One hit over seven innings. That was the line for Explorers RHP Jason Jarvis (pictured) in a 3-0 Sioux City victory over Sioux Falls. The starter faced just one batter over the minimum, as he induced two double plays to evade trouble in the fourth and fifth. Sioux City RF Peter Barrows delivered a two-run home run in the seventh, which provided the distance the Explorers needed to secure the victory.

Elsewhere around the league, Winnipeg downed Grand Prairie 4-2, Kansas City beat Wichita 5-4, Gary SouthShore fell to Lincoln 10-4, Laredo knocked off Fargo-Moorhead 5-3, Amarillo came back to beat El Paso 11-8 and St. Paul defeated Can-Am League opponent, New Jersey, 5-1.

Several former Independent players have been given nice promotions in recent days in the affiliated minor leagues. These include:

–RHP Lance Day, who started his pro career at Grand Prairie, TX (American Association), from Class A to AAA by Houston.

–RHP Chris Martin, another who started in the Indy game at Grand Prairie, from AA to AAA by Boston.

–INF Vance Albitz (Lincoln, pictured) from AA to AAA by St. Louis

Left fielder Adam Klein’s single in the bottom of the 11th inning scored SS Zac Mitchell from second base and gave the Gary SouthShore RailCats a dramatic 9-8 opening night win over the Lincoln Saltdogs. Klein (pictured) and Mitchell both collected two hits on the night and scored two runs.

In other action, Sioux City beat Sioux Falls 5-3, Wichita blanked Kansas City 8-0, Laredo defeated Fargo-Moorhead 2-0, Amarillo downed El Paso 9-5 and in interleague play, the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League beat St. Paul 6-4 in 10 innings.

The 2013 American Association season begins play tomorrow, May 16. Sioux Falls RHP Ben Moore (pictured) highlights the opening weekend, as he goes for the 40th win of his American Association career against Sioux City. A win for Moore would give him sole possession of the league’s career wins record. Elsewhere around the league, Amarillo visits El Paso, Laredo hosts Fargo-Moorhead, Kansas City plays at Wichita, Lincoln goes to Gary SouthShore and St. Paul hosts interleague opponent New Jersey, of the Can-Am League.

The picture seems permanently implanted in my head. It shows a smiling Paul Edmonds (pictured)holding this spotted 42-inch Northern Pike. He could nearly be lost in the photo because of the massiveness of the fish, caught on a Winnipeg Goldeyes-organized charity fundraising trip only about four days after they won last season’s American Association championship.

Durham, N.C. -- As the American Association begins its eighth season in less than two weeks, its 13 teams open their training camps this weekend.

36 exhibition games are scheduled during the preseason, starting Sunday, May 5, as the Wichita Wingnuts take on the Friends University baseball team at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium (pictured).