Rainiers' third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo has yet to play a game at third base this season because of an aching throwing elbow. And what was first thought to be tendinitis is now something more serious. Just today, I heard some whispers that Tuiasosopo may need season-ending surgery.

However, a quick call to Mariners' director of minor league operations Pedro Grifol cleared up some of the rumors.

Grifol confirmed that Tuiasosopo's elbow issues are something "more serious than tendinitis." But he wasn't allowed to go into further detail. However, he did say that Tuiasosopo was meeting with Mariners team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Edward Khalfayan today and within the next 24 hours, we'll know more about what will happen with Tuaisosopo next.

It's never good when a player visits an orthopedic surgeon, but Grifol said that the injury didn't seem to be serious enough where it would keep Tuiasosopo from playing this season or hindering his progress as a player.

The pain in the elbow started in spring training and carried over into the season. Tuiasosopo never played a game at third during his brief stint with the Mariners to start the season and when he returned to the Rainiers, he DH'd only until being placed on the disabled list.

So there's that. I guess we may know more tomorrow. I'll try and talk to GM Jack Zduriencik about Tuiasosopo as well as the situation with Jeff Clement and Adam Moore, which was mentioned earlier in the day.

Here's the minor league report ...

Yesterday’s Results --- Standings -- Winner/Loser/Save
Tacoma 3, at New Orleans 4 --- 17-16, 3rd, -4.0 --- L-L. Muñoz (0-2)
West Tenn 2, at Tennessee 3 --- 12-18, 4th, -3.5 --- L-S. Bray (0-1)
High Desert 7, at Rancho Cucamonga 3 --- 23-10, 1st, +5.0 --- W-D. Hume (3-1)
Beloit 5, at Clinton 2 --- 18-13, 2nd, -2.0 --- L-W. Suriel (0-3)

AAA Tacoma Rainiers (Pacific Coast League)
Here's Mike Curto's game story
BOX SCORE
Pitching Lines:
LH Chris Seddon 3.0,5,3,3,1,1
RH Luis Muñoz (L, 0-2) 5.0,5,1,1,1,3
With the Bats:
3B Chris Shelton 2x4, HR, R, 2 RBI, K
DH Jeff Clement 1x4, HR, R, RBI, K
SS Mike Morse 1x3, BB, K
Rainiers Notes: The Rainiers 4-game winning streak was snapped by the Zephyrs despite a solid relief appearance by Luis Muñoz who tossed 5.0 innings of 1-run ball. DH Jeff Clement homered for the 2nd straight day in the first inning, his 6th of the year. Chris Shelton also homered, his 4th extra-base hit during 4-game hit streak (6x16/.375) and has recorded multi-hit efforts in 8 of his last 17 games. Starter Chris Seddon had his shortest start of the year, tossing only 3.0 innings. OF Jerry Owens went 0x4 for the second straight game following a 5-game hitting streak that included 4 multihit games. Over his last 9 games, Bryan LaHair is hitting .375 (12x32) with 8 runs, 4 home runs, 3 doubles, 8 RBI. Prentice Redman and LaHair both rank 4th in the PCL with 9 home runs. Mike Carp ranks 7th in league with 19 walks.
Today’s probable starter:
RH Andrew Baldwin (2-1, 2.41) at New Orleans

AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Southern League)
BOX SCORE
Pitching Lines:
LH Daniel Christensen 6.0,6,2,2,2,3
RH Steve Bray (L, 0-1) 1.2,0,1,1,2,3
LH Nicholas Hill 0.1,1,0,0,0,0
With the Bats
LF Brent Johnson 2x3, 2B, RBI
CF Ezequiel Carrera 0x2, R, 3 BB, 2 K
DH Thomas Hubbard 1x3, RBI, BB
Jaxx Notes: The Diamond Jaxx lost a close game, giving up the winning run in the 8th inning when Jim Adduci plated his 3rd run of the game for the Smokies. Starter Daniel Christensen tossed a season-high 6.0 innings and has allowed only 3 earned runs over his last two starts (10.1 IP) for a 2.61 ERA. Brent Johnson went 2x3 with a double and an RBI, his first multi-hit game since April 20 and his 2nd double of the year. Johan Limonta went 1x3 with a walk and now has a season-high 4-game hitting streak (.462/6x13). CF Ezequiel Carrera was 0-for-2 but recorded a season high 3 walks (27 BB, 21 K) and has reached base in 28 of his last 29 games (.330, 35x106/.470 OBP). Carrera currently ranks T9th in the Southern League batting race. Mangini has hit safely in 13 of his last 16, batting .328 (20x61) with 6 runs, 4 extra-base hits, 12 RBI. OF Greg Halman leads Southern league in RBI (28), 2nd in home runs (10).
Today’s probable starter:
RH Ryan Patrick (1-2, 9.00) at Tennessee

A High Desert Mavericks (California League)
BOX SCORE
Pitching Lines:
LH Donald Hume (W, 3-1) 5.0,7,1,1,2,2,HR
LH Edward Paredes 2.0,1,0,0,0,0
RH Juan Zapata 1.0,3,2,2,0,0
RH Steven Richard 1.0,0,0,0,0,3
With the Bats:
DH Carlos Peguero 2x4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
C Travis Scott 1x4, HR, R, RBI, K
3B Alex Liddi 2x4, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI
Mavericks Notes: The Mavericks used a 3-run rally in the 4th innin to take the lead for good over the Quakes as Ian Bladergroen’s RBI groundout was followed by a two-run double to center field by Alex Liddi. High Desert has not lost a series this season and leads the California League South Division by 5.0 games. Starter Donald Hume has only allowed 3 earned runs in his last two starts on the road (13.2 IP). Juan Zapata allowed 2 runs in the 8th but the Mavs put the game away in the 9th with home runs from Travis Scott and Carlos Peguero. Peguero also homered in the 7th inning, marking his first multi-homer game of the season. OF Tyson Gillies currently has 13-game hit streak (.392/20x51). 3B Alex Liddi (.373/3rd), OF Joe Dunigan (.356/7th) and Diaz (.349/8th) are ranked in the top 10 in the California League in batting. Dunigan, Seattle 5th round selection in 2007, leads the league in home runs (12), RBI (36) and slugging (.742). He leads all minor leaguers with 26 extra base hits. Mavs lead league batting .307 overall with league-best 51 home runs.
Today’s probable starter:
RH Nathan Adcock (3-2, 3.71) at Rancho Cucamonga

A Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League)
GAME STORY
BOX SCORE
Pitching Lines:
RH Walter Suriel (L, 0-3) 5.0,4,3,3,3,4
RH Chris Kirkland 4.0,3,2,2,2,2,HR
With the Bats:
RF Denny Almonte 1x4, HR, R, 2 RBI
CF Maximo Mendez 2x4, R, 2B, 3B, K
Lumberkings Notes: The LumberKings game was delayed by rain in the 6th inning, when play resumed, Beloit took the lead on a Nathan Hanson 2-run homer off reliever Chris Kirkland. Clinton briefly took the lead in the 3rd with a solo homer from Denny Almonte. Maximo Mendez collected a double and a triple but on the double was thrown out trying to stretch it at third, Almonte followed with homer. Kirkland tossed 4.0 innings, his 2nd straight outing of at least 3.0 innings. OF Denny Almonte has hit safely in 25 of 29 games this season (.292) and ranks 2nd in the Midwest League with 8 home runs. OF Maximo Mendez ranks 2nd in the Midwest League with 14 stolen bases. RH Brett Lorin makes 7th start of season today and has thrown at least 5.0 innings in each start (34 K, 6 BB in 36.0 IP).
Today’s probable starter:
RH Brett Lorin (3-0, 1.00) vs. Beloit

Thanks to my clandestine Rainiers source, I've found out that catcher Adam Moore has been called up to Triple A Tacoma and will be in tonight's line-up in New Orleans tonight. Catcher Guillermo Quiroz was sent down to Double A West Tenn.

What does this mean for Jeff Clement, who homered in back to back games last night? Well, he's been bothered by achy left knee - the one he had surgically repaired - and he's going to DH for the time being until the knee gets healthy.

I'll post the minor league report later this afternoon after the game.

There probably are no 'must win' games in May, but without one today the Seattle Mariners will post a 1-7 record on this trip - among the worst trips in club history.

That's something they don't need to deal with, especially with three games against Boston awaiting them at home.

It's also a chance to gain a game in the standings on the first-place Rangers.

It's Felix vs. Texas. And we're off.

Felix is working hard

Two innings, in and Hernandez has labored to get six outs. It's taken him 42 pitches to do so, and in 80-degree temperatures - and against Texas hitters - that's going to take a toll.

Pitch counts aren't tell alls, but they're like body punches in boxing. Take enough of them and in the late rounds you've got nothing left and you're vulnerable.

Felix has sigven up only one hit, walked two. So far, however, nothing is coming easily.

In the third: no score.

Mariners break through

Jose Lopez singled and with one out, went to third on Adrian Beltre's double. Russell Branyan pushed home his 17th RBI with a ground ball, and Wladimir Balentien's double got Beltre in.

Felix has a lead.

In the fourth: Mariners 2, Rangers 0
Ace this

Hernandez has gone six innings, and retired 16 of the last 18 Rangers he's faced.
He's doing what aces do - getting stronger as the game goes on, making a small lead seem larger.

In the seventh: Mariners 2, Rangers 0

To the bullpen

After 110 pitches, Felix is gone. David Aardsma, who worked two innings Wednesday, has the eighth inning and Brandon Morrow will almost certainly get the ninth.

Mariners baseball: It's always interesting.

For the three-game series against Boston at Safeco Field that starts Friday, the Mariners rotation sandwiched Chris Jakubauskas and Jason Vargas around Erik Bedard.

Now Bedard will likely be skipped because of a tender hamstring - and replaced for one turn by Garrett Olson.

The Red Sox offense, then, faces three guys who began the '09 season in the Seattle bullpen - or Tacoma.

The team hopes Bedard bounces back in time for his next start, and the bullpen will be a bit short since long relievers Vargas and Olson are now starters.

Boston, by the way, will counter with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Justin Masterson.