Link Report for Games of Monday, June 30th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Richie Gardner at Memphis (Cardinals), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 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: LHP David Welch at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM pre-game; 6:15 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: Idle

West Virginia: LHP Mike Ramlow at home vs. Greensboro (Marlins), 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: LHP Brandon Ritchie at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 5:50 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: TBD at the Royals camp in Surprise, 10:30 AM local Mountain Standard Time

 

Never any audio for the Maryvale Crew...

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday'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_06_30_nasaaa_mrbaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_30_hunaax_tenaax_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_30_gboafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_30_misrok_helrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_30_brrrok_royrok_1

[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 49 36 .576 - 29-16 20-20 W2 Memphis 45 38 .542 3.0 21-18 24-20 W7 Omaha 41 40 .506 6.0 17-21 24-19 W1 Nashville 32 51 .386 16.0 17-22 15-29 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 9 3 .750 - 4-2 5-1 W1 Carolina 6 6 .500 3.0 3-3 3-3 L1 Huntsville 6 6 .500 3.0 3-3 3-3 W1 Chattanooga 5 7 .417 4.0 3-3 2-4 W1 West Tenn 4 8 .333 5.0 1-5 3-3 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 8 3 .727 - 6-2 2-1 W1 Jupiter 5 4 .556 2.0 1-0 4-4 L2 Vero Beach 6 5 .545 2.0 1-2 5-3 L2 Palm Beach 4 5 .444 3.0 4-4 0-1 L1 Daytona 4 6 .400 3.5 1-1 3-5 L2 Brevard County 3 8 .273 5.0 1-4 2-4 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hagerstown 8 3 .727 - 3-2 5-1 W3 West Virginia 7 4 .636 1.0 3-1 4-3 W3 Delmarva 5 6 .455 3.0 1-3 4-3 L3 Greensboro 5 6 .455 3.0 1-5 4-1 L4 Lakewood 5 6 .455 3.0 4-2 1-4 W2 Hickory 4 7 .364 4.0 1-2 3-5 W1 Lake County 4 7 .364 4.0 2-5 2-2 L2 Lexington 2 9 .182 6.0 1-6 1-3 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 10 3 .769 - 5-3 5-0 W1 Billings 7 6 .538 3.0 0-0 7-6 L1 Helena 6 7 .462 4.0 5-5 1-2 L1 Missoula 3 10 .231 7.0 1-7 2-3 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 4 2 .667 - 2-1 2-1 W2 AZL Padres 4 2 .667 - 3-0 1-2 W1 AZL Giants 4 3 .571 0.5 2-1 2-2 L1 AZL Mariners 4 3 .571 0.5 2-1 2-2 L1 AZL Rangers 4 3 .571 0.5 2-2 2-1 W1 AZL Athletics 3 4 .429 1.5 2-2 1-2 W1 AZL Cubs 3 4 .429 1.5 3-1 0-3 W1 AZL Royals 3 4 .429 1.5 3-0 0-4 L1 AZL Brewers 1 5 .167 3.0 1-2 0-3 L2 

[Mass Haas]

A mega-update and review from David Weiser at www.starsboxscore.com

 

Consistency.

If a team expects to finish on top, winning 3 of 5 in every series will most likely not be good enough. A team has to have at least two good streaks to maintain a good hold on first place all the way to the end....... The Stars haven't won more than two in a row since mid-May when they swept a five-game series from the Tennessee Smokies, who then were set up in the basement of the Southern League........ Now, the Smokies are on top and no doubt, awaiting the Stars arrival Monday for a rare four-game series.

Where consistency has been noticeably absent has been in the bullpen........ Since May 15, when the Stars faced the Mudcats at Joe Davis Stadium for the first of a five-game series, the bullpen has gone 4-14 with a 5.01 ERA, 10 saves and 11 blown saves....... In one-run games, the Stars are a record 2-7 in June and a combined 5-14 for May and June....... Patrick Ryan, who has blown five saves since May 15 (more than any other reliever in that period), lost in relief for the 4th time this month -- the first reliever since Matt Grott in 1991 to do that......... In 12 games since May 15 where the Stars had a lead after three innings, the Stars are 8-4. It drops to 5-5 in the 10 games in which they are tied after three, excepting for scoreless contests....... In 16 games since May 15 where the Stars led after 6, they are 12-4. In 7 games where they are tied after six, the Stars are 3-4........ Now let's look at games in which the Stars have a lead after eight innings. There are 21 such games, with the Stars winning 14 and losing 7....... You can call it a winning record, but I see 7 games that the Stars were in, that were lost in the 9th or beyond. Three games were lost in the final at-bat..... Their extra-inning record is 1-6, which so far stands as their worst ever in 23 seasons.

The Huntsville Stars made several changes to their pitching lineup, June 26, although not as a consequence to that problem........ Rather, it cost us our steadiest reliever to date -- Joe Bateman (2-1, 2.47 in 24 games, 3.04 since May 15)....... Joe Bateman's promotion to Nashville (his first to Triple-A after six seasons in the Giants' organization) and Derek Miller and Robert Hinton going on the disabled list gives us three new pitchers, two of which should be familiar to Stars fans........ Nashville sent down pitchers Steve Bray and Nic Ungs. The Stars also picked up left-hander Troy Cate, who was released by the Oakland A's, May 12. He signed a free agent contract with the Brewers, June 24, plucked from the independent Golden League's Orange County Flyers. Cate was 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA with 18 Ks and only one walk in his three starts there.......

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_446452.jpg

Cate had a cup of coffee with the St. Louis Cardinals last year and finished with 14 forgettable appearances, even though he had a 3.38 ERA.

Bray, a former KC Royals farmhand, had a successful 2006 season for the Stars, going 5-4 with one save and a 2.70 ERA in 29 appearances, all but two of them in relief. At one point in the season, he won three straight games in three straight appearances. He was promoted after a July 4 game against Birmingham and that's the last we saw of him in a Huntsville uniform until Thursday in Carolina....... 63 relief appearances, mostly in middle relief for the Sounds followed the next two seasons, with a record of 7-2 and a 1.54 ERA, but this season, he was 1-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 21 appearances.

Ungs, an 11-game winner in 2004, had been on Nashville's DL with a shoulder injury. He has a long history in the minors, going back to 2001. The Iowa native who went to high school in the town that boasts The Field of Dreams, spent three seasons with the Carolina Mudcats (2003-05). In the 2003 Southern League Champsionship series, he forced a Game 5 on the Stars with a 3-hit, 7-1 victory for the Mudcats. He's the author of the only 9-inning no-hitter in Mudcats history (vs. the Diamond Jaxx in 2005)..... He last faced the Stars on May 24, 2005, shutting the Stars out, 8-0........ He signed with the Brewers after seven seasons in the Marlins' organization, last January 14 after going 4-4 with a 5.98 ERA for Class AAA-Albuquerque (PCL) the year before...... More recently, he bombed with the Nashville Sounds, going 1-2 with a 12.86 ERA in four starts.

Ungs was chosen to start against his former team in place of Mike Jones, who followed in relief....... Overall, Ungs did a fair job, getting out of a rough first inning giving up just one run despite issuing a leadoff walk to Cameron Maybin, then giving up back-to-back singles to Manuel Mayorson and Chris Coghlan that scored Maybin........ Half of Mayorson's eight hits were doubles when he came to the plate and hit a grounder through the middle that was knocked down by 2nd baseman Mike Bell. Coghlan slapped a hit past 1st baseman Chris Errecart and Bell. The throw came in to Bell, but his throw to get the lead runner was wild and behind the runner allowed Carolina to tie the game, 1-1....... A double steal on a 2-2 pitch and a walk to Gaby Sanchez to load the bases followed. t Ungs, who was on a 75-80 pitch count, went full on a batter for the 3rd time, but struck out Alberto Concepcion on a fast ball for the first out. Andrew Jenkins then bounced a ball toward third, easily allowing Mat Gamel to go home and force Mayorson at the plate...... The bases remained loaded, but Ungs finally got out of the inning on a force out by Brad Davis....... Ungs did not allow another hit until Andrew Jenkins doubled to lead off the 4th. Manuel Mayorson singled with one out in the 5th before Ungs reached his limit, leaving with a 2-1 lead...... That was gone when Mike Jones walked pinch-hitter Grant Psomas with the bases loaded and one out....... It was Jones' first blown save and the 12th by the Stars' bullpen since May 15.

Jones was on the mound when the Mudcats took a 3-2 lead in the 7th...... Patrick Ryan was already throwing in the top of the inning as Jones walked leadoff hitter Mayorson on four pitches. Angel Salome threw him out stealing on a 1-1 pitch to Chris Coghlan, but Jones walked him, too....... This time Coghlan was successful with a stolen base........ Coghlan was nearly caught off base on a 1-2 count to Gaby Sanchez, a former college teammate of Ryan Braun and Brendan Katin, but Sanchez gave the Mudcats a 3-2 lead on a line-drive double to left-center past Gillespie.

Guilder Rodriguez, who came into the ballgame on a double-switch in the 7th after Mike Jones walked his 5th batter, scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game again, 3-3, in the top of the 8th when Alcides Escobar popped a ball to 2nd baseman Coghlan in foul territory.

With the score tied in the bottom of the 8th, and Patrick Ryan (1-4, 5.29 since May 15) on the mound, Carolina took the lead for good...... Kris Harvey lined through a hole on the left side. After reliever Jesus Delgado struck out trying to sacrifice, Maybin slashed a double to right-center, sending Harvey to third, his 4th of the series....... With Mayorson batting, Angel Salome could not stop Ryan's first pitch, a low fast ball, which enabled Harvey to score, giving Carolina a 4-3 lead. Mayorson's fly ball to Gillespie made it 5-3........ Although Gillespie homered to deep left make it a one-run game in the 9th, Carolina closer Chris Mobley sealed the deal, striking out Salome, LaPorta, and Errecart for the victory...... Gillespie's HR ended a 105-AB drought going back to May 26 at Mobile. It came off closer Reid Mahon in the 9th, making it (ok, cue the theremin) a 5-4 game won by Mobile.

Interestingly, Errecart and Gillespie have had more value leading off or with the bases empty, than as clutch hitters:

[align=center]

	Bases Empty	Leading Off	w/RISP	RISP and 2 out
Chris Errecart	.354	.417	.195	.172
Cole Gillespie	.280	.338	.224	.255

[/align]

Check out who the clutch hitters are. Just click on the standings page.

Saturday's game was serviced by only two umpires because crew chief Nick Nolde resigned suddenly following last Thursday's game....... Carolina added veteran minor league pitcher Chris Michalak to the roster, Saturday. Michalak, whose pro career goes back to 1993, pitched for the Stars in 1995-96, when they were affiliated with Oakland ...... He was released by the A's the day before the Stars' 1997 season got underway and since has bounced in and out of 12 7 NL and 5 AL) major league organizations...... He was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA for the Rangers' Class AA-Frisco (Texas) Roughriders, then released on May 19. The Marlins picked him up and now he's back in the Southern League again.

John Haggerty joined the umpiring crew, Sunday......... I guess the last time two starting pitchers made their Stars debut in back-to-back games in the middle of a season was back in 2003 when Jeff Housman and Jason Shelley made their impressive debuts in a July 20 double-header vs. the Diamond Jaxx........ While they didn't match Housman's 6 inning, 1-hit 10-0 win or Shelley's 1-0, 10 K performance, Cate, at least, made it in the win column...... Michael Garciaparra made his first start of the season for the Stars at shortstop and wore the golden sombrero.

Carolina had Cate, a lefty who works from the stretch behind 1-0 in the 1st....... Manuel Mayorson led off the bottom of the 1st with a two-hop opposite-field single. On a hit-and-run, Chris Coghlan then sent a line drive into right-center sending Mayorson to third....... Gaby Sanchez then lined out to Mat Gamel, who made a leaping catch, but Mayorson scored without a throw on Gamel's one-hop relay to Chris Errecart.

The Stars, after failing to take advantage of Gamel's ground-rule double in the 1st, came back -- and they had their hitting shoes on for Cate....... Mat Gamel went 5-for-5, the 14th Huntsville Star in history to have a 5-hit game (Alcides Escobar and Mel Stocker did it last year. Jose Canseco did it twice in 1985)........ Chris Errecart had four hits, including two doubles..... Matt LaPorta singled, doubled and drove in 2 runs to snap out of a 5-game 4-for-18 skid.

Gamel scored on a bang-bang ground out by Cole Gillespie in the 3rd to put the Stars in front, 2-1....... With LaPorta on 3rd and one down, Errecart sent a line drive into left-center making it 3-1.

Cate and the three relievers who followed, were able to hold the Mudcats back, except for Brian Petersen....... Making his Double-A debut, Petersen doubled to right in the 2nd, singled in two runs to make it a 4-3 game in the 4th, singled with two out off Steve Bray in the 6th, and singled in two more runs in the 8th to make it a 6-5 game...... Fortunately, Juan Sandoval, who ends June with a sparkling 0.60 ERA in 11 appearances, picked up his 8th save, his 3rd of the month, did not have to face Petersen in the 9th. He retired the side -- Maybin (.293 vs. Stars pitching), Mayorson (.395), and Coghlan (.351) -- in order.

The Stars have two more series with Carolina -- another one at Five County Stadium later in July and one at the Joe, August 23-27....... Their split with Carolina gives the Stars a 4-7 record against them this year......... Gamel's 5-hit game extends his hitting streak to 10 games and is on a .429 pace. Gamel finished 12-for-25 in this series with 3 doubles and 5 RBIs...... Manny Parra put a stop to the Twins' 10-game win streak, 5-1, with a 7-inning, 2-hitter, Saturday. Mitch Stetter, in relief of David Riske, gave up the Twins' only other hit in the 9th....... Jeremy Jeffress, the Brewers' #1 draft pick in 2007, gave up 3 hits in 6 innings and struck out 9, helping Brevard County to a 10-inning 3-2 victory over Ft. Myers, Sunday....... Evan Frederickson, one of the Brewers' three #1 draft picks this past June, has been promoted from Helena (Pioneer) to West Virginia. He left Helena with a 3.09 ERA after 11 1/3 innings over three starts..... Jonathan Lucroy, the heir apparent behind the plate for the Stars next season, is hitting .317 for Brevard County.

The wires for the new sound system at the Joe are being run as I speak. General Manager Buck Rogers says it should be ready by the time the Stars return for the raucous Fourth of July series, so I guess we'll have to wait to really hear how good the sound system is, but speakers will be placed in back of the upper level seats for the first time, as it is in several Southern League parks.

[align=center]

STARS BULLPEN SINCE MAY 15
	W-L-S-BS	ERA	IP	H	R	ER
Omar Aguilar	0-3-3-2	4.38	12 1/3	12	10	6
Joe Bateman	0-0-1-0	3.04	23 2/3	22	9	8
Steve Bray	0-0-0-0	4.91	3 2/3	5	2	2
Donovan Hand	0-0	3.60	5	4	2	2
Robert Hinton	1-3-1-1	7.04	23	24	19	18
David Johnson	0-1-1-0	3.38	10 2/3	9	5	4
Mike Jones	0-0-0-1	8.64	8 1/3	14	8	8
Patrick Ryan	1-4-1-5	5.49	19 2/3	27	18	12
Juan Sandoval	0-2-4-3	3.66	19 2/3	18	8	8
E.J. Shanks	0-0	9.81	3 2/3	6	4	4
Jason Shiell	2-1-0-0	2.53	10 2/3	9	4	3
Josh Wahpepah	1-0	9.64	4 2/3	10	5	5
TOTALS	4-14-11-11	5.00	144	159	94	80

[/align]

The gray concrete walls that have divided the upper and lower levels of the stands since Day One in 1985 have been painted a deep blue within the week by the booster club, I'm told. The players rave about it, saying they can pick up the ball a lot better with the walls in the background........ From what I know, the next step will be some murals, possibly starting in October.

The White Sox have released Joe Winkelsas....... Winkelsas pitched in 4 games for the Barons last May, going 0-1 with one save and a 10.80 ERA, but two of those games were against West Tennessee, shutting them out over 2 1/3 innings. Winkelsas was 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 13 games for the Stars in 2006. After promotions to Nashville, and then Milwaukee that year. He retired (temporarily as it turned out) on July 4 of that year.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Royals 2, Arizona Brewers 1

 

Arizona Box Score

The Brewers will take pitching lines like the ones you see here from Damon Krestalude, Adrian Rosario, and Brandon Rapoza, any day of the week; SS Carlos George is finding the going a lot easier at the plate (1.033 OPS) than on the sun-baked infield (seven errors) in his five games thus far; Shawn Zarraga is getting on base at a .455 clip despite being 3-for-14 (.214); two of the four Brewer hits went to Brandon Drespling, the one "older" player on the squad, at 23; Brewers K'd 15 times -- this group has been offensively challenged...

 

Arizona Game Log

A-Crew stranded nine including several in scoring position, as they drew five walks and a HBP...

[twobrewers]

Gamel is 2 for 3 already with a double and RBI.

 

Colby or Mass - Do you know if Gamel has a nickname yet?

[wibadgers23]

I'm not gonna lie. The thought of Melvin trading Gamel keeps me up at night (unless it's for somebody like Lincecum of course).

[brewmann04]

Gamel and laporta has to be Melvin group of untouchables

[BoKnowsBall]

Disappointing - Gamel's at bat streak ends at 7 in a row with a hit, but then he comes back and starts another one

[battlekow]

Gamel and laporta has to be Melvin group of untouchables

Gamel and LaPorta are precisely the two players most likely to be traded (though perhaps not together). Who did you think the Brewers were going to use to acquire a Sabathia-level talent?

 

[Postseason2006]

Move over Chipper, here's Matt Gamel.

 

Please, please do not trade this man.

[wibadgers23]

Gamel and laporta has to be Melvin group of untouchables

Gamel and LaPorta are precisely the two players most likely to be traded (though perhaps not together). Who did you think the Brewers were going to use to acquire a Sabathia-level talent?

 

 

It's just a personal preference, but at this point, I'd rather trade Fielder than Gamel or LaPorta.

[twobrewers]

The thought of Melvin trading Gamel keeps me up at night (unless it's for somebody like Lincecum of course).

The idea of losing Gamel - and still missing the playoffs - keeps me up at night.

 

That is my quote from the CC Thread last night around 9:45. I can't tell if you are mocking me - or it is an incredible coincidence that you posted your message directly after mine.

[wibadgers23]

The thought of Melvin trading Gamel keeps me up at night (unless it's for somebody like Lincecum of course).

The idea of losing Gamel - and still missing the playoffs - keeps me up at night.

 

That is my quote from the CC Thread last night around 9:45. I can't tell if you are mocking me - or it is an incredible coincidence that you posted your message directly after mine.

Nope, not mocking you. I haven't read the CC thread since yesterday afternoon. But that's kind of funny.

[DHonks]

wow, Tbow with no walks. 13 pitches, 9 are strikes!

[biedergb]

From David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

"Check out who the clutch hitters are. Just click on the standings page."

 

With RISP

Salome, .415 (27-65)

Escobar, .371 (36-97)

Brantley, .329 (24-73)

Gamel, .315 (29-91)

LaPorta, .315, but 8 HR

 

Lots of great info on his site.

[Minigoon]

H-Brew just got no hit by Missoula. Unfortunately wasting strong pitching performances by their own Ritchie, Corredor, and Luetge.

 

Final score was 1-0.

[rotoherb]

Gamel and LaPorta are precisely the two players most likely to be traded (though perhaps not together). Who did you think the Brewers were going to use to acquire a Sabathia-level talent?

 

I mentioned this in a different thread, but I don't really think that it would take a Gamel or LaPorta to get Sabathia. Just look back at all of the trade deadline deals for a two month rental over the last five seasons. Two month guys simply don't command that much on the trade market, especially when it is well known that they won't resign with their current team. Bowden claims that he was offered nothing for Soriaon a few years ago, Carlos Beltran was traded for Travis Buck, Mike Wood and Mark Teahen - none of which were top 50 prospects according to BA. Sabathia may be bit better than most of those trades, though the Beltran sweepstakes was a big thing at the time, but based on the recent past I don't think the Indians will get any top 20-30 type prospects in return. I can't remember the last trade deadline deal where a two month guy was traded for a top 50 prospect even, maybe Ugueth Urbina for Adrian Gonzalez in 2003? Even Gonzalez was a fringe top 50 guy at that point. If I had to guess, I'd say that they'll get either one solid, major leaguer with a reasonable contract or two to three middle tier prospects. Maybe some team will overpay, but everyone knows that the Indians have trade him and will wait them out.

 

[MTBrew]

There is ZERO attitude on this Helena club. Starting in the 7th inning someone should have been bunting or at least choking up trying to get a hit to break up the no hitter. Instead just the usual hacking away, mostly on the first pitch.

[shelmark]

This is the first year I can recall that I haven't really looked forward to the Helena Box. Not a good sign when your #4 hitter was pitching the last two years.

[And That]

I really think this draft will benefit the Brewers long term, but yes, this is not the pretty Helena squad we're used to.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Missoula (Diamondbacks) 1, Helena 0

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Osprey no-hit Brewers

By TOM STUBER - Helena Independent Record

 

The Missoula Osprey used three pitchers to combine for a no-hitter and a 1-0 win over the Helena Brewers before 904 fans at Kindrick Legion Field Monday night.

 

The Brewers (6-8) went from not being able to get anyone out in the last two innings of Sunday's 10-8 loss to not being able to get a hit 24 hours later.

 

"You just have to tip your cap to them and pick up and go tomorrow," Helena catcher Corey Kemp said of the Osprey. "Their first pitcher threw hard and kept the ball down. The second guy was slower and changed speeds and had us out front. Then the third one was a good closer in college and had a good out pitch."

 

Missoula (4-10) got the only run it would need in the first inning when lead off batter Ollie Linton singled, went to second on a walk and took third on a passed ball. He was driven in by a Ryne White double.

 

Missoula pitchers Miles Reagan, middle reliever Jesse Orosco and closer Bryan Shaw combined to throw the no-hitter.

 

Reagan went four innings and walked two batters, Orosco pitched three innings and saw just one runner reach on a passed ball after a third strike and Shaw gave up just one walk over the final two innings. The three combined for six strikeouts and didn't allow any Brewers past second base.

 

Helena had several hard hit balls that went right at Osprey's fielders, with their best chance at a hit coming in the eighth with one out when pitcher-turned-batter Josh Romanski hit a slow roller to first that Ryne White was able to field and flip to Shaw covering first in a bang-bang fashion.

 

"We'll be fine," Helena manager Rene Gonzales said. "We hit the ball hard. No hits or two-three hits doesn't really make any difference. All that matters is you win."

 

Helena had some pretty decent pitching of its own as starter Brandon Ritchie went 5 2/3 and allowed just one run pitching out tough spots in the first and third.

 

Nestor Corredor allowed just one hit in 2 1/3, while Lucas Leutge struck out two in his only inning of work.

 

"Our pitchers were outstanding," Gonzales said.

 

It didn't help that the Brewers have been banged up of late.

 

"We're a little short-handed," Gonzales added. "We have a pitcher (Romanski) at designated hitter, so that kind of tells you where we're at. It also shows that we're gamers."

 

The two teams will continue to face each other tonight, but the venue will change to Missoula.

 

***

 

MiLB.com which includes the Missoula broadcast final call

 

Missoula trio combines to no-hit Helena

By Steve Conley / Special to MLB.com

 

Miles Reagan, Jesse Orosco and Bryan Shaw just began their professional careers. It took them two weeks to make history together.

 

The trio combined on the third no-hitter in Missoula Osprey history Monday, a 1-0 win over the Helena Brewers at Kindrick Field.

 

Reagan threw the first four frames and Orosco tossed three perfect innings before Shaw pitched the final two innings for his first save. When it was over, the young hurlers were a little more than excited.

 

"This is one of the biggest things to ever happen to me," said Reagan, a seventh-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks out of El Capitan High School (Calif.) in the 2008 Draft.

 

"It feels great," added Orosco (1-0), son of former Major Leaguer Jesse Orosco. "It's the best game I've ever pitched in and my first pro game with a shutout."

 

Shaw was equally as excited, but claimed he was unaware of the feat as it was taking place.

 

"It's great," the 20-year-old right-hander said. "The last time we were here we had a shutout, but I gave up a home run in the ninth inning. I honestly didn't even realize it was a no-hitter until the game ended and I looked at the scoreboard."

 

Orosco was fully aware of the no-hit bid, however, and had some words of encouragement for Shaw when he passed him in the dugout.

 

"I saw it early on and thought, 'Wow, this is awesome.' I wasn't paying attention to it when I came into the game, but after the seventh when they still had no hits I just said to Bryan, 'Hey, keep it going.'"

 

Shaw did just that and the trio joined Osbek Castillo and Hector Ambriz -- who combined to no-hit Casper on Aug. 20, 2006 -- as the only pitchers in Missoula history to have pitched in nine-inning no-hitters. Gabriel Mercedes and Roberto Medina hurled 7 1/3 hitless innings against Billings on July 27, 2001 before the game was called by rain.

 

"I looked at Miles in the dugout and thought, 'That didn't just happen.' We got our butts kicked a few times earlier this season, but this was amazing," said Orosco, who said his dad, who recorded the final out of the New York Mets 1986 World Series Championship, was intently listening to the game.

 

"I talked to him briefly. He just said, 'Wow' and he was listening to every pitch. He said it was awesome."

 

Pitching coach Steve Merriman will have to make good on a deal he made with his pitchers, which was to take them out to dinner and allow them to take batting practice after a shutout.

 

"It'll be a fun bus ride home, and we'll get ourselves a steak dinner," Reagan said. "The three of us are all from California and we live in the same house, so this was great."

 

Winston Linton, who went 2-for-4, singled and scored on Ryne White's double in the first for the Osprey (4-10).

 

Brewers starter Brandon Ritchie (0-1) allowed one run on six hits while striking out four and walking two over 5 2/3 innings for the Brewers (6-8).

 

Helena Box Score

Lefty Lucas Luetge out of Rice University (his middle initial is also "L") with his pro debut on the mound; the Nestor Corredor conversion to pitcher seems to be working; nice job, starter Brandon Ritchie, another southpaw; not really much to add, is there?

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 7, Tennessee (Cubs) 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Stars Success Over Smokies Continues

Gamel, Gillespie Drive Stars to Victory

 

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Mat Gamel and Cole Gillespie each collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs to power Huntsville to a 7-3 win over Tennessee Monday night in the opener of a four-game set at Smokies Park. The Stars won their second straight game to improve to 7-6 in the second half and 48-35 overall, while the Smokies dropped to 9-4 in the second half and saw their lead in the North Division trimmed to two games. The Stars have won all six meetings between the teams and have outscored the Smokies 44-17 in so doing.

 

Freddy Parejo singled with one out in the third, moved to second base on an Alcides Escobar single and scored the game's first run on a double by Gamel, who knocked in his league-high 71st run. Angel Salome then chopped a ground ball to third baseman Josh Lansford, who went back, dived and tagged out Escobar trying to get back to the bag for the second out before Matt LaPorta fanned to end the frame.

 

David Welch singled in a run in the fourth before Parejo was hit by a pitch to load the bases but the Stars could not cash in, as Escobar bounced into a force out at the plate and Gamel fouled out to third. Tennessee pushed across a run in the bottom of the inning on a Mark Reed ground out that plated Matt Craig, who had opened the inning with a walk.

 

Mike Bell's two-out single in the fifth scored Gillespie, who had doubled with two outs, to push the lead to 3-1. Smokies' starter James Russell was removed after five frames, giving up three runs on nine hits, walking one, hitting two and fanning three. Mark Holliman took over in the sixth and yielded a run-producing hit by Gamel that extended the visitors lead to 4-1 and sent Escobar to third before LaPorta grounded into an inning-ending double play.

 

Welch was taken out after four innings and 86 pitches, having allowed three hits, walking four and striking out two. David Johnson worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three to improve to 3-2 with his first win since April 14 at home over the Lookouts. Gillespie's two-out, two-run double of Ed Campusano in the eighth pushed the Stars lead to 6-1 and gave him 52 RBI on the season, the fifth Stars' batter to drive in more than 50. Huntsville pounded out 16 hits but stranded 15 runners, including at least one in every inning.

 

Jake Fox opened the home eighth with a single, moved to third on a Craig double and scored when Escobar couldn't come up with a Doug Deeds ground ball. Parejo overran the ball in centerfield to allow Craig to score to cut the lead to 6-3. Jason Shiell retired the next two hitters before being replaced by Juan Sandoval, who walked pinch-hitter Kyle Reynolds before retiring Matt Camp on a come-backer to end the inning. Sandoval then retired the side in order in the ninth to record his ninth save and extend his scoreless innings streak to 13 1/3 over his last nine outings.

 

The series continues Tuesday night with southpaw Brae Wright making the start against Smokies' right-hander Mitch Atkins. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 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

Contributions up-and-down the lineup, nothing new there; the four walks drove up a pitch count that led to David Welch's shortest outing in ages; if the bullpen continues to turn things around, as they have as of late, this team should be very competitive for a second half playoff run...

 

Huntsville Game Log