Around the ABL: April 30-May 6

• The first round of interleague play is complete, and the Thurmon Munson League came away with the better record. Final tally: TML 78, RCL 66. The Tommy Lasorda division was the only RCL division with a winning record against their interleague opponents, edging out the Earl Weaver Division 25-23. But the Billy Martin and Sparky Anderson divisions took care of business against, respectively, the Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox divisions: BM 28 TLR 20 and SA 27, BC 21. The next interleague round will be in June, with Tommy Lasorda vs. Billy Martin, Tony La Russa vs. Sparky Anderson, and Bobby Cox vs. Earl Weaver.
• The Seattle Sasquatch and Los Angeles Evil Empire took a tumble this week. Seattle came into the week having lost only 4 games all season (and none of those losses at home). The Eureka Hornets handed them their first series defeat, taking 2 of 3, but the real damage was done by the Carolina Crush, who swept a 4-game series in Seattle. Los Angeles came into the week leading the Earl Weaver Division and winning 7 in a row. They were promptly swept by Ann Arbor, and then they lost 3 of 4 to arch-rival Boston, who takes over the division lead.
• The Nottinghamshire Outlaw's Peter Kelly hit a home run, putting him into the record books once more. At only 16 years old, Kelly just got his driving license this past winter. He's easily the youngest player in baseball, but he's no marketing stunt. With a .285 average, the kid's been holding his own, and scouts predict many more home runs in the his future.
• The Mile High Mustangs' Manuel Ruiz pitched a 4-hit shutout against the Kansas City Tornadoes. Ruiz has gotten off to a great start: going 4-3 with a 1.64 ERA. The Mustang bullpen loves the guy: he already has 4 complete games and has pitched at least 7 innings in each of his starts.
• Three games later, Kansas City Tornadoes' Fabrizio Palgani returned the favor to Mile High, pitching 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball. In fact, Palgani out-pitched Ruiz, who returned to start on only three days' rest!
• Players of the Week. In the RCL, Ann Arbor's Lorenzo Rodriguez continued his fabulous season, going 10 for 25 with 5 HR and 12 RB. How good has he been? In batting .400 for the week, he actually lowered his batting average down to .429. In the TML, South Carolina's leadoff hitter Juan Marín went 15 for 34. He hit a home run in 4 consecutive games, and had 8 RBI on the week.
• April Players of the Month. Lorenzo Rodriguez also captured a pair of monthly awards: the RCL Batter and Rookie of the Month. His .507 OBP and .893 SLG lead all of baseball, and he has hit 16 HR while no other player has hit more than 11. Also representing the RCL, Dallas's Rich Bussell, who went 4-0 with a .64 ERA and 38 K. In the TML, Chance Everett of Los Angeles won the Batter of the Month: he hit .349 and had 7 HR, 22 RBI, and 24 R. No surprise on the league's Pitcher of the Month: San Francisco's Ray Lester. You can read all about his historic month here. Rookie of the Month went to South Carolin's Stephen Jackson: he batted .382 with 5 HR, 18 RBI, and 16 R.