Link Report for Mon. 4/11 -- Bowman and bullpen combine on Stars' one-hitter

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Sam Narron at home vs. Oklahoma City (Astros), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

 

Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at Jacksonville (Marlins), 12:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link (Jacksonville feed)

Brevard County: TBD (likely RHP Maverick Lasker) at Tampa (Yankees), 6:00 PM gametime

Sorry, no audio available for this contest...

Wisconsin: RHP Tyler Thornburg at Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime; RHP Dan Britt is expected to piggy-back

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Iowa	3	1	.750	-	-	0-0	3-1	3-1	W1
	Memphis	3	1	.750	-	-	3-1	0-0	3-1	W3
	Nashville	3	1	.750	-	-	3-1	0-0	3-1	L1
	Omaha	2	2	.500	1.0	140	0-0	2-2	2-2	W2

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tennessee	3	1	.750	-	-	0-0	3-1	3-1	W1
	Huntsville	2	2	.500	1.0	66	0-0	2-2	2-2	L1
	Jackson	2	2	.500	1.0	66	0-0	2-2	2-2	W1
	Chattanooga	1	3	.250	2.0	65	1-3	0-0	1-3	L1
	Carolina	0	4	.000	3.0	64	0-4	0-0	0-4	L4

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Clearwater	4	0	1.000	-	-	2-0	2-0	4-0	W4
	Daytona	4	0	1.000	-	-	2-0	2-0	4-0	W4
	Lakeland	2	2	.500	2.0	65	1-1	1-1	2-2	W1
	Tampa	2	2	.500	2.0	65	1-1	1-1	2-2	L1
	Brevard County	0	4	.000	4.0	63	0-2	0-2	0-4	L4
	Dunedin	0	4	.000	4.0	63	0-2	0-2	0-4	L4

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	3	1	.750	-	-	0-0	3-1	3-1	W2
	Beloit	2	2	.500	1.0	-	0-0	2-2	2-2	W2
	Cedar Rapids	2	2	.500	1.0	-	0-0	2-2	2-2	L1
	Kane County	2	2	.500	1.0	-	0-0	2-2	2-2	W1
	Peoria	2	2	.500	1.0	-	2-2	0-0	2-2	W1
	Quad Cities	2	2	.500	1.0	-	2-2	0-0	2-2	L2
	Wisconsin	2	2	.500	1.0	-	2-2	0-0	2-2	L1
	Clinton	1	3	.250	2.0	66	1-3	0-0	1-3	L2

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Chris with a nice Tyler Thornburg treat here.

[Mass Haas]

What a ridiculously frustrating game for Huntsville thus far -- the Stars put the leadoff man on in four of the first five innings, including Matt Cline's triple in the 5th, and have yet to score. Michael Bowman has been lights out, one run, one hit, and no walks, yet trails, 1-0, in the bottom of the 6th.

[JohnBriggs12]

They've busted loose in the top of the ninth. Caufield with an RBI double. De la Rosa with a pinch hit 2 run triple. Miranda, Halton and Caufield now with 2 hits apiece.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattler Lineup and game notes, plus other tidbits

[battlekow]

Sounds, RedHawks Postponed On Monday Night

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tonight's scheduled 7:05 p.m. series opener between the Nashville Sounds and Oklahoma City RedHawks at Greer Stadium has been postponed due to unplayable field conditions resulting from heavy rains throughout Middle Tennessee.

The game will be made up as part of a 5:35 p.m. CT doubleheader tomorrow evening (April 12). Both contests of the twinbill will be scheduled for seven innings.

Left-hander Sam Narron (NR) will take the hill for the Sounds in Tuesday's opener to face Oklahoma City right-hander Henry Villar. Both hurlers will make their 2011 debuts in the contest.

In the nightcap, Nashville right-hander Amaury Rivas (1-0, 1.29) will take on RedHawks right-hander Jordan Lyles (0-0, 6.75).

Tickets for tonight's game (April 11) may be exchanged for tickets of equal or lesser value, pending availability, to any remaining 2011 Sounds regular-season home game. Please visit the Greer Stadium box office to exchange your tickets.

[battlekow]

Final: Huntsville 4, @Jacksonville 1

Suns fall late to Stars 4-1

Jacksonville Suns

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- A four-run ninth inning propelled the Huntsville Stars (3-2) to a 4-1 victory over the Jacksonville Suns (2-3) on Monday afternoon at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The Suns led 1-0 going into the ninth, before the Stars struck for four runs off of Jacksonville reliever Peter Andrelczyk (1-1), who took the loss. Huntsville reliever Michael Fiers (1-0) earned the victory while Roque Mercedes worked a perfect ninth to earn the save as Huntsville takes the series three games to two.

Suns starter Darin Downs was superb in his first start in a Jacksonville uniform. Downs fired six shutout innings against the Stars, only surrendering four hits while walking one batter and striking out four.

All of the Suns offense occurred in the first inning. Kevin Mattison led off the frame with a single before stealing his Southern League-leading sixth base of the year to advance to second. After Chris Gutierrez moved him to third on a ground out, Alex Romero hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Mattison to give Jacksonville a 1-0 lead.

However after Mattison’s single, the Suns offense would not record another base hit on the afternoon. Beginning with Gutierrez’s groundout, Stars starter Michael Bowman went on a streak where he retired 17 consecutive Suns. Jorge Padilla was the only other base-runner in the contest for Jacksonville, as he was walked by Stars reliever Lucas Luetge in the seventh.

Chuckie Caufield hit a ground-rule double to left field to tie the game at a run apiece with no one out in the top of the ninth off Andrelczyk. Two batters later, pinch-hitter and reserve Stars catcher Anderson De La Rosa hit a triple to center field to score two runs to put the score at 3-1 Stars. De La Rosa scored on a single by Sergio Miranda to give the Stars their final score of 4-1.

Huntsville box score

Great performance from Bowman. His final line: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 73 pitches, 50 strikes, 5/6 GO/FO. It was actually Darren Byrd who walked Padilla in the 7th; Luetge, Fiers, and Mercedes each turned in perfect innings. Lee Haydel keeps on doing his thing, on base twice with a single and a walk in five trips. Miranda had three hits, Caufield was on three times with a single and a walk to go with his double, and Sean Halton singled twice. Haydel and Caufield were each picked off first by Downs.

Huntsville play-by-play

The Stars squandered a leadoff triple in the 5th:

Huntsville Top of the 5th

Matt Cline triples (1) on a fly ball to left fielder Alex Romero.

Michael Bowman grounds out, shortstop Chris Gutierrez to first baseman Ben Lasater.

Lee Haydel reaches on a fielder's choice out, third baseman Paul Gran to catcher Kyle Skipworth. Matt Cline out at home.

With Sergio Miranda batting, Lee Haydel picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Darin Downs to first baseman Ben Lasater to shortstop Chris Gutierrez.

The full 9th-inning rally:

Huntsville Top of the 9th

Sean Halton singles on a fly ball to right fielder Jorge Padilla.

Brandon Jones singles on a fly ball to right fielder Jorge Padilla. Sean Halton to 2nd.

Chuck Caufield hits a ground-rule double (2) on a fly ball to left field. Sean Halton scores. Brandon Jones to 3rd.

Dayton Buller pops out to second baseman Ryan Curry.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Anderson De La Rosa replaces Michael Fiers.

Anderson De La Rosa triples (1) on a line drive to center fielder Kevin Mattison. Brandon Jones scores. Chuck Caufield scores.

Yancarlos Ortiz pops out to shortstop Chris Gutierrez in foul territory.

Lee Haydel walks.

Sergio Miranda singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jorge Padilla. Anderson De La Rosa scores. Lee Haydel to 2nd.

Steffan Wilson strikes out swinging.

[hsvstarsfan]

This comes almost a year to the day after the Stars' last one-hitter -- an 11-1 victory at Chattanooga (on April 10)! Oddly, the Stars were involved in another one-hitter a year before that! On April 12, 2009 at Joe Davis Stadium, a leadoff hit in the 1st (a double by Adam Stern) was all the Stars could get in a 3-0 loss to Mobile. This was the 15th one-hit victory fashioned by the Stars since 1985, and the 6th since the Stars became a Milwaukee affiliate.

[battlekow]

Final: Wisconsin 3, @Cedar Rapids 1

Rattlers win, by George

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers spoiled the home opener of the Cedar Rapids Kernels with a 3-1 victory on Monday night at Perfect Game Field. Rattlers shortstop Carlos George led the way with a pair of RBI and about twice that many fine defensive plays for the Rattlers.

Travis Witherspoon gave the Kernels (2-3) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Rattlers starting pitcher Tyler Thornburg had struck out the first two batters he faced. But, he grooved a 2-0 pitch to the Kernels center fielder. Witherspoon drove the ball over the 400’ sign in center for his second homer of the season and a 1-0 Cedar Rapids lead.

Both teams had great chances to score in the third inning. Kernels starter Brian Diemer walked the first three Rattlers in the top of the frame. But, he got out of the inning with no runs scoring…barely. Jason Rogers appeared to have been hit by a pitch with one out to force in a run. However, the plate umpire ruled that Rogers did not attempt to get out of the way. Rogers was retired on a popup and the third out of the inning was recorded a few pitches later.

Cedar Rapids had runners at second and third with one out against Thornburg in the bottom of the third. Carlos Ramirez lined a 2-0 that was ticketed for leftcenter. But, George made a leaping grab and the shortstop prevented the Kernels from adding onto their lead. Thornburg retired the next batter to keep Wisconsin within a run.

George doubled with two outs in the fourth inning to tie the game.

Wisconsin (3-2) loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning and cashed in to take the lead. Cameron Garfield was hit by a pitch to force in a run.

Dan Britt relieved Thornburg to start the bottom of the fourth after the Wisconsin starter had reached his pitch limit. Britt tossed four scoreless innings and allowed one hit to position the Rattlers for the lead.

George struck again with an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning to give the Rattlers a 3-1 cushion.

Cedar Rapids loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Eric Marzec, who got the first two outs of the inning, walked the next two. Then, Brian Garman hit a batter. Garman got out of the jam with – what else – a grounder to George at short. Garman worked a perfect ninth to nail down the win and his second save of the season.

Game two of the series is Tuesday night at Perfect Game Field. Austin Ross (1-0, 1.50) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Max Russell (0-0, 1.50) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm.

Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or www.timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm.

Wisconsin box score

This just feels like a game the Rattlers would have lost last year. I tease Carlos George for his error totals a lot, but he played a great game today. Thornburg struck out five, walked one, hit a batter, and allowed three hits in his three innings. Mehring had him with 50 pitches, 31 of them strikes. The stadium gun wasn't working, so no reports on how hard Thornburg was throwing. As an aside, he apparently has a somewhat unconventional pickoff move that Mehring described as a "jump stop". How about Dan Britt with four scoreless? Not too shabby, even if he only fanned one. Robbie Garvey had a perfect evening with three singles and a walk. Garvey and Keen were both thrown out easily trying to steal in the early going. George was also picked off first, possibly intentionally, in the 8th with Cameron Garfield on third; Garfield was "caught stealing" trying to sneak home after the throw to first. Cody Hawn struck out with the bases loaded and none out immediately preceding Rogers' not-hit-by-pitch in the 3rd. Kernels center fielder Travis Witherspoon came up to bat to "Power" by Kanye West, same as Ryan Braun, and then proceeded to smash a home run, same as Ryan Braun. He also stole three bases. No one man should have all that power/speed.

Wisconsin play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: @Tampa 7, Brevard County 3

Everybody Chips In For T-Yanks Win

Jeremy Ventura & Jessica Lack/Tampa Yankees

Tampa, Fla. - The Tampa Yankees started a three game series against the Brevard County Manatees tonight at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The T-Yanks took game one with a 7-3 win. Starting on the mound for Tampa was Jairo Heredia (1-0, 3.00 ERA), and for Brevard County was Maverick Lasker (0-1, 5.79 ERA).

The Yankees took an early 2-0 lead in the first when Abe Almonte singled and advanced to second on a Walter Ibarra ground out. Rob Lyerly doubled scoring Almonte. Taylor Grote reached base on second baseman Ryan Gennett's wild throw bringing Lyerly all the way around to score.

Keeping the bats heated up in the third, Luke Murton singled, followed by a double from Grote. Zoilo Almonte hit a sacrifice fly scoring Murton. Kyle Higashioka came up next with a single and Grote crossed the plate to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead.

The Manatees got on the scoreboard in the fourth after Josh Prince and Gennett hit back-to-back doubles scoring Prince. Kentrail Davis grounded out moving Gennett to third. Hunter Morris also grounded out to bring home Gennett and make the game 4-2.

Tampa extended their lead in the sixth after Brevard County made a second pitching change on the night putting in LaTroy Hawkins for Efrain Nieves. With one out on the board, Abe Almonte singled followed by another single from Ibarra. A wild throw scored Almonte and advanced Ibarra to second. Lyerly hit a two-run homer over the right field fence putting Tampa up 7-2.

In the top of the seventh, the T-Yanks called upon Chase Whitley from the bullpen. Heredia threw six innings, and gave up three hits, two earned runs, and struck out seven batters. Kentrail Davis moved to first after being hit by a pitch and teammate Khris Davis came up with a double scoring the runner. Francisco Gil came into pitch a scoreless night and secured a 7-3 victory.

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Wouldn't it be Lyerly if the 'Tees could win a game? (Mark LoMoglio)

Brevard County box score

Lasker was not very good, allowing eight hits and a walk in 4.2 innings. He's been pretty hittable so far in his pro career; if that velocity bump the Brewers project(ed) ever comes about, it will be helpful in that regard. Jon Pokorny and Rob Wooten finished the game with 2.1 combined scoreless frames. Khris Davis had two hits, and Scott Krieger singled and walked. Chris Dennis, who hadn't played since Friday, finally got his first hit of the year, but was also caught stealing and committed a throwing error. Gennett, Prince, and Wooten also had fielding miscues, so it was a pretty sloppy game.

Brevard County play-by-play

With Khris Davis on third and one out in the 7th, the Sea Cows couldn't put a ball in play:

Brevard County Top of the 7th

Kentrail Davis hit by pitch.

Hunter Morris strikes out swinging.

Khristopher Davis doubles (2) on a line drive to center fielder Abraham Almonte. Kentrail Davis scores.

With Scott Krieger batting, wild pitch by Chase Whitley, Khristopher Davis to 3rd.

Scott Krieger walks.

Brock Kjeldgaard strikes out swinging.

Chris Dennis called out on strikes.

This would have been a good time for Dennis to park one:

Brevard County Top of the 9th

Kentrail Davis flies out to left fielder Zoilo Almonte.

Hunter Morris grounds out, shortstop Emerson Landoni to first baseman Luke Murton.

Khristopher Davis singles on a ground ball to center fielder Abraham Almonte.

Scott Krieger singles on a ground ball to shortstop Emerson Landoni. Khristopher Davis to 2nd.

Brock Kjeldgaard singles on a ground ball to shortstop Emerson Landoni. Khristopher Davis to 3rd. Scott Krieger to 2nd.

Chris Dennis strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers' Parra visits Greer tonight

by Greg Sullivan, the Tennessean

When Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Manny Parra returns to Greer Stadium tonight for his scheduled rehab assignment with the Sounds, fans will not be alone watching the major leaguer's progress.

Brewers executive Dan O'Brien, who oversees the parent club's baseball operations, is in town evaluating Parra and others.

"The bottom line is that Manny is a very gifted individual," O'Brien said Monday, before the Sounds' scheduled game against Oklahoma City was rained out. "As a left-handed pitcher, he filled a very important role in our bullpen last year because he not only gave us some length out of our bullpen, but also if you needed him to give you a spot start, he can do that."

While Parra is expected to throw in the doubleheader, O'Brien said when the pitcher actually sees time on the mound will depend on what happens in the game.

"We'll get him his opportunities," O'Brien said. "But you can't script them during the course of the game. But (today) would be the expectation."

It was the former Sound's extensive minor league starter experience, O'Brien said, that prepared him for his current long reliever role with Milwaukee. Parra, recovering from a back injury, had a perfect game on June 25, 2007, at Round Rock when he was a Nashville starter.

"What (fans) are going to see (this week) is an outstanding arm," O'Brien said, "and someone who has an opportunity on any given day to overpower hitters."

Parra pitched Saturday for the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and O'Brien said the progress has been promising so far.

"The last time out he was showing good velocity, so we're well on our way," O'Brien said. "In these sorts of things you obviously have to be guided by how the player feels. And right now everything's a thumb's up. We want him to be healthy and to continue to build his arm strength."

O'Brien would not elaborate on potential Nashville rehab assignments for former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and Corey Hart.

"There's a whole host of those types of factors that come into play when you make a decision about how we're going to script this out. Right now we can't get ahead of ourselves because they're just in the infancy stages of this."

Today's pitchers: Sounds left-hander Sam Narron will face right-hander Henry Villar in the first game. Sounds right-hander Amaury Rivas (1-0, 1.29 ERA) will take on right-hander Jordan Lyles (0-0, 6.75) in the second game.

Sent down ... maybe: The Brewers solved one dilemma Monday: which backup catcher to keep upon the return of Jonathan Lucroy. They'll keep both for now.

In activating Lucroy from the 15-day disabled list, the Brewers opted to designate outfielder Jeremy Reed for assignment rather than part with either of the two catchers already on the roster.

Because Reed had been sent outright to the minors previously, he has the right to become a free agent instead of reporting to Nashville. Melvin said Reed has until Wednesday to notify the club of his plans.

Contributing: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

[Mass Haas]

FYI -- Kudos, Chuckie Caufield

Players are charitable with their time more than we know, but when something like this is highlighted, we'll point it out.

[Mass Haas]

Looks like the Cedar Rapids' newspaper site updates at mid-morning, so reports will thusly be posted this week -- actually this story is strictly from a Cedar Rapids perspective, but it does include a photo gallery -- the only Rattler shot that of Robbie Garvey (and his backside at that).

 

Kernels drop home opener to Wisconsin

by Jeff Johnson, Cedar Rapids Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kernels are telling fans to “Party at the Park” this baseball season. They used the motto a few times over the public-address system last night.

Someone apparently neglected to inform the team about doing its part to further that whole thing along.

The Kernels were blanked after the first inning and held hitless the final five in a 3-1 loss to Wisconsin before 1,753 folks on opening night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Not much to party about here.

“I don’t know. We were doing well for awhile there, but I think maybe our energy dropped a little bit,” said Travis Witherspoon.

It looks like it’s going to be fun to watch Witherspoon roam center field this summer. He homered to dead center in the top of the first inning, singled and stole a base in the third and walked and stole two bases in the eighth.

He was a 10-homer, 20 stolen-base guy last season in Rookie ball.

But Cedar Rapids managed only two other singles, stranding the bases loaded in the eighth to drop to 2-3 this young Midwest League season. The club split four games last weekend in Peoria.

“I think we’ve played pretty well so far,” said returning catcher Carlos Ramirez. “Just our timely hitting needs to come along a little better. That’s the biggest thing. Our pitching is holding up well, our relievers are doing well. Coming from Arizona to up here, it’s hot and cold. But I think we’re adjusting pretty well.”

 

 

Starting pitcher Brian Diemer overcame control issues to keep his team in it, thanks in part to a unique umpiring decision in the third. Diemer walked the bases loaded with one out, then plunked cleanup hitter Jason Rogers in the arm.

But plate umpire Nate White ruled Rogers failed to attempt getting out of the way of the pitch and sent him back to the box to hit. He popped out, and Diemer escaped without allowing any runs.

Miscommunication on a flyball to left-center that dropped for an errors in the fifth actually gave Wisconsin (3-2) what turned out to be the winning run. Again, not exactly an auspicious home debut for the Kernels.

But, again, it’s way early. The teams play the second game of their four-game series tonight at 6:35.

“So far, I’ve seen a team with a lot of talent and a lot of potential that’s going to win a lot of games this season,” Witherspoon said. “It’s early in the year, and we’re still trying to figure each other out and get that chemistry going. But I definitely see a team that’s got a chance to win a lot of games this year and make the playoffs.”

 

***

 

Got to love "Mr. Shucks". Kernels, get it?

 

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