Link Report for Sat. 7/26 -- Big Night for Nix; Katin Hurt

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central except Arizona League; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Chris Narveson at home vs. Portland (Padres), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 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: RHP Alex Periard in his AA debut at Carolina (Marlins), 5:00 PM pre-game; 5:15 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: RHP John Axford at Palm Beach (Cardinals), 5:05 gametime

 

Audio link via MiLB.com (Palm Beach feed), be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?cid=503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia: RHP Evan Anundsen at Lake County (Indians), 5:55 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: RHP Rico Salmon at Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:50 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: RHP Seth Lintz at the Scrubbies' complex in Mesa, 10:30 AM local Mountain Standard Time

 

Never any audio for the Maryvale Crew

[Mass Haas]

Follow Saturday'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 "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_07_26_poraaa_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_26_hunaax_cmcaax_1

 

Brevard County:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_26_breafa_pbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_26_wvaafx_lcoafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_26_helrok_misrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_26_brrrok_cubrok_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 63 43 .594 - 38-18 25-25 W1 Memphis 58 48 .547 5.0 28-23 30-25 L1 Omaha 48 58 .453 15.0 22-29 26-29 L3 Nashville 41 65 .387 22.0 20-30 21-35 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 19 15 .559 - 10-9 9-6 L2 Carolina 18 16 .529 1.0 8-6 10-10 W1 Huntsville 18 16 .529 1.0 8-7 10-9 L1 Chattanooga 14 20 .412 5.0 7-12 7-8 L1 West Tenn 14 20 .412 5.0 4-11 10-9 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 18 13 .581 - 9-5 9-8 L1 Jupiter 18 14 .563 0.5 9-6 9-8 W4 St. Lucie 18 14 .563 0.5 8-7 10-7 L2 Palm Beach 16 17 .485 3.0 11-7 5-10 W1 Brevard County 14 20 .412 5.5 6-10 8-10 L1 Vero Beach 12 22 .353 7.5 6-13 6-9 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 25 9 .735 - 14-4 11-5 W4 Lakewood 21 13 .618 4.0 9-6 12-7 L3 Delmarva 19 15 .559 6.0 6-9 13-6 L1 Hagerstown 16 18 .471 9.0 6-10 10-8 W2 Greensboro 13 21 .382 12.0 7-11 6-10 L2 Lake County 12 22 .353 13.0 5-11 7-11 L6 Lexington 11 22 .333 13.5 7-12 4-10 W2 Hickory 11 23 .324 14.0 3-14 8-9 L10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 23 13 .639 - 10-3 13-10 W2 Helena 18 18 .500 5.0 9-11 9-7 L3 Great Falls 17 19 .472 6.0 10-9 7-10 L3 Missoula 9 27 .250 14.0 5-15 4-12 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 19 7 .731 - 10-4 9-3 W1 AZL Rangers 17 9 .654 2.0 8-5 9-4 W7 AZL Cubs 16 10 .615 3.0 11-2 5-8 W1 AZL Giants 15 13 .536 5.0 8-6 7-7 L1 AZL Royals 15 13 .536 5.0 10-4 5-9 W1 AZL Padres 14 13 .519 5.5 9-5 5-8 W2 AZL Athletics 9 17 .346 10.0 4-8 5-9 L7 AZL Mariners 9 18 .333 10.5 5-7 4-11 L4 AZL Brewers 6 20 .231 13.0 6-8 0-12 L2 

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Arizona Brewers 8, Arizona Cubs 2, after six innings

Will the A-Crew get their first road win today?

 

18-year-old 2008 2nd round RHP Seth Lintz danced around six baserunners in two scoreless innings in his third pro appearance, log here --

 

AZL Cubs Bottom 1st

• - Junior Lake singles on a ground ball to center fielder Cutter Dykstra.
• - With Vincent Watkins batting, Junior Lake caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Orton Rodriguez to shortstop Luis Sanchez.
• - Vincent Watkins walks.
• - Jericho Jones singles on a ground ball to center fielder Cutter Dykstra. Vincent Watkins to 2nd.
• - John Contreras walks. Vincent Watkins to 3rd. Jericho Jones to 2nd.
• - Nelson Perez pops out to shortstop Luis Sanchez on the infield fly rule.
• - Sean Hoorelbeke strikes out swinging.

AZL Cubs Bottom 2nd

• - Bryan Jost singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jose Rangel.
• - Jose Guevara called out on strikes.
• - TeWayne Willis strikes out swinging.
• - Junior Lake hit by pitch. Bryan Jost to 2nd.
• - Vincent Watkins flies out to right fielder Jose Rangel.

17-year-old Venezuelan RHP Francisco Rivero makes his pro debut today, as he's come off the restricted list. He allowed one unearned run in his inning.

 

Also making his pro debut today, 18-year-old RHP Blake Billings, who tossed a 1-2-3 inning with two groundouts.

[battlekow]

Wow, the AZL Cubs got 5 in the bottom of the eighth to win the game. Good thing the Baby Brewers don't have any real fans.

[DHonks]

Shane Hill is my new Periard and Garrison...youngsters with talent. But why oh why can't he throw strikes?

[battlekow]

Speaking of Periard, he's off to a nice start in his Huntsville debut: 3 one-hit shutout innings.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Live from the Lake County Classic Park...Anundsen up a little in the zone tonite but leaves up 6-3...Haydel 3-3 and Eric Fryer hits a laser HR to left...Power up 7-3 top of seven!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Cubs 9, Arizona Brewers 8

 

Arizona Box Score

In the 7th, 18-year-old Dominican RHP Edwin Linares bailed out struggling RHP Shane Hill with a comebacker to strand three inherited runners, but things blew up for him in the 8th; the Brewers are idle on Sunday, and thus will finish the first-half schedule winless on the road (0-13)...

 

Arizona Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 6, Portland (Padres) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Laynce Nix photo, text follows --

 

Nix Powers Sounds Past Beavers In Opener

 

NASHVILLE - Laynce Nix belted a pair of home runs as part of a 4-for-4 evening to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 6-2 victory over the Portland Beavers on Saturday evening at Greer Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.

 

Nix, who upped his team-leading longball total to 19 on the year with the blasts, notched his third two-home game of the year and drove in three runs on the evening to pace the Nashville offense.

 

Portland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Peter Ciofrone drew a one-out walk from Sounds starter Chris Narveson before moving to third on Will Venable's ground-rule double to left then scored on a Paul McAnulty groundout.

 

Nix evened the contest at 1-1 in the fourth with a one-out solo blast off Portland starter Chad Reineke.

 

The Beavers reclaimed the lead a half-inning later in the top of the fifth when Craig Stansberry tripled and scored on Peter Ciofrone's sacrifice fly to left.

 

Once again, Nix acted as the equalizer for the Sounds as he knotted the score at 2-2 in the sixth with a two-out solo blast to center off Reineke.

 

AUDIO: Laynce Nix's 2nd Home Run

 

Nashville grabbed its first lead of the evening with a four-run rally in the seventh against Beavers reliever Carlos Guevara. With one out, Vinny Rottino doubled and pinch-hitter Chris Woodward drew a walk before Hernan Iribarren staked the Sounds to a 3-2 advantage with an RBI two-bagger to center. Tony Gwynn followed with a two-run single to center before Nix wrapped up the night's scoring with a two-out RBI double into the right field corner.

 

Nashville reliever Troy Cate (2-2) earned his first win in a Sounds uniform by working a scoreless third of an inning behind Narveson, who allowed two runs on four hits over 6 2/3 frames.

 

Guevara (0-1) took the loss for Portland after being touched for four scores in just two-thirds of an inning.

 

Sounds leftfielder Brendan Katin left the game in the top of the first inning with a left leg injury suffered while chasing Venable's ground-rule double into the left field corner.

The teams continue the series with another 6 p.m. meeting on Sunday evening at Greer. Right-hander Mark DiFelice (4-0, 2.92) will make the start for Nashville and face Portland left-hander Cesar Ramos (9-7, 6.14).

 

Nashville Box Score

Laynce Nix now has four home runs this season against RHP Chad Reineke, who was just traded to San Diego from Houston for Randy Wolf; Tim Dillard's fine work continues, he should prove valuable in September and to begin 2009 in the Brewer pen...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Pre-Game Audio Interview (taped last Wednesday) with Pitching Coach Chris Hook

Click on the WUMP archive of July 26th, then browse to the 02:00 minute mark; update on injured pitchers Derek Miller and Robert Hinton -- each may be back within a week or so; Mike Jones, Donovan Hand and Brae Wright topics as well...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Carolina (Marlins) 5, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Mudcats Down Stars to Finish Off Series

Carolina Claims Four out of Five To Close In On Division Lead

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Chris Coghlan doubled in what turned out to be the winning run in Carolina's 5-2 triumph over Huntsville Saturday evening in the last of a five-game set at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats improved to 19-16 in the second half and moved to a first-place tie with Tennessee, while the Stars slipped to 18-17 in the second half and are two games behind the division co-leaders. Carolina has taken eleven of the 16 games between the two teams this season.

 

Lorenzo Cain started the game with a single, moved to third base on a Mike Bell double and scored on a ground out by Mat Gamel, who drove in his league-best 82nd run. Angel Salome struck out with Bell at third before Aaron Thompson walked the next two hitters and struck out Freddy Parejo to end the frame.

 

The Stars missed an opportunity to add to their lead in the second when Guilder Rodriguez led off with a double and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Periard, making his double-A debut. Cain bounced a ground ball off the bag at first that was fielded by Gaby Sanchez, who stepped on the base to retire Cain and cut down Rodriguez trying to score. Thompson lasted 5 2/3 innings in his return after missing two months with a shoulder injury, yielding seven hits, while walking four and fanning three.

 

Periard blanked the home side through 4 1/3 before Bryan Peterson launched his first long ball at the double-A level to tie the score. It was his 22nd of the year, including 19 at Greensboro in the South Atlantic League and two more with Jupiter in the Florida State League. Periard had allowed six home runs for Brevard County in the FSL.

 

John Raynor led off the sixth with a single, stole second and scored on a Coghlan's one-out double to give the Mudcats the lead. Periard walked Lee Mitchell with two outs and was replaced by Patrick Ryan, who got Peterson to line out to end the inning. Periard lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking two and fanning two and took the loss.

 

Carolina scored three times in the seventh inning against Omar Aguilar on a passed ball and a two-run fielding error by Guilder Rodriguez. Tim Corcoran picked up the win in relief, throwing a scoreless inning and a third, allowing a hit and striking out one. The Stars scored a run in the ninth inning on a Salome home run off of Chris Mobley, who has allowed only four this season, three of which have been hit by the Stars.

 

The Stars return home Monday to begin a five-game series against Montgomery with right-hander Mike Jones taking the hill against Biscuits' southpaw David Price. 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

No official word on Alcides Escobar's finger injury, we may not know more until the Stars return home on Monday (Tuesday's Huntsville Times); three passed balls for Angel Salome, now 12 on the season; not only has Omar Aguilar been very ineffective since the bump to AA (5.23 ERA), but he has been unable to pitch around defensive miscues as well (ten unearned runs) -- "very ineffective" is actually being kind, with 17 walks in 20.2 AA innings; that's a heck of a Southern League debut start for 21-year-old Alex Periard, on the road before a big Saturday night crowd -- Alex being Alex, 11 ground ball outs in 5.2 innings; hey, how about Periard at the plate, a walk and a sacrifice in his first pro at-bats -- Alex bats left-handed, exposing that prized right arm; Mat Gamel 2-for-4 with an RBI on his 23rd birthday...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Palm Beach (Cardinals) 2, Brevard County 1

Walk-off loss...

 

Brevard County Box Score

Jonathan Lucroy's 6th inning home run, pulled to left, the only Manatee run; Brevard outhit, 10-5; guess who managed to reach three times-- yes Indians fans, Taylor Green; Charlie Fermaint a very eventful game -- he threw out a runner at home in the 2nd, but made a costly error in the 3rd which cost RHP John Axford, who had a wonderful start, his only run allowed in six innings; then in the 6th, Fermaint grounded into a key double play; Brent Brewer now 26-for-34 in SB attempts between West Virginia and Brevard this season...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 7, Lake County (Indians) 6

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT

 

The West Virginia Power avoided a ninth inning disaster on Saturday night at Classic Park as they held off a late Captains surge and won the second game of the series 7-6 to win their fifth game in a row.

 

The Captains struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Lucas Montero began the inning with a double and moved to third on Adam White's sacrifice bunt before Roman Pena brought him in with a sacrifice fly. West Virginia answered with a four-run second inning to take the lead. Uly Snijders began the inning with a walk and scored on Lee Haydel's triple. Matt Cline brought Haydel home with a base hit and Eric Fryer drove in the final two runs of the inning with his seventh homer of the season.

 

The Captains had the bases loaded and nobody out in the second when Ron Rivas grounded into a 4-3 double play to bring in their next run before Evan Anundsen retired the next batter to end the inning. Cline singled in another run in the third inning to make it a 5-2 Power lead. Matt Brown singled in Lake County's third run in the bottom of the third. Farris smacked an RBI double in the fifth and John Gaub's throwing error in the sixth allowed Caleb Gindl to score West Virginia's final run of the night.

 

The Captains put together a three-run rally in the ninth to make it interesting. Mark Thompson began the inning with a single before Montero walked and White's base hit loaded the bases. Chris Nash brought in the first run on a sacrifice fly and Matt Brown belted a two-run double off the wall in right field. Brown was on second with two outs when Corey Frerichs retired Adam Davis to end the game.

 

Anundsen (10-4) allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings and fanned three to get the victory. Frerichs (9) retired the only batter he faced to get the save. Ryan Miller (7-6) was tagged for five runs on eight hits and walked four over two and a third and got the loss.

 

The Power improved to 58-46 on the year and 26-9 in the second half with the win. The Captains fell to 53-52 on the year and 12-23 in the second half with the loss. Every Power player reached safely and four turned in multi-hit games. Lee Haydel paced the Power with a 3-for-5 performance. Matt Cline reached four times and extended his on-base streak to 16 games. Farris went 2-for-5 and has hit safely in 11 straight games since his 15-game hitting streak was snapped. Caleb Gindl went 1-for-3 and walked twice, extending his on-base streak to 18 games and his hitting streak to seven games. The Power have recorded double-digit hits in six straight games, and in 10 out of their last 11.

 

The Power will continue the four-game series against Lake County Sunday night. The Power will start right hander Roque Mercedes (5-4, 4.57) and the Captains will counter with right hander Joey Mahalic (6-4, 3.84). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

I'd love to see Evan Anundsen's GIDP numbers this season -- he wills them on demand; Anundsen allowed 12 baserunners in only five innings, yet allowed only three runs (two earned) -- 8-to-2 ground ball ratio; LHP Lucas Luetge made his Power debut and extended his season-long 0.00 ERA streak to 15 innings (two unearned runs in Helena); Lee Haydel's been fantastic for a while now, he's been tucked at the bottom of the order for some time, but his confidence has to be sky-high right now; 26-9 record in the 2nd half -- that's impressive as all heck, great job, guys -- let's give Charleston a big parting gift from the Brewers with playoff games in September...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 14, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 4

 

Helena Box Score

Missoula is the lowest rung in Arizona's chain, they're naturally struggling big-time, but it's good Helena takes advantage, they didn't earlier in the season; starter Rico Salmon four scoreless innings; nice to see RHP Adam Arnold, hadn't pitched since the 17th; Corey Kemp (two-run shot, his 3rd), Erik Komatsu (three-run bomb, his 5th), and Brock Kjeldgaard (solo shot, his 7th) all go deep; John Delaney on base four times, as was Kemp; Chris Dennis 3-for-6 with a double and four RBI; 6th round pick Jose Duran has been knicked up all summer -- after an 0-for-5 night, he's at .221...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio with Minor League Hitting Coordinator Mike Lum

Click on the KCAP archive of July 26th, then browse to the 05:30 minute mark

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers' offense explodes against Missoula

By CHAD DUNDAS

Of the Missoulian

 

Now these are the birds we know and love.

 

After a brief flirtation with winning, the Missoula Osprey crashed back to earth on Saturday night, when the pitching got shellacked early, the bats took too long to wake up and a costly error jumpstarted a big Helena rally en route to a 14-4 win for the Brewers at Ogren-Allegiance Park.

 

Helena starter Rico Salmon kept the O's off the board for the first three innings, while the Brewers got three early hits from Chris Dennis and a trio home runs from Corey Kemp, Erik Komatsu and Brock Kjeldgaard to snap Missoula's first three-game win streak of the season.

 

"We just didn't have much going tonight," said designated hitter Kyle Greene, the only Osprey to record multiple hits. "Our team was playing pretty flat. I don't necessarily think that (Salmon) was something special, I think it was just kind of an off day."

 

The loss leaves the troubled O's at 9-28 and deep in the Northern Division cellar with one game remaining in the Pioneer League's first half.

 

Helena already led 4-0 in the fourth inning when shortstop Reynaldo Navarro - who'd looked flawless handling all three outs in the first - booted a one-out grounder by Brewers catcher Mike Roberts. Instead of being left with two down and nobody on, Helena used the gaffe to spark a six-run rally that included matching doubles up the third base line by David Fonseca and Dennis as well as Kemp's 2-run jack off the foul pole in right field.

 

By the time the inning was said and done, the Brewers led 10-0. Komatsu tacked on a three-run shot in the next frame and then Kjeldgaard capped the Helena scoring with another homer in the seventh.

 

Dennis and Kjeldgaard both finished 3-for-5 while Kemp, Komatsu and John Delaney each finished with two hits. Salmon scattered four hits during his time on the mound, striking out three and walking two.

 

Helena chased O's starter Randy Rodriguez after 3 2-3 innings. Rodriguez gave up four earned runs, as did reliever Victor Capellan in an 1 1-3 stanzas. The Osprey's Jesse Orosco Jr. threw a ton of pitches, but looked decent in allowing only one run, striking out five and walking three as he worked the final four innings.

 

Missoula's offense couldn't break into the scoring column until the seventh inning when catcher Chris Davis led off with a walk and went to second on Tyrell Worthington's line drive to right center. Navarro followed with a double off the wall in left to score Davis. Alberto Diaz and Jake Elmore then brought Worthington and Navarro home before Nelson Gomez flew out to end the inning.

 

The O's had chances to get on the board early, but couldn't capitalize. Missoula got two runners on with no outs in the second when Greene led off the inning with a bloop to left and Isaias Ascencio's grounder up the third base line caromed off the bag into the grass for an infield hit. It moved Greene to third, but Davis hit into a double play and Worthington struck out to end the inning.

 

Missoula also had runners at the corners with one down in the third, but again couldn't do anything with it.

 

"Tonight obviously was a setback," Greene said. "But I know there are lot of positive things to come in the second half. We're playing a lot better baseball and we've kind of picked it up as team."

 

Greene finished 2-for-5 with an eighth inning double in his first game back in action after spraining his ACL in his left knee on July 5. The third baseman from Idaho said he'll probably DH a few more games before returning to the field.

 

The Osprey remain home for two more contests - Sunday and Monday against Helena - before four games at Billings next week.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Pitcher serves up two more Nix HRs

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Laynce Nix isn't much on sentiment.

 

The last time the Nashville Sounds outfielder faced Chad Reineke, he pounded a pair of home runs in a June 29 matchup at Round Rock, the second of back-to-back multi-homer games for the outfielder.

 

Reineke, traded earlier in the week from the Astros organization to the parent club Padres, was making his first start for the Beavers in Saturday's series opener against Nashville.

 

While it may have been a different team for Reineke, the result was the same for Nix, who hit two more solo shots along with a single and an RBI double as the Sounds claimed a 6-2 victory at Greer Stadium.

 

Despite his prior success, though, Nix was more focused on making some improvements at the plate than duplicating his previous performance. Coming into Saturday, he'd had just eight hits in his previous 48 at-bats.

 

"I didn't know he was starting till I saw him warming up," said Nix, whose 19 homers lead the team. "I didn't have too much reaction. I had one good game against him, but he had good stuff.

 

"Seeing pitchers at this park, it's a little different than on the road. I was just trying to make some adjustments, get ready a little earlier. It worked out. When you make some adjustments in practice, sometimes you get instant results."

 

The instant results led to instant offense for the Sounds, who forced a 2-2 deadlock with Nix's sixth-inning homer, his second in as many at-bats following a base hit to lead off the second.

 

Nashville broke the game open in the seventh with a pair of doubles by Vinny Rottino and Hernan Iribarren, a two-run single through a drawn-in infield by Tony Gwynn and Nix's run-scoring double.

 

"He's starting to swing it better," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said. "The (second) homer was off a good pitch, down in the zone, and the double was down as well."

 

What they said: "It's better to hit them in bunches than not, sometimes." - Nix, following his third multi-homer game of the season.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Sounds nearly run out of players on the bench

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Nashville Sounds leftfielder Brendan Katin left Saturday's game against visiting Portland in the first inning with a pulled left hamstring that he sustained while attempting to field a double by Will Venable, the Beavers' No. 3 hitter.

 

Hernan Iribarren shifted from second base to left field and Ozzie Chavez came into the game at second - resulting in an even shorter bench for the Sounds. Already, the team was without infielder Callix Crabbe and catcher Carlos Corporan as they were both diagnosed with chicken pox.

By the end of the first inning, veteran infielder Chris Woodward was the only reserve position player available for Manager Frank Kremblas - presenting a possible problem for Kremblas when Woodward pinch-hit for reliever Troy Cate in the seventh inning of a tie game.

 

Woodward drew a one-out walk, putting runners at first and second. Kremblas decided to force the issue, putting on a hit-and-run with Iribarren, who doubled to score Rottino and move Woodward to third. Tony Gwynn followed with a two-run single.

 

"When Woody walked, I said, 'we've got to go now,' " Kremblas said. "Gwynn had a nice at-bat with two strikes."

 

Crabbe and Corporan are not expected to rejoin the team before the Portland series ends.

 

Quality start: Allowing just two runs in 6 2/3 innings Saturday, Chris Narveson made his longest appearance since working seven innings in back-to-back starts, April 27 at Omaha and May 2 against visiting Salt Lake. It was Narveson's fourth quality start (six innings or more, three earned runs or less) of the season.

 

Triple time: Joe Dillon's first-inning triple was Nashville's 22nd of the year, and every current offensive player for the Sounds has at least one three-bagger. Katin has a team-high four, with Vinny Rottino and Crabbe adding three each.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com

 

Periard makes his Stars debut

 

Alexandre Periard, a 23rd round draft pick in 2003 in his 4th year in the Brewers' system, made it to Huntsville, Saturday night, becoming the 23rd pitcher used by the Stars this season, six shy of the record set in 2006, and the 10th starter.

 

The Tennessean reports that the Sounds will recall 1st baseman J.R. Hopf. Nashville has a shortage with Callix Crabbe and Carlos Corporan sidelined with chicken pox and Brendan Katin on the disabled list.

 

How have the losses of Matt LaPorta and Chris Errecart affected the club? In all fairness, it should be asked how have injuries affected the club with Alcides Escobar on the bench with a hurt forefinger and Michael Brantley who aggravated a sore ankle......... Since Errecart was placed on the DL on July 5 and LaPorta's trade to the Cleveland Indians the next day, the Stars were 8-3 immediately afterwards, but were humbled after the Southern League All-Star break, and have gone 4-6 since. With the absence of both players, the Stars have hit .298 -- which was their average, plus or minus some small change -- at the time of the deal. Since the All-Star break, however, the Stars have hit just .248 and .230 in their last six games, owing much to the additional losses of Brantley and Escobar........ Brantley has had just six at-bats all of July as it comes to a close. Out of that comes two singles and a triple........Injuries aren't all that have affected the Stars' offense in July. Carlos Corporan was promoted to Nashville on June 30. He was 10-for-22 in his last five games.

 

The Stars on Monday start a five-game series with a double-header thrown in against Montgomery at The Joe. The opener will be a mismatch, with Mike Jones (0-3, 7.43) facing David Price (4-0, 2.19). The Vandy product was the #1 pick in the nation in the 2007 June draft. Surpassing the wildest hype, he won his first eight professional appearances, first at Class A-Vero Beach (FSL), then at Montgomery. Cocky? He said he expected to go 10-0 with an ERA of 0.00 in his first ten appearances. Can you believe it?....... He's not that good, but in a Grapefruit League game against the Yankees last March, he struck out the side on just 12 pitches........ His strikeout-walk ratio with the Biscuits (31:12) hasn't as impressive as it was when he left Vero (37:7), and Southern League batters have hit .241 against him, and he's come up without a decision in his last two starts, so he is human, but opponents are hitting just .214 against him when he's on the road with the Biscuits......

 

Fans will see Rocco Baldelli this homestand, who is on the comeback trail for the Tampa Bay Rays. Baldelli had been recovering at Vero Beach from a groin injury, but his comeback journey has been more involved. He had a rare mitochondrial disorder, which causes muscle fatigue in his legs, and threatened his career....... Smokies reliever Darin Downs, who's pitched twice against the Stars this season, was traded to the Rays for a PTBNL and he will be in a Biscuits uniform for this upcoming series.

 

Lorenzo Cain helped give Periard a 1-0 lead in the 1st...... He met Aaron Thompson's 2-1 pitch with a line drive single to left. Mike Bell (.261), followed with a double to right-center that moved the speedy Cain to third. Bell was supposed to serve out his suspension Friday and Saturday, but because of the Stars' injury problems, he received special permission from the league to play in this game. Bell made the most of it....... Mat Gamel enjoyed his 23rd birthday this date with a 2-for-4 game. Neither of his hits drove in a run, but his grounder to short drove in Cain gave the Stars a 1-0 lead....... Gamel has hit safely in four straight, including his first two-hit game since July 17, after ending an 0-for-15 slump, his longest of the season.

 

In the bottom of the 1st, Periard, with a 1-0 lead, was greeted by a leadoff double to left by John Raynor, the league's stolen base leader, in the 1st, but the Stars defense (a nifty play by Guilder Rodriguez and a throw to erase Dante Brinkley on a stolen base try) got Periard out of trouble........ In the top of the 2nd, G.Rod picked up just his 2nd extra-base hit of the year when he lined a pitch down the right field line which bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double. A sacrifice that moved him to third was wasted when Cain was doubled up on a freakish double play when he hit what looked to be going foul, but hit the 1st base bag instead and conveniently popped in the air to meet Gaby Sanchez's glove. Sanchez tagged the bag, and threw to the plate where Andrew Jenkins tagged G.Rod for the 3rd out....... The Stars also hit into double plays in the 3rd and 4th innings.

 

The Mudcats tied the game in the 5th and went ahead for good in the 6th on a one-out double by Chris Coghlan that scored Raynor, who singled to right to leadoff the inning, stole 2nd, then went to third on a balk by Periard with Coghlan at bat. After a 3-1 changeup for a strike, Coghlan ripped a ball down the right field line for an RBI double.

 

The Stars scored their final run on a home run by Angel Salome, which bounced off the top of the wall in right field. It was only the 4th home run hit off Mobley (19 saves) all season in 43 2/3 innings....... Cole Gillespie hit two of the other three hit by Huntsville hitters (May 16 and June 24)....... Gillespie hit 3-for-16 in the series and 8-for-40 vs. Carolina at Five County Stadium this season........ Gillespie picked up his 100th hit of the season, Thursday. Salome will be the 5th Huntsville Stars to get 100 hits with his next one, presumably against Montgomery........ Waiting in the wings is Mike Bell, who has 90........ The last Stars team that had six or more hitters with 100 or more hits, was surprisingly the 1996 Stars with Mark Bellhorn (117), Steve Cox (107), David Francisco (100), Willie Morales (110), Charles Poe (110), Demond Smith (116), and Jason Wood (128)......... Salome had three passed balls in the game, the most since Jeff Winchester set a record four in a game against Mississippi, August 5, 2005. That gives Salome 12 for the season, the most since Winchester's 14 that same season..... Former Huntsville Stars J.C. Boscan is leading Southern League catchers in fielding with a .996 pct.. Omar Aguilar, who walked three hitters in Carolina's 3-run 7th, has walked 9 in 8 innings of relief in July....... Steve Bray, who finished the game for the Stars, has now thrown 10 consecutive scoreless innings in relief.

 

The Stars have committed 22 errors this month, down from 35 in June, their highest total in four years........ The Stars have also had eight games in July with 10 or more hits. Since 1998, they've only had one July with 10 or more....... The Stars are 9-18 in one-run games in the last three months. They were 5-2 in April....... They are 11-11 in July, threatening their streak of five consecutive winning months, going back to last year.

 

Carolina pitcher Willie Glen (6-3, x.xx) was sent to Class A-Jamestown (NYP) following his three-inning starting appearance in the Stars' 3-0 win (their only win of this series), Thursday........ David Welch and Juan Sandoval spun the first one-hitter in Stars history since May 11 of last year. Welch also became the 2nd pitcher in Stars history to be part of a no-hitter and a one-hitter in the same season. So here's my trivia question of the week: Who was the first? Drop me a line at dweiser26@hotmail.com ........ The Diamond Jaxx released pitchers Craig James (1-4, 6.23) and Jason Mackintosh (5-4, 2.86). One of James' losses came against Huntsville in relief, June 9. Mackintosh's release is mysterious. He had a 1.59 ERA in 11+ innings in July...... The Dodgers released former Huntsville Stars shortstop Mark Bellhorn last Thursday. He was hitting .242 with 7 home runs in 59 games for the Jacksonville Suns........ The Dodgers traded former Jacksonville pitcher Jackson Meloan to the Cleveland Indians.