Link Report for Games of Thursday 4/8 -- Play Ball! (T-Rats postponed; doubleheader Friday)

[battlekow]

Final: Nashville 6, Iowa 3

 

Katin Powers Sounds Past I-Cubs In Opener

NashvilleSounds.com

 

DES MOINES, Iowa - Right fielder Brendan Katin blasted a pair of home

runs to power the Nashville Sounds to a season-opening 6-3 victory over

the division-rival Iowa Cubs on Thursday evening at Principal Park.

 

Katin, who closed out the 2009 campaign by smashing four homers in his

final three games for Nashville, picked up right where he left off for

the Sounds during his 2-for-4, three-RBI evening. Third baseman Adam

Heether (2-for-3) also homered for Nashville, which won its opener for

the first time since 2005.

 

Right-hander Kameron Loe (1-0) turned in a quality start in his Sounds

debut, holding the I-Cubs to three runs (one earned) on four hits while

striking out six batters over six-plus innings of work to earn the win.

The 6-foot-8 hurler also went 2-for-3 at the plate in the contest.

 

 

Nashville (1-0) jumped on Iowa starter J.R. Mathes early, plating three

runs in the top of the first inning. Norris Hopper led off the contest

with a walk and scored two batters later when Trent Oeltjen doubled to

left. Katin, who co-led Nashville with 24 home runs in 2009, increased

the visitors' advantage to 3-0 when the Sounds' cleanup hitter belted a

1-1 Mathes offering over the left field wall for a two-run blast.

 

 

The Sounds added single runs in the second on a Hopper RBI single and in

the third on Heether's two-out solo homer to left-center off Mathes to

extend the lead to 5-0.

 

 

Iowa plated a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third following

a two-out Loe throwing error.

 

 

The Cubs pulled with 5-3 in the seventh. Bobby Scales led off with a

walk and moved to second on a Matt Camp single, which chased Loe from

the contest after an 89-pitch outing. Highly-touted left-hander Zach

Braddock was summoned from the bullpen to make his Triple-A debut and

struck out pinch-hitter Bryan LaHair before Sam Fuld lifted a sacrifice

fly to center to plate Scales.

 

 

Braddock, who struck out the side on 14 pitches in the eighth, fanned

four of the six batters he faced on the evening, retiring all of them.

 

 

Katin struck again in the eighth when he greeted Cubs reliever Jeff

Stevens with his second four-bagger of the evening, a leadoff solo shot

to left-center.

 

 

Right-hander Chris Smith, who paced Nashville with 17 saves last season,

worked around a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth to work a

scoreless frame and notch his first stop of the year. Smith fanned the

final two batters to cap off an 11-strikeout evening by the three Sounds

hurlers.

 

 

Sounds second baseman Eric Farris also made his Class AAA debut in the

contest and finished 0-for-5.

 

 

Mathes (0-1) absorbed the loss for Iowa after surrendering five runs on

nine hits in his five frames of work.

 

 

The teams continue their season-opening series with another 6:35 p.m.

matchup on Friday night at Principal Park. Left-hander Chuck Lofgren, an

off-season Rule 5 pickup from the Cleveland Indians, makes his Brewers

organization debut when he mans the bump for the Sounds to face Iowa

right-hander Jay Jackson.

Nashville box score

Big night for Katin, who says it doesn't matter how often you walk or strike out if you homer twice a game. Heether also continues to show he's worthy of a big league job; in addition to the 2-3 line, he also walked. Angel Salome also contributed positively, 1-3 with a walk, though he was caught stealing in what I can only imagine was a busted hit-and-run and also thrown out at home. Braddock really loosed his wrath on the I-Cubs.

 

Nashville play-by-play

Iowa Bottom 7th

• Bobby Scales walks.
• Matt
  Camp singles on a ground ball to center fielder Norris Hopper. Bobby
  Scales to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Zach Braddock
  replaces Kameron Loe, batting 9th.
• Bryan LaHair strikes out
  swinging.
• With Sam Fuld batting, wild pitch by Zach Braddock,
  Bobby Scales to 3rd. Matt Camp to 2nd.
• Sam Fuld out on a
  sacrifice fly to center fielder Norris Hopper. Bobby Scales scores.
• Darwin
  Barney flies out to right fielder Brendan Katin.

Iowa Bottom 8th

• Micah
  Hoffpauir strikes out swinging.
• Brad Snyder called out on
  strikes.
• James Adduci strikes out swinging.

Nice, real nice.

[And That]

Play by play:

---

With Sam Fuld batting, wild pitch by Zach Braddock,

Bobby Scales to 3rd. Matt Camp to 2nd.

George Kottaras!!

[battlekow]

George Kottaras!!

Ha. I actually had a bit in there about Salome's defense, because Kameron Loe had a wild pitch as well, but decided it was unfair to even insinuate anything considering I didn't see the game. If anyone who watched it on MiLB.tv wants to chime in on this regard, please do.

[battlekow]

Final: Chattanooga 4, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville box score

The season got off to an auspicious start as Lorenzo Cain singled, stole second, and was doubled home by Brett Lawrie, but those would be the only hits either tallied all night. Caleb Gindl and Jonathan Lucroy each saw first once, the former via walk and the latter via single. Taylor Green was 0-3 but did drive in Lawrie with a sac fly in the first. Both Lucroy and Green committed throwing errors, and Lookouts went 3-3 in stolen base attempts. Amaury Rivas had an encouraging AA debut, striking out four, walking three, and allowing three hits in five scoreless innings, but the bullpen let him down, surrendering four unearned runs over the last three innings to lose the game, with eternal Star Robert Hinton being the main culprit.

 

Huntsville play-by-play

The fateful three-run 8th inning:

• Trayvon Robinson bunt grounds out, catcher Jonathan Lucroy to
  first baseman Steffan Wilson.
• Andrew Lambo walks.
• Pitcher
  Change: Robert Hinton replaces Casey Baron, batting 9th.
• Lucas May reaches on throwing error by third
  baseman Taylor Green. Andrew Lambo to 3rd. Lucas May to 2nd.
• Eduardo
  Perez reaches on a fielder's choice out, shortstop Zelous Wheeler to
  catcher Jonathan Lucroy. Andrew Lambo out at home. Lucas May to
  3rd.
• Scott Van Slyke doubles (2) on a fly ball to left fielder
  Lee Haydel. Lucas May scores. Eduardo Perez scores. Scott Van
  Slyke to 3rd on the throw.
• Tommy Giles
  singles on a line drive to right fielder Caleb Gindl. Scott Van Slyke
  scores.
• With Dee Gordon batting, Tommy Giles steals (1) 2nd
  base.
• With Dee Gordon batting, wild pitch by Robert Hinton,
  Tommy Giles to 3rd.
• Dee Gordon strikes out swinging, catcher
  Jonathan Lucroy to first baseman Steffan Wilson.

[battlekow]

Final: Brevard County 3, Daytona 0

 

Brevard County box score

Mike Fiers shut down a Daytona lineup with several legitimate hitting prospects, striking out seven in five scoreless innings, allowing only three walks and a single hit. In fact, that was the only hit allowed the Manatees staff all night, as relievers Corey Frerichs, Lucas Luetge, and newly minted closer Nick Green combined to toss four perfect innings to close the game out. On the hitting side of the ledger, Kentrail Davis had an excellent Brewers debut, going 2-3 and coaxing a bases-loaded walk, and Brock Kjeldgaard also had two hits, including a two-run single to cap the victory. A healthy Erik Komatsu drew a walk and scored a run.

 

Brevard County play-by-play

The Manatees' big 8th inning:

• Matt Cline reaches on throwing error by shortstop Junior Lake.
• Juan
  Sanchez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kyler Burke. Matt
  Cline to 2nd.
• Brent Brewer out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher
  Dae-Eun Rhee to second baseman DJ LeMahieu. Matt Cline to 3rd.
  Juan Sanchez to 2nd.
• Dae-Eun Rhee intentionally walks Erik
  Komatsu.
• Pitcher Change: Luke Sommer replaces Dae-Eun Rhee.
• Kentrail
  Davis walks. Matt Cline scores. Juan Sanchez to 3rd. Erik
  Komatsu to 2nd.
• Brock Kjeldgaard singles on a ground ball to
  left fielder Smailey Borges. Juan Sanchez scores. Erik Komatsu
  scores. Kentrail Davis to 3rd. Brock Kjeldgaard to 2nd on the
  throw.
• Erik Miller strikes out swinging, catcher Michael
  Brenly to first baseman Marwin Gonzalez.
• Sergio Miranda flies
  out to right fielder Kyler Burke.

[TheCrew07]

Angel Salome also contributed positively, 1-3 with a walk, though he was caught stealing in what I can only imagine was a busted hit-and-run and also thrown out at home.-

Negative sir, he stole second cleanly then proceeded to over slide the bag. On the play at home he tried to score on a shallow single to the OF from 2nd with 2 outs and was gunned on a bang bang play.

[battlekow]

Negative sir, he stole second cleanly then proceeded to over slide the bag. On the play at home he tried to score on a shallow single to the OF from 2nd with 2 outs and was gunned on a bang bang play.

Just goes to show that my caution about extrapolating from the box score should extend to base running as well. Thanks for setting the record straight. I guess it means his legs are feeling good, so that's...nice.

[And That]

Perhaps he's trying to overcompensate for previous injuries. That, or he sees Patrick Arlis sitting behind him and doesn't feel too worried about losing playing time to Ben Johnson.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville broadcaster Stu Paul on getting to Iowa

 

Kameron Loe 11 groundouts to only one flyout (six K's) in his six innings -- nice guy to have stashed.

[TheCrew07]

Nah I would have guessed the same BK, I just happened to flip over to Nashville when I couldn't get the Huntsville feed back. The first play I heard was Salome's out at the plate, then the WP the next half inning which I really couldn't get any kind of read on from the audio, then he stole second and managed to go over the bag. I too was wondering if he's on a mission to prove he can run well, or there were some suspect arms on the other side. I wasn't playing close enough attention to tell to be honest, I was struggling to get a new audio program working on this machine and messing around trying to record parts of the broadcast and play them back while I was troubleshooting.

[Mass Haas]

Chris' snow post now has video -- first time ever in the snow for a couple of the guys?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Basics turn ugly for Stars in debut

Trio of errors allows Chattanooga to capture 4-2 victory

By Mark McCarter

Huntsville Times Sports Staff

CHATTANOOGA - When you put a rather young Huntsville Stars team under a microscope as the season opens, logical concerns emerge.

 

First, will their hitters will be overmatched at this level? Second, will inexperienced pitchers be bullied?

 

But on a chilly Thursday night perched above the Tennessee River, it was defense and experienced pitching that were the Stars' downfall in a 4-2 loss to the Chattanooga Lookouts in their 2010 season opener.

 

The Stars committed three errors, all directly contributing to Chattanooga's four runs, and three relievers who were with Huntsville last season - Brandon Kintzler, Casey Baron and Robert Hinton - were unable to overcome the miscues.

 

"If we made the routine plays, the score would have been different," said manager Mike Guerrero. "But they had an opportunity and they took advantage of it."

 

Shortstop Zelous Wheeler booted a bouncer up the middle in the sixth and after Kintzler retired the next two batters, Scott Van Slyke (son of ex-major leaguer Andy Van Slyke) doubled to deep center.

 

In the eighth, third baseman Taylor Green's one-out throwing error led to a three-run Chattanooga outburst, with another two-out Van Slyke double - this time off Hinton and for two runs - and a Tommy Giles RBI single.

 

The loss marred an impressive start by right-hander Amaury Rivas. He allowed only three hits and struck out four in five innings in his Double-A debut.

 

Initially, the Stars made it look easy.

 

Lorenzo Cain opened the game with a sharp single, stole second and scored on a Brett Lawrie double off the centerfield wall. After a one-out Jonathan Lucroy single, a Taylor Green sacrifice fly brought home Lawrie.

 

Then Chattanooga starter Chris Withrow got his equilibrium and didn't allow another hit through six innings.

 

"I think we played a pretty good ball game," Guerrero said. "I would like to be fundamentally sound defensively. If it goes that way today, instead of a loss we'd have a W. But the guys played hard and it was an outstanding ball game.

 

"Just one game," Guerrero said, looking up at a schedule on the wall. "We've got 141 to go."

 

The Stars continue the five-game stand here tonight (WTKI 1450 AM and 92.9 FM) before returning to Huntsville for the home opener next Wednesday against Jacksonville.

 

***

 

FYI -- Considering some folks had issues with the MiLB.com link for Huntsville last night, and at least one user mentioned a more steady audio stream from the Stars' flagship station, we'll try and refer you to its site instead for a while. You just click the "UStream" box on the right. -- Mass Haas

[Mass Haas]

All photos by Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register

Nashville's Angel Salome tries to beat the ball to second base and Iowa Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney during the sixth inning of the ICubs season opener at Principal Park Thursday evening.

 

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=D2&Date=20100408&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=4080812&Ref=PH&Profile=1166&Item=26&Maxw=542&Maxh=352&q=90

 

Salome is tagged by Iowa Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney after sliding past the base.

 

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=D2&Date=20100408&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=4080812&Ref=PH&Profile=1166&Item=27&Maxw=542&Maxh=352&q=90

 

Iowa Cubs starting pitcher J.R, Mathes looks up at the scoreboard after giving up a homerun to Nashville's Adam Heether in the third inning

 

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=D2&Date=20100408&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=4080812&Ref=PH&Profile=1166&Item=21&Maxw=542&Maxh=352&q=90

 

Iowa Cubs manager Ryne Sandberg watches from the dugout as Nashville's Trent Oeltjen reacts to getting hit by a pitch.

 

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=D2&Date=20100408&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=4080812&Ref=PH&Profile=1166&Item=19&Maxw=542&Maxh=352&q=90

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Nashville spoils debut for Ryne Sandberg with Iowa Cubs

By RANDY PETERSON, Des Moines Register

 

Not even a Hall of Fame baseball player could do much about this one - not without figuring out how to keep Nashville's Brendon Katin from hitting home runs.

 

The Sounds' power hitter hit two home runs, had three RBIs and at least shared Iowa Cubs manager Ryne Sandberg's spotlight in Nashville's 6-3 Pacific Coast League victory before an announced crowd of 6,034 Thursday at Principal Park on opening night in Des Moines.

 

"No one's going to steal his spotlight," Katin said. "They love Ryne Sandberg here in Des Moines, and why not?"

 

It was the first of the Iowa Cubs' 144 games, and the first at the triple-A level for Sandberg, a 2005 inductee into baseball's elite after an exceptional career with the Chicago Cubs.

 

"In this game, there are times when you have to tip your hat to the opposition, and this is one of those times," Sandberg said. "We faced a righty out there that looked pretty tough - a 6-foot-7 guy coming out of the sky."

 

That was Nashville starting pitcher Kameron Loe, who pitched last season in Japan after spending seven seasons in the Texas Rangers organization.

 

He struck out six in six innings, and two of the three runs the Cubs scored during his stint came on his throwing error.

 

"We couldn't get much going off him," Sandberg said. "If he wouldn't have thrown the ball away on an error, we wouldn't have had much of anything against him.

 

"He pitched well."

 

Iowa, which is expected to be a good-hitting team, got only four hits, all singles, while losing its sixth Opening Day game in a row.

 

"Our guys will swing the bats better than that," Sandberg said. "We've got some guys that can hit."

 

They've got some guys who can hit very well, according to hitting coach Von Joshua.

 

"This could be one of the best-hitting clubs I've had in the five years I've been here," he said. "If everybody does what they're capable of, it's going to be exciting,"

 

But first, Iowa must figure out a way to keep Katin's hits in the quaint stadium.

 

"Last year, I didn't really get started until May," said Katin, who hit 24 homers for Nashville last season. "This has got to be a fluke."

[Mass Haas]

Well, the Huntsville mayor has the proper last name as you'll see in this photo gallery.

 

Look for it in the rotating updates currently on the Stars' home page.

[battlekow]

D-Cubs get 1 hit in opener

Daytona Beach News-Journal

VIERA -- It seems someone forgot to tell the Daytona Cubs hitters the

season started Thursday.

Daytona got just one hit -- a single by catcher Michael Brenly in the

second inning -- in losing its season opener 3-0 to the Brevard County

Manatees at Space Coast Stadium.

The game was a scoreless pitcher's duel until the eighth, when an

error by Cubs shortstop Junior Lake on the inning's first batter turned

out to be a bad omen.

Matt Cline reached on the error, then Juan Sanchez singled off Cubs

reliever Dae-Eun Rhee. Brent Brewer sacrificed the runners to third, and

Rhee intentionally walked Erik Komatsu to load the bases before being

replaced by Luke Sommer.

Sommer walked the first batter he faced, Kentrail Davis, to force in

Cline for the game's first run, and Brock Kjeldgaard singled in Sanchez

and Komatsu to make it 3-0.

The three runs were charged to Rhee, who fell to 0-1. Cubs starter

Rafael Dolis allowed two hits and struck out five in five innings.

Manatees reliever Lucas Luetge pitched a hitless eighth and picked up

the win. Nick Green pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

[battlekow]

Stars Fall to Lookouts in Season Opener

Jill Cacic/HuntsvilleStars.com

 

The Huntsville Stars started the season on a high note, scoring two runs

in the first inning Thursday night against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Unfortunately, that note went sour as the Stars lost their 2-0 lead in

the bottom of the eighth, eventually falling to the Lookouts 4-2 in the

season opener.

Lorenzo Cain led off the 2010 season with a single through the hole

at shortstop off of Lookouts starter Chris Withrow. Cain kept the

momentum going by immediately stealing second with Brett Lawrie at the

plate. Lawrie hit a rocket into right-center field for a single,

bringing Cain home for the Stars' first run of the season. After Caleb

Gindl lined out to Lookouts' first baseman Eddy Perez, catcher Jonathan

Lucroy hit a single to left field, sending Lawrie to third. Lawrie

eventually scored off a sacrifice fly by Stars' third baseman Taylor

Green. Steffan Wilson ended the inning with a pop up.

 

 

Stars starter Amaury Rivas took the mound in the bottom of the

first with a comfortable 2-0 lead. After the Lookouts' first batter,

Elian Herrera, ground out, Rivas gave up a double to center fielder

Trayvon Robinson, followed by a single from left fielder Adam Lambo.

Robinson was thrown out at home by Lawrie. Catcher Lucas May struck out

looking to end the inning.

 

 

Bats for both teams stayed pretty quiet until the 6th inning when

Brandon Kintzler took the mound in relief of Rivas. Lambo got on first

by a fielding error from shortstop Zelous Wheeler. Right fielder Scott

Van Slyke brought him home with a double to left field, scoring the

Lookouts' first run of the season. Second baseman Jamie Pedroza lined

out to Lorenzo Cain to end the inning, 2-1 Stars.

 

 

The Stars and Lookouts battled it out for the next two innings, but

in the end neither team was able to get another run on the scoreboard.

 

 

With the Stars still leading 2-1 in the bottom of the 8th, pitcher

Casey Baron got Robinson to bunt out and walked Lambo. Robert Hinton

came in in relief of Baron with one on and one out. Green overthrew to

first, getting May on base and advancing Lambo, putting men on second

and third. Wheeler threw Lambo out at home with a fielder's choice hit

by Perez. Van Slyke doubled to left field, scoring May and Perez, giving

the Lookouts a 3-2 lead. Van Slyke made it to third on the throw and

eventually across the plate on a single by Tommy Giles. The Lookouts end

the inning on a strikeout but not before taking the lead 4-2.

 

 

Unfortunately, the Stars would be unable to score in the top of the

9th and the game would end in the Lookouts' favor, 4-2. However, today

is a new day and the Stars look to add the first one to the win column

for 2010 tonight at 6:15 EST when Alex Periard takes the mount for

Huntsville.

 

[LouisEly]

Michael Fiers, picking up where David Welch left off. The new man-crush has begun!