Link Report for Games of Wednesday, April 28th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: Idle

 

Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers), 10:15 AM pre-game; 10:30 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Brevard County: RHP Cody Scarpetta at Clearwater (Phillies), 12:00 PM gametime

Sorry, no audio for this series...

 

Wisconsin: LHP Efrain Nieves at Peoria (Cubs), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:30 gametime; RHP Jake Odorizzi is on the back end of the tandem tonight

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

MID Western (click column headers to sort)
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Quad Cities	14	5	.737	-	8-1	6-4	7-3	L1
	Beloit	11	8	.579	3.0	5-4	6-4	7-3	L1
	Peoria	11	8	.579	3.0	7-0	4-8	7-3	W1
	Clinton	9	10	.474	5.0	6-6	3-4	4-6	W1
	Kane County	9	10	.474	5.0	6-4	3-6	4-6	W2
	Cedar Rapids	8	11	.421	6.0	4-3	4-8	4-6	L1
	Wisconsin	7	11	.389	6.5	5-6	2-5	4-6	L3
	Burlington	7	13	.350	7.5	6-5	1-8	4-6	W1

[battlekow]

Final: Chattanooga 4, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville box score

Michael Bowman allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in six innings with 5 K's, but the Stars' offense couldn't get going. Only Taylor Green, 1-3 with a walk, was on base more than once. Brett Lawrie was 0-3 with a walk, Caleb Gindl notched a double, and Martin Maldonado knocked a solo homer.

Huntsville play-by-play

After already plating one to narrow the margin to two runs, the Stars had the tying runs on base for Steffan Wilson with two down in the 9th, but he struck out. They could have scored in the 4th, but Zelous Wheeler was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double:

 

Huntsville Bottom 4th

• Brett Lawrie pops out to
  shortstop Dee Gordon.
• Caleb Gindl doubles (6) on a fly ball to
  right fielder Scott Van Slyke.
• Zelous Wheeler singles on a
  line drive to left fielder Andrew Lambo. Caleb Gindl to 3rd. Zelous
  Wheeler out at 2nd on the throw, left fielder Andrew Lambo to catcher
  Jessie Mier to shortstop Dee Gordon.
• Taylor Green strikes out
  swinging.

[battlekow]

Looks like Kentrail Davis might have gotten injured again:

• Kentrail Davis hit by pitch. Josh Prince scores. Sergio
  Miranda to 3rd. Erik Komatsu to 2nd.
• Brock Kjeldgaard
  doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder D'Arby Myers. Sergio
  Miranda scores. Erik Komatsu scores. Kentrail Davis to 3rd.
• Pitcher
  Change: Jon Velasquez replaces J. Ramirez.
• Offensive
  Substitution: Pinch runner Juan Sanchez replaces Kentrail Davis.

A little odd that he wasn't removed immediately; maybe he got hit somewhere on the leg and it tightened up after running the bases?

[Tedaldtada]

Scarpetta had a nice bounce back outing. If he could string a couple together, we will be cookin'.

[battlekow]

Final: Brevard County 8, Clearwater 0

 

Brevard County box score

Cody Scarpetta pitched very well, going five scoreless on four hits, striking out four and walking just one. Lucas Luetge backed him up with three almost-perfect innings, a single being the only blemish (I never realized until now that the lefty's initials are LLL--very apropos). Matt Cline had a nice 3-4 day at the plate, and Brock Kjeldgaard was 2-5; each had a double. Kentrail Davis was 1-2 and was hit by a pitch, but as I said above, he was apparently hurt on either the HBP or the subsequent baserunning and was removed from the game. Dangerous time to be a Brewers minor league outfielder. Erik Komatsu also was hit by a pitch, but miraculously avoided injury. Josh Prince rapped his first triple of the year and also walked.

Brevard County play-by-play

More baserunning fun:

 

Brevard County Top 3rd

• Erik Komatsu flies out to
  right fielder D'Arby Myers.
• Kentrail Davis singles on a ground
  ball to first baseman Jim Murphy.
• Brock Kjeldgaard lines into
  double play, third baseman Cody Overbeck to first baseman Jim Murphy.
  Kentrail Davis doubled off 1st.

[battlekow]

Rattler Radio:

 

Game notes

 

Tonight's pitchers

 

Starting lineup

 

Great to see Khris Davis back in the lineup.

[TheCrew07]

Nieves pitched well tonight. 5IP 3H 0R 3BB 5K

[TheCrew07]

Odorizzi gives up back to back singles, then Paciorek misplays a
foul ball that should have been an out, the next pitch to the #7 hitter
one hops the wall in CF and the game is now tied.

edit.bunt sac and then sac fly and the T-Rats are down 3-2

[battlekow]

Final: Peoria 4, Wisconsin 2

 

Rattlers can't stop Peoria's streak

Chris Mehring/TimberRattlers.com

 

PEORIA, IL –

The Peoria Chiefs are still perfect at home in 2010, but the Wisconsin

Timber

Rattlers made them work for their eighth straight win at O’Brien Field

to

open the 2010 season. Wisconsin had a 2-0 lead, but the Chiefs scored

three times in the sixth and held off the Rattlers on Wednesday night.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Timber Rattlers.

 

 

 

 

 

D’Vontrey

Richardson’s speed got the Rattlers (7-12) a run in the top of the first

inning. He started the game with a single and wound up at third after a

pair of wild pitches by Peoria starting pitcher Su-Min Jung.

Scooter Gennett sent a shallow popup into foul territory down the left

field.

The ball was caught by shortstop Hak-Ju Lee. Richardson sped home with

the first run of the game.

 

In the fourth

inning, Wisconsin had runners at first and third with no outs. Cameron

Garfield grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to score the runner from

third for a

2-0 lead,

 

 

 

 

 

The Rattlers

had chances to extend the lead. They loaded the bases with one out in

the

fifth, but did not score. Garfield doubled with one out in the sixth,

but

Wisconsin could not cash in a run.

 

It didn’t

seem to matter. Rattlers starting pitcher Efrain Nieves pitched five

scoreless innings and allowed three hits and struck out five. He turned

the ball over to Jake Odorizzi to start the sixth inning. The game

turned

at that point.

 

 

 

 

 

Justin Bour

and Jonathon Mota started the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back

singles. Richard Jones stepped in and popped a 2-2 pitch from Odorizzi

into

foul territory for what appeared to be the first out of the inning.

But,

the ball dropped in behind Joey Paciorek and Jones got another hack. He

would line the next pitch for a two-run double to tie the game.

 

Later in the

sixth, Francisco Guzman drove in Jones with a sacrifice fly to put the

Chiefs (12-8)

in front 3-2.

 

 

 

 

 

Odorizzi

retired the first two batters of the Peoria seventh inning, but gave up a

single to Greg Rohan. An error kept the inning alive and Mota made the

Rattlers pay with an RBI single for a 4-2 Chiefs lead.

 

Wisconsin threatened

in the ninth, but could not score against Peoria closer Jordan Latham.

 

 

 

The final

game of the three game series is Thursday night. Eric Arnett (0-2,

11.57)

is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Rob

Whitenack

(2-1, 4.24) is the scheduled starter for the Chiefs.

 

Wisconsin box score

Disappointing outing for Odorizzi, but sounds like he got a little unlucky as well; I like that he didn't walk anyone. On the other hand, a great, heartening game from Nieves. Richardson drew a walk in addition to his single, which I also like, though he continues to strike out at a frightening pace with two more today. Gennett added a double to go along with his sac fly, but committed his 5th error. Khris Davis was 0-2 with a walk and a HBP in his return to action after an apparent hand injury. Cameron Garfield was 2-4 with a double, and Chris Dennis and Joey Paciorek each 2-3 with a walk.

 

Wisconsin play-by-play

The aborted 9th inning rally:

 

Wisconsin Top 9th

• Joseph Paciorek walks.
• Michael
  Marseco singles on a line drive to left fielder Richard Jones.
  Joseph Paciorek to 2nd.
• D' Vontrey Richardson flies into
  double play, center fielder Jose Valdez to third baseman Greg Rohan.
  Joseph Paciorek out at 3rd on the throw.
• Ryan Gennett strikes
  out swinging.

Dennis was also thrown out at home in the 2nd inning trying to score from second on Paciorek's single to right.

 

[Mass Haas]

Slight variant on Chris' Rattler gut check

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Chiefs’ streak reaches eight

Outfielders’ arms help team extend home winning streak

By KEVIN CAPIE OF THE JOURNAL STAR

 

PEORIA — Through the first month of the season, the Peoria Chiefs have found different ingredients on the way to an eight-game winning streak at O’Brien Field.

 

There have been equal amounts of speed, pitching and defense. Along the way, the Chiefs have mixed in a pinch of power, and on Wednesday night they added some garnish.

 

Peoria outfielders threw two runners out on the basepaths — including one at third base in the ninth inning. The runners made the difference in the Chiefs’ 4-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Center fielder Jose Valdez threw a 265-foot peg in the ninth to complete a double play and help the Chiefs escape the inning after Wisconsin got the first two runners aboard against closer Jordan Latham.

 

“(Valdez has) speed and a good arm, and he used both right there,” left fielder Richard Jones said. “I thought I was going to be catching it, but he called me off since the center fielder has priority. From my view, it was the prettiest throw I’ve ever seen.”

 

With no outs and runners at first and second, Wisconsin’s D’Vontrey Richardson lofted a fly just shy of the warning track in the gap in left-center that Valdez tracked down.

 

Joey Paciorek tried to tag and advance from second, but Valdez gunned him down.

 

“Ideally, we want him to throw to second base to keep the double play in order,” Chiefs manager Casey Kopitzke said. “It’s like the 30-foot jump shot, you go, ‘No, no, no, no.’ But it goes in, so it works.”

 

In the second inning, right fielder Francisco Guzman saved a run when Chris Dennis tried to score from second on Paciorek’s one-out single.

 

Guzman’s throw was on target to catcher Mario Mercedes, who absorbed the collision but left the game after the third inning.

 

“(Mario did a) nice job blocking the plate and held onto the ball,” Kopitzke said. “The guy hit him pretty good. (Guzman) made a nice throw to give him a good chance to make a play.”

 

The victory matches the franchise record of eight straight home wins to begin a season, originally held by the 2003 Chiefs.

 

“We know we have the support of being the home team with our fans and having the last at-bat,” first baseman Justin Bour said. Bour singled to start off the three-run Peoria sixth inning and scored on Jones’ two-run double.

 

“It’s been a comfort level we’ve had at home,” Bour said. “We go out with the same approach every day.”

 

INSIDE PITCHES: The two Wisconsin runs off Su-Min Jung were the first earned runs the Peoria starter has allowed this season. His ERA is now 1.00 after he pitched four innings.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

 

Kids go free... Stars grounded

Bussed-in kids make up strongest crowd of season

 

My friends Debra and Jerry Straneiro, season-ticket holders in the past for many years, now looking for a job, victims of Bush-era economic bungling and deregulation, made it to their first game of the season. They love baseball and they love their kids to death, but if they thought they could get away from the noise and aggravation, they were so wrong.

 

A season-high crowd of over 5,000 invaded Joe Davis Stadium at 10:30 in the morning, mostly in busses. They were school children from all over the Huntsville area....... It's become an annual escapade -- Kids Day at the Joe -- screaming, buzzed, inattentive, hot-dog grazing little animals, and their teacher-chaperone-babysitters filled the seats, whether they belonged to season-ticket holders' or not, to see the Stars close out this series on a losing note.

 

The Stars, without #8 prospect Lorenzo Cain, have lost five of their last seven. Jesus Castillo, now 4th among Southern League ERA leaders, kept the Stars grounded (seven strikeouts, seven ground outs in seven innings). Martin Maldonado hit his 1st home run as a Huntsville Star, a 380' shot over the middle wall in left-center to bring the boys within one, 2-1, but rallies and outfield hits were few off Castillo. Only twice did they get a real rally going, and they were frustrated both times.

 

With one out in the 4th, Caleb Gindl, a .344 hitter with two previous doubles off Chattanooga pitching, hit a drive deep to right center, just short of the track for a double. Hot-hitting Zealous Wheeler, on a 3-2 pitch, singled, but his soft liner to left could not get Gindl past third. Wheels tried to take 2nd on Andrew Lambo's throw to the plate, but 2nd-string catcher Jessie Mier nailed Wheeler trying to take 2nd on the throw.......... The out was costly, as Taylor Green struck out on four pitches to end the inning......... Castillo sailed through the game after that, allowing only a two-out single to right by Green in the 7th. The Stars had one last chance in the 9th, and tried to make the most of it after closer Javy Guerra was removed from the game after throwing eight of his 12 pitches outside the strike zone. It became apparent that Guerra had injured his arm or shoulder somehow, because no one was warming up in the bullpen when Harvey Garcia was brought in. Garcia spent about 10 minutes, it seemed, warming up before pitching to Gindl with no one out, and Lee Haydel on 2nd and Brett Lawrie on 1st. Gindl fouled off a pitch, then hit into a 4-6 force play, beating out the throw to first to break up the double play......... With runners now on the corners, Wheeler came up representing the tying run........ Wheels, who hit two home runs on consecutive days in this series, drove one deep to left field on a 2-2 pitch, but Lambo caught it just short of the track. That sent Haydel home to make it a 4-2 game........ Green worked Garcia to an eight-pitch walk, giving slumping Steffan Wilson a chance to win this game the same way he won the first game of last year's Northern Division playoffs vs. Tennessee -- a three-run homer, but Wilson struck out swinging....... Steffan now has struck out 24 times in 64 at-bats (.375).

 

After the first few games of the season, there was some concern over Wheeler's defense, but there were a couple of fine defensive plays turned in by Wheeler, particularly in the 4th, when he made a nice backhand short-hop play on a hard hit ball to his opposite side. He made a nice flip to Lawrie, who turned a double-play on Jaime Pedroza........ Wheeler also made a nice play in the 5th on a medium-hit grounder that was headed into the hole. Wheeler, who really has a nice, strong arm, beat speedy Dee Gordon to first with his throw.

 

The Stars now head south on I-65 to Birmingham, at 5-14, the league's cellar-dwellers this year......... Chris Cody (2-1) is scheduled to start against Johnnie Lowe (0-0, 6.30), but Cody was shellacked for seven runs in 1 2/3 in his last start on April 23 at Pringles Park. He was skipped in the Chattanooga series, and it makes me question if Cody suffered an arm injury........ Lowe has not gone past five innings in his two previous starts, giving up three runs to Carolina and four to Mobile. Birmingham received a shot of confidence, however, when they won their first series of the year, beating Tennessee (15-5), no less, in three of five.........

 

The ten runs given up by Mark Rogers in Tuesday's game was the first time in ten years a Huntsville starter gave up 10+ runs in a ballgame. Travis Smith gave up 10 in a 14-5 loss to the Diamond Jaxx, July 27, 2000. Earlier that year, Doug Johnston gave up 11 runs as the starter in a 12-3 loss to the Lookouts in the 2nd game of that season. The record is 12 by Russ Cormier (Athletics' organization) in a May 22, 1991 loss to Greenville, 14-5........

 

Mark Willinsky, who came off the disabled list (Casey Baron went on the DL with a sore lower back, making room) this week, and pitched three innings, has 13 Ks in 9 1/3 innings......... Lee Haydel is 2-for-12 in the leadoff role since Lorenzo Cain's been out of the lineup. He went on the disabled list retroactively, Wednesday. The Stars acquired shortstop Brett Dowdy from Nashville to fill the roster spot. (Nashville, by the way, has the best record right now in the PCL at 14-6). Dowdy leaves Nashville with a 1-for-7 stick. Although he's an infielder, he started one game in left field for the Sounds....... Dowdy is an eight-year minor league vet. He played for the Jacksonville Suns in 2004 and the Mobile Bay Bears in 2006. He came into this season a .263 hitter........... Zealous Wheeler's 4th inning single stretched his hit streak to ten games. After eight games, he was hitting .167. He's now raised his average to .304. I know I spell his first name wrong, but I think he's the one misspelling his name.