Link Report for Games of Saturday, June 21st -- Nixed

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

Nashville: LHP Lindsay Gulin at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 PM gametime

Audio link via WNSR, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t556

Huntsville: RHP Donovan Hand at home vs. West Tenn (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Audio link via WUMP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t559

Brevard County: RHP Alex Periard at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 gametime

Audio link, via Daytona's broadcast, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):
web.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503

West Virginia: RHP Amaury Rivas at Kannapolis (White Sox), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t525

Helena: 21-year-old 2008 2nd round RHP Cody Adams at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

Audio link via KCAP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t433

Arizona: Season begins Monday, June 23rd

[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):

 

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 43 32 .573 - 25-14 18-18 L1 Memphis 38 37 .507 5.0 17-18 21-19 L1 Omaha 35 38 .479 7.0 15-19 20-19 W2 Nashville 29 46 .387 14.0 16-19 13-27 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 3 1 .750 - 0-0 3-1 L1 West Tenn 3 1 .750 - 0-0 3-1 W2 Tennessee 2 2 .500 1.0 2-2 0-0 L1 Chattanooga 1 3 .250 2.0 1-3 0-0 W1 Huntsville 1 3 .250 2.0 1-3 0-0 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jupiter 2 0 1.000 - 1-0 1-0 W2 St. Lucie 2 0 1.000 - 0-0 2-0 W2 Brevard County 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 L1 Daytona 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 W1 Palm Beach 0 2 .000 2.0 0-1 0-1 L2 Vero Beach 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 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 0 1.000 - 0-0 2-0 W2 Lakewood 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2 West Virginia 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 L1 Delmarva 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 Hickory 0 2 .000 2.0 0-0 0-2 L2 Lake County 0 2 .000 2.0 0-0 0-2 L2 Lexington 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 4 0 1.000 - 0-0 4-0 W4 Great Falls 3 1 .750 1.0 0-1 3-0 L1 Helena 1 3 .250 3.0 1-3 0-0 W1 Missoula 0 4 .000 4.0 0-3 0-1 L4 

[pogokat]

by a random sequence of events, there's a good chance i will be at the huntsville game tonight...other than seeing how hard Hand is hrowing this year, is anyone interested in anything else about this squad?

[battlekow]

Checking out how Brantley and Salome look defensively would be nice. Also, if Aguilar gets into the game, how hard he's throwing and how his breaking ball looks. Thanks pogo.

[pogokat]

call the stars and tell them to play brantley in cf instead of dhing him like the last time i saw them...that would be cool..

[battlekow]

Rough start for Amaury Rivas: 5 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks in two innings.

[Trowekamp]

Rottino up to .280.. maybe he can be serviceable big league catcher after all..

[pogokat]

didn't make it after all...bummer...im in huntsville, but couldn't get the family to go out on a rainy night...oh well..

[battlekow]

Looks like you're missing a good comeback, pogo; the Stars were down 5-1, but now have a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the 7th.

[bullox]

didn't make it after all...bummer...im in huntsville, but couldn't get the family to go out on a rainy night...oh well..

Ehh, could've gone by yourself...that's what I did when I hit up Joe Davis. Oh well.

 

[Mass Haas]

Final: Kannapolis (White Sox) 14, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

KANNAPOLIS CRUSHES THE POWER

 

The Kannapolis Intimidators scored 13 of their 14 runs on Saturday night at FieldCrest Cannon Stadium with two outs and put the game out of reach early, defeating the Power 14-3.

 

The Intimidators scored first on Mark Fleisher's sacrifice fly in the first inning that plated Sergio Morales. Fleisher struck again in the second inning with two outs, when he hit a grand slam to put the Intimidators ahead 5-0. Kannapolis did most of their damage in the third inning, where they scored eight runs with two outs. Nick Tyson retired the first two batters of the inning before he issued a walk to Sergio Miranda, which was followed by five consecutive singles, knocking Tyson out of the game. Dale Mollenhauer, Morales and Jim Gallagher all singled in runs off Tyson and Mollenhauer scored on a wild pitch. Jose Garcia had his fair share of problems in the third as well. He allowed an RBI single to Christian Marrero later in the inning before walking Lee Cruz with the bases loaded and Sergio Miranda singled in the final two runs of the inning off Garcia.

 

The Intimidators continued their two-out rampage in the fourth inning when Logan Johnson singled in Mollenhauer with two away to make it a 14-0 lead. West Virginia got on the board in the fifth on David Fonseca's two-run homer, his first of the season. Uly Snijders hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth inning, his second of the year.

 

Jason Rice (4-5) allowed a pair of runs on seven hits over six innings and was rewarded with the victory. Amaury Rivas (6-3) was pulled after two innings. He surrendered five runs on four hits, issued our free passes and was tagged with the loss. Reed Dickert tossed three scoreless innings of relief.

 

The Power fell to 33-39 on the year and 1-2 in the second half with the loss, while the Intimidators improved to 33-40 on the year and 2-1 in the second half with the win. Six Power players hit safely. Four Power players recorded multi-hit games. Lee Haydel, Steffan Wilson and Eric Fryer all extended their hitting streaks. Haydel has hit safely in eight straight, Wilson brought his hitting streak to seven games and Fryer has hit safely in six straight.

 

The Power will continue the five game series against Kannapolis Sunday evening. Left hander Dan Merklinger (1-5, 6.43) will get the start for the Power and the Intimidators will counter with right hander Charlie Shirek (2-3, 3.05). The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM (4:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

In his last three outings, Nick Tyson has allowed 13 hits and 15 earned runs while retiring just four batters -- a shocking turn of events for the kid who pitched so well at Helena in '07; we expect more from Amaury Rivas, as this is only the second time in his last 11 starts he's allowed more than three earned runs; Caleb Gindl was pinch-hit for in the 8th, probably just to get Scott Houin an at-bat -- if you check the game log, you'll see Gindl was likely just plain exhausted from all the base hits he had to chase down, it's incredible, really, as Gindl ran down eight singles and a sacrifice fly...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 4, Brevard County 3

Game Summary from the Cubs' Site:

 

Cubs Pickle Manatees To Victory

Wright Doubles, Scores Final Run

By: Brian Chapman

 

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] Lately, when the Daytona Cubs win a ball game they've blown out their opponent or slid by in a crazy ending. Saturday night's game was the latter as Steve Clevenger's pickle allowed Jim Adduci to score the go-ahead run in the eighth. Daytona would not lose that lead in the ninth as they snuck past the Brevard County Manatees 4-3.

 

In the bottom of the first a costly error came back to punish the Manatees. With one out, Jim Adduci hit a ground ball to Stephen Chapman at first who booted the baseball. Cubs RBI leader Ty Wright capitalized by knocking Adduci in on a double to give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead.

 

The Manatees responded quickly in the second. With two out and a man on first base Chapman drove the ball deep into centerfield over Adduci's head. Chapman ended up on third with an RBI triple to tie the Cubs at 1-1.

 

Yusuf Carter led off the bottom of the second with a double off the leftfield wall and stole third to put the go-ahead run just 90 feet away. Two batters later, Carter remained on third base with Darwin Barney at the plate. Barney lined a single into the outfield to take advantage of the leadoff hit and put Daytona up 2-1.

 

Brevard County evened the score in the fifth thanks to a leadoff infield single by Chapman. After a groundout and a fly out moved Chapman to third, Darren Ford tied the game on an RBI double. Daytona and Brevard County were tied at 2-2 after four and a half innings.

 

Two innings later the Cubs fell behind for the first time in the game. Yohannis Perez singled off of new Cubs reliever Dustin Sasser and, two batters later, scored on a single by Ford. Brevard County took a 3-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh inning.

 

In the bottom of the eighth Adduci led off the frame with an infield single. A single by Ty Wright put the tying run 90 feet away and the go-ahead run on first. With one out Clevenger came in to pinch hit and nubbed the second infield single of the inning to tie the game and move Wright to second. Next, Carter grounded out, but Clevenger got himself caught in a pickle between first and second base. He avoided Manatee defenders just long enough to allow Wright to score from second. That pushed the Cubs ahead once again 4-3.

 

Matt Avery worked a perfect ninth to earn the win as the Cubs won 4-3 and moved above .500 in the first half.

Brevard County Box Score

Jonathan Lucroy with a triple and a walk -- a cool 1.317 OPS after his first high-A series; Charlie Fermaint a single and two walks; wonderful six-inning start for Alex Periard -- that's six quality starts in a row...

 

Brevard County Game Log

The 'Tees wasted Lucroy's leadoff triple in the 6th and his leadoff walk in the 8th; they went down 1-2-3 in the 9th...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Steve Hammond

[And That]

Nick Tyson might be heading back to Helena to finish out the season. Something needs to be changed if you're getting hit at a near .400 clip.

 

On the other end of the spectrum, Alexandre Periard is really turning it on in June. He had a tough May for sure but all the peripherals are trending in the right direction from last year (except for a little increase in walk totals). I'm still very excited for his future. It'll be a fun 170 innings in AA next year. To think he was drafted 4 years ago, and just turned 21 the other day.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 8, Memphis (Cardinals) 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Vinny Rottino photo, text follows --

 

NASHVILLE - A four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning helped the Nashville Sounds take down the division-rival Memphis Redbirds, 8-5, on Saturday night at Greer Stadium.

 

Both Chris Woodward and Adam Heether knocked two-run hits to cap a go-ahead rally for the Sounds in a back-and-forth battle with their in-state foes. Tony Gwynn went 2-for-5 and chipped in an RBI to pace the Sounds offensive attack, and starter Lindsay Gulin only gave up three earned runs over 5 2/3 innings to turn in another strong start for Nashville.

 

The Sounds scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second inning off Memphis starter Jaime Garcia when Vinny Rottino singled to start the inning and moved to third on a double to centerfield from Brendan Katin. Rottino then scored on a wild pitch from Garcia and Katin scored on a sacrifice fly from Heether.

The Redbirds responded quickly, though, with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning off Gulin to even the score. Garcia helped his own cause by leading the inning off with a double to left field, and Brian Barden followed with a walk. Garcia then came around to score on a single from Colby Rasmus, and Barden eventually scored on a fielder's choice from D'Angelo Jimenez.

 

Nashville countered with another run in the bottom half of the inning when Mel Stocker was hit by a pitch, then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by Redbirds catcher Bryan Anderson. With that steal, Stocker now has 13 on the year and has only been caught once. He scored on the next pitch when Gwynn grounded out to first base.

 

Gwynn did his best Stocker impersonation in the bottom of the fifth when he singled then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error from Anderson. Just like Stocker in the third inning, he then scored on a fielder's choice groundball from Callix Crabbe to increase the lead to 4-2.

 

Memphis notched another run in the top of the sixth inning after Jimenez led off with a single and later scored on a double from pinch-hitter David Freese. The RBI was Freese's 14th in the month of June and 23rd in his last 23 games.

 

The Redbirds evened things up in the top of the seventh inning when Joe Mather scored on a passed ball by Rottino, but Sounds reliever Tim Dillard was able to minimize the damage by getting out of a bases loaded jam with the help of a diving catch by Heether at third base.

 

Woodward then came up big in the bottom of the inning for the Sounds when he knocked a two-run single off Memphis reliever Jason Motte with the bases loaded to score Brad Nelson and Rottino. Heether followed with a double off the top of the left field wall to score two more runs and give the Sounds a four-run lead.

 

Woodward and Heether continue to be the hottest hitters for Nashville, extending their individual season-best hitting streaks to six and seven games, respectively.

 

Memphis was able to manage one more run off Sounds reliever Ben Howard in the top of the ninth inning when Jarrett Hoffpauir scored on an RBI double from former Sounds catcher Mark Johnson, but Howard closed out the game after that.

 

Dillard (4-0) picked up the win after pitching 1 2/3 innings and giving up only one unearned run, and Erasmo Ramirez pitched in 2/3 innings of scoreless work.

 

Ron Flores (0-1) was tagged with the loss after Motte allowed his inherited runners to score in the Sounds big, four-run rally in the seventh inning. Garcia struggled again against Nashville, dropping his record to 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA (12 ER / 15 IP) in three starts against the Sounds.

 

The division rivals will continue their series on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. at Greer Stadium. Southpaw Steve Hammond (NR) will make his Triple-A debut for the Sounds against righty P.J. Walters (6-1, 5.36) for the Redbirds.

 

Nashville Box Score

With a penciled-in spot for Julian Tavarez in the rotation in a week or so, it appears Ben howard will be returning to the bullpen; Vinny Rottino on base four times, but 13 passed balls is high for this mid-point in the season; Tim Dillard a bit shaky in his return to the Sounds -- hang in there for a return trip to the bigs, Tim...

 

Nashville Game Log

[pogokat]

'Ehh, could've gone by yourself...that's what I did when I hit up Joe Davis. Oh well."

 

I've been before and i saw the stars play earlier this year as well in montgomery...also saw the entire roster in WV and BC the last couple years...

 

would have liked to been there, but not a big stress that i wasn't...

[battlekow]

Huh, so I guess Rolando Pascual hasn't figured it out yet...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 7, West Tenn (Mariners) 6

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Stars Battle Back From Early Deficit to Win

Timely Hitting, Good Relief Work Lead to Victory

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Carlos Corporan doubled in the game-winning run in the eighth inning and Juan Sandoval worked out of trouble in the ninth to preserve Huntsville's 7-6 win over West Tenn Saturday night in the fifth of a six-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars pushed their second half record to 2-3 and their overall mark to 43-32, while the Jaxx dipped to 44-31 overall and 3-2 in the second half. The Stars improved to 10-14 in one-run games.

 

Angel Salome led off the eighth with a single and advanced on a Cole Gillespie sacrifice bunt before Mike Bell bunted for a hit to move Salome to third. Corporan grounded Jason Mackintosh's first pitch past third baseman Matt Mangini down the left field line to score Salome and move Bell to third. However, the Stars could not add to their lead, as Guilder Rodriguez and Freddy Parejo both grounded out to end the frame.

 

Sandoval, who pitched for the Jaxx last season, walked Luis Valbuena to open the ninth and uncorked a wild pitch that moved him into scoring position. Mike Wilson struck out and Johan Limonta walked to bring up Adam Moore, who grounded out to first to advance the runners. Jon Nelson then struck out on three pitches to end the game, as Sandoval earned his sixth save of the season and first since May 27 at Mobile.

 

Valbuena's three-run home run in the third was followed by Wilson's solo smash to give the Jaxx a 4-1 lead and Nelson's line drive long ball leading off in the fourth extended the visitors' lead to 5-1. West Tenn starter Anderson Garcia held Huntsville to a lone run on four hits through five innings before Salome singled in a run and scored, with Alcides Escobar, on a Gillespie triple that trimmed the lead to 5-4. Gillespie then scored to tie the game on a wild pitch. Rodriguez opened the seventh with a double, advanced to third on an errant throw by left fielder Jeffrey Dominguez and scored to give the Stars a 6-5 lead on a Parejo base hit that chased Garcia from the game. The former Yankee, Met, Oriole and Phillies farmhand was charged with six runs on 10 hits over six innings in his first outing with the Diamond Jaxx.

 

Stars' starter Donovan Hand was charged with five runs on 10 hits in six innings and was followed to the hill by Josh Wahpepah, who retired the Jaxx in order in the seventh. Mark Kiger's run-scoring hit in the eighth tied the game at six before Wahpepah struck out Greg Halman and got Dominguez to ground out to end the inning with runners at the corners. The right-hander earned his first win at the double-A level with two innings of work during which he struck out four.

 

The series finishes Sunday afternoon with Hunsville right-hander Mike Jones taking the hill against West Tenn southpaw Ryan Ketchner. Coverage of the game begins at 4:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com and www.730ump.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Michael Brantley two hits, a walk, a sacrifice, OBP back over .400 -- Michael stole two bases and is 21-for-27 in that department; speaking of steals, Alcides Escobar now 20-for-25; Mat Gamel feeling well enough to play, he handled two pop outs and one ground ball tonight; Guilder Rodriguez 3-for-4 with a double as your first baseman, Chris Errecart off again; because of the six-game series, nemesis Ryan Ketchner, winner of the crucial game one, will start twice in the same set of games; for now, Mike Jones takes Steve Hammond's spot, certainly with a limited pitch count again...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[And That]

One outing from Pascual is not worrisome.

 

Chris Dennis on base two more times is sweet. Kid might be a much talked about prospect shortly.

[colbyjack]

Helena just isn't clicking to open the season. The do have somewhat of an OF "jam" with Dennis, Schafer, Komatsu, Dykstra and Vass all competing for time with only one DH spot. It could be a fairly exciting OF if Dennis, Dykstra and Komatsu are the everyday starters from left to right. It also doesn't help that Marseco and Delaney aren't exactly big boppers on the IF, and Trejo's injury doesn't help.

 

I still think the pitching will come around, and again Brett Lawrie's presence in the batting order would be a huge boost, although that does add another jam given the presence of Kemp, and Alfonso behind the plate.

 

Regardless of their poor start, it's always nice to listen to Helena baseball.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Missoula (Diamondbacks) 13, Helena 1

Well, so much for our earlier disclaimer about the Osprey playing with the most raw of Arizona League-level kids...

 

Helena Box Score

Well, Corey Kemp hit a home run in the 9th to avoid the shutout; Canadian lefty Adam Arnold had a nice relief stint; Rolando Pascual allowed five hits and six runs in two innings, along with two HBP's and a wild pitch, although Nestor Corredor allowed all three of his inherited Pascual baserunners to score in the 9th -- Pascual had loaded the bases with none out; John Delaney, Logan Schafer, Chris Dennis and Erik Komatsu each had a hit and a walk, with Komatsu's a double, but nothing materialized along the way; in his pro debut, starter Cody Adams was victimized by an error in both the first and fourth innings, so while his ERA didn't take a big hit, he'd probably tell you he wasn't happy with his outing, as he failed to minimize the damage...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Thanks ever so much to Jim Powell for touting the Link Report in his latest blog post. Very appreciated, sir. You rock.

[Mass Haas]

Sorry to bring this to everyone's attention, but here's why Laynce Nix wasn't in the lineup Saturday night --

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- An outfielder for the Nashville Sounds baseball team was arrested early Saturday morning for driving under the influence.

Laynce Nix was driving on James Robertson Parkway when he made a U Turn and began speeding. When the Metro police officer stopped him, Nix failed a field sobriety test.

He admitted to drinking three mixed drinks.

Laynce Nix made bond and was out of jail Saturday night.