Link Report for Wed. 7/30 -- Power Brunch, They've Earned Your Attention

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

The one affiliate that has played like they meant it as of late is in early action Wednesday (10:05 AM Central.). Let's give Andy Barch a captive audience, email him questions in the booth (abarch@wvpower.com), and root on LHP Dan Merklinger, the Seton Hall product, who will be pitching in that university's home state of New Jersey today.

 

West Virginia: LHP Dan Merklinger at Lakewood (Phillies), 10:00 AM pre-game, 10:05 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

 

West Virginia Box Score / Game Log:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_30_wvaafx_lwdafx_1

[homer]

Merlinger with a nice outing so far.....I recommend listening in.

[Mass Haas]

Merklinger with a nice outing so far.....I recommend listening in.

 

For those late to the party, lefty Dan Merklinger had a no-hitter through five. It's been all BlueClaws since, however -- details later, it's 7-3 Lakewood in the 8th.

 

Now the remainder of Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: LHP Sam Narron at Sacramento (Athletics), 8:50 PM pre-game; 9:05 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: LHP David Welch at home vs. Montgomery (Rays), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 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 Jeremy Jeffress and LHP Chris Cody in a double-dip at home vs. St. Lucie (Mets), 4:00 gametime; each contest seven innings

 

Sorry, no audio for this series...

Helena: RHP Santo Manzanillo at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:00 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: TBD vs. the Padres' tykes in Maryvale, 7:00 PM local Mountain Standard Time

 

Never any audio for the Maryvale Crew

[Mass Haas]

Nashville's series in Sacramento this week is available for live and archived viewing to subscribers via MiLB.com.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday'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_30_nasaaa_srcaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_30_monaax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County Game One:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_30_sluafa_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Two:

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&gid=2008_07_20_sluafa_breafa_2&cid=503&t=g_box

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_30_helrok_grfrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_30_pdrrok_brrrok_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 65 45 .591 - 38-18 27-27 W2 Memphis 60 50 .545 5.0 30-25 30-25 L1 Omaha 49 61 .445 16.0 22-29 27-32 L2 Nashville 42 68 .382 23.0 21-33 21-35 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 22 16 .579 - 12-6 10-10 W5 Tennessee 20 18 .526 2.0 10-10 10-8 L1 Huntsville 18 20 .474 4.0 8-10 10-10 L5 Chattanooga 15 23 .395 7.0 8-12 7-11 L3 West Tenn 15 23 .395 7.0 5-13 10-10 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 20 13 .606 - 10-5 10-8 W2 St. Lucie 19 15 .559 1.5 9-7 10-8 L1 Jupiter 18 17 .514 3.0 9-8 9-9 L3 Palm Beach 17 18 .486 4.0 12-7 5-11 L1 Brevard County 15 21 .417 6.5 7-10 8-11 W1 Vero Beach 14 23 .378 8.0 6-14 8-9 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 27 11 .711 - 14-4 13-7 W1 Lakewood 24 14 .632 3.0 12-7 12-7 L1 Delmarva 21 17 .553 6.0 8-11 13-6 W1 Hagerstown 18 20 .474 9.0 8-12 10-8 L1 Greensboro 15 23 .395 12.0 7-11 8-12 W1 Lexington 14 23 .378 12.5 7-12 7-11 W2 Hickory 14 24 .368 13.0 3-14 11-10 L1 Lake County 14 24 .368 13.0 7-13 7-11 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2 Great Falls 1 1 .500 1.0 1-0 0-1 W1 Missoula 1 1 .500 1.0 1-0 0-1 L1 Helena 0 2 .000 2.0 0-0 0-2 L2 

Arizona League Standings

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakewood (Phillies) 7, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Press Release:

 

POWER LOSE LEAD, THEN GAME

 

Lakewood, NJ (July 30, 2008) - The West Virginia Power held the Lakewood BlueClaws hitless through the first five innings on Wednesday afternoon at First Energy Park and had a 2-0 lead until the BlueClaws caught fire for three runs in the sixth and pulled away with four in the seventh to take the second game of the series with a 7-3 victory.

 

Eric Fryer drove in West Virginia's first two runs of the game. In the top of the first inning his single scored Matt Cline and in the fifth, Eric Farris ripped a one-out triple and Fryer's sacrifice fly brought him home.

 

Dan Merklinger tossed five no-hit innings and retired 14 out of the first 15 batters he faced until the BlueClaws plated three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead. The inning started when Joel Naughton reached on Curt Rindal's fielding error. T.J. Warren was then hit by a pitch and they both advanced on a passed ball. Alberto Cambero broke up the no-hit bid with an RBI single. Tim Kennelly doubled in the final two runs of the inning to give Lakewood the lead.

 

The BlueClaws put the game out of reach with a four-run seventh inning. Karl Bolt and Travis Mattair kick started the inning with back-to-back walks. They both scored on Freddy Galvis's base hit and Matt Rizzotti completed the frame with a two-run triple. The Power scored their final run on Steffan Wilson's RBI single in the top of the eighth inning.

 

Julian Sampson (7-4) allowed a pair of runs on eight hits over six innings and got the victory. Merklinger (4-8) was solid over five and two-thirds, allowing three runs, two earned on just two hits and fanned five but was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power fell to 59-49 on the year and 27-12 in the second half with the loss. The BlueClaws improved to 63-46 on the year and 25-14 in the second half with the win. Farris, Wilson and Caleb Gindl all turned in multi-hit games while Gindl paced the Power with a 3-for-4 performance. Wilson went 2-for-4 to extend his road hitting streak to 24 games. Matt Cline reached once to bring his on-base streak to 19 games and Gindl extended his on-base streak to 22 games. The Power out-hit the BlueClaws 11-6, marking the second time over their last three games that they've lost, despite out-hitting their opponent.

 

The Power will continue the four-game series against Lakewood Thursday night. The Power will start right hander Evan Anundsen (10-4, 3.67) and the BlueClaws will counter with rehabbing major league right-hander Adam Eaton (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

Pedro Lambertus cost himself four runs (unearned) with his own error in the 7th; Caleb Gindl is tied for 2nd in the South Atlantic League with 30 doubles -- he reminds me of Corey Hart in his career start, well, except that he's left-handed, strikes out twice as often as Corey did, and is nearly a foot shorter -- OK, so he doesn't remind me of Corey Hart, but you go, Caleb...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[igor67]

How about a skinnier Brad Nelson for Caleb comparisons Jim?

[Mass Haas]

Frustrating:

Tonight's doubleheader between the St. Lucie Mets and the Brevard County Manatees has been postponed due to heavy rain and lightning in the area. The games will be rescheduled at a later date. Jeremy Jeffress is scheduled to start tomorrow for Brevard County against the Palm Beach Cardinals.

[twobrewers]

Does Brevard County still have a team?

 

It seems like every game is rained out.

[wibadgers23]

Does Brevard County still have a team?

 

It seems like every game is rained out.

Yeah, this is getting beyond frusturating. We need to leave Florida and never come back.

[battlekow]

Wow, Helena came back from a 9-2 deficit to tie it at 10 in the top of the 9th.

 

EDIT: They ended up winning 15-10 in 10 innings. Crazy game. Mike Roberts had a huge night.

 

For the AZL Crew, Allixon Cequea's had a nice stretch recently.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Reliever Troy Cate

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Sacramento (A's) 4

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Hernan Iribarren photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Rally In Ninth To Edge River Cats, 5-4

 

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Nashville Sounds rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning to score a 5-4 victory over the Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday evening at Raley Field in the opener of a four-game series.

 

The win was just Nashville's second in 56 contests this season in which the club trailed after eight innings of play.

 

Hernan Iribarren (4-for-4, three RBIs) and Jay Gibbons (3-for-4) accounted for seven of Nashville's eight hits on the evening.

 

Sacramento took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third on Landon Powell's two-out, two-run homer off Sounds starter Sam Narron. The blast, which also scored Donnie Murphy, was his 14th of the year.

 

The Sounds tied the contest in the top of the seventh when Iribarren delivered a two-run double to left off River Cats starter Dan Meyer. Gibbons (single) and Adam Heether (hit by pitch) scored on the knock.

 

AUDIO: Hernan Iribarren Two-Run Double

 

The River Cats reclaimed their two-run advantage in the bottom of the frame when Chris Denorfia led off with a single and Joe Gaetti followed with a two-run blast to left off Narron, his 14th roundtripper of the season.

 

Nashville grabbed a 5-4 lead with a rally in the top of the ninth against the Sacramento bullpen. The Sounds pulled within a run in the ninth when Adam Heether drew a one-out walk from Jay Marshall and scored when Ozzie Chavez followed with an RBI double to left, making it a 4-3 contest. Iribarren knotted the score when he ripped his fourth knock of the evening, a game-tying RBI single to left that plate Chavez.

 

After Bret Prinz relieved Marshall and Tony Gwynn advanced Iribarren to third with a flyout, the go-ahead run scored for Nashville when Prinz uncorked a wild pitch with Vinny Rottino at the plate.

 

Luis Pena (2-2) earned the win for the Sounds after striking out four batters over two scoreless innings, his first multiple-inning outing of the entire season.

 

Marshall (1-4) took the loss after suffering the blown save and being charged with three runs in his 1 1/3 frames of action for the River Cats.

 

The teams continue the series with another 9:05 p.m. CT contest on Thursday evening. Left-hander Chris Narveson (3-12, 5.22) will man the bump for the Sounds to face Sacramento right-hander Chris Gissell (4-2, 4.20).

 

Nashville Box Score

First five Sounds in the lineup 0-for-21 with a walk, but hey, great job by everybody else...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Montgomery (Rays) 3, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Martinez Homer Makes Montgomery a Winner

Stars Struggles Continue in Late Inning Loss

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Gaby Martinez hit the game-winning home run in the ninth inning to lift Montgomery to a 3-2 win over Huntsville Wednesday night in the fourth of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Biscuits have won all four games and have claimed victory in eight of their last nine games to improve to 22-16 in the second half, while the Stars suffered a season-high sixth straight loss and ninth defeat in ten games to drop to 18-21 in the half. The Stars have been held to three runs or less in each of their last ten games.

 

Martinez hit the first pitch of the ninth inning from Juan Sandoval out of the park to left-center field for his 16th round tripper of the season and second of the series. Colter Bean then retired the Stars in order in the ninth to end the game and earn his tenth save with the Biscuits. Sandoval suffered the loss and dropped to 2-4.

 

Rashad Eldridge opened the game with a single, stole second and scored on a two-out double by Chris Nowak to stake the visitors to the early lead that didn't last very long. Lorenzo Cain led off the home first with a long ball, his second in as many games, to tie the score. Alcides Escobar followed with a double and Mat Gamel walked before the duo pulled off a double steal with one out. However, Mike Bell hit a ground ball to Nowak at third and he threw out Escobar trying to score to keep the game knotted at one.

 

Nowak's two-out home run in the sixth against David Welch gave the Biscuits a 2-1 lead. Nowak has five hits in the series, including two long balls, and has knocked in four after going just 1-for-21 in the first series between the teams. Biscuits' starter Jino Gonzalez was lifted after five frames, allowing two hits, walking three and striking out four.

 

Cole Gillespie led off the sixth with a dribbler up the third base line that he legged out for a hit and advanced to second after a throwing error by Ryan Reid, the new pitcher. Bell bunted for a base hit to move Gillespie to third and Chris Errecart followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. It is the only one of the six runs scored by the Stars in the series that has not been driven in with a home run.

 

Welch lasted seven innings, giving up five hits, walking one and fanning four and left with a no-decision. Roger Deago retired all four hitters he faced to earn his second win.

 

The series finishes Thursday night with right-hander Alex Periard taking the mound for Huntsville against Biscuits' southpaw Mike Prochaska. Coverage of the twin bill 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

Mat Gamel has a .656 OPS in July, after being above 1.000 each month prior; what a fall from early-season glory for the team; David Welch with another sterling start -- it may not be a glamour pick, but he's eaned Organizational Pitcher of the Year consideration...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

 

Both the Stars' audio pre-game show and the Huntsville Times coverage focus on Rays' outfielder Rocco Baldelli --

 

Huntsville Times

WUMP archive of July 30th, right off the top

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio with Catcher Derrick Alfonso

Click on the KCAP archive of July 30th, then browse to the 17:00 minute mark...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 15, Great Falls (White Sox) 10, ten innings

Helena Independent Record:

 

Brewers come from far behind to beat Voyagers

By Helena Independent Record

 

Talk about a comeback.

 

Mike Roberts hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth as the Helena Brewers (1-2) rallied from an eight-point deficit to beat the Great Falls Voyagers (1-2) in the 10th inning 15-10 Wednesday night.

 

The crowd of 2,615 at Centene Stadium witnessed the collapse of their home team as the Brewers took advantage of a rough patch of pitching and escaped the 0-3 mark they started off with in the first half of the season.

 

Helena, trailing 9-2 into the top of the eighth, batted through the order as Voyagers' reliever Matt Wickswat allowed a two-run rally in his first inning on the mound by walking four straight.

 

After Michael Marseco reached on a fielding error, Erik Komatsu and Brock Kjeldgaard both struck out swinging.

 

However, Chris Dennis and Michael Vass both walked before Derrick Alfonso did the same, getting an RBI for his patience.

 

Marseco scored on the forced run and, with Jose Duran batting, Dennis scored on a wild pitch.

 

Duran then walked and after a pitching change that brought Enrique Lechuga to the plate, Roberts hit his grand slam over the right field fence.

 

Marseco, who led off the inning, ended it when he grounded into a force out.

 

The six-run inning still meant that the Brewers trailed 9-8, and when Great Falls' Lyndon Estill walked with the bases loaded to score Nicholas Damas, the Voyagers stretched it to a two-run lead.

 

Kjeldgaard doubled, however, to score Komatsu and then came home on a single by Alfonso to tie the game up at 10 apiece.

 

After a long game, the Voyagers couldn't hold it together and Kjeldgaard brought in the winning run with a bases-loaded single to center.

 

Roberts led the Brewers, going 3-for-5 with three runs and five RBI.

 

Four other Brewers had multiple hits.

 

Great Falls' Mike Grace went 3-for-5 with a home run, getting two runs and two RBI in the process.

 

Helena's Mark Willinsky pitched three innings for the win, giving up just one hit with five strike outs and three walks.

 

The Brewers remain in Great Falls and will play the Voyagers at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) today.

 

Helena Box Score

Four hours of fun (for some), as Brewer pitchers walked 11...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Padres 7, Arizona Brewers 1

 

Arizona Box Score

Not to be outdone by their Brewer brothers in Big Sky country, the Maryvale moundsmen also walk 11, although 18-year-old RHP Adrian Rosario threw scoreless ball in his three innings and 17-year-old Francisco Rivero stranded two runners and pitched scoreless ball as well; Cutter Dykstra drew two of the club's three walks; as noted above, Allixon Cequea was 4-for-4 with a double and the team's lone RBI...

 

Arizona Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Nice job, Brock Kjeldgaard, even if several Brewer big leaguers are disgusting in this regard:

 

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/07/31/sports/local/102spl_080731_brifs.txt

 

Brewers' Kjeldgaard new anti-tobacco rep

This summer, Helena Brewers first baseman Brock Kjeldgaard has a new job besides working his way to the major leagues.

Kjeldgaard recently signed on as the team's tobacco-free spokesperson, encouraging fans - especially males - to stay away from spit tobacco products. The move is logical, given that since 1993, Minor League Baseball has not allowed spit tobacco use among league team players, coaches and staff.

"Spit tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking," Kjeldgaard said. "As a professional athlete, I want all baseball fans to understand that the tobacco industry sells only nicotine addiction, no matter which product it puts on the shelves."

Kjeldgaard is part of a new collaboration between the Helena Brewers and the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP). The program wants to reduce spit tobacco use among Montana males, which at 12 percent, remains among the highest prevalence rates nationwide.

"We know that spit tobacco users are 50 percent more likely to develop oral cancer than nonusers," says Linda Lee, section supervisor for MTUPP. "Our recent surveys reveal that nearly a quarter of high school senior males are using these highly addictive products."

Spit tobacco delivers about five times the nicotine as a single cigarette.

The Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program is sponsoring all four Montana Pioneer League teams. Fans will notice in-field signage featuring the Montana Tobacco Quit Line logo and the message "Spit tobacco is not a safe alternative to Smoking," and they will find the same message in game programs.

Representatives will distribute free 8.5 x 11 posters featuring Kjieldgaard at the Brewer's home game, Monday, Aug. 4. Promoters have included a word game on the back of each poster for fans to enjoy during or after the game.

The free Montana Tobacco Quit Line, funded by MTUPP, offers help so tobacco users quit for good, including free telephone counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. Montanans can call toll-free at 1-866-QUIT NOW (784-8669).