Link Report for Games of Thursday 4/7 -- Play Ball!

[jjfanec]

Nice to see Wooten back in the box score. 1 IP 0 H 0 BB 3K. That is a nice inning!

[tstads20]

Komatsu wasn't listed on the injury report, was he? It's nice to see Morris and Kentrail off to a good start in Brevard though.

[Tedaldtada]

Wooten with 1 IP and 3 K's for the 'tees. Welcome back Woot!

Edit: Fiers notches a save?

[ListachRides]

Every starter with a great start! Awesome. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I'll second this. Tonight's pitching performances were a terrific way to kick off the minor league season. Pretty much the opposite of the big league club's opening day.

[hsvstarsfan]

Five Huntsville pitchers combine to allow just three hits, the fewest in the Stars' Brewer era. Matt Ford and three relievers allowed just four hits in the 2004 opener vs. Montgomery.

It's the fewest hits given up by the Stars in an opener since 1989 when Will Schock, Steve Maye, and Joe Klink, carried a no-hitter into the 9th. They beat Greenville, 3-1 with a one-hitter, April 7. Sean Halton and Taylor Green drive in 2 apiece and collect 5 of the Stars' 7 hits.

[Mass Haas]

Did anyone try the Nashville audio tonight (and get it to work?)

 

It's 9:15, time to try and listen for a couple of minutes as the game just wrapped up. Let us know.

[DHonks]

wow, great starting pitching at all levels. Great wins for 3 farm clubs. And, as others have said, we have a Wooten sighting with 1.2 IP and 4 ks...I missed him last year!

 

Good to see the left-handed sticks have good nights in Gamel and Green.

[brewmann04]

nice to see the starters tonight all with excellent performances . I also like that Gamel and Morris has good nights at the plate.

[battlekow]

Final: @Wisconsin 9, Kane County 3

Rattlers are a hit in 2011 opener

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cracked out 14 hits and rode a strong starting performance by Austin Ross for a 9-3 win over the Kane County Cougars at Time Warner Cable Field on Thursday night. Nick Shaw had three hits, including his first professional home run, scored three runs, and drove in a pair to pace the Wisconsin offense. Ross struck out six and allowed two hits over six innings for the victory.

Ross retired the first two batters in the top of the first inning. Then, Brett Eibner homered to left in his first professional at bat. The second round pick of the Kansas City Royals out of the University of Arkansas put Kane County (0-1) in front 1-0. But, it was Ross, a product of Louisiana State University and a Southeastern Conference rival, who had the last laugh.

The Rattler bats warmed up in a hurry. Shaw drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first after falling behind Kane County starter Leonel Santiago 0-2. Reggie Keen doubled down the left field line and a bobble in left field let Shaw score and Keen to take third. Cody Hawn’s RBI grounder send Keen home with the go ahead run. Later in the inning, Robbie Garvey doubled high off the wall in left to drive in Jason Rogers to give Wisconsin a 3-1 lead.

Ross took to the hill in the top of the second and proceeded to throw strike after strike. He retired the side in order in the second and third. He pitched around an error in the top of the fourth and got a 6-4-3 double play after a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning.

Wisconsin (1-0) added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shaw lifted a high fly down the right field line and the ball cleared the fence for Shaw’s first home run as a professional. Jason Rogers knocked in a run with a groundout and Mike Walker doubled off the wall in center to score the third run of the frame to put the Rattlers up 6-1.

Ross concluded his night with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning. His line in his Midwest League debut was six innings pitched, one run, two hits, no walks, and six strikeouts.

The offense rewarded the performance of their starting pitcher with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The third Kane County error of the night allowed Carlos George to score all the way from first after a bunt single by Franklin Romero. Shaw drove in Romero with a single and would score on another RBI grounder by Rogers.

Kane County took advantage of Tyler Cravy in the top of the seventh inning. Cravy walked the leadoff batter and allowed four hits in the inning. Back-to-back RBI singles by Angel Franco and Ryan Jenkins with the bases loaded cut Wisconsin’s lead to 9-3. Cravy got out of the inning with a flyball to shallow right and a diving stop by George. The Rattlers shortstop stopped a grounder ticketed for center and turned it into an inning ending force out at second.

Greg Holle pitched a scoreless eighth and a scoreless ninth to close out the game.

Wisconsin and Kane County continue the four game series on Friday night. Matt Miller is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Sugar Ray Marimon is set to go for the Cougars. Game time is 6:35pm.

Friday night is a North Shore Bank Family Night. Children 12 and under eat free with a paid admission. Children 14 and under get to run the bases after the game.

If you can’t make it to the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or www.timberrattlers.com starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm.

Wisconsin box score

From Baseball America's Prospect Handbook: "Because he pounds the strike zone with mostly consistent location, Ross should make quick work of Class A in 2011..." So far, so good, as Ross carried over his excellent 52/6 K/BB from Helena. His GO/AO was an even 5/5. Wisconsin's outfield isn't exactly well-pedigreed, but each of Keen, Garvey, and Romero reached base three times; Keen and Romero had three hits, while Garvey singled and walked twice. As speculated, TJ Mittelstaedt does appear to be the fourth outfielder, subbing for Garvey in left in the 9th. Tyler Roberts had a rough full-season debut, going 0-5, including grounding into two double plays, while also committing a throwing error. Hawn had a single in five trips.

Wisconsin play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: @Nashville 5, New Orleans 1

Sounds Win 5-1 On Opening Night

Nashville Sounds

Nashville, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds opened the 2011 season with a 5-1 win over the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium in front of 7,144 people on Opening Night.

Newcomers Brandon Boggs and Edwin Maysonet each homered in their Sounds debuts, while starter Amaury Rivas (1-0) picked up the win while tossing a quality start in his first Triple-A outing, a speedy 77-pitch effort.

After allowing a leadoff double to Zephyrs prospect Ozzie Martinez, Rivas settled down to retire the next 14 consecutive batters, surrendering just three total hits over his seven innings pitched on Opening Night.

The Sounds banged out a total of 13 hits on the night, with five players each producing multiple-hit efforts. Eris Farris went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored, while Mat Gamel and Zelous Wheeler each recorded two hits.

After the Zephyrs scored in the top of the first, the Sounds squared up the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Farris singled up the middle to centerfield, stole second base, and was brought home after Gamel laced a two-out RBI-single to right field.

Nashville would score the final four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull ahead 5-1. After Brett Carroll singled, Wheeler bunted up the third base line to reach base. Boggs then tattooed his first homer of the season over the right field wall after bunting foul twice earlier in the at-bat. Maysonet then followed with solo shot to left later in the inning.

Reliever Mike McClendon fanned two while tossing two scoreless frames to end the contest for Nashville.

Elih Villanueva (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on 10 hits over five innings for the Zephyrs.

The Sounds and Zephyrs continue with the second-game of a four-game series at 7:05 pm on Friday evening at Greer Stadium. Brewers top prospect and right-handed starter Mark Rogers will make his season-debut for the Sounds against New Orleans left-hander Sean West.

Nashville box score

You can listen to Boggs' homer here. Rivas struck out only two, but he didn't issue any walks and posted an 11/6 GO/AO. 53 of his 77 pitches went for strikes. Gamel walked to go along with his two hits, one of which was a double. Boggs also singled and walked. Making his AAA debut, Caleb Gindl started in center field and was a quiet 1-4 with a strikeout and caught-stealing. Wheeler committed a throwing error.

Nashville play-by-play

Rivas burned a lot of worms in the first three innings:

New Orleans Top of the 1st

Osvaldo Martinez doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Boggs.

Ruben Gotay grounds out to first baseman Mat Gamel. Osvaldo Martinez to 3rd.

Josh Kroeger grounds out, second baseman Eric Farris to first baseman Mat Gamel. Osvaldo Martinez scores.

Chris Aguila grounds out, shortstop Edwin Maysonet to first baseman Mat Gamel.

New Orleans Top of the 2nd

Joe Thurston pops out to shortstop Edwin Maysonet.

Vinny Rottino grounds out, shortstop Edwin Maysonet to first baseman Mat Gamel.

Bryan Petersen grounds out, shortstop Edwin Maysonet to first baseman Mat Gamel.

New Orleans Top of the 3rd

Brad Davis grounds out, shortstop Edwin Maysonet to first baseman Mat Gamel.

Elih Villanueva grounds out to first baseman Mat Gamel.

Osvaldo Martinez grounds out, second baseman Eric Farris to first baseman Mat Gamel.

[battlekow]

Final: Huntsville 4, @Jacksonville 1

Suns Drop Season Opener 4-1

Jacksonville Suns

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Jacksonville Suns opened the 2011 season with a 4-1 loss to the Huntsville Stars in front of 7,366 fans at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Thursday night.

Suns starter Dallas Trahern allowed three runs to the Stars in the top of the first to stake Huntsville to an early lead, but Trahern was locked in for the rest of his five innings on the mound as he made his first start since May 8, 2009. Trahern missed the majority of the 2009 season with an elbow injury, and missed all of 2010 recovering from “Tommy John” surgery.

Trahern took the loss as he gave up three runs on four hits while walking three batters and striking out two.

Huntsville starter Wily Peralta threw six strong innings to earn the victory for the Stars. Peralta carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning, and finished the game giving up one run on one hit with a pair of walks and six strikeouts.

Stars catcher Jonathan Lucroy, with Huntsville on a major league rehab assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, finished the game 0-2 at the plate with two walks and run scored.

The Stars posted three runs on the scoreboard off Trahern in the top of the first. Taylor Green brought in two runs on his double to left center field, and he scored the third run for the Stars as first baseman Sean Halton brought him in on an RBI double to left center field.

The Stars held their three-run lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Jacksonville centerfielder Kevin Mattison broke up Peralta’s no-hitter with a standup triple to the gap in right-centerfield. Shortstop Chris Gutierrez drove in Mattison for Jacksonville’s first run of the night with a sacrifice fly to center.

A ground-rule RBI double for Halton in the top of the eighth increased the Huntsville advantage to 4-1, which would be the final score.

Stars reliever Michael Fiers pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

2010 Southern League Championship Series hero Chris Hatcher, who hit a walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to clinch Jacksonville’s second straight Southern League crown made his relief debut, pitching a perfect top of the seventh inning. Hatcher is attempting to be the first major league catcher to return to the big leagues as a pitcher, as he made the switch from behind the plate to the mound this past offseason.

The clubs will play the second game of the series on Friday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonvillle. Right-hander Omar Poveda will pitch for the Suns against Stars southpaw Dan Merklinger.

Huntsville box score

Can Peralta miss bats and induce grounders at the same time? Maybe not--he struck out six, but his GO/AO was just 3/6; personally, I'll take the strikeouts. I guess if Fiers isn't going to start and isn't going to pitch for Nashville, he might as well close for Huntsville. Lucroy played the whole game at catcher. Great AA debut for Halton, who added a single to go with his two doubles. Green also singled in addition to his two-bagger. I picked Lee Haydel for a mini-breakout this year given his steady incremental improvement over the years, but he got off to a bad start while repeating a level for the first time, going 0-5 in the leadoff spot. It's nice to see him get a chance to play center field though, at least until Logan Schafer gets healthy.

Huntsville play-by-play

Green unsuccessfully tried to double down on doubles:

Huntsville Top of the 3rd

Jonathan Lucroy grounds out, second baseman Ryan Curry to first baseman Ben Lasater.

Taylor Green singles on a line drive to center fielder Kevin Mattison. Taylor Green out at 2nd on the throw, center fielder Kevin Mattison to shortstop Chris Gutierrez.

Sean Halton grounds out, shortstop Chris Gutierrez to first baseman Ben Lasater.

[battlekow]

Final: Daytona 3, @Brevard County 2

Manatees fall 3-2 in season opener

Frank Longobardo/Brevard County Manatees

VIERA, Fla -- The Brevard County Manatees dropped its season opener, 3-2 to the Daytona Cubs, in front of a crowd of 4,777 at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday night.

Manatees starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn went five innings and allowed one run on six hits while striking out four, but did not factor into the decision as Brevard County couldn't hold on to a 2-0 lead.

Brevard County's first run of the season came in the second, as Brock Kjeldgaard drove in Hunter Morris with a RBI single. Morris led the inning off with a triple and was 2-for-4 with two of the Manatees three extra-base hits on the evening.

The Manatees scored again in the fourth on a RBI groundout from Khris Davis that scored Kentrail Davis.

Heckathorn would give up his only run of the night in the fifth as Daytona's Michael Burgess led off the inning with a solo shot to right on a 1-2 pitch.

Brevard County had a great opportunity to increase its lead in the sixth as the Manatees had the bases loaded with no outs. Nothing would come from it though as Kentrail Davis struck out and Kjeldgaard grounded into a seldom seen 3-2-3 double play.

The Cubs would do all the damage they would need to do the very next inning as Efrain Nieves relieved Mark Willinsky with two outs and runners at first and second, and Matthew Cerda took the first pitch he saw and drilled it down the right field line for a two-run double as Daytona took a 3-2 lead.

Brevard County could only muster just one baserunner the rest of the way as they fell to their rivals from the north.

The Manatees were just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 15 men on base.

Brevard County will now travel to Daytona for the next two games of the four-game set. On Friday night, Evan Anundsen will take the mound for the Manatees, while the Cubs will counter with Nicholas Struck.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2011/04/07/wuyQW3zl.jpg

Kyle Heckathorn (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

Brevard County box score

Heckathorn's career in a microcosm: "solid". He posted a 4/4 GO/AO tonight. Rob Wooten made a triumphant return from Tommy John surgery, fanning four of the six hitters he faced. He blew away the Florida State League for BC in 2009 before getting a midseason bump to Huntsville, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him move up soon if he proves he's healthy. Jon Pokorny got one out and gave up one hit in his High-A debut. Taking his second try at the FSL, Kentrail Davis singled and doubled in four trips; taking his first, Scooter Gennett was 0-3 with a sac bunt. Great start for Morris with the double and triple. Khris Davis, Chris Dennis, and Shawn Zarraga all went hitless; Dennis struck out twice. Zarraga threw out just 28% of runners last year and 23% for his career, but he nailed the only attempted base thief tonight. Kjeldgaard must have been trying to top Casey McGehee's 7th-inning at-bat for "worst Brewers double play of the day".

Brevard County play-by-play

Sounds like Dennis at least hit one ball hard, unless Kjeldgaard had a sneezing fit or something:

Brevard County Bottom of the 2nd

Hunter Morris triples (1) on a fly ball to left fielder Michael Burgess.

Khristopher Davis grounds out, pitcher Robert Whitenack to first baseman Justin Bour.

Brock Kjeldgaard singles on a ground ball to left fielder Michael Burgess, deflected by third baseman Matthew Cerda. Hunter Morris scores.

Chris Dennis flies into double play, center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha to first baseman Justin Bour. Brock Kjeldgaard doubled off 1st.

[battlekow]

Chris Mehring notes that the T-Rats were really happy for Nick Shaw's first pro homer.

[battlekow]

Highlights from the Rattlers game:

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Top of the 8th

• Pitcher Change: Darin Downs replaces Chris Hatcher, batting 9th.
• Sergio Miranda singles on a ground ball to left fielder Alex Romero.
• Jonathan Lucroy walks. Sergio Miranda to 2nd.
• Taylor Green pops out to third baseman Paul Gran.
• Sean Halton hits a ground-rule double (2) on a fly ball to right field. Sergio Miranda scores. Jonathan Lucroy to 3rd.
• Brandon Jones reaches on a fielder's choice out, second baseman Ryan Curry to catcher Kyle Skipworth. Jonathan Lucroy out at home. Sean Halton to 3rd.
• With Chuck Caufield batting, Brandon Jones steals (1) 2nd base.
• Chuck Caufield called out on strikes.

I was listening to the Jacksonville feed at this time. Lucroy barreled into his counterpart catcher at the plate, and apparently the finger survived just fine despite being called out.

[dadofandrew]

Isn't that a tiny crowd in Appleton?

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin: RHP Austin Ross at home vs. Kane County (Royals)

 

Score one for the 30th ranked minor league system. Take that, top-rated (by far) Royals kiddies. Do it on the field, not on paper. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

***

 

By the way, it was free attendance night in Viera. 4,777 for the 'Tees!

[Mass Haas]

You can watch the video of this Nashville TV news report to get a sense of the sights and sounds at Greer Stadium Thursday night. But the report also does a good job of detailing Greer's age and the possible timeline for a new stadium plan to come together (it's not any time soon).

 

Let's say in two years, if no other AAA teams seek new affiliations, then the Brewer / Nashville / Greer Stadium relationship would by default have to remain.

 

Here is a 2nd TV station video report as well.

[Mass Haas]

This TV news video report focuses on the game, including Brandon Boggs' three-run bomb, and a post-game interview with Eric Farris.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds win opener with power

by Greg Sullivan, The Tennessean

Here's the Tennessean photo gallery from the game.

 

The Nashville Sounds, wearing their red, white, and blue uniforms from the 1980s, opened the 2011 season with some offensive fireworks Thursday night.

Brandon Boggs and Edwin Maysonet hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning to give Nashville a 5-1 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs at Greer Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 7,144.

"We're going to have a lot of success," Maysonet said. "The pitching and defense are good and you saw the offense tonight. We're going to be a real good club."

After Boggs' three-run blast to right field off Zephyrs' starter Elih Villanueva put the Sounds up 4-1, Maysonet hit a home run off reliever Adalberto Mendez to left field for the final run.

Amaury Rivas, in his first Triple-A start, was dominant for Nashville after giving up one run in the first inning.

"I never saw him pitch before, but they told me he was either going to get lit up or he was going to shut them out," Maysonet said. "He goes right after people."

Rivas went seven innings and held New Orleans to just three hits and one run, despite striking out just two batters. The righthander, rated the 10th-best prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers system by Baseball America, was 11-6 with a 3.37 ERA last season in Double-A Huntsville. He displayed an effective changeup Thursday.

"What I need is to throw the ball down," said Rivas, a native of the Dominican Republic. "I want ground balls. We've got good position players."

When he saw the home runs by Boggs and Maysonet, he said he was relieved his good outing would not be wasted.

"I say thank you to the position players for the home runs," Rivas said. "I won my game. I'm excited."

Thursday's season opener was the first game of a four-game series with the Zephyrs and kicked off an eight-game homestand.

After firing a strike past Ozzie Martinez to start the season, Rivas gave up a double to Martinez over Boggs in left field on the next pitch. Martinez scored on Josh Kroeger's groundout to give New Orleans a 1-0 lead.

Nashville tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Mat Gamel singled to drive in Eric Farris with two outs.

"(Rivas) kept us in the ballgame," Sounds Manager Don Money said. "We got the homers from Boggs and the shortstop. But we'll be back again tomorrow. Hopefully, (Mark) Rogers will have his stuff and we'll see what happens."

Transactions: Nashville made three moves Thursday to trim its roster to the 24-man limit. Relievers Robert Hinton and Chase Wright were re-assigned to Double-A Huntsville. Also, Patrick Arlis was moved to the rookie-level Helena roster, but he will remain with the Sounds as an inactive player and serve as the team's bullpen catcher.

Reliever Brandon Kintzler was sent back to Nashville late Wednesday. He started this season with the Brewers, giving up one earned run in 1-1/3 innings in their 12-3 loss to Cincinnati on April 3.

[Mass Haas]

It was a road game for Huntsville, but you can still watch game highlights from a Jacksonville perspective --

 

Great catch by Chuckie Caufield in right field here

Taylor Green and Wily Peralta in a second video report

The local newspaper coverage

[Mass Haas]

Manatees fall in opener

by Mark DeCotis, Florida Today

 

VIERA — The Brevard County Manatees didn't take advantage of their opportunities. The Daytona Beach Cubs did, handing the Manatees a 3-2 defeat in the Florida State League baseball opener for both teams Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium.

 

The game, played before 4,777 fans, was the first of 17 this season between the FSL North Division rivals.

 

The Manatees let a great chance slip away in the bottom of the sixth inning while leading 2-1. They loaded the bases with no outs, only to have left fielder Khris Davis strike out and right fielder Brock Kjeldgaard ground into a first-to-home-to-first double play.

 

The Cubs made the Manatees pay in the top of the seventh when third baseman Matthew Cerda greeted reliever Efrain Nieves with a two-out, two-run double to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead.

 

"We had multiple opportunities and we didn't take advantage," first-year Manatees Manager Jeff Isom said.

 

"It was 2-1 and we had bases loaded and no outs and we don't get anyone in. I'm big on who gets momentum and keeps momentum and sustains that. We had the momentum at that time . . . and you kind of felt it turn toward them a little bit and they end up coming up with the big hit and got those runs."

 

Manatees starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn, a supplemental first-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009, cruised through the first four innings, allowing two hits before Michael Burgess -- a 2007 first-round pick of the Washington Nationals -- homered to right field. Heckathorn allowed two more singles but escaped without further damage.

 

He went five innings allowing five hits, one run and striking out four. He did not walk a batter.

 

"I had an OK five innings, my command wasn't the best I thought it would be," Heckathorn said. "I managed to pitch through it and the team played great defense behind me and kept me in the game."

 

Mark Willinsky relieved Heckathorn and went 1 2/3 innings, leaving with runners on first and third with one out in the top of the seventh. He was replaced by Nieves, who promptly gave up the double to Cerda.

 

Willinsky took the loss.

 

First baseman Hunter Morris tripled and doubled and scored once for the Manatees while center fielder Kentrail Davis singled and doubled.

The Cubs, led by three hits from Cerda and second baseman Logan Watkins, out-hit the Manatees, 10-7.

 

The Manatees and Cubs meet again at 7:05 PM today (6:05 Central) and Saturday in Daytona Beach before they travel 80 miles south to conclude their series at 5:05 PM Sunday at Space Coast Stadium.

 

Hawkins pitches tonight

 

Sixteen-year big league veteran LaTroy Hawkins, on a rehab assignment with the Manatees, is scheduled to pitch in relief tonight at Daytona.

Isom said Hawkins will be limited to 35 pitches as he continues to recover from rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder.

 

Brevard County Manatees catcher Rafael Neda, left, talks with a fan prior to the start of the Manatees season-opening game on Thursday. (Dennis Greenblatt, for Florida Today)

 

http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20110408&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=104080334&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers display a lot of positives in season-opening victory over Kane County

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

(Article link includes video of fan tailgating)

GRAND CHUTE — First impressions always mean a great deal. And no doubt the 3,234 fans on hand at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium walked away greatly impressed with this year's edition of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

The Rattlers received a stellar effort on the mound from starter Austin Ross, saw eight players collect hits in a 14-hit attack, played some very good defense and did some aggressive, heads-up base running.

It all added up to a 9-3 Opening Day victory over Kane County in Midwest League play Thursday night.

"When you're coaching or managing and you're organizing the day, you talk about the different facets of the game," said Appleton native Matt Erickson, making his professional managerial debut, "and when you can get the hitters hitting and the pitchers pitching and playing defense and all facets come together, you usually have a pretty solid ball game. That was fun to watch tonight, especially on Opening Day."

Having that kind of performance in front of his family and friends made the evening extra special.

"It was great," he said. "Obviously, getting the opportunity to do this in my hometown. The kids played well. Hopefully, we can carry that on into (today) and the next day and win every series. Let's do that. But something tells me it won't be that easy every night."

But Thursday it was, though it was because the Rattlers made it that way.

Ross, after giving up a wind-blown home run in the first, retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced before leaving with a 9-1 lead after six innings.

"I wasn't too, too pleased how I was throwing the ball the first couple of innings," said Ross, who gave up two hits, struck out six and didn't walk a batter. "I think I took advantage of them being amped up, too. It doesn't matter how many games you've pitched. The first time out for the year where it counts you are real amped up and I think I was rushing a little bit to the plate and leaving the ball up, trying to overthrow a little bit those first couple innings.

"But I think the hitters were amped up, too, and chasing some pitches up and it worked to my advantage. But after the second inning, I just told myself to relax and just throw how you know how to throw and from there everything kind of went smoothly. Every inning I felt more and more comfortable."

The comfort zone was provided by his teammates, who scored three runs in the bottom of the first and added two more three spots in the fifth and sixth innings.

Leadoff batter Nick Shaw led the way, going three-for-four with two RBI and three runs scored. But it was his solo home run in the fifth that had everyone talking about the 6-foot, 161-pound second baseman's first professional home run.

"I'd have to go back to college for that one," Shaw said of his last homer, which came in his senior year at Division II Barry University. "It's been a while. Being a leadoff hitter like me, it's about the last thing I think about. But I got a pitch in, let the hands work and luckily kept it fair down the line."

And, seeing one head for the fence is such a rarity for him, he admitted he had to keep an eye on it.

"I was watching it a little bit down the line – don't tell my coaches about that – I was watching it a little bit and I think it stayed fair because of the wind," he said.

Though it was just one game in the books, Shaw said he likes the makeup of this team.

"This is a great group of guys. Everyone has each other's back,'' he said. "But it starts on the mound. (Ross) set the pace. Even though he gave up a run in the first, we were right there. We got his back. That's how it is for the whole team, really. And the crowd, the crowd didn't hurt at all. Playing in front of a crowd like that, it's hard not to do good."

[Mass Haas]

Post-Crescent photo gallery -- fan and game shots, including Austin Ross and Nick Shaw among others

[YoungGeezy]

Yup call it a season, way to good of a start! lol wow what an incredible night for our pitchers! My favorite Reliever Wooten is back and I wouldn't be surprised if he is in Nashville by August and Milwaukee in September. Get to see him healthy and back to his old ways. Rivas and Peralta doing exactly what you up two of our top pitching prospect would do. Heckathorn is Heckathorn and it is not often you get less than "solid" from him. Ross.....he started to create a lot of buzz during spring and that has carried over. I see him flying up the P50 pretty quick.

 

Overall I think T-Rats could be a very good team this year. They really underacheived last season but they have a bunch of guys coming off rookie league championships who know how to win, they have a bunch off speed, enough power bats with Hawn, Roberts, Rogers, and Walker, and a guy I think will have a very good managing career. I see him following Roenicke's lead and being a guy who will be very aggressive and wants all him players to be aggressive.