Link Report for Games of Thursday, April 16th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Link here for the live audio choices - audio will no longer archive.

 

Sorry, no audio for this Brevard County series

 

Nashville: LHP Chase Wright at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:35 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Huntsville: RHP Mark Holliman at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Brevard County: RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. Tampa (Yankees), 6:05 PM gametime

 

Wisconsin: RHP Trey Watten at Clinton (Mariners), 6:10 PM pre-game, 6:30 gametime

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". 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.

 

MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA as well as AAA this season.

Nashville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_16_orhaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_16_msbaax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2009_04_16_tbyafa_breafa_1

 

Wisconsin:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_04_16_wisafx_cliafx_1&did=t572&sid=t572

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated a few hours prior to gametime.

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

[Mass Haas]

Midwest League Standings

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Omaha 5 2 .714 - 0-0 5-2 W1 Memphis 4 2 .667 0.5 4-2 0-0 L1 Iowa 4 3 .571 1.0 0-0 4-3 L1 Nashville 3 4 .429 2.0 3-4 0-0 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 4 3 .571 - 0-0 4-3 L1 West Tenn 4 3 .571 - 0-0 4-3 L2 Huntsville 3 4 .429 1.0 3-4 0-0 W2 Tennessee 2 4 .333 1.5 0-1 2-3 L3 Chattanooga 2 5 .286 2.0 1-1 1-4 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clearwater 4 1 .800 - 2-1 2-0 W2 Daytona 3 3 .500 1.5 3-2 0-1 L2 Dunedin 3 3 .500 1.5 0-2 3-1 W2 Tampa 3 3 .500 1.5 2-0 1-3 L1 Lakeland 2 3 .400 2.0 2-0 0-3 L2 Brevard County 2 4 .333 2.5 2-1 0-3 W1 

[Mass Haas]

From the Rattler Radio Blog:

April 16, 2009 Starting Lineup - Usual third baseman John Delaney in LF, both catchers, Sean McCraw and Shawn Zarraga (DH) looking for their first base hit -- a third catcher, Corey Kemp, is also now on the active roster.

 

April 16, 2009 Timber Rattler Pitchers (Watten / Frederickson)

 

April 16, 2009 Game Notes

 

Thanks Chris, as always for making these media updates available on your blog.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Any idea why Rogers was pulled after 2.1 innings?

[Mass Haas]

Any idea why Rogers was pulled after 2.1 innings?

He's still on a pitch count of approximately 50.

[DHonks]

Still, a good start to the year for Rogers. Hopefully he keeps it up, and maybe it'll rub off on others, like Jones

[TheCrew07]

I'm still not sure I like the Fryer move, AAA SP Depth is sort of meh type move to me. Wright might surprise me and become a contributor, but why not target someone who has higher upside like a Niemann? At least he has a dominant pitch and might be a useful bullpen type if he continues to struggle as a starter.

 

Fryer continues to hit well though, good for him.

 

Edit. My comments above were before I looked at the AAA box and saw Wright had given up 4 runs tonight, I forgot he was pitching, no intended connection there other than I was musing on Fryer after seeing him name in the A+ game log.

 

I'm not sure what to make of Watten yet, he wasn't overly impressive last season in Helena but he has some nice pitches. I view him similarly to Adams, who finished strong last season at R+. All of the college arms at WI are intriguing to me for different reasons now that I think about it.

 

I was hoping Rottino would tear up AA, just because he's a likable guy and I was hoping he'd audition well for another team. That lineup has depressing thus far, Perez and Caufield have been the only consistent hitters early.

 

Gamel and Escobar with Nashville's only hits thus far.

[uwisfan]

Escobar with his third error to catch up to Gamel

[uwisfan]

.. and Gamel with his fourth! Ouch.

 

12-frame to boot.

[TheCrew07]

I was just coming back to post about that 12 run frame against Nashville, my goodness. Gamel with another extra base hit as well.

 

Edit. Lawrie getting a day off stinks and Frederickson with another organizational patented BB followed immediately by a HR, it's some sort of epidemic I swear.

[tyguy20204]

Unless the box score is incorrect, Lawrie is playing. He is currently 1/3 with a triple and a BB. Continues to show great power, which is good news obviously.

[TheCrew07]

Geez I've looked at it 5 or 6 times and missed him every time, I'm as bad as the Nashville 5th.

[twobrewers]

It's only A+ ball - but still, I have to remind myself that Mark Rogers is pitching!

 

That is a pleasant surprise thus far.

[Never Outhustled]

Wes Littleton has completely lost himself. His velocity is down, his command is bad. I doubt he'll be with Nashville long.

 

Mark Rogers continues to be a bright spot. Where has that Rogers friend that posted here once in a while been hiding? I'd sure like an insider report on his velocity, and what he's throwing now.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Outfielder Brendan Katin

Some light moments, good stuff...

 

Final: Oklahoma City (Rangers) 17, Nashville 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Mat Gamel photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Routed 17-3 In Homestand Finale

 

NASHVILLE - The Oklahoma City RedHawks handed the Nashville Sounds their worst loss in six seasons on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium, defeating the home club by a 17-3 count in the finale of a four-game series.

 

Nashville wrapped up its season-opening homestand with a 3-5 record, including a split of the four-game series with Oklahoma City.

 

Oklahoma City's 17 runs in the game -- the largest scoring total in the Pacific Coast League so far this season -- were the most scored against a Nashville club since the RedHawks plated 16 at Greer Stadium on August 19, 2003, a 16-2 win. The 14-run margin of defeat for the Sounds was their largest since that 16-2 loss against Oklahoma City in 2003.

 

The RedHawks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead against Sounds starter Chase Wright with a pair of runs in each of the first two innings. The two first-inning scores resulted from a fielding error by Nashville shortstop Alcides Escobar. In the second, Oklahoma City third baseman Esteban German (3-for-7) ripped a two-out RBI single and Scott Thorman (3-for-4) drew a bases-loaded walk from Wright to force in the visitors' fourth run of the night.

 

Oklahoma City put the game out of reach in the fifth when they sent 17 batters to the plate to produce a 12-run outburst against three different Nashville pitchers. The rally included three home runs as the visitors increased the lead to 16-0. The 12-run inning was the largest against the Sounds since the franchise joined the Pacific Coast League.

 

Thorman belted a solo shot to left before Casey Benjamin chased Wright from the contest with a two-out, two-run blast to right. Sounds reliever Wes Littleton came on and didn't fare much better, failing to retire any of his six batters faced in the frame. After he issued a walk to Julio Borbon, German touched the right-hander for a two-run homer to left, his first roundtripper of the year.

 

Matt Ginter relieved Littelton, inherited a bases-loaded jam, and ultimately allowed five total runners to come plateward before the inning came to its conclusion.

 

The Sounds got onto the board in the bottom of the fifth when Angel Salome led off with a walk against RedHawks starter Neftali Feliz then scored on Hernan Iribarren's RBI triple to right. The three-bagger extended the infielder's hitting streak to seven games. Jason Bourgeois followed with a run-scoring groundout that made it a 16-2 game.

 

Nashville added another run in the sixth against RedHawks reliever Kason Gabbard when Mat Gamel stroked his team-leading fifth double of the year and scored one batter later on Brendan Katin's RBI single.

 

Gamel (2-for-4) extended his season-opening hit streak to seven games in the contest, while Katin stretched his string to five straight.

 

Oklahoma City added one final run in the ninth against Sounds infielder Adam Heether, who pitched the final inning and walked in a run.

 

Despite all the offensive fireworks for the RedHawks, Oklahoma City right fielder Brandon Boggs might have made the play of the night for the visitors with a spectacular leaping catch at the wall to rob Katin of a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

 

Feliz (1-0) picked up his first win of the year after allowing two runs on three hits and fanning five over five innings of work.

 

Wright (0-1) took the loss after surrendering eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 frames.

 

The Sounds hit the road for New Orleans on Friday, when they'll participate in the Zephyrs' 7:00 PM. home opener at Zephyr Field. Right-hander Nick Green (0-0, 9.00) will take the hill for the Sounds to face New Orleans right-hander Dallas Trahern (0-0, 4.76).

 

Baseball returns to Greer Stadium on Saturday, April 25, when the Sounds open an eight-game homestand by hosting the division-rival Iowa Cubs at 6 p.m.

 

Nashville Box Score

Evident that Chase Wright is not AAA rotation "depth" for the big league club; could have been worse - OKC stranded 13...

 

Nashville Game Log

Amazingly, there were two outs, no one on, and only one run in --

 

Oklahoma City Top 5th

• - Scott Thorman homers (1) on a fly ball to left center field.
• - Max Ramirez strikes out swinging.
• - Royce Huffman grounds out, shortstop Alcides Escobar to first baseman Joe Koshansky.
• - Joaquin Arias hit by pitch.
• - Greg Golson doubles (2) on a line drive to center fielder Jason Bourgeois. Joaquin Arias scores.
• - Casey Benjamin homers (1) on a fly ball to right field. Greg Golson scores.
• - Pitcher Change: Wes Littleton replaces Chase Wright.
• - Julio Borbon walks.
• - Esteban German homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Julio Borbon scores.
• - Brandon Boggs singles on a ground ball to right fielder Brendan Katin.
• - With Scott Thorman batting, wild pitch by Wes Littleton, Brandon Boggs to 2nd.
• - Scott Thorman doubles (2) on a ground ball to right fielder Brendan Katin. Brandon Boggs scores.
• - Max Ramirez singles on a ground ball to left fielder Tony Gwynn. Scott Thorman to 3rd.
• - Coaching visit to mound.
• - Royce Huffman walks. Max Ramirez to 2nd.
• - Pitcher Change: Matt Ginter replaces Wes Littleton.
• - Joaquin Arias singles on a line drive to right fielder Brendan Katin. Scott Thorman scores. Max Ramirez to 3rd. Royce Huffman to 2nd.
• - Greg Golson singles on a line drive to left fielder Tony Gwynn. Max Ramirez scores. Royce Huffman scores. Joaquin Arias to 2nd.
• - Casey Benjamin reaches on fielding error by third baseman Mat Gamel. Joaquin Arias scores. Greg Golson to 3rd.
• - Julio Borbon singles on a line drive to left fielder Tony Gwynn. Greg Golson scores. Casey Benjamin to 2nd.
• - Esteban German flies out to center fielder Jason Bourgeois.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, Mississippi (Braves) 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Another Dramatic Win for Huntsville

Ninth Inning Magic for Second Straight Night for Stars

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Chris Errecart's two-out, two-run bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth chased home the decisive runs in Huntsville's 4-3 victory over Mississippi Thursday night in the middle of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars have come from behind to win all three games in their last at-bat to improve to 4-4, while the Braves have dropped four in a row to fall to 2-6. All four of the Stars wins this season have come by a run and seven of their eight games have been decided by three runs or less.

 

Mississippi, which had been blanked on two hits over eight innings, tallied three times in the ninth inning to grab a 3-2 lead. Kala Ka'aihue led off with a double and scored on an Eric Campbell single to cut the Stars' lead to one. Willie Cabrera then sent a line drive off of pitcher Mike McClendon, who picked up the ball and threw to force Campbell at second for the first out of the frame. McClendon was removed from the game for Casey Baron, who gave up two singles to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Concepcion Rodriguez popped out before Gorkys Hernandez doubled in a pair to give the visitors their first lead. Jose Camarena was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base for the third out.

 

Rafael Cruz, who gave up the tying home run in the ninth inning on Tuesday, opened the home ninth on the hill for Mississippi and gave up a one-out single to Adam Stern that extended his hitting streak to eight games and walked pinch-hitter Kevin Melillo before Jonathan Lucroy bounced into a force out at second base. Vinny Rottino walked to load the bases and Errecart followed by looping a 2-2 pitch into right field to deliver Stern and Lucroy with the tying and winning runs. Shane Justis and Rottino had doubled in runs against Brian Dumensil in the seventh to break up a scoreless game.

 

Baron grabbed his second win of the series, as he and McClendon have all four of the Huntsville wins to this point in the season. Mark Holliman tossed six scoreless innings in the Stars' longest start of the season, allowing two hits, walking two and fanning four. Robert Hinton worked two scoreless before turning things over to McClendon in a save situation. Braves' starter Scott Diamond worked five shutout innings, yielding three hits, walking four and fanning five.

 

The series continues on Friday morning with left-hander Bobby Bramhall taking the hill for Huntsville against Braves' right-hander and Gadsden, AL native Kyle Cofield. Coverage of the game begins at 10:15 AM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Mark Holliman and Robert Hinton fantastic over eight innings, yet the win goes elsewhere -- it's a team game when it comes to W's; Chris Errecart was 0-for-4 with two K's before the game-winner; Chuck Caufield off to a nice start (.809 OPS)...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 4, Tampa (Yankees) 0

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

Manatees Blank Tampa, 4-0

Take Two Out of Three

By Tyler Stover / Brevard County Manatees

(Viera, FL) Five Brevard County pitchers combined for a shutout Thursday night, as the Manatees defeated Tampa, 4-0. Mark Rogers got the start for Brevard County, followed by winning pitcher John Axford (1-0), Lucas Luetge, Rigaberto Almonte, and Rob Wooten. The team allowed just five hits for the game. Dellin Betances (1-1) took the loss for Tampa, allowing four runs (two earned) in 5.1 innings. The win also gave the Manatees a series victory, as they took two out of three.

The Manatees offense got on the scoreboard in the third inning, using two singles from Steffan Wilson and Martin Maldonado combined with two Yankee errors to put a pair of runs on the board. They tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning, powered by a double from Brent Brewer, followed by singles from Caleb Gindl, Zelous Wheeler, and Lee Haydel. The balanced offensive attack from the Manatees saw seven of the nine starters get a hit in the game, including two hits each from Haydel and Maldonado.

Brevard County welcomes their new division rivals, the Dunedin Blue Jays, to Space Coast Stadium for a three-game set beginning Friday. The Blue Jays are coming off a 2008 FSL West second half championship, and currently lead the Manatees by one game in the reconfigured FSL North Division. Friday night's game will feature Evan Anundsen of the Manatees taking on Marcus Walden of the Blue Jays. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Brevard County Box Score

Huge bounceback mound effort from Lucas Luetge; both John Axford and Rigo Almone stranded two inherited runners...

 

Brevard County Game Log

 

Steffan Wilson rounds third on his way to scoring the first run of the game for Brevard County. (MiLB.com Photo by Dennis Greenblatt)

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2009/04/16/fQCjp9EO.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: Clinton (Mariners) 7, Wisconsin 1

Wisconsin Site Game Summary:

Rattlers drop fourth straight

By Chris Mehring / MLB.com

 

CLINTON, IA -- The Clinton LumberKings got a couple of home runs and 5 2/3 innings of shutout pitching from starting pitcher Steve Hensley to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 7-1. Hensley struck out eight to win his second straight start. The Rattlers have lost four straight games.

Clinton (5-2) loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning on a pair of singles and an error. Kalian Sams drew a walk to force in a run from third and keep the bases loaded. A fielder's choice by Terry Serrano knocked in the second run of the inning.

The LumberKings got their third run on a two-out solo homer by Nate Tenbrink in the third inning.

A two-run homer by Travis Howell in the sixth inning put Clinton up 5-0. One out later, Kalian Sams tripled. Serrano knocked in Sams with a single for a 6-0 advantage.

Wisconsin (3-4) broke a scoreless streak of 20 2/3 innings with a run in the top of the seventh inning. The Rattlers loaded the bases with no outs. Sean McCraw's sacrifice fly knocked in the run from third. But, Wisconsin could not sustain the rally as reliever Keith Meyer got a popout and a force out to end the threat.

Clinton tacked on a run in the eighth when Sams doubled in a run for a 7-1 lead.

Wisconsin had opportunities in the game, but wound up stranding nine runners on the base paths. Plus, the LumberKing defense turned three double plays in the game.

Game two of the series is Friday night. Lefty Dan Merklinger (0-0, 3.86) gets the start for Wisconsin. Former Timber Rattler pitcher Brett Lorin (1-0, 1.50) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Clinton. Game time is 6:30 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Discouraging relief stint for Evan Frederickson; Rattlers 1-for-10 with RISP...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lose fourth straight

By Post-Crescent staff and wire services

 

A loss is nothing to celebrate, and a four-game losing streak is worse, but the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers may have found some relief in scoring a run.

 

The Timber Rattlers fell to the Clinton LumberKings 7-1 in a Midwest League game at Clinton, Iowa, on Thursday, but Wisconsin broke a scoreless streak of 20 2/3 innings.

 

Until John Delaney crossed the plate in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Sean McCraw, the Timber Rattlers hadn't scored since the third |inning on Tuesday.

 

Wisconsin left nine runners on base on Thursday, and the LumberKings turned three double plays.

 

The Timber Rattlers lost an excellent scoring opportunity in the second, when Brock Kjeldgaard led off with a double and moved to third on Delaney's single to center.

 

Juan Sanchez, however, hit into double play. Shortstop Terry Serrano threw to Luis Nunez to get the out at second, and the second baseman then caught Kjeldgaard at home trying to score on the play.

 

By the time Delaney scored on a bases-loaded sac fly with no outs in the seventh, the LumberKings led 6-0.

 

Trey Watten started on the mound for Wisconsin and allowed four hits and three runs - two earned - through four innings. He struck out five and walked one.

[Paulus88]

Listening in to the Stars this morning and they said that Mike McClendon was removed from the Huntsville game due to injury

[JJHardy7]

Wes Littleton has completely lost himself. His velocity is down, his command is bad. I doubt he'll be with Nashville long.

 

Mark Rogers continues to be a bright spot. Where has that Rogers friend that posted here once in a while been hiding? I'd sure like an insider report on his velocity, and what he's throwing now.

 

Well where did you get the information on Littleton?