Link Report for Games of Saturday, July 18th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Lindsay Gulin at Iowa (Cubs), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Huntsville: RHP Donovan Hand at Mississippi (Braves), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Brevard County: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link (Hammerheads' Feed)

 

Wisconsin: LHP Dan Merklinger at Lansing (Blue Jays), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Helena: RHP Adrian Rosario at Casper (Rockies), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Arizona Summer League: Idle

Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: at home vs. the DSL Giants (see this thread for some roster background) -- all games are 10:30 local time in the Dominican, and no need to ask about web audio; we usually won't see updated box scores until the overnight...

[Mass Haas]

The Nashville series at Iowa is available via the MiLB.TV subscription package

[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):



***

We're going to include the link to Kraig McNutt's Nashville blog in the same post as the Nashville media notes link going forward.

***

"Voice of the Rattlers" Chris Mehring's informative and entertaining Rattlers Radio Blog includes game notes an hour or two before gametime.

[Mass Haas]

Midwest League Standings

 

Arizona League Standings

 

Dominican Summer League Standings

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 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 52 40 .565 - 30-20 22-20 W1 Iowa 47 45 .511 5.0 26-18 21-27 L1 Memphis 45 46 .495 6.5 29-18 16-28 L1 Omaha 37 54 .407 14.5 16-24 21-30 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 15 8 .652 - 7-3 8-5 L1 Chattanooga 11 10 .524 3.0 6-4 5-6 W3 Tennessee 11 12 .478 4.0 4-6 7-6 L1 Huntsville 10 13 .435 5.0 4-6 6-7 W1 Carolina 7 15 .318 7.5 3-9 4-6 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 12 7 .632 - 6-5 6-2 W2 Tampa 11 7 .611 0.5 4-4 7-3 W2 Dunedin 11 9 .550 1.5 7-6 4-3 L2 Clearwater 10 9 .526 2.0 2-4 8-5 L2 Lakeland 10 10 .500 2.5 3-4 7-6 W2 Daytona 9 11 .450 3.5 4-8 5-3 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Missoula 13 10 .565 - 9-4 4-6 L2 Great Falls 12 11 .522 1.0 6-4 6-7 L1 Helena 12 11 .522 1.0 5-7 7-4 W1 Billings 8 15 .348 5.0 4-7 4-8 L1 

[Mass Haas]

Looking forward to what RHP Adrian Rosario does tonight -- Helena play-by-play voice Steve Wendt indicates he just buggy-whips that fastball and it gets on hitters quickly. He gushed about him again last night in previewing Saturday's game.

[colbyjack]

Funny you just mentioned Rosario Mass, I was just going to say that I was looking forward to see what Daniel Merklinger does this evening. I know this is his second time through the low-A level, and he's 23 years old, but he has significantly reduced the number of walks he has issued, by far his biggest problem prior to this year. He has 184 strikeouts in 170 career minor league innings and has only allowed 12 home runs during that time while also limiting the number of hits off of him (roughly one per inning pitched). He's always had good stuff for a lefty and is a prime candidate for a bump up to Brevard County sooner rather than later.

[Mass Haas]

Defensive Treat from "The Hurricane" Friday night:

 

AUDIO -- Iribarren / Escobar Team Up

 

Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Don Money

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lansing (Blue Jays) 5, Wisconsin 1

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

RATTLERS MISS OPPORTUNITIES AND LOSE IN LANSING

 

LANSING, MI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers just couldn't get the key hit and it cost them. The Rattlers went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Saturday night at Oldsmobile Park and lost 5-1 to the Lansing Lugnuts. The game was tied 1-1 until the Lugnuts scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning.

 

Lansing (33-57 overall, 7-14 second half) took the lead in the first inning on a very close call. Tyler Pastornicky had walked and stolen second with one out. Brian Van Kirk sent a sinking line drive to left center and Pastornicky lit out for home. Rattlers centerfielder Lorenzo Cain appeared to make a diving catch on the play. He calmly got to his feet and threw the ball to second to double off Pastornicky to end the inning.

 

But, base umpire Matt Benham ruled that Cain had trapped the ball and Pastornicky scored on the play for a 1-0 lead.

 

Wisconsin (45-46, 11-10) tied the game in the top of the fourth. Brett Lawrie's one out, ground rule double drove in Pete Fatse from second base. But that was the last hit Wisconsin had with a runner in scoring position. The next two batters of the inning left Lawrie stranded at second.

 

In the fifth, Wisconsin had runners at second and third with one out and both were still there when the inning ended. In the sixth, the Rattlers again had runners at second and third with one out and could not score. In the seventh, there was a Rattler at second with one out and he was still there when the inning ended. In the eighth, there were Rattlers at first and second with two outs. But, the score was still tied heading to the bottom of the eighth.

 

Rattlers starting pitcher Dan Merklinger allowed the one run in the first and worked seven inning while striking out seven and giving up three hits.

 

The usually solid Rattler reliever Nick Tyson ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. A single, a sacrifice bunt, and a single put runners at first and third with one out. Kenny Wilson sent a grounder towards second, but Tyson deflected the ball. Lawrie had a chance to get the runner at the plate, but threw wildly and the lead run scored with the other runners winding up at second and third. A walk to Pasternicky loaded the bases and Van Kirk followed with a two-run single to left and the Lugnuts were up 4-1.

 

Then, Pasternicky stole third and scored on a throwing error to make it 5-1.

 

Wisconsin went down quietly in the ninth for their fourth consecutive loss.

 

The Lugnuts have the worst record in the Midwest League this season, but they are 4-0 against the Timber Rattlers in 2009.

 

The Rattlers and Lugnuts meet in game two of the series on Sunday afternoon. Cody Scarpetta (2-6, 3.11) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Chris Holquin (0-0, 5.40) is set to start for Lansing. Game time is 1:05 PM CDT.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Boy, that game summary just oozes with futility, doesn't it? It's games like that when we wish Chris Mehring didn't write such thorough recaps; LHP Dan Merklinger's development in 2009 is turning into a fantastic tale...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Jupiter (Marlins) 5, Brevard County 2

 

Brevard County Box Score

Manatees never led after a two-run Hammerhead top of the 1st, it was 3-2 after five innings; RHP Michael Bowman walked six in 5.1 innings while allowing three runs, two earned; Bowman's line was preserved by RHP Omar Aguilar who stranded all three Bowman baserunners, getting a 1-2-3 double play ball; Bowman has walked at least four men in four of his last five starts -- after walking only ten in his first ten starts, Bowman has walked double that in those five recent starts, odd, makes you wonder about the coaching influence in this particular case as he's split his season between Wisconsin and Brevard; four of the Manatees' seven hits were doubles, and Brevard, like Wisconsin, struggled with RISP (2-for-12); Eric Farris doubled, singled, and drove in two...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Giants 12, DSL Brewers / Orioles 8

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score

Brewers led 7-4 after five innings; Venezuelan LHP Eliezer Montano (6'7", 170 -- I can't imagine how lanky he must be) surrendered four unearned runs in an eventful 6th detailed below; RHP Edwin Linares did fare better later in the game, although he allowed two inherited runners to score in the 7th through little to no fault of his own; second baseman Joan Abreu, shortstop Andres Martinez and LF Juan Barrini all made offensive contributions, but it's troubling to see super-productive catcher Jhonatan Javier idle for a third consecutive day -- maybe one of his many HBP's has gotten the best of him; Martinez and Montano combined for four of the team's eight errors (and eight unearned runs allowed)...

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

 

DSL Giants Top 6th

• Pitcher Change: Eliezer Montano replaces Yancorix Adrian.
• Gabriel Cornier singles on a line drive to left fielder Juan Barrini.
• With Cesar Soto batting, wild pitch by Eliezer Montano, Gabriel Cornier to 2nd.
• Cesar Soto walks.
• Jesus Galindo grounds into a force out, third baseman Jose Jabalera to second baseman Joan Abreu. Gabriel Cornier to 3rd. Cesar Soto out at 2nd. Jesus Galindo to 1st.
• With Carlos Willoughby batting, Jesus Galindo steals (9) 2nd base.
• Carlos Willoughby strikes out swinging. Gabriel Cornier scores. Jesus Galindo scores. Carlos Willoughby advances to 1st, on throwing error by catcher Eliecer Avila.
• With Cesar Osuna batting, throwing error by Eliezer Montano on the pickoff attempt, Carlos Willoughby to 2nd.
• Cesar Osuna grounds out, shortstop Andres Martinez to first baseman Edwin Wilson. Carlos Willoughby to 3rd.
• Jose De La Cruz singles on a line drive to left fielder Juan Barrini. Carlos Willoughby scores.
• With Robedluis Fuentes batting, throwing error by Eliezer Montano on the pickoff attempt, Jose De La Cruz to 2nd.
• Robedluis Fuentes singles on a fly ball to center fielder Wilmer Portes. Jose De La Cruz scores. Robedluis Fuentes out at 3rd on the throw, center fielder Wilmer Portes to catcher Eliecer Avila to third baseman Jose Jabalera.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Iowa (Cubs) 2, Nashville 1

Walk-off loss...

 

Iowa Site Game Summary:

Another night of difficulties for the Sounds' site...

 

Clevenger Drives In Winning Run

By Doug Vose / Iowa Cubs

 

Steve Clevenger drove in John-Ford Griffin in the bottom of the ninth inning with the winning run in Iowa's 2-1 victory over the Nashville Sounds in front of 12,316 fans at Principal Park Saturday night.

 

With the win, the Cubs trim the Sounds' lead in the PCL American North to four games.

 

Griffin led off the ninth with double, extending his hitting streak to a team-high nine games. Griffin advanced to third base on a sharp single to right field by Matt Craig before coming around on Clevenger's second walk-off hit this season.

 

Trailing 1-0 in the eighth, Aaron Miles lined a one-out double down the right field line that scored Matt Camp from second base and tied the game at one. Miles was thrown out on the play, trying to stretch his hit into a triple and Nashville reliever Dave Johnson completed the inning without further incident.

 

Iowa starter Casey Fossum allowed just one unearned run in six innings of work. In just his third start with the Cubs, the left-hander allowed five hits and one walk while striking out six.

 

Lindsay Gulin kept the Iowa Cubs off balance for seven plus innings as the Sounds took a 1-0 lead into the eighth. The Sounds plated their lone run in the first inning when Alcides Escobar reached on an error and was driven in on Angel Salome's RBI single. A pitchers duel paced the game until the final two frames.

 

Gulin allowed two hits and walked four while striking out five in his seven innings. The crafty left-hander held the Cubs hitless until Steve Clevenger singled to right field leading off the fifth inning.

 

Blake Parker picked up his first win of the season for the Cubs. He did not allow a hit in his one inning pitched. Johnson was tagged with the loss and blown save.

 

The Cubs and Sounds will meet in the finale of their four-game set tomorrow at 1:05 PM. Right-hander Mitch Atkins (6-9, 6.82) is scheduled to pitch for Iowa and left-hander Chris Narveson (3-3, 3.38) will take the ball for the Sounds. Tomorrow's game marks the final meeting this season between the two teams.

 

Nashville Box Score

David Johnson didn't have it tonight, but this loss falls on the offense's shoulders...

 

Nashville Game Log

[And That]

Might it be that Javier is on his way to Arizona or Helena? Seems kind of ridiculous to keep letting a 21 year old put up a 1000 OPS in the DSL.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 8, Mississippi (Braves) 5

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Stars Square Series at Two Games Apiece

Sixth Inning Uprising Sends Huntsville Past Braves

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Donovan Hand worked seven solid innings and chipped in with a key two-run double during a six-run sixth inning rally that propelled Huntsville to an 8-5 victory over Mississippi Saturday night in the fourth of a five-game set at Trustmark Park. The Stars improved to 11-14 in the second half and 49-44 overall, while the Braves dipped to 9-15 in the second half and 40-54 overall. The Stars improved to 31-22 on the road and took a 6-3 lead in the season series.

 

Matt Young led off the home first with a double, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. The home team has scored first in all four games of the series and done so in the first inning twice and in the second inning twice. Young has collected a leadoff hit in the bottom of the first inning in all four games and scored twice.

 

Chuck Caufield led off the third inning with a walk, moved to second base on a Hand sacrifice bunt and scored to tie the game on a Shane Justis single, the second of his four hits on the night. Justis stole second base with two outs and scored the lead run on a single by Drew Anderson, who has knocked in a run in seven of his last eight games. The Stars loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but could not score, as Caufield struck out and Hand flied out. The Braves then tied the game in the bottom half of the frame on a two-out, run-scoring hit by J.C. Boscan.

 

Taylor Green led off the decisive inning with a double, moved to third on a Vinny Rottino base hit and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Kevin Melillo that was just out of the reach of a leaping Kody Kirkland, the Braves' shortstop. Hand, after showing bunt on the first two pitches, was given the sign to swing away and he took full advantage by ripping a line drive into the alley in left-center field to chase home Rottino and Melillo to make it 5-2. Justis then followed with a triple into the right field corner to score Hand and knock Braves' starter Scott Diamond out of the game. Jerome Gamble took over and gave up back-to-back run-scoring doubles to Anderson and Jonathan Lucroy that finished off the Stars biggest scoring inning of the season. Diamond suffered his 10th loss of the season after allowing seven runs on a dozen hits, while walking two and fanning four.

 

Freeman's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, his first at the double-A level, cut the lead to 8-4. Hand gave up a base hit to Willie Cabrera, who has reached base in 35 consecutive games and hit safely in 13 in a row, but got Eric Campbell to ground into an inning-ending double play. Hand matched his longest outing of the year and improved to 8-2 after allowing three earned runs on seven hits, while walking one and fanning four. Casey Baron took over and gave up back-to-back two-out doubles to Jason Heyward and Freeman that trimmed the lead to 8-5 and knocked him out of the game. Robert Hinton followed on the hill and got the last four outs to earn his 11th save of the season.

 

The series finishes up on Sunday afternoon with Stars right-hander Mark Holliman taking the hill against Braves' right-hander Kyle Cofield. Coverage of the game begins at 12:50 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Shane Justis (.310) is 6th in Southern League batting, Drew Anderson (.296) 10th; only 18 walks in 83.2 innings for Donovan "Mister" Hand...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 9, Casper (Rockies) 4

 

Helena Box Score

Welcome to the red-hot spotlight of prospect radar, RHP Adrian Rosario, we've officially glommed on to you; the H-Crew scored in seven (!) different innings, one run exactly in each of the final five frames; 22-year-old RF Scott Krieger leads the Pioneer League in RBI with 26, three more than anyone else, and also hit his league-leading (tie) 7th home run here -- Krieger added a single, sacrifice fly, and walk as well, yeah, a good night; SS Josh Prince singled three times, walked, and stole his 22nd base; catcher Shawn Zarraga easily with his biggest game of 2009 -- 3-for-4 with a walk and threw out the only attempted basestealer -- 14-of-15 of Zarraga's hits this season are singles, however; DH Edgar Trejo was 2-for-5 and clubbed his 2nd home run of the season for Helena, his 4th bomb overall; Mike Brownstein and Chad Stang each singled twice...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Clevenger waits for his pitch, delivers win

By RICK BROWN, Des Moines Register

Steve Clevenger went to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning looking for a breaking ball from Nashville reliever David Johnson. Wise choice.

 

The Iowa Cubs catcher got his pitch and singled home the winning run in a 2-1 decision over the Sounds in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 12,316 Saturday at Principal Park.

 

Clevenger knew what to look for because of history and the situation at hand - runners at first and third after John-Ford Griffin led off with a double and went to third on Matt Craig's single.

 

"I played with Johnson two years ago in the fall league, so I kind of know how he pitches,'' Clevenger said. "He likes to pitch backwards, and throws a lot of off-speed pitches. I figured with runners on first and third there was no harm in walking me. I figured I'd get a breaking ball."

 

The Sounds scored their only run in the first inning off Iowa starter Casey Fossum, who allowed five hits and struck out six in six innings. Blake Parker, the Cubs' third pitcher of the night, got the victory.

 

Sounds southpaw starter Lindsay Gulin held Iowa at bay for a second straight game. He left after Matt Camp opened the bottom of the eighth with a bunt single.

 

Gulin allowed just three hits but got charged with the tying run when Aaron Miles, the second batter Johnson faced, doubled down the right-field line. Miles was then thrown out at third trying to stretch his game-tying hit into a triple.

 

In his previous outing against Iowa, on June 2 in Nashville, Gulin pitched eight scoreless innings.

 

Clevenger got Iowa's first hit off Gulin, a single to lead off the fifth. Camp had the only extra-base hit, a double off the glove of center fielder Jason Bourgeois to lead off the sixth.

 

"He just doesn't throw very hard,'' Clevenger said. "He does a good job of mixing speeds. He'll throw one 78 mph, then one 64. You've got to stay back."

 

Clevenger knew what to look for against Johnson.

 

"I really wasn't looking to get any fastballs,'' he said. "Nothing near the plate."

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Pitcher Chris Narveson

Discusses why he accepted his assignment back with the Sounds, and the unexpected request to start again...

 

AUDIO: Salome Drives In Sounds' Run

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers beat Casper to move into tie for first

Helena Independent Record

 

Just like that, the Brewers are on top again. After beating the Casper Ghosts 9-4 Saturday, Helena is now in a three-way tie for first place in the Pioneer League North division.

 

The win didn't come easy. After finishing their swing through Idaho Falls, the Brewers ran into trouble while traveling to Casper, running into a three-hour construction delay, finally resuming their travels at 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning. On top of that, their starter, Adrian Rosario, was feeling under the weather prior to the game. He apparently felt better during the game, as he went six innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five to earn his second win of the year and lower his ERA to 1.96.

 

Scott Krieger bounced back offensively, going 2-for-3 with four RBI. His three-run home run in the third, which came off an 0-1 fastball from Ghosts starter Clint Tilford, gave the Brewers a 4-0 cushion. It was his seventh homer of the year. He added another RBI on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

 

"I've had a ton of rough games on this road trip," Krieger said. "I came in trying to stay positive and get swings early in the count."

 

After the Ghosts got back two runs in the bottom of the fourth, Helena rattled off runs in each of the last five innings. Josh Prince, who had three hits in the game, also stole his league-leading 22nd base.

 

The Brewers have won two in a row. They face off against Casper again today starting at 5:00 Pm (6:00 Central). The Ghosts are 7-15 and are last in the South division.

 

"There's a lot of games left," Krieger said. "We're just working hard, trying to keep playing the way we have been. We need to keep playing good defense. We pitched the ball well tonight and hopefully that continues."