Link Report for Sun. 4/17 -- Stars win 6th straight, Thornburg dominant, Green & Walker homer twice

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

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

Nashville: RHP Amaury Rivas and LHP Sam Narron in a doubleheader at Omaha (Royals), 1:50 PM pre-game; 2:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings
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Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Carolina (Reds), 1:03 PM gametime
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Traditional broadcast via Carolina feed: Listen

Brevard County: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at home vs. Tampa (Yankees), 4:05 PM gametime
Sorry, no audio available for this contest...

Wisconsin: LHP Del Howell and RHP Tyler Thornburg in a doubleheader at home vs. Peoria (Cubs), 12:45 PM pre-game; 1:05 gametime, each contest slated for seven innings; look for RHP Dan Britt to likely follow Thornburg on the mound
Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Follow Sunday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville Game One (Gameday also available)

Nashville Game Two (Gameday also available)

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

Wisconsin Game One

Wisconsin Game Two

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Iowa	5	4	.556	-	-	1-0	4-4	5-4	W2
	Nashville	5	4	.556	-	-	5-3	0-1	5-4	L2
	Memphis	3	6	.333	2.0	134	3-5	0-1	3-6	L5
	Omaha	3	6	.333	2.0	134	1-0	2-6	3-6	W1

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Huntsville	7	2	.778	-	-	4-0	3-2	7-2	W5
	Tennessee	7	2	.778	-	-	4-0	3-2	7-2	W4
	Chattanooga	5	4	.556	2.0	60	2-3	3-1	5-4	W1
	Jackson	4	5	.444	3.0	59	1-3	3-2	4-5	L1
	Carolina	1	8	.111	6.0	56	1-4	0-4	1-8	L4

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Clearwater	7	3	.700	-	-	2-0	5-3	7-3	W2
	Lakeland	7	3	.700	-	-	4-1	3-2	7-3	W3
	Daytona	6	4	.600	1.0	60	4-1	2-3	6-4	L4
	Tampa	5	5	.500	2.0	59	2-3	3-2	5-5	L1
	Brevard County	3	7	.300	4.0	57	1-4	2-3	3-7	L2
	Dunedin	2	8	.200	5.0	56	2-6	0-2	2-8	W1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	6	2	.750	-	-	3-1	3-1	6-2	W2
	Beloit	5	3	.625	1.0	-	3-1	2-2	5-3	L1
	Quad Cities	5	3	.625	1.0	-	2-2	3-1	5-3	L1
	Cedar Rapids	4	4	.500	2.0	62	2-2	2-2	4-4	W2
	Wisconsin	4	4	.500	2.0	62	2-2	2-2	4-4	L2
	Clinton	4	6	.400	3.0	60	3-3	1-3	4-6	W3
	Peoria	3	5	.375	3.0	61	2-2	1-3	3-5	L2
	Kane County	3	7	.300	4.0	59	1-3	2-4	3-7	L2

[TheCrew07]

Green with a costly 2 run error off the heel of his glove and the Sounds are down 1-2 in the 6th.

[battlekow]

Final (game one): Peoria 7, @Wisconsin 6 (7 innings)

Game one gets away from the Timber Rattlers

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Peoria Chiefs erased a 6-2 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lead win game one of a Sunday doubleheader at Time Warner Cable Field. The Chiefs scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Rattlers 7-6.

The teams traded runs in the first inning. Rubi Silva doubled in the top of the first and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Chiefs (4-5) the early lead. Wisconsin responded in the bottom of the first. Nick Shaw doubled and scored later on a grounder by Jason Rogers.

The Rattlers (4-5) took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Reggie Keen doubled to left. Cody Hawn followed with an RBI single to right and Wisconsin went in front 2-1.

Peoria evened the game in the top of the fifth inning. Arismendy Alcantara lined a leadoff homer to right-center off Del Howell to tie the game 2-2.

Wisconsin answered immediately in their half of the fifth inning. Hawn started the rally with a one-out double. Peoria went to the bullpen and brought Jeff Antigua into the game. Jason Rogers singled to left and got Hawn to third base. Then, Rogers stole second to put runners on second and third. That brought in the Chiefs infield and led to the Rattlers taking the lead.

Greg Hopkins blooped a single into shallow right-center to drive Hawn home. The second baseman would have had a play on the ball had he not been playing in on the grass.

Mike Walker was next and he lined a home run to the Rattlers bullpen in right-center for a three-run homer and a 6-2 lead.

Wisconsin starting pitcher Howell left after five innings. He scattered five hits and two walks to be in line for the win.

But, the Chiefs scored a run in the sixth inning off of Rattlers reliever Brian Garman when he induced a double play ball with runners at the corners.

Then, the seventh inning happened. The first three Chief batters of the frame reached against Garman on a pair of singles and a walk. Rubi Silva followed with an two-run single to make the score 6-5 and send a runner to third.

Greg Rohan popped up the next pitch to shallow right field. But, somehow, the ball dropped in. Wisconsin got the force on Silva at second, but the tying run scored. Garman got the second out of the inning on another force out at second base. Eric Marzec relieved Garman to try to get the final out of the inning. But another single put they go ahead run in scoring position. Micah Gibbs cashed in the opportunity with a single to left and pinch runner Elliott Soto scored from second for a 7-6 Chiefs lead.

Walker drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh inning, but that was all the Rattlers could manage.

Wisconsin box score (game one)

Really ugly loss. At least Howell pitched decently, striking out four. In addition to his single and double, Hawn drew a free pass. How about big Jason Rogers continuing to steal bases? Carlos George had two hits, and Tyler Roberts had a double.

Wisconsin play-by-play (game one)

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes -- gotta love the "That's Amaury" pun...

 

Wisconsin Media Notes

 

Hoping to get Huntsville notes back online some time, but they haven't been updated since the 13th.

[battlekow]

Final: @Omaha 4, Nashville 1 (7 innings)

Sounds Drop Twinbill Opener Sunday, 4-1

Nashville Sounds

PAPILLION, Neb. - The Nashville Sounds lost 4-1 to the Omaha Storm Chasers in the opener of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park.

It marked the first time this season that Nashville (5-5) suffered a loss by greater than a one-run margin. The Sounds managed only two hits in the opener against Omaha pitching: singles by Eric Farris and Mike Rivera.

Nashville grabbed a 1-0 lead against Omaha starter Mike Montgomery without the benefit of a hit in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of a pair of errors by Storm Chasers third baseman Mike Moustakas.

After the third sacker booted Anderson Machado's inning-opening grounder, he then made a throwing error on Farris' sacrifice bunt attempt, placing Sounds runners on the corners with no outs. Taylor Green followed with an RBI groundout to plate Machado with the game's first run. Montgomery recovered to retire Mat Gamel and Brett Carroll in succession to strand Farris in scoring position and keep it a one-run contest.

Omaha rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of a fielding error by Green, the Sounds' third baseman. With one out, Eric Hosmer singled for the Storm Chasers' first hit of the day off Nashville starter Amaury Rivas. A walk issued to Moustakas followed by a Clint Robinson groundout put runners on second and third with one gone. Johnny Giavotella hit a ball to Green at the hot corner, which was mishandled to allow both runners to score in unearned fashion to put the home team on top.

The Storm Chasers tacked on a pair of insurance runs against Rivas in the sixth to extend the advantage to 4-1. David Lough led off with a triple and scored two batters later on a Moustakas RBI single. Robinson followed with a run-scoring double to center that chased Rivas from the contest.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever LaTroy Hawkins made his second rehab appearance for the Sounds in relief of Rivas. The right-hander was greeted by a Giavotella single to left, but Brandon Boggs came up firing and threw out Robinson at the plate as he attempted to score on the play. It marked Nashville's eighth outfield assist in the season's first 10 games, including five runners thrown out at the plate.

Hawkins then struck out Lance Zawadzki swinging to finish with a scoreless two-thirds of an inning of work. He threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes.

Storm Chasers reliever Greg Holland worked a scoreless top of the seventh to secure the win and notch his first save of the year.

Montgomery (1-1) earned his first victory of the season with a quality start for Omaha. The southpaw allowed just one unearned run on two hits over six innings of work, walking five batters and striking out six.

Rivas (2-1) suffered his first career Triple-A loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on four hits over 5 1/3 frames during his 89-pitch effort. The right-hander walked two batters and fanned three.

Nashville box score

I was really hoping Rivas would outduel big-time prospect Montgomery, but alas. Gamel and Jeremy Reed both drew two walks. Green was 0-3. Boggs walked again, his 10th free pass of the year. Sure seems like the Sounds have thrown a lot of runners out at home in the early going this year.

Nashville play-by-play

Farris singled to lead off the game but made a pretty poor decision by getting thrown out at third with one out Gamel coming up:

Nashville Top of the 1st

• Eric Farris singles on a soft line drive to center fielder Lorenzo Cain.
• Taylor Green out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Mike Moustakas to first baseman Eric Hosmer. Eric Farris to 2nd.
• With Mat Gamel batting, Eric Farris caught stealing 3rd base, catcher Lucas May to third baseman Mike Moustakas.
• Mat Gamel walks.
• Brett Carroll grounds into a force out, shortstop Lance Zawadzki to second baseman Johnny Giavotella. Mat Gamel out at 2nd.

Also, what is Taylor Green doing sac bunting in the 1st inning?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, Carolina (Reds) 3

Huntsville Box ScoreThe Stars win their 6th in a row and move to 8-2. Little tip -- whenever you click on an affiliate box score, many of you probably immediately scroll down to see how the pitchers fared, and then review the rest of the box and log from there. I do as well, but my eyes immediately go to the "Inherited runners-scored" data first. In this game it was --

 

Inherited runners-scored: Meadows 1-0, Fiers 2-0.

 

In a 4-3 victory, you know those outs were big. The Stars were outhit 11-5, but had two-run innings in both the 1st and 3rd to grab a 4-0 lead early on.

 

Huntsville Bottom of the 1st

• Lee Haydel walks.
  
• Sergio Miranda walks. Lee Haydel to 2nd.
  
• Sean Halton doubles (6) on a fly ball to right fielder Denis Phipps. Lee Haydel scores. Sergio Miranda to 3rd.
  
• Brandon Jones grounds out, second baseman Jose Castro to first baseman Mike Costanzo. Sergio Miranda scores. Sean Halton to 3rd.
  
• Chuck Caufield strikes out swinging.
  
• Steffan Wilson walks.
  
• Matt Cline flies out to right fielder Denis Phipps.

Huntsville Bottom of the 3rd

• Sergio Miranda flies out to right fielder Denis Phipps.
  
• Sean Halton strikes out swinging.
  
• Brandon Jones walks.
  
• Chuck Caufield homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. Brandon Jones scores.
  
• Steffan Wilson singles on a line drive to third baseman Jake Kahaulelio.
  
• Matt Cline singles on a line drive to center fielder Fred Lewis. Steffan Wilson to 2nd.
  
• Anderson De La Rosa walks. Steffan Wilson to 3rd. Matt Cline to 2nd.
  
• Michael Bowman called out on strikes.

Huntsville would only have two baserunners and one hit the remainder of the game.

 

After walking none in 5.2 innings in his first start, RHP Michael Bowman would walk four in 4.1 innings here, leaving after he had thrown 87 pitches. So he didn't qualify for the win, but LHP Daniel Meadows scooped that up in deserving fashion.

 

Bowman was forced to work hard right off the bat, but did the job in the 1st --

 

Carolina Top of the 1st

• Fred Lewis flies out to center fielder Lee Haydel.
  
• Felix Perez triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Lee Haydel.
  
• Jake Kahaulelio pops out to second baseman Sergio Miranda.
  
• Mike Costanzo walks.
  
• Denis Phipps walks. Mike Costanzo to 2nd.
  
• Jose Castro grounds into a force out, second baseman Sergio Miranda to shortstop Matt Cline. Denis Phipps out at 2nd.

And Bowman's Houdini act was even better in the 4th, as the Mudcats were kept off the board through Michael's first four innings --

 

Carolina Top of the 4th

• Denis Phipps singles on a ground ball to shortstop Matt Cline.
  
• Jose Castro singles on a line drive to center fielder Lee Haydel. Denis Phipps to 3rd. Jose Castro advances to 2nd, on throwing error by center fielder Lee Haydel.
  
• Miguel Rojas pops out to second baseman Sergio Miranda.
  
• Chris McMurray grounds out, catcher Anderson De La Rosa to first baseman Sean Halton.
  
• Travis Webb strikes out swinging.

So another example of what might appear to be a ho-hum game log early on was anything but.

 

Carolina would inch their way back into the game, making it 4-3 in the 8th and then having the tying run on 3rd base with just one out. But RHP's Roque Mercedes and Michael Fiers managed to keep the Stars ahead amidst a myriad of defensive switches --

 

Carolina Top of the 8th

• Denis Phipps singles on a fly ball to center fielder Lee Haydel.
  
• Jose Castro singles on a ground ball to shortstop Matt Cline. Denis Phipps to 2nd.
  
• Miguel Rojas out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Steffan Wilson to second baseman Sergio Miranda. Denis Phipps to 3rd. Jose Castro to 2nd.
  
• Chris McMurray singles on a line drive to center fielder Lee Haydel. Denis Phipps scores. Jose Castro to 3rd.
  
• David Cook pops out to third baseman Steffan Wilson in foul territory.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Cody Puckett replaces Donnie Joseph.
  
• Defensive switch from center field to left field for Lee Haydel.
  
• Defensive switch from left field to right field for Brandon Jones.
  
• Pitcher Change: Michael Fiers replaces Roque Mercedes, batting 5th.
  
• Defensive Substitution: Erik Komatsu replaces pitcher Roque Mercedes, batting 9th, playing center field.
  
• Cody Puckett walks. Chris McMurray to 2nd.
  
• Felix Perez called out on strikes.

Fiers would work around a leadoff walk in the 9th for the save.

 

Hulking first baseman Sean Halton (24 years old this June) has now hit in all ten games, six of his 14 hits for extra bases, just one walk but a 1.015 OPS.

 

Catcher Anderson De La Rosa picked a Mudcat off second base to end the 3rd inning.

 

Outfielder Chuckie Caufield is benefitting from regular AB's and is sporting a 1.106 OPS.

 

Huntsville Play-by-Play

[battlekow]

Final (game two): @Wisconsin 2, Peoria 1 (7 innings)

Walker’s blast gives Rattlers a doubleheader split

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Mike Walker’s two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers a 2-1 victory over the Peoria Chiefs in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader at Time Warner Cable Field. Walker’s game-ending blast completed a fine day for the Wisconsin third baseman. He went 4-for-6 with two homers, a double, and five RBI in the two games against the Chiefs. The Rattlers and Chiefs split the twinbill as Peoria beat Wisconsin 7-6 in game one.

Wisconsin starting pitcher Tyler Thornburg struck out eight over the first 5-2/3 innings, but he allowed a two-out RBI single to Greg Rohan in the top of the sixth inning. That run put Peoria (4-6) up 1-0. Thornburg hit a batter, walked a batter, allowed four hits, and had those eight strikeouts in the game.

Graham Hicks, the starting pitcher for the Chiefs, tossed six scoreless innings against the Rattlers (5-5). Hicks allowed four hits, struck out four, and did not walk a batter. He left the game in the hands of Eduardo Figueroa for Wisconsin’s last at bat in the bottom of the seventh.

Cody Hawn started the rally with a leadoff walk. Jason Rogers sacrificed pinch runner Robbie Garvey to second base with a bunt. Then, Walker stepped up to the plate.

Walker drilled an 0-1 pitch deep to right field for Wisconsin’s first game-ending home run since Brock Kjeldgaard hit a three-run homer to beat Kane County on June 10, 2009.

Dan Britt pitched a scoreless inning of relief and picked up his second win of the season.

The Timber Rattlers begin a three game series with the Beloit Snappers on Monday evening at Time Warner Cable Field. Wisconsin has Austin Ross (1-0, 1.64) as the scheduled starting pitcher. Beloit has Manuel Soliman (0-0, 0.00) as their scheduled starter. Game time on Monday is 6:35pm.

Tickets are available, but if you can’t make it to the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or on timberrattlers.com. The Miller Lite Pregame show begins at 6:15pm.

Wisconsin box score (game two)

Take a bow, Mike Walker. Not only did he go deep in each half of the doubleheader, but that's the second huge homer he's had in a week. Thornburg had pretty good control today, throwing 54 of his 78 pitches for strikes. Rogers (double) and Reggie Keen had the only other hits for the Rattlers; Keen stole his 5th base.

Wisconsin play-by-play (game two)

[battlekow]

Final (game two): Nashville 5, @Omaha 3 (7 innings)

Green Homers Twice, Sounds Win Nightcap 5-3

Nashville Sounds

PAPILLION, Neb. - Third baseman Taylor Green powered the Sounds to victory in the second game game of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park, belting a pair of solo homers in leading Nashville to a 5-3 triumph over the Omaha Storm Chasers to help snap the club's three-game losing skid.

Green (2-for-3) belted a two-out solo homer off Omaha starter Vin Mazzaro in the top of the second inning to give the Sounds a 1-0 lead. The blast was the infielder's second of the year.

Nashville extended its advantage to 3-0 in the third on back-to-back, one-out RBI doubles against Mazzaro by Brandon Boggs (2-for-3) and Mat Gamel (3-for-4), whose two-bagger was his team-leading fifth of the young season.

Omaha got a run back against Sam Narron in the home half of the third. Left fielder Gregor Blanco laced a one-out double to left, stole third, and later scored on Eric Hosmer's two-out RBI single to make it a 3-1 contest.

The Storm Chasers rallied to knot the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs against Narron in the fifth. Blanco led off by bouncing a ground-rule double over the wall in left, moved to third on a Lorenzo Cain single, and scored on David Lough's sacrifice fly. After Cain stole second, the former Sound raced around to score the tying run on Hosmer's second RBI single of the day.

The Sounds quickly retook the lead, however, plating a run in the top of the sixth against Omaha reliever Steven Shell. Martin Maldonado (2-for-2) led off with a walk and later moved to third on a one-out Eric Farris single before being driven home by Boggs' RBI single to center to stake the visitors to a 4-3 advantage.

The inning continued as a Gamel single loaded the bases with one out. However, Shell escaped the jam without further damage as he induced a shallow flyout to left from Brett Carroll and popped up Jeremy Reed for the final two outs.

Green struck again in the seventh, swatting his second solo homer of the contest with one out off Shell to up the Sounds' lead to 5-3.

Omaha put a pair of runners on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh against Sounds reliever Mike McClendon, but the right-hander struck out Clint Robinson before retiring Johnny Giavotella on a shallow flyout to center to end the contest.

McClendon (1-0) recorded the final five outs of the contest to notch his first win of the year for the Sounds. The right-hander has yet to allow a run through his first three appearances (5.2 IP) this season.

Shell (1-2) was saddled with the defeat after giving up two runs in his two frames of action.

The teams wrap up the four-game series with an 11:05 a.m. finale on Monday morning. Right-hander Mark Rogers (0-0, 0.90), the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospect, will toe the rubber for the Sounds in search of his first career Triple-A win. Omaha will counter with former Sound Jeff Suppan (0-2, 7.71).

Nashville box score (game two)

I guess lucky Emmylou Harris is still helping Green out. After going 3-5 with a double and a walk between the two games today, Gamel's now hitting a cool .400/.500/.525 on the young season; Boggs is now up to .313/.511/.563.

Nashville play-by-play (game two)

[TooLiveBrew]

Wisconsin starting pitcher Tyler Thornburg struck out eight over the first 5-2/3 innings, but he allowed a two-out RBI single to Greg Rohan in the top of the sixth inning. That run put Peoria (4-6) up 1-0. Thornburg hit a batter, walked a batter, allowed four hits, and had those eight strikeouts in the game.

 

Great to see this kind of line for Thornburg. I'm really hoping he can make it to Brevard County this season.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tampa (Yankees) 11, Brevard County 3

Brevard County Box Score

As bad as Erick Almonte looked this afternoon in Washington, the Tampa Yankees managed to use Almonte Power A to Z to crush the Manatees. Leadoff hitter Abraham Almonte finished a single shy of a cycle, adding a walk, and scored three runs. Batting 6th, LF Zoilo Almonte homered, singled, had a sacrifice fly, stole a base, drove in two and scored two runs. The Manatees trailed only 2-1 through five innings, but then Brevard starter Kyle Heckathorn was touched up and knocked out in a four-run Yankee 6th.

 

Tampa Top of the 6th

• Abraham Almonte doubles (3) on a fly ball to left fielder Khristopher Davis.
  
• Walter Ibarra out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Hunter Morris. Abraham Almonte to 3rd.
  
• Robert Lyerly singles on a fly ball to left fielder Khristopher Davis. Abraham Almonte scores.
  
• Luke Murton homers (2) on a line drive to left center field. Robert Lyerly scores.
  
• Taylor Grote grounds out, second baseman Mike Brownstein to first baseman Hunter Morris.
  
• Zoilo Almonte singles on a line drive to center fielder Kentrail Davis.
  
• With Kyle Higashioka batting, Zoilo Almonte steals (3) 2nd base.
  
• Kyle Higashioka doubles (2) on a fly ball to left fielder Khristopher Davis. Zoilo Almonte scores.
  
• Pitcher Change: Santo Manzanillo replaces Kyle Heckathorn.
  
• Deangelo Mack flies out to center fielder Kentrail Davis.

Hunter Morris had an RBI single and Khris Davis a sacrifice fly as the 'Tees answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-3. Later on, the first six batters in the Yankee 9th reached against LH reliever Jon Pokorny; four runs scored to cap off a rough evening.

 

Heckathorn fanned five and walked none, inducing eight ground ball outs prior to the ugly 6th frame. RH reliever Santo Manzanillo allowed one run in his two innings.

 

The bottom six in the Brevard order went 0-for-20 with three walks. Chris Dennis is now 3-for-25 with three walks and 14 K's to start the season. Brock Kjeldgaard is 5-for-37 with three walks and 17 K's. Hunter Morris is raking through 45 AB's (.948 OPS) but has yet to meet Mr. Base on Balls. The Manatees were 4-for-4 in SB attempts before things got out of hand.

 

Shawn Zarraga has been pulling yeoman work behind the plate since Rafael Neda left the April 12th game with a head injury. Would Chris Dennis be the emergency catcher? Neda has not gone on the DL, so he must be available if really needed. Still a bit surprising a roster move wasn't made there...

 

Brevard County Game Log

The four-run Yankee 9th --

 

Tampa Top of the 9th

• Emerson Landoni singles on a ground ball to center fielder Kentrail Davis.
  
• Abraham Almonte walks. Emerson Landoni to 2nd.
  
• Walter Ibarra singles on a line drive to left fielder Khristopher Davis. Emerson Landoni to 3rd. Abraham Almonte to 2nd.
  
• Robert Lyerly triples (2) on a line drive to center fielder Kentrail Davis. Emerson Landoni scores. Abraham Almonte scores. Walter Ibarra scores.
  
• Luke Murton doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder Brock Kjeldgaard. Robert Lyerly scores.
  
• Taylor Grote hit by pitch.
  
• Zoilo Almonte called out on strikes.
  
• Kyle Higashioka flies out to center fielder Kentrail Davis.
  
• Deangelo Mack grounds out, shortstop Josh Prince to first baseman Hunter Morris.

[Mass Haas]

'Tees thumped by Tampa 11-3

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

VIERA, Fla. -- The Brevard County Manatees dropped their third straight game as the Tampa Yankees trounced the Manatees 11-3 on Sunday evening at Space Coast Stadium in Viera.

 

Manatees (3-8) starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn was roughed up in 5 2/3 innings of work as he allowed six runs (all earned) on eight hits. Five of the hits against him went for extra bases, including two home runs.

 

Brevard County's bullpen didn't fare much better against the Yankees (6-5), including Jonathan Pokorny who went just 1 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on four hits, as his season earned run average ballooned to 10.38.

 

The Manatees didn't fare that well at the plate either as they managed just four hits. Hunter Morris had three of those hits and also drove in two runs. Morris is hitting .356 on the season

 

Brevard County didn't have any extra-base hits in the game, but were able to steal four bases on the Yankees.

 

The Manatees will look to snap their three-game skid on Monday night at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) as they take on the Yankees again in the second game of a three-game set.

[Mass Haas]

Here is the Manatee press release on Zack Greinke's planned Tuesday rehab start.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Gotta figure Hunter Morris will be promoted to Huntsville at some point. Seems to be swinging the bat very well for Brevard.

[LouisEly]

Are my eyes deceiving me, or did Brendan Katin not play in either game for Nashville? Odd to not play in either game of a doubleheader...

 

And there's room on the Mike Walker bandwagon. Picking up where he left off last year with an OBP >.500 so far.

[TooLiveBrew]

Gotta figure Hunter Morris will be promoted to Huntsville at some point. Seems to be swinging the bat very well for Brevard.

I'm loving that Morris is off to such a hot start, and would definitely like to see the Brewers really push him.

[battlekow]

Chris Mehring has a bunch of notes/thoughts from a doubleheader, including that Dan Britt?will start on Wednesday, and highlights from each game:

[TooLiveBrew]

In the second video, was the play that begins around the 0:18 mark made by Thornburg? That was some kind of athletic play -- even a faster runner would've been out by a step or two.

 

Also, Mike Walker jacked that walk-off shot. Normally I'm not one in favor of a guy posing/strutting/bat-flipping after he thinks he hit one out (just too many examples of it not going out), but when you hit one like that, it's all good.

[ListachRides]

Gotta figure Hunter Morris will be promoted to Huntsville at some point. Seems to be swinging the bat very well for Brevard.

He is off to a nice start, though it would be nice to see him draw a walk at some point.

[Mass Haas]

Omaha, Nashville split doubleheader

By Rob White, Omaha World-Herald Staff Writer

Mike Montgomery's home-park debut wasn't necessarily an overpowering display of precision pitching. But the results were more than good enough Sunday in the Omaha Storm Chasers' 4-1 victory over Nashville in the first game of a doubleheader before a frigid crowd of 3,181.

Nashville bounced back to win the second game 5-3 as Taylor Green hit the first two home runs in the history of the two-day old park.

Montgomery (1-1) struggled with his control, walking five, but he was tough to hit nonetheless, allowing just two hits and an unearned run over six innings.

“It's something you don't want to do, but I was fortunate that none of the walks really cost me,” Montgomery said. “But it drives up your pitch count. It worked out, but you don't want to make that a trend.”

Montgomery pulled his ERA down to 3.00 through three starts, but he's also issued 10 walks in 15 innings of work.

“He really lacked command of his fastball, but he got them with his offspeed pitch,” Omaha manager Mike Jirschele said. “He wasn't real sharp, but he battled through it and he did a nice job of keeping us in the game.”

Nashville's only run came in the third inning, after back-to-back errors by third baseman Mike Moustakas and an infield grounder.

But Johnny Giavotella delivered a two-run single in the fourth inning — a line drive that deflected off Green's glove at third base — to put the Storm Chasers in front.

Montgomery, 21, didn't pitch with the velocity he's shown previously, sitting in the low 90s with his fastball, but said the cold weather — it was 49 degrees at game time — didn't affect him.

“It's more of a mental thing,” he said of pitching in difficult elements. “It takes more to stay focused and keep repeating your delivery.

“A cold day like today, it's not necessarily a hitter's kind of day. I didn't throw as many strikes as I'd like, but I made pitches when I had to make them.”

In the second game, Green homered in the second inning, lifting a fly ball over the wall in right despite a wind blowing in at up to 22 mph.

The Sounds built a 3-0 lead before Omaha tied the game in the fifth on another hit by Eric Hosmer — who is 7 for 9 through three games in the series to lift his batting average to .409.

But Nashville took a 4-3 lead on Brandon Boggs' RBI single in the sixth against Steven Shell (1-2) and got another in the seventh as Green hooked his second homer down the right field line, cutting through the wind.

“It's pretty cool,” Green said of his place as a trivia question answer for Werner Park. “The guys brought it up in the dugout.”

Green, 24, said he's had one other two-homer game, in 2007 in low Class A ball. His career high is 15 homers. He has three this season, his first in Class AAA.

“The way we've been giving up leads, I wasn't even thinking about that,” Sounds manager Don Money said of Green's feat. “I guess his name will be in the record book until they blow it up and build another one.”

[Mass Haas]

Tampa hands Brevard County third consecutive setback

by Mark DeCotis, Florida Today

 

Three steps forward, three steps back. Such is the dance of frustration for the Brevard County Manatees.

The Manatees opened the Florida State League season with five consecutive losses, won three straight and now find themselves on a three-game skid by virtue of Sunday's 11-3 loss to the Tampa Yankees before 732 fans at Space Coast Stadium.

The Manatees, who have allowed 118 hits, 15 home runs and 68 runs in 11 games and committed 16 errors, fell to 3-8. Two-time defending league champion Tampa improved to 6-5. The teams play the second game of their three-game series at 7:05 Monday night (6:05 Central) at Space Coast Stadium.

Despite the ugly numbers, Manatees Manager Jeff Isom isn't pushing the panic button.

"We've just got to get solid pitching and continue to play good defense which we had tonight," he said. "The bats are going to come around. We've just got to continue to be patient and continue to see improvement daily.

"Tonight's game . . . we had a close game, 2-1, going into the sixth inning when they scored the four runs. We battled back, but you can't continue to give up big innings. We've got to work on commanding our fastball, pitching inside, keeping them off the plate and command our off-speed pitches."

Yankees starter Brett Marshall had his command, handcuffing the Manatees despite being struck in the leg by a broken bat on a ground ball by Manatees center fielder Kentrail Davis in the first inning. He finished the inning, surrendering a run-scoring single to hot-hitting first baseman Hunter Morris and allowed nothing more until Davis and Morris -- who went 3 for 4 to raise his team-leading hit total to 16 -- reached him for consecutive singles in the sixth inning to cut Tampa's lead to 6-2.

Yankees center fielder Abe Almonte proved to be a major irritant to the Manatees, collecting a single, double and triple and scoring two runs while left fielder Zoilo Almonte homered to the deepest part of the ballpark.

First baseman Luke Murton also homered for the Yankees, hitting a two-run shot in the sixth to give Tampa a 5-1 lead.

Greinke will make rehab start Tuesday[/b]

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke is scheduled to pitch for the Manatees against the Yankees on Tuesday on a rehabilitation assignment.

Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young award winner for the Kansas City Royals, was a key offseason acquisition for the Brewers but has yet to pitch in the big leagues this season due to a rib injury suffered while playing basketball.

He is expected to be the starting pitcher on Tuesday and most likely will be limited to 30 to 35 pitches.

 

Brevard County Manatees third baseman Shea Vucinich fields a grounder during Sunday's game against the Tampa Yankees at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. / Dennis Greenblatt, for FLORIDA TODAY

 

http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20110418&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=104180312&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0

[Mass Haas]

More fantastic photos from Brad Krause at the Rattler doubleheader

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2uTmP9_ZcOg/Tau3waAt41I/AAAAAAAAAro/AoIliZ9FjGw/s320/20110417_544.JPG

[Mass Haas]

In the second video, was the play that begins around the 0:18 mark made by Thornburg? That was some kind of athletic play -- even a faster runner would've been out by a step or two.

 

Also, Mike Walker jacked that walk-off shot. Normally I'm not one in favor of a guy posing/strutting/bat-flipping after he thinks he hit one out (just too many examples of it not going out), but when you hit one like that, it's all good.

That was a classic flip! Can't wait to hear Chris' call. Also see that the Brewers haven't had the Kendrys Morales talk with their walk-off home-plate jumpers yet...