Link Report for Games of Sunday, April 6th

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Nic Ungs at New Orleans (Mets), 1:40 PM pre-game; 2:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Brae Wright at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 1:50 PM pre-game; 2:05 gametime

 

Audio link via WUMP (game will also archive at this link):

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t559

 

Brevard County: RHP Mike Jones at home vs. Palm Beach (Cardinals), 12:00 PM gametime

 

Sorry -- no audio for this series...

West Virginia: RHP Evan Anundsen and RHP R.J. Seidel in a twinbill at Hickory (Pirates), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:00 gametime -- each contest seven innings

 

Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

[Mass Haas]

Interesting to see Mike Jones starting -- if the Brewers can better keep him healthy in that role, then that's nice to see.

 

Nothing against yesterday's doubleheader starters for the Power, but an Anundsen / Seidel combo is awfully sweet.

 

Lots of afternoon action today -- a staffer may be by early in the evening, otherwise the official Link Report updates will be late tonight. Thanks, colbyjack, for Saturday night's assistance.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Sunday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log" or "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_06_nasaaa_nozaaa_1

 

Huntsville Game:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_06_msbaax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_06_pbcafa_breafa_1

 

West Virginia Game One:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_06_wvaafx_hicafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Two:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_06_wvaafx_hicafx_2

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated several hours prior to gametime.

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 1 2 .333 - 1-2 0-0 L1 Memphis 1 2 .333 - 0-0 1-2 L1 Omaha 1 2 .333 - 1-2 0-0 L1 Nashville 0 3 .000 1.0 0-0 0-3 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 3 0 1.000 - 0-0 3-0 W3 Huntsville 3 0 1.000 - 3-0 0-0 W3 Tennessee 2 1 .667 1.0 0-0 2-1 W2 Chattanooga 1 1 .500 1.5 0-0 1-1 L1 West Tenn 1 1 .500 1.5 0-0 1-1 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 3 0 1.000 - 2-0 1-0 W3 Vero Beach 3 0 1.000 - 2-0 1-0 W3 Brevard County 1 2 .333 2.0 0-1 1-1 L2 Daytona 1 2 .333 2.0 1-1 0-1 L1 Jupiter 1 2 .333 2.0 1-0 0-2 W1 St. Lucie 0 3 .000 3.0 0-1 0-2 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greensboro 2 0 1.000 - 0-0 2-0 W2 Hagerstown 2 1 .667 0.5 0-0 2-1 L1 Lake County 2 1 .667 0.5 0-0 2-1 L1 Hickory 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 W1 West Virginia 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 L1 Delmarva 1 2 .333 1.5 1-2 0-0 W1 Lakewood 1 2 .333 1.5 1-2 0-0 W1 Lexington 1 2 .333 1.5 0-0 1-2 W1 

[DHonks]

That's both crazy and great to see Jones starting for Brevard County. Three innings, no earned runs so far. Didn't he have TJ surgery only in June?

[Katuluu]

Interesting to see Mike Jones starting -- if the Brewers can better keep him healthy in that role, then that's nice to see.

They might just be having him starting as it would keep him on a set schedule that they could more easily control. Any word on what his pitch count is? I can't imagine it would be much higher then 60 pitches or so.

[DHonks]

milb.com has updated their boxscore, and they show Jones going two innings. Still, good to see him on the mound.

[gregmag]

Man, Lucroy has to be getting frustrated.

 

Greg.

[And That]

BASERUNNING

SB: Stocker (1, 2nd base off Paulk/Nickeas), Nunez (1, 2nd base off Paulk/Nickeas), Branyan (1, home off Paulk/Nickeas).

 

The Muscle with the hustle!

[SheetsCyYoung04]

Two great pitching performances wasted by West Virginia today.

[wvpowerblkwel]

With tomorrow being game #5 for Huntsville...does that mean we should see Angel this week?

[igor67]

I would imagine so, and that AA line-up might be the best overall I've seen from the Brewers in the last 8 years+ in the minors. LaPorta, Gamel, and Angel is some serious power, but having complimentary guys in Errecart, Gillespie, Escobar and Brantley is pretty impressive.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Hitting Coach Harry Spilman

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 4, New Orleans (Mets) 0

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

Rottino, Ungs Lead Sounds To First Win

METAIRIE, La. - Catcher Vinny Rottino homered and drove in three runs and starting pitcher Nic Ungs combined with three relievers on a three-hit shutout in the Nashville Sounds' 4-0 win over New Orleans on Sunday afternoon at Zephyr Field in the finale of a four-game series.

 

With the triumph, Nashville (1-3) recorded its first victory of the 2008 season and avoided a season-opening series sweep at the hands of the Zephyrs.

 

Ungs (1-0) continued his recent success against New Orleans, picking up the win after working five scoreless frames and allowing three hits while striking out four batters. Dating back to the 2007 season, the right-hander has hurled 16 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Z's.

 

Steve Bray (1.0 IP), Tim Dillard (2.0 IP), and Melqui Torres (1.0 IP) completed the shutout with solid relief work behind Ungs, working four hitless innings as Sounds hurlers retired the final 17 New Orleans batters in order.

 

Rottino gave the Sounds their first lead of the season when his fourth-inning solo home run to left off Zephyrs starter Jose Diaz put the visitors on top, 1-0.

 

AUDIO: Vinny Rottino Home Run

 

The Nashville backstop doubled the lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly that brought home Hernan Iribarren, who had opened the frame with a pinch-hit walk.

 

The Sounds increased the advantage to 4-0 with a two-run eighth against Z's reliever Robert Paulk. Russell Branyan opened the frame with a double, becoming the only Nashville player with a hit in each of the season's first four games. Mel Stocker followed with a bunt single before the two runners executed a double steal that increased the lead to 3-0 as Branyan scampered home. It was Nashville's first steal of home since August 2006 when Chris Barnwell performed the feat against Albuquerque.

 

Rottino drove in his third run of the contest later in the frame when he plated Stocker with a sacrifice fly, bringing the score to its final 4-0.

 

Diaz (0-1) took the loss for New Orleans after he allowed two runs on three hits while striking out five batters in his six innings of work.

 

Sounds second baseman Steve Sollmann recorded his first career Triple-A hit with a seventh-inning single, ending an 0-for-9 start to the season. Stocker singled an inning later to become the 12th and final Nashville position player to record a hit in 2008.

 

Outfielder Laynce Nix went 2-for-3 on the afternoon to record the Sounds' lone multiple-hit effort. Zephyrs first baseman Michel Abreu recorded two of New Orleans' three hits in the contest.

 

The Sounds continue their season-opening road trip on Monday in Oklahoma City, where they'll take on the Oklahoma RedHawks in the 7:05 p.m. opener of a four-game series. Left-hander Lindsay Gulin will make his first start of the year for Nashville. The RedHawks will counter with right-hander Luis Mendoza.

 

Nashville Box Score

Adam Heether the shortstop today -- first time I can remember in his career -- one thing Frank Kremblas has always promoted is position flexibility...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 1, Mississippi (Braves) 0

Huntsville Press Release:

PITCHING PUSHES STARS TO ANOTHER WIN

 

Brae Wright, E.J. Shanks, Rusty Tucker and Robert Hinton combined to toss a five-hit shutout, as Huntsville made an early run stand up in a 1-0 victory over Mississippi on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars have won the first four games of the season-opening five-game set to race to their best start since 1995. Huntsville has outscored the Braves 19-6 and held the visitors to a total of 18 hits.

 

Chris Errecart singled to start the second inning and scored two outs later on a double by Carlos Corporan, who knocked in his second run of the season. Braves' starter Jairo Cuevas closed his double-A debut by working out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning. He got Wright to bounce into a force out at the plate and Michael Brantley to fly out and left after allowing five hits, walking two and fanning two.

 

Wright was aided by two double play grounders and was removed from his double-A debut after walking the bases loaded in the sixth inning. He gave up only two hits, walked four and struck out two before Shanks got Kala Ka'aihue to fly out to end the threat. The four Stars' starters have allowed two earned runs on a dozen hits over a combined 21 2/3 innings of work.

 

The Stars turned another ground ball double play behind Shanks in the seventh and he was removed after retiring the leadoff hitter in the eighth. Tucker stranded runners at second and third later in the frame by retiring Jordan Schafer, the Braves top-rated prospect, on a fly out. Hinton retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down his second save in as many situations. The Stars' bullpen has allowed two runs in 10 2/3 frames in the series.

 

The series wraps up Monday night with left-hander Sam Narron taking the mound for Huntsville against Braves right-hander Dustin Evans. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Huntsville Game Log

It was a line out to center, but E.J. Shanks stranded three Brae Wright walks in the 6th...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Pre-Game Interview with reliever Joe Bateman

Click on the April 6th archive, then go to the 13:30 minute mark...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Palm Beach (Cardinals) 5, Brevard County 3

 

Brevard County Box Score

It could have been worse in terms of the score, as the Cardinals stranded 12; Manatee pitchers issued ten walks and hit two batters which helps explain the loss despite Brevard outhitting their opponent, 10-7; Darren Ford caught stealing (now 4-for-6 in that department), but he did reach three times, as did Kenny Holmberg and Andy Bouchie; Matt Cline and Andy Bouchie with defensive miscues that led to runs; Manatees not impressive during their three-game slide...

 

Brevard County Game Log

Looks like a Cardinal runner was out at home trying to score on a wild pitch in the first; an unexplained similar circumstance appears to have happened in the 3rd -- odd; Manatee 3rd inning should have been much bigger...

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Hickory (Pirates) 1, West Virginia 0

 

Final, Game Two: Hickory (Pirates) 1, West Virginia 0, eight innings (scheduled for seven)

 

West Virginia Press Release:

 

CRAWDADS BLANK POWER TWICE

 

Hickory, NC - It only took two runs for the Hickory Crawdads to take both ends of Sunday afternoon's double header at L.P. Frans Stadium as the Crawdads held the Power scoreless through 15 innings of the double dip and won by the final score of 1-0 in games one and two.

 

The Crawdads scored their lone run in the first contest in their final at-bat on Erik Huber's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. The pitchers' duel in game one was highlighted by the starters who both tossed six scoreless innings of action. Hickory right hander Dustin Molleken took a no hitter into the fifth inning and struck out seven batters. Evan Anunden retired the first eight Crawdads he faced and struck out three batters over six scoreless frames.

 

It took eight innings to complete the second contest. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Danny Bomback scored on a wild pitch to give the Crawdads their third straight victory. Pitching dominated the second game as well. Mike Felix left the game after three innings without surrendering a hit for the Crawdads. Dionis Rodriguez followed with three scoreless innings out of the pen. R.J. Seidel was outstanding for the Power, retiring the first eleven batters he faced. He tossed five scoreless innings and struck out three.

 

In game one Harrison Bishop (1-0) got the win and Jose Garcia (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Moises Robles (1-0) earned the victory in game two while Nick Tyson (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power will host the Augusta GreenJackets in their home opener at Appalachian Power Park on Monday night. Lefty Mike Ramlow (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for the Power and the GreenJackets will counter with left hander Craig Clark (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Game One Box Score

Evan Anundsen picks up where he left off last year -- Mr. Ground Ball Machine induces ten in six innings...

 

West Virginia Game One Game Log

Anundsen overcame two Power errors in the 5th with a double-play grounder; only chance for West Virginia came in the 5th after a one-out double by Lee Haydel...

 

West Virginia Game Two Box Score

Jonathan Lucroy with his first two base hits of the season; soon-to-be 23-year-old OF Scott Houin did some nice things after his independent league signing last season and is 3-for-6 (three K's) thus far...

 

West Virginia Game Two Game Log

Power definitely had more chances than in game one, but no one was "clutch"...

[Mass Haas]

Some good news for Power fans:

Mother Nature is cooperating to make opening day a success.

It is forecasted to be about 50 degrees WARMER than it was for opening day last year with temperatures expected to be in the 70's.

 

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Successful start

BY PAUL FOGLEMAN

Hickory Record Sports Correspondent

The rains were gone from L.P. Frans Stadium Sunday afternoon, and for the most part so were the runs.

The Hickory Crawdads, though, scratched out just enough of them to gain a doubleheader sweep over the West Virginia Power.

Erik Huber's single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Miles Durham for a 1-0 win in Game 1, and Danny Bomback's scamper home on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth in Game 2 gave Hickory its second 1-0 victory and a 3-1 season-opening series win over the Power.

The teams were forced to play their second doubleheader in as many days after rains washed out games scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Squeezing out runs and maintaining an appropriate amount of intensity over the four-game set were early challenges to star the season, said Crawdads manager Gary Green, but they were able to meet both.

"No question it was a grind, and it was tough on both teams," said Green. "But we had a lot of intensity both days, we stayed with it and our enthusiasm was still pretty good (Sunday)."

Helping keep Hickory's spirits high was the effort turned in by the Crawdads' hurlers. Dustin Molleken and Harrison Bishop combined on a two-hitter in Game 1, while striking out nine and walking one.

Mike Felix, Dionis Rodriguez and Moises Robles were nearly as impressive in Game 2, limiting West Virginia (1-3) to four hits, while fanning 11 and walking three. The sterling efforts offset a day where Hickory's own production was held in check, managing only five hits in each game.

"We didn't hit a lot, but when you have good pitching like we got, you don't have to," Green said. "We didn't walk a lot of people and got after hitters early in the count, and we were able to scratch and claw and find a way."

The Crawdads found their victory in Game 1 when Durham opened their at-bat in the seventh with a double to right field. Huber then stepped to the plate and pushed a breaking pitch from Jose Garcia into right to plate the game-winner.

"He threw me a curve ball, and really I just wanted to move Miles to third with one out," said Huber. "I kind of jammed myself, but I was able to sneak the ball (into right field), and he was able to score."

The high drama returned in Game 2 when Bomback led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to left and moved to second base on Matt Cavagnaro's sacrifice bunt. Victor Alvarez followed with an infield hit and Keanon Simon was intentionally walked.

Nick Tyson's first pitch to Austin McClune then skipped past catcher Ulrich Snijders, allowing Bomback to race home with the winning score.

While Hickory was able to make the most of its scoring chance, West Virginia squandered several of its opportunities. The Power put runners in scoring position with less than one out in the fifth, sixth and seven innings only to come up empty.

Scott Houin doubled to left off Rodriguez to open the fifth but was stranded after a Snijders strikeout and fly-outs from David Fonseca and Lee Haydel. A one-out walk to Caleb Gindl in the sixth was followed by a Jonathan Lucroy single, but Rodriguez again wiggled out of trouble, coaxing a Zelous Wheeler fly to left before striking out Curt Rindal.

Houin then led off the seventh with a single off Robles and advanced to second on a Snijders sacrifice bunt. The threat ended, however, when Fonseca bounced back to Robles and Haydel flew out to left.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Pitching rules day in Stars' 1-0 win

Wright the winner as Huntsville moves to 4-0

By JOHN FERRY

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, john.ferry@htimes.com

The words came easy on Sunday afternoon for the Huntsville Stars, who are still unbeaten after a 1-0 win over Mississippi.

"Run it as long as it goes," manager Don Money said. Money knows things are bounding his way, the record now 4-0 after a game at Joe Davis Stadium.

"It's a great group," said catcher Carlos Corporan, who drove in the only run of the game.

"I know there is a lot of talent on this team," starting pitcher Brae Wright said.

Even the losers had some kind words for the Stars.

"Huntsville takes advantage of opportunities," Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman said. "They have good pitching too."

The Stars were hardly dominant on this pleasant day, but they produced just enough while Mississippi failed in both the sixth and eighth innings after getting runners as far as third.

Chris Errecart began the Huntsville second inning with a single to left. After Cole Gillespie and Michael Bell flied out, Corporan doubled to left to score Errecart.

The Stars left the bases loaded in the fourth inning and got Alcides Escobar to third in the fifth.

By then, enough offense had been produced to decide a game which saw Huntsville use four pitchers.

Wright went 5 2/3 innings for the win and allowed two hits. He said the day was kind of a grind.

"Let the guys behind you make the plays," he said. "Give the offense a chance to score."

E.J. Shanks came on in the sixth and got Kala Ka'aihue to fly to Michael Brantley, who made a nice running catch with the bases loaded.

Rusty Tucker relieved in the eighth and got Jordan Schafer to fly to Gillespie to end that threat.

Robert Hinton got the final three outs for a save.

Both Corporan and Money liked what they saw on the mound.

"The pitching is awesome," Corporan said. "Good defense at the right time, but pitching was the key."

Jairo Cuevas, who went the first four innings, took the loss for Mississippi. He allowed five of Huntsville's six hits.

Leadoff batter Carl Lodenthal produced two of the five hits for the Braves.

Huntsville and Mississippi (0-4) finish their series tonight.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Walks haunt 'Tees in third straight loss

By Jim Cawley, Florida Today

 

Three Brevard County Manatees pitchers combined to walk 10 batters in Sunday's 5-3 defeat to the Palm Beach Cardinals at Space Coast Stadium. The loss was the third straight for the Manatees (1-3), who haven't won since their opener at Daytona last Thursday.

"There were some routine plays that we didn't get done," first-year Brevard County manager Mike Guerrero said. "Now when you have that many walks, the situation gets even tougher. It puts too much pressure on the offense to try to do too much."

The Manatees outhit the Cardinals 10-7, but failed to capitalize in clutch situations after the fourth inning. Darren Ford went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. The Brevard County center fielder also made a dazzling ninth-inning catch to save a run.

Kenny Holmberg and Andy Bouchie each singled twice, and Stephen Chapman tripled for the Manatees.

John Axford (0-1) pitched four innings of relief, taking the loss. He gave up two earned runs, walking four and striking out one. Omar Aguilar also walked four and struck out one in two innings of work. Starter Mike Jones walked two and struck out two, allowing one unearned run in two innings.

Josh Wahpepah pitched a scoreless seventh with one strikeout and no walks.

For the Cardinals (4-0), Tyler Henley tripled and Tony Cruz singled twice. Daniel Descalso and Isaias Garcia drove in two runs apiece.

The Manatees will try to salvage a game in the series and shake their three-game skid tonight at 7:00 (6:00 Central) against Palm Beach at Space Coast Stadium.

"There's gonna be ups, and there's gonna be downs. In two of the three (losses), we had a chance to win," Guerrero said. "You need to execute the little things. . . . Pitching, timely hitting -- that's what wins games."

[Never Outhustled]

I would imagine so, and that AA line-up might be the best overall I've seen from the Brewers in the last 8 years+ in the minors. LaPorta, Gamel, and Angel is some serious power, but having complimentary guys in Errecart, Gillespie, Escobar and Brantley is pretty impressive.

While this is a very nice lineup, I think you might be forgetting the 2005 Nashville lineup. That team was considered the best prospect team in baseball and power the Brewers to have the 3rd ranked system in baseball. Its lineup featured the organizations #1 prospect Weeks, #2 Fielder, #6 Hart, #8 Brad Nelson, and #10 Krynzell.

The Huntsville lineup features the organizations #1 prospect Laporta, #3 Escobar, #5 Gillespie, #6 Gamel, #8 Salome. However, This group of prospects have a big hand in the Brewers system being ranked just 21st overall by BA.