Link Report for Games of Monday, August 4th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: LHP Sam Narron at Fresno (Giants), 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. Mississippi (Braves), 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: TBD (perhaps RHP Amaury Rivas) at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link via Daytona broadcast, 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: LHP Dan Merklinger at home vs. Delmarva (Orioles), 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: LHP Efrain Nieves at home vs. Billings (Reds), 7:55 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: TBD at the Mariners' complex in Peoria, 7:00 PM local Mountain Standard Time

 

Never any audio for the Maryvale Crew

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday'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_08_04_nasaaa_freaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_04_msbaax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_04_breafa_dbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_04_delafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_04_bilrok_helrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_04_brrrok_mrnrok_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 68 47 .591 - 41-20 27-27 W1 Memphis 63 52 .548 5.0 30-25 33-27 L2 Omaha 51 64 .443 17.0 24-32 27-32 W1 Nashville 45 70 .391 23.0 21-33 24-37 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 26 17 .605 - 14-6 12-11 W2 Tennessee 23 20 .535 3.0 11-12 12-8 L2 Huntsville 20 23 .465 6.0 10-13 10-10 W2 West Tenn 17 25 .405 8.5 6-13 11-12 W1 Chattanooga 17 26 .395 9.0 8-12 9-14 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 24 15 .615 - 14-6 10-9 L1 St. Lucie 21 17 .553 2.5 10-7 11-10 W1 Jupiter 22 18 .550 2.5 12-9 10-9 W3 Palm Beach 20 21 .488 5.0 12-8 8-13 L1 Brevard County 17 23 .425 7.5 9-12 8-11 W1 Vero Beach 14 28 .333 11.5 6-14 8-14 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 29 14 .674 - 15-5 14-9 L1 Lakewood 27 16 .628 2.0 14-8 13-8 L1 Delmarva 24 19 .558 5.0 10-12 14-7 W1 Hagerstown 19 24 .442 10.0 9-14 10-10 L2 Lake County 19 24 .442 10.0 10-13 9-11 W5 Lexington 16 26 .381 12.5 7-14 9-12 L3 Greensboro 16 27 .372 13.0 8-12 8-15 W1 Hickory 14 29 .326 15.0 3-16 11-13 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 6 1 .857 - 5-0 1-1 L1 Great Falls 3 4 .429 3.0 1-2 2-2 W1 Helena 3 4 .429 3.0 1-2 2-2 W1 Missoula 2 5 .286 4.0 2-1 0-4 L1 

[Mass Haas]

Arizona League Standings

[And That]

Dominican right hander and 18 year old prospect-in-waiting Adrian Rosario looks like a logical candidate to start tonight for the Baby Brewers if he and Damon Krestalude continue to flip-flop starting assignments in the rotation.

[TheCrew07]

Well Fryer certainly had an interesting 1st Inning in the field... cripes. I'm guessing with a double steal with a late throw back home which is how they stole home, but that was a rough half inning.

[Mass Haas]

OK, on with the Minor League night, as we just finished watching an episode of "The Fresh Punk of Milwaukee".

 

Huntsville and Mississippi tied at 2 after six innings. David Welch and the Braves' Thomas Hansen have combined for 18 K's and just two walks thus far.

 

Power trying to hold on, up 7-4 late.

[And That]

Brantley playing LF, Cain playing CF. I was wondering how playing time in CF will play out now with those two on the same roster again.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 8, Brevard County 1

 

Daytona Site:

 

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] With the Taste of Daytona offering food samples to a packed house at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, the Cubs feasted on Manatee pitching. Daytona saw home runs by Robinson Chirinos and Ty Wright fuel an 8-1 victory over the Brevard County Manatees.

 

After being shutout on Sunday, the Cubs wasted no time getting the offense started on Monday. Jonathan Mota doubled to lead off the game. Jim Adduci singled on an attempted sacrifice bunt. After Wright stuck out, Steve Clevenger doubled home both runners. Marquez Smith also struck out, but, with two outs, Chirinos hit a two-run home run to put the Cubs ahead, 4-0.

 

Marcos Mateo brought his A-game Monday. It has been an irregular schedule for Mateo, who worked out of relief and started game two of a doubleheader due to a couple of rainouts recently. But with the skies dry at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, Mateo went out and pitched very well, going 5.2 innings, allowing just one run and striking out six.

 

Déjà vu crept into the bottom of the fifth inning. Mota doubled and Adduci attempted to sacrifice him over. Once again, Adduci ended up at first base with a single. The 'been here before' feeling ended when Wright came up to the plate. Wright mashed a three run home run. The Cubs kept rolling after the homer. Clevenger stood in next and walked. With one out, Chirinos singled. Yusuf Carter grounded out to score Clevenger and the Cubs worked their second four run inning. The Cubs held an 8-0 lead with five innings complete.

 

Out of the bullpen, Jordan Latham has really started to settle in with Daytona, after struggling in his first few outings after being called up from Peoria. Latham came on with two outs and nobody on in the sixth inning and struck out Chuck Caufield. Latham continued his fine work into the seventh, as he needed only four batters to retire the side. In the eighth, Latham gave up a walk and struck out a batter. Latham struck out three and allowed no runs on just two hits and one walk in 1.2 innings.

 

Brevard County Box Score

Brent Brewer doubled and walked; starter Mike Ramlow and Amaury Rivas each struggled...

 

Brevard County Game Log

Scott Houin was ejected after getting called out on strikes in the 5th...

[twobrewers]

I'm officially adding Wooten to my radar.

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus (reluctantly):

 

From Buck Rogers, Stars GM

 

Brian Massey, our Media Director, the same guy who drew short straw and was our Human Pinata on Cinco de Mayo, was interviewed by Will Elrick of Hunstville's Fox-54 TV station the other day regarding our proposed Brett Favre trade.

, and it's classic, complete with the native southern accent, the Favre jersey with t-shirts stuffed in for should pads, and the FedEx guy walking in unexpectedly...it's today's humor...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 9, Delmarva (Orioles) 4

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER SCORE 600TH RUN IN WIN OVER DELMARVA

 

The West Virginia Power used a four-run fifth inning to overcome an early deficit on Monday night at Appalachian Power Park as they defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds 9-4 and became the first team in the South Atlantic League this season to score 600 runs.

 

Delmarva scored in the first inning for the third night in a row. Ryan Adams singled in Matt Angle to score the first run. With Adams at first and Paco Figueroa at third, Adams stole second base and Figueroa stole home as the Power attempted to throw Adams out at second. The Power cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first when Eric Farris scored on Adams' fielding error. Adams delivered another RBI single in the third to give the Shorebirds their biggest lead of the night. In the bottom of the third, Eric Fryer was on first and Steffan Wilson was on third when Wilson stole second and Fryer stole home on the attempt to nail Wilson at second.

 

West Virginia used the long ball in the four-run fifth inning to take the lead. Fryer began the inning with his eighth homer of the season to tie the game. The homer was followed by base hits from Wilson and Caleb Gindl. Zelous Wheeler then crushed the first pitch he saw from Luis Noel over the wall in left field to give the Power the lead for good. The three-run shot was Wheeler's 11th of the season.

 

Delmarva scored their final run in the sixth inning. Joe Nowicki began the inning with a double and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Wilson delivered a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning and the Power scored two more insurance runs in the eighth. Lee Haydel scored the first run on Logan Schafer's groundout and Fryer brought in Farris with a one-out single.

 

Dan Merklinger (5-8) allowed four runs, just two earned, on six hits over five and a third and earned the victory. Rob Wooten (2) tossed three and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief to earn the save. Noel (9-7) allowed six runs on seven hits over four innings and was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power improved to 62-51 on the year and 30-14 in the second half with the win. The Shorebirds fell to 62-51 on the year and 24-20 in the second half with the loss. Fryer and Wilson paced the Power with three hits apiece. Fryer has hit safely in his last 10 games. Matt Cline's on base streak came to an end at 23 games while Gindl extended his to 27 games.

 

The Power will finish the four-game series against Delmarva Tuesday night. The Power will start right hander Evan Anundsen (10-4, 3.78) and the Shorebirds will counter with left hander Nathan Nery (2-3, 5.28). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

Lakewood won again, so the Power's slim lead remains two games; reliever Rob Wooten is doing exactly what a 23-year-old polished college senior with tons of College World Series experience is supposed to do -- dominate; Eric Fryer on base four times to push his OPS back over .900...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 4, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Creek Blast Carries Braves to Victory

Mississippi Gains Ground in Pennant Race

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Greg Creek's pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning was the difference maker in Mississippi's 4-2 win Monday night over Huntsville in the fourth of a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium. The Braves beat the Stars for the fourth time in 14 tries this year to improve to 29-15 in the second half, while the Stars dipped to 20-24. The visitors pushed their lead to three games over Montgomery in the South Division, pending the outcome of the Biscuits game with West Tenn.

 

J.C. Boscan singled with two outs in the seventh, his first hit of the series, before Creek smashed a 2-0 pitch from David Welch over all three tiers of signage in right field to put the Braves on top, 4-2. J.C. Holt and Matt Young followed with singles to chase Welch from the game after he had allowed eight hits, walked one and fanned a season-high eight. Jason Shiell got Reid Gorecki to fly out to end the inning. Welch suffered his first loss since April 21, also against the Braves, and dropped to 10-2 on the season.

 

Luis Valdez got the last out for the Braves in the home eighth and found immediate trouble in the ninth by walking leadoff man Lorenzo Cain and giving up a base hit to Mike Bell that moved Cain to second. Martin Maldonado dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners before pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez took a called third strike and Michael Brantley was retired on a running catch in center field by Quentin Davis. Valdez earned his second save of the series and 23rd of the season.

 

Holt started the game with a home run, his third of the season and second in as many games, before Alcides Escobar belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Stars the lead. It was his first long ball since June 26 at Carolina, and eighth of the season. Brandon Hicks' first home run at the double-A level in the second inning tied the score.

 

Braves starter Tommy Hanson worked six innings to grab the win, giving up four hits, walking one and striking out ten. The right-hander won his seventh game with the Braves and his tenth of the season after beginning the year at Myrtle Beach in the high class-A Carolina League. Former Stars pitcher Jerome Gamble threw a scoreless seventh inning and has blanked Huntsville over seven frames in his five outings against them.

 

The series finishes Tuesday evening with right-hander Alex Periard taking the mound for Huntsville against Braves' right-hander Deunte Heath. Coverage 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.

 

***

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Welch's winning streak finished

Mississippi Braves get to Stars lefty for second time

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

It has been so long since David Welch lost a game, one might think he'd forgotten how it felt.

 

Instead, the Huntsville Stars starter plopped down on the clubhouse couch after Monday's 4-2 loss to the Mississippi Braves and recalled his last setback on April 21 - his only other one this season - with vivid clarity.

 

"It was against these guys," said Welch, whose record fell to 10-2 on the season. "They got me at their place. That makes this even more frustrating. They've gotten me twice this year."

 

Pinch hitter Greg Creek specifically got Welch on Monday night, and Mississippi starter Tommy Hanson did the rest. After the 6-foot-6 pitcher struck out 10 Stars over six innings, he was lifted in the seventh for Creek.

 

With Welch behind in the count, he threw an inside fastball that Creek turned on and drove down the right-field line and over the wall for a just-fair, go-ahead homer. The shot overshadowed Welch's eight-strikeout performance.

 

"I had good stuff tonight and felt great on the mound," Welch said. "I just got too much of the plate. That's all it takes - one bad pitch."

 

The Stars had a chance to tie it in the ninth with runners on second and third and one out, but pinch hitter Guilder Rodriguez struck out looking before Michael Brantley laced a 2-0 pitch toward the left-center field gap that was tracked down by defensive replacement Quentin Davis to end the game.

 

It ended a frustrating night for the Stars, who saw their two-game winning streak snapped by a stellar pitching performance by Hanson and support from the rest of the Braves. But one positive was the return of Brantley, who made his first start since aggravating an injury in early July. He nearly got the big hit in the ninth, too.

 

"It was the perfect scenario for him," Stars manager Don Money said. "You can't walk him because you have a .340 hitter hitting behind him (Alcides Escobar). Brantley hit it on the nose, but the guy tracked it down. What can you say?"

 

Brantley had been nursing a high ankle sprain but was eager to help the Stars reverse their fortunes on what has been a forgettable second half thus far. They are now 20-24, seven games back of Carolina.

 

"I felt great," Brantley said. "The main thing is I just enjoyed being out there with my teammates, and help them try to get this thing turned around."

 

Creek and Hanson made sure that didn't happen, and 1,316 fans at Joe Davis Stadium left unhappy - as did Welch.

 

"It's frustrating, just the fact that we weren't winning for a while and then we win two in a row until tonight," he said. "You just want to keep it rolling, and one bad pitch, and that's what happens."

 

Huntsville Box Score

Mat Gamel 4-for-his-last-33 (.121)...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Pre-Game Audio with LHP Brae Wright

Click on the WUMP archive of August 4th, interview is right off the top; revised nutrition plan has been a key...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 13, Fresno (Giants) 10, 11 innings

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Jay Gibbons photo, text follows --

 

FRESNO, Calif. - Jay Gibbons belted a go-ahead solo home run to key a five-run 11th inning in the Nashville Sounds' 13-10 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies on Monday evening at Chukchansi Park.

 

Gibbons' blast, which came on a 1-0 offering from Fresno reliever Kevin Gryboski to lead off the frame, was his first longball since joining the Sounds and capped off his 3-for-7 evening. The veteran has hit safely in seven of his initial nine games with Nashville at a .282 clip.

 

The Sounds, who sent 10 batters to the plate in the decisive 11th inning, added four more runs off Gryboski to pull comfortably ahead. J.R. Hopf, Hernan Iribarren, and pitcher Tim Dillard all delivered RBI singles before Tony Gwynn pushed across the final run with a groundout.

 

Fresno didn't go down without a fight, scoring a pair of runs against Dillard in the bottom of the frame on former Brewer farmhand Eliezer Alfonzo's RBI double, his third two-bagger of the evening, and an Eli Whiteside double play grounder.

 

The extra-inning contest was the 12th of the year (4-8) and fourth in the last 11 games for Nashville, which registered a season-best 20 hits on the evening.

 

Dillard (6-0) pulled into a tie for the team lead when he picked up his sixth win of the year - all in relief - despite giving up a pair of runs on three hits in two innings of work for the Sounds. Gryboski (2-5) was dealt the loss for Fresno after being touched for five runs on five hits in his 1 1/3 innings.

 

Extra frames were necessary after Fresno rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against Sounds closer Luis Pena, who suffered his fifth blown save of the year and his third in his last eight outings.

 

The Sounds got out of the gate quickly, plating three first-inning runs against Fresno starter Brad Hennessey. With one out, Gibbons doubled and Joe Dillon (4-for-5) walked before team RBI leader Brad Nelson put the visitors on the board with a run-scoring single to center. Laynce Nix followed with an RBI single of his own before Chris Woodward added a sacrifice fly later in the frame to make it a 3-0 contest.

 

Fresno responded in the home half of the frame, making it a 3-1 games with back-to-back one-out doubles off the bats of Travis Denker and Justin Leone against Sounds starter Sam Narron.

 

The Grizzlies rallied to take the lead against Narron an inning later, putting up three scores in the home half of the second. Alfonzo doubled home Travis Ishikawa, who had opened the frame with a walk, before Clay Timpner added a go-ahead two-run single later in the inning to give Fresno a 4-3 lead.

 

Fresno extended the advantage to 5-3 in the fifth on an Ishikawa sacrifice fly before the Sounds rallied to knot the contest with a pair of runs in the sixth against Hennessey. Nix and Hopf started off with consecutive singles before Nix scored from third on a Woodward groundout. Hernan Iribarren tied the game with a one-out RBI single to center that brought home Hopf.

 

Nashville retook a 6-5 lead in the seventh against Grizzlies reliever Billy Sadler. After a pair of singles from Gibbons and Dillon followed by a Nelson fielder's choice grounder put runners on the corners with one out, Sadler uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Gibbons to race home with the go-ahead run. The right-hander escaped further damage in the frame when he induced an inning-ending grounder from Hopf to keep it a one-run contest.

 

Nix added a pair of insurance runs for the Sounds in the top of the ninth when he belted his team-leading 22nd home run of the year, a two-out, two-run shot to right off Vinnie Chulk. Dillon, who singled earlier in the frame for one of his three hits on the night, also scored on the roundtripper, which made it an 8-5 game.

 

AUDIO: Laynce Nix Two-Run HR

 

Joe Bateman worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Sounds behind Narron, who allowed five runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 frames. Randy Choate fanned two batters during a scoreless eighth before turning things over to Pena.

 

With one out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Brett Harper belted a solo homer, his 14th longball of the year, to pull the Grizzlies within two runs at 8-6. After Fresno loaded the bases against Pena by sandwiching a pair of walks around an Alfonzo single, Daniel Ortmeier delivered a game-tying two-out, two-run single to left on a 1-0 offering from Pena to send the game to extra frames.

 

The teams continue the series with a 9:05 p.m. CT meeting on Tuesday. Left-hander Chris Narveson (4-12, 5.08) will take the hill for Nashville to face former Sounds hurler Steve Hammond (2-5, 6.75), who was traded to the Giants organization in the Ray Durham deal.

 

Nashville Box Score

Who'd have thought that Luis Pena could have pitched his way so thoroughly out of the Brewers' big league plans for 2008? Joe Dillon on base five times, four singles and a walk; Laynce Nix on base four times...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Infielder Chris Woodward

[Mass Haas]

Via the Nashville Site:

 

The Mystery of August Trades

 

Chuck Valenches' Latest Blog Entry

I definitely chuckled a couple of times...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Potent Power offense provides another victory

First-place West Virginia keeps two-gamec lead in SAL division

by Christopher Wade

For the Charleston Daily Mail

 

Some impressive streaks continued, some were snapped, and more milestones were reached ... all in a days work for the potent West Virginia Power offense.

 

Despite Power third baseman Matt Cline having his on-base streak end at 23 games, center fielder Caleb Gindl extended his to 28 straight, and the Power became the first team in the South Atlantic League to reach 600 runs in the 2008 season.

 

It all added up to another explosive performance from the Power offense as West Virginia went on to a 9-4 South Atlantic League baseball victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds at Appalachian Power Park on Monday night.

 

The Power (30-14) kept its two-game lead in the SAL Northern Division second-half standings with the win.

 

"In the second half, our offense has been building and we've been hitting the ball real well and scoring a lot of runs," said Power left fielder Lee Haydel. "It's a good feeling."

 

Haydel was one of four Power players with multiple hits against the Shorebirds. He did it from the No. 9 slot in the lineup, showing the club's great balance from top to bottom.

 

Haydel has seen his spot in the lineup vary from the very top to the very bottom after spending the early part of the season leading off for the Power. Haydel indicated it doesn't matter where he hits, as long as he keeps producing.

 

"Wherever 'Ice' (Power manager Jeff Isom) hits me, its all about the team," Haydel said. "We have to bat wherever they put us. It's a good feeling when your eight and nine hitters are almost hitting .300."

 

Haydel is hitting .295 and Cline, currently the No. 8 Power hitter, is batting .291. Just like Haydel, Cline has moved all around the lineup after spending time at the number one slot as well.

 

"We are just trying to get a good pitch to hit, put some wood on the ball, and whatever happens, happens," said Wheeler, who hit a key three-run homer Monday night.

 

"We've got good team chemistry right now. We know we all can do it. It don't matter where you bat at, somehow your going to get the job done. We pick each other up every night."

 

Along with leading the SAL in total runs, the Power also lead the league in hits, doubles, on base percentage, and slugging. Isom has been enjoying what he seeing from his lineup day in and day out.

 

"Getting good production, one through nine, is what you hope for," Isom said. "We feel like we are going to score runs with our offense. We are getting good balance from the lineup."

 

Along with Haydel, Wheeler, Eric Fryer, and Steffan Wilson all had multihit games for the Power, who pounded out 13 hits.

 

"We don't have to rely on one or two guys and that is where we have had success with this offense," Isom said. "The key is one through nine every night, you never know who's going to come up with that big hit."

 

"One night it could be Gindl, the next night it could be Wheeler, the next night it could be Wilson, and the next night it could be the Nos. 8 and 9 guys."

 

Wheeler had the big blow, a three-run homer that gave the Power a 6-3 lead. Three batters earlier, Fryer hit a solo home run to tie the game.

 

"I was just looking for a pitch over the plate I could handle. I got one on the first pitch, just swung, and I took advantage of it."

 

Isom said Wheeler's homer "couldn't have come at a better time. We had guys on base and got us the lead. That was a big one for us."

 

The Power and Shorebirds finish the four-game series tonight at Appalachian Power Park at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). West Virginia is off Wednesday before starting a four-game home series against Hickory.

[Mass Haas]

Helena lost a tight one, Marvale got pounded, and there's probably more audio on the way in addition to media reports. All that by mid-morning, thanks for hanging in there...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Billings (Reds) 10, Helena 9

 

Helena Site game Summary:

 

Mustangs hold off Brewers'Comeback Bid

 

The Billings Mustangs held on to defeat the Helena Brewers Monday night 10-9. The Brewers rallied in the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs but couldn't get the big hit as they fall to 3-5 in the second half of the season. With the win, the Mustangs improve to 7-1. The teams combined for 31 hits and only one inning without any scoring. Helena had six different players collect two hits in the game. Erik Komatsu and Erik Miller both had triples for the Brewers while Brock Kjeldgaard and Chris Dennis had two RBI's apiece. Efrain Nieves struggled through four innings, giving up four runs and eight hits but did strike out five Mustang hitters.

 

Lance Janke picks up his third win of the season as he went five complete innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Mike Konstanty and Tony Brown each had home runs for Billings while Tyler Stovall had a double and a triple and David Sappelt also had a double. The Brewers look to earn a split of the series as they take on the Mustangs again Tuesday night, the final game of the four-game series.

 

Link while active, text folllows:

 

Mustangs survive late rally by Brewers

By CURT SYNNESS - Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers made it interesting right down to the final out Monday, loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning and needing only one run to send the game into extra innings against the Billings Mustangs.

 

The Brewers came up just short, being shaded by the Mustangs 10-9 in Pioneer League action at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Billings (7-1) led 7-4 after six frames, but the home team kept scratching their way back. The Magic City nine outhit the Brew Crew, 16-15.

 

Brett Bartles paced the attack, going 4-for-6 and scoring two runs. Tony Brown was 2-for-6, belting a home run and driving in three runs, while Mike Konstanty went 2-for-4, with a homer and two runs batted in. Puckett, David Sappelt, Tyler Stovall and Jose Gualdron each had two hits apiece.

 

The Mustangs used three pitchers, with starter Lance Janke registering the win. The game lasted 3 hours, 14 minutes, in front of a large homefield crowd of over 1,400 spectators.

 

Helena's (3-5) offense produced six guys with two hits each; David Fonseca, Erik Komatsu, Erik Miller, Brock Kjeldgaard, Chris Dennis and Jose Duran. Komatsu and Miller both had triples.

 

Kjeldgaard and Dennis accounted for two RBI apiece. Trailing 10-8 going in their final at-bat, Derrick Alfonso walked and came around to score to get within one. Later, with the bases loaded and two out, Miller grounded out to end the game.

 

Centerfielder Komatsu and third baseman John Delaney stood out defensively.

 

Efrain Nieves started on the hill for the locals, going four stanzas and taking the loss. He was relieved by Nestor Corredor, Mark Willinsky and Brandon Rapoza.

 

The two teams meet again tonight at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

Helena Box Score

The pitchers didn't do the job, plain and simple -- no errors, can't blame the defense...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Mariners 11, Arizona Brewers 1

Arizona Box Score

Brewer pitchers allow only two earned runs, nice -- now, about those nine unearned runs, that's not exactly limiting the damage nor picking up your teammates...

 

Arizona Game Log