Link Report for Thurs. 6/24 -- Sounds Post Shutout Behind Doug Davis; Helena Wins 1-0 To Go To 4-0

[Mass Haas]

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Manatees lead off 2nd half with loss

Manager looks for better effort

BY MARK DeCOTIS, FLORIDA TODAY

 

VIERA — Brevard County Manatees Manager Bob Miscik is taking a realistic approach to his team's first-half performance but has high expectations for the second half.

 

The Manatees finished the first half in last place in the Florida State League's North Division with a 27-42 record and managed just five hits in losing 3-1 to the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the first game of the second half Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium.

 

"I'm not happy that we were 15 games below .500," Miscik said. "I'm not disappointed, I will be if I don't see the adjustments that we need to make be made in the second half."

 

Those adjustments include pitchers issuing fewer walks -- the Manatees issued the most in the league (277) -- and hitters getting timely hits with runners in scoring position -- they were ninth of 12 teams with 280 runs scored.

 

"There's no defense against the walk," Miscik said. "And we need to make the key play, that was the difference in our first half."

 

And he told his players as much Thursday afternoon.

 

Now he and his staff will see how the players, many getting their first taste of the competitiveness inherent in high-level Class A ball, will respond.

 

"We (staff) learned what they need to do to adjust, now we're going to find out if they're able to make it and how long it takes them to do it because they know what they need to do," Miscik said.

 

There were bright spots. Three Manatees -- outfielder Erik Komatsu, and infielders Matt Cline and Sergio Miranda were selected to the FSL All-Star game and pitchers Wily Peralta and Michael Fiers were later added to the roster as replacements.

 

And, Manatees General Manager Kyle Smith said attendance is up 9 to 10 percent -- even though the Manatees rate seventh according to totals each team submits to the league -- and sponsorships are up 25 percent.

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Brewers finish series sweep of Osprey with 1-0 victory

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

For his 22nd birthday, Helena Brewers outfielder Franklin Romero Jr. got a face full of shaving cream, and he couldn’t have been happier about it.

 

Romero made the play of his life in centerfield on Thursday night, preserving the pitchers’ duel and helping the Brewers to a 1-0 win and a sweep of the Missoula Osprey at Kindrick Field.

 

On the final play of the game and with the tying run on first for Missoula, Romero made a diving catch on the run to retrieve pinch hitter Chris Jarrett’s slam to left-center, then got up and threw across the infield to first baseman Cody Hawn to complete an 8-3 double play.

 

“I’ve made a few (good plays), but that one might be the best,” a grinning Romero said afterward. Romero had one of only four hits for the Brewers, who found themselves in the midst of a pitchers’ duel after the two Pioneer League squads combined for 44 runs in the first three games.

 

“I told the guys after the game that’s going to be tough to beat; that one, that’s the play of the year right there,” Helena manager Joe Ayrault said of Romero’s game-ending heroics. “He’s a stellar athlete, Romero. That kid has got the wheels, arm, and is swinging the bat well. He’s really starting to show off his tools.”

 

Romero wasn’t the only Brewer to show off his stuff, with right-hander Matt Miller making his pro debut. Miller gave up just five hits, walked one and had four strikeouts in five shutout innings.

 

“I didn’t realize I was in a pitchers’ duel until I looked up in the fifth inning and it was still 0-0 with just one or two hits,” Miller said. “(Tyler) Thornburg and (Robert) Currie came in and did a great job in relief, and Romero made that unbelievable play at the end, so it’s an exciting win.”

 

The Osprey (0-4) outhit Helena 10-4 but struggled all night to get runners home. The visitors had runners in scoring position seven different times, and stranded nine runners total on the night.

 

“We’re stressing defense,” said Ayrault, whose crew is the only unbeaten team in the league at 4-0. “We played solid defense tonight. Carlos George early in the game got us out of a jam ... we just made the routine plays.”

 

The Helena offense struggled against Missoula southpaw Daniel Taylor, who flew in for Thursday’s game from high Class-A Visalia. The move came after the Osprey bullpen blew leads in the previous three contests, and Taylor threw a complete game in what will be his only start for Missoula. He’ll immediately head back to Class-A ball, but turned in a tremendous start Thursday for the 1,154 in attendance.

 

Taylor struck out a career-high 11 over eight innings, with just one earned run on one hit allowed.

 

“You’ve got to tip your hat to that kid, he pitched a great game,” Ayrault said.

 

As for the Brewers, they are off to their best start since 2005, when Helena also opened the season with a sweep of Missoula, that time on the road. The ’05 Brewers won the first seven games and 11 of 12. They began the second half 10-0, and lost to Orem in the Pioneer League title game.

 

“We can’t get ahead of ourselves, it’s just the first four games out of 70-some-odd games,” Miller said. “It’s a long season, but it’s definitely a good way to start.”

 

DIAMOND NOTES: Catcher Tony Pechek made his first start in a Helena Brewers uniform Thursday night and was 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts...Helena recently added another catcher to the roster, Wright State’s Gerald Ogrinc, who signed a free agent contract this year.

 

All photos by Dylan Brown, Helena Independent Record

 

Helena's Tony Pecheck hits a single, which enables Shea Vucinich to score against Missoula Thursday night at Kindrick Field.

 

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Helena's Shea Vucinich is greeted by fellow teammates Thursday night after Tony Pechek hit a single at Kindrick Field, allowing Vucinich to score.

 

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Helena's Franklin Romero Jr. is thrown out at first at Kindrick Field. Missoula's Bobby Stone is catching the ball.

 

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Helena's center fielder, Franklin Romero Jr., catches a pop-fly to end the top of the fourth inning against Misosula, Thursday.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Just a huge thanks to the Helena Independent Record, especially Amber Kuehn, for their Brewer coverage -- they have spoiled us in seasons past as well.