Red Sox the following night. The 24-year-old Maroth allowed four runs, six hits and struck out three without issuing a walk, improving to a league-best 7-0 with a 2.75 ERA. Powell allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings to raise his record to 5-1 with a 5.09 ERA in nine starts.

Lowlights
Birmingham (Double-A Southern League) left-hander Dennis Ulacia, who was tied for first in the league with six losses, dropped four straight starts May 5-21 (25 2/3 IP, 27 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 6 BB, 13 SO). A year ago, Ulacia went 15-5 with a 2.85 ERA through four different levels in the White Sox organization.

Calgary (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) right-hander Claudio Vargas not only led the league with seven losses. But, in his last outing, Vargas was tagged with seven runs, seven hits and one walk in just a 1/3 of an inning as the Cannons were hammered by Oklahoma City, 14-2, on May 18. He fell to 2-7 with a 7.09 ERA in nine outings on the year.

Charlotte (Triple-A International League) right-hander Geronimo Mendoza suffered his eighth straight loss in the Knights' 12-3 defeat to Toledo on May 21. Mendoza was tagged for 10 runs -- nine earned -- and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of work in the loss. During his losing streak, Mendoza allowed 45 runs -- 41 earned -- and 55 hits in 38 2/3 innings. Dating back to 1992, the most consecutive losses by a pitcher in the International League was by Indianapolis Indians right-hander Kyle Peterson, who lost nine consecutive games April 30-August 2 of last season.