Link Report for Games of Sunday, July 5th

[twobrewers]

While Fiers has been amazing his in short stint in Helena, Wooten has continued his dominance all the way to Huntsville.

 

Wooten is a month younger than Fiers.

[battlekow]

Lintz is pitching tonight for AZ

...against Steve Garrison.

[battlekow]

I'm a little surprised that Walla is playing CF over McKelvie.

[LouisEly]

In the "interesting stat line of the day", Caleb Thielbar of the Arizona squad posted this line - 3.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. How in the world is your stuff good enough to strike out 8 of 11 outs yet give up 7 hits and 8 runs? I guess that's why he's in Arizona. In a very small sample, Lintz with 12 BB in 9.2 innings.

 

So far there's no reason to think that w00ten can't be in Milwaukee's bullpen at some point in 2010. Smith and DiFelice are showing that you don't have to throw 95 to be successful out of the pen if you have good location and movement. This goes back to something I mentioned a while ago - if you find a pitcher, particularly an older college pitcher, whom you can identify as a good bullpen candidate who can move through the system quickly, why not? I understand the importance of developing starters, but some guys you just have to recognize won't be starters, or you can stretch them out in spring training after they get to the majors. Capellan comes to mind as a guy who perhaps could have been more successful if he moved to the pen earlier. Certainly you don't spend a first round pick on them, but if you can identify a guy like Wooten in the 8th round or later who can fast-track to the majors as a reliever I think it is a worthwhile investment, as very few guys picked in the 8th or later even make the majors.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site:

 

NASHVILLE - For the second straight evening, rain in the Middle Tennessee area wiped out scheduled PCL action between the Nashville Sounds and Albuquerque Isotopes on Sunday evening at historic Greer Stadium.

 

Heavy late-afternoon rains resulted in unplayable field conditions at the ballpark. The teams had been scheduled to complete Saturday's suspended game and then play a second seven-inning contest.

 

The teams are now scheduled to complete Saturday's game, which was suspended due to rain with two outs in the top of the fourth inning with Albuquerque holding a 2-1 lead, beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday evening.

 

Monday night's regularly scheduled contest between the clubs will follow approximately 30 minutes later and will be a seven-inning game.

 

Sunday's scheduled game will be made up as part of a 6 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, August 2nd when Albuquerque returns to Music City for its second visit of the 2009 season.

 

In Monday'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 Audio Chat with All-Star Outfielder Brendan Katin

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Mariners) 11, Huntsville 8

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Diamond Jaxx Down Stars Behind Another Power Surge

Former Huntsville Hurler Wins in Return to Alabama

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Greg Halman belted two more home runs and West Tenn survived a late rally in an 11-8 victory over Huntsville Sunday afternoon in the second of a four-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Diamond Jaxx improved to 9-5 in the second half with a season-high fourth straight win and opened a two-game lead in the North Division over the Stars, who fell to 7-7 in the second half and 45-38 overall. West Tenn defeated Huntsville for just a fourth time in 17 meetings this season.

 

Ezequiel Carerra opened the game with a double and scored on a double by Halman, who scored one out later on a double by Mike Wilson, who finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Johan Limonta then launched a home run to give the visitors a 4-0 lead five batters into the game against Donovan Hand, who had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first 21 appearances. Halman's first long ball of the day and a two-run clout by Wilson in the second inning gave West Tenn a 7-1 lead. Hand was lifted after two innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits. He fell to 6-2 and suffered his first loss since Opening Day against Mobile.

 

Luis Pena, who pitched for the Stars in 2007, made his first start for the Jaxx since April 13, after being sidelined by injury, and gave up a home run to J.R. Hopf, his first since April 18, in the second inning that cut the lead to 7-2. Pena left after five frames with a 10-3 lead and earned his first victory of the year after allowing three runs on six hits, walking three and fanning three.

 

Matt Mangini blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning and Halman belted a leadoff long ball in the eighth to make it 11-4 and give the visitors five home runs for a second straight game. Wilson finished with four hits and four runs batted in, while Halman scored four times, knocked in three and pushed his league-leading long ball total to 20. West Tenn has scored in nine different innings in the first two games and hit a home run in eight of those frames.

 

The Stars scored in the eighth to cut the lead to 11-5 and plated three runs in the ninth on a Freddy Parejo scoring fly ball, a Chuck Caufield run-scoring double and a throwing error by another former Star, Mel Stocker, to make it 11-8 and knock Danny Christensen out of the game. Anthony Varvaro took over and retired Yohannis Perez and Johnny Raburn to end the game and earn his third save of the season. Caufield hit his first home run of the season at home in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Kevin Mellilo had three hits and drove in two runs for the Stars, who fell to 18-20 at home.

 

The series continues Monday night with Stars' southpaw Bobby Bramhall taking the hill. Coverage of the game begins at 6:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Perhaps it was David Welch's "throw day", but this start by Donovan Hand probably throws a bit of a monkey wrench into the rotation, just as it would on the major league level; Chuck Caufield having defensive issues in left field as of late; Jonathan Lucroy, the only "prospect" in the lineup in tems of age and level, walked twice as the designated hitter...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

 

Lightning strikes twice

Diamond Jaxx have another five HR game... Two more for Halman

From 7,819 to 660. The Stars had the lowest attendance figure for a July 4 game at the Joe since 1986, but the 2nd best in the league last night when the Diamond Jaxx were hitting them over the wall in the 1st inning...... Today, they were hitting them over the wall and off the wall. Johan Limonta, the #5 batter in the order, sent one skyrocketing into the trees beyond the right field wall, some 420 feet. That came after the first two hitters in the order, Ezequiel Carrera (2nd among Southern League batting leaders) and Greg Halman (SL home run leader), hit back-to-back doubles deep to right field. Halman's bounced off the wall.....

 

The Diamond Jaxx never let up after last night, sending five HRs out of the park again, including two more from Halman (who had ten total bases)... The output of ten home runs in two straight days off Stars pitching shattered a club record. The old record of seven home runs by an opponent in consecutive games occured twice, the last time, oddly enough, on the same two days -- July 4 and 5 -- with Birmingham visiting in 1998 when the Stars were an A's affiliate...... Also no one had ever hit two home runs vs. the Stars on consecutive dates since Mark Johnson of the Carolina Mudcats did it in a double-header at the Joe on May 13, 1994 -- the year the Stars beat Carolina for the SL Championship.

 

And all this damage was inflicted against our best...... Donovan Hand, coming into the game 2nd among SL ERA leaders, lasted just two innings. He allowed seven runs on eight hits, and threw just 57 pitches (32 for strikes). It was his quickest yanking since July 12 of last year when Chattanooga busted him for eight runs on six hits in two innings in the infamous 13-3 game in which nine players were ejected after an on-field brawl...... After getting two out in the 2nd inning (the second on a stolen base attempt by Carrera), Halman hit the first of his two HRs over the first wall in left. Hand walked Thomas Hubbard on four pitches, then Michael Wilson drove one deep almost to dead center to increase the Diamond Jaxx lead to 7-1.

David Welch took over in the 3rd, his first relief appearance since April 15, and did most of the work for the Stars. He retired the D'Jaxx in order in the 3rd on nine pitches and was close to a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, but Halman swung on a wild pitch for strike three with two out and wound up on first. Welch walked Hubbard on four pitches, then Wilson got a pitch down the middle and lashed it hard to left, taking its first skip off the edge of the infield close to the line. Wilson already had two when Chuckie Caufield took his eye off the ball and misplayed it for an error, allowing Hubbard to score, making it 9-2...... In the 5th, Matt Mangini made it 10-2 with a homer to right-center -- about a 385' shot.

 

The Stars continued to score, but couldn't overcome such a wide deficit...... Caufield got a pitch slightly inside and belt-high and extended his hit streak to 11 games with a home run -- his 4th -- to left-center. That's one game short of the longest streak of the year -- Kevin Melillo's...... In the 8th, the Stars scored run #5 on a ground ball. Diamond Jaxx reliever Danny Christensen loaded the bases with two out, but Michael Garciaparra hit into a force play at second base to end the inning...... The Stars closed the gap to three runs for the first time since the 1st inning with a three-run coda. Christensen walked Jonathan Lucroy on four straight pitches after starting ahead in the count. A double to the right field corner sent Lucroy to third and he scored on a short sac fly to center by Freddy Parejo. Caufield followed with his 2nd hit -- a double to left-center, scoring Melillo -- the second time this year he's had two extra-base hits in a game. A throwing error to first by 2nd baseman Mel Stocker scored Caufield with the final run.

 

The Diamond Jaxx entered this series with a 2-13 record against the Stars this year and a .241 average. They've hit .289 in these two games with 15 of their 22 hits going for extra bases...... In their last series, the Stars took five of six games, outscoring them 31-18. Halman had two home runs and was hitting a modest .268 coming in...... In two games, the Jaxx have outscored the Stars 21-10 and Halman is 6-for-10 with four home runs and six RBIs...... Former SL All-Star Michael Wilson went a perfect 4-for-4, coming a triple shy of the cycle. It was his first series against the Stars this season after coming off the DL early in June...... It's also the first time the Diamond Jaxx have scored ten or more runs against the Stars in consecutive games. No one has scored ten or more in three straight since 1999..... The Jaxx, 8th in team batting w/RISP (.230), are 7-for-22 (.318) in these first two games.

 

Hand dropped from 2nd to 5th among SL ERA leaders....... J.R. Hopf had his first three-hit game for the Stars and drove in two runs for the first time since June 2nd. That raised his season average to .214, his highest since May 14. Hopf is 5-for-11 (.455) in his last three games..... Lucroy is 2-for-15 in his last six games with one RBI on a bases-loaded walk...... Adam Stern, who got his average up to .303, is 3-for-20 in his last six games. Stern hit just .250 in June after a .321 April and .327 May.

 

Monday night, Bobby Bramhall (4-5, 5.73) will face right-hander Justin Souza (5-6, 3.42). Bramhall was 3-2 with a 4.73 ERA in June in six starts. This will be his 4th start against the D'Jaxx. They pounded him for nine runs in 9 2/3 innings in his first two starts. Bramhall won the third, allowing just one run in five innings in a 2-1 win, June 8. That was the game Melillo extended his own hit streak to 12 games, which is what Caufield will be going for tomorrow.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 3, Tampa (Yankees) 1

Brevard County Box Score

Three RHP's, starter Michael Bowman (six hits, four walks, one run in 5.1 innings), Brandon Rapoza (stranded two of Bowman's runners, stellar work over 2.2 frames for the win), and Omar Aguilar (one walk in an otherwise clean 9th for the save) combined for the victorious effort; Manatees tied it at 1-1 in the 6th on a Brent Brewer leadoff double, Logan Schafer bunt single and Lee Haydel RBI groundout; a Carlos Corporan RBI single and Brewer sacrifice fly drove in 7th inning runs after Caleb Gindl and Eric Farris set the table with singles; eight Manatee hits were spread out up and down the lineup...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Wisconsin 10, Burlington (Royals) 8

 

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

Rattlers bats shine in Burlington

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

BURLINGTON, IA -- The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers grabbed a 7-1 lead and had an answer for every offensive surge by the Burlington Bees Sunday at Community Field. The Timber Rattlers held on for a 10-8 win and moved to two games over the .500 mark for the first time since they were 3-1 back on April 13. Brock Kjeldgaard and Juan Sanchez each homered for the Rattlers. The duo also combined for six of Wisconsin's 14 hits.

 

Wisconsin (41-39 overall, 7-3 second half) scored a run in the top of the first inning. Pete Fatse scored from second on an RBI single by Corey Kemp. The Bees (33-47, 4-6) would tie the game in the bottom of the first inning on a throwing error by Fatse from left field.

 

The Rattlers retook the lead with three unearned runs in the top of the third inning. Kemp reached on a error with one out and Kjeldgaard singled. Burlington starting pitcher Sam Runion got the second out. Then, he appeared to get Michael Vass on a routine fly ball to right. However, Nick Van Stratten lost the ball in the sun. Both Kemp and Kjeldgaard were running on the 3-2 pitch and two outs and both scored for a 3-1 lead as Vass cruised into second base. Michael Marseco followed with a line drive double down the right field line and Wisconsin led 4-1.

 

John Delaney delivered a two-out, two-run double with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth. Sanchez kept the offense rolling in the fifth inning with a solo homer to left with two outs. That homer by Sanchez was his first of the season and gave the Rattlers a 7-1 lead.

 

But, Burlington didn't go away after the Rattlers went up by six. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Patrick Norris reached on an infield single with one out. The speedy Norris stole second and scored from second on a wild pitch by Timber Rattlers starting pitcher Cody Adams. The Bees put two runners on with two outs after an infield single and a walk against Adams. Jason Taylor singled in a run. Then, Delaney committed an error that let in one more run to cut Wisconsin's lead to 7-4.

 

Adams got out of the frame with a groundout to stay up by three. Adams worked five innings, allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out one to put himself in position for his second win of the season.

 

Brett Lawrie singled in a run in the top of the seventh to push the Rattlers back in front by four runs.

 

Liam Ohlmann, who had replaced Adams in the sixth inning, ran into trouble in the seventh. The Bees had runners at the corners and two outs. David Wood laced a triple to the right field corner that scored both runners to make the score 8-6. Brandon Ritchie relieved Ohlmann and got a strikeout to end the seventh.

 

Kemp reached for the fifth time in the game (once on a Bees' error) to start the Rattlers eighth inning. He drew a walk, his third of the game. Kjeldgaard was next and he lined a 1-1 pitch from Riquy Pena just over the 16' high wall in right field for his thirteenth homer of the season and a 10-6 Rattlers advantage.

 

And still, the Bees kept at it. They loaded the bases against Ritchie in the bottom of the eighth inning. A wild pitch by the Rattler lefty and an RBI grounder by Van Stratten plated two runs and made the score 10-8 heading to the ninth inning.

 

But Nick Tyson halted the Bees in the bottom of the ninth. He retired the first two hitters of the frame before walking Jose Bonilla to bring up the tying run. Tyson got Shawn Griffin to ground out to third to end the game. Tyson is 4-for-4 in save opportunities this season.

 

Adams got the win and it was his first since an April 29 victory over the Great Lakes Loons at Time Warner Cable Field.

 

Game three of the series is Monday night at Community Field. Wisconsin has Wily Peralta (3-1, 3.41) as the scheduled starting pitcher. Burlington counters with Tim Melville (2-4, 4.50). Game time is 6:30 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Pete Fatse hit by pitches twice, reached three times; Brock Kjeldgaard 10-for-his-last-27 with seven RBI...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

Obviously pretty eventful...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 4, Great Falls (White Sox) 2

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Helena mound men mute Voyagers

By MIKE TOWNE

Great Falls Tribune Sports Writer

 

The Great Falls Voyagers were hoping to take a three-game winning streak and sole possession of the Northern Division lead into a seven-game road trip that begins this morning.

 

But the Voyagers turned in a lackluster offensive performance, collecting a season-low four hits, and suffered a 4-2 loss to the Helena Brewers on Tribune Family Day at Centene Stadium Sunday.

 

Held hitless over the final five innings, Great Falls settled for a split of the two-game set and a share of first place with the Brewers. Both teams are 8-5, a game ahead of the Missoula Osprey.

 

"We didn't swing the bats well. That was the key right there," Voyagers manager Jose Bautista said. "The Helena pitchers did a good job today. (Starter Damon Krestalude) shut us down for six or seven innings.

 

"You have to give them credit."

 

Krestalude held Great Falls to two runs on four hits in six complete innings, boosting his record to 2-1. Relievers Rico Salmon, Joel Morales and Michael Fiers blanked the Voyagers over the final three innings. Fiers retired the side in the ninth inning to earn his third save.

 

The two runs were the team's fewest since falling 9-1 to the Billings Mustangs in their June 23 season opener. The Voyagers were averaging seven runs and just under 11 hits per game entering the contest.

 

Of Sunday's four hits, only two got out of the infield. In the fourth inning, when Great Falls scored both of its runs, Jesus Avila beat out a bunt with a headfirst slide and Nick Ciolli reached on an infield single.

 

Helena pitchers issued seven walks, four by Krestalude. But none of those base runners came around to score; two were thrown out in second- and sixth-inning double plays, and two were left on base in the seventh and eighth innings.

 

In addition to strong pitching, Helena used a balanced offensive attack and solid defense to rebound from Saturday night's 6-5 10-inning loss to the Voyagers.

 

Seven Brewers combined for 10 hits off five Great Falls pitchers. Mike Brownstein, Chris Ellington and Cameron Garfield had two hits apiece.

 

Hitaniel Arias, the No. 9 hitter in the order, drove in two runs with a game-tying double off starter Josh Billeaud in the fifth inning.

 

Helena commited one error, that coming on a high throw by catcher Garfield in the eighth inning.

 

Great Falls starter Josh Billeaud held Helena scoreless through the first four innings, allowing three hits. In the fifth he walked leadoff hitter Joey Paciorek on four pitches, then gave up back-to-back doubles to Edgar Trejo and Arias, allowing the Brewers to tie the game at 2-all.

 

Cameron Bayne took over the pitching duties in the sixth, and Helena quickly rallied for two runs. Ellington and Garfield stroked back-to-back singles, Ellington went to third when Cutter Dykstra reached on a fielder's choice, and Ellington scored on a wild pitch. Trejo's sacrifice fly plated Dykstra to make it 4-2.

 

"It was a hot day, and Billeaud was a little tired in the sixth. That's why I decided to take him out," Bautista said.

 

The Voyagers threatened in their half of the seventh inning. Doug Thennis drew a walk with two outs and stole second before Salmon caught Zach Kayne looking on the third strike.

 

In the eighth, Kyle Colligan drew a two-out walk off Morales. He stole second and went to third when Garfield's throw went into center field. After Johny Celis walked, Helena right fielder Scott Krieger made a nice diving catch of a hard liner off the bat of Rob Cummings.

 

Cummings drove in the Voyagers' second run, plating Ciolli with a fourth-inning single. The first run came moments earlier, when Avila scored on a sacrifice fly by Celis.

 

"Other than the hitting, we did OK," Bautista said. "The defense and pitching wasn't bad.

 

"We still have a good club. We can do damage."

 

Helena Box Score

Brewers only 3-for-6 on the basepaths; catcher Cameron Garfield reached base four times (1.047 OPS in the early going); Joey Paciorek making the most of his early plate appearances, drawing three walks here...

 

Helena Game Log

 

Great Falls Voyagers' infielder Zach Kayne applies the tag to Helena base runner Hitaniel Arias during Sunday's Pioneer League game against Helena Brewers at Centene Stadium. The Voyagers lost to the Brewers 4-2. (Great Falls Tribune Photo by Taka Osuga)

 

http://cmsimg.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=G1&Date=20090706&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=907060312&Ref=AR&Profile=1006&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Padres 17, Arizona Brewers 4

 

Arizona Box Score

Five Brewers had two hits apiece; Sean Halton added a walk as he reached three times; three doubles and a triple among the ten Brewer hits; OF Demetrius McKelvie stole his first two professional bases with LHP and former Brewer farmhand Steve Garrison on the mound; can you tell I'm trying to focus on the positives here?

 

Arizona Game Log

105 degrees, but hey, it's a dry heat -- yeah, right...

[BoKnowsBall]

What kind of stuff does Wooten have? I keep hearing about his mediocre stuff- Is his velocity Anundsen like or not that low?

[bretsky07]

Colby's profile of Wooten from last year's draft thread:

Wooten wasn't used much his first two years at UNC, but exploded last year as a junior when he was used as a set-up man for Andrew Carignan, leading the nation in apperances and being a big part of the team's second place finish in the College World Series. He entered the year as the team's closer, but was shut-down briefly for precautionary reasons. He returned and had an even better year as a senior. He thrives off of the command of his fastball, which sits right around 90 mph and has good movement. He also throws a slider and a splitter, and is a similar pitcher to David Weathers in that his arm recovers well and can be used several games in a row if needed. He profiles to serve the same role at the professional level, and could move somewhat quickly due to the strength of his fastball command.

[Never Outhustled]

Wootens stuff could be considered similar to Rod Beck. Not much velocity, but is still able to sneak his fastball by hitters that are looking out for his splitter. Doesn't get hurt by hitters sitting in his fastball because of very good command.