Link Report for Fri. 5/6 -- Four great games, just one win

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Frankie De La Cruz at Round Rock (Rangers), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

MiLB.TV (for subscribers)

Huntsville: RHP Jesus Sanchez at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 6:43 PM gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

Traditional broadcast via the Jacksonville feed: Listen

Brevard County: RHP Adrian Rosario at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- Cubs' feed

 

Wisconsin: RHP Jimmy Nelson at Beloit (Twins), 6:10 PM pre-game; 6:30 gametime

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday'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
	Omaha	16	11	.593	-	-	9-3	7-8	6-4	L1
	Iowa	13	14	.481	3.0	115	6-5	7-9	4-6	L1
	Memphis	10	16	.385	5.5	113	8-7	2-9	5-5	L3
	Nashville	9	17	.346	6.5	112	6-8	3-9	1-9	L4

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tennessee	17	11	.607	-	-	7-3	10-8	5-5	W1
	Huntsville	16	11	.593	0.5	43	9-3	7-8	4-6	W1
	Jackson	15	11	.577	1.0	43	5-6	10-5	8-2	W3
	Chattanooga	14	14	.500	3.0	40	7-11	7-3	4-6	L1
	Carolina	8	20	.286	9.0	34	6-12	2-8	3-7	L2

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Daytona	20	8	.714	-	-	10-4	10-4	7-3	W4
	Clearwater	19	9	.679	1.0	42	10-4	9-5	8-2	W6
	Dunedin	13	15	.464	7.0	36	5-8	8-7	7-3	W3
	Lakeland	13	15	.464	7.0	36	8-7	5-8	3-7	L3
	Brevard County	10	18	.357	10.0	33	4-10	6-8	3-7	L5
	Tampa	9	19	.321	11.0	32	3-11	6-8	2-8	L8

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	19	7	.731	-	-	10-2	9-5	6-4	W1
	Cedar Rapids	18	9	.667	1.5	-	8-4	10-5	7-3	L1
	Beloit	16	9	.640	2.5	44	10-4	6-5	8-2	W3
	Peoria	14	13	.519	5.5	40	6-3	8-10	5-5	W2
	Quad Cities	12	15	.444	7.5	38	5-10	7-5	4-6	L1
	Wisconsin	10	14	.417	8.0	39	5-8	5-6	5-5	L2
	Kane County	9	19	.321	11.0	34	5-10	4-9	2-8	W1
	Clinton	8	20	.286	12.0	33	4-12	4-8	3-7	L3

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Media Notes and Lineup

[battlekow]

Final: Daytona 5, @Brevard County 4

Brevard County box score

So close. The 'Tees were down by five entering the 9th but rallied, only to fall one run short. Adrian Rosario lasted only three innings, giving up all five of the Cubs' runs. On the bright side, Efrain Nieves, Jon Pokorny, and Rob Wooten turned in six scoreless frames in relief. Scooter Gennett had two hits, while Hunter Morris and Josh Prince each singled and walked. Kentrail Davis walked, stole a base, and hit a sac fly. With Khris Davis getting a day off, D'Vontrey Richardson was in the cleanup spot, where he went 1-5--which raised his average to .183.

Brevard County play-by-play

Wow, what an ending:

Brevard County Bottom of the 9th

• Sean McCraw singles on a line drive to right fielder Nelson Perez.
• Scott Krieger singles on a ground ball to left fielder Michael Burgess. Sean McCraw to 2nd.
• Shea Vucinich grounds into a force out, third baseman Matthew Cerda to second baseman Logan Watkins. Sean McCraw to 3rd. Scott Krieger out at 2nd. Shea Vucinich to 1st.
• Josh Prince reaches on force attempt, fielding error by second baseman Logan Watkins. Sean McCraw scores. Shea Vucinich to 2nd.
• Scooter Gennett singles on a ground ball to right fielder Nelson Perez. Shea Vucinich to 3rd. Josh Prince to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Jeff Beliveau replaces Dae-Eun Rhee.
• Kentrail Davis out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha. Shea Vucinich scores. Josh Prince to 3rd.
• Hunter Morris singles on a line drive to right fielder Nelson Perez. Josh Prince scores. Scooter Gennett to 3rd.
• Pitcher Change: Frank Batista replaces Jeff Beliveau.
• D' Vontrey Richardson singles on a fly ball to right fielder Nelson Perez. Scooter Gennett scores. Hunter Morris out at home on the throw, right fielder Nelson Perez to catcher Michael Brenly.

Hopefully Shawn Zarraga is okay; maybe pulled a hamstring or something?

Brevard County Bottom of the 4th

• Brock Kjeldgaard walks.
• Shawn Zarraga grounds into double play, first baseman Jake Opitz to shortstop Junior Lake to pitcher Nicholas Struck. Brock Kjeldgaard out at 2nd.
• Scott Krieger called out on strikes.

Daytona Top of the 5th

• Defensive Substitution: Sean McCraw replaces catcher Shawn Zarraga, batting 6th, playing catcher

[battlekow]

Final: Wisconsin 4, @Beloit 3

A Keen win for the Rattlers in Beloit

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

BELOIT, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers rallied on Friday night to defeat the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field 4-3. Reggie Keen started the comeback with a two-run triple that tied the game 2-2. Keen ended the Snappers hopes for a ninth inning rally with sparkling defensive play to end the game.

The Snappers (16-10) jumped on some early wildness and defensive miscues to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jimmy Nelson walked the leadoff batter and an error allowed Beloit to put two on with no outs. Nate Roberts was next and he dropped a bunt single up the first base line. Nelson's throw to first deflected off Roberts and allowed a run to score. Michael Gonzales drove in the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Wisconsin (11-14) came right back in the top of the second inning. Keen's triple to right field sent Tyler Roberts and Carlos George to the plate to tie the game 2-2.

Gonzales put the Snappers back in front with another sacrifice fly. Jamaal Hawkins started the bottom of the third inning with a double. A grounder to first off the bat of Roberts sent Hawkins to third. A fly ball to right by Gonzales was deep enough to score Hawkins and give Beloit a 3-2 lead.

The Rattlers used the bunt and some defensive lapses by the Snappers to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Franklin Romero extended his hitting streak to ten games with a bunt single to start the inning. Roberts was next and he sent a grounder to first. But, the throw to second by Gonzales went into left field to allow Wisconsin to have runners at first and second.

George came to the plate and fouled off a pair of bunt attempts. He was successful on his third attempt and successful beyond his wildest dreams. George pushed a bunt past Gonzales, who was charging from first base. The ball stopped on the infield grass just shy of the infield dirt in front of where the second baseman would normally play.

However, Jamaal Hawkins had gone over to cover first on the bunt. Romero spotted the opening and raced around third. He just beat the throw to the plate from Gonzales to score the tying run.

Another botched double play attempt allowed the Rattlers to score the go ahead run in the top of the eighth. Mike Walker drew a one out walk. Greg Hopkins hit a smash that Hawkins made a diving stab on a backhand play. Hawkins got to his feet and fired the ball into left as he tried to force Walker at second base. By the time the play ended, Walker was on third and Hopkins was at second.

That brought Romero to the plate and the Beloit infield in to try to get Walker at the plate. Romero sent a slow chopper towards Hawkins. The Snappers second baseman charged and threw home, but Walker slid in under the tag and the Rattlers led 4-3.

Thomas Keeling, who relieved Nelson in the sixth inning, got into trouble as he allowed a single sandwiched between two hit batsmen in the eighth.

Greg Holle came in to protect the lead and he struck out the first batter for the second out. Then, the degree of difficulty was increased as Daniel Ortiz came up as a pinch hitter. Ortiz led the Midwest League in hitting at .382, had six homers, and 20 RBI coming into the game.

Holle got Ortiz to fly out to center to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, a walk to Wang-Wei Lin, a sacrifice bunt, and a hit batsman put the winning runs aboard for the Snappers with one out.

Then, the spotty Rattlers defense shone.

Roberts sent a line drive to left-center and Keen went back to get it. Lin went got about halfway to third on contact, but went back when he saw that Keen would make the catch. Lin tagged and took off for third. Keen pegged him out with a strike to Hopkins for the game ending double play.

The Timber Rattlers return to Time Warner Cable Field to start a six-game home stand on Saturday night. Wisconsin welcomes the Quad Cities River Bandits to town for a game that begins at 6:35pm.

Austin Ross (3-0, 1.48) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Quad Cities will send Kevin Siegrist (3-1, 2.28) to the mound.

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

Wisconsin box score

In play, win(s)! Nelson was uncharacteristically wild, throwing only 42 of his 79 pitches for strikes and walking four. He went 5.2 IP, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits with two strikeouts. He posted a 9/4 GO/FO. Keeling posted a second consecutive walkless outing, though he did hit two batters; saves three pitches, I guess. George led the Rattlers with three hits; Walker and Cody Hawn each walked twice. Keen stole two bases to run his total to 12 and, as Chris mentioned, tallied yet another outfield assist to end the game; he was picked off at third base after his triple, though.

Wisconsin play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: Jacksonville 12, @Huntsville 11 (12 innings)

Huntsville box score

What a game. Indulging my inner editor, here's a headline: "Suns outshine Stars". It was tied at nine going into the bottom of the 8th, when the Stars took the lead with a single run. The Suns answered with a run in the top of the 9th, then the teams traded runs in the 11th before Jacksonville finally won it in the 12th. After another nondescript Jesus Sanchez start (five innings, four runs, two earned), Corey Frerichs gave up five runs (but just one earned) to put Huntsville down four, but they immediately answered, tying the game in the bottom of the 6th. Michael Fiers struck out four and walked none (29 pitches, 21 strikes) in two innings, but two of the three hits he allowed were solo homers; the Stars took him off the hook after the first, but the second hung him with the loss. RHP Jameson Dunn made his pro debut with a scoreless 7th. Sean Halton (two homers) and Lee Haydel (three doubles, a single, and a walk) had monster games. Erik Komatsu, back in the sixth spot, was 1-4 with two walks.

Huntsville play-by-play

I could parse it, I guess, but better to just take in the whole end of the game:

Huntsville Bottom of the 8th

• Lee Haydel strikes out swinging.
  
• Sergio Miranda strikes out swinging.
  
• Sean Halton homers (4) on a fly ball to right center field.
  
• Brandon Jones strikes out swinging.

Jacksonville Top of the 9th

• Kyle Skipworth homers (2) on a fly ball to right field.
  
• Jorge Padilla singles on a ground ball to right fielder Brandon Jones.
  
• With Chris Gutierrez batting, passed ball by Martin Maldonado, Jorge Padilla to 2nd.
  
• Chris Gutierrez walks.
  
• Pitcher Change: Daniel Meadows replaces Roque Mercedes, batting 9th.
  
• With Jhan Marinez batting, Jorge Padilla caught stealing 3rd base, pitcher Daniel Meadows to third baseman Steffan Wilson to shortstop Hainley Statia to pitcher Daniel Meadows, Chris Gutierrez to 2nd.
  
• Jhan Marinez out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Daniel Meadows to first baseman Sean Halton. Chris Gutierrez to 3rd.
  
• Jim Negrych flies out to center fielder Erik Komatsu.

Huntsville Bottom of the 9th

• Steffan Wilson pops out to shortstop Chris Gutierrez.
  
• Erik Komatsu walks.
  
• With Martin Maldonado batting, Erik Komatsu advances to 2nd on a balk.
  
• Martin Maldonado strikes out swinging, catcher Kyle Skipworth to first baseman Erik Lis.
  
• Hainley Statia grounds out to first baseman Erik Lis.

Jacksonville Top of the 10th

• Ryan Curry grounds out, pitcher Daniel Meadows to first baseman Sean Halton.
  
• Alex Romero flies out to center fielder Erik Komatsu.
  
• Erik Lis flies out to left fielder Lee Haydel.

Huntsville Bottom of the 10th

• Pitcher Change: Corey Madden replaces Jhan Marinez, batting 9th.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Chuck Caufield replaces Daniel Meadows.
  
• Chuck Caufield called out on strikes.
  
• Lee Haydel singles on a line drive to left fielder Jake Smolinski.
  
• With Sergio Miranda batting, Corey Madden picks off Lee Haydel at 1st on throw to Erik Lis.
  
• Sergio Miranda grounds out, shortstop Chris Gutierrez to first baseman Erik Lis.

Jacksonville Top of the 11th

• Pitcher Change: Michael Fiers replaces Daniel Meadows, batting 9th.
  
• Jake Smolinski homers (2) on a fly ball to left center field.
  
• Kyle Skipworth called out on strikes.
  
• Jorge Padilla called out on strikes.
  
• Chris Gutierrez singles on a fly ball to right fielder Brandon Jones.
  
• Corey Madden called out on strikes.

Huntsville Bottom of the 11th

• Sean Halton strikes out swinging.
  
• Brandon Jones reaches on fielding error by center fielder Jorge Padilla. Brandon Jones to 2nd.
  
• With Steffan Wilson batting, wild pitch by Corey Madden, Brandon Jones to 3rd.
  
• Steffan Wilson out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Jorge Padilla. Brandon Jones scores.
  
• Erik Komatsu grounds out, second baseman Ryan Curry to first baseman Erik Lis.

Jacksonville Top of the 12th

• Jim Negrych called out on strikes.
  
• Ryan Curry homers (3) on a fly ball to left center field.
  
• Alex Romero lines out to center fielder Erik Komatsu.
  
• Erik Lis grounds out, shortstop Hainley Statia to first baseman Sean Halton.

Huntsville Bottom of the 12th

• Martin Maldonado grounds out, shortstop Chris Gutierrez to first baseman Erik Lis.
  
• Hainley Statia walks.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Dayton Buller replaces Michael Fiers.
  
• Dayton Buller called out on strikes.
  
• With Lee Haydel batting, Hainley Statia steals (2) 2nd base.
  
• Lee Haydel walks.
  
• Sergio Miranda flies out to left fielder Jake Smolinski.

[battlekow]

Final: @Round Rock 8, Nashville 7

Sounds Suffer Devastating Last At-Bat Loss In Round Rock, 8-7

Nashville Sounds

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express erased a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning to hang a devastating 8-7 loss on the Nashville Sounds on Friday evening at The Dell Diamond in the opener of a four-game series.

The loss was the fifth in a row for the Sounds (9-18), who suffered their PCL-leading 11th one-run defeat of the year.

In the top of ninth, the Sounds took advantage of ineffective Express reliever Pedro Strop to break a tie and take a 7-5 lead. Brendan Katin led off with an opposite-field double to right then scored when Mat Gamel followed with a first-pitch single back up the middle and center fielder Endy Chavez overran the ball. Two batters later, Jeremy Reed drove in an insurance run with a single to left that gave Nashville a two-run cushion.

Round Rock stormed right back in the bottom of the frame against Sounds reliever Zack Segovia. Andy Tracy got extended life after a questionable non-called third strike by the home plate umpire and took advantage by leading off with a double to left to get things started. After Brad Nelson lined out, former Sound Luis Cruz stepped in and mashed the first pitch he saw from Segovia over the left field wall for a game-tying two-run homer, the infielder's fifth roundtripper of the year.

After Sounds catcher Mike Rivera was ejected following the homer as he argued the missed strike call with the home plate umpire, the Express continued their rally. Doug Deeds flew out to the wall for the second out, then Craig Gentry and Kevin Cash singled off Segovia to put a pair of runners on base for PCL mainstay Esteban German, who blooped a game-winning single to shallow center which dropped just in front of a charging Brett Carroll to allow Gentry to race home with the winning run.

Strop (1-0) backed into a win by being bailed out by the Round Rock rally. The right-hander allowed two runs in his 1 1/3 innings of work. Segovia (1-2) was saddled with the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in 1 2/3 frames.

Six different Nashville hitters recorded multiple-hit efforts on the evening, led by three-hit games from Carroll and Caleb Gindl, as the Sounds etched a season-best 15 knocks in the losing effort.

Round Rock jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Sounds starter Frankie De La Cruz in the bottom of the first inning. German led off with a triple to center and scored the night's first run on Chavez's ensuing groundout.

The Express stretched their lead to 3-0 in the second against De La Cruz. Doug Deeds led off the frame with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to right. Round Rock later loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a Brian Barden single sprinkled among a pair of outs before Tracy drew a walk to force home Cash with the inning's second run. De La Cruz then struck out Nelson, the former Sound, to leave the bases full and escape further damage.

Round Rock added another run in the fourth when Barden tripled with one out and came plateward one batter later on Tracy's RBI single.

After leaving runners on base in each of the first four innings (twice in scoring position), the Sounds finally broke through in the fifth inning against former Nashville hurler Zach Jackson.

The first two batters of the frame were retired by the left-hander before Gindl doubled to right and scored the first Sounds run when Eric Farris followed with a single to center. Carroll (3-for-5) then hammered his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center, which drew the visitors within a single score at 4-3.

Gindl (3-for-5) tied the contest at 4-4 in the seventh when he greeted new Express reliever Yhency Brazoban with a solo homer to right-center, his second big fly of the season.

Round Rock took advantage of a Farris fielding error and some crafty baserunning to reclaim a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Nelson doubled and moved to third when Cruz, the 2010 Sounds MVP, reached as Farris booted his groundball. As Doug Deeds struck out, the two former Nashville standouts executed a double steal, with Nelson reaching home to give the home team a one-run advantage.

Nashville again evened the contest at 5-5 in the following half-inning as Rivera ripped his second double of the night and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of Anderson Machado. The Sounds missed an opportunity to do further damage, however, leaving the sacks full in the frame as Strop entered the contest and retired Carroll on a first-pitch fly to shallow right to escape the jam.

The teams continue the series with another 7:05 p.m. meeting on Saturday. Right-hander Josh Butler (1-2, 4.76) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face Round Rock right-hander Derek Hankins (4-1, 4.94).

Nashville box score

Blergh. Four great games, but only one with the right team coming out on top. Pretty tough going down to Zach Jackson, Luis Cruz, and Brad Nelson. De la Cruz is really coming down from his early-season high the last couple starts. Gindl's been hot lately and may be working himself into the MLB OF conversation if another goes down; we know Ron Roenicke was impressed with him in spring training. Katin also singled and walked. Might be time to call Emmylou Harris again: Taylor Green's 0-4 drops his average to .188. If you're feeling masochistic, you can listen to Carroll's RBI single from the 9th inning here.

Nashville play-by-play

[Mass Haas]

Frank's summary from Space Coast tells us Hunter Morris was too enthusiastic at the very end of the game --

 

Despite 9th inning rally, 'Tees lose sixth straight

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

VIERA, Fla. -- The Brevard County Manatees entered Friday night's game on a five-game losing streak and with an 0-4 record against their opponent, the Daytona Cubs. A furious rally in the ninth inning almost ended both of those skids, but the tying run in the form of Hunter Morris was thrown out at the plate to end the game as the Manatees (10-19) fell 5-4 to the Cubs (21-8).

 

The Cubs roughed up Manatees starting pitcher Adrian Rosario as they scored five runs off of seven hits in just three innings. Brevard County's bullpen though was able to keep the game within reach.

 

The trio of Efrain Nieves, Jonathan Pokorny and Rob Wooten combined for six shutout innings of relief work and allowed just one hit.

 

Brevard County's bats were quiet all night, but finally awoke in the ninth inning. Sean McCraw and Scott Krieger led off the frame with back-to-back singles. A force out then put runners on the corners with one out and then Josh Prince reached on an error by Daytona's second baseman Logan Watkins, as McCraw came into score to put the Manatees on the board.

 

With runners on first and second, Scooter Gennett then singled to load the bases and prompted a Daytona pitching change as Jeffrey Beliveau came in. Kentrail Davis lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Shea Vucinich as Daytona's lead was cut to 5-2.

 

A two-out RBI single from Hunter Morris plated Prince and moved Gennett to third as Brevard County scored its third run of the inning and put runners on the corners. Beliveau was then taken out as Daytona brought in Frank Batista to try and shut the door.

 

D'Vontrey Richardson stepped up to the plate and delievered a single to shallow right center, that scored Gennett. Morris raced home and ran through a stop sign at third base as right fielder Nelson Perez's throw was up the line but Michael Brenly was able to haul it in and just apply the tag to Morris to end the game and thwart the Manatees thrilling comeback.

 

The loss was the sixth straight for the 'Tees as they are now 0-6 in May. Brevard County is now 0-5 against its division rival Daytona.

 

The three-game series between the two clubs will continue on Saturday night at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) at Space Coast Stadium. The Manatees will send Maverick Lasker (0-4, 4.72) to hill, while the Cubs will counter with Aaron Kurcz (1-0, 3.74).