Link Report for Games of Monday, June 29th

[Mass Haas]

I saw 49 replies this AM and figured my work here was done (just kidding http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif) -- here we go, some updates may not be out until mid-morning, though...

 

Final: Nashville 11, Oklahoma City (Rangers) 1

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for a cool photo of Brendan Katin / Alcides Escobar, text follows --

 

Sounds Take Down RedHawks, 11-1

NASHVILLE - Right-hander Tim Dillard tossed a quality start to earn his league-leading eighth win and right fielder Brendan Katin homered as part of a 3-for-4 evening to lead the Nashville Sounds to an 11-1 victory over the Oklahoma City RedHawks on Monday evening at historic Greer Stadium.

 

Dillard (8-3) pulled into a tie for the Pacific Coast League lead by earning his eighth victory of the season. He worked his sixth quality start of the season, allowing one run on four hits over eight inning of work, matching his longest outing of the year.

 

Katin rapped three extra-base hits on the night, including his team-leading 17th homer of the year, to pace the Nashville offense. Adam Heether drove in a team-high three runs for the Sounds.

 

First baseman Joe Koshansky spotted the Sounds a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning with a solo homer to right off Oklahoma City starter Josh Rupe. The blast was his 14th of the season.

 

Nashville increased the lead to 7-0 in the third with a six-run outburst against Rupe. Angel Salome and Koshansky delivered one-out RBI singles before Heether and Katin belted the Sounds' first pair of back-to-back homers of the year.

 

Heether's shot, a three-run blast to left, was his seventh of the year, while Katin's dinger was the right fielder's team-leading 17th roundtripper of the season.

 

Oklahoma City got on the board in the top of the fourth with Esteban German scored on Emerson Frostad's RBI single to center off Dillard. The right-hander worked out of a no out, bases-loaded jam with no further damage by striking out Greg Golson and inducing an inning-ending double play from Steven Murphy.

 

AUDIO: Escobar-Iribarren Double Play (This was an earlier DP, not the one mentioned above -- still, a special play).

 

Nashville increased the lead to 9-1 in the fifth. Cole Gillespie increased lifted a sacrifice fly to center that plated Heether to bring home the first run of the inning. Katin later scored from third on a throwing error by RedHawks backstop Max Ramirez on a failed pickoff attempt.

 

The Sounds wrapped up the evening's scoring in the eighth with a pair of runs off Clayton Hamilton. Gillespie led off with a single, moved to third on a Martin Maldonado double, and scored on an Escobar groundout. Hernan Iribarren celebrated his 25th birthday with an RBI single up the middle to bring the score to its final 11-1.

 

John Axford pitched a scoreless ninth for Nashville to close out the victory.

 

Rupe (1-5) was dealt the loss for the RedHawks after he allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits over his 4 1/3 frames of action.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 7:00 PM finale on Tuesday evening at Greer. Left-hander Chris Cody (2-1, 2.73) will man the bump for the Sounds to face rehabbing right-hander Dustin Nippert (NR) for Oklahoma City.

 

Nashville Box Score

Ten hits from the bottom five in the order; Drew Anderson in CF as Jason Bourgeois was off -- we've rarely seen Drew there; Angel Salome ejected after a called third strike in the 7th...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 7, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Smokies Down Stars Behind Wright and Coleman

Tennessee Tops Huntsville For First Time in Nine Tries

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Ty Wright drove in three runs to back the solid 6 2/3 innings of work by Casey Coleman in Tennessee's 7-2 victory over Huntsville Monday night in the second of a six-game set at Smokies Park. The Smokies improved to 4-4 in the second half and 36-42 overall, while the Stars slid to 5-3 in the second half and 43-34 overall. The Smokies ended an eight-game home losing streak to the Stars and won for the fourth time in 12 games in the season series.

 

Jonathan Lucroy doubled with two outs in the first inning, moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored when Kevin Melillo singled into center field. It looked like the Stars were going to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning until Wright climbed the wall in left field and made a leaping catch on a Freddy Parejo fly ball that appeared destined to leave the yard as his third home run of the season.

 

Tony Thomas led off the home third with a double and advanced to third base on a Mark Reed ground out. Coleman attempted a squeeze bunt that was fielded by Stars' pitcher David Welch, who threw home to Lucroy, who tagged out Thomas trying to slide head first into the plate. Smokies' skipper Ryne Sandberg argued vociferously that Thomas had slid around the tag and was eventually thrown out of the game.

 

The Smokies bounced back and took the lead for good in the fourth inning. Darwin Barney walked to lead off the inning, moved to third base on a Marquez Smith double and scored to tie the game on Wright's single that moved Smith to third base. Jim Adduci was retired on a sacrifice bunt that pushed across Smith with the go-ahead run. Wright moved to second base on the bunt, to third base on a ground out and scored when Tony Thomas singled into center field. Thomas then stole second base and scored when Reed singled to complete the four-run rally.

 

The Stars loaded the bases with one out in the sixth before Smith came up with the play of the game, making a diving stop on a Michael Garciaparra ground ball and throwing him out at first base from his knees. Shane Justis scored on the play to cut the lead to 4-2 but Coleman struck out Chuck Caufield with runners at second and third to end the inning. Welch was lifted after six frames, giving up four runs on seven hits and fell to 4-6 after walking two and striking out a pair.

 

Josh Wahpepah took over in the seventh for the Stars and ran into trouble after hitting Jonathan Mota with one out and giving up two singles to load the bases for Wright, who delivered a two-run single to right field to make it a 6-2 game. Adduci's infield hit chased home another run to finish the scoring, as the Smokies collected five hits in the inning, four of them with the hitter behind in the count. Six different Smokies had a pair of hits in a 13-hit attack.

 

Coleman was lifted after Adam Stern's two-out single in the seventh and replaced by Alex Maestri, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings to record his second save of the season. Coleman allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out six to improve to 8-3 and move into a three-way tie for the league lead in victories.

 

The series continues Tuesday evening with left-hander Bobby Bramhall starting for Huntsville against Tennessee right-hander Hung-Wen Chen. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Reliever Juan Sandoval has righted his ship a bit in lower-pressure situations as of late, it was rocky sailing there for a while...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[mkm13]

Thats Zack Braddocks spot.

Why again are we wanting to rush Braddock to the majors? He is a potential ace, why would we want to start using up his cheap years with us as a reliever throwing limited innings?

[Never Outhustled]

He is a potential ace, why would we want to start using up his cheap years with us as a reliever throwing limited innings?

He has a fragile elbow, and other issues, and will be a reliever for the immediate future. Its hard to bank on benefitting from those cheap years he could have at 30 if used as a starter, its better to get value from him while we can. It would be a shame to waste what could be his best years wasting his time in the minors.

[mkm13]

He has a fragile elbow, and other issues, and will be a reliever for the immediate future. Its hard to bank on benefitting from those cheap years he could have at 30 if used as a starter, its better to get value from him while we can. It would be a shame to waste what could be his best years wasting his time in the minors.

He has had issues with his elbow and correct he will be a reliever for the immediate future. I am not talking about leaving him in the minors until he builds up the arm strength to be a starter. If I am not mistaken, he still has atleast 2-3 years until he would be ready for a starters role. If you save him in the minors for another year, that is an extra year you can have him as a starter. This years team does not have the starters to be a playoff team this year, IMO wasting Gamel's time as a bench player and potentially using Braddock's time now as a limited reliever is not beneficial long term to the brewers success. The brewers have to rely on younger players with a low salary to be successful...why limit that?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 8, Charlotte (Rays) 5

 

Game Summary from the Stone Crabs' Site

 

Stone Crabs Open Homestand with 8-5 Loss

By Jonathan Gantt

 

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- After 11 days away from home, the Charlotte Stone Crabs return to Charlotte Sports Park was spoiled by an 8-5 loss to the Brevard County Manatees on Monday night.

 

The Stone Crabs (1-4) enjoyed a three-day All Star Break before embarking on an eight-game road trip, and their welcome home party was ruined by the Manatees, who posted the best record in the league during the first half of the season.

 

Reid Fronk led the Charlotte offense with a solo home run and an RBI-double, but the bullpen surrendered seven runs after starter Alex Cobb left the game in the third inning because of blisters on his throwing hand.

 

Brevard County (3-2) posted an early run in the top of the second inning off a pair of doubles from Caleb Gindl and Zelous Wheeler. Charlotte responded quickly with a run of its own in the bottom of the third inning when Christian Lopez scored on a sacrifice fly from Emeel Salem that was just a few feet from being a grand slam. Lopez would have been thrown out at second base trying to steal earlier in the inning, but Wheeler dropped the throw from catcher Carlos Corporan, and the inning continued long enough for Lopez to score.

 

The Manatees upped the ante with four runs in the top of the fourth inning off a two-run homer from Gindl and a run-scoring triple from Sergio Miranda. All of the runs came off Charlotte reliever Jose Mejias after Cobb departed.

 

The Stone Crabs scored their runs quickly in the bottom of the fourth inning when Reid Fronk and Ryan Royster blasted back-to-back home runs over the right field wall to lead off the inning. The longballs brought both players' tallies to two on the season.

 

Brevard County scored a run in the top of the sixth inning on a wild pitch and then two on a towering home run from Eric Farris to left field off Charlotte reliever Justin Garcia (5-2) who took the loss for the Stone Crabs.

 

Michael Bowman pitched five innings to pick up the victory for Brevard County. He allowed five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits. Bowman walked four and struck out one.

Brandon Rapoza and Roque Mercedes each pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

 

The teams continue the series tomorrow at Charlotte Sports Park with a 7:05 PM matchup. Right-hander Jesse Darcy (2-6, 5.32) will start for Charlotte against fellow righty Amaury Rivas (4-5, 3.61) for Brevard County.

 

Brevard County Box Score

Once again tonight, a fine contribution from the lower half of a batting order; with Yohannis Perez still sidelined a bit, Zelous Wheeler must have the most unique shortstop body type in the FSL for sure; Caleb Gindl with a J.J. Hardy-like Monday night performance; C/P (that'd be catcher / pitcher) Brett Whiteside -- injured his leg (perhaps a muscle?) during warmups? We need his hometown paper in Pennsylvania to follow-up with him and get us a scoop on his career path -- goodness knows the Florida "press" won't help us...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 11, Billings (Reds) 3

Helena Box Score

Obviously, kids like Nick Bucci, Damon Krestalude, and the starter here, Jake Odorizzi, were thoroughly stretched out in Maryvale during extended spring training, plus they've been very economical and effective; 3-3 game broken open in a six-run 5th; Josh Prince already has eight walks and sports a .486 OBP after seven games; Cutter Dykstra with his 6th professional HR, and the 4th career blast for still-18-year-old RH bat Hitaniel Arias; as noted above, fellow HR-on-the-night catcher Michael Roberts in CF (!) as the roster juggling / draft pick signings wreck havoc -- heck, Wisconsin is still down several roster spots, and it wouldn't surprise to see some independent league players brought in at this point; Cal-State Fullerton's Khris Davis disappeared after one at-bat last week, you'd think he would have played outfield before Roberts; Joey Paciorek won't be 20 years old until this fall, for a reader who asked earlier -- three rookie years not all that unusual for mid-round high school draft picks; Edgar Trejo hasn't played since the 25th (back to Wisconsin perhaps?)...

 

Helena Game Log

Unlikely Josh Prince left the game late for any other reason that to get Mike Brownstein his first Pioneer League action after the hot Maryvale start...

 

Oddly, no Helena newspaper coverage for this one...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 7, Arizona Cubs 1

 

Arizona Box Score

Nice pitching efforts for all, and fantastic to see R.J. Seidel go five innings here; yes indeed, Lorenzo Cain and Erik Komatsu make this a very pleasing-to-the-eye box score, regardless of numbers posted; scoreless inning in the professional debut of 31st round RHP Jose Oveido, the Venezuelan native drafted out of a Miami junior college; along with SS Carlos George's return, the Bronx youngster drafted late in '08, an eventful peek-in to the always-churning back stories of the kids at this level in the system...

 

Arizona Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Brewers / Orioles 3, DSL Pirates 0

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score

Edwin Linares saved the eight-inning effort of an Orioles prospect; Andres Martinez singled and stole his 4th base; Jhonatan Javier was the DH again, the team continues to take advantage of his offensive skills (.958 OPS) on non-catching days; CF Juan Barrini 0-for-4...

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

[LouisEly]

Why again are we wanting to rush Braddock to the majors? He is a potential ace, why would we want to start using up his cheap years with us as a reliever throwing limited innings?

I think the implication was to bring him up after September 1st as an extra bullpen arm to help get them in the playoffs, instead of sending him to the AFL. IIRC after 9/1 it does not count towards service time. It would also allow them to add him to the post-season roster if a pitcher were to get injured after 9/1.

 

Frankly I'd rather have him in the bullpen than Narveson or CV, so I'd be all for it.

[TheCrew07]

Actually I believe it does count as service time but doesn't count against ROY awards, or something along those lines. This discussed in depth last September... I'm fuzzy on the details though.

[mkm13]

Correct, my understanding is it counts as service time.