Salem reliever Jason Dominguez went 20 innings without giving up an earned run before Thursday night, a run that dropped his ERA to 2.86.

His miserly span lasted from May 29 all the way through June.

July didn't start as well.

Dominguez came in with a three-run lead in the ninth inning Thursday and allowed three runs to score.

He stayed in and gutted out two more tough innings though, meaning the June Dominguez is still in there.

Back in action

Nick Moresi returned to action Thursday for the first time since May 12 when he was hit by a pitch and broke his arm.

Moresi had just come up from low-A Lexington (Ky.) and only played in a handful of games before his injury. He went 0-for-5 in his first game back.

Reliever Chad Wagler, who has been sidelined with an injured oblique muscle, threw a simulated game on Thursday.

Salem manager Jim Pankovits predicted he too would be back soon.

Trickle up theory

When Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero went on the 15-day disabled list, former Avalanche catcher J.R. Towles got the call from Triple-A Round Rock (Texas).

That meant former Avalanche catcher Lou Santangelo got the call to Triple-A from Double-A Corpus Christi.

And that meant that catcher Jimmy Goethals, just put on the temporary ineligible list by the Avalanche to make room on the roster for Moresi, could be promoted to Double-A.

Road trip

The Avalanche booster club is hitting the road in August to catch the Avalanche and then some Salem baseball alumni in action.

First, the boosters will see Salem play against the Blue Rocks in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 16. Then, they'll travel down to D.C. to catch the Colorado Rockies play the Washington Nationals in their new ballpark.

There are five former Avalanche players currently on the Rockies active roster: Aaron Cook, Garrett Atkins, Clint Barmes, Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday.

The cost of the bus trip and tickets is $120 per person. The hotel room in Wilmington is approximately $97.

Deadline for reservations is July 19. For more information, call 375-8616 or 354-6438.