By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Chief Sealth graduate Keone Kela continues to play a key role for the Texas Rangers, who surged into the lead for the second American League wild card spot with a sweep of the Detroit Tigers over the weekend.
The rookie right-handed reliever picked up his 14th hold of the season Sunday, throwing a scoreless eighth inning and striking out two.

Kela has lowered his earned run average to 2.84 over 50.2 innings pitched in 56 games.

He has a 6-5 record and one save with 55 strikeouts.

Mann playing independent ball

Mount Rainier graduate Brandon Mann is now pitching for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

Mann was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2002 and the left-hander toiled as a farmhand for them until he spent two seasons with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan (2011 and 2012).

Mann received an invitation to spring training with the Washington Nationals that and spent time in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization last year before being cut and going to the independent ranks.

Ishikawa, Pirates in control

Federal Way graduate Travis Ishikawa and the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to hold onto the top Wild Card berth in the National League.

Ishikawa has continued to pinch-hit for the Pirates and has played some at first base and the outfield.
He has upped his batting average to .222 (12-for-54) as of Sunday to go with three doubles, one home run, five runs scored and eight RBI.

Conger contributes for Astros

Hank Conger, who was born in Federal Way, helped the Houston Astros to a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend as they continue to lead the American League West.

The catcher is hitting .223 (31-for-139) with 19 runs scored, 21 RBI, seven doubles and eight home runs.

Brett raises average to .245

Highline graduate Ryan Brett raised his batting average from .226 to .245 over the course of one week for the Class AAA Durham Bulls of the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Brett was 68-for-277 as of Sunday with 41 runs, 27 RBI, 15 doubles, one triple and four home runs.
He was 2-for-3 with a double for Tampa Bay earlier this year.

Burg cruising along at Frisco

Alex Burg of Des Moines is cruising along with a .263 average (44-for-167) as a catcher for the AA Frisco Roughriders of the Texas Rangers organization to go with 23 runs, 21 RBI, eight doubles and six home runs.

Please e-mail us at sports@robinsonnews.com if you have information on area athletes still involved in sports.