Link Report for Games of Monday, August 10th

[zzzmanwitz]

CPatt with 2 HRs... wow!

[wibadgers23]

LouisEly[/b]]Corey Patterson is on one heckuva mission to get back into the big leagues, and it scares the bejeesus out of me.

Yeah, it sure would be a kick to the groin for Bourgeois if Patterson ever got called up before him yet this year (which I could see happening at some point).

[captkirk16]

I noticed Gindl went on the DL, anyone know how he is doing and when he is expected back?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Manatees still at 999

BY MARK DeCOTIS

FLORIDA TODAY

 

Number 1,000 will have to wait.

 

At least until tonight.

 

The Lakeland Flying Tigers handcuffed the Brevard County Manatees on five hits on Monday night at Space Coast Stadium, defeating the hosts 3-1 to deny them their 1,000th victory as a Class A Florida State League franchise.

 

The Manatees get another chance at the milestone tonight, hosting the Dunedin Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game set at 7:05 (6:05 Central).

 

Lakeland wasted no time getting on top, using an error and two singles to load the bases and score once in the first inning. Further damage was avoided when Manatees righthander Evan Anundsen turned a line drive into an inning-ending double play.

 

Meanwhile, the Manatees put two runners on in the first two innings but couldn't score.

 

They finally broke through in the fourth when Lee Haydel doubled just inside the left field line, advanced on a fielder's choice and scored on Sergio Miranda's sacrifice fly to left.

 

The 1-1 tie lasted all of three batters as Lakeland's Audy Ciriaco homered to center field in the fifth, driving in Maiko Loyola who had singled, for a 3-1 lead.

 

Ciriaco also hurt the Manatees with his defense, recording six assists from shortstop through the first four innings and turning an unassisted double play on a line drive in the bottom of the ninth. In all, Lakeland pitchers induced Manatee hitters into 17 ground-ball outs.

 

Ciriaco finished the night 3-for-4.

 

The Manatees are now 31-23 at home this season, 16-9 in the second half.

 

Also, the first-half FSL North Division champions are chasing the most wins and best winning percentage in franchise history. The 2001 team finished 80-55 for a .593 winning percentage. It shared the league title with the Tampa Yankees after the championship series was canceled following Sept. 11.

 

The 2009 Manatees are 65-40 for a .619 winning percentage. Because of rainouts, they will not play a complete 140-game schedule. They have 27 games remaining. Assuming all are played, they would need to win 16 games to reach 81 victories and break the record.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 2, Arizona Angels 1

 

Arizona Box Score

A nice five-inning start for just-turned 20-year-old RHP Tyler Cravy, the 2009 17th-round pick showing some sharp peripherals in his first pro go-round; LHP Jose Romero bailed out RHP Blake Billings from some wildness in this one -- walks hadn't been a big concern for Billings thus far; RHP Stosh Wawrzasek struck out the side in order in the 9th for an impressive save -- I love how MiLB.com refers to him as Stosh "J." Wawrzasek, so as not to get confused with all the other Stosh Wawrzasek's out there; the teams combined for clean defense and only eight hits; CF Franklin Romero with an outfield assist at third base to end the 1st...

 

Arizona Game Log

The A-Crew scored both their runs in the 3rd -- Brandon Sizemore continues as team MVP offensively

 

AZL Brewers Bottom 3rd

• Connor Lind singles on a ground ball to center fielder Mike Trout.
• Carlos George pops out to second baseman Freddy Sandoval.
• Franklin Romero doubles (11) on a line drive to left fielder Randal Grichuk. Connor Lind to 3rd.
• Wayne Dedrick pops out to first baseman Eric Oliver.
• Brandon Sizemore doubles (9) on a fly ball to left fielder Randal Grichuk. Connor Lind scores. Franklin Romero scores.
• Max Walla flies out to center fielder Mike Trout.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 11, Salt Lake (Angels) 4

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Corey Patterson photo, text follows --

 

Patterson Powers Sounds Past Bees, 11-4

SALT LAKE CITY - Center fielder Corey Patterson belted a pair of home runs and recorded five RBIs to lead the Nashville Sounds to an 11-4 victory over the Salt Lake Bees on Monday evening at Spring Mobile Ballpark.

 

With the win, Nashville (62-55) pulled back into a tie for first place in the PCL American Conference Northern Division with Memphis, which had its game in Colorado Springs suspended due to rain.

 

Every Sounds batter recorded a knock in the club's 15-hit output, led by 3-for-4 efforts from catcher Angel Salome and Patterson.

 

The veteran outfielder - whose homers were his first two as a Sound- has hit safely in all five of his starts for Nashville this season, batting .458 (11-for-24) in those contests.

 

The Bees got on the board in the bottom of the first with an unearned run off Sound starter Chase Wright. Terry Evans led off with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball charged to Salome, and scored a batter later when Nashville shortstop Adam Heether was unable to handle a grounder off the bat of Chris Pettit. Salt Lake doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the second when right fielder Adam Pavkovich slugged his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to left.

 

The Sounds offense erupted for a six-run rally in the top of the third inning as the visitors vaulted to a 6-2 lead.

 

Salome made amends for his earlier fielding gaff by leading off the frame with a solo homer to center off Bees starter Brad Knox, the backstop's sixth roundtripper of the year. Brendan Katin followed with his team-leading 29th double of the year and later scored the tying run on a Jason Bourgeois RBI single up the middle.

 

Alcides Escobar followed with a single before Patterson put Nashville on top, 3-2, with an RBI single to right. First baseman Joe Koshansky followed with a two-run triple to center before Heether wrapped up the big inning's scoring with a sac fly to right.

 

Salt Lake scored for the third straight inning to open the contest, pulling back within 6-3 in the home half of the third when Sean Rodriguez tripled and scored on a Matt Brown sacrifice fly.

 

Nashville upped its lead to 8-3 in the fourth when Escobar delivered a bases-loaded RBI single to bring home Katin and Patterson followed with a sacrifice fly, which chased Knox from the contest.

 

Patterson continued his solid evening in his next two at-bats. The veteran led off the seventh with a solo homer to center that greeted Salt Lake reliever Rafael Rodriguez. An inning later, he wrapped up the Nashville scoring with a two-run homer off Robert Mosebach.

 

AUDIO: Corey Patterson's First HR

 

Former Sounds infielder Luis Figueroa concluded the night's scoring in the bottom of the eighth when he delivered an RBI double for the Bees off Robert Hinton.

 

Wright (7-6) picked up the win for Nashville after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings of work.

 

John Axford turned in an impressive relief outing for the Sounds, striking out the final four batters of the contest including working out of an inherited bases-loaded jam unscathed in the eighth inning.

 

Knox (6-7) absorbed the loss for the Bees after surrendering eight runs on nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings of action.

 

The teams continue their series with another 8:05 PM CT matchup on Tuesday. Left-hander Chris Cody (5-6, 4.33) will take the hill for the Sounds to face Salt Lake right-hander Brad Salmon (4-3, 5.28).

 

Nashville Box Score

Not a hint of a whine from Alcides Escobar this season about his prolonged AAA stay, which is a nice positive -- he DH'd here; RHP John Axford blew away all four men he faced, throwing only five balls in the process -- can't wait to get a chance to see this kid, who is suddenly looking like a 40-man roster addition must prior to Rule 5 this fall...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

The quality of coverage we're getting from Helena this year is absolutely fantastic, by the way --

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Burgos, Brewers rebound strongly

By AMBER KUEHN - Helena Independent Record

 

Hiram Burgos had a feeling when he woke up Monday morning.

 

The Helena Brewers pitcher spoke on the phone with his family in Puerto Rico and told his dad he was going to get his first win as a professional baseball player.

 

The right-hander did just that, using outstanding command of his fastball to give his team an 8-1 win over the Ogden Raptors in front of 852 fans at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Burgos allowed just one hit in five innings, giving up no runs and striking out seven. He walked just two batters.

 

"I had confidence in myself," said Burgos, who struggled early this season and entered Monday's game with a 9.91 ERA.

 

"I feel really proud," he said with a ton of emotion in his voice, the win still sinking in.

 

Ogden, normally a solid hitting team, struggled to get men on base. At one point, the Raptors went through a six-inning dry spell without a hit.

 

"My confidence in my fastball, working ahead, that's what made me good today," Burgos said.

 

The 22-year-old had been working a lot with his pitching coach, Elvin Nina, and it showed Monday. Burgos retired 13 straight at one point in the contest.

 

It was just the game the Brewers had been hoping for. Helena was solid throughout the lineup and the team seemed to click in every phase of the game, be it offense or defense.

 

"We played as a team," Burgos said. "If we continue to do that we're going to be good this half."

 

So much of baseball is a mental game, and Burgos said having the right mindset factored into his win Monday.

 

"I was talking to my dad and he knew I hadn't been pitching the way I'm capable of," Burgos said. "I just forgot about everything in the past and said it's a new game."

 

Burgos was supposed to get the start for Helena, but Chad Robinson took the mound for one inning at the beginning. Robinson was just coming off of an arm injury and gave up Ogden's lone run of the game off a pair of hits.

 

Jonathan Pokorny was awarded the save, throwing three innings in relief, fanning four and giving up three late Raptors hits.

 

Still, this gem belonged to Burgos.

 

"Control," Brewers manager Rene Gonzales said when asked what worked for his winning ace. "He threw a good breaking ball and had command of his fastball."

 

Burgos' teammates provided back-up for their hurler, breaking the game open and holding the lead. On an 0-2 count, Helena left fielder Chris Ellington stroked a two-run double in the seventh to give the Brewers a six-run cushion. Gonzales couldn't have been more pleased.

 

"Just the way things have been going, those three-run, four-run leads haven't been good enough," the Brewers skipper said. "When we got a lead, the tempo and the pace of the game just favored us."

 

The Brewers hit a small speed bump in the ninth when the southpaw Pokorny, needing just one final strike to end the game, gave up two singles. Brewers fans held their breath as Nina went out to speak with Pokorny, and then a 6-3 out was all Helena needed to close out the game and open the homestand with a victory.

 

"Hopefully this is a stepping stone for us," Gonzales said. "But at least (people) see what we're capable of."

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

Link while active, text follows:

 

25-year-old makes Greer Stadium dirt look its best

Sounds groundskeeper brings knowledge well beyond his age

By Bryan Mullen

THE TENNESSEAN

 

The computer keyboard is caked with dirt and grass. It's inside a tiny office underneath Greer Stadium. A bucket full of pulled weeds sits nearby. Thomas Trotter is right at home.

 

Trotter, 25, is the head groundskeeper for the Sounds and one of the youngest in minor league baseball. He has the behind-the-scenes responsibility of making the playing surface as pristine as possible. His duties range from picking weeds to scrutinizing dew points.

 

On a recent Thursday at 9:30 a.m, he pecked away at his keyboard with dirty fingers and a frazzled brain. He was checking multiple weather radars online. A storm was on the way and the Sounds had a 7 p.m. game.

 

"This is the first thing I do when I wake up and the last thing I do before I go to bed," Trotter said. "And I check it countless times in between."

 

Rain or shine, Trotter is at the field with his two-man crew about 9:30 a.m. for night games. These are 13-15 hour days. Typical pregame duties include pulling the tarp off the infield, readying the bullpen dirt, mowing every inch of grass, sodding worn spots, and constantly watering the infield dirt.

 

"It's like this is a hobby to me," Trotter said. "When we were starting a 15-day break recently, I left the stadium, took a shower, and drove straight to Birmingham, Alabama, to help a friend with a Double-A All-Star game."

 

There is endless worry, however. Trotter was at a friend's wedding in Louisville recently when he heard that a strong storm was nearing Nashville.

 

The Sounds were out of town but Trotter left the wedding at 11 p.m. and drove directly to Greer Stadium to make sure the tarp was holding up.

 

"The stress does wear on you," Trotter said. "I'm constantly nervous when the team is in town. And the players will not hesitate to tell you if something is wrong."

 

But there is a flip side.

 

"The best compliment we get is, 'Is that real grass?' " said Nick Vikstrom, 24, Trotter's only full-time employee.

 

The players are also appreciative.

 

"The dirt plays very true no matter if it's a wet day or dry day," Sounds infielder Adam Heether said.

 

"It's to the point where no one even talks about it. Good fields don't get as much attention because there is nothing wrong with them."

 

A young veteran

 

Surrounded by prospects, Trotter is a rising star in his own right. He grew up in Greenville, S.C., and began working at a golf course in high school. He attended Clemson and earned a degree in turf grass science.

 

Trotter interned with the San Diego Padres in 2005, an experience he still smiles about.

 

"The weather is so perfect in San Diego. I didn't even know where the tarp was during the first month I was there," Trotter said.

 

After spending two seasons with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, Trotter was hired by the Sounds in April.

 

There are a couple of big league clubs he would like to work for, but for now, he is trying to gain more experience. One example is his sod testing ground behind the left field wall. Trotter experiments with different fertilizers, and the turf is like a country club fairway.

 

He hopes the more impressive his credentials become, the less potential employers will focus on his youth.

 

"I think most people probably do look at the age," Trotter said. "But I was thrown into the fire at a golf course when I was 15, running every piece of equipment. Once they talk to me a little bit, maybe it won't matter if I'm 25."

 

One last check

That Thursday game was rain-shortened, so the fieldwork was sloppy. Trotter, however, was in his element.

 

"I will never work in an office," Trotter said. "When we have staff meetings in the press box, I always sit up against the window so I can see the field."

 

After his typical 13-hour workday, Trotter retires to his apartment for his other routine. He said he takes a shower, watches television, then heads to bed knowing he will be back at Greer Stadium in a few hours.

 

But not before checking the radar one more time.

 

Players have complimented Sounds groundskeeper Thomas Trotter for the field condition at Greer Stadium. Photo by SANFORD MYERS / THE TENNESSEAN

 

http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20090810&Category=SPORTS04&ArtNo=908100349&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0