Link Report for Fri. 7/11 -- Corporan a Walk-Off Bomb in Nashville

[Mass Haas]

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Chukars sneak by Brewers

By JEFF WINDMUELLER - Helena Independent Record

Apparently no one liked Thursday's one-hitter.

 

One night after Idaho Falls blanked the Helena Brewers 3-0, holding them to just one hit, the two teams tangoed in the highest scoring Brewers game of the season.

 

Unfortunately for the home team, Idaho Falls' J.D. Alfaro scored on a bases-loaded infield sacrifice by Antonio Jimenez in the top of the 10th inning and the Chukars won the game 14-13 before a late-night crowd of 922.

 

Twice the Brewers (11-13) led and at one time by as much as five runs, going 7-2 into the top of the fourth inning. But in a game that featured six home runs - four by the Brewers - the ones that really counted came from the Chukars (9-15).

 

Neder Severino cracked a grand slam over the left field wall and the Chukars batted through the order in the top of the fourth to score eight runs and take a 10-7 lead.

 

Idaho Falls scored once more in the top of the fifth, but the Brewers didn't give up.

 

With two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, John Delaney popped up a shot into right field. By the time the ball finally fell, Delaney was halfway to second and the runners were crossing home plate. By the time the ball finally fell, Severino had apparently lost it in the sky. Moments before it came down to earth, Severino made a last-second dive for the crashing meteor as it landed just inches away from his glove. Delaney was credited with a double and three RBI on the play to make it 10-11.

 

One inning later, Brock Kjeldgaard doubled and Corey Kemp brought him home with a grounder through the left-side pocket to tie the game up 11-11.

 

Helena finally took back the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Erik Komatsu hit a two-run double to the warning track at left-center to make it 13-12.

 

But once again, a single home run took its toll.

 

Devery Van De Keere pulled a ball over the right field fence to tie up the game and spoil what would've been closer Adam Arnold's fifth save of the year.

 

The Brewers weren't able to answer and in the top of the 10th Jimenez cracked a shot back at Arnold, who bare-handed it, knocking it down for Delaney at third to make the throw out at first.

 

Alfaro went 4-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead the Chukars. Van De Keere was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.

 

Delaney was 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, and was a home run shy of batting for the cycle.

 

David Fonseca, Kjeldgaard, Michael Vass and Jose Duran all had homers for the Brewers.

 

Helena Box Score

John Delaney's four hits helped bring his OBP to .382, which is why he hits leadoff most nights; six other Brewers had two hits apiece, and the boys drew eight walks as well; RHP Liam Ohlmann (6'0", 241) made his Helena debut (2 IP, 1 R) and RHP Nestor Corredor stranded three baserunners in the 10th to keep it close for the bottom of the inning, to no avail; Canadian RH closer Adam Arnold had been on a nice run before getting swooped up in this game's offensive fireworks...

 

Helena Game Log

How'd you sleep last night? All rested and ready to take in this recap for a big breakfast?

[Mass Haas]

Audio alley:

 

Huntsville Pre-Game Audio Interview with RH reliever Patrick Ryan

Click on the WUMP archive of July 11th, then browse to the 03:45 minute mark...

 

Helena Pre-Game Audio Interview with RHP Nick Tyson

Click on the KCAP archive of July 11th, then browse to the 14:00 minute mark...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Called-up catcher hits walk-off homer for Sounds

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

Carlos Corporan's first Triple-A home run was a big one.

 

Called up from Double-A Huntsville on June 30, the Sounds catcher drilled a one-out solo shot in the ninth inning Friday night to give his team a 5-4 win over New Orleans in the opening game of a three-day, four-game series at Greer Stadium.

 

"It's exciting; it means a lot to me," said Corporan, who had been hitting just .136 (3-for-22) before capping his 3-for-4 effort with the winner.

"I'd been struggling a little offensively. To get a walk-off to help my team win means a lot.

 

"I'd been working hard in the cage, trying to see the ball better and be aggressive. When you practice, good things happen. Everything I practiced, I put in the game."

 

The home run helped seal the pitching victory for Corporan's former Huntsville teammate, reliever Joe Bateman. Entering the game in the sixth inning, Bateman struck out the only batter he faced and stranded a pair of runners to hold the deficit at 4-1, then threw three more shutout innings. His seven strikeouts matched a season high by a Sounds reliever.

 

"He hit all his spots, threw the first pitch for strikes, and good things happened," Corporan said of Bateman, who went 2-1 with four saves at Huntsville before joining the Sounds just four days ahead of Corporan.

 

While Bateman was holding the visiting Zephyrs in check, the Nashville offense picked up three runs in the bottom of the sixth - all with two outs. Brendan Katin's two-run double keyed the rally, and Adam Heether drove Katin home with a check-swing single through the right side of the infield to tie the score.

 

Said Manager Frank Kremblas: "We were able to make a nice comeback."

 

The win was the Sounds' fifth in their final at-bat this season but their first in the ninth inning.

 

Their previous last-at-bat victories have come in the eighth (of a regulation seven-inning contest), 10th, 12th and 13th innings.

 

Kremblas out: Kremblas will not manage the Pacific Coast League team in next week's Triple-A All-Star Game, citing personal reasons.

 

"I feel horrible," Kremblas said. "I was looking forward to it. I've never seen Louisville's stadium; I've heard it's nice. I was looking forward to managing all those guys and seeing them on one team."

 

Kremblas notified PCL officials earlier on Friday. His replacement has not been named.

 

One out, one in: Kremblas' announcement came just hours after Nashville reliever Luis Pena was added to the PCL team for the July 16 game.

 

Pena, whose 14 saves are tied for the second-highest total in the PCL, joins right-hander Lindsay Gulin and catcher Vinny Rottino on the team. Trainer Jeff Paxson also will represent the Sounds at the game, which will will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 6 p.m.

 

From the Big Easy to the Big Apple: Since their last visit to Nashville on May 15-18, the Zephyrs have added a new manager and pitching coach.

 

Marty Scott replaced Ken Oberkfell as manager, and Rick Waits replaced Dan Warthen as pitching coach.

 

Both Oberkfell and Warthen joined the New York Mets coaching staff following last month's dismissal of Manager Willie Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson - who held that position with the Sounds during the mid-1990s - and first-base coach Tom Nieto.

 

Web gem: Sounds second baseman Callix Crabbe - a late addition to the lineup in place of Hernan Iribarren - ended the second inning with a sprinting and diving backhanded catch of Gustavo Molina's flare into center field.

 

New Orleans' John Rodriguez writhes in pain after fouling a ball off his leg Friday as Sounds catcher Carlos Corporan goes out to talk to pitcher Sam Narron. (Photo by JOHN PARTIPILO / THE TENNESSEAN)

http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20080712&Category=SPORTS0401&ArtNo=807120364&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=180&Border=0

[battlekow]

Haha, that picture looks like Corporan just dropped him.