Link Report for Thurs. 6/19 -- Promising 3B Trejo hurt in Helena, C Whiteside, Too

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Manatees nip D-Cubs

By SEAN KERNAN

Daytona News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- The first game of the second half for the Daytona Cubs turned out the same as the opening game of the first half.

 

The visiting Brevard County Manatees took the second-half opener 3-2 Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, where both teams opened the season on April 3 and the Milwaukee Brewers farm club came away an 8-6 winner.

 

Brevard County speedster Darren Ford bunted for a hit, went first-to-third on a single by Lorenzo Cain and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's sacrifice fly to right field to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning.

 

"(Ford) is quick and fast," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "He can come up there and tell you he's going to bunt. (The third baseman) can't come up any closer than Mota was. Ford is unbelievably quick."

 

The Cubs (35-36 overall, 0-1 in second half) nearly tied it again in the ninth after Mark Reed's third hit of the game. Reed singled to center, went to second on a wild pitch and was ready to round third and head for home on Darwin Barney's single up the middle until Manatees shortstop Brent Brewer got a glove on the ball and kept it from reaching the outfield.

 

"At first I thought it was through," Reed said. "I saw (Davis) waving me. That's the only reason I thought I was scoring, because the play was behind me, and then he held me. It was just one of those things. (Brewer) made a play that saved the game."

 

Brevard County closer Mike McClendon then coaxed Tony Thomas into a game-ending double play.

 

The Cubs had double-digit hits for the eighth straight game, but scored only two runs despite having 10 hits. Daytona had runners reach third base four times with less than two outs and didn't score. One time, with Reed on third, Daytona tried a suicide squeeze that failed. Barney had no chance getting the bat on a slider in the dirt and Reed was caught in a rundown.

 

"It's a do-or-die play. It was a good call," Reed said. "The pitch was just down in the dirt. You can't bunt that ball. The catcher picked it out of the dirt and got me. A little kick away and I score."

 

Davis shook his head when thinking about the Cubs' many opportunities.

 

"We had our chances, but we didn't get them in," Davis said. "That's the difference in one-run ballgames. They needed a run, they got a bunt hit, a bloop single and a sacrifice fly."

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site continues its baseball terminology journey --

 

Take Two and Hit to Right

AUDIO: Laynce Nix Home Run

 

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Gardner gets the job done on the mound

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Richie Gardner threw seven innings of relief with seven strikeouts - both season highs - Thursday night to pace the Sounds to a 6-3 comeback victory over Oklahoma at Greer Stadium.

 

Taking the mound following a predetermined one-inning start by Derrick Turnbow, Gardner came in with his team trailing 2-1 but virtually shut the door on the RedHawks. Oklahoma managed just one run on four hits, scoring on a fifth-inning John Mayberry double and forcing a 3-3 tie.

 

Brad Nelson snapped the deadlock with a fifth-inning solo home run, and Laynce Nix followed suit in the sixth for a two-run lead before Nashville catcher Vinny Rottino doubled Nelson home in the seventh.

 

"They're really good hitters," Gardner said of the RedHawks, who had won each of the previous 10 games in the season series. "If I made good pitches, I was going to get them out; if I didn't, they were going to get hits.

 

"I trusted Vinny and went with it."

 

Gardner's effort took some pressure off an overworked Sounds bullpen.

 

"We haven't had a fifth starter in a couple of weeks and we've had a couple of doubleheaders," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said. "It was very big that he was able to go seven."

 

Moves continue to mount: The Sounds pitching staff's revolving door kept spinning Thursday, as Randy Choate joined the team on a rehab assignment prior to the game against Oklahoma.

 

The veteran left-handed reliever broke his left hand during spring training and has been on the Milwaukee Brewers' disabled list for the entire season. He made a one-inning, 14-pitch rehab start Tuesday for Class A Brevard County.

 

Meanwhile, Brewers reliever David Riske was activated from the disabled list Thursday following his one-inning rehab start Tuesday for the Sounds. To make room for Riske (shoulder) on the roster, veteran pitcher Julian Tavarez was designated for assignment.

 

Also, Eric Gagne is likely to make a rehab appearance with the Sounds next week as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury.

 

Offense offensive: The Sounds entered Thursday's game with a .234 batting average, 10 home runs and five wins (in 18 games) during June - all Pacific Coast League lows for the month.

 

Catching up: Solo home runs by Brad Nelson (fifth inning) and Laynce Nix (sixth) were the 10th of the year for each player, tying them for second among current Sounds players. Brendan Katin's 11 homers are tops.

 

Russell Branyan hit 12 homers prior to his May 25 call-up by the Brewers. Since joining Milwaukee, Branyan has hit 10 homers (in 20 games).