Link Report for Sun. 7/8 -- Can Rogers and Odorizzi Shine Again?

[homer]

Daniel Meadows has now pitched at least 23 consecutive innings for Brevard without giving up an earned run.

 

Not sure how long the streak actually is since MiLB.com only shows the last ten games played.

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: Brevard County 4, @Dunedin (Blue Jays) 0, seven innings as scheduled

 

Brevard County Game Two Box Score

Throwing on only two days' rest after tossing 3.1 impressive innings last Thursday, RHP Trey Watten came up big with five near-perfect innings, facing only one batter over the minimum -- one hit, one walk, one GIDP; RHP Mark Willinsky completed the shutout with a two-inning save; the 'Tees played flawless defense and banged out 12 hits, so a heck of an effort all around...

 

Sergio Miranda, playing third base here, doubled and singled thrice. That's 4-for-4 for those not a fan of "thrice"-- he still doesn't walk or hit for power, but the .289 average and 117 hits thus far are two raw numbers Miranda can feel good about; Angel Salome was 2-for-4, again as the DH -- perhaps you heard Charlie Greene refer to the notion he could return to catching again in our archived audio thread; C Shawn Zarraga, still only 21 years old, singled twice and is up to .292 (.766 OPS); 2B Steve Braun singled and walked, it only took 79 AB's (.127 average), but the 25-year-old Braun drove in his first run of the season with a bases-loaded walk -- we wish you well, Steve, but thanks for allowing Ryan to have the vast majority of baseball DNA in the family...

 

Brevard County Game Two Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Daniel Meadows has now pitched at least 23 consecutive innings for Brevard without giving up an earned run.

 

Not sure how long the streak actually is since MiLB.com only shows the last ten games played.

You have to go back to a two-run HR he allowed on June 27th -- 25.1 innings, I believe, covering 12 outings.

 

It may be hard to believe sometimes, but Brewer brass will always say as long as you have a uniform on, you will get their full coaching attention. 49th round picks, take note. Meadows has...

 

 

[Mass Haas]

OK, it's 9:25 PM Central Time, the Sounds are just underway and need our love --listen to Stu here while enjoying your normal browsing routine tonight.

Good mojo so far, a four-run 1st for the Sounds...

[Mass Haas]

Final; Nashville 10, @Las Vegas (Blue Jays) 5

 

Sounds Beat 51s, 10-5, End Four-Game Losing Streak

Norris Hopper And Ray Olmedo Each Record Four Hits

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Nashville Sounds snapped a four-game losing streak by topping the Las Vegas 51s, 10-5, on Sunday night at Cashman Field in the opener of a four-game set.

 

Nashville (60-55) banged out 16 hits in the victory, while Norris Hopper and Ray Olmedo each recorded four hits apiece. The Sounds also walked eight times in the game after only posting six walks through the club's first seven games this month.

 

The Sounds took an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Nashville loaded the bases with one out by a Hopper single and walks by Mat Gamel and Brendan Katin. Erick Almonte and Olmedo each followed with two-run singles to center field to plate the four runs in the inning (Almonte's single available on audio via the link above).

 

Nashville tacked on three more runs in the top of fourth. After Katin doubled and Almonte walked, Luis Cruz belted the first pitch he saw from Luis Perez over the outfield wall in right center. The three-run shot was Cruz's seventh of the season and his first since June 22nd at Memphis.

 

Las Vegas scored five unanswered runs in the next two innings to come within two runs at 7-5. Doubles from Jason Lane and Aaron Mathews scored the first two runs, while Mike Jacobs brought the 51s within three at 7-4 in the next inning with a two-run single to right field. Brad Emaus then doubled home the final run.

 

The Sounds added a three insurance runs in the sixth and ninth innings to go up 10-5. All three runs were recorded from sacrifice flies from Johnny Raburn, Martin Maldonado, and Eric Farris.

 

Josh Butler (3-1) earned the win, giving up five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in five innings pitched. Mike McClendon added four scoreless innings while fanning one, his longest relief outing of the season.

 

Perez (4-4) was roughed up for seven runs on 11 hits in four innings pitched in the loss for Las Vegas.

 

The Sounds and 51s will continue their four-game series at 9:05 pm CT on Monday evening at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Right-hander Tim Dillard (2-5, 4.97) makes a spot start against 51s right-hander Lance Broadway (2-10, 7.71).

 

Nashville Box Score

Mat Gamel got a defensive break as the designated hitter; Mike McClendon needed only 32 pitches, 23 of them strikes, to toss the final four innings: no runs, three hits, no walks, one K.-- look smart in front of your friends and start tossing the 25-year-old 6'5" RHP's name out there now in your bar conversations about next spring...

 

Nashville Game Log

Zach Jackson, not impressing in 2010....

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Smokies' offense gives Huntsville trouble again

Stars pitchers give up nine hits, nine walks, two wild pitches

BY ADAM GREENE, sports@knoxnews.com

 

SEVIERVILLE - Another day, another disaster for the Huntsville Stars' pitching staff at Smokies Park. Four Stars pitchers teamed up to give up nine hits, walk nine batters and send two wild pitches into the backstop to lose 13-3 to the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday night.

 

The Smokies (27-16) stretched their lead in the second half Southern League North standings to three games over Huntsville (24-19). Tennessee has scored 22 runs on the Stars in two games.

 

Right-hander Mark Rogers (5-8) was the Smokies' first victim of the day. Sitting on a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Rogers walked four consecutive batters to give Tennessee its first run. A passed ball by Huntsville catcher Dayton Buller tied the game 2-2. Smokies left fielder Brandon Guyer cleared the bases with a three-run homer.

 

"You've got to look at the hitters we've got going up there," Smokies manager Bill Dancy said. "They were patient, they worked the strike zone and then Guyer comes up and he (Rogers) gives him a ball in the middle of the plate. That's going to cause some problems."

 

Rogers went two more innings and the Smokies built a 7-2 lead. Rogers gave up a line-drive home run to Tennessee right fielder Brett Jackson in the second. A Nate Sampson sacrifice fly scored Steve Clevenger in the third. In the fourth inning, Rogers was pulled after giving up six earned runs and four walks on only two hits, both home runs, with two strikeouts.

 

Smokies starter Chris Rusin (1-1) was having a completely different experience. In his second start for Tennessee, Rusin gave up eight hits over six innings, but mostly kept the Stars in check after a rough first inning. Rusin had four strikeouts and no walks.

 

"He (Rusin) came out after we scored the five runs and got the outs," Dancy said. "That kept the momentum going."

 

The Smokies relievers held Huntsville to two hits and one run the rest of the way.

 

The Stars' bullpen was not quite so lucky. Already down 7-3, Huntsville's Robert Hinton gave up six runs - including a 351-foot home run from Tony Thomas that landed in the left-field picnic area. Hinton also helped keep Blake Lalli's 12-game hitting streak alive. Lalli was 0-for-3 before the eighth inning, but an RBI double kept the streak going. Lalli has been the Stars' destroyer this season, hitting three home runs.

 

"I was just trying to get a couple of extra runs at the end," Lalli said. "Sometimes you can have better series against some teams. They (Huntsville) have a lot of pitchers back from last year so it's kind of about knowing who you're facing."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers can’t rally in Great Falls

Helena Independent Record

 

GREAT FALLS — The Helena Brewers scored four runs in the seventh inning but never completed the rally Sunday as they dropped their second straight to the Great Falls Voyagers 9-5.

 

Brandon Sizemore hit a two-run homer after Greg Hopkins reached on a fielding error, scoring Shea Vucinich as the Brewers (4-5) began their attempt at a comeback in the top of the seventh.

 

Franklin Romero, Jr. followed with a triple, but Robbie Garvey popped out to end the inning.

 

The Brewers trailed 5-0 heading into the inning as Stephen McCray went six hitless innings with six strikeouts before giving up the mound to Nelson Curry.

 

Curry lasted just one inning, giving up all three of the Brewers’ hits.

 

Great Falls (6-3) built its lead thanks to a two-run homer by Rafael Vera in the third to make it 4-0 before Earley scored what would be the game-winner on a sacrifice fly by Ross Wilson.

 

Earley hit a two-run blast in the eighth to give the Voyagers breathing room.

 

McCray (3-2) picked up the win while Jacob Wilson picked up his third save of the season, striking out three in the final two innings.

 

Helena’s Jose Oviedo (0-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up four earned runs on five hits while walking two.

 

The Brewers return home to face Billings (4-5) in a meeting between the two second-place teams of the Pioneer League North Division. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Great Falls Voyagers second baseman Ross Wilson, right, looks to the umpire for a close call at home during third-inning action against the Helena Brewers at Centene Stadium, Sunday. Wilson was tagged out on the play by Helena catcher Gerard Ogrinc. (Great Falls Tribune Photo / Daniel West)

 

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[Mass Haas]

D-Jays lose doubleheader against Manatees

By Tim Livingston / Dunedin Blue Jays

Considering how well Dunedin had played at home this season, an eight game homestand seemed like a good time for the D-Jays to prepare themselves for the stretch run of the season and get ready for the playoffs.

 

Unfortunately, the homestand has been more nightmarish than perhaps even Dunedin had envisioned.

 

Starting off a four-game series over three days with the Brevard County Manatees, the D-Jays could not come all the way back in game one of the doubleheader before the bats went dormant in the night cap, losing the first game 4-3 in nine innings before being shutout, 4-0.

 

Dunedin (59-55, 18-26 2nd half) scored 11 runs in their lone win of this homestand so far, and since then, the offense has been hit or miss. In the five losses, they have scored a total of 12 runs, and their pitching staff has given up 24.

 

Game one saw Brevard County (54-59, 27-17 2nd half) and Dunedin go scoreless for two innings before rain quickly fell at Dunedin Stadium, saturating the infield to the point where there was a rain delay that lasted just shy of two hours.

 

When the game finally started up again, it took a while for the bats to wake up. Brevard County finally pushed a run across on an RBI groundout in the fourth to make it 1-0.

 

With both games scheduled for only seven innings, Dunedin was down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh before Brian Van Kirk stepped to the plate against Manatees closer Corey Frerichs (8-3) and delivered a game tying solo homer to left to send the game to extra innings.

 

A scoreless eighth brought a very interesting ninth inning, as Brevard County got the first two runners aboard for Sergio Miranda. Miranda, being an excellent bunter, brought the Dunedin defense in a bit in preparation for a sacrifice, but Miranda brought the bat back after squaring around, smashing a double over the head of center fielder Anthony Gose to bring in both runners and give the Manatees a 3-1 lead.

 

Sean Halton then followed with a single to left field to plate Miranda and make it a 4-1 ballgame, putting the Manatees in good position going into the bottom of the ninth.

 

But the D-Jays kept coming, even after the first two batters of the inning went down on strikeouts. Yan Gomes doubled to left-center field and then after Van Kirk walked, Justin McClanahan was hit by a pitch to load the bases and put the tying run aboard.

 

Frerichs was replaced by Buddy Flores, who promptly gave up a two-run single to Welinton Ramirez, making it a 4-3 game and putting McClanahan in scoring position to perhaps tie the game again. But Flores got Brad McElroy swinging to end the game and give the Manatees the win.

 

With starter Scott Richmond unable to come back to the mound after the rain delay and the Dunedin bullpen running short on available arms, Frank Gailey came in and pitched very well during his longest outing of his professional career, going six innings and allowing only two hits and one run while striking out three.

 

Dumas Garcia (3-4) took the D-Jays loss, giving up the three runs in only one inning.

 

In game two, the Dunedin offense was stifled by Manatees swingman Trey Watten (3-8), who struck out seven in five innings while allowing only one hit and one walk.

 

While Watten did his magic on the mound, the Manatees offense did enough to make things easy for Watten and Mark Willinsky. Shawn Zarraga singled home Brock Kjeldgaard for Brevard County's first run in the second.

 

In the sixth, the Manatees got runners on second and third with nobody out and got an RBI single from Angel Salome to make it 2-0. A bases-loaded walk brought in a third run for the Manatees, and then an Erik Komatsu RBI single closed the scoring.

 

Already scrambling to find pitching for the doubleheader, Dunedin sent Chad Beck to the hill in place of the ailing Ryan Page, who was placed on the disabled list before Sunday's games with kidney stones. Beck was originally scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, but had to be pushed up, leaving Dunedin with a tough decision as to what they need to do for the series finale.

 

Also earlier in the day, Boomer Potts was promoted once again to Double-A New Hampshire, allowing Dan DeLucia to come off the disabled list, but Page's injury forced Bobby Bell to come over to Dunedin for an emergency relief appearance. Bell had been rehabbing with the Gulf Coast League on a rehab assignment with New Hampshire.

 

At the end of the night, Dunedin has guaranteed itself a losing homestand, as they have now lost five in a row and are now 4-9 against the Manatees this year.

 

The D-Jays will hope to turn things around on Monday night in game three of their series with the Manatees, as they send Chuck Huggins to make the first pitch at 7:00 Pm (6:00 Central).

 

Notes: Kyle Heckathorn got the start for the Manatees in the opener, going the two innings before the rains came. He and Dunedin starter Chad Jenkins were teammates at Kennessaw State University, and both players were selected in the 2009 draft, with Jenkins being a first round choice of Toronto's and Heckathorn being a second round pick by Milwaukee.

[And That]

Trey Watten has a 6.25 (!!) GO/AO ratio over his last 10 appearances, 24.2 IP. His GB% for the year is now over 60%, and he continues to get better year over year in just about all areas except for K/9 (which is concerning, though not as concerning as it would be for a non-GB machine). Just sayin'.