Link Report for Thurs. 7/10 -- Brendan Katin Is One Strong Dude

[Mass Haas]

Final: Omaha (Royals) 6, Nashville 5, ten innings

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Brendan Katin photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Close Road Trip With Extra-Inning Loss

OMAHA - The Omaha Royals scored a one-out run in the bottom of the tenth inning to hang a 6-5 loss on the Nashville Sounds on Thursday evening at Rosenblatt Stadium in the finale of a five-game series.

 

Despite the defeat, the Sounds (38-57) won three of their five contests in Omaha, marking the club's second winning road series this season. The contest was Nashville's eighth extra-inning affair of the year (3-5).

 

In the bottom of the tenth, Mike Stodolka led off with a single against Sounds reliever Ben Howard and moved to third on a one-out Chris Lubanski double before scoring the winning run on David Matranga's infield grounder to short, sliding into home to beat catcher Vinny Rottino's tag.

 

Brendan Katin opened the evening's scoring when he belted his third home run of the series, a mammoth three-run shot to left off Omaha starter Dusty Hughes in the top of the second inning. The blast, Katin's 14th of the year, was the first longball to hit the scoreboard beyond the left field bleachers at Rosenblatt since they were put up three years ago. Brad Nelson and Rottino, who had opened the frame with a single and double respectively, scored on the homer.

 

AUDIO: Brendan Katin Three-Run HR

"That was impressive"

 

The Royals tied the contest at 3-3 with a three-spot in the bottom of the fifth against Sounds starter Richie Gardner. Brian Buchanan delivered a one-out, two-run double to left before scoring the tying run later in the frame on a Matt Tupman sacrifice fly.

 

Nashville home run leader Laynce Nix put the visitors back ahead in the sixth when he slugged his team-best 16th big fly of the year, a one-out solo shot to right off Hughes that gave the Sounds a 4-3 advantage.

 

For the third straight outing, Gardner departed in line for a victory only to end up with a no-decision following a blown save by the Sounds' bullpen. The right-hander allowed three runs on nine hits over his five frames of action.

 

Omaha knotted the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth on Mitch Maier's two-out RBI single against Erasmo Ramirez that scored Angel Sanchez, who had opened the inning with a single of his own.

 

The Royals took a 5-4 lead in the seventh against Tim Dillard. Jason Smith tripled and later scored the go-ahead run on a two-out wild pitch.

 

The Sounds tied the game in the top of the ninth inning. Rottino doubled off Omaha reliever Devon Lowery then eventually moved to third when the right-hander issued consecutive walks to Katin and Adam Heether.

 

After Omaha skipper Mike Jirschele summoned Brad Salmon to the hill to replace Lowery, Chris Woodward lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center to plate Rottino and make it a 5-5 contest. The right-hander avoided further damage when he induced an inning-ending groundout from Ozzie Chavez to leave runners at second and third.

 

The late Omaha score made a winner out of Salmon (6-4), who worked 1 2/3 scoreless frames but took a blown save.

 

Howard (2-5) took the loss after allowing the game-winning run in his 1 1/3 innings of work.

 

Nashville centerfielder Tony Gwynn singled in the eighth inning to extend the club's longest active hitting streak to eight games, matching the outfielder's best effort this season.

 

The Sounds return to Music City on Friday to host the New Orleans Zephyrs in a four-game, three-day weekend series, the third between the clubs this season. The teams have split their initial eight games in 2008.

 

Left-hander Sam Narron (5-3, 4.26) will man the bump for Nashville in Friday's 7 p.m. series opener. New Orleans will counter with right-hander and former Brewer third-round draft pick (1999) Ruddy Lugo (6-8, 5.21).

Nashville Box Score

Brad Nelson on base three times; OBP still over .400...

 

Nashville Game Log

[battlekow]

"BK having it his way"--I like that.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Idaho Falls (Royals) 3, Helena 0

 

Helena Site Game Summary:

 

Chukars Blank Brewers

 

The Idaho Falls Chukars pitching staff combined to give up only one hit to the Helena Brewers Thursday night at Kindrick Field. Ivor Hodgson, Colby Beach and Blaine Hardy held the home team at bay by striking out ten Brewer hitters. Hodgson earned the win, while Beach got credit for the hold and Hardy picked up the save. Nick Tyson took the loss, as the right-hander gave up two runs over three innings while striking out one and walking one. John Delaney had the lone hit for the Brewers, as he singled in their first at-bat of the game. Brock Kjeldgaard and Derrick Alfonso each had two walks for Helena. Antonio Jimenez, who hit a home run in the contest, led Idaho Falls offensively while Nick Francis doubled and Patrick Norris tripled. The Brewers look to bounce back Friday night and even the series with Idaho Falls 2-2.

 

Helena Box Score

Brewers drew seven walks but advanced only one runner to second base all night, Helena 0-for-27 after the leadoff single; Rob Wooten overcame a 9th inning David Fonseca error to induce a double play for a scoreless inning in his pro debut...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Audio Alley:

 

Nashville Pre-Game Chat with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Reporter Tom Haudricourt (Part 1 of 2)

Sabathia trade talk, disregard Chuck's "Trevor Green" faux pas...

 

Huntsville Pre-Game Interview with utilityman Michael Garciaparra

Click on the WUMP archive of July 10th, then browse to the 06:30 minute mark...

 

Helena Pre-Game Interview with infielder John Delaney

Click on the KCAP archive of July 10th, then browse to the 09:00 minute mark; here's to the Massachusetts kid, quite the injury history...

[battlekow]

I see Joey Paciorek finally got into a game today. I know there is very little information that makes it out of the Arizona League, but did anyone hear why he was not playing?

Apparently he broke his hamate bone. That's the same bone Brad Nelson broke way back when.

 

[LouisEly]

If Paciorek broke his hammate bone, you'd think he would have been out longer than two weeks.

 

Gotta like what Bramhall has done this year. Walks are a little high, GOAO could be a little higher, but almost a K per inning and almost 20 fewer hits than IP. I would like to see him move into the starting rotation to see what he could do, and if he could join that lefty starter prospect group of Hammond, Narron, Welch, Miller, and Wright. All project as 4th/5th starters, but lefty 4th/5th starters have trade value.

 

I've been on the Steffan Wilson bandwagon for a while - go smart guys! If he can play a decent 3B he may have a chance...

 

Like I've been saying, I'm not giving up on Katin yet. The big fella went yard again with another walk; some regular playing time is doing him well. I'm more amazed by his four triples than anything. Still staying under the radar, while having a very good season, is Laynce Nix. I'd be willing to bet that someone will go on the 60-day DL in September to be able to put Nix on the 40-man and bring his lefty bat up for the playoff run. Could that be what the Choate move ultimately yields? Nix and Katin would make an interesting platoon; not for the Brewers, but if they could package them together in a deal with a pitcher they might be able to get some value in return.

[Mass Haas]

Watch the video on the right sidebar of this link to watch Brendan Katin's titanic blast in Omaha

[Mass Haas]

The Savannah Sand Gnats' Casey Craig attempts to break up the double-play throw by West Virginia's Eric Farris as he slides into second during Thursday night's game. Photo by Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

 

http://cms.images.morris.com/savannah/mdControlled/cms/2008/07/10/302495419.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

Manatee Manager Mike Guerrero speaks briefly in this video (right-hand sidebar) about the Manatees players participating in a kids' baseball summer camp.

 

Photos of Kenny Holmberg and E.J. Shanks from the camp in this photo gallery.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Sounds limp into final first-half series

Manager wants Nashville's focus on consistency

By STEVE SILVER

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

After taking three of five games from the Omaha Royals, the Sounds return to Greer Stadium at 7 tonight to face the New Orleans Zephyrs in their last home-stand before the Pacific Coast League All-Star break.

 

The Sounds, now 38-57 after Thursday night's 6-5, 10-inning loss at Omaha, are slated to play four games against the Zephyrs (44-51), including a doubleheader on Saturday that begins at 6 pm.

 

The two squads split their first eight meetings this season, but the Sounds dominated a four-game homestand against the Zephyrs on May 15-18, winning three of those games.

 

"At this point in the season, we just have to focus, be mentally prepared and turn in consistent performances," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "If you are doing those things, then more often than not, you'll give yourself a chance to win."

 

Although the Sounds are evenly matched against the Zephyrs, who were last in the PCL with a .250 batting average entering Thursday, Nashville has yet to find its rhythm at Greer.

 

Nashville not only has the worst home record in the PCL at 18-24, but they also have the second-worst home batting average (.239).

 

"I don't know we are doing anything different there," Kremblas said. "We just need to get comfortable and believe that we can perform."

 

Tonight's game is another Purity Faith Night that includes postgame fireworks and a pregame concert by former major league pitcher Kent Bottenfield.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Idaho Falls one-hits Brewers

By JEFF WINDMUELLER - Helena Independent Record

 

One hit and that was it.

 

The Helena Brewers were subject to another pitching exhibition Thursday night as three Idaho Falls pitchers combined for a one-hitter, beating Helena 3-0 before a crowd of 999.

 

The Brewers (11-12) lost in a no-hitter to the Missoula Osprey earlier this season, but this time around lead-off batter John Delaney got the solo base knock, a bouncer to left field on Helena's first at-bat.

 

The Brewers didn't have much of a chance after that as the Chukars' (8-15) Ivor Hodgson, Colby Beach and Blaine Hardy combined with the defense to blank them the rest of the way. "We didn't make adjustments," said Helena hitting coach Paco Martin. "(Hodgson) had the outside corner covered, and then we were trying to guess."

 

Hodgson threw a number of off-speed pitches and walked four while striking out three batters over five innings.

 

Helena got some breaks, but trying to advance runners became pretty much futile. After Delaney got on, David Fonseca batted into the first double play of the night.

 

Idaho Falls eventually picked up three double plays by the end of the game.

 

Brett Whiteside and Derrick Alfonso both got on base in the third, thanks to back-to-back walks. However, Whiteside was caught stealing second before Alfonso even walked, and Alfonso was subject to the same fate as Delaney earlier, becoming the first out in a ground-out double play.

 

In the fifth and final inning of Hodgson's stay, the Chukars pulled off both defensive plays. Corey Kemp went down swinging and Brock Kjeldgaard was thrown out trying to steal second for the third double play of the night.

 

It took until the bottom of the seventh for Helena to even reach second, and that came when Erik Komatsu walked on and then advanced when a ball got by Chukars catcher Juan Graterol.

 

Helena walked a total of seven times and ended with five batters left on base.

 

Idaho Falls, meanwhile, put together a two-run third inning with some timely hits.

 

Devery Van De Keere doubled off the right field wall to start the inning. Juan Graterol singled him in, but then was thrown out stealing second.

Patrick Norris tripled when he sent a ball over the head of Komatsu in center field and then scored on Alwin Perez's blooper to center.

 

Starting pitcher Nick Tyson was pulled after the inning, and Daniel Meadows, who was picked up two days ago from the Arizona Brewers, was welcomed to mound with a home run by Antonio Jimenez.

 

Meadows was able to get out the next nine straight batters, striking out two before Mark Willinsky came in to relieve. Rob Wooten closed the ninth inning by forcing a fly-out and then a double play after Van De Keere reached on an error.

 

Hodgson scored the win while Hardy picked up a save, striking out two and walking one over two innings.

 

Beach struck out five and walked two in his two-inning stay.

 

Tyson finished with the loss, giving up two earned runs on five hits with a walk and a strike out.

 

The Brewers are now 1-2 against the Chukars, picking up the only Pioneer League Northern Division win Wednesday night as the two divisions continue to face off.

 

The Southern Division went 4-0 on Thursday. Ogden beat Billings 7-5, Orem blanked Great Falls 13-0 and Casper beat up Missoula 13-6.

Helena hosts the Chukars once more tonight at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) before getting a four-game visit from Casper.

 

"We'll just have to take it tomorrow," Martin said. "It's a different day."

[Mass Haas]

Chattanooga Times Free Press Staff Photo by John Rawlston-- Lookouts centerfielder Drew Stubbs beats the throw to Huntsville second baseman Mike Bell during their game at AT&T Field on Thursday. It was the first game Stubbs has started for Chattanooga.

http://media.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2008/07/11/wb-0711-ls-d1-lookouts.jpg

[igor67]

Lefty 4th/5th starters also have value as cheap rotation filler and depth.