Link Report for Games of Monday, August 11th

[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: RHP Nic Ungs at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 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: Idle

Brevard County: TBD (probably RHP John Axford) at home vs. Vero Beach (Rays), 6:00 PM gametime

 

Sorry, no audio for this series...

West Virginia: RHP Evan Anundsen at home vs. Augusta (Marlins), 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 Nick Tyson at Ogden (Dodgers), 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: Idle

[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_11_omaaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_11_vbdafa_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_11_wvaafx_augafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_11_helrok_ogdrok_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 70 51 .579 - 42-22 28-29 L1 Memphis 64 57 .529 6.0 30-28 34-29 L4 Omaha 53 69 .434 17.5 24-35 29-34 W1 Nashville 50 72 .410 20.5 23-35 27-37 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 32 18 .640 - 18-7 14-11 W2 Tennessee 25 25 .500 7.0 11-14 14-11 W1 Huntsville 23 27 .460 9.0 11-14 12-13 W1 West Tenn 21 28 .429 10.5 9-15 12-13 L1 Chattanooga 21 29 .420 11.0 11-14 10-15 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 27 19 .587 - 16-7 11-12 L2 Jupiter 27 21 .563 1.0 14-11 13-10 W1 St. Lucie 25 20 .556 1.5 12-10 13-10 L1 Palm Beach 25 24 .510 3.5 14-10 11-14 W2 Brevard County 22 25 .468 5.5 10-12 12-13 W2 Vero Beach 14 35 .286 14.5 6-19 8-16 L12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 34 15 .694 - 20-6 14-9 W4 Lakewood 32 17 .653 2.0 14-8 18-9 W4 Delmarva 26 22 .542 7.5 10-12 16-10 W1 Lake County 21 27 .438 12.5 12-14 9-13 L1 Hagerstown 20 29 .408 14.0 9-18 11-11 L5 Lexington 18 30 .375 15.5 9-18 9-12 L4 Greensboro 18 31 .367 16.0 10-16 8-15 W1 Hickory 15 34 .306 19.0 4-17 11-17 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 11 2 .846 - 8-1 3-1 L1 Great Falls 7 6 .538 4.0 4-3 3-3 W2 Helena 3 10 .231 8.0 1-4 2-6 L6 Missoula 3 10 .231 8.0 3-2 0-8 L5 

[Mass Haas]

Arizona League Standings

[Mass Haas]

More details later today, but this from the Stars' front office:

 

The Southern League announced today that Stars' SS Alcides Escobar has been named hitter of the week for the week of August 4-10. It marks the second time Escobar has been named hitter of the week. Teammate Mat Gamel and former teammate Matt LaPorta have also won the award twice this season.

[And That]

When is Anundsen going to get shut down? He's at 120+ innings pitched, and has really struggled his past few outings. Got to be close to an inning cap.

[Brily0204]

West Virginia: RHP Evan Anundsen at home vs. Augusta (Marlins), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Oops! The Augusta GreenJackets are an affiliate of the Giants. This series is quite a showdown and, I hope, a preview of the SAL championship series--Augusta holds a slim lead over Columbus in the South.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks, Brily, and although I set up the box score link correctly, the West Virginia series is in Augusta, not at home.

 

I should have caught that, as Paul "Buster" Lussier is a GreenJacket reliever from the town next door here in Mass. who is unfortunately struggling this year.

 

Evan Anundsen fine so far, scoreless through three.

[BoKnowsBall]

Cutter = Raking (Even though small sample for the season so far)

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 6, Ogden (Dodgers) 1

Link while active, text follows:

 

Dykstra Jr. breaks open tight game

By TRENT TOONE

Ogden Standard-Examiner staff

 

OGDEN -- Stick a fork in it, the streak is done.

 

Led by the hitting of Cutter Dykstra, the Helena Brewers ended Ogden's eight-game winning streak with a 6-1 victory Monday, with all six runs coming in the top of the eighth inning.

 

The victory also ends Helena's six-game losing skid, which was more important in the Brewers' eyes.

 

"It felt really good to get that streak over with," said Dykstra, son of former baseball star Lenny Dykstra. "We really wanted this one. I could tell when we came to the field (Monday) we wanted the win. Luck was a little bit on our side."

 

For Ogden (10-4, 29-23), the difficult part about Helena's big six-run inning is that it should not have happened. The Raptors were up 1-0 with one out when Helena's Erik Komatsu hit a routine grounder to Ogden second baseman Tony Delmonico, perfectly setting up a double-play that would have ended the top half of the inning.

 

Instead, the ball rolled under Delmonico's glove and through his legs into the outfield.

 

Two Helena batters later, just after Ogden's Matthew Smith had relieved starter Geison Aguasviva, Dykstra smashed a three-run homer to left field, his second three-run shot in the series. The 6-foot, 180-pound outfielder from Thousand Oaks, Calif., said he could get used to playing at Lindquist Field.

 

"I feel really good at the plate. I've been working on my swing a lot and things are feeling good," said Dykstra, who only needed a triple to complete the cycle and is currently hitting .368. "Hopefully we can get something going and get on a winning streak. We are a great team. We're going to roll back in here (today) and get another 'W.'"

 

Ogden manager Mike Brumley, who played a lot of baseball against Dykstra Sr. in the minors, said he was impressed with Dystra Jr.

 

"He swings the bat good, has a good idea of what he is doing," Brumley said. "There is not much similar (between father and son) other than they both can hit."

 

The Brewers (4-10, 13-39) added two more runs when Steven Braun singled to center field.

 

Ogden's lone run was scored in the sixth when Nick "Chili" Buss singled to score Dee Gordon.

 

Aguasviva (3-3) struck out seven batters and gave up nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. He was credited with the loss.

 

Helena's Rico Salmon earned the win for three innings of work in which he gave up three hits and struck out four batters.

 

The Brewers outhit the Raptors 12-7 in the game. Kyle Russell was the only Ogden player with two hits.

 

Dykstra said he thrives on the comparisons with this father, who played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies over a period of 12 years.

 

"I love people saying 'that is Dykstra's kid.' I want people to be leaving the field saying he played the game just like his dad did," Dykstra said. "I try to model my game after him."

 

The series between Ogden and Helena continues Tuesday night at Lindquist Field.

 

***

 

Brewers top Raptors, snap losing streak

Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers trailed the Ogden Raptors 1-0 after 7 1/2 innings in Ogden, before exploding for six runs in the top of the eighth frame to come away with a 6-1 win Monday.

 

The victory snapped a five-game losing skid for the Brewers.

 

Cutter Dykstra spearheaded the Brew Crew's victory offensively, as he homered for the second straight night.

 

Dykstra, who went 3-for-4, also ripped a double, while driving in three runs. He upped his average to .368. Erik Miller went 3-for-4 with a two-bagger, while Steven Braun singled and posted two RBI. Helena outhit Ogden 12-7.

 

Nick Tyson started on the mound for Helena, going the first six innings. He gave up four hits and one run, while striking out five hitters. Tyson was relieved by Rico Salmon in the seventh frame, with the Brewers trailing 1-0. Salmon picked up the victory and improved to 2-1. He pitched the final three scoreless stanzas, permitting three hits and fanning four.

 

Ogden's Kyle Russell was 2-for-4, with a triple. Geisen Aguasviva took the loss.

 

Helena Box Score

Everybody but John Delaney with at least one base hit; fantastic work by Nick Tyson and Rico Salmon; center fielder Erik Miller threw out a runner at the plate to end the 7th...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Vero Beach (Rays) 6, Brevard County 0

 

Link, text follows:

 

Noel flirts with no-no for Vero Beach

By John Torenli / Special to MLB.com

Wilton Noel didn't appear to be a likely candidate to halt Vero Beach's season-high 12-game losing streak. After all, he hadn't won a game in over four months.

So much for appearances.

The 25-year-old right-hander ended both prolonged slumps Monday night, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the Devil Rays' 6-0 blanking of the Brevard County Manatees at Space Coast Stadium.

Noel (2-5) had gone without a victory in 23 appearances, including five starts, since pitching three innings of scoreless relief in Vero Beach's come-from-behind 4-3 win over Daytona on April 5.

It didn't take long for the 6-foot-5, 180-pound Columbian to establish that things would be different in this outing.

After working around three walks and a hit batsmen over the first five frames, Noel had a 1-2-3 sixth as the Devil Rays opened a comfortable 6-0 cushion.

But Chuck Caufield led off the seventh with a single to left field, ending Noel's bid for a no-no and completing his longest outing of the year as manager Jim Morrison came out to take the ball.

Noel, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Houston Astros in 2002, fanned five and lowered his ERA to 3.47 with the best performance he's had since firing a seven-inning two-hitter with 11 strikeouts for Rookie-level Princeton on Aug. 30, 2006, against Elizabethton.

Brian Baker and Michael Wodarczyk made sure Noel's effort didn't go to waste. The relievers combined to yield a hit and a walk with three strikeouts over the final three frames as Vero Beach (15-35) posted its first victory since a 6-3 triumph over Jupiter on July 29.

John Matulia and Nevin Ashley each drove in two runs for the Devil Rays, who had been outscored, 69-31, during the skid.

Brevard County's John Axford (5-7) lost for the first time in six starts, surrendering five runs on six hits and five walks with one strikeout over five innings.

Brent Brewer also singled in the seventh for the Manatees (22-26).

 

Brevard County Box Score

Taylor Green walked twice; amazing stat -- Yohannis Perez stole his first (first!) base of the year, four attempts...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Augusta (Giants) 6, West Virginia 0

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

POWER BLANKED BY AUGUSTA

 

After outscoring the Hickory Crawdads 47-11 in their last series, the West Virginia Power were shutout for the first time since May 15th as they fell to the Augusta GreenJackets 6-0 on Monday night.

 

West Virginia was held hitless until Anderson De La Rosa began the sixth inning with a single into shallow-center field. De La Rosa, Curt Rindal and Eric Fryer were the only ones to hit safely. They never got past second base.

 

The GreenJackets scored all of their runs in the fourth inning. Andrew Davis kicked the inning off with a base hit and he scored along with Dayton Buller on Garrett Baker's double. Elio Sarmiento hit a ground ball that went under Matt Cline's glove at short which allowed Baker to score. James Simmons then ripped a two-run homer, his sixth of the season and Juan Ciriaco singled in the final run of the inning.

 

Scott Barnes (1-1) tossed seven shutout innings and allowed just one hit while walking two and fanned six to get the victory. Evan Anundsen (10-6) allowed all six runs (four earned) on nine hits and fanned four in a losing effort. Jose Garcia and Evan Frederickson combined to toss four scoreless innings of relief. The Power bullpen has not allowed a run in 29 and two-thirds innings.

 

The Power fell to 66-53 on the year and 34-16 in the second half with the loss. The GreenJackets improved to 73-45 on the year and 32-17 in the second half with the win. Steffan Wilson went 0-for-4, bringing his 25-game road hitting streak to an end. Rindal singled and walked, bringing his hitting streak to seven games and his on base streak to 15 games.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against Augusta GreenJackets at Lake Olmstead Stadium on Tuesday night. The Power will send left hander Lucas Luetge to the mound (1-1, 3.52) and the GreenJackets will counter with left hander Craig Clark (6-4, 4.12). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Link, text follows:

 

Barnes, GreenJackets turn off Power

By Steve Conley / Special to MLB.com

It'll be easy for Scott Barnes to remember his first professional win.

Barnes took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and went seven dominant frames as the Augusta GreenJackets blanked the West Virginia Power, 6-0, on Monday in a battle of first-place teams in the South Atlantic League.

Barnes (1-1) issued a leadoff walk in the third, a one-out walk in the fifth and had faced just one batter over the minimum as he took the mound in the sixth. But Anderson De La Rosa blooped a ball that center fielder Shane Jordan dove for and got a piece of but couldn't hang on to.

The left-hander retired the next six batters before handing the ball over to David Mixon, who allowed two singles and struck out one over the final two innings to complete Augusta's 13th shutout of the season.

Afterward, Barnes was more excited about his stellar performance than upset about losing the no-no.

"It wasn't a big deal, it was still early in the game. It would have been a helluva play," he said. "I hadn't gotten past four innings in any of my starts so I wanted to go deeper into the game. That was my main focus."

The 20-year-old struck out six and lowered his ERA to 0.60. He pitched four innings in each of his previous two starts with the club, allowing one run while striking out nine and walking two. He put it all together on this evening.

"I established the fastball on the inside part of the plate," Barnes said. "The second and third time through the order, I worked in some offspeed pitches to keep them off balance. Everything was working."

San Francisco's eighth-round '08 pick out of St. John's (NY) made three relief appearances with the Rookie-level Giants of the Arizona League before pitching in two games with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League. In his only start there, he allowed one hit while striking out eight of the 14 batters he faced over four shutout innings.

The GreenJackets (32-17) did all their damage in the fourth. Garrett Baker hit a two-RBI double and scored on a fielding error by shortstop Matt Cline. James Simmons followed with a two-run homer and Juan Ciriaco singled home Nick Noonan with two outs to cap the rally.

It was Augusta's seventh win in nine games in August and improved the team's record to 3-2 against West Virginia this season. They hadn't met since splitting a four-game series in April and entered this four-game series at the top of their respective divisions in the South Atlantic League.

"We try to take a similar approach to every game," Barnes said. "We came out gunning and had some good at-bats and had the big inning. You just treat every game like it's your last."

After pitching collegiately in the Big East, Barnes is realizing his dreams at the professional level.

"It's a dream come true," he said. "I've been waiting for this my whole life. It's been a great experience so far. I can't ask for better than a chance to pitch in the Major Leagues some day."

 

"What a performance," GreenJackets manager Andy Skeels said.

"I don't care where or when you were drafted, that was impressive."

 

Power starter Evan Anundsen (10-6) gave up six runs -- four earned -- on nine hits while striking out four over four innings to lose his second straight start.

West Virginia (34-16) had a four-game win streak snapped.

 

West Virginia Box Score

Lakewood finally lost, so the Power reamin two games up in the division race; nice bullpen work by Jose Garcia, baby steps for Evan Frederickson; Matt Cline with 34 errors on the season...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 3, Omaha (Royals) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Adam Heether photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Post Narrow 3-2 Victory In Series Finale

NASHVILLE - Adam Heether came a triple short of the cycle and led the Nashville Sounds to a narrow 3-2 victory over the Omaha Royals in the finale of a five-game series on Monday night at Greer Stadium.

 

Heether went 3-for-4 with a game-tying home run and a double that eventually led to the game-winning run in the eighth inning to pace the Sounds offensive attack. The win gave Nashville a season split with Omaha and evened the all-time series record at 176-176 after 24 years of competition.

 

Nic Ungs made his first start for the Sounds since April 24 and pitched 7 1/3 innings and only gave up two earned runs while striking out six, but he did not factor in the decision. Ungs opened the year with the Sounds and went 1-2 with a 12.86 ERA before being placed on the disabled list and then eventually coming back with Double-A Huntsville in June. In his eight starts since coming off the disabled list, he is 4-1 with a 2.02 ERA.

 

The Sounds plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning off Omaha starter Jimmy Gobble. After retiring the first two batters, Gobble walked Vinny Rottino and Callix Crabbe before giving up a ground rule double to Carlos Corporan to score Rottino from second base. Corporan continues to hit well at Greer Stadium, batting .300 (9-for-30) with six extra-base hits in nine home games.

 

Omaha then took the lead in the top of the fourth inning when Kila Ka'aihue belted his seventh longball on the year over the right field wall off Ungs. The homer was Ka'aihue's third of the series and seventh in just 13 games for the Royals.

 

Nashville tied things up in the bottom of the sixth when Heether belted a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall off Royals reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta. The longball was Heether's 10th of the year and gave him back-to-back homers after hitting another solo shot yesterday.

 

AUDIO: Heether's Game-Tying Solo HR

 

The Sounds scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Heether started the inning with a double to left field off Royals reliever Greg Atencio. Heether was then forced to leave the game after suffering an apparent leg injury while running to second on the double. Hernan Iribarren came in as the pinch-runner and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Chris Woodward in the next at-bat. Rottino then knocked a sacrifice fly to center field to score the game-winning run.

 

Rehabbing Royals starter Jimmy Gobble gave up an earned run in three innings of work after being limited by a pitch count. Atencio (1-1) picked up the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.

 

Mitch Stetter (3-3) contributed a scoreless eighth inning to pick up the win, and Joe Bateman earned his third save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

 

Callix Crabbe tied a team record with four walks in four appearances at the plate for the game. The record has been set 15 times with Jermaine Clark being the most recent player to perform the feat on August 18, 2006.

 

The Sounds continue their homestand when they begin a four-game series against the Oklahoma RedHawks at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday night at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Mark DiFelice (5-1, 3.63) starts for the Sounds against righty Brandon McCarthy for the RedHawks (0-1, 6.59).

 

Nashville Box Score

Brutal timing for Adam Heether's injury, he's been red-hot; an extended Heether absences would allow for Ozzie Chavez's return...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Injured Heether sets up Sounds for a victory

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Adam Heether was sitting in the trainer's room with an injury when his eighth-inning double helped the Nashville Sounds beat Omaha 3-2 on Monday night at Greer Stadium.

 

Heether suffered a left leg injury while running to second base on the hit. He was replaced by pinch-runner Hernan Iribarren, who advanced to third on Chris Woodward's sacrifice bunt and scored on Vinny Rottino's sacrifice fly.

 

Heether led off the sixth inning with a home run, which tied the score at 2-2. He also had a single.

 

The Sounds' pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts.

 

Nashville opens a four-game series at home tonight against Oklahoma.

 

Ungs returns: Sounds right-hander Nic Ungs made his first Pacific Coast League start since April 24, which also came against Omaha. Ungs went 1-2 with a 12.86 ERA in four starts before going on the disabled list at the end of April because of a right shoulder injury. He missed nearly two months before being activated at Huntsville in late June.

 

Activated: Outfielder Brendan Katin and catcher Carlos Corporan were activated from the disabled list and played Monday. Each player had missed the previous 14 games, Katin with a left hamstring strain and Corporan with chicken pox.

 

Catcher J.R. Hopf was sent to rookie-level Helena and infielder Ozzie Chavez went on the temporary inactive list retroactive to Sunday.

 

Walk this way: Callix Crabbe walked four times in Monday's game, which tied the club record. Crabbe also made his first appearance of the season at shortstop in the ninth inning.

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio Interview with RHP Liam Ohlmann

Click on the KCAP archive of August 11th, then browse to the 06:00 minute mark; interesting perspective, varied interests, mature beyond his 21 years...

[igor67]

Anybody have a sense of how well Heether's defense is at SS? It's not like they need a lot of innings at SS, but it would be handy from a budget perspective to not have your utility IF paid over 3 million.