Link Report for Thurs. 5/28 -- Brewers Idle Licking Their Wounds, So Listen to the Kids

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville now trails 5-2, a Vinny Rottino error at first base didn't help things, although all three runs in the inning were earned.

 

Mike McClendon hasn't been shelled, or at least it hasn't seemed so, but the score says otherwise. Bobby Bramhall didn't overly impress earlier, yet surrendered only one run.

 

Kind of gives us insight on how we read and interpret the box scores and game logs on a day-to-day basis. There must be days when the players are reading our comments and must think, "if they only knew"...

[Mass Haas]

When the game log for a half-inning looks like a lengthy paragraph, that can be very good (and fun to listen to) -- five-run 5th gives the Stars a 7-5 lead:

 

Huntsville Top 5th

• Freddy Parejo singles on a line drive to center fielder Brandon Guyer.
• John Raburn singles on a line drive to right fielder James Adduci. Freddy Parejo to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Chuck Caufield replaces Mike McClendon.
• Coaching visit to mound.
• Chuck Caufield singles on a line drive to left fielder Ty Wright. Freddy Parejo to 3rd. John Raburn to 2nd.
• Coaching visit to mound.
• Pitcher Change: John Gaub replaces Jesse Estrada, batting 9th.
• Adam Stern walks. Freddy Parejo scores. John Raburn to 3rd. Chuck Caufield to 2nd.
• Kevin Melillo called out on strikes.
• Taylor Green out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Brandon Guyer. John Raburn scores. Chuck Caufield to 3rd.
• With Drew T. Anderson batting, Adam Stern steals (22) 2nd base.
• Drew T. Anderson singles on a line drive to center fielder Brandon Guyer. Chuck Caufield scores. Adam Stern scores.
• With Vinny Rottino batting, Drew T. Anderson steals (2) 2nd base.
• Vinny Rottino reaches on throwing error by third baseman Marquez Smith. Drew T. Anderson scores. Vinny Rottino to 2nd.
• J. R. Hopf grounds out, shortstop Jonathan Mota to first baseman Russ Canzler.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Dayton (Reds) 5, Wisconsin 0

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

FAIREL QUIETS WISCONSIN BATS

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

DAYTON, OH -- Dayton Dragon starter Matt Fairel tossed six shutout innings in a 5-0 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Thursday night at Fifth Third Field. Carlos Mendez and Kevin Coddington provided most of the offensive support as both had a pair of RBI.

Mendez, who had four hits in Wednesday's game, got the Dragons (19-28) on the scoreboard first. Rattler starting pitcher Trey Watten got the first two outs of the fourth inning. But, he allowed a single by former Milwaukee Brewer farmhand Stephen Chapman. Watten got ahead of Mendez, but hung a 2-2 pitch that Mendez drove out of the ballpark for his second homer of the season and a 2-0 lead.

The Dragons manufactured a run in the bottom of the fifth. Frank Pfister singled to start the frame. Watten was charged with a balk that moved Pfister to second and a grounder to the right side sent Pfister to third. A sacrifice fly by Dave Sappelt drove in the run to make the score 3-0.

The duo of Chapman and Mendez combined to set up another two-out rally for the Dragons in the sixth. Chapman reached on an error and Mendez singled to put runners at the corner. Then, Coddington tripled into the right field corner to drive in both runners.

Fairel called it a night after six innings. He allowed four hits and struck out five to put himself in position to win his fourth game of the season.

Wisconsin (21-26) had their chances. They had six hits and Dayton pitchers walked four, but Wisconsin stranded 10 runners in the game and got shut out for the third time this season and for the second time on their current road trip.

The loss dropped Wisconsin's record to 4-5 on the first nine games of their current road excursion.

The Rattlers continue their tour of the Midwest League and start a three-game series with the Eastern Division Leading West Michigan Whitecaps in Comstock Park, Michigan. Evan Frederickson (1-3, 7.06) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. West Michigan sends Mark Sorenson (0-1, 2.25) to the hill. Game time is 5:35 PM CDT.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Brett Lawrie 0-for-4, down to .270, 3-for-his-last-22; Erik Miller (triple), Corey Kemp, and Jose Duran each reached base twice; Rigoberto Almonte an impressive relief performance; both starters had the groundball working (19 vs. 2 combined); Stephen Chapman 8-for-8 in SB's for the Dragons in just 18 games --really?

 

Wisconsin Game Log

Former Brewer rookie baller Mark James pitched two scoreless innings for the Reds' low-A squad...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 4, St. Lucie (Mets) 3

 

Brevard County Box Score

Jeremy Jeffress struck out nine and walked five in five eventful innings (three hits and two runs allowed); Rafael Lluberes and Rob Wooten (16th save) closed it out for winner Roque Mercedes (one run allowed in two innings); Chris Errecart homered and doubled; Eric Farris a two-run shot as one of our "game bloggers" noted above -- thanks, guys; Logan Schafer, Lee Haydel, and Martin Maldonado each reached base twice...

 

Brevard County Game Log

Errecart's home run to left-center in the 8th was the game-winner; Steffan Wilson a two-out RBI single in the 5th...

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: Huntsville 11, Tennessee (Cubs) 5

Nice to see the Cubbies and Manager Ryne Sandberg swept...

 

Full report soon, but can't say enough about 24-year-old LHP Casey Baron (numbers), who pitched three scoreless, seemingly effortless innings to get the save -- we've been singing his praises on the Link Report for some time, sentiments echoed by Stars field management in the recent Huntsville Times article we linked to earlier; Brett Pollock commented on just how much Baron's pitches move, making it very difficult for any batter who hasn't faced him previously...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Doubleheader Summary

 

Stars Sweep Twin Bill from Smokies

Stars Storm Back to Win Game Two After Low Scoring Win in Opener

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Drew Anderson drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in a five-run fifth inning rally and Casey Baron tossed three scoreless innings in relief to lead Huntsville to an 11-5 win in game two and a doubleheader sweep over Tennessee Thursday night at Smokies Park. The Stars have won the last four games of the eight-game set, after dropping the opener, to improve to 25-20 and push their lead over Carolina to three games and to five games over the Smokies in the North Division.

 

Kevin Melillo's two-run home run in the third inning tied game two at two and gave him four home runs in the last week. Tennessee regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning against Mike McClendon with three runs, highlighted by a Marquez Smith two-run single. McClendon retired the side in order in the fourth and left trailing after four frames in his first start, giving up five runs on seven hits while striking out three.

 

The Stars strung together three straight singles to open the fifth inning and chase starter Jesse Estrada from the game. John Gaub took over and walked Adam Stern to force in a run that cut the lead to 5-3. Taylor Green's sacrifice fly then plated Johnny Raburn and moved pinch-hitter Chuckie Caufield to third base. Stern stole second and scored, with Caufield, when Anderson delivered a base hit to center field to give the visitors their first lead of the game. Anderson swiped second base and scored when Darwin Barney, who replaced Smith at third base, threw away a Vinny Rottino ground ball to make it 7-5. Gaub suffered his first loss of the season, allowing two runs on one hit and a walk.

 

The Stars tacked on four runs in the seventh against Todd Blackford, as a Rottino single and two fielders' choice grounders chased home runs. Anderson finished with three hits and three runs driven in, while Stern scored three times and reached in all four of his at-bats. Baron allowed a leadoff single to Jim Aducci in the fifth and then retired the next eight hitters he faced to close out his longest performance of the season. He struck out two and improved to 4-0 with his first win in 23 days.

 

Huntsville Game Two Box Score

Adam Stern's OBP at .411; Drew Anderson an .886 OPS; the error mentioned earlier in the thread charged to Vinny Rottino on a play at first base was switched to Mike McClendon (dropped throw from Vinny)...

 

Huntsville Game Two Game Log

 

Rottino led off the second inning in the opener for the Stars with a single, moved to second base on a Melillo base hit and scored when Green followed with a double that also moved Melillo to third base. Yohannis Perez flied out to center field to plate Melillo but the throw to the plate skipped away from the catcher Blake Lalli, who picked up the ball and threw to starting pitcher Casey Coleman at the plate, as Green slid in safely around the tag to make it a 3-0 game. Coleman blanked the Stars on two hits over the next four frames and matched his longest outing of the season by throwing seven innings. He dropped to 4-2 after yielding seven hits, walking one and striking out three.

 

Stars' starter Bobby Bramhall struck out Coleman with the bases loaded to end the second inning and was touched for the lone run he allowed in the third. Barney drew a two-out walk, moved to third base on a Lalli single and scored when Russ Canzler followed with a base hit. Ty Wright singled to load the bases before Smith flied out to end the frame.

 

Bramhall retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings and was lifted with one out and a runner at first in the sixth and followed by Juan Sandoval, who got Smith to bounce into a double play to end the frame. Bramhall earned his first double-A win by allowing a run on four hits, walking four and fanning three. Omar Aguilar threw a scoreless seventh inning and nailed down his fifth save of the year by getting Barney to fly out with two runners on to end the 3-1 victory.

 

The series continues Friday night with the third scheduled twin bill between the teams. The Stars will send right-hander Mark Holliman to the mound in game one and right-hander Josh Wahpepah will take the hill in game two, while the Smokies will counter with right-hander Jay Jackson in the opener and southpaw Jeremy Papelbon in the nightcap. Coverage of the game begins at 4:15 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tacoma (Mariners) 5, Nashville 3

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Mike Burns photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Conclude Road Trip With 5-3 Loss

 

TACOMA, Wash. - The Nashville Sounds wrapped up their road trip on the short end of a 5-3 defeat to the Tacoma Rainiers on Thursday evening at Cheney Stadium in the finale of a four-game series.

 

With the loss, Nashville (26-22) finished its Pacific Northwest swing with a 3-5 record.

 

Tacoma catcher Adam Moore opened the evening's scoring in the second with a two-run homer to left-center off Sounds starter Mike Burns, the backstop's first roundtripper of the year.

 

The Rainiers doubled their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth frame on a Mike Morse sac fly and a Moore RBI single.

 

Tacoma extended its advantage to 5-0 in the fifth when Chris Shelton singled home Michael Saunders.

 

Rainiers starter Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-0) earned the win after he worked five scoreless frames, allowing three hits.

 

He turned things over to Josh Hall in the sixth and the Sounds took immediate advantage of the change, plating a pair of runs to pull within 5-2. Jason Bourgeois, Alcides Escobar, and Erick Almonte opened with consecutive singles, the third of which plating Nashville's first run of the night. Brendan Katin followed with a sacrifice fly.

 

First baseman Joe Koshansky made it a 5-3 game in the top of the eighth with a two-out RBI single off Tacoma reliever Jesus Delgado.

 

Burns (6-2) took a loss for the second straight outing for the Sounds after giving up five runs on eight hits over his seven innings of action.

 

Katin finished 0-for-3 on the evening to snap Nashville's 2nd-longest hitting streak of the year at 12 games.

 

The Sounds return to Music City on Friday to begin an eight-game homestand that includes series against the division-rival Omaha Royals and Iowa Cubs.

 

Left-hander Chase Wright (3-4, 4.34) will take the hill for Nashville in Friday's 7:00 PM series opener to face Omaha left-hander Lenny DiNardo (3-1, 3.52).

 

Nashville Box Score

Alcides Escobar singled and walked, played shortstop error-free; Erick Almonte is hitting .312, but only five extra-base hits (all doubles) among his 29 knocks; Hernan Iribarren was the DH (2-for-4, .331); Angel Salome still sidelined by the foul tip to his throwing hand; 116 pitches in seven innings for Mike Burns; boys ready to head home...

 

Nashville Game Log

Jason Bourgeois with a GIDP with the tying runs on base to end the game...

[Mass Haas]

RHP Mark Holliman will need to be transferred back to the Huntsville roster before Friday's doubleheader. Will that mean the end of 18-year-old Nick Bucci's stay in AA (without an appearance)? We'll see...

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

'penmanship

Bullpen tosses 4 1/3 scoreless as Stars take two

 

The Stars won more than a double-header tonight....... For the first time, they are five games over .500 for the season. They have won nine of their last 11, and they hit their milestone 200th all-time victory against the Smokies, née Knoxville, in the first game of this set...... As I mentioned previously, it would be interesting to see how Michael McClendon would do in his starting assignment. He was part of Brevard County's April rotation last year, but he was placed in the bullpen after going 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in five starts. He was a success there, and has been one this year, with a 3-1 record and 1.72 ERA in 14 relief appearances prior to getting this emergency start. McClendon threw 60 pitches, 44 for strikes, an excellent 73% percentage -- but some of those strikes were well-hit..... Leadoff singles by Russ Canzler and Tony Thomas in the 2nd, followed by a wild pitch. That set up a two-out line drive single by Jonathan Mota that gave the Smokies a 2-0 lead....... In the 3rd, the assault on McClendon continued with back-to-back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. McClendon got out of the inning thanks to an unassisted double play by Kevin Melillo, playing his natural 2nd base position, but not before the Smokies made it 5-2. The Stars rallied for five runs in the 5th on four singles, a walk, a sac fly, and an error....... The Stars altogether had 11 hits in Game 2, 10 of them singles. The one extra-base blow was Melillo's 4th home run -- all hit in the span of his last eight games...... Oddly enough, no Huntsville hitter has had a triple the entire month. That hasn't happened since June 2004.

 

The Stars will have another double-header Friday night, the last of the three twin-bills the Stars must play to make up for the rainouts at the beginning of the month. Mark Holliman (1-2, 6.57) and Josh Wahpepah (1-0, 3.38) will face righty Jay Jackson and lefty Jeremy Papelbon. Game starts at 4:15 CDT.

 

Chris Errercart homered in the 8th inning to give the Brevard County Manatees a 4-3 road victory over St. Lucie Thursday night. Errecart is 4-for-10 in the series against the Mets, raising his average to .258. He's hitting .297 with the bases empty, .207 with runners on, and .197 with runners in scoring position.

 

When the Birmingham Barons come to town for the first time this year this weekend, it will be without Gordon Beckham, their top prospect and #1 pick in last year's amateur draft. Beckham has been jumped up to Charlotte (IL) and is, at this moment, debuting against Columbus. Beckham left Birmingham with a .299 average and four HRs.