Link Report for Wed. 8/12 -- Big League Blow-Up Day, the Kids Keep Pluggin'

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Chris Cody

 

Final: Salt Lake (Angels) 10, Nashville 5

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Mat Gamel photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Drop Finale To Bees, 10-5

 

SALT LAKE CITY - Sean Rodriguez went 4-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBIs to help the Salt Lake Bees beat the Nashville Sounds 10-5 on Wednesday evening at Spring Mobile Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

With the loss, Nashville (63-56) splits the four-game series with Salt Lake and stays a half game behind Memphis for first place in the American Northern Division.

 

Bees starter Mike MacDonald (7-11) earned the win, surrendering five runs on nine hits in five innings. Salk Lake's bullpen added four scoreless innings in relief.

 

Sounds first baseman Joe Koshansky hit a three-run home run to left field that gave the Sounds an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. It was Koshansky's 19th long ball of the season and 13th on the road.

 

Salt Lake took back the lead in the next frame by scoring four runs off Sounds starter Sam Narron. Rodriguez and Adam Pavkovich both brought home two runs with hits in the inning for a 4-3 Bees lead. Rodriguez then added his 25th homer of the season in the next inning, a three-run shot off Narron that extended the Salt Lake lead to 7-3.

 

The Sounds got a run back in the following frame, cutting the lead to three. After a two out double by Koshansky in the next inning, third baseman Mat Gamel singled to left field and brought home Koshansky.

 

Two consecutive doubles by Gamel and Brendan Katin led off the top of the sixth inning that put runners on second and third. Catcher Carlos Corporan then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Gamel and trimmed the Salt Lake lead to 7-5.

 

Rodriguez tacked on two more runs in the next frame with his second home run of the game, his 26th of the season. Brandon Wood added an insurance run with a solo shot in the seventh, his 20th of the season.

 

Narron (1-6) took the loss after giving up a season-high eight runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 5.2 innings for the Sounds. John Axford provided a scoreless inning in relief.

 

Patrick Arlis extended his hitting streak to a team-high eight games, while Gamel recorded his second straight multi-hit contest.

 

AUDIO: Patterson Sliding Catch

 

After a league-wide travel day tomorrow, the Sounds open an eight-game homestand, welcoming the Fresno Grizzlies for the opener of a four-game series at 7:00 PM CT on Friday at historic Greer Stadium. Sounds left-hander Chris Narveson (4-4, 3.88) makes the start against Fresno right-hander Kevin Pucetas (10-3, 3.74).

 

Nashville Box Score

Not a stellar season for LHP Sam Narron -- as Chuck Valenches and Chris Cody discussed in the linked interview above, the bullpen can't be asked to bail out the squad right now with long innings, as Narron came back out and settled down after allowing seven runs through two innings; there were only ten position players for a designated hitter game for this one, so Erick Almonte was your starting left fielder, Patrick Arlis your DH, and Angel Salome the lone bench player as the backup catcher -- in case of injury to Carlos Corporan, there effectively was no bench...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 6, Mobile (Diamondbacks) 4

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Late Offense Carries Stars to Win

Bullpen Blanks BayBears to Finish Off Comeback

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Michael Garciaparra's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning pushed across the decisive run in Huntsville's 6-4 come from behind win over Mobile Wednesday night in the opener of a five-game set at Hank Aaron Stadium. The Stars won their second straight to improve to 17-28 in the second half and 55-59 overall, while the BayBears lost for a 17th time in their last 21 games to fall to 18-28 in the second half and 55-61 overall. The Stars topped the BayBears for a fourth time in 11 tries and improved to 34-31 on the road.

 

Chuck Caufield led off the eighth inning with a walk and moved to third base on a single by Jonathan Lucroy that chased Josh Ellis from the game. The BayBears called on left-hander Jordan Norberto to face the lefty-swinging Taylor Green, who doubled to left field to deliver Caufield to tie the game at three and advance Lucroy to third base. Pinch-hitter Kevin Melillo walked to load the bases before Garciaparra lined the first pitch he saw deep enough to right field to chase home Lucroy with the go-ahead run. Lorenzo Cain's two-out, two-run home run in the ninth extended the visitors lead to 6-3 for Rob Wooten, who allowed a run in the bottom of the inning but cashed in for his seventh save in seven chances to preserve the victory.

 

Lucroy's two-out single in the fourth inning extended his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest for a Stars' batter this season. Mobile starter Tom Layne walked the next two hitters to fill the bases before Garciaparra fanned to end the threat. Pedro Ciriaco started the home half of the frame with a single, moved to third base on a Ricardo Sosa flare base hit to right field and scored on a Bryan Byrne single to put the BayBears ahead 2-0. Stars' starter Brandon Kintzler worked out of further trouble by striking out Cyle Hankerd and getting Matt Tupman to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

 

Lucroy doubled with two outs in the sixth, advanced to third base on Green's squibbing infield hit and scored to pull the Stars to within 2-1 when Ciriaco, the shortstop, couldn't make the play on a bare hand attempt and the ball got past him toward the outfield grass. Layne was then lifted in favor of the right-hand throwing Josh Ellis, who got the righty-swinging Freddy Parejo to pop out to end the inning. Layne allowed four hits, walked four and fanned four over 5 2/3 innings in his first home start.

 

Mark Hallberg led off the home sixth with a home run, just his second of the season and first since May 1, to give the home side a 3-1 edge. Sosa doubled with one out to chase Kintzler from the game after he had yielded three runs on seven hits, while fanning two. Drew Anderson's monstrous home run over the clubhouse building beyond the right field wall with two outs in the seventh pulled the visitors back to within a run. Bobby Bramhall tossed 1 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings to grab his first win since June 25.

 

The series continues Thursday night with right-hander Mike Jones taking the mound for the Stars against BayBears right-hander Wes Roemer. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

RH reliever Jim Henderson made his Huntsville debut with a scoreless inning, walking two; Taylor Green doubled, singled, and walked, ending a tough stretch of games for him; plenty of Jonathan Lucroy discussion on this forum as of late, and for good reason...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 8, Dunedin (Blue Jays) 2

 

Brevard County Game Summary:

 

Manatees Cruise to 1,000th Victory

 

(Viera, FL) The third time was the charm for the Brevard County Manatees Wednesday night, as they earned their 1,000th win in franchise history, defeating Dunedin, 8-2.

 

The Manatees jumped out to a great start, battering Dunedin starter Vince Bongiovanni (6-7) for four runs in the first inning. The first three Manatees hitters reached base, with an Eric Farris single sandwiched between two walks, to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Chris Errecart came through with a double to deep right field, scoring Logan Schafer and Farris. Lee Haydel followed with an RBI groundout to score Steffan Wilson. Sergio Miranda drove in the fourth run of the inning when he beat out a bunt single, allowing Errecart to score.

 

The 4-0 lead was more than enough for Manatees starter Amaury Rivas, who won for the seventh time in eight starts to improve to 11-6. Rivas allowed just two runs, seven hits, and a walk over seven innings, while striking out four Blue Jays. Brandon Rapoza pitched two shutout innings to finish off the victory.

 

The crucial play for Brevard County came in the top of the fifth inning. With one out in a 4-1 game, Brad McElroy hit a double to right-center field. Adam Loewen scored from third, and Sean Shoffit looked to score all the way from first. He was gunned down on the play by Schafer, however, as Martin Maldonado survived an enormous collision at the plate to hang on. Rivas was able to prevent any further damage.

 

After Dunedin cut the lead to 4-2, the Manatees tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth inning. After an Errecart double play left no runners on with two outs, the next six Manatees reached base on four singles and two walks, scoring three runs. The rally knocked Bongiovanni out of the game, but not before he had been tagged for seven runs in 5.2 innings. Brevard County tacked on their final run in the seventh inning on Miranda's RBI double.

 

Eight Manatees had at least one hit, and seven Manatees scored at least one run. Miranda led the way with a 3-4 day, scoring a run and driving in two. Farris, Wilson, and Zelous Wheeler each chipped in with two hits.

 

With 1,000 wins now out of the way, the Manatees set their sights on the franchise single-season record of 80 wins, set in 2001. They will need to win 15 of their final 25 games to reach 81 wins and break the record (assuming all games are completed). They can take the first step toward that mark Thursday night, as they wrap up the homestand. Mark Rogers (0-3, 1.97) gets the start for Brevard County, facing off against Dunedin's Chuck Huggins (4-1, 3.80). Game time is 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

***

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Manatees' hit magic milestone with latest win

BY MARK DeCOTIS

FLORIDA TODAY

 

-- Number one, number 100, number 1,000.

 

It makes no difference to Brevard County Manatees manager Mike Guerrero.

 

Relaxing in his Space Coast Stadium office Wednesday before his team's third attempt in three nights to record its 1,000th victory as a Class A Florida State League franchise, Guerrero looked at it from two angles.

 

"It has a meaning for the organization, but not for us," said Guerrero, who was about to manage his 629th minor league game.

 

"We play the game every day the same way, we have the same approach every day. For us, it's a game we're going to try to win but it should not change our approach to the game."

 

That approach has been the same in Guerrero's two seasons in Brevard -- develop players and play the game the right way and the wins will come.

 

No. 1,000 finally came Wednesday night as the Manatees defeated the Dunedin Blue Jays 8-2 before an announced crowd of 650.

 

Now comes No. 1,001 or whatever the final 25 games bring before the Manatees, the league's first-half North Division champions, begin the playoffs Sept. 8.

 

But that's then and this is now, and Guerrero isn't thinking that far ahead.

 

"You never know what happens," he said. "We're going to win a lot, we're going to lose a lot, that's the name of the game. The people that execute and play defense better are going to win more games."

 

And Wednesday, the Manatees executed better and played better, especially defensively, and recorded the milestone victory.

 

The Manatees began strong, loading the bases with no one out in the first inning on two walks and Eric Farris' single. Chris Errecart then doubled off the right-centerfield wall, scoring Logan Schafer and Farris for a 2-0 lead.

 

Lee Haydel grounded out, scoring Steffan Wilson to make it 3-0 and Sergio Miranda squeezed home Errecart for a 4-0 lead.

 

Dunedin crept back in the fifth on four hits that plated two runs. Further damage was prevented when the Blue Jays' Sean Shoffit, trying to score on Bradley McElroy's double, was tagged out by Manatees catcher Martin Moldonado on a bone-jarring collision at home.

 

The Manatees put the game away in the sixth, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring three runs with two outs for a 7-2 lead.

 

Brevard County Box Score

Manatees turned four double plays; talk about your total team effort -- the box and log back that up...

 

Brevard County Game Log

The Brevard County Manatees gather under the scoreboard after recording the franchise's 1,000th win. (Photo by Dennis Greenblatt, for FLORIDA TODAY)

http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20090813&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=908130321&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[Mass Haas]

Final: Wisconsin 10, Cedar Rapids (Angels) 5

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

Bats come alive for Wisconsin

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers knocked out 15 hits on the way to a 10-5 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Wednesday night at Perfect Game Field. Brett Lawrie and Brock Kjeldgaard each had three hits. Lawrie and Corey Kemp drove in two runs each.

 

Wisconsin (16-29 second half, 50-65 overall) got a pair of runs on the second inning. Erik Miller singled in a run and Sean McCraw knocked in a run with a grounder.

 

The Rattlers added two more runs in the third inning on an RBI single by Lawrie and an RBI grounder by Kemp.

 

Wisconsin started pulling away with three more runs in the fourth inning. Kyle Dhanani walked to start the inning. McCraw singled to right and Dhanani went to third. The throw to third was wild and McCraw moved up to second. Kernels starter Manaurys Correa got the first out. Then, Cedar Rapids brought their infield in to try to cut down the run at the plate. Pete Fatse sent a grounder to second baseman Alexi Amarista. Amarista threw wildly to the plate and Dhanani scored for a 5-0 lead. Lawrie followed with an RBI single. Later in the inning, Kjeldgaard drove in Fatse with a single for a 7-0 advantage.

 

Fatse gave the Rattlers an 8-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

 

Rattlers starting pitcher Wily Peralta worked five very good innings. He allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out three without allowing a run before turning the game over to the Timber Rattlers bullpen.

 

Evan Frederickson was out first and he struggled. He walked the leadoff batter in the sixth inning. He would get a strikeout. Then, another walk and a single loaded the bases. Frederickson issued a bases loaded walk to Matt Crawford to force in a run and that was all for the Rattlers reliever.

 

Pedro Lambertus took over for Frederickson and gave up an RBI single to Angel Castillo to make the score 8-2 and keep the bases loaded. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Darwin Perez singled to right to drive in two runs to make the score 8-4.

 

Cedar Rapids (65-51, 25-21) got to Lambertus again in the seventh inning. A leadoff walk got cashed in on an RBI single by Roberto Lopez.

 

Kemp gave the Rattlers an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning with an RBI single. An RBI grounder by Josh Prince in the ninth pushed the Rattlers into double digits in runs.

 

Brandon Ritchie, who had pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, worked a perfect ninth and the Rattlers picked up the victory.

 

Wisconsin and Cedar Rapids meet in game three of their series on Thursday night. R.J. Seidel (0-2, 7.56) is the scheduled starter for the Timber Rattlers. Buddy Boshers (2-1, 6.86) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

We'd love to know what allowed LHP Evan Frederickson to throw in the mid-to-high 90's on his Miller Park pre-draft visit, but we can safely say he hasn't done so since -- boy that pick was high risk, too high; but why focus on that when the boys finally bust out...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 3, Ogden (Dodgers) 2

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers' bats pop Ogden

By AMBER KUEHN - Helena Independent Record

 

It seemed fitting that the man who'd been perfect at the plate for the Helena Brewers on Wednesday would get the final out in a nail-biting ninth inning.

 

Helena left fielder Chris Ellington went 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI, then robbed Ogden's Chris Jacobs of a big hit to lead the Brewers to a 3-2 win in front of 1,006 fans at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Following a night when the Raptors put up 16 runs in a blowout victory of Helena, the two teams kept this one close all the way. The Brewers now lead the series 2-1.

 

In a game where Helena utilized six different pitchers, the Brewers' bats did their part as well. But despite putting 13 hits on the board, the Brewers managed just three runs.

 

"Hopefully we can start putting up more than three runs to help our pitchers out a little bit," Ellington said.

 

The 23-year-old Ellington, while starting out the year strong, had been in a slump as of late. Earlier this month, Ellington went hitless in three games.

 

"You know, he started out really well during the first part of the season but he's gone through a tough spot," said Brewers manager Rene Gonzales. "Hopefully this gets him going again."

 

Ellington gave all the credit to his hitting coach, Ned Yost.

 

"I've been working a lot on my approach and getting in the right position to hit, just getting my body under control," he said.

 

The TCU alum got lucky on his first hit of the day. A routine pop up into right field should have created an out, but fielding miscommunciation by Ogden plated Ellington at second. Since they don't give errors for mental mistakes, Ellington was awarded a double.

 

"Whenever things start going your way like that, you know, it just rolls," he said. "I started seeing the ball a little better and got my confidence back."

 

But while his batting was solid, Ellington's baserunning was less so. He got caught in a hit-and-run in the second, then was tagged out twice trying to steal second.

Designated hitter Mike Roberts channeled former teammate Josh Prince, who led the Pioneer League in thefts, in picking up a steal in the seventh inning. And earlier in the game, Shawn Zarraga followed Edgar Trejo's lead-off triple with an RBI single, followed by a rare steal. The 247-pound catcher, not your typical base robber, picked up his first theft of the season.

 

"I think Zarraga was real good behind the plate with the pitches, too," Gonzales said.

 

The Brewers skipper said he was pleased to see his crew bounce back after Tuesday night's bruising defeat.

 

"They're a good team," Gonzales said of the Raptors. "I think their division is tougher. But anybody can beat anybody at any time, we've just got to limit our errors and our mistakes."

 

Wednesday's game was clean all around, with neither side picking up an error. But while the Brewers played well defensively, Gonzales said much of that was thanks to his many pitchers.

 

Jake Odorizzi got the start, striking out three in two innings of work. But Odorizzi was coming off a rehab assingment, so the Helena staff was cautious with his pitches. Andre Lamontagne pitched three innings for the win, and later Donald Brandt would come out after feeling pain during warm-ups in the ninth.

 

"He felt something pop in his elbow and we're always going to be on the safe side," Gonzales said.

 

So, without any pitchers warming in the bullpen, Helena turned to Kristian Bueno and Ben Jeffers. Jeffers threw just three pitches and was awarded the save.

 

Nick Akins was Ogden's offensive star of the game. After hitting a grand slam in Tuesday night's contest, Akins followed up with a 3-for-4 performance.

 

And after seven players in the Brewers' lineup registered hits, Gonzales thinks he found what works for his guys.

 

"All of our hits were to center and right center so that needs to be our approach," he said.

 

DIAMOND NOTES: Brewers infielder Kyle Dhanani was recently called up to Single A Wisconsin, where he joins former Helena teammate Josh Prince. Michael Fiers however, who had eight saves while in Helena, was promoted to Class A-Advanced Brevard County after three shutout appearances in a week for Wisconsin. Also, on Wednesday, Alcides Escobar, who was with Helena for the entire 2004 season, was sent up to the big leagues to replace J.J. Hardy, who went down to Triple A. Milwaukee also released Bill Hall, who had stints in both Helena and Ogden.

 

Helena Box Score

Helena Game Log

 

Helena Brewers' Chris Ellington makes it safely to second base off a missed pop fly during the first inning of their game against Ogden. Ellington finished 4-for-4 at the plate, but had trouble with his baserunning in the Brewers' 3-2 win Wednesday at Kindrick Legion Field. (All Photos by Eliza Wiley, Helena Independent Record)

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2009/08/13/sports/top/50spl_090813_brewers.jpg

 

Helena Brewer Chad Stang makes contact and a base hit

 

http://images.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/articles/2009/08/13/sports/top/50spl_090813_brewers-2.jpg

 

Andre Lamontagne fires one off

 

http://images.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/articles/2009/08/13/sports/top/50spl_090813_brewers-4.jpg

 

Sean Halton records the third out of the fifth inning leaving the score tied at 1-1 as Ogden's Brian Ruggiano tries to advance to first base.

 

http://images.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/articles/2009/08/13/sports/top/50spl_090813_brewers-5.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Royals 1, DSL Brewers / Orioles 0

DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score

Brewers combined to go 1-for-12, with Joan Abreu singling; no Brewers pitched...

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

[Never Outhustled]

We'd love to know what allowed LHP Evan Frederickson to throw in the mid-to-high 90's on his Miller Park pre-draft visit, but we can safely say he hasn't done so since -- boy that pick was high risk, too high;

What really stinks about the whole thing is, the Brewers had a major interest in another small school fireballer, Brad Holt, but the Mets grabbed him up 1 pick ahead of where we got Frederickson. Holt is now in AA after dominating the FSL with 11.22K/9. Curse the bad luck.

[molitor fan]

His walk rate has gotten better and is above .800 OPS in Brevard

 

 

Good catch on Logan doing so well, but I wanted to briefly note that a far more interesting first name - Zelous - as that individual is also doing some good things this year with his walk rate and OPS. Zelous Wheeler - who can play all infield positions is sporting a nice FSL OPS of .768....at only 22 years of age, I have always submitted that he is a far better prospect than his power 50 showings, and his 2 all-star appearances in different A ball leagues the last 2 years have borne that out