Link Report for Mon. 5/3 -- Rattlers Lose A Wild One; Stars Steal Both Ends of Twinbill

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Marco Estrada at Round Rock (Astros), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Huntsville: RHP's Mark Rogers and Mike Jones in a twinbill at Birmingham (White Sox), 4:50 PM pre-game; 5:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings

Live Audio Link

 

Brevard County: RHP Cody Scarpetta at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 6:05 PM gametime

Sorry, no audio for this series...

 

Wisconsin: RHP Jake Odorizzi at Beloit (Twins), 10:45 AM pre-game; 11:00 gametime; LHP Efrain Nieves will pitch in tandem

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com video subscribers can watch the Nashville series in Round Rock this week. So there you go, friends, family, and ultra-diehards...

 

***

 

How about those Huntsville mound mates today? The master plan was surely for Mike Jones to be in his 4th/5th Milwaukee year, Mark Rogers his 2nd/3rd by now....

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday'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.

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

 

Huntsville Game One (Gameday also available)

Huntsville Game Two (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
	Peoria	15	9	.625	-	11-1	4-8	6-4	L1
	Quad Cities	15	9	.625	-	9-3	6-6	4-6	L2
	Beloit	14	9	.609	0.5	7-5	7-4	7-3	L1
	Cedar Rapids	12	12	.500	3.0	8-4	4-8	5-5	W4
	Clinton	11	13	.458	4.0	6-6	5-7	4-6	W1
	Kane County	11	13	.458	4.0	8-4	3-9	5-5	L3
	Burlington	9	15	.375	6.0	6-6	3-9	6-4	W2
	Wisconsin	8	15	.348	6.5	5-6	3-9	3-7	W1

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio:

 

May 3, 2010: Game Notes

 

May 3, 2010: Today's Rattlers pitchers

 

May 3, 2010: Starting Rattlers Lineup

[brewmann04]

Mass yep that Huntsville tadem would have looked good in Milwaukee by Now.

PS are the going to try Jones back as Starter or is this a one and done oppertunity?

[Mass Haas]

Two-run HR for Khris Davis (following a Scooter Gennett base hit) to tie things up 7-7 in the top of the 9th! It's 1:45 Central if you can still tune in...

[Mass Haas]

Jake Odorizzi's WHIP was 1.00 entering this game, so his three hits, five walks, and HBP in 3+ innings we'll chalk up to a tough day at the office.

[Mass Haas]

PDF document:

 

Nashville Media Notes

 

Chock-full as always...

[sheethead]

Burgos blows the save and serves up a walk-off HR in the 10th.

[battlekow]

Final: Beloit 8, Wisconsin 7 (10 innings)

 

Snappers slip by Rattlers

Chris Mehring/TimberRattlers.com

BELOIT, WI –

Wang Wei Lin ended a wild Midwest League game Monday in Beloit. The

left

fielder for the Beloit Snappers homered with one out in the bottom of

the tenth

inning to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattler 8-7 on a windy Monday at

Pohlman

Field. The game featured wind-blown hits, lots of walks, some errors,

and

clutch hitting. Khris Davis and D’Vontrey Richardson both homered

for the Rattlers as Wisconsin was one strike away from victory before

the

Snappers grabbed the win to take three out of four games in the series.

 

 

 

The wind

played a role in Wisconsin’s three runs in the top of the third

inning. The Rattlers loaded the bases with one out on singles by

Richardson,

Scooter Gennett, and Davis. Chris Dennis was hit by a pitch with two

outs

to drive in the first run. Cameron Garfield popped up a pitch to third

and

the wind took it. Anderson Hidalgo had the ball drop behind him and two

runs scored.

 

 

 

 

 

Rattlers

wildness and miscues played a role in Beloit’s three runs in the bottom

of

the third. Wisconsin starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi walked the first

two

batters he faced in the frame. A one-out single loaded the bases.

Odorizzi uncorked a wild pitch to let in a run. Then, he walked another

batter

to reload the bases. He did get Danny Rams to send a potential inning

ending double play ball to short. But, Gennett kicked the ball for one

error

and compounded the error by throwing wildly to first base. When the

dust

cleared two runs had scored and the game was tied 3-3.

 

Beloit (15-9)

took advantage of more wildness in the bottom of the fourth to take the

lead. Odorizzi hit the first batter of the inning and walked the second

batter.

Chad Robinson relieved Odorizzi and promptly hit the first batter he

faced to

load the bases with no outs. Wisconsin got the first out on a force

play

at the plate.

 

 

 

 

 

Robinson got

Angel Morales to send a slow chopper towards short. Third baseman

Michael

Marseco cut the ball off and got the out at second, but Morales beat the

relay

to first. Not only did the runner from third score, but Lin sped around

third and just beat the throw to the plate to score from second to give

Beloit

a 5-3 lead.

 

 

 

Wisconsin

(8-16) rallied in the fifth. Richardson started the inning with an

opposite field homer to right. The blast was the first professional

homer

for Richardson. Later in the inning, Garfield delivered a more

conventional two-out RBI single by rapping a base hit into center field

to

score Davis from second with the tying run.

 

 

 

Beloit went

back in front with a pair of runs in the sixth. Brian Dozier singled to

drive in Aaron Hicks from second. Morales followed with an RBI double

and

the Snappers had a 7-5 lead.

 

Wisconsin’s

ninth inning rally started with a single by Gennett off of Kane

Hollbrooks.

Davis lined a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield wall for a two-run homer to

tie

the game. Hollbrooks, who had entered the game in the eighth inning,

retired the next two batters. But, Cameron Garfield singled to keep the

top of the ninth inning alive. The Rattlers catcher stole second to get

into scoring position. Sean Halton sent a grounder to third that

Hidalgo

fielded cleanly, but the throw to first was wild and Garfield scored to

put the

Rattlers up 8-7.

 

 

 

But, the

Rattler gave Beloit a chance in the bottom of the ninth. Hiram Burgos

got the

first out, but Rams singled to center and moved into scoring position

when Richardson

mishandled the ball in center. Burgos got the second out of the inning

and quickly got ahead of Hidalgo 0-2. But, Hidalgo drove the 0-2 pitch

through the left side of the infield for a single and Rams scored the

tying

run.

 

 

 

 

 

In the bottom

of the tenth, Burgos got the first out, but Lin launched a 1-0 pitch to

center

for the game-winning homer.

 

The Rattlers

return home to start a homestand on Tuesday night.

 

 

 

The Quad Cities

River Bandits visit on a Bang for Your Buck Night. Soda, hotdogs, and

Miller Beer is available for $1. It is also College Night, which

means that college students with a valid college ID may purchase a

reserved

seat or general admission ticket for $1. Additionally, it is a KRAFT

Singles Tuesday Night Tickets. Fans who bring in a KRAFT Singles

package wrapper and purchase one reserved seat will receive a second

reserved

seat free.

 

 

 

Eric Arnett (0-2,

11.25) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Deryk

#*+!#! (1-1, 2.12) is the scheduled starter for the River Bandits.

 

 

 

Game time at

Time Warner Cable Field is 6:35pm. If you can’t make it out to the

game, tune in to AM1280, WNAM beginning with the Miller Lite Pregame

Show at

6:15pm.

Wisconsin box score

Man, the fielding problems are so frustrating. Richardson's misplay sounded particularly inexplicable. Gennett now has seven errors on the year. Odorizzi's final line was 3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP. Davis finished 3-4 with a walk. Dennis was 1-3 with a double and a walk to go with his HBP; his double would have scored a run in the 7th if not for a nice play by Angel Morales to cut the ball off. Garfield was initially credited with a hit on the 3rd-inning misplay by Hidalgo, but that was changed to an error after the game. Franklin Romero was 2-5 with a double.

Wisconsin play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: Huntsville 5, Birmingham 4 (7 innings)

Huntsville box score

Awesome come-from-behind win for the Stars, who scored three in the top of the 7th to overcome a two-run deficit and take the lead. Caleb Gindl was the hero for the second straight night, this time with a two-out, two-run single to put the Stars ahead; Gindl finished 2-4. Lee Haydel also had a great day leading off, 3-4 with two doubles. Brett Lawrie was 1-4 with three punchouts and his seventh error, and the slumping Taylor Green was 0-3. Steffan Wilson, slowly climbing out of the massive hole he dug himself to begin the year, was 2-2 with a walk. Brent Brewer got into his first game with the Stars as a pinch runner. Mark Rogers started the game and allowed three runs in four innings on three hits, two walks, and a hit batter, striking out three; he threw 68 pitches, 42 for strikes. Mark Willinsky went from giving up an insurance run in the 6th to closing out his own surprise win in the 7th, which he did in order. The battery of Rogers and Martin Maldonado allowed four stolen bases in four chances.

 

Huntsville play-by-play

The rally:

 

Huntsville Top 7th

• Pitcher Change: Miguel Socolovich
  replaces Charles Shirek.
• Steffan Wilson walks.
• Chuck
  Caufield flies out to center fielder John Shelby III.
• Martin
  Maldonado walks. Steffan Wilson to 2nd.
• Offensive
  Substitution: Pinch runner Brent Brewer replaces Martin Maldonado.
• Coaching
  visit to mound.
• Lee Haydel doubles (6) on a line drive to
  right fielder Salvador Sanchez. Steffan Wilson scores. Brent
  Brewer to 3rd.
• Brett Lawrie strikes out swinging.
• Caleb
  Gindl singles on a line drive to center fielder John Shelby III.
  Brent Brewer scores. Lee Haydel scores. Caleb Gindl to 2nd on the
  throw.
• Zelous Wheeler grounds out, shortstop Justin Fuller to
  first baseman Jim Gallagher.

[battlekow]

Final: Clearwater 3, Brevard County 1

 

Brevard County box score

Evan Frederickson's (lack of) control, abetted by a poorly timed double allowed by Corey Frerichs, spoiled a fine start from Cody Scarpetta and doomed the Manatees to a loss. Scarpetta tossed a season-high 6.1 innings, allowing just one run on five hits and three walks while striking out seven; Frederickson, meanwhile, took over in the 7th and got the final two outs before coming unglued and allowing the first three batters to reach in the 8th. Offensively, and I mean that, BC had but four hits, Brock Kjeldgaard half of them, plus a HBP and a stolen base. Erik Komatsu tripled and walked, and Sergio Miranda singled and walked, and that was pretty much it. Josh Prince was 0-4 and committed his third error. Erik Miller tallied his 4th (I think?) assist already, gunning down a runner at third. This was just the third home game for Brevard since the 17th of April.

 

Brevard County play-by-play

Miranda had an interesting battle going on with Clearwater starter J.C. Ramirez. After walking in the first, Miranda was able to take second when Ramirez threw the ball away trying to pick him off first, but Ramirez got Miranda back in the 6th, picking him off after he singled.

 

The Threshers' 8th-inning rally was a weird one, featuring what reads as a very odd double play:

 

Clearwater Top 8th

• Steve Susdorf walks.
• Offensive
  Substitution: Pinch runner Derrick Mitchell replaces Steve Susdorf.
• Cody
  Overbeck singles on a line drive to left fielder Erik Komatsu.
  Derrick Mitchell to 2nd.
• Matthew Rizzotti walks. Derrick
  Mitchell to 3rd. Cody Overbeck to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change:
  Corey Frerichs replaces Evan Frederickson.
• Jim Murphy flies
  into double play, right fielder Erik Miller to catcher Anderson De La
  Rosa to shortstop Josh Prince. Cody Overbeck out at 3rd.
• With
  Tim Kennelly batting, wild pitch by Corey Frerichs, Matthew Rizzotti to
  2nd.
• Tim Kennelly doubles (4) on a fly ball to center fielder
  Juan Sanchez. Derrick Mitchell scores. Matthew Rizzotti scores.
• D'Arby
  Myers grounds out, third baseman Matt Cline to first baseman Brock
  Kjeldgaard.

So Overbeck must have thought Mitchell was going to try to score on the play and took third, only to be hung out to dry when it turned out that Mitchell hadn't tried to advance after all. So close to getting out of it...

 

[battlekow]

Final: Huntsville 4, Birmingham 3 (7 innings)

 

Huntsville box score

The Stars were real cardiac kids today, coming from behind in the 7th inning in both games. This time, Caleb Gindl figured he'd give Lee Haydel a turn as the hero; Haydel had a two-out RBI double in the 5th and drove in the tying run with two outs in the 7th, which Brett Lawrie followed by driving in the go-ahead tally. Gindl was 0-4 and Taylor Green was again hitless, though he did draw a walk. In his first start for the Stars (in left field), Brent Brewer was a surprising source of offense, going 2-2 with a double and a walk, combining with Haydel to will Huntsville to victory. Mike Jones started and again ate up some innings while pitching decently, allowing three runs (two earned) in four frames, though the 1/5 K/BB paints a grim picture. Mike McClendon pitched two perfect innings to pick up the win.

Huntsville play-by-play

The winning rally:

 

Huntsville Top 7th

• Chris Errecart singles on a ground
  ball to center fielder John Shelby III.
• Steffan Wilson grounds
  into a force out, second baseman Justin Fuller to shortstop Greg Paiml.
  Chris Errecart out at 2nd. Steffan Wilson to 1st.
• With
  Brent Brewer batting, Steffan Wilson steals (1) 2nd base, . Steffan
  Wilson advances to 3rd, on throwing error by catcher Jared Price.
• Brent
  Brewer walks.
• Pitcher Change: Joe Torres replaces Justin
  Cassel.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brett Dowdy
  replaces Sean McCraw.
• Brett Dowdy pops out to shortstop Greg
  Paiml.
• Lee Haydel singles on a ground ball to left fielder
  Tyler Kuhn. Steffan Wilson scores. Brent Brewer to 3rd.
• Pitcher
  Change: Tyson Corley replaces Joe Torres.
• Brett Lawrie
  singles on a ground ball to third baseman Brent Morel. Brent Brewer
  scores. Lee Haydel to 2nd.
• Caleb Gindl grounds out, second
  baseman Justin Fuller to first baseman Christian Marrero.

[battlekow]

Final: Round Rock 8, Nashville 3

 

Sounds Lose To Express, 8-3

NashvilleSounds.com

 

ROUND ROCK, Tex. - The Round Rock Express scored the final seven runs in the last four innings to drop the Nashville Sounds, 8-3, on Monday evening at The Dell Diamond in the opener of a four-game series.

Express outfielder Brian Bogusevic went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, while Chris Shelton added three hits in the Round Rock win.

Nashville drops to 16-7 after snapping a seven-game winning streak with the defeat.

The Sounds jumped on the board to score their first run in top of the second inning as outfielder Trent Oeltjen led off with a single to reach base. Round Rock starting pitcher Wesley Wright hit Chase Wright with a 3-2 pitch and then proceeded to walk the next two Nashville hitters, bringing Oeltjen home from third base for a 1-0 lead.

Round Rock tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff solo home run to center field from Bogusevic, his third of the year.

After an Adam Heether walk in the next frame, Erick Almonte belted his first home run of the season, a two-run homer to left field that broke a Sounds 57-inning homerless draught over a six-game stretch.

The Express again tied the contest in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Oswaldo Navarro led off the frame with a triple off Wright. Bogusevic followed with his second RBI of the game, singling home Navarro for the first run. With no outs in the inning, Tim Dillard came into the game to relieve Wright and surrendered a game-tying RBI-double to Matt Kata as Shelton was thrown out at third on the play. Dillard continued the inning and recorded the next two outs to get out of the jam.

Round Rock took the lead in the following inning, posting two runs off Dillard. After Edwin Maysonet and Yordany Ramirez singled, Bogusevic singled to center to plate both runners for his third and fourth RBIs of the contest. Shelton then drove in the next run with a base-knock that made it 6-3 Round Rock.

Round Rock tacked on two more runs for a 8-3 advantage when Maysonet added a two-run double in the eighth inning off A.J. Murray.

Chase Wright earned a no-decision, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Dillard (0-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Murray added 1 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs on two hits.

Wesley Wright pitched six innings while earning a no-decision, giving up three runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Wilton Lopez (2-1) earned the win, throwing a scoreless frame in relief for the Express.

Ray Olmedo extended his team-high hitting streak to eight games with a 1-for-3 performance.

The Sounds and Express continue with the second game of a four-game series at 12:05 pm CT on Tuesday afternoon at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Sounds right-hander Marco Estrada (1-0, 2.71) takes the hill for Nashville against Round Rock right-hander Josh Banks (1-3, 3.64).

Nashville box score

Jonathan Lucroy was 0-4. Heether had a single in addition to his walk. Adam Stern was 0-4 and also drew a walk.

 

Nashville play-by-play

[Mass Haas]

Clearwater scores two in 8th to top BCBy Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

A two-run double in the eighth by Clearwater's Tim Kennelly was the difference as the Manatees fell to the Threshers 3-1 on Monday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera.

 

Manatees starter Cody Scarpetta had a quality outing as he went 6 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on five hits, while walking three and striking out seven, but did not factor into the decision.

 

The lone run that Scarpetta gave up came in the second inning as he threw a wild pitch that allowed Jim Murphy to score. Murphy reached on a two-out triple.

 

Brevard County's first hit didn't come until the fourth inning, but it was a big one as Erik Komatsu hit a stand-up triple to the gap in right center. Brock Kjeldgaard preceded to drive in Komatsu with an RBI single to tie the game.

 

The Threshers would load the bases in the eighth on two walks and a single against Evan Frederickson. Corey Frerichs relieved Frederickson and got two big outs as Murphy flied out to Erik Miller in right field and then hit the relay throw to catcher Anderson De La Rosa who gunned down Cody Overbeck who was heading back to second.

 

The damage would be done though by the next hitter, as Kennelly doubled to deep center to plate two.

 

Brevard County didn't go down without a fight as they had two on and one out in the ninth, but Clearwater's Justin De Fratus shut the Manatees down for the save.

 

Kjeldgaard was the only Manatee who had two hits and had the lone RBI. Clearwater's pitching staff held the Manatees to just four hits and nine strikeouts.

 

The Manatees and the Threshers will continue their series on Tuesday night at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) at Space Coast Stadium.

[Mass Haas]

Amaury Rivas named Pitcher of the Week

By Jill Cacic / Huntsville Stars

 

HUNTSVILLE, ALA - Huntsville Stars starting pitcher Amaury Rivas was named the Southern League Pitcher of the Week for April 19 - 26.

 

Rivas is among the league leaders in multiple categories, including wins (4), complete games (1), opponents' batting average (.160), and winning percentage (1.000). Over his five starts of the 2010 season, Rivas has collected four wins and one no decision. Rivas' 4-0 record and 0.90 ERA have put him second overall among Southern League pitchers. In 30 innings, Rivas has struck out 21 and allowed only 15 hits.

 

On April 25, Rivas threw the first complete game of his career (seven innings) in game one of a double header, giving up only one run on three hits. Forty-nine of his overall 82 pitches were thrown for strikes.

 

Rivas was the Brewers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year for 2009 and continues to show great dominance on the mound in 2010.

[Mass Haas]

Nice job by Aaron of the Stars' front office here...

 

***

 

Stars shine in late innings against Birmingham to sweep double header

By Aaron Morse

 

You like epic comebacks? Oh, we have some epic comebacks.

 

The Huntsville Stars (15-10) scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning on Monday to defeat the Birmingham Barons (6-18) by a final score of 5-4 in game one of their double header.

 

Then they did it again in game two. Except this time they only needed two runs in the top of the seventh as they prevailed 4-3.

 

But let’s go back to the beginning. The Barons have struggled all year, but they sent their undisputed ace, and Southern League ERA leader Charles Shirek to the mound for game one. Not surprisingly, he was his usual dominating self for the first five innings.

 

Meanwhile the Stars responded with former first round draft pick Mark Rogers. The Barons got to Rogers for one run in the first without recording a hit. Rogers hit John Shelby III to start the inning. Shelby III was able to steal second base. With one down, Jim Gallagher drew a walk. The aggressive Barons proceeded to pull off a double steal to put two runners in scoring position. Brent Morel grounded out to second base to score Shelby III, but that would be the extent of the damage in the first inning.

 

Zelous Wheeler nearly hit a homer off Shirek in the second inning, but a leaping catch by right fielder Salvador Sanchez took it away.

 

Rogers matched Shirek pitch for pitch until he ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Lee Cruz started things off with a ringing double to left. Then Rogers was a victim of some bad luck as a Sanchez “Baltimore Chop” bounced over the head of Steffan Wilson and into right field. That scored Cruz and the lead was 2-0 for the Barons.

 

Then the Barons played some small ball. First, catcher Chase Blackwood bunted Sanchez over to second base. That was followed by a quick swipe of third. Manager Ever Magallanes went deep in to his bag of tricks and pulled out the old suicide squeeze. Justin Fuller executed it to perfection, and the Barons had a 3-0 lead.

 

After five complete, things didn’t look so great for the Stars, as they found themselves down 3-0 in a seven-inning game.

 

But that all changed in the top of the sixth. Lee Haydel, who has filled in nicely for the injured Lorenzo Cain in the lead-off spot, laced a double to right to start things off. Then Brett Lawrie hit a seeing-eye single up the middle to plate Haydel and just like that Shirek had given up only his third run of the season. Down 3-1, the Stars kept the pressure on Shirek when with one away, Wheeler singled to right. That put runners on the corners for Taylor Green.

 

Manager Mike Guerrero decided to play some small ball himself as he sent Wheeler with two strikes on Green. Green struck out, but the throw to second base got away from Fuller and Lawrie came in from third to cut the deficit to 3-2. Shirek would get out of the inning without any further damage, but the Stars had gotten within striking distance.

 

Unfortunately a solo homer from Morel in the top half of the seventh seemed to once again put the game at more than arm’s reach.

 

Then the Barons made a bit of a tactical mistake, they took out Shirek in favor of Miguel Socolovich (2-2) in the bottom half of the seventh.

 

Wilson led-off the inning and drew a walk. One out later Martin Maldonado also drew a walk. Then Haydel continued his phenomenal double header with a double to right field to score Wilson. But a Lawrie strikeout put the Stars down to their final out.

 

That’s when Caleb Gindl worked his magic. Gindl, who had the game-winning hit just two days ago, singled up the middle to plate both runners and give the Stars their first lead of the game.

 

That would be more than enough for Mark Willinsky (1-0), who after giving up the solo homer in the sixth out of the ‘pen, slammed the door in the bottom half of the seventh to earn his first win of the year.

 

But the great night for the Stars was just getting started.

 

In game two of the double header, the Barons once again jumped out to the early lead. This time against spot starter Mike Jones, the Barons scored three in the bottom half of the first inning.

 

Meanwhile, the Stars’ offense was once again quiet early, this time being shut-down by the younger brother of Chiefs’ QB Matt Cassel: Justin Cassel. They finally got to him in the fifth inning thanks in-part to the newest Star: Brent Brewer.

 

Wilson started the inning by drawing a walk. Brewer, who had already doubled in his first Stars’ at-bat, singled to move Wilson down to second base. A nice sacrifice bunt from Sean McCraw moved both runners up 90 feet. Then Cassel uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Wilson to score.

 

Haydel, who had such a big impact in game one, smacked another double to score Brewer and the deficit all of a sudden was only 3-2. But Haydel, for reasons beyond anyone watching’s understanding, attempted to steal third with Lawrie at the plate and was thrown out by a mile. Lawrie would then strike-out to end the inning.

 

Robert Hinton relieved Jones to start the fifth inning. Jones, in his second start of the year, really settled down after the rough first inning and gave the Stars enough so they were able to stay within range of the Barons. But Hinton immediately ran into trouble as Gallagher doubled with one away. A single from Morel put runners at the corners.

 

Then what was basically the turning point of the game occurred. Christian Marrero hit a fly ball to center that Haydel caught for the second out. Gallagher attempted to score on the play, and Haydel’s throw had him beat by a few steps. Unfortunately the ball tipped off the top of McCraw’s glove and went all the way to the backstop where Hinton picked it up. Meanwhile, McCraw got absolutely run over on the play. It appeared that the Barons had a much needed insurance run, but the Stars appealed to third base and it was ruled that Gallagher had left the bag too early. The inning was over, and the Stars had officially turned their fourth double play in the past four innings of the game. In-between innings, manager Magallanes and Gallagher got the boot for vehemently arguing the call with home plate umpire Gerard Ascani.

 

The Stars would go down quietly in the sixth, but rose again in the seventh to complete yet another amazing comeback. This time the Barons kept their starter in to begin the inning, as Cassel had had a nice outing. But an error would open the floodgates as Chris Errecart hit a grounder to short that snuck under the glove of Greg Paiml. Wilson hit a grounder to second and they got the force on Errecart, but a hustling Wilson would beat the relay throw to first.

 

Then Wilson really showed some hustle. In the gutsiest move of the year, he stole second base. It was his first stolen base attempt of the year, and luckily for the Stars he was successful. Not only that, the throw went into center so Wilson was also able to advance to third on the play. Cassel walked Brewer and his day was done.

 

In came Joe Torres, who immediately got the second out of the inning when he got pinch hitter Brett Dowdy to pop out to short. For the second consecutive game, the Stars were down to their final out. Torres got two strikes on Haydel, but what was a theme for the day continued as Haydel came up big once again with a slap-shot down the left field line to score Wilson, tie the game, and advance Brewer to third. That would be all for Torres and Tyson Corley entered the game. Lawrie was able to beat out an infield single to score Brewer and the Stars took the 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

 

Mike McClendon (1-0) worked two shutout innings out of the bullpen to pick up the win while Cassel (0-2) suffered the hard-luck loss.

 

Haydel had a huge day at the plate, going 5-8 in the double header and driving in three runs while scoring two of his own.

 

With the sweep, the Stars move to within three games of the Tennessee Smokies in the North Division.

 

The Stars head back home to Joe Davis Stadium for a five game set beginning on Tuesday against the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. The Stars took three of five when they went to Jackson earlier in the year. Michael Bowman (2-2, 4.58) will be on the mound for game one, which starts at 7:00 PM Central Time. Join us on www.huntsvillestars.com for the Window World Pre-Game Report beginning at 6:45.

[Mass Haas]

A reminder as you plan your Tuesday that the Sounds will be online as of 11:50 AM Central, with Marco Estrada on the mound. Look for the new Link Report by late morning.

 

The Rattlers and Stars will be available via audio in the early evening hours before your attention turns to the Brewers in L.A.

[battlekow]

Uh, maybe take a mulligan on this headline, BDN...

 

Wang-Wei hits it long way

Marc Correnti/Beloit Daily News

 

All Wang-Wei Lin wanted was a base hit.

 

What he got was a

lot more and the Beloit Snappers benefited.

 

Lin knocked a 1-0

pitch over the center-field wall in the 10th inning, leading the

Snappers to a wild 9-8 victory over Wisconsin on Monday at Pohlman

Field.

 

The walk-off home run sent the 3,056 “School Day” fans home

happy and gave the Snappers a shot of adrenaline as they head to Clinton

for a three-game series beginning tonight.

 

Lin hit only one home

run in 10 games last year for the GCL Twins. Monday’s solo shot was his

first in 2010.

 

“Lin showed he’s got a little pop in his bat,”

Beloit center fielder Aaron Hicks said. “It was the right opportunity,

right pitch, right time. It’s a good win for us.”

 

For a player

who has battled injuries the past three seasons, Monday’s home run was

especially sweet for Lin — even if he thought he didn’t think he hit the

ball hard enough for a home run.

 

A wind blowing out to center

field didn’t hurt.

 

“I didn’t know how it was going to end up,”

said Lin, who was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. “I saw the outfielder

go back to the wall and I said, ‘Oh no!’ It surprised me a little bit.”

 

For

a player who “hits the ball and run,” Lin’s late blast came after the

Snappers blew a 7-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning.

 

“He put

up a good fight at the plate,” Snappers manager Nelson Prada said. “But

that’s the attitude of all these guys. They’re all fighters, battlers

who support each other. All these guys come out with a good attitude and

they never get down.”

 

Hicks said the morale never changed after

the Snappers fell behind 8-7 heading to the bottom of the ninth inning.

 

“This

team doesn’t quit,” said Hicks, who finished 1-for-4 with three runs

scored. “We’ll always keep fighting and coming after you. That’s the

type of team we have.”

 

The Snappers had to battle back after Kane

Holbrooks surrendered a two-run home run to the Timber Rattlers’

Khristopher Davis, tying the game 7-7 in the ninth.

 

Wisconsin

took its first lead since the sixth inning when Anderson Hidalgo’s throw

from third hit the dirt and skipped away from Beloit first baseman

Michael Gonzales, allowing Cameron Garfield to score from second, giving

the Rattlers an 8-7 advantage.

 

The Snappers — and most of all,

Hidalgo — made up for the miscue in the bottom half of the frame.

 

With

one out, Danny Rams singled and advanced to second on an error. Reggie

Williams struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, giving

Hidalgo a chance to send the game to extras.

 

Hidalgo hit a

grounder between shortstop and third, while Prada waved Rams home from

second base. The throw by Davis was off line and Rams scored the tying

run as Hidalgo celebrated the RBI.

 

Coming through with runners in

scoring position is one of the reasons the Snappers have won five of

their past six series.

 

“Guys that we thought would be hitting are

finally starting to hit,” said Prada, who trail Western Division leader

Peoria by a half-game. “We’ve had the pitching all year long, so, if we

knew we could get some hitting we could be a good team.”

 

Even

when the Snappers weren’t hitting, they still were scoring. At one point

in Monday’s game, the Snapper had five runs on three hits.

 

“That’s

what I’m talking about,” Prada said. “We’re getting runs in different

ways.”

 

One of those ways came via the walk as the Snappers drew

seven free passes — five against Wisconsin starter Jake Odorizzi, who is

regarded as one of the top prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers’

organization.

 

“He had a pretty nice sinker,” Hicks said, “but we

were just waiting for our pitch. We weren’t going to give in.”

 

Odorizzi

never made it to the fourth inning, yielding four earned runs on three

hits with five strikeouts.

 

Brad Stillings had another rough

outing for the Snappers, lasting only 4 1/3 innings, surrendering three

earned runs on six hits.

 

Beloit reliever Dakota Watts kept the

Snappers within striking distance, pitching 2 2/3 solid innings. Matt

Tone earned the victory in relief, shutting down the Rattlers in the

final 1 1/3 innings.

 

“Our pitchers are always going to give us a

chance,” Prada said.

 

But it was Lin, who ended things.

 

“That

felt good,” Lin said.