Link Report for Games of Sunday, July 6th

[Mass Haas]

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 3, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Barons Squeeze Out Another Close Win

Huntsville Held in Check Offensively For Second Straight Night

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Aaron Poreda worked 6 1/3 solid innings and two late runs were the difference in Birmingham's 3-2 win over Huntsville Sunday in the third of a four-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Barons improved to 12-7 in the second half and won their league-high 52nd game, while the Stars slipped to 9-10 in the second half and three games behind victorious Tennessee in the North Division. The Barons have won six of the eight games between the teams, with five of the wins by either one or two runs.

 

Eric Hollis led off the third inning against Brae Wright with a single, moved to third base on a one-out single by Miguel Negron and scored the game's first run on a Robert Hudson sacrifice bunt. Hudson drew a one-out walk in the sixth, the first issued by Wright in 20.1 innings, and was thrown out trying to score on a Ricardo Nanita double for the second out of the inning. Wright went seven strong innings, allowing a run on three hits, walking one and fanning six.

 

Poreda retired the first 12 batters he faced before walking Angel Salome to start the fifth but that was quickly erased when Cole Gillespie grounded into a double play. Mike Bell ended the left-hander's no-hit bid with a leadoff infield single in the sixth. Poreda also went five hitless innings in a May 6 start for Winston-Salem before a leadoff home run ended that no-hit bid.

 

Alcides Escobar led off the seventh with a walk, moved to second base on a passed ball, to third on a Mat Gamel groundout and scored to tie the game on a double by Salome that chased Poreda. Ryan Rote took over and walked Gillespie before striking out J.R. Hopf and Bell to end the frame. Poreda allowed a run on four hits, walked two and struck out five and remained winless in five double-A starts.

 

Steve Bray took over for Wright and struck out the first two hitters he faced before Negron walked, stole second, went to third on an errant throw by the catcher and scored on a two-out single by Hudson to give the Barons the lead. Hudson stole second and came around on a single by Ricardo Nanita that pushed the lead to two. Rote retired the side in order in the eighth to grab his first win and was followed to the hill in the ninth by Jon Link, who walked Escobar to open the frame. Gamel singled to advance Escobar to third before Salome grounded into a double play that scored Escobar to cut the lead to 3-2. Gillespie then flied out to end the game, as Link recorded his league-high 24th save. Huntsville was held to four hits for a second straight game and has mustered only 15 in the series.

 

The series finishes up Monday night with right-hander Donovan Hand taking the hill against Barons' right-hander Carlos Torres. 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 and www.730ump.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Cole Gillespie's importance increases after the Matt LaPorta deal; Alcides Escobar walked twice, his 20 BB's in 373 AB's is actually an improvement over past ratios, but is still abysmal -- nearly all his .356 OBP comes from his .324 average; J.R. Hopf's going to get plenty of AB's in Chris Errecart's absence; 24-year-old lefty Brae Wright has had a nice initial AA season; Steve Bray started his own-troubles with the two-out walk -- tough, tough season for Steve...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 16, Hagerstown (Nationals) 1

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER SMASH SUNS

 

Eric Fryer went 5-for-5 and drove in six runs while Roque Mercedes turned in six great innings on Sunday night at Appalachian Power Park as the West Virginia Power scored 16 unanswered runs to defeat the Hagerstown Suns 16-1.

 

The Suns got their lone run in the top of the second on Garrett Bass's RBI groundout. The Power began their rampage with a five-run second inning. Cole Kimball issued bases loaded walks with two outs to Lee Haydel and Eric Farris and Fryer capped the five-run frame with a three-run double.

 

The Power plated six runs in the third. Uly Snijders walked with the bases loaded on four pitches to plate the first run and Matt Cline was hit by the very next pitch to bring in the next run. Haydel and Fryer doubled in two runs apiece to finish the inning. Farris doubled in a run to start the five-run fifth before Fryer singled Farris home and Zelous Wheeler capped the inning with a three-run homer, his eighth of the season.

 

Mercedes (3-4) turned in his finest start of the season, holding the Suns to just a run on three hits over six innings and got the victory. Kimball (3-5) allowed eight runs on five hits and walked four batters through two innings of work and was tagged with the loss. Jose Garcia and Pedro Lambertus combined to toss three scoreless innings of relief.

 

The Power improved to 44-42 on the year and 12-5 in the second half with the win. The Suns fell to 43-43 on the year and 9-8 in the second half with the loss. Farris extended his hitting streak to nine games while Fryer extended his to seven. Caleb Gindl's hitting streak was snapped at 11 games. Fryer's five-hit performance paced the Power and he went 21-for-36 during the ten game home stand. Wheeler went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs while Steffan Wilson and Haydel turned in two hits each. The 16 runs established a new season high. West Virginia finished the ten-game home stand with a 8-2 record and they are two games over .500 for the first time this season.

 

The Power will begin a four game series against the Savannah SandGnats at Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia on Monday night. Right hander R.J. Seidel (5-4, 4.87) will make the start for the Power. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

Eric Fryer couldn't make a full-season squad out of extended spring, this is just ridiculous what he's doing, but keep it up, dude; Zelous Wheeler just a triple shy of the cycle, plus a walk -- he's been the steadiest Power player this season; just-turned 20-year-old RHP Jose Garcia hadn't pitched since June 21st; every time some of us are prepared to write off Roque Mercedes (my hand is raised), he puts together a week like this past one to get back on the radar; Scott Houin pinch-hit for Caleb Gindl in the 7th, but there's no indication it was anything more than a move in a blowout victory...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 7, Round Rock (Astros) 4

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Brad Nelson photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Close Homestand With 7-4 Win

NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds snapped a four-game skid by posting a 7-4 victory over the Round Rock Express on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium in the finale of a three-game series.

 

With the victory, Nashville (35-55) brought an end to Round Rock's season-best eight-game winning streak.

 

Sounds first baseman Brad Nelson paced the offensive attack and drove in three runs to up his team-leading RBI total to 52 on the year with a 3-for-4 night that included a pair of doubles.

 

The Sounds took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning against Round Rock starter Ron Chiavacci. Nelson led off with a double into the right field corner and moved to third on Vinny Rottino's single before scoring the evening's first run on Brendan Katin's RBI single to left. Nashville added its second run when Rottino scored from third on a throwing error by Express second baseman Edwin Maysonet on Adam Heether's fielder's choice groundout.

 

Nashville made it a 3-0 contest in the third when Hernan Iribarren led off with a single, moved to third on a Tony Gwynn single, and scored on a Nelson groundout.

 

Round Rock rallied to tie the contest in the top of the fourth against Sounds starter Sam Narron. Former Sound J.R. House drew an inning-opening walk and moved to second on a Mark Saccomanno single before scoring on a Ray Sadler RBI double to the right-center wall. Tommy Manzella pulled the visitors within a run with a single before Sadler came plateward to knot the score at 3-3 on a Yordany Ramirez groundout.

 

The Sounds regained the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Gwynn reached first when Chiavacci failed to handle a flip from first baseman Saccomanno. After stealing second, Gwynn scored on Nelson's RBI single to center, the slugger's team-leading 51st RBI of the year.

 

Saccomanno quickly re-tied the game at 4-4 in the next half-inning when he led off the sixth with a solo home run to left-center off Narron, his 20th roundtripper of the season.

 

Nelson continued his big night in the seventh when he gave Nashville a 5-4 lead with a two-out RBI double to right, his second two-bagger of the night and team-leading 22nd of the year. Iribarren, who reached on a fielding error by Manzella at shortstop, scored unearned on the knock.

 

AUDIO: Brad Nelson RBI Double

 

Sounds reliever Tim Dillard worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the one-run lead intact in the top of the eighth. With one out, Sadler reached when his swinging third strike went to the backstop for a wild pitch and Gorneault and Manzella followed with singled to fill the bags. Dillard induced an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play groundout from Ramirez to preserve the Nashville advantage.

 

Nashville added a pair of insurance runs against Fernando Nieve in the home half of the eighth. Heether drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a Carlos Corporan double before pinch-hitter Ozzie Chavez ripped a one-out RBI single to right. Iribarren followed with an RBI knock to center to make it a 7-4 contest.

 

Derrick Turnbow (2-2) picked up the win in relief for the Sounds after working one scoreless inning, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out a pair of batters.

 

Luis Pena notched his 13th save of the year by working a scoreless ninth.

 

Nieve (1-4) took the loss for the Express after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.

 

Narron took a no-decision for Nashville after allowing four runs on five hits over six innings of work.

 

Corporan recorded his first career Triple-A hits in the contest, legging out a fourth-inning triple before adding a double in the eighth.

 

The Sounds travel to Omaha, Nebraska on Monday for a four-day, five-game series that includes a Tuesday doubleheader. Right-hander Mark DiFelice (3-0, 3.54) will toe the rubber for Nashville in Monday's 7:05 p.m. CT series opener. Omaha will counter with right-hander Roman Colon (2-2, 4.60).

 

Nashville Box Score

Vinny Rottino at third base in this one, Adam Heether at short, mising day-to-day veteran Chris Woodward right now -- that's what you do when Ozzie Chavez sports a pitiful .517 OPS; no 1-2-3 relief innings, but in their own unique ways, the stints of Derrick Turnbow, Tim Dillard, and Luis Pena are of interest...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Catcher Vinny Rottino

From the "you did not know this" category, Vinny has started 20% more games than any other PCL catcher this season...

[wvpowerblkwel]

I'm telling you guys...watch out for Eric Fryer....he is absolutely killing the ball! This was a really strange game and aftermath at the ballyard here. Latest word from here is Scott Houin is going up to Brevard which seemed strange. As host family working with Rob Bryson, I now have one less Brewer to follow on this board. This whole thing just seems really strange and unfinished at this point in my mind. Can't wait to see how all the parts fit together.

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Interview with former catcher, now RHP Nestor Corredor

Click on the KCAP archive of July 6th, then browse to the 08:30 minute mark; you'll strain to understand portions, but he speaks well enough, good for him; interesting perspective about as a catcher, having everyone in "front of him", but just the opposite while pitching; good luck, Nestor, and kudos to the Brewers for keeping worthwhile kids in the system in creative ways...

[homer]

I'm guessing the Laporta trade will cause some promotions. Thinking Cain to H'Ville and Fryer to BC.

 

Edit: And have we ever seen a Brevard County debut like Lucroy's? He's absolutely killing that league right now.

[Mass Haas]

Latest word from here is Scott Houin is going up to Brevard which seemed strange.

Don't fret about backup players moving up ahead of starters at times, they're needed at the next level as a backup as well. Lots of fluid parts in an organization, but keeping the Power kids starting nine together right now makes sense.

[Mass Haas]

I'm guessing the Laporta trade will cause some promotions. Thinking Cain to H'Ville and Fryer to BC.

Cain to AA is already confirmed, as is now Houin to Brevard.

[TheCrew07]

Latest word from here is Scott Houin is going up to Brevard which seemed strange

I agree, Gindl and Fryer are both tearing it up, and Fryer is oldish for the league, no disrespect intended but Houin hasn't exactly torn it up between Helena and WV.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com

 

Well after today's news and more recent club developments, and the fact that this club can't seem to win more than two games in a row, the chances for a second half title get dimmer........ Today, the Brewers agreed, in principle, to deal leading HR hitter Matt LaPorta to the Cleveland Indians with two prospects, at this writing unknown until the morning, and a player-to-be-named (according to ESPN) for C.C. Sabathia, who could start as early as Tuesday for the Brewers against Colorado. So who knows if the Stars will lose another player in that deal...... According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the two other minor leaguers going to Cleveland will NOT be Mat Gamel and/or Alcides Escobar...... With LaPorta gone, my best guess is that Lorenzo Cain, Brevard County's right fielder, will come to Huntsville. (Cain is hitting .287 with 19 stolen bases, 4 HRs, .448 slugging and a .358 on-base pct.).

 

Michael Brantley is out with a twisted ankle, incurred in last week's game against Carolina, although he did take batting practice Sunday with it taped up. Chris Errecart, his 13 HRs and .290 average, will be out of action 6-8 weeks with a broken bone at the base of his thumb, affecting movement in his wrist. Carlos Corporan, who hit .350 in June, is in Nashville. (He doubled and tripled in four at-bats vs. Round Rock, Sunday.) The Stars are hitting .223 in their last six games, and have sunk in the standings to 4th place........ A far cry from the 29-11 start to the season, they have since won 21 and lost 28.

 

Errecart's loss that hasn't been made up for. J.R. Hopf is a short-term solution as I see it, and will probably be moved to the bench, especially if Michael Garciaparra goes on the disabled list....... Garciaparra was hit apparently on the wrist in his 6th inning at-bat Sunday, as he was following through on a 1-2 pitch. It looked as if he was hit by Aaron Poreda's pitch, but umpire Matt Abbott made no motion to first base and there was no pinch-runner coming out of the dugout. A cracking sound was heard all the way up in the highest seats at the Joe and it was improbable that he would be able to return, but he did, flying out on a 1-0 pitch in the 8th...... The Manatees are hitting just .243 as a team, so don't expect easy replacements for Errecart or LaPorta. That is just too much power to make up for.

 

Despite good pitching performances from Mike Jones and Brae Wright, the Stars assembled only four hits each in Saturday and Sunday's losses.......The problematic bullpen gave up six runs on 12 hits in six innings in 5-0 and 3-2 losses. To give Birmingham credit where it's due, it does have the stingiest ERA in the league (3.43) -- .55 better than 2nd place Huntsville's.

 

Mike Bell is 2-for-15 in his last five games, but his infield single to shortstop in the 5th inning broke up lefty Aaron Poreda's no-hit bid. Poreda is the White Sox' 3rd top prospect in their organization....... Escobar has just two extra-base hits in his last ten games -- both doubles, which were hit in the same game, July 1 vs. Tennessee...... Gamel has not homered since June 22 vs. West Tennessee. Since his 5-for-5 day vs. Carolina, June 29, he's 9-for-29 (.310) with four doubles...... LaPorta's average slipped under .290 for the first time last Sunday (July 1) since June 2....... Martin Maldonado picked up his first hit as a Huntsville Star in Sunday's game in the 6th inning -- a hit up the middle of the infield stopped by shortstop Robert Valido before it reached the outfield grass....... Maldonado was hitting .266 at Brevard County when he was called up.

 

Donovan Hand, who has five no-decision starts among his seven for the Stars this season, will face nine-game winner Carlos Torres, Monday. Torres is 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA in his last four games....... The Stars have won three of Hand's five no-decision starts.

 

The wires for the new sound system at the Joe are now in place and make quite a difference at the ballpark. I wonder why it took 23+ years.

[Mass Haas]

PAUL RUHTER/Billings Gazette Staff

Helena catcher Mike Roberts tags Jose Gualdron at home plate for the final out of the second inning Sunday at Dehler Park.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/content/articles/2008/07/07/sports/local/21-mustangs.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows (article from a Billings perspective):

 

Brewers drop nail-biter to Mustangs

By GREG RACHAC - Billings Gazette

 

BILLINGS - This time the comeback was completed.

 

Not 24 hours after their ninth-inning rally fell short, the Billings Mustangs recovered in time Sunday afternoon to grab a 5-4 victory over the Helena Brewers in front of 3,386 fans at Dehler Park.

 

Byron Wiley's RBI double with two outs capped a four-run eighth inning that gave the Mustangs the lead before relief pitcher Aguido Gonzalez (2-0) closed the door on Helena in the ninth.

 

The game ended when Gonzalez picked Helena's Derrick Alfonso off of first base.

 

A night earlier against the Brewers, the Mustangs scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth but stranded the bases loaded in a 5-4 defeat.

 

Their comeback attempt would not be futile on this occasion.

 

"I think (Saturday) night's rally in the ninth gave us a little confidence going into the late innings," said Mustangs designated hitter Tyler Stovall.

 

"We all feel we can come back and score a bunch of runs in any inning."

 

With a double in the first inning, Stovall extended his hitting streak to 11 games. But it was Wiley's eighth-inning gapper - which followed hits by Mike Konstanty, Tony Brown, Carlos Mendez and Kyle Day - that propelled Billings to victory.

 

That double, which was only Wiley's second two-bagger of the season, plated Day for the game's final run.

 

"We started the inning off hot," Wiley said. "Today we were able to capitalize on it."

 

Mustangs starter Clayton Shunick, the organization's fifth-round draft choice in 2008 out of North Carolina State, put together his second consecutive quality start.

 

Shunick surrendered just one hit in six innings. He was perfect through four innings before giving up a monstrous home run to Helena's Brock Kjeldgaard.

 

Shunick struck out four and didn't give up a walk.

 

"Clayton pitched great," Stovall said. "He was really mixing his pitches and spotting them well. That's great for a hitter knowing that he's going to be throwing a lot of zeroes on the board."

 

But the Mustangs weren't exactly setting the world on fire at the plate and struggled to find timely hits. Billings stranded seven runners on base in the first five innings before finally tying the game on Brown's towering solo homer in the sixth frame.

 

Helena pushed three runs across in the top half of the eighth inning, highlighted by Kjeldgaard's two-run double that produced a controversial call at the plate, to go ahead 4-1.

 

Brewers starter Trey Watten threw a nice game but didn't have much to show for it. Watten pitched five innings while giving up seven hits and no runs. He struck out four and left with the lead.

 

However, the advantage did not hold up as the Mustangs again found a dramatic flair.

 

In their first six games at Dehler Park, the Mustangs won three games by one run and another by just two.

 

"It's been a characteristic of this team. We've been able to come back, especially in the early part of the season," said first-year manager Julio Garcia. "Today we started off (the eighth inning) with a couple big hits, and it kind of picked up steam from that point on."

 

After playing 20 games in 20 days to start the season, the Mustangs finally get a day off today before hitting the road for a seven games, a trip that opens Tuesday in Ogden.

 

For the Mustangs, who are locked in a tie with Great Falls atop the Pioneer League's North division, they'll try to keep on the winning track.

 

"We've got a lot of confident guys on this team, including myself," Wiley said. "We'll just go out playing and having fun, hopefully to win. But if not at least we know we leave it out on the field."

[Mass Haas]

Sam Narron, Adam Heether, Brad Nelson, Vinny Rottino, and Hernan Iribarren in the latest Nashville photo gallery from the Tennessean.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Sounds find some timely hitting

By JOSHUA TAYLOR

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds might have found a piece of the puzzle Sunday in their search for a combination of situational hitting and clutch pitching.

 

After giving up two leads, the Sounds edged Round Rock 7-4 to prevent the sweep.

 

Nashville is looking for a knockout punch to add to an arsenal that has lost considerable strength from last season's division champion squad.

 

"We've been in a rut where we haven't been getting runners in," center fielder Tony Gwynn said. "There's nothing you can do when you're not getting the hits but keep taking good swings."

 

While the Sounds have supplemented their anemic hitting with aggressive base running, they have struggled to drive in runners in clutch situations, averaging just .248 with runners in scoring position.

 

They improved on that mark Sunday, going 6-for-15 with runners on second or third, also adding three steals to their league-leading total of 106.

 

Gwynn stole two bases for his 10th and 11th of the year, becoming the fourth Sound in double-digits.

 

"When you've got Frank Kremblas as your manager, you're going to have an aggressive base-running style. You've got to get the guys around," Gwynn said. "We tried to push it and take good chances."

 

The victory snaps an eight-game win streak by the Express, who recently surged from last to second in the American Southern division.

 

Franklin native Derrick Turnbow earned his second win of the season after pitching the seventh inning.

 

Turnbow struck out two batters, giving up a hit and a walk.

 

Brad Nelson drove in three of Nashville's seven runs, including the go-ahead double in the bottom of the seventh.

 

"Sometimes there's nothing you can do but barrel it up and get something positive going. I was able to find some holes today," Nelson said. "It was a good win to be able to pull it off at the end."

 

What they said: "It hasn't been a great year for Nashville, so anything in the 'W' column is a positive that we'll take. Any win is a building factor." - Nelson

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Sounds hurt by home runs twice

By JOSHUA TAYLOR

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds find themselves dead last in both home runs hit and given up. Opponents have hit 111 homers, only three shy of last year's end-of-season mark.

 

Conversely, Nashville has managed just 70. Tony Gwynn's shot Saturday ended a five-game drought.

 

"(Giving up home runs) comes down to bad execution," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "We're leaving a lot of pitches up in the zone and we've paid for it. As far as hitting them, it comes down to personnel. We just don't have a lot of power."

 

Rottino's rotation: With his start at third base on Sunday, All-Star catcher Vinny Rottino played in three positions in three games over the homestand. Rottino made his first starts of the year at left field and third in the series.

 

"I played about 80 games at third a couple years ago, so I felt pretty comfortable," Rottino said. "It's a simple game. You catch it and throw it."

 

Worth waiting for: New Nashville catcher Carlos Corporan got his first hits as a Sound after eleven at bats, going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Corporan has also thrown out all three runners attempting steals.

 

Winning ways: Starting left-hander Sam Narron (5-3, 4.08) was given a no decision for his six-inning outing, leaving him one win short of the minor league lead with 12. Six of those came while pitching for AA-Huntsville before making the move to Nashville. In his last start, Narron pitched a complete game, a 5-1 win Tuesday over Memphis.

 

Offensive offense: Round Rock is one of only two Pacific Coast League squads with a lower batting average than the Sounds' .259 mark. The Express have hit .258 in 2008. Nashville held Round Rock to .252 (27-for-107) through this series.

 

Like a House on fire: Express catcher and former Sound J.R. House finished off an impressive homecoming weekend in Nashville. He hit 5-for-11 with two home runs and a double.

 

Nothing to fear but Greer itself: Nashville reversed a streak of bad luck at home, ending a five game slump at Greer Stadium. They have lost 11 of their past 15 home games to extend their season mark to 18-24.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Power routs Hagerstown, 16-1

by Christopher Wade

For the Charleston Daily Mail

 

CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Power offense wasn't cooking with gas Sunday evening. Instead, it barbequed the Hagerstown pitching staff with its deep "Fryer".

 

Led by left fielder Eric Fryer, the Power pounded out 11 hits and went on to rout Hagerstown 16-1 in a laugher at Appalachian Power Park in front of a crowd of 2,682.

 

Fryer had a career day, going 5-for-5 with three doubles. He drove in six runs to help lead the offensive explosion for the Power.

 

"It's pretty special when you get one of these days," said Fryer, a former Ohio State Buckeye. "I don't ever remember having six RBI.

 

"I had five once in the Cape Cod league and five once at Ohio State but the combination tonight was just one of those days where everything was going my way."

 

Fryer went 21-for-36 in the Power's just-completed 10-game home stand as the team raised its record to 44-42 overall and 12-5 in the second half. West Virginia is in first place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division.

 

"I've just been seeing good pitches and I'm not letting them go by as much," Fryer said. "In the past, I was taking a lot more strikes and here when I see a pitch I like, I'm swinging and it's finding the gaps for me."

 

Power Manager Jeff Isom couldn't be happier for Fryer, who's batting .363 on the season.

 

"It was an awesome night for him and I couldn't be happier for him," Isom said. "Fryer's a guy who works his tail off and he's in a good position right now.

 

"All the hard work is paying off. We had him down at the bottom of the lineup and he moved his way up slowly. We put him in the three hole to see what he can do and it's worked out great for us."

 

Fryer collected three doubles in his first three at-bats Sunday before singling his next two trips and got the Power off to its quick start.

 

Lee Haydel and Eric Farris drew bases-loaded walks in the second inning before Fryer's second triple cleared the bases to give the Power a 5-1 lead.

 

The Power scored six more runs in the third inning to take an overwhelming 11-1 lead, capped off by Haydel's two-run single and Fryer's third straight double, scoring two more runs.

 

Five more Power runs in the fifth inning capped the scoring as third baseman Zelous Wheeler did most of the damage with a three-run home run.

 

On the day, Wheeler had three hits, three runs scored and three RBI; Haydel drove in three runs with two hits; and Steffan Wilson also had two hits for the Power.

 

"Zelous had a great day at the plate," Isom said. "He and Fryer flip flopped in the order. Early on, Wheeler was hitting in the six-hole and had a lot of success.

 

"He worked his way up and now Fryer has done so well of late. We figured we would flip flop the two and try to get Wheeler going again, and boy has it worked. We have no complaints at all with it."

 

The Power went 8-2 during its home stand and took three of four from Hagerstown to open up a two-game lead on Lakewood. The Suns opened the series in first place in the Northern Division but are now three games out.

 

"The whole second half, the idea is to try to win each series we play," Fryer said. "We didn't want to just split. That was our mindset and we accomplished that this series."

 

The Power traveled to Savannah, Ga., after the game Sunday where it will begin a four-game series today. The team plays its next eight on the road.

 

"It feels good to have a game like this, especially going on the road," Fryer said. "You don't have to be all tight on the bus and everybody can laugh and joke around."

[And That]

Chris Dennis is working on a pretty impressive 3TO%.

[battlekow]

Lucroy was BA's FSL Prospect of the Day, and Jeffress also got a mention:

Florida State League

Prospect Of The Day

It's still a mystery why the Brewers had catcher Jonathan Lucroy in low Class A for so long, but he's put that behind him and is doing just fine in the FSL. He blasted two home runs yesterday, giving him four on his FSL season, as part of a 2-for-4 night. He's now batting .351/.426/.649 in 57 at-bats at high Class A Brevard County.

Prospect Nuggets

Righthander Jeremy Jeffress had another one of his strange outings, giving up seven runs (five earned) on five hits and four walks. All that came over five innings, in which he struck out 10…

[battlekow]

Meanwhile, Eric Fryer was BA's Sally League Prospect of the Day, with Lee Haydel getting a mention:

Prospect Of The Day

There were only three games in the SAL yesterday, none of which featured particularly standout performances by top prospects, so we'll go a little off the board and give today's POTD honors to West Virginia (Brewers) left fielder Eric Fryer, who went 5-for-5 with three doubles and six RBIs in a 16-1 win over Hagerstown (Nationals).

Fryer was the Brewers' 10th-round pick in 2007 out of Ohio State, but he hit only .209/.288/.324 in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in his pro debut. However, Fryer has been heating up with West Virginia since arriving there in early May. He hit .363/.438/.539 in June and he's 13-for-19 (.684) so far in July, putting his line for the year at .363/.419/.581 in 179 at-bats.

Prospect Nuggets

Fryer's teammate, West Virginia center fielder Lee Haydel went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored in the Power's rout of Hagerstown …

[battlekow]

Lucroy's excellent play recently also earned him a spot in Kevin Goldstein's Monday Ten Pack:

A third-round pick in the 2007 draft, Lucroy had an impressive debut in the Pioneer League last summer, and this year he's proving it was no fluke. After hitting .310/.391/.501 in the Sally League, the Brewers moved the 22-year-old backstop to the tough Florida State League in mid-June, and he's only gotten better. With a 5-for-12 weekend that included two home runs on Sunday, Lucroy is mashing to the tune of .351/.426/.649 in his first 16 games for the Manatees, with eight walks and just four strikeouts. He's no more than average defensively, but with this kind of bat, average is more than enough.