Link Report for Thurs. 7/8 -- Helena Crushed, But Styling in Purple; Late Update from the DSL

[battlekow]

Final: @AZL Brewers 11, AZL Royals 3

AZL Brewers box score

Eric Arnett didn't start but did work five innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks, fanning six. Again, the numbers are really meaningless given the level of competition and that we don't even know what Arnett's throwing/working on. The offense really went off, led by Tyler Roberts 3-4 line. He smacked two doubles and also walked once. Robbie Garvey was 4-5 with a double and two steals, Justin Parker doubled twice, and Nick Shaw was 2-4 with a double. I'd love for someone to explain to me the point of batting Max Walla 8th. It doesn't matter much in terms of run production but just seems counterproductive from a confidence standpoint. Anyway, Walla was 1-5 with two strikeouts, as was Yadiel Rivera.

AZL Brewers play-by-play

A seven-run inning is always nice:

 

AZL Brewers Bottom 2nd

• Justin Parker strikes out
  swinging.
• Joseph Paciorek singles on a line drive to left
  fielder Jerico Blanco.
• Maxwell Walla singles on a line drive
  to center fielder Cameron Conner. Joseph Paciorek to 2nd.
• Nick
  Shaw singles on a line drive to right fielder Shane Costa. Joseph
  Paciorek to 3rd. Maxwell Walla to 2nd.
• With Robert Garvey
  batting, passed ball by Jin-Ho Shin, Joseph Paciorek scores. Maxwell
  Walla to 3rd. Nick Shaw to 2nd.
• Robert Garvey doubles (2)
  on a line drive to center fielder Cameron Conner. Maxwell Walla
  scores. Nick Shaw scores.
• Yadiel Rivera singles on a line
  drive to left fielder Jerico Blanco. Robert Garvey scores.
• Kenneth
  Allison grounds out, shortstop Michael Liberto to first baseman Henry
  Moreno. Yadiel Rivera to 2nd.
• With Tyler Roberts batting,
  Yadiel Rivera steals (3) 3rd base.
• Tyler Roberts walks.
• Jason
  Rogers singles on a line drive to right fielder Shane Costa. Yadiel
  Rivera scores. Tyler Roberts to 2nd.
• Justin Parker doubles
  (4) on a fly ball to center fielder Cameron Conner. Tyler Roberts
  scores. Jason Rogers scores.
• Pitcher Change: Dylan Lindsay
  replaces Robinson Yambati.
• Joseph Paciorek walks.
• Maxwell
  Walla flies out to center fielder Cameron Conner.

[molitor fan]

Again, the numbers are really meaningless given the level of competition and that we don't even know what Arnett's throwing/working on

 

 

Jeesh, give the kid some credit. The thing that has gone by the wayside in the age of instant information and bonuses is patience. Romanski, Tony Butler, and Arnett to a somewhat different degree (even Lintz) should be allowed time past their 22nd birthdays to put it all together.

[Mass Haas]

A night to forget
Helena Brewers Site

The Helena Brewers (11-7) dropped their second game in a row Thursday night as the Great Falls Voyagers (11-7) pounded out 15 runs on 13 hits en route to a 15-2 victory. The loss moves the Voyagers even with the Brewers in first place in the Pioneer League North.

Helena had the lead for a brief moment. Cody Hawn hit a solo shot over the right field fence in the first inning to give the Brewers an early advantage.

Great Falls scored four runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth. They added two in the sixth and three in the final frame.

Connor Lind, an infielder for the Brewers, made an appearance on the mound in the top half of the ninth inning. He faced one batter and recorded the out.

Robert Currie continued his impressive start to the season, pitching 2.1 innings without allowing a run.

The Brewers look to avoid the sweep tomorrow as they host the Voyagers for the final game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 (8:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Great Falls crushes Helena, moves into tie for first place

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

Helena was the hottest hitting team in the Pioneer League North through the first 17 games, but you wouldn’t have known it Thursday night.

 

The Brewers had just four hits and recorded a season-high five errors, as the Great Falls Voyagers took advantage of a disasterous defensive outing by the hosts to win 15-2.

 

With the victory, the Voyagers moved into a tie for first place, and can claim sole possession of the standings lead by completing the sweep tonight at Kindrick Field.

 

“It was a tough one,” Helena manager Joe Ayrault said. “We had some errors, pitchers fell behind in the count early, and we got hit pretty hard tonight. You’re going to go through (games like this) at some point ... a lot can be said about the makeup of players, how they respond when they’re down.”

 

Helena has shown the ability to respond to adversity multiple times this season by clawing back from big deficits, but this was the most the team had trailed by all year.

 

Just how bad did it get for the Brewers? The pitching staff threw five wild pitches and combined for 10 walks—half of which came in the final inning—and after blowing through three relievers the Helena staff turned to infielder Connor Lind to get the final out.

 

Meanwhile, Great Falls had an offensive outburst with 13 hits and 15 runs, including plating 10 over the third and fourth stanzas off of Helena starter Seth Lintz (0-1).

 

The Voyagers were also sound defensively, turning three double plays and getting a solid outing from right-hander Thomas Royse. Royse got his first win as a pro in his longest outing of the season, giving up just three hits, one earned run and striking out a pair in five innings of work.

 

Designated hitter Rafael Vera led the Voyagers, going 3 for 4 with a a double and two RBIs to lift his average above .500. No Helena player had a multi-hit game.

 

“It just happens; it’s baseball,” said Helena first baseman Cody Hawn, whose home run in the first inning provided the lone bright spot for the Brewers. “You can’t get down. We try to play our best game everyday and (Great Falls) did. It seemed like they made every play and hit every ball hard. We’ve just got to come back out and do what we do best tomorrow.”

 

Helena had played clean ball up until Thursday, registering just 18 errors over the first 17 contests. But the Brewers had back-to-back errors by third baseman Mike Walker in the third inning, and shortstop Carlos George has made four miscues over the last two games.

 

“We’ve just got to clean it up,” Hawn said. “It’s going to happen though, it’s part of growing up. We’ll be ready to play (tonight).”

 

A cold night at the plate was a rarity for the Brewers, who entered hitting .291 as a team. But Helena is without its most power, Greg Hopkins, for at least a few more games after he suffered a concussion in Tuesday night’s game.

 

“Having a guy like Hopkins out definitely puts a dent in things, and these guys are going to have to pick up slack while he’s out,” Ayrault said. “He’s probably going to be out until maybe Sunday, Monday, we’re being cautious with him. But having one of your best guys out of the lineup is tough.”

 

Steven Upchurch is Great Falls’ probable starter for today’s series finale, while undefeated hurler Matt Miller takes the mound for the Brewers.

 

DIAMOND NOTES: The Brewers donned their purple jerseys Thursday night in support of Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society ... The uniforms will be auctioned off to raise money for awareness ... Helena hitting coach Ned Yost IV celebrated his 28th birthday Thursday ... The loss to the Voyagers marked the first time this season the Brewers had dropped back-to-back games.

 

All Photos By Dylan Brown, Helena Independent Record

Helena's Reggie Keen hits a pop-fly to left field Thursday night at Kindrick field, while playing Great Falls.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/9/87/2d3/9872d3be-8b0f-11df-bd0a-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c36a0b253a0c.image.jpg

 

Helena's second pitcher, Rob Currie, is pulled out in the sixth inning Thursday night, after his own solid outing, even as the team fared poorly.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/5/c3/92c/5c392c5e-8b0f-11df-a03c-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c36a04d9fda3.image.jpg

 

Great Falls' Ross Wilson throws a ball to first for a double play Thursday night, while Helena's Shea Vucinich slides in.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/6/d3/db1/6d3db1fa-8b0f-11df-9a64-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c36a069b2fd1.image.jpg

Helena's Carlos George catches a high throw Thursday night, while Great Falls' Michael Earley slides in safe at second.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/7/91/262/791262be-8b0f-11df-b36c-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c36a07da0d0b.image.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Brewers 4, DSL Ahletics 3, ten innings

DSL Brewers Box Score
Three hours and 40 minutes and all hands on deck; game looks entertaining from a late drama level -- Brewers could do little until a three-run 8th to take a 3-2 lead; busy closer Rigoberto Almonte walked the leadoff man in the bottom of the 9th which set up a small-ball tieing run for the A's; the mound men acquitted themselves well, including newcomer RHP Juan Francisco in his second pro outing; there were 12 walks combined in the game, but the A's pitchers were particularly generous late in the game, which led to the victory; Ronny Puello, the DH in this one, was 4-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, as his numbers approach the hot pace he established in 12 games in 2009 before a season-ending injury; 3B Allixon Cequea was 3-for-5 and actually moved behind the plate in the 10th, for the first time we remember -- Orton Rodriguez has only been used in very limited duty, normally a catcher, he's apparently unable to play defense thus far, so despite a couple of game-winning RBI, including via a walk in the one, Cequea was needed behind the dish...

DSL Brewers Game Log
For a while here, it looked like the boys were going to let an absolutely golden opportunity slip in the go-ahead 10th --

DSL Brewers Top 10th

• Defensive switch from second base to first base for Luis Osorio.
• Rodolfo Penalo remains in the game as the second baseman.
• Allixon Cequea singles on a line drive to left fielder Alfredo Sosa.
• With Juan De Leon batting, Allixon Cequea advances to 2nd on a balk.
• Juan De Leon walks.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Erickson Salaya replaces Juan De Leon.
• Ronny Puello walks. Allixon Cequea to 3rd. Erickson Salaya to 2nd.
• Jose Pena pops out to second baseman Rodolfo Penalo.
• Jose R. Garcia pops out to shortstop Wilfredo Solano.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Orton Rodriguez replaces Jhonatan Diaz.
• Orton Rodriguez walks. Allixon Cequea scores. Erickson Salaya to 3rd. Ronny Puello to 2nd.
• Andres Martinez strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Here's the odd final half-inning sequence when Orton Rodriguez lasted only one batter behind the plate:

 

DSL Athletics Bottom 10th

Defensive Substitution: Hitaniel Arias replaces Erickson Salaya, batting 4th, playing first base.

Orton Rodriguez remains in the game as the catcher.

Alfredo Sosa grounds out, pitcher Rigoberto Almonte to first baseman Hitaniel Arias.

Defensive switch from third base to catcher for Allixon Cequea.

Defensive switch from first base to third base for Hitaniel Arias.

Defensive switch from catcher to first base for Orton Rodriguez.

Luis Osorio singles on a ground ball to third baseman Hitaniel Arias.

Wilfredo Solano grounds into double play, second baseman Yonki Hernandez to shortstop Andres Martinez to first baseman Orton Rodriguez. Luis Osorio out at 2nd.

Great game for Ronny Puello, but how do you get picked off third base with the bases loaded and two out? Trying to score on a wild pitch?

 

DSL Brewers Top 7th

Pitcher Change: William Bautista replaces Alexis Juma.

Juan De Leon pops out to second baseman Luis Osorio.

Ronny Puello singles on a line drive to right fielder Jose Sayegh.

Jose Pena doubles (6) on a ground ball to left fielder Alfredo Sosa. Ronny Puello to 3rd.

Jose R. Garcia pops out to first baseman Jose Rosario.

Pitcher Change: Victor Trinidad replaces William Bautista.

Julio Sotelo walks.

With Andres Martinez batting, Ronny Puello picked off and caught stealing home, catcher Abraham De Leon to third baseman Wilman Martinez.

[Godspeed]

Another big night for Cutter Dykstra too, on base 4 times, average up to 308, and steals his 13th. Even though he seems to have stabilized defensively at 3B, I would think 2B is his future.

At what point do we just throw out 2009 as a lost season for Dykstra? Couple this season with his 2008 performance in Helena, and you can really see the toll the personal distractions took on him last year. Even with the flameouts, the 2008 draft class still looks promising for the Brewers.

[battlekow]

Jeesh, give the kid some credit. The thing that has gone by the wayside in the age of instant information and bonuses is patience. Romanski, Tony Butler, and Arnett to a somewhat different degree (even Lintz) should be allowed time past their 22nd birthdays to put it all together.

For what? Getting out rookie ball hitters? Sorry, no. First-round college pitchers don't get credit for getting outs in the Arizona League. My comment really swings both ways, though--this is basically spring training for him, so whether he's striking out everyone or getting hammered, we don't even know what the Brewers are having throw/not throw right now. All we can really tell from his box score appearances is that he's not injured.

[brewmann04]

I agree on both Arnett maybe he is finally getting it together but he doing it also in rookie ball. I agree hopefully we are seeing the real Cutter and he past all that nonsense. I just wish the Brewers fo would have the same luck with their Pitchers as much as they do with their hitter;s they draft.

[CheezWizHed]

Scarpetta twirling a 1 hit 1bb 9k gem through 6 inning so far. ERA is has finally made an appearence in in the 3.00's! Over the last 3 or 4 games he has really turned it on and his control has been much improved...hope it continues!

Scarpetta has one option left for next year, right? I would imagine that if he keeps this up for July (sub 4.00 ERA that is) he will get a taste of AA this year. Then next year at AA/AAA and finally MLB (assuming all goes well). Maybe not ready, but out of necessity...

[And That]

Scarpetta will be awarded a fourth option year. He doesn't have to be up for good until 2013.