Link Report for Thurs. 8/19

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:
Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

Nashville: LHP Sam Narron and RHP Josh Butler in a doubleheader at home vs. Colorado Springs (Rockies), 5:50 PM pre-game; 6:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings
Live Audio Link

Huntsville: TBD (likely RHP Mark Rogers) at Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime
Live Audio Link

Brevard County: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at Lakeland (Tigers), 6:00 gametime
Sorry, no audio for this game...

Wisconsin: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. Beloit (Twins), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime
Live Audio Link

Helena: RHP Tyler Cravy at home vs. Casper (Rockies), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime
Live Audio Link

Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at the Angels' complex in Tempe; 9:00 PM; never audio for games in this league

DSL Brewers: at home vs. the DSL Mariners, 9:30 AM

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday'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 Game One (Gameday also available)

 

Nashville Game Two (Gameday also available)

 

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Helena

 

Arizona Rookie (Maryvale)

 

DSL Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Time Warner Cable Sports 32 for the locals -- set your DVR's

 

Minor League Baseball: Beloit Snappers @ Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Thursday, August 19: 7-10pm LIVE

 

Repeated broadcasts --

Friday, August 20: 9am-12pm

Saturday, August 21: 12-3pm

Sunday, August 22: 7-10pm

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Iowa	70	54	.565	-	-	35-29	35-25	4-6	L2
	Omaha	69	56	.552	1.5	19	32-27	37-29	8-2	W1
	Memphis	68	57	.544	2.5	18	38-25	30-32	6-4	W1
	Nashville	64	59	.520	5.5	16	33-29	31-30	5-5	W2

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
*	Tennessee	33	19	.635	-	-	19-8	14-11	7-3	L2
	Huntsville	28	24	.538	5.0	14	17-11	11-13	4-6	W2
	West Tenn	24	28	.462	9.0	10	11-10	13-18	5-5	L2
	Chattanooga	23	28	.451	9.5	10	12-15	11-13	6-4	W2
	Carolina	23	29	.442	10.0	9	10-14	13-15	3-7	L1

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tampa	32	18	.640	-	-	17-8	15-10	5-5	L1
	Daytona	32	20	.615	1.0	18	18-8	14-12	5-5	W1
	Brevard County	30	23	.566	3.5	16	16-11	14-12	4-6	L2
	Lakeland	26	25	.510	6.5	14	14-9	12-16	7-3	W2
	Clearwater	23	30	.434	10.5	9	15-12	8-18	5-5	W1
*	Dunedin	22	31	.415	11.5	8	11-14	11-17	4-6	L1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Quad Cities	32	18	.640	-	-	11-13	21-5	8-2	W5
*	Cedar Rapids	29	21	.580	3.0	-	15-10	14-11	6-4	W2
	Clinton	27	23	.540	5.0	19	14-11	13-12	5-5	L1
	Kane County	27	23	.540	5.0	18	16-9	11-14	4-6	L6
	Beloit	25	23	.521	6.0	16	14-11	11-12	5-5	W1
	Peoria	24	24	.500	7.0	17	12-12	12-12	5-5	W4
	Wisconsin	24	27	.471	8.5	15	14-12	10-15	6-4	L2
	Burlington	16	33	.327	15.5	7	11-13	5-20	1-9	L5

PIO North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Helena	8	8	.500	-	-	4-4	4-4	5-5	L2
*	Great Falls	8	9	.471	0.5	22	5-3	3-6	4-6	L3
	Missoula	8	9	.471	0.5	22	4-5	4-4	6-4	W1
	Billings	7	9	.438	1.0	22	4-4	3-5	4-6	L2

AZL Central
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	AZL Brewers	29	16	.644	-	-	9-9	11-7	6-4	W2
	AZL Dodgers	25	20	.556	4.0	7	10-8	10-6	8-2	W1
	AZL Reds	25	22	.532	5.0	5	9-7	11-8	7-3	W3
	AZL Indians	19	28	.404	11.0	E	7-12	9-8	0-10	L10

DSL S.D. North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	DSL Mariners	41	26	.612	-	-	23-11	18-15	5-4	W3
	DSL Cardinals	37	30	.552	4.0	2	24-10	13-20	5-5	W1
	DSL Athletics	30	38	.441	11.5	E	16-18	14-20	6-4	L2
	DSL Brewers	27	41	.397	14.5	E	16-17	11-24	3-7	L1

[Mass Haas]

PDF document:

 

Nashville Media Notes

[uwisfan]

looks like I get to see Burgos tonight.. will do a better job with the gun readings now that I know how the scoreboard works.

[Mass Haas]

PDF document:

 

Huntsville Media Notes

Confirmation that Mark Rogers tosses tonight...

[Mass Haas]

Scooter leads off tonight for the Rattlers -- the lineup, notes, etc. can all be found within the latest posts on the Radio Blog.

[battlekow]

Final (game one): Colorado Springs 6, @Nashville 1 (7 innings)

Sox power past Sounds in twinbill opener

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Colorado Springs left fielder Cole Garner belted a pair of home runs to power the visiting Sky Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Nashville Sounds in the opener of a doubleheader on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Six of the eight Colorado Springs hits went for extra bases, including three home runs.

 

The Sky Sox grabbed an early lead in the opener, plating a first-inning run against Sounds starter Sam Narron when Jay Payton and Matt Miller posted back-to-back two-out doubles off the outfield wall.

 

Third baseman Mat Gamel continued his torrid August in the bottom of the opening frame, tying the contest at 1-1 with a two-out solo homer to right off Colorado Springs starter Kurt Birkins. The blast, which came on a 2-1 offering, was his 11th of the year.

 

Colorado Springs jumped back in front in the third on the strength of back-to-back homers against Narron. Garner put the visitors back on top with a mammoth one-out solo homer to left-center that careened off the guitar-shaped scoreboard. Payton followed with a big fly to right-center off the top of the clubhouse building. The roundtrippers were their 11th and fourth of the year, respectively.

 

Garner upped the Sky Sox advantage to 5-1 in the fourth with his second home run of the opener, a two-run bomb off the scoreboard in left-center. Kaz Matsui, who preceded Garner by drawing a two-out walk from Narron, also scored on the outfielder's 12th blast of the year.

 

Payton - who finished 3-for-4 missed the cycle by a triple - tacked on the final Colorado Springs run of the opener in the seventh with a one-out RBI single to right off Sounds reliever Carlos Villanueva, who allowed a run for the third straight appearance.

 

Birkins (5-7) picked up the victory for the visitors after holding the Sounds to one run on four hits over his 5 2/3 frames of action. The win snapped a personal three-game skid for the southpaw.

 

Andy Graham recorded the final four outs for the Sky Sox to nail down his first save of the season.

 

Narron (7-7) drew the loss after struggling for his third straight outing. The left-hander surrendered five runs on six hits (five for extra bases) over his six innings of work. Narron has dropped four of his last five starts (1-4, 5.79 ERA, 18er/28.0ip) after winning five straight outings from June 28 to July 3.

 

Nashville box score

Entering today, Gamel was hitting .400/.459/.631 this month. You can listen to his homer here. He did commit his 15th error (fielding). Eric Farris had two hits but was caught stealing. Carlos Gomez was 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

 

Nashville play-by-play

It's a pet peeve of mine when announcers look back at a bad baserunning play immediately preceding a hit that would have scored the runner were he still on base and cluck about it costing the team a run. Brian Anderson would have been all over this one:

 

Nashville Bottom 1st

• Eric Farris singles on a line drive to center fielder Jay Payton.
• Carlos Gomez flies out to center fielder Jay Payton.
• With
  Mat Gamel batting, Eric Farris picked off and caught stealing 2nd base,
  pitcher Kurt Birkins to first baseman Brad Eldred to shortstop Kazuo
  Matsui.
• Mat Gamel homers (11) on a fly ball to right field.
• Brendan Katin flies out to center fielder Jay Payton.

[UeckerPowell]

Rafael Neda is making his debut for the AZL Brewers tonight. He had a RBI single in his first pro at bat.

[battlekow]

Final: Brevard County 5, @Lakeland 2

Brevard County box score

This is exactly what we've come to expect from Kyle Heckathorn (maybe an extra walk): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 11/2 GO/AO. Look at that ground ball rate. Dan Meadows continues to be extremely effective, striking out four in two innings while allowing just a hit. The 'Tees fanned 13 times and only drew one walk, but it was enough today. Erik Komatsu was on three out of four trips with two singles and a HBP, and Matt Cline also had two hits. Shawn Zarraga, Scott Krieger, and Steve Braun all doubled, and Krieger even swiped a bag. All the runs in the game were scored in the first three innings

 

Brevard County play-by-play

Heckathorn had little trouble after a rocky beginning:

 

Lakeland Bottom 1st

• Gustavo Nunez singles on a ground ball to left fielder Brock Kjeldgaard.
• Brent Wyatt strikes out swinging.
• With Jordan Lennerton batting, Gustavo Nunez steals (28) 2nd base.
• Jordan Lennerton hits a ground-rule double (10) on a fly ball to left-center field. Gustavo Nunez scores.
• Francisco Martinez singles on a ground ball to shortstop Juan Sanchez. Jordan Lennerton to 3rd.
• Daniel Fields walks. Francisco Martinez to 2nd.
• Bryan Holaday strikes out swinging.
• Samir Rijo walks. Jordan Lennerton scores. Francisco Martinez to 3rd. Daniel Fields to 2nd.
• Matthew Mansilla pops out to third baseman Matt Cline in foul territory.

[battlekow]

Final: DSL Mariners 9, @DSL Brewers 0

DSL Brewers box score

The teams entered with almost mirror-image records, 41-26 for the Mariners and 27-41 for the Brewers, so the outcome is no surprise. Six of the runs came off Jeffrey Saba. My guy Osmel Perez allowed three runs in four innings but posted nice peripherals, five strikeouts against one walk and four hits. The Ceveceritos managed just two hits and drew three free passes, so the box score is a sea of zeroes.

 

DSL Brewers play-by-play

[uwisfan]

Gennett replaced by Lind early..

Burgos finished 8th.. 80-85 all night with occasional 89 and as low as 69

[And That]

Uwisfan, that sounds very Bushian. Does he compare to Dave?

[battlekow]

Uwisfan, that sounds very Bushian.

That's what TheCrew07 thought post-draft last year as well. Who knows how hard Burgos was really throwing, though, given that those speeds uwisfan quoted were from the stadium gun. Suffice to say, however, he has a below-average fastball.

[battlekow]

Final: @Birmingham 4, Huntsville 3

Huntsville box score

The Barons scored a run in the 8th off Robert Hinton to break a three-all tie and take the game. Mark Rogers started and pitched well enough, though he gave up some hits: 5 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 WP, 6/4 GO/AO, 99 pitches, 61 strikes. He threw a decent amount of strikes, and it's always nice to see a low number in the walks column from him. Taylor Green homered for the second straight night, a two-run shot, Andy Machado tripled, singled, and walked, and Chris Nowak was also on three times with a single and two walks. Brett Lawrie was 1-4, and Caleb Gindl returned to the lineup--again hitting 8th--and drew two free passes.

 

Huntsville play-by-play

The Stars got all their runs in the 2nd:

 

Huntsville Top 2nd

• Drew T. Anderson flies out to center fielder John Shelby III.
• Chris Nowak singles on a line drive to center fielder John Shelby III, deflected by pitcher Matt Long.
• Taylor Green homers (12) on a line drive to right field. Chris Nowak scores.
• Anderson Machado triples (1) on a line drive to right fielder Salvador Sanchez.
• Caleb Gindl walks.
• Coaching visit to mound.
• Dayton
  Buller flies into sacrifice double play, left fielder Jim Gallagher to
  catcher Cole Armstrong to shortstop Eduardo Escobar. Anderson Machado
  scores. Caleb Gindl out at 2nd on the throw.

Buller hit into a more conventional double play in the 6th to kill a rally:

 

Huntsville Top 6th

• Chris Nowak walks.
• Taylor Green strikes out swinging.
• Anderson Machado singles on a ground ball to right fielder Salvador Sanchez. Chris Nowak to 3rd.
• Caleb Gindl walks. Anderson Machado to 2nd.
• Coaching visit to mound.
• Dayton
  Buller grounds into double play, shortstop Eduardo Escobar to first
  baseman Christian Marrero. Caleb Gindl out at 2nd.

[uwisfan]

Hard to say if the stadium gun was fast.. might just people misinterpreting the gun as I've done. The opposing pitcher was sitting about 5 MPH slower the whole game. I don't know how I'd compare his stuff as I don't really follow pitching all that closely. I will say he seemed to mix his speeds considerably.

 

By comparison, Pokorny sat at 86-89 and rarely dipped below that, never hitting above it.

 

Still wondering the story on Gennett..

 

about the game: Gennett, the Davises, and DVo were all making really solid contact. Ke Davis threw a bullet on an extremely shallow fly ball that fell for a base hit. Lind, who replaced Gennett, could probably have made a play on it, but didnt. When the ball fell, the Snappers guy took off from a quarter of the way home and would have been out by a mile with a slightly lower throw.. he kind of looked out in real time, and that was the tying run.

 

Also was kind of disappointing that they only scored 3 runs, considering they had men in scoring position for 8 of the 9 innings.

[battlekow]

Final: @Helena 12, Casper 2

Helena box score

Excellent night for the Helena staff. Tyler Cravy struck out nine and walked none in 5.2 innings, and then, after Ryan Bernal got an out to end the 6th, Tyler Thornburg tossed three perfect innings to end the game, fanning three. In total, that's 12 strikeouts against no walks--phenomenal. Cravy did allow eight hits and two runs, but the H-Crew's bats had an answer for that and plenty more. Mike Walker led the charge with a 4-5 night that included a three-run homer, Brandon Sizemore homered and walked, Greg Hopkins had three hits, and Cody Hawn singled and walked twice. I wonder what happened to Tony Pechek, who hasn't played since the 29th of July. The Helena undrafted catching monster has been down to two heads for the whole month of August!

 

Helena play-by-play

I lied, Thornburg allowed a ROE. The Brewers' biggest inning was the 6th:

 

Helena Bottom 6th

• Carlos George flies out to right fielder Robert De La Cruz.
• Robert Garvey singles on a fly ball to left fielder Corey Dickerson.
• Franklin Romero singles on a fly ball to right fielder Robert De La Cruz. Robert Garvey to 2nd.
• Cody
  Hawn singles on a ground ball to left fielder Corey Dickerson,
  deflected by pitcher Christian Bergman. Robert Garvey scores.
  Franklin Romero to 3rd.
• Pitcher Change: Nelson Gonzalez replaces Christian Bergman.
• Gregory Hopkins singles on a fly ball to center fielder Rafael Ortega. Franklin Romero scores. Cody Hawn to 2nd.
• Brandon Sizemore pops out to catcher Ryan Casteel in foul territory.
• Brent
  Dean singles on a line drive to left fielder Corey Dickerson. Cody
  Hawn scores. Gregory Hopkins to 3rd on the throw.
• Michael Walker homers (5) on a fly ball to right field. Gregory Hopkins scores. Brent Dean scores.
• John Dishon strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Nelson Gonzalez. John Dishon to 1st.
• Carlos George strikes out swinging.

[battlekow]

Final: Beloit 5, @Wisconsin 3

Gem by Burgos is marred in the end

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Hiram Burgos pitched eight outstanding innings for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The right-hander struck out nine and allowed two runs on five hits without a walk. Cameron Garfield had a pair of hits and three RBI to give the Rattlers a 3-2 lead. But, the Beloit Snappers spoiled the party by scoring three times in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Rattlers 5-3 on Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Field. A two-run double by Lance Ray in the ninth broke a 3-3 tie and sent Wisconsin to its third straight loss.

 

James Beresford gave Beloit (63-55 overall, 26-23 second half) a 2-0 lead in the third inning. The Snappers shortstop blooped in a double to left with two outs to give the Snappers their only runs off Burgos. The Rattlers starter gave up three hits in the third inning. He allowed only two the rest of the game. Beloit did not get a runner to second base after the third inning as Burgos waited for the Rattlers offense to get going.

 

Chris Dennis started the Wisconsin half of the fourth inning with a triple. Then, Garfield delivered an RBI single to cut the Beloit lead to 2-1. A walk to D’Vontrey Richardson put runners at first and second with no outs, but a strikeout and a 6-3 double play ended the threat.

 

Wisconsin (50-70, 24-28) kept threatening throughout the game. In each of the first six innings, Wisconsin stranded at least one runner in scoring position.

 

In the seventh, Kentrail Davis started the inning with a single. He went to second on a wild pitch, but was still there with two outs. Dennis drew a walk to bring Garfield to the plate. The catcher got a chance with runners at second and third after another wild pitch moved both runners up a base. Garfield sent a grounder up the first base line that was just fair and both Davis and Dennis scored for a 3-2 Rattlers lead.

 

Burgos went back out for the top of the eighth and worked a 1-2-3 frame. He finished his outing with a flourish by striking out Reggie Williams to end the eighth.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, Wisconsin had a runners at second with one out, but could not cash in the insurance run.

 

Closer Jon Pokorny came on for the top of the ninth inning. He got Beresford to pop out on a bunt attempt for the first out. Then, the Snappers rallied. Aaron Hicks walked. Steven Liddle singled to right to send Hicks around to third with the tying run.

 

Danny Rams sent a high pop to shallow right field. Kentrail Davis charged in from right and made a dive, but the ball dropped just out of his reach. Richardson, who was also charging the high fly ball, picked up the ball and had a chance to get Hicks at the plate, because Hicks went back to third to tag up on the catch. However, Richardson’s through was high and wide and Hicks just beat the tag of Garfield at the plate to tie the game.

 

Ray was next and the left-handed hitter dropped in a 2-2 pitch just inside the left field line for a two-run double and the Snappers were up 5-3.

 

Wisconsin went down in order in the ninth inning. The ninth was the only inning on Thursday in which the Rattlers were set down 1-2-3.

 

The biggest statistical difference in the game on Thursday night was how the respective teams did with runners in scoring position. Beloit went 3-for-6. Wisconsin was 2-for-16.

 

The Rattlers fell further off the playoff pace of Clinton and Kane County. The two teams that are tied for the top two second half playoff spots in the Western Division both won on Thursday night and Wisconsin is now 4.5 games out with 18 games remaining in the regular season.

 

The Rattlers conclude the series with the Snappers on Friday night. Maverick Lasker (7-4, 3.55) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Martire Garcia (1-0, 5.79) will get the start for Beloit. Game time is 7:05pm.

 

Friday night is North Shore Bank Family Night with children 12 and under eating free in conjunction with momslikeme.com. After the game, there is a fireworks display sponsored by 95.9 KISS-FM. After the fireworks, ThedaCare Orthopedics presents Kids Run the Bases for children 14 and under.

 

The first 1,000 fans into Time Warner Cable Field on Thursday night will receive a special baseball featuring a photo of Timber Rattlers mascot Fang from Baycom.

 

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, you can tune into the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm

 

Wisconsin box score

Listening to a whole game called by Bob Brainerd and Jerry Augustine was almost worse than the outcome. Too bad they couldn't get Telly Hughes as the third guy. Rams' pop-up that dropped between Ke. Davis, Richardson, and Connor Lind should have been caught, and to me it looked like Davis's ball all the way, though Augustine said it was Richardson's fault for not directing traffic. As uwisfan mentioned, a good throw still would have gotten Hicks at the plate, but the throw was way high, with Garfield making an amazing play first to just get to the ball and second to come down acrobatically and almost tag Hicks out. Apart from the throw, Richardson had a perfect night, 2-2 with two walks. Garfield also drew a walk, which is always a welcome sight. Hunter Morris, usually a first baseman, rang up an outfield assist.

 

Wisconsin play-by-play

Scooter Gennett's last plate appearance was a strikeout in the third; Lind replaced him to being the 5th. The only thing I can think of is that he was earlier involved in a play at second base where he should have been picked off but ended up going to third on a wild throw; maybe diving back in to the base shook him up somehow.

[battlekow]

Final (game two): @Nashville 8, Colorado Springs 7 (7 innings)

Luis Cruz hits walk-off home run in Sounds 8-7 nightcap win

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Luis Cruz sent the Sounds home happy with a walk-off home run that gave Nashville a 8-7 win over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the doubleheader finale on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium. The Sounds 18th last at-bat win this season gave the two teams a split in the doubleheader after Nashville dropped the first game, 6-1.

 

Cruz went 3-for 4 three RBIs and two runs scored in the second game, while Adam Stern added three hits.

Brendan Katin crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning of the nightcap, a tape-measure shot over the stadium lights in left field. Katin's 18th home run of the year gave the Sounds the early 1-0 lead.

 

Colorado Springs scored two runs in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. Sky Sox second baseman Kaz Matsui drew a two-out walk from Josh Butler and proceeded to steal second base. Centerfielder Chris Frey then looped a lazy single on the left field line for the first run, followed by right fielder Matt Miller painting the right field line to score Frey for the go-ahead run.

 

The Sky Sox added another run in the next frame for a 3-1 advantage, as the inning began with a Ray Olmedo fielding error. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, third baseman Travis Metcalf grounded into a double play that brought home Brad Eldred for the unearned run.

 

Nashville knotted the score at 3-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. After Joe Koshansky singled, Cruz smacked an RBI double to score the first baseman from first, with Cruz advancing to third on a throwing error. In the next at-bat, Johnny Raburn tied the game at three with a sacrifice fly with Cruz coming home and sliding under the tag.

 

The Sounds tacked on four more runs in the next inning to take a 7-3 lead. Stern singled and scored on Olmedo's fifth triple of the season. Mat Gamel then followed with a lazy fly ball single over the shortstop in shallow left center that scored Olmedo for the club's second run. Left-hander Scott Rice came into the game to relieve starter Alan Johnson and allowed an RBI single by Cruz, and then surrendered a five-pitch base loaded walk to Raburn to plate the final run of the inning.

 

The Sky Sox scored a run on right-handed reliever Donovan Hand to cut the Sounds' lead to three runs. Miller singled to begin the inning, advanced to third on a Chris Nelson base hit, and scored on a Hand wild pitch.

 

Colorado Springs plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie game, as Sounds reliever Brandon Kintzler blew his fourth Triple-A save in seven chances this year. Cole Garner hit a leadoff double and scored the first run on a one-out RBI single by Miller. Brad Eldred followed with a double over the head of center fielder Carlos Gomez, with Nelson grounding into the shortstop to bring home the tying run from third.

 

Butler threw five innings in his fifth start for Nashville this season, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. It was the third time in five Triple-A starts that Butler gave up just two runs.

 

Hand allowed one unearned run on two hits in one inning thrown. Kintzler (3-0) backed into the win after snapping an eight-game scoreless outing streak. The right-hander gave up three runs on three hits in the top of the seventh inning.

 

Colorado Springs starter Alan Johnson took the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched. Edgmer Escalona (2-5) took the loss after giving up the home run to Cruz.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Friday evening. Right-hander Tim Dillard (3-6, 5.04) will man the bump for the Sounds to face off against Colorado Springs left-hander Josh Muecke (5-6, 5.33)

 

Nashville box score

Cruz's bat has been a modest surprise this year for the Sounds. Who knows, maybe it will keep him from getting DFA'd in the winter. Butler walked two and posted a 5/6 GO/AO, throwing 50 of his 78 pitches for strikes. Gomez went 0-2 after entering the game in the 5th as a pinch hitter.

 

Nashville play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: AZL Brewers 6, @AZL Angels 5

AZL Brewers box score

The Baby Brewers got three in the 9th to pull this one out, and I'm guessing some of the Angels' four errors had something to do with it. Kenny Allison was 2-4 with his second homer, 10th-round catcher Rafael Neda went 1-3 in his pro debut, and Tyler Roberts went 1-1 after coming on for Neda late. Okay,

AZL Brewers play-by-play

Wow! Check out how the Brewers got their 9th-inning runs:

 

AZL Brewers Top 9th

• Thomas Mittelstaedt grounds out, second baseman Taylor Lindsey to first baseman Jerod Yakubik.
• Tyler Roberts singles on a line drive to left fielder Ryan Bolden.
• Steve Felix flies out to right fielder Gary Mitchell.
• Yadiel Rivera singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ryan Bolden. Tyler Roberts to 2nd.
• Kyle Dhanani reaches on fielding error by third baseman Michael Bolaski. Tyler Roberts to 3rd. Yadiel Rivera to 2nd.
• John
  Bivens reaches on fielding error by center fielder Chevez Clarke.
  Tyler Roberts scores. Yadiel Rivera scores. Kyle Dhanani scores.
  John Bivens to 3rd.
• Nick Shaw grounds out, first baseman Jerod Yakubik to pitcher Chad Yinger.

Clarke was the 30th overall pick by the Angels this year. I hope he makes it to the big leagues so I can point out this game years down the line.

[homer]

Thornburg's K/9 is like 16.96

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Manatees Hand Wilk Rare Loss

By DAVID YATES, LAKELAND LEDGER CORRESPONDENT

 

LAKELAND | Lakeland ace Adam Wilk lost for the first time in nearly two months as Brevard County defeated the Flying Tigers, 5-2, in Florida State League baseball at Marchant Stadium on Thursday night.

 

The Manatees collected seven hits and scored five times on Wilk (9-5) in the first three innings, although four of the runs were unearned. The 22-year-old California southpaw had not been defeated since the Daytona Cubs turned the trick with a 2-1 seven-inning win over Lakeland on June 22.

 

Matt Cline led off the game with a single, Juan Sanchez reached on an error, Erik Komatsu singled in Cline and Sean Halton brought Komatsu home with a sacrifice fly.

 

The Flying Tigers came right back to tie the game in the home half of the first. Gustavo Nunez and Francisco Martinez singled around a Jordan Lennerton double. The hit extended Lennerton's hitting streak to 10 games, during which he is batting .429 (15-for-35).

 

The Manatees went back ahead with a run in the second when Scott Krieger doubled and Cline singled him home.

 

The visitors from the East Coast scored their last two runs in the third inning on Shawn Zarraga's two-out, two-run double. The inning had been prolonged by Lakeland's second error so both of those runs were also unearned.

 

The game featured outstanding relief pitching on both sides. Matt Little, who was making his Lakeland debut, and Shawn Teufel combined for seven strikeouts over four scoreless innings out of the Lakeland bullpen. Daniel Meadows and Corey Frerichs were just as effective for Brevard County, fanning five over the last three innings of the game.

 

Still winners of eight of their past 12 games, the Flying Tigers (26-26) will close out their season series against the Manatees (31-23) tonight at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) in Viera. FSL pitcher of the week for August 9-15, Jon Kibler (4-4, 3.44) is expected to start for Lakeland.

 

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Friday night's game will be the second this week with audio provided by Stephen C. Smith of SpaceCoastBaseball.com.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers split series

By Brett Billings/Helena Brewers

 

The Helena Brewers unloaded for 12 runs on 14 hits en route to a ten-run victory over the Casper Ghosts. The win gives the Brewers the series split and keeps them atop first place in the Pioneer League North.

 

The bulk of the Brewers' runs came in innings three and six, when they scored four and six respectively. Greg Hopkins had an RBI single in the third. A batter later, Brandon Sizemore hit a three-run homer over the left field fence to give the Brewers a 5-1 advantage at the time. It was his second of the series and fourth of the year.

 

The Brewers entered the sixth up 5-2. That wasn't comfortable enough for Mike Walker as he belted a three-run moon shot over the "helenet" in right field. Cody Hawn, Hopkins, and Brent Dean each had RBI singles earlier in the inning.

 

Tyler Cravy (5-5, 6.79) earned the win tonight. He tossed 5.2 innings and allowed two runs. He struck out a season-high nine Ghosts and didn't surrender a walk.

 

Ryan Bernal relieved Cravy in the sixth inning. He only threw one pitch, but it was effective, as he stranded a runner at second with a soft ground out.

 

Tyler Thornburg threw the final three frames to earn his first professional save. He struck out three and didn't walk anybody.

 

The Brewers stay at home tomorrow night to face Idaho Falls for the first game of a three-game series. RHP Greg Billo is scheduled to start for the Chukars. RHP Jose Oviedo will start for Helena. First pitch will be at 7:05 (8:05 Central).