Link Report for the 4th of July, 2009 -- Latest: More Manny Parra Audio

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Royals 4, DSL Brewers / Orioles 0

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score

LHP Jose Ramos pitched the final two innings, allowing three runs, one earned; SS Andres Martinez saw his average fall to .214 with an 0-for-3 (sacrifice) and committed his 8th error; Jhonatan Javier (DH) and Juan Barrini each singled in the shutout loss...

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Indians 8, Arizona Brewers 1

Arizona Box Score

As noted above, what can you make of 13 base hits and an HBP (no walks) for rehabbing (knee) R.J. Seidel as he faced 22 batters? Only four lonely singles as Brewer batters K'd 13 times while drawing two walks and an HBP; undrafted free agent middle infielder Connor Lind had two hits; 18-year-old OF Jose Garcia had been off to a strong start, but was 0-for-3 with three K's here; 25th round OF Demetrius McKelvie drew a walk in the game -- it was his professional debut...

 

Arizona Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Great Falls (White Sox) 6, Helena 5, ten innings

 

From the Helena Independent Record:

 

Helena's Ben Jeffers struggled from the mound in the bottom of the 10th in Great Falls Saturday, and fielding errors behind him helped the Voyagers push two winning runs across the plate.

 

Great Falls beat the Brewers 6-5 in a close, extra-inning affair that didn't see many fireworks on the Fourth of July until things got interesting late in the game.

 

The victory gave the Voyagers sole possession of first place in the Pioneer League's North Division.

 

It was Helena's first game against Great Falls this season. Before the two-game series kicked off Saturday, the two squads boasted 7-4 records and shared the league lead.

 

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when the Voyagers scored a run thanks to a fielding error by Helena second baseman Cutter Dykstra.

 

Helena's Scott Krieger hit a two-run double off Voyagers reliever Ryan Buch to finish off the Brewers' four-run eighth inning. The Voyagers would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth to tie it.

 

Jake Odorizzi had a solid start for the Brewers, but Helena was unable to hold on in the end.

 

Helena Box Score

Just a fantastic line for Jake Odorizzi; big (6'6", 230 lb.) RHP Robert Currie stranded two runners for Eric Arnett and has been very sharp in four outings; Josh Prince is going to find that catchers at higher levels will fare better against him (17-of-22 on the basepaths is good, but not outstanding); hopefully we won't be looking back at Jack Z. drafts and wondering what could have been with 2nd round middle infielders -- Cutter Dykstra providing shades of Brent Brewer, oh wait, J.J. Hardy was a 2nd round middle infielder; let's give Joey Paciorek credit for his 8th inning sacrifice bunt, which set up the four-run rally, but let's also note Paciorek's error at first base in the 10th didn't help matters...

 

Helena Game Log

Over 4,600 on hand, the largest crowd most of these kids have ever played before...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Wisconsin 2, Burlington (Royals) 1

 

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

Watten and Wisconsin edge Burlington

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

BURLINGTON, IA -- Trey Watten got just enough offensive support. The Timber Rattler right-handed starting pitcher made five starts in June and had an ERA of 1.65, but his record was just 1-0. Against the Burlington Bees Saturday night at Community Field, Watten allowed one unearned run over eight innings and got his fourth win of the season as the Rattlers beat the Bees 2-1.

 

Peter Fatse singled with one out in the Rattlers half of the first inning. Lorenzo Cain sent him around to third with a single to right. Fatse scored from third on a passed ball charged to catcher Sean McCauley.

 

Wisconsin (40-39 overall, 6-3 second half) tacked on another run in the top of the sixth inning. The Rattlers loaded the bases against Burlington starting pitcher Mike Montgomery with a two-out single by Fatse and back-to-back walks to Cain and Brett Lawrie. Eric Basurto relieved Montgomery to face Corey Kemp.

 

Kemp drew a four-pitch walk to force in Fatse for a 2-0 Wisconsin lead.

 

Wisconsin would need that run. Watten, who had only allowed two hits through the first six innings, gave up a leadoff double to Eric Hosmer in the bottom of the seventh. The Rattlers starter would get the next two batters. But David Wood's line drive to left was misjudged by Juan Sanchez and instead of the final out of the inning, the ball sailed past Sanchez for an error and Hosmer scored to get Burlington (33-46, 4-5) on the board.

 

Watten would get the final out of the seventh inning and retire the side in order in the eighth inning to protect that 2-1 lead. He finished the night with no walks allowed and six strikeouts.

 

Daniel Meadows came on to close the game and he retired the side in order in the ninth -- with a pair of strikeouts to pick up his first professional save.

 

Game two of the series is Sunday afternoon. Cody Adams (1-5, 5.59) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Sam Runion (3-4, 6.08) is set to start for the Bees. Game time is 2:00 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Way to go, 22-year-old Trey Watten, one of the organizational pitching lines of the year; 14 ground ball outs for Trey; Brett Lawrie walked all four plate appearances -- I'll revise a recent comment, the kid's having a better than nice season; Peter Fatse (in right field tonight) and Lorenzo Cain each reached three times; the Timber Rattlers didn't hit, didn't hit in the clutch, didn't field well, didn't run well, but won -- thank you, pitching...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 4, Brevard County 1

 

Game Summary from the Daytona Site:

 

VIERA - A streak of four consecutive losses was put to rest by the Daytona Cubs (5-5, 39-38) with a 4-1 win over the rival Brevard County Manatees (5-4, 45-28) on the Independence Day holiday. The Cubs and Manatees have split the 2009 series through ten meetings.

Daytona was the one to score first on this night. The Cubs pushed one across with center fielder Tony Campana coming in on a line-drive single into right field by Brandon Guyer.

The Cubs made it 2-0 in the top of the third inning. Designated hitter Jake Opitz opened the inning with a double down the right field line. He moved to third on a deep fly out to right field by Robinson Chirinos and came home on a wild pitch.

Brevard County answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the third inning. Third baseman Brent Brewer lined a single into right field with one out before he moved to second with a stolen base. Logan Schafer drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Left fielder Lee Haydel took advantage with a single up the middle to score Brewer and cut the Cubs lead to 2-1.

Daytona took advantage of a number of Manatees miscues in the top of the fifth inning. Campana led off the frame with a drag bunt to the left side of the infield. Starlin Castro laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the back end of the play was botched by first baseman Steffan Wilson to put runners at second and third. Campana would come in on a wild pitch by reliever Rafael Lluberes, while Castro followed him to third. Brevard County's second error came on a mishandled ground ball by Brewer that allowed Opitz to reach. With runners at the corners, Brandon Guyer grounded into a double play that scored Castro to make it a 4-1 ball game.

Cubs starter Dan McDaniel delivered a second straight solid start, as he scattered four hits and a run over five innings. The righty also struck out seven batters, his second highest total of the season. Cubs pitchers combined to strike out ten Manatees.

Brevard County Box Score

As mentioned above, let's give LHP Lucas Luetge a nod for his four innings of shutout relief; looks like we won't be able to get truly excited about a Mark Rogers start until 2010 -- hitters often don't get to see him more than once per game, make adjustments, etc.; Brent Brewer singled twice, stole three bases (now 16-for-20), but committed error # 19 as he adjusts to third base for now; Lee Haydel 3-for-4, but the .311 OBP is barely more than the .283 average -- Haydel has 10 walks in 286 AB's, even 30 walks would be on the low end of the desired one-for-every-ten-AB threshold; Caleb Gindl singled twice, as all eight Manatee hits went for just one base...

 

Brevard County Game Log

Chances wasted in the 5th and 6th; another big home fireworks crowd (over 4,000)...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Mariners) 10, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Jaxx Down Stars Behind Power Onslaught

West Tenn Takes Over Top Spot in Division

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Greg Halman belted two of West Tenn's season-high five home runs in a 10-2 triumph over Huntsville Saturday night in front of the biggest crowd of the season, in the opener of a four-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Diamond Jaxx improved to 8-5 in the second half and moved into sole possession of first place in the North Division, one game in front of the Stars, who fell to 7-6 in the second half and 45-37 overall. West Tenn downed Huntsville for just a third time in 16 meetings this season.

 

Ezequiel Carerra walked to begin the game and scored when Halman followed with his 17th home run of the season. Marshall Hubbard then belted a long ball to give the visitors a 3-0 lead three batters into the game. The Stars answered with a Vinny Rottino sacrifice fly in the first inning and an Adam Stern scoring fly ball in the second inning to cut the Jaxx' lead to 3-2.

 

Halman's second homer of the night, an opposite field poke to right field with two out in the fifth gave the Jaxx a 4-2 lead and gave him the league lead. Stars' starter Mike Jones was lifted after five frames and suffered the loss to fall to 1-3 after allowing four hits, walking two and fanning four. Jones has been beaten by the Diamond Jaxx two times this year.

 

West Tenn starter Luis Munoz was lifted after consecutive walks with one out in the fifth and replaced by Ricky Orta, who got Shane Justis to ground into a double play to end the inning. Orta threw 2 1/3 shutout frames, allowing one hit, to earn his second win of the year. Josh Fields retired all six hitters he faced to close out the game, as he and Orta set down the last nine Huntsville hitters and 13 of the 14 they faced.

 

Chuck Caufield misplayed a fly ball that allowed two runs to score with two outs in the seventh before Mike Wilson smashed his first home run of the season, a two-run clout that made it 8-2. Former Brewer farmhand Jimmy Mojica added a two-run shot in the eighth off of Robert Hinton, who had a streak of 11 straight outings without giving up an earned run brought to an end.

 

The series continues Sunday afternoon with right-hander Donovan Hand taking the hill against West Tenn right-hander and former Huntsville Star Luis Pena. Coverage of the game begins at 12:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Over 7,800 at Joe Davis for fireworks, that's it for the positives...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

 

Backfire

Stars get shell shocked in first July 4 loss in four years

 

What looked to my eyes was a full house at Joe Davis Stadium for the nation's holiday was just officially 7,819 -- the lowest attendance figure for a July 4 game at the Joe since 1986 -- and that was a July 3 game. (The Stars went on the road the next day to play Memphis.)....... The big attraction, of course, was the fireworks, which is what everyone gets psyched for on this day, and it was an excellent show. After the fireworks, hundreds of ladies lined up on the field in back of the plate for the diamond dig (poker chips were hidden about 1/2 deep on the warning track between the 405 marker and the foul line in right field. At the word "GO", it looked like the Oklahoma Land Rush. The first five to get the chip, run back in and touch first base, won an envelope with the prize -- the grand prize being a $2,500 diamond ring....... Me -- give me the season ticket.

 

Unfortunately, the Stars allowed the Diamond Jaxx to take over the Northern Division lead with this 10-2 loss........ Mike Jones fresh off the disabled list and making his first start since June 12, was greeted rather odiously with back-to-back HRs by Greg Halman (the league HR leader) and Thomas Hubbard, the #2 and #3 hitters, in the 1st inning --- that after a five-pitch walk to Enrique Carrera. The Stars came back to make it a 3-2 game after two innings on a bases-loaded sac fly by Vinny Rottino and another sacrifice-turned double play by Adam Stern in the 3rd........ The Diamond Jaxx broke it open in the 7th inning thanks to a two-out fielding error by Chuckie Caufield, leading to four unearned runs off Zach Braddock........ The Stars, by the way, lead Southern League pitchers in unearned runs allowed with 71. West Tennessee comes closest after that with 62....... While he had a bad day in the field, Caufield did extend his hit streak to 10 games -- two short of Kevin Melillo's season-best 12 games. Caufield is 12-for-36 during his streak with two extra-base hits (both doubles) and just two RBIs.

 

The Stars are hitting just .248 since they captured the first half title...... Shane Justis has seen his average go from a peak of .321 on June 15 to below .300 for the first time since May 18....... The Stars finished June with a 14-15 record. They have not had a winning June since 2003....... Omar Aguilar threw the Huntsville Stars' 30,000th inning on June 13 vs. Jacksonville...... When they hit into five double plays vs. Tennessee on July 1, it tied a club record which was set in the 2nd year of existence -- 1986 -- against Knoxville....... That same night, Jonathan Lucroy drew four walks in a game, the most since Steve Sollmann drew five in a game on April 16, 2007....... Donovan Hand (6-1, 2.39) faces former Huntsville Star Luis Pena (of the 100+ mph fast ball and the infamous HR to Sergio Pedroza in the 2007 Championship Series) Sunday. The pride of Hatton High School is 2nd among SL ERA leaders.

 

Lorenzo Cain is off the disabled list and has been moved from the Arizona League to Class A-Wisconsin..... Josh Butler, who threw just 25 pitches in his start on Thursday, has been placed on the disabled list.

 

The Southern League North Division's tentative starting lineup for the 2009 Southern League All-Star Game scheduled for July 13 at Regions Park is as follows:

 

1- Ezequiel Carrera (CF) West Tenn

2-Adam Stern (RF) Huntsville

3-Todd Frazier (LF) Carolina

4-Josh Bell (3B) Chattanooga

5-Marshall Hubbard (DH) West Tenn

6-Shane Justis (2B) Huntsville

7-Blake Lalli (1B) Tennessee

8-Jonathan Lucroy © Huntsville

9-Zack Cozart (SS) Carolina

SP-Travis Wood (P) Carolina

 

The North All-Stars will be managed by Diamond Jaxx manager Phil Plantier...... The Stars had seven players named to the 2009 All-Star team. In addition to Stern, Justis and Lucroy, pitchers Casey Baron, Robert Hinton and Hand, and outfielder Drew Anderson were also selected. Anderson has been promoted to the Milwaukee Brewers AAA team in Nashville.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site:

Link for Hernan Iribarren photo, text follows --

 

Homestand Opener Suspended Due To Rain

NASHVILLE - The homestand opener between the Nashville Sounds and Albuquerque Isotopes was suspended due to rain with two outs in the top of the fourth inning with Albuquerque holding a 2-1 lead on Saturday evening at historic Greer Stadium.

 

The game, which began following a 84-minute rain delay, was halted due to heavy rains at 8:24 p.m. and suspended at 8:46 p.m. It will be completed to its nine-inning finish on Sunday evening beginning at 5 p.m.

 

Sunday's regularly scheduled contest between the clubs will be a seven-inning contest that will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the completion of the suspended game.

 

Nashville took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Cole Gillespie led off with a single against Isotopes starter Charlie Haeger and later scored on Hernan Iribarren's two-out RBI triple to right-center.

 

Albuquerque rallied to take a 2-1 lead against Sounds starter Tim Dillard. Jamie Hoffmann drew an inning-opening walk and moved to third on a single by ex-Sound J.D. Closser. Luis Maza tied the contest with a sacrifice fly to left before third baseman Juan Gonzalez put the visitors in front with a single to center.

 

In Sunday's second contest, left-hander Chris Cody (2-3, 3.73) will take the hill for the Sounds to face Albuquerque southpaw Scott Elbert (1-1, 4.91).

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Manny Parra

Discusses his overall pitching plan...

[Godspeed]

Hard to come up with any positives about Dykstra or Cody Adams. Dykstra still gets some "prospect" love - but he hasn't done anything since being drafted.

Dysktra put up a .805 OPS in Helena (advanced Rookie ball) just out of high school. I'm not big on the guy, but to say 'hasn't done anything' is a bit over the top.