Link Report for Wed. 8/4 -- Rattlers win matinee; Huntsville, BC, and Helena all nailbiters

[YoungGeezy]

I think that should be the plan for Kentrail, at this point of the season no real reason to bring him back up to BC for about a month of baseball. He was tearing through A+ ball prior to his nagging injury that really effected him. I would actually like to see both K. Davis' in AA next season along with Komatsu the other guy manning the OF in Huntsville. It blows my mind that the Brewers never called Khris up to BC, beside for needing to cut down his k's, he definitely has earned it (actually he earned like 2 months ago and has done nothing to change my opinion about it.)

 

Anyone else think Burgos is starting to become a legit prospect at all. It appears the light switch has really just flipped for him and since the bad start with the T-Rats to start the season and the really rough opening start for him in Helena, he has thrown the ball great over his last 8 outtings.

 

since return to Wisconsin:

16IP 13H 2 ER 4BB 18K

[battlekow]

Final: Brevard County 5, @Bradenton 4

Brevard County box score

Cody Scarpetta continues to pile up the strikeouts and scoreless innings: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 7/2 GO/AO. The Manatees were ahead 5-0 but the Marauders got four runs in the bottom of the 8th off Mark Willinsky to make it a nail-biter. Fortunately, Corey Frerichs was able to close things out, despite walking three. Josh Prince singled twice, walked, and stole two bases, while Erik Komatsu walked twice and singled. Angel Salome, who's been racking up the hits lately, was 2-5 with a double, BC's only extra-base knock. Scott Krieger struck out all four times up.

 

Brevard County play-by-play

Wow, Bradenton had the tying run at third with no outs in the 8th but couldn't plate him:

 

Bradenton Bottom 8th

• Quincy Latimore hit by pitch.
• Calvin Anderson singles on a line drive to center fielder Erik Komatsu. Quincy Latimore to 2nd.
• Adam Davis singles on a line drive to right fielder Scott Krieger. Quincy Latimore scores. Calvin Anderson to 2nd.
• James Skelton singles on a line drive to center fielder Erik Komatsu. Calvin Anderson to 3rd. Adam Davis to 2nd.
• Jordan
  Newton singles on a line drive to left fielder Brock Kjeldgaard.
  Calvin Anderson scores. Adam Davis to 3rd. James Skelton to 2nd.
• Erik
  Huber singles on a line drive to left fielder Brock Kjeldgaard. Adam
  Davis scores. James Skelton scores. Jordan Newton to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Corey Frerichs replaces Mark Willinsky.
• Shelby Ford walks. Jordan Newton to 3rd. Erik Huber to 2nd.
• Robbie Grossman strikes out swinging.
• Starling Marte strikes out swinging.
• Quincy Latimore flies out to center fielder Erik Komatsu.

[battlekow]

Final: Carolina 10, @Huntsville 9

Huntsville box score

The Stars drop a heartbreaker. They were down 8-1 in the 6th but posted a huge seven-run inning, highlighted by Taylor Green's grand slam, to tie things up. Then, after Jim Henderson allows two runs in the top of the 10th, they rally again to get one in the bottom but come up just short. Amaury Rivas started and, despite shutting out Carolina through three innings, allowed eight runs over the next two-plus, though only four were earned. He struck out eight and walked two, so perhaps he just got unlucky on balls in play. Jeremy Jeffress turned in a fine outing, two scoreless innings with just a hit allowed and three strikeouts; 22 of his 34 pitches were strikes. Green's grand slam was his only hit, but talk about making it count. Batting second, Brett Lawrie had two doubles, and Lee Haydel, taking over the leadoff spot, was on three times with two singles and a walk. Zelous Wheeler also had two hits, and Drew Anderson drew three walks.

Huntsville play-by-play

The big inning:

 

Huntsville Bottom 6th

• Patrick Arlis singles on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Yarbrough.
• Lee Haydel walks. Patrick Arlis to 2nd.
• Brett Lawrie doubles (27) on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Yarbrough. Patrick Arlis scores. Lee Haydel to 3rd.
• Zelous Wheeler singles on a line drive to center fielder Dave Sappelt. Lee Haydel scores. Brett Lawrie to 3rd.
• Drew T. Anderson walks. Zelous Wheeler to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Ruben Medina replaces Matt Klinker, batting 9th.
• Chris
  Nowak singles on a ground ball to right fielder Luis Terrero. Brett
  Lawrie scores. Zelous Wheeler to 3rd. Drew T. Anderson to 2nd.
• Taylor
  Green hits a grand slam (10) to right center field. Zelous Wheeler
  scores. Drew T. Anderson scores. Chris Nowak scores.
• Chuck Caufield grounds out, shortstop Kris Negron to first baseman Eric Eymann.
• Anderson De La Rosa grounds out, shortstop Kris Negron to first baseman Eric Eymann.
• Patrick Arlis pops out to first baseman Eric Eymann in foul territory.

The extra-innings drama:

 

Carolina Top 10th

• Jake Kahaulelio flies out to left fielder Chuck Caufield.
• Dave Sappelt singles on a line drive to center fielder Lee Haydel.
• Luis Terrero strikes out swinging. Dave Sappelt steals (15) 2nd base.
• Brandon
  Yarbrough singles on a fly ball to center fielder Lee Haydel. Dave
  Sappelt scores. Brandon Yarbrough to 2nd on the throw.
• Eric Eymann walks.
• Jose Castro singles on a line drive to center fielder Lee Haydel. Brandon Yarbrough scores. Eric Eymann to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Chris Cody replaces Jim Henderson, batting 9th.
• Chris McMurray hit by pitch. Eric Eymann to 3rd. Jose Castro to 2nd.
• Carlos Mendez grounds out, second baseman Brett Lawrie to first baseman Chris Nowak.

Huntsville Bottom 10th

• Lee Haydel singles on a line drive to center fielder Dave Sappelt.
• Brett Lawrie strikes out swinging.
• Zelous Wheeler singles on a line drive to right fielder Luis Terrero. Lee Haydel to 3rd.
• Drew T. Anderson walks. Zelous Wheeler to 2nd.
• Chris Nowak out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Dave Sappelt. Lee Haydel scores.
• Taylor Green flies out to right fielder Luis Terrero.

Ooh, bases loaded. So close.

[battlekow]

Final: @Billings 1, Helena 0

Helena box score

The Brewers allowed just one hit--the Mustangs' walk-off single. Ouch. Evan Frederickson was simply dominant, going six scoreless, hitless innings, fanning twelve and walking two, with one wild pitch. Yes, it's just the Pioneer League, but hey, it's worlds better than the usual six walks and four wild pitches. Seth Lintz relieved and took the eventual loss. Helena had six baserunners: three singles, a double, and two walks. Gerald Ogrinc was the only Brewer on more than once.

 

Helena play-by-play

Heartbreak:

 

Billings Bottom 9th

• Dayne Read walks.
• Devin Lohman out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Gregory Hopkins to first baseman Cody Hawn. Dayne Read to 2nd.
• Danny Hernandez singles on a line drive to right fielder John Dishon. Dayne Read scores.

[YoungGeezy]

Poor Seth Lintz, he just can't catch a break this season. Once again he pitch really well except for that one deadly inning. Reminds me of the Dave Bush thing from a few years ago where every start he would be just cruising then he'd hit the 5,6,7 inning and the wheels just completely came undone. Then everyone would yell about Yost leaving him in to long. Like Narveson this season, if he could just cut out that one haunting inning during every outting he'd be fine.

 

Man how bad does it sucks to have a no hitter going into the 9th and then have the first hit of the game be a walk off...

[homer]

Taylor Green's power has really come on the last month or so. He slugged 621 in July and is slugging 533 so far in August. Really great to see his power stroke come back after the wrist issues last year. I hope he keeps it up and adds his name to the list of future legitimate 3rd base candidates for the Brewers. Anyone have info on his defense? I have a feeling it's better than Gamel's or Lawrie's but I'm not sure. All I know is he has 17 errors.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 9, @Arizona Athletics 1

 

Arizona Box ScoreMore outstanding pitching here -- only 18 years old last May 31st, RHP Michael Schaub was the rare late-round high school pick to sign, we know little of the Californian, but after missing over three weeks in July, he was stretched to two (again scoreless) innings in his second appearance back; sharing a birthday with Schaub (but five years apart) is LHP Charly Bashara (his hometown paper recently discussed his baseball resume here), Bashara with four scoreless, he's been an innings-saver for the A-Crew coaching staff; another undrafted southpaw, 22-year-old LHP Dexter Bobo, struck out six in his three innings as the trio fanned 15 Athletics...

 

The Brewers actually fanned 13 times and drew only one walk, but were obviously more productive at the plate -- three doubles and two triples among the nine base hits; Nick Shaw (.996 OPS, what a summer), playing SS for the 6th time in 28 games, tripled, singled, and drove in two; T.J. Mittelstaedt, coming off a strong July and hitting cleanup here, singled twice with the team's only other multi-hit game; catcher Jhonatan Javier, DH'ing in this one, had the other triple and was HBP; it was not a fun return to the desert for 3B Kyle Dhanani, down from Brevard County, 0-for-4 with four K's and the club's lone error; 106 degrees at game time...

 

Oh yeah, in our "what do we do with Jody Gerut" report, Gerut went 1-for-5 with a double and drove in two...

 

Arizona Game Log

Four A's errors meant four of the Brewer runs were unearned, but we'll take 'em...

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Reno (Diamondbacks) 12, Nashville 1

Sounds Routed In Road Trip Opener

Nashville Sounds

RENO, Nev. - The Reno Aces rapped out 15 hits en route to a 12-1 spanking of the Nashville Sounds on Wednesday evening at Aces Ballpark in the opener of a four-game series.

 

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Nashville (59-52), which fell to four games behind division-leading Iowa.

 

The Sounds took a short-lived 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Lorenzo Cain led off the contest with a single before scoring the game's first run on Brendan Katin's two-out RBI double off rehabbing Aces starter and former Sound Kris Benson.

 

The run would be the only one of the night for Nashville, which was held to just six hits on the evening by a pair of Reno hurlers. Katin finished 2-for-3 for the Sounds' lone multiple-hit effort.

 

Reno tied it in the second when ex-Sound Cole Gillespie drew an inning-opening walk from Chuck Löfgren and later scored on Mark Hallberg's single to right.

 

The Aces blew the game open by plating 11 runs over the fourth and fifth innings.

 

Reno plated six runs in the fourth but five of those scores came in unearned fashion following a one-out throwing error by Nashville first baseman Joe Koshansky. Ryan Roberts and Brandon Allen each belted two-run homers off Löfgren in the frame.

 

The Aces extended their lead to 12-1 in the fifth with a five-run outburst, highlighted by a two-run Gillespie double off Sounds reliever Tim Dillard.

 

Benson allowed one run on three hits over three innings in his rehab start before turning things over to Cesar Valdez (4-7), who tossed six scoreless frames the rest of the way to earn the victory. Valdez allowed only three hits while fanning nine batters.

 

Löfgren (7-6) took the loss for Nashville after giving up a season-high 10 runs (only four were earned) on 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander has logged just one quality start in his last 13 starting assignments for the Sounds.

 

The teams continue the series with another 9:05 PM CT meeting on Thursday. Left-hander Chase Wright (7-6, 4.58) will make the start for the Sounds to face Reno right-hander Kevin Mulvey (5-7, 5.11).

 

Nashville Box Score

Lorenzo Cain singled and stole a base; Mat Gamel singled in four trips and Eric Farris was 0-for-4; it's nothing personal against the Chase Wright's, Chuck Lofgren's, Chris Waters' of the world, but this organizational gap in the system that has potential big league starters still short of the AAA level leaves us with a very dry interest in the Sounds -- our attention should perk up tremendously next spring (or hopefully later this month) when some promotions are handed out -- we know the candidates we're waiting on...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

We should have multiple additional reports from last night's action for you when we return to the forum here at mid-morning. Always fun when real-time (last night) interest in the thread is high -- there's always a spike when the big league boys are off (as they will be again Thursday night), regardless of the level of success / disappointment in the parent club. Back with more then...

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattler Photo Gallery from the Post-Crescent

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers lose no-hitter, game on final swing

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

BILLINGS — The Billings Mustangs’ first hit against the Helena Brewers came on the final swing and, with that one blooper to right field, hearts were breaking in the Helena dugout.

 

The Brewers carried a combined no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth at Dehler Park on Wednesday, only to have it erased when Billings’ designated hitter Danny Hernandez dropped a one-out, RBI single over second baesman Shea Vucinich’s head. The Mustangs walked off with the 1-0 win, despite just a single hit in the contest.

 

Helena starter Evan Frederickson hurled the best outing of his life but could barely manage a smile after the devastating defeat.

 

“I’m happy with the way I threw, I just wish we could’ve won,” he said. “I guess they were due for a hit...no-hitters are pretty rare. It just sucks it had to be a broken-bat, little loop like that; they got a little lucky at the end.”

 

Frederickson, a supplemental first-round pick in 2008, struck out a career-high 12 batters, including a stretch of six strikeouts in a row that came close to the Pioneer League record of eight. The southpaw who had previously struggled mightily with his command — the main reason he’s in rookie league — walked only two and 59 of his 89 pitches were strikes. Frederickson said he believes his control problems are in the past.

 

“All my pitches were working,” he said. “Fastball, curveball, changeup. It was just a matter of staying positive.”

 

Seth Lintz (0-3), a second-round pick drafted the same year as Frederickson, entered a scoreless game in the seventh in a situation that is both a dream and a nightmare for relievers. The right-hander struck out two and walked three while trying to preserve the no-hitter, which would have been the first combined no-hitter in the Pioneer League since June 30, 2008. Three Missoula pitchers — Miles Reagan, Jesse Orosco, and Bryan Shaw — hurled that one against Helena.

 

Hernandez couldn’t have been happier about being part of history. Or, rather, breaking up a chance at history for Helena.

 

“I was trying to get a hit to make everybody happy,” said Hernandez, who was surrounded by celebrating teammates at first base after his shot sent Dayne Read home. “It feels good to get that hit. (Frederickson) had some good stuff. He was keeping everybody off balance.”

 

Billings manager Delino DeShields was impressed with the lefty out of Oak Hill, Va.

 

“Frederickson, he’s a real good pitcher,” DeShields said. “He’s got a good cutter, he just didn’t let up on us tonight. I just told the guys we’ve got to get into the bullpen.”

 

Mustangs starter Daniel Corcino couldn’t have pitched a much better game, either. Corcino had his longest outing of the season, fanning eight. He threw 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. The Brewers had just four hits in the contest, and only two came off Corcino in six innings.

 

Helena had plenty of chances to get on the board, getting runners into scoring position in three different innings and failing to bring them home. The Brewers now have 17 straight scoreless innings this series.

 

Brewers manager Joe Ayrault had nothing but good things to say to his guys after the game.

 

“They played a heck of a game,” he said when asked how he confronted his crew after the tough loss. “Tip your hat to their (Billings) pitchers, they were outstanding. They did a heck of a job, but so did ours.

 

“We’re right there as far as a hitting team, we just couldn’t seem to get runs home.”

 

Josh Smith (1-2) got the win for the Mustangs (24-19, 3-2). Lintz was tagged with the loss for Helena (21-22, 2-3).

 

Billings actually held a temporary lead in the fourth, after Frederickson walked Billy Hamilton, who then advanced on a wild pitch and an error. With Hamilton at third, Frederickson was called for a balk to bring a run home for the Mustangs, but the call was reversed after Ayrault argued it and Gavin Hanson consulted with base umpire Ramon Hernandez. Hamilton also had his 12-game hitting streak snapped.

 

“There’s no way it was a balk,” Frederickson said after the game. “I’m just mad we couldn’t win the game as a team. You throw six scoreless, usually you figure you’re going to get a win.”

[Mass Haas]

Frederickson fires six hitless frames
By John Parker / Special to MLB.com

Helena's pitchers -- particularly starter Evan Frederickson -- shone brightest on Wednesday night, but host Billings came away with a 1-0 win.

Frederickson struck out a career-high 12 batters over six hitless innings and reliever Seth Lintz took the no-hit bid into the ninth before yielding a walk-off single to Mustangs designated hitter Danny Hernandez.

The one-out hit was Hernandez's second in 14 at-bats since joining the Mustangs on Aug. 1. Billings was outhit, 4-1, in the game.

A first-round pick by the Brewers in the 2008 Draft, Frederickson began the season as a reliever with Brevard County in the Class A Advanced Florida State League, but struggled with his command. He posted an 0-1 record with an 8.22 ERA and 28 walks in 15 1/3 innings over 12 outings.

Joining Helena in late June, the 6-foot-6 southpaw made four relief appearances before moving into the Brewers' starting rotation. He entered Wednesday's action with a 2-2 record and a 5.93 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 22 walks in 27 1/3 Pioneer League innings.

On Wednesday, however, Frederickson was utterly dominant.

"My fastball, curve and changeup were all working really well," the University of San Francisco product said.

Despite the career-high 12 strikeouts, Frederickson said he was actually trying less than usual to whiff batters. "I was just trying to make good pitches and get ahead in the count, not necessarily to strike everyone out," he said.

He set down the first nine batters he faced -- five via strikeouts. Billings second baseman Billy Hamilton drew a walk to lead off the fourth, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then moved to third when Frederickson threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt. Frederickson struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

"My catcher, Gerald Ogrinc, called a great game for me," he said. "And when [Hamilton] was on third in the fourth inning, I think he blocked three straight curveballs in the dirt. He really deserves half the credit."

The 23-year-old left-hander struck out the side in the fifth and worked around a two-out walk in the sixth.

The six frames matched Frederickson's longest outing as a pro. Though he issued just two free passes Wednesday, he took over the Pioneer League lead with 24 walks. He also paces the circuit with 11 wild pitches.

Lintz, a second-round pick in the 2008 Draft, entered in the seventh. The righty worked around walks in the seventh and eighth, but issued a leadoff base on balls in the ninth to Billings left fielder Dayne Read that would be Helena's undoing.

Read moved to second on Devin Lohman's sacrifice bunt, then scored on the Mustangs' lone hit of the game, a looping line drive to right by Hernandez.

Lintz fell to 0-3, allowing one run on one hit in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two, walked three and induced five groundball outs.

The Mustangs staff, which has allowed the fewest runs in the Pioneer League, was nearly as dominant.

Starter Daniel Corcino gave up two hits and two walks while fanning eight over six frames. Reliever Pat Doyle yielded one hit in a scoreless seventh and Josh Smith (1-2) allowed one hit over two shutout innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The shutout loss was Helena's second of the season. The Brewers were blanked in Billings, 4-0, on July 1.

The two teams struck out a total of 26 times.

Evan Frederickson was a first-round pick by the Brewers in the 2008 Draft. (Brevard County photo by Scott Jontes/MiLB.com)

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2010/08/05/nUTlnrIX.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Watch the one-minute Billings Gazette video wrap-up -- plenty of Evan Frederickson high-lights, and the unfortunate walk-off single for the Mustangs...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Mustangs avoid being no-hit, earn win on walk-off single by Danny Hernandez

MIKE SCHERTING Of The Gazette Staff

 

In one of the more unique — or, in the case of the Helena Brewers, more disappointing — endings to a baseball game, the Billings Mustangs came away 1-0 victors Wednesday night at Dehler Park.

 

No-hit for 81/3 innings, the Mustangs got their first and only hit from Danny Hernandez, whose single into right-center scored Dayne Read from second base, ending a brilliant night for the pitchers on both sides.

 

Hernandez, playing in his first home game after joining the Mustangs on Saturday, was mobbed by teammates after he rounded first base and was the recipient of several shaving-cream pies and autograph requests afterward.

 

Like his teammates, Hernandez struggled in his previous at-bats, striking out twice and grounding out. But he stroked a pitch from Seth Lintz (0-3) over the head of Helena second baseman Shea Vucinich and Read, who had opened the bottom of the ninth with a walk, easily beat the throw home from right fielder John Dishon.

 

“It was my first home game and I wanted the crowd to get the feel for me, to like me or something,” said Hernandez, who hit a go-ahead home run for the Mustangs on Sunday in his first game with the team. “It feels good to get that hit. Real good.”

 

If the 2,713 fans on hand were fans of pitching, they got what they paid for.

 

Helena starter Evan Frederickson, who entered the game third in the Pioneer League in walks allowed, showed no signs of wildness in his six innings. He did walk two, but also struck out 12, and allowed just two fly balls out of the infield. Lintz followed with 2 1/3 hitless innings before Hernandez delivered the game-winner.

 

The Helena duo was trying to throw the Pioneer League’s first no-hitter since 2008, when Missoula’s Miles Reagan, Jesse Orosco and Bryan Shaw combined to beat Helena 1-0 on June 30 of that year.

 

“I’m happy with the way I threw, I just wish we could’ve won,” said Frederickson, who was a supplemental first-round pick (35th overall) in 2008 for the Milwaukee Brewers. “I guess they were due for a hit ... no-hitters are pretty rare. It just sucks it had to be a broken-bat little loop like that, they got a little lucky at the end.”

 

A trio of Mustangs pitchers was just as effective. Starter Daniel Corcino had his best outing of the season, giving up two hits and two walks in six innings. He also struck out eight. Pat Doyle threw a scoreless seventh, and Josh Smith (1-2) struck out three in two scoreless innings to pick up the win.

 

“I’ve never really seen anything like that, one hit and win, you know,” Smith said. “But it’s definitely a lot better feeling to come into a close game and pull out a win like that than a blowout or something.”

 

Mustangs manager Delino DeShields could only agree with Smith.

 

“That’s probably a first,” said DeShields, who has 13 big-league seasons as part of his baseball resume. “I’ve seen a few things this year that are, I don’t want to say out of the normal, but there’s been some things I’ve haven’t seen before. But that’s a great win for the kids tonight. They battled. These are the kind of games we’ve got to learn how to win.”

 

NOTES: The game could have had an even stranger story. The Mustangs thought they had a run in the fourth when Billy Hamilton was allowed to score after home plate umpire Gavin Hanson called a balk on Frederickson. But after Helena manager Joe Ayrault argued and Hanson consulted with base umpire Ramon Hernandez, Hamilton was put back on third base. Frederickson then struck out Hernandez to end the inning. Delino DeShields briefly made an attempt to change the umpires’ minds again, but to no avail. Afterward, DeShields said there probably wasn’t a balk, but that he was trying to convince the umpires to stick with their first call. Had the call stood, the Mustangs could have been 1-0 winners without the benefit of any hits. … Mustangs infielder Billy Hamilton had his 12-game hitting streak snapped. He did walk two times, however, and is still 27 for his last 56 at-bats (.482).

[colbyjack]

Always fun when real-time (last night) interest in the thread is high -- there's always a spike when the big league boys are off (as they will be again Thursday night), regardless of the level of success / disappointment in the parent club.

 

And I'm pretty sure tonight's T-Rats game is on TW Sports 32 with Arnett on the mound. Hopefully he doesn't add to the parent club's disappointment http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

[Tedaldtada]

Despite the career-high 12 strikeouts, Frederickson said he was

actually trying less than usual to whiff batters. "I was just trying to

make good pitches and get ahead in the count, not necessarily to strike

everyone out," he said.

 

Just throw strikes bro.

 

“Frederickson, he’s a real good pitcher,” DeShields said. “He’s got a

good cutter, he just didn’t let up on us tonight. I just told the guys

we’ve got to get into the bullpen.”

 

Could be a coach covering for his players, but thanks Delino.

[Mass Haas]

And I'm pretty sure tonight's T-Rats game is on TW Sports 32 with Arnett on the mound.

Yes, here's the schedule so that you can all set your DVR's for tonight (or any of the repeated showings) --

Minor League Baseball: Peoria Chiefs @ Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

Thursday, August 5: 7-10pm LIVE

Friday, August 6: 12-3pm

Saturday, August 7: 12-3pm

Sunday, August 8: 7-10pm

[Mass Haas]

Stars lose wild one against Mudcats

By Aaron Morse, Huntsville Stars

The Huntsville Stars (22-17. 55-54) rallied from seven runs down to force extra innings but fell in 10 frames to the Carolina Mudcats (19-20, 49-59) by a final score of 10-9 Wednesday night.

 

The game started as a pitcher’s duel. Amaury Rivas retired the first 10 batters he faced while Carolina starter Matt Klinker sent down the first nine batters to come to the plate for the Stars.

 

Rivas walked Jake Kahaulelio in the fourth; then ran into some bad luck. Dave Sappelt hit a chopper up the middle that Zelous Wheeler gloved. It looked like the Stars were going to be able to turn two, but Brett Lawrie got in Wheeler’s way, preventing Wheeler from tagging the bag and everyone was safe. Wheeler’s failure to tag the bag was ruled an error. Luis Terrero made the Stars pay with a double down the left field line, driving in Kahaulelio and moving Sappelt around to third (audio). A ground-out scored Sappelt to make it 2-0 Mudcats (audio). Eric Eymann followed with a single up the gut, scoring Terrero, but Eymann was cut down at second base to end the inning by Anderson De La Rosa as he attempted to advance on the throw to the plate (audio).

 

Huntsville struck back against Klinker in the bottom of the frame as Lee Haydel led-off with a single and Lawrie doubled him home (audio).

 

Rivas appeared to be on his way to an easy fifth inning as he retired the first two batters. Klinker was somehow able to loop a single in to shallow right and Kris Negron ripped a triple down the line to make the score 4-1 Carolina (audio).

 

The sixth inning is when the game got crazy. Carolina loaded the bases against Rivas with nobody out. Eymann cleared the bases with a triple and just like that it was 7-1 (audio). That was it for Rivas as Mike Guerrero brought in Nick Green. An error by Chris Nowak on a sharply hit grounder to the right side scored Eymann and it was 8-1 Mudcats (audio). Green got out of the rest of the inning with no further damage.

 

Rivas went 5+ innings, giving up eight runs, four of them earned, on seven hits. He walked two and struck-out eight.

 

The seven-run deficit seemed insurmountable considering Huntsville was facing the man with the best ERA in the Southern League. Yet they wasted no time rallying in the bottom half of the frame. Pinch hitter Patrick Arlis singled to left and Haydel drew a walk. Lawrie ripped his second double of the night, driving in Arlis and moving Haydel to third (audio). A single to center off the bat of Zelous Wheeler scored Haydel and moved Lawrie to third base (audio). Drew Anderson drew a walk and Klinker was removed from the ballgame.

 

New pitcher Ruben Medina immediately surrendered a RBI single to Nowak and the Stars pulled to within four (audio). With the bases still loaded, Taylor Green unleashed a grand slam home run to tie the game at eight (audio).

 

No one would score again until the 10th inning. The Stars did have their fair share of chances though. They got the lead-off man on in the eighth and ninth but failed to score.

 

Carolina got to reliever Jim Henderson (4-4) in the 10th. With one away, the pesky Sappelt singled to center. Henderson struck-out Luis Terrero but on strike three Sappelt was able to steal second base. The right-hander was one strike away from getting out of the inning unscathed. Brandon Yarbrough wouldn’t let him though as he singled to center, driving in Sappelt to make the score 9-8 Carolina. Yarbrough advanced to second on the throw home (audio). Eymann drew a walk and Jose Castro picked a perfect time to get his first hit of the night as he singled to center to drive in Yarbrough for a very important insurance run (audio). Chris Cody entered and got the Stars out of the inning with no further damage.

 

Huntsville refused to go down quietly though against Carolina closer Federico Baez. Haydel started the rally with a single to center. One out later Wheeler blooped a singled down the line, advancing Haydel to third. Anderson drew his third walk of the contest, loading the bases for Nowak. The big slugger smacked a sacrifice fly to draw the Stars to within one (audio).

 

Green, who already had a grand slam on the night, just missed an extra base hit as he still drove the ball a long ways towards right-center field despite breaking his bat. Unfortunately, Terrero was able to chase it down and the Stars fell one run short.

 

The loss breaks Huntsville’s five game winning streak and moves them one game back of the Tennessee Smokies in the north division.

 

They look to clinch the series against Carolina Thursday night as they send Andre Lamontagne (3-0, 2.76 ERA) to the mound. First pitch is at 7:00 PM central time on the Huntsville Stars Radio Network.