Link Report for Tue. 7/8 -- Photos, Photos, Photos!

[Mass Haas]

Tidbits from Omaha:

In game two, Nashville pitcher Lindsay Gulin was one pitch away from something special, giving up only one run on one hit - a first-inning solo home run by Mitch Maier. The lefty, who entered Tuesday with the second best ERA in the Pacific Coast League, struck out six in a seven-inning, complete-game win.

 

"I thought we were mixing pitches, changing speeds well," Gulin said. "And we got some runs early, which is always nice."

 

Gulin allowed only one base runner - a one-out walk to Mike Stodolka in the third - after the Maier homer.

 

"He kept our hitters off stride," Omaha manager Mike Jirschele said. "He was able to throw strikes, he kept the ball down and he got us out."

 

Photo by JEFF BEIERMANN/THE WORLD-HERALD

Omaha's Ryan Shealy slides safely past Nashville catcher Carlos Corporan during the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader. The Royals went on to win the first game 5-1, but lost game two to drop their record to 5-11 in eight doubleheaders this season.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Gulin throws another one-hitter

By Alan Friedman / Special to MLB.com

Lindsay Gulin knows what it's like to be in a groove. During a 13-year career, he has tossed two no-hitters and figures he's got a few one-hitters "in there somewhere."

The 31-year-old left-hander was at it again Tuesday, going the distance and limiting the Omaha Royals to one hit as the Nashville Sounds posted a 3-1 victory to earn a split of their doubleheader.

Gulin, whose travels include two seasons in Japan, got rid of the drama early as he gave up a one-out solo homer to Mitch Maier in the first inning.

"I didn't think he'd swing at a first pitch curveball, but he did and he hit it pretty good," the veteran hurler said.

Gulin (5-4), who fanned six, allowed just one walk the rest of the way and retired the final 14 batters he faced.

"I felt good. I had good command of my pitches and the defense played great," he said. "I was able to do a good job of moving the ball in and out and changing speeds. It was a good win for us."

Gulin, who signed a Minor League contract with the Brewers in December 2007 to re-sign with them, pitched a no-hitter in 1997 for Class A Columbus in the Braves organization. He repeated the feat in 2003 for Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League.

"I'm having a good year," the Long Island, N.Y., native said. "I'm trying to build on each start, just enjoy each start and have fun when on the mound."

Moving in and out of the Sounds' rotation, Gulin has won his last four decisions, allowing 10 earned runs over 39 2/3 innings since the end of May. He's second in the PCL with a 2.89 ERA

The Sounds (37-56) scored all their runs in the top of the first. After they loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, Adam Heether delivered a two-run single, with Brendan Katin coming home on center fielder Maier's error.

Tyler Lumsden (3-9) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits over four innings, fanning one and walking one, for the Royals (43-48).

Omaha won the opener, 5-1.

Lindsay Gulin will pitch for the Pacific Coast League in the Triple-A All-Star Game. (Nashville Sounds photo)

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[Mass Haas]

Do the Helena Brewers make use of the widest variety of uniforms every season? Fantastic, these are sharp --

 

Photos by Lisa Kunkel Helena IR staff photographer

Helena Brewers' David Fonseca gets a congratulatory fist bump from manager Rene Gonzales after Fonseca hit his second home run of the game Tuesday night at Kindrick Legion Field. The Brewers took on Idaho Falls for the first time this season.

 

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Helena Brewers pitcher Efrain Nieves throws in a pitch during the Brewers game against Idaho Falls Tuesday night at Kindrick Legion Field. Nieves (3-1) finished six innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out six and walking two batters.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Chukars clip Brewers

By CURT SYNNESS - Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers always seemed to be one run behind the Idaho Falls Chukars at Kindrick Legion Field Tuesday, despite a big night at the plate by second baseman David Fonseca.

 

Fonseca belted two solo homers, one in the first and another in the sixth, but the Brewers (10-11) came up one short anyway, dropping a close 4-3 decision to the Chukars (7-14) in front of a crowd of 1,048.

 

It was the first battle the Brewers had seen with a Pioneer League Southern Division this year.

 

The locals fell behind 2-1 after two innings, caught up with Idaho Falls 2-2 thanks to Fonseca in the sixth, and then dropped back again by one in the seventh, 3-2. Lead-off hitter Patrick Norris scored twice for the visitors. The Chukars next went up by two tallies in the top of the eighth, 4-2, on a home run by Carlo Testa.

 

Then in the bottom of the eighth, the Brew crew put together their biggest threat of the evening. Fonseca singled for his third hit of the game, and then advanced to third on a hit-and-run base knock to right field by Erik Komatsu. Big Brock Kjeldgaard brought home Fonseca with a single, giving Helena runners on first and second with one out. Next up, Chris Dennis lined a rope to left-center that had base hit written all over it, which would have plated at least one run, and possibly two. But Chukars' centerfielder Patrick Norris made a spectacular diving catch to rob Dennis of a hit, and preserve his club's 4-3 lead.

 

In the top of the ninth frame, Brewer reliever Nestor Corredor set the visitors down in order, striking out the first two men and inducing a fly ball out to right. But Idaho's James Thompson was even more overpowering in the locals' last at-bat, striking out the side to nail down the one-run victory.

 

Helena actually outhit their guests, 7-6, but committed an error, compared to the Chukars' flawless effort in the field.

 

"I just don't think we came out with any intensity for the first part of the game," said Brewers' manager Rene Gonzales. "We couldn't keep their leadoff hitter off base, and he scored two of their four runs. And another thing that killed us, was they kept scoring with two outs. We've got to be able to put them away in those situations."

 

Efrain Nieves started on the bump for the Capital City group, going six innings and giving up two runs on four hits. He set six batters down on strikes. Garrett Sherrill relieved and was stuck with the loss. The winning hurler was Jesse Carver.

 

Fonseca, who hails from Managua, Nicaragua, scored three times and finished with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, upping his season average to .333.

 

"David hasn't been playing much, but he's going to get his chance now," Gonzales said. "He's put on some weight and gained some strength, and he's getting more comfortable at the plate. We're looking for him to help us out a lot."

 

The Brewers take on Idaho again tonight at Kindrick Field, game time being 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).