Link Report for Tue. 5/10 -- One eight-game skid ends, another continues

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

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

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

 

Huntsville: LHP Dan Merklinger at Tennessee (Cubs), 10:35 AM gametime

Live Audio Link -- look for the Tennessee feed off the master MiLB.com audio list

Brevard County: TBD (probably RHP Hiram Burgos) at home vs. Charlotte (Rays), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- Stone Crabs' feed

 

Wisconsin: LHP Del Howell at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday'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	18	13	.581	-	-	11-5	7-8	5-5	L1
	Iowa	14	17	.452	4.0	110	7-8	7-9	3-7	L2
	Memphis	11	19	.367	6.5	108	8-7	3-12	3-7	L1
	Nashville	9	21	.300	8.5	106	6-8	3-13	1-9	L8

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tennessee	19	12	.613	-	-	8-3	11-9	5-5	W2
	Huntsville	17	13	.567	1.5	39	10-4	7-9	3-7	L1
	Jackson	16	13	.552	2.0	39	6-7	10-6	7-3	L2
	Chattanooga	17	14	.548	2.0	38	9-11	8-3	5-5	W3
	Carolina	10	21	.323	9.0	31	7-13	3-8	5-5	W1

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Daytona	23	8	.742	-	-	11-4	12-4	8-2	W7
	Clearwater	21	10	.677	2.0	38	11-5	10-5	8-2	W2
	Lakeland	15	16	.484	8.0	32	9-7	6-9	5-5	W1
	Dunedin	14	17	.452	9.0	31	5-9	9-8	6-4	L2
	Brevard County	10	21	.323	13.0	27	4-12	6-9	1-9	L8
	Tampa	10	21	.323	13.0	27	4-12	6-9	1-9	L1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	23	7	.767	-	-	10-2	13-5	8-2	W5
	Cedar Rapids	20	11	.645	3.5	-	10-6	10-5	6-4	L1
	Beloit	17	12	.586	5.5	39	10-5	7-7	5-5	W1
	Peoria	17	14	.548	6.5	37	9-4	8-10	6-4	W3
	Wisconsin	13	15	.464	9.0	36	7-9	6-6	6-4	W2
	Quad Cities	14	17	.452	9.5	34	5-10	9-7	4-6	L2
	Clinton	9	23	.281	15.0	28	4-15	5-8	3-7	L3
	Kane County	9	23	.281	15.0	28	5-11	4-12	2-8	L4

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Notes

[bretsky07]

Huntsville has grounded into a double play in each of the first three innings. Sean Halton has two of them, and an error that led to both of the Smokies' runs.

 

Edit: Oof. Make that 4 for 4. Caufield lines into one in the 4th.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville has grounded into a double play in each of the first three innings. Sean Halton has two of them, and an error that led to both of the Smokies' runs.

Sean's apparently not a morning person...

[CheezWizHed]

I realize that we are playing the Cubs, but I don't understand how so many of these minor league teams can attract many fans playing day games, let alone mid-morning games during the week like this one...

[EbbaStClaire]

I assume these minor league day games are field trips for elementary and middle school kids and thousands of kids are in attendance.

[TooLiveBrew]

Good call, Ebba. Probably a very good chance that's correct. I know the T-Rats get a lot of school trips.

[battlekow]

Final: Huntsville 7, @Tennessee 5

Huntsville box score

Nice comeback win for the Stars, who put up four runs between the 5th & 6th innings to take a 6-4 lead. Dan Merklinger continues to do very little to distinguish himself at the AA level, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits, two walks, and a hit batter in four innings, striking out two. Michael Fiers notched the save with two scoreless innings; he threw 28 pitches, and 21 were strikes--right on, man. Because Lee Haydel wasn't in the starting lineup, so Erik Komatsu was back on top of the order today, and all he did was get on base four out of five trips with three singles and a walk. Cool Little Pine Breeze is now hitting .321/.426/.429 with 15 walks against just seven strikeouts. Haydel did enter the game later on a double switch and went 2-3 with a double and a stolen base. Sean Halton's double play problems were mentioned above, and he went on to ground into another one in the 7th inning, so that's four at-bats and seven outs for him today. Maybe they were all Betancourt/Weeks-esque beauties. Hang with 'em, Sean.

Huntsville play-by-play

The Stars' three-run 5th:

Huntsville Top of the 5th

• Hainley Statia singles on a ground ball to left fielder Rebel Ridling.
• Matt Cline walks. Hainley Statia to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Lee Haydel replaces Dan Merklinger.
• Lee Haydel doubles (5) on a soft fly ball to left fielder Rebel Ridling. Hainley Statia scores. Matt Cline to 3rd.
• Erik Komatsu singles on a ground ball to right fielder Brett Jackson. Matt Cline scores. Lee Haydel scores.
• Angel Gonzalez singles on a ground ball to left fielder Rebel Ridling. Erik Komatsu to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Ty'Relle Harris replaces Brooks Raley, batting 9th.
• Sean Halton strikes out swinging.
• Steffan Wilson strikes out swinging.
• Chuck Caufield flies out to center fielder James Adduci.

Fiers' save wasn't without incident; the tying runs were both in scoring position when the game ended:

Tennessee Bottom of the 9th

• Steve Clevenger singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Erik Komatsu.
• Rebel Ridling singles on a ground ball to center fielder Erik Komatsu. Steve Clevenger to 2nd.
• Blake Lalli pops out to third baseman Angel Gonzalez in foul territory.
• Josh Vitters grounds out, catcher Anderson De La Rosa to shortstop Matt Cline to first baseman Sean Halton. Steve Clevenger to 3rd. Rebel Ridling to 2nd.
• James Adduci grounds out, second baseman Sergio Miranda to first baseman Sean Halton.

Double-switching out their second baseman was a major production for the Smokies:

Huntsville Top of the 7th

• Defensive switch from right field to left field for Brett Jackson.
• Defensive switch from third base to second base for DJ LeMahieu.
• Pitcher Change: Jeff Beliveau replaces Ty'Relle Harris, batting 3rd, replacing second baseman Ryan Flaherty.
• Defensive switch from left field to first base for Rebel Ridling.
• Defensive switch from first base to third base for Josh Vitters.
• Matthew Spencer remains in the game as the right fielder.

[Mass Haas]

Nearly 7,000 in attendance in Knoxville, by the way.

 

I'm so glad Sessile was available for this matinee recap because that game log had my head spinning during the course of the afternoon. Thirty-five combined baserunners, six extra-base hits for the Stars, five double plays turned by the Smokies, each team had exactly only one 1-2-3 clean inning.

 

Nice win.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[CheezWizHed]

I assume these minor league day games are field trips for elementary and middle school kids and thousands of kids are in attendance.

 

Your tax dollars at work... Thanks for the thought. I've only had a chance to see 2 MiLB games in person. Our school field trips were only to the zoo or a museum... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Cool Little Pine Breeze

 

Sweet! I like it. Maybe Huntsville can have a car air freshener giveaway for Komatsu instead of a bobblehead...

[tyguy20204]

Howell with zero strikeouts in 6IP but 13-1 GB/FB ratio. However, he did give up a home-run amongst his 5 hits. How many else were fly-balls I do not know.

[battlekow]

Final: Fresno 6, @Nashville 3

Sounds Open Homestand With 6-3 Loss

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds suffered their ninth consecutive defeat on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium, falling 6-3 to the Fresno Grizzlies in the opener of a four-game series.

The Sounds (9-22) have posted only one victory in their last 15 contests, dating back to April 23rd.

Fresno took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning against Sounds starter Sam Narron. After Brad Eldred singled with one out, the 6-foot-6, 268-pounder proceeded to steal second, third, and home off the Narron in the inning, scoring the game's first run as a part of a double steal with Terry Evans (who had walked). The Grizzlies doubled their lead to 2-0 when catcher Chris Stewart plated Evans on a hit-and-run single to left.

Fresno second baseman Brett Pill upped the visitors' lead to 3-0 in the third with a solo homer off Narron that careened off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center. The blast was the infielder's team-leading fifth of the year.

The Grizzlies added a two-out run in the sixth when starting pitcher Matt Yourkin slapped a seeing-eye RBI single through the left side of the infield to bring home Eldred from second base. It was the second hit of the night for the Fresno hurler and chased Narron from the contest.

Yourkin (3-2) earned the win with a quality start for Fresno, working six innings of scoreless, three-hit ball. The southpaw walked one batter and struck out five in his 99-pitch effort.

The Sounds jumped onto the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, plating two runs against the Fresno bullpen.

Mat Gamel opened the frame by drawing a walk from Alex Hinshaw and moved to third on a one-out double by Taylor Green (2-for-4), who recorded his fourth consecutive two-hit effort. Shortstop Edwin Maysonet, who returned to action for the Sounds after missing nearly a month on the disabled list, followed with an RBI single to center that plated Gamel to put Nashville on the scoreboard.

Pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed drew a walk to load the bases and Fresno skipper Steve Decker summoned Waldis Joaquin from the bullpen to face Caleb Gindl, who drew a run-scoring walk to force home Green to draw the Sounds within 4-2 with the bases loaded and still just one out. The right-hander quickly recovered, inducing an inning-ending double play grounder from Eric Farris to escape the jam with the two-run lead intact.

Fresno got both runs back in the top of the eighth against Sounds reliever Sean Green. Stewart drew an inning-opening walk and moved to third on a Tyler Grisham bunt single combined with a Green throwing error. Edgar Gonzalez followed with a run-scoring groundout to second. Later in the frame, Conor Gillaspie (3-for-5) laced an opposite-field RBI double to left to drive in Grisham and increase the visitors' advantage to 6-2.

Sounds left fielder Brendan Katin mashed his team-leading ninth home run of the year in the bottom of the eighth, launching a one-out solo shot off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center against Joaquin to close out the evening's scoring.

Veteran reliever Marc Kroon worked a scoreless ninth inning for Fresno to nail down his eighth save of the year.

Narron (0-1) took a loss in his first decision of the year for the Sounds. He allowed four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings of work, walking four batters and striking out four.

Gamel continued his recent hot hitting, extending his season-best hitting streak to five games with a 2-for-2 effort.

The teams continue the series with an 11:05 a.m. contest on Wednesday morning, when thousands of area schoolchildren will pack the stands as a reward for meeting their educational goals in the popular Nashville Sounds Reading Club program. Right-hander Frankie De La Cruz (0-1, 3.19) will make the start for the Sounds and face Fresno right-hander Doug Mathis (0-1, 4.88).

Nashville box score

Will the Sounds ever win again? Not much to talk about on the pitching side, except to note that Sean Green's struggles upon his demotion will give some Brewers fans who fear his recall a measure of relief. Gamel reached base all three times before being lifted for Jordan Brown. All four of Taylor Green's consecutive two-hit games have featured a double, buoying his line back to a respectable .247/.340/.435. Brett Carroll, the man with the golden arm, took another baserunner scalp. Audio of Maysonet's RBI single (welcome back, Edwin) here.

Nashville play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: @Brevard County 7, Charlotte 0

'Tees snap eight-game skid by blanking Charlotte

Frank Longobardo/Brevard County Manatees

VIERA, Fla. -- The Brevard County Manatees snapped an eight-game losing streak and got their first win in the month of May by shutting out the Charlotte Stone Crabs 7-0 on Tuesday night at Space Coast Stadium.

'Tees (11-21) starting pitcher Hiram Burgos (1-1, 3.31) earned his first win of the season, went six innings and allowed four hits, while walking four and striking out three. Brevard County's bullpen was even better as R.J. Seidel and Santo Manzanillo combine to allow two hits and one walk in three innings of relief.

Brevard County also got some pop from the middle of the order as Hunter Morris and D'Vontrey Richardson combined to go 4-for-8 with four RBI. The biggest hit of the night came in the seventh when Morris smoked a triple into right center field, to drive in two runs and give the Manatees a 5-0 lead.

Both Shea Vucinich and Mike Brownstein also had two hits each.

Brevard County and Charlotte (11-21) will continue their series on Wednesday with a matinee game beginning at 10:35 a.m. Nicholas Bucci (3-1, 2.12) will start on the mound for the Manatees, while the Stone Crabs will send Drew Leary (0-1, 6.43) to the hill.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2011/05/10/iTHynSct.jpg

Hiram Burgos (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

Brevard County box score

Alex Colome, one of the Rays' top prospects, was no-hitting the Manatees until the 5th, but BC got a run off him then and two more without him getting an out in the 6th. Vucinich was perfect, walking twice to go with his two hits. Kentrail Davis was hitless but drew two free passes and was hit by a pitch. Scooter Gennett (and that's what MiLB.com is calling him now instead of "Ryan") took an 0-5. Khris Davis did not play after leaving yesterday's game in the 2nd inning.

Richardson gets his own paragraph. He was on four times with two singles, a walk, and a HBP. Something interesting about his season thus far--he's cut his strikeout rate in half from last year (13% vs. 28%) but is struggling because his BABIP is much lower (.207 vs. .355). So he's making a lot more contact but either making it much more weakly than last year or getting unlucky (or both). With Richardson's speed, we'd expect him to have a pretty high BABIP normally since he'll beat out his share of grounders; there's definitely something to be optimistic about here, the possibility of real growth obscured by a couple weeks of bad luck.

 

Brevard County play-by-play

Brevard County Bottom of the 5th

• Scott Krieger flies out to left fielder Anthony Scelfo.
• Shea Vucinich hits a ground-rule double (7) on a fly ball to left-center field.
• With Sean McCraw batting, wild pitch by Alexander Colome, Shea Vucinich to 3rd.
• Sean McCraw walks.
• Mike Brownstein grounds out to first baseman Michael Sheridan. Shea Vucinich scores. Sean McCraw to 2nd.
• Scooter Gennett lines out to shortstop Hak-Ju Lee.

Brevard County Bottom of the 6th

• Kentrail Davis walks.
• Hunter Morris singles on a line drive to right fielder Brett Nommensen. Kentrail Davis to 3rd.
• D' Vontrey Richardson singles on a ground ball to left fielder Anthony Scelfo. Kentrail Davis scores. Hunter Morris to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Michael Jarman replaces Alexander Colome.
• Brock Kjeldgaard grounds into double play, third baseman Greg Sexton to second baseman Tyler Bortnick to first baseman Michael Sheridan. Hunter Morris to 3rd. D' Vontrey Richardson out at 2nd.
• Scott Krieger singles on a line drive to left fielder Anthony Scelfo. Hunter Morris scores.
• With Shea Vucinich batting, Scott Krieger steals (3) 2nd base.
• Shea Vucinich walks.
• Sean McCraw grounds out, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee to first baseman Michael Sheridan.

[battlekow]

Final: @Wisconsin 4, Cedar Rapids 1

Rattlers beat Kernels for third straight win

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and defeat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 4-1. Chris Dennis delivered a two-out, two-run triple in the decisive inning and break the tie on Tuesday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Eric Marzec provided three innings of scoreless relief to help the Rattlers claim their third straight win.

Ricky Alvarez gave the Kernels (20-12) a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. He lifted a leadoff home run to left field off Rattlers starter Del Howell.

Wisconsin (14-15) tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the second. Greg Hopkins reached second on an throwing error with one out. Franklin Romero lined a single to center to drive in Hopkins with the tying run. Romero extended his hitting streak to eleven games with that RBI single.

The game remained tied until the eighth inning.

Cedar Rapids starting pitcher AJ Schugel was an emergency starter for the Kernels when scheduled starter Suammy Baez could not make his start. Schugel, who had made eight relief appearances without a start for the Kernels prior Monday, allowed one unearned run over five innings before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Howell pitched into the seventh inning and scattered five hits without allowing another run after the homer by Alvarez. Howell was replaced by Marzec after a leadoff walk to Brandon Decker in the seventh.

Marzec struck out Alvarez for the first out. Then - with Decker running - Marzec struck out Jesus Campos looking and Rattlers catcher Tyler Robers threw out Decker at second for an inning ending double play.

Wisconsin had the go ahead run in scoring position with one out in the sixth and seventh innings, but could not score. So, they took a different approach in the eighth.

Nick Shaw singled with one out and tried to steal with Reggie Keen at the plate. However, Keen was called out for interference and Shaw was sent back to first base. Cody Hawn singled to left to send Shaw around to third base.

Dennis lined a 1-0 pitch from Caleb Graham, the third Cedar Rapids pitcher of the night, to left-center for a triple to drive in both Shaw and Hawn for a 3-1 lead. Mike Walker singled Dennis home moments later to give the Rattlers a 4-1 lead.

Marzec went back out for the ninth. He pitched around a one out walk with back-to-back strikeouts to close out the Kernels.

Game two of the series is Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Jimmy Nelson (0-2, 4.01) is the scheduled starter for the Timber Rattlers. Justin La Tempa (1-0, 2.55) is set to go for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm.

Wednesday is a Bonus Bang For Your Buck Night with soda, hot dogs, and Miller products available for $1. Wednesday is also an American TV Win-It Wednesday. Every fan aged 16 and older will receive a scratch-off ticket. Every ticket is a winner with prizes from the Timber Rattlers and American TV of Appleton.

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm.

Wisconsin box score

As mentioned above, Howell didn't strike anyone out but got a ton of grounders. Howell threw 83 pitches, 49 strikes. Dennis and Hawn each had two hits, and Hopkins doubled and walked. The Rattlers' collective assistmania spread to Dennis, who started in left and threw a runner out at home. Five strikeouts against just a walk and a hit in three innings for Marzec--very nice work. Roberts has now thrown out 10 of 18 attempted base stealers. Yadiel Rivera made his full-season debut and went 1-3 with two strikeouts as the ninth-place hitter.

Wisconsin play-by-play

Rivera's strong arm came into play in his first inning of the year as he pitched in on Dennis's assist:

Cedar Rapids Top of the 1st

• Travis Witherspoon singles on a ground ball to left fielder Chris Dennis.
• Wes Hatton grounds into a force out, pitcher Del Howell to second baseman Nick Shaw. Travis Witherspoon out at 2nd. Wes Hatton to 1st.
• Jeremy Cruz pops out to third baseman Gregory Hopkins in foul territory.
• Brandon Decker doubles (3) on a ground ball to left fielder Chris Dennis. Wes Hatton out at home on the throw, left fielder Chris Dennis to shortstop Yadiel Rivera to catcher Tyler Roberts.

[battlekow]

Howell with zero strikeouts in 6IP but 13-1 GB/FB ratio. ?However, he did give up a home-run amongst his 5 hits. ?How many else were fly-balls I do not know.

Chris has your answer in his postgame thoughts:

• Howell was 13-1 in ground out/fly out ratio. ?Since, I saw a question somewhere…The other balls put in play against Del were: Ground single into left…Ground double down the third base line…Home run…ground ball kicked for an E-3…Line drive single to center…fly ball single to right…
• I’m not up on this GO/AO ratio but there were two popups that were not included in the AO part of the ratio..13/3? Still not bad. Right? ?These new stats are tough.

He also notes that Yadiel Rivera was as advertised defensively, both with the glove and arm. Check out his throw in the first play of the highlight reel:

[Mass Haas]

Dennis finding hitting stroke on return to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer

GRAND CHUTE – Wearing a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' jersey seems to bring out the pop in Chris Dennis' bat.

Dennis was one of the team's best hitters last summer, playing well enough to earn a promotion to Brevard County (advanced Class A) of the Florida State League.

However, he struggled early this season at Brevard County and was transferred back to Wisconsin on May 1.

Dennis' slump disappeared upon his return to the Rattlers and he has resumed his role as one of Wisconsin's sluggers.

The right-handed-hitting outfielder collected two hits Tuesday night, including a tie-breaking two-run triple to highlight a three-run eighth inning, which lifted Wisconsin to a 3-1 win over Cedar Rapids before a crowd of 3,471 at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

"It was a fastball away and I was looking for something in the zone I could drive," said Dennis. "We've been having a little trouble scoring guys in scoring position and it was time to knuckle down and put the ball in play."

Dennis is hitting .333 in his first 27 at bats with Wisconsin. The (Lasalle) Ontario, Canada native slammed 18 home runs with the Rattlers last season and knocked in 87 runs, hitting .270.

He got off to a terrific 2011 start with Wisconsin, slamming a home run in his first at bat with the Rattlers earlier this month.

"I've always felt comfortable in Wisconsin," said Dennis. "I know a lot of people here and I'm comfortable with the atmosphere. It's a good group of guys and I'm just trying to contribute to a team that has a lot of talent."

Dennis just couldn't get started at Brevard County, collecting just three hits in 29 plate appearances.

"I struggled, I don't know what it was," said Dennis. "Sometimes, you just get into those type of slumps. It's unfortunate, but I got a new start here and you can't dwell on the past. I just want to do what I can to, hopefully, get back up there."

Dennis batted cleanup Tuesday and was part of a very productive middle of the batting order. He and No. 3 hitter, Cody Hawn both went two-for-four, while No. 5 hitter, Mike Walker, followed Dennis' game-breaking triple with an RBI single.

"I consider myself to be a guy whose job it is to knock in runs," said Dennis. "Whether that means hitting a home run or hitting the gaps, I have to get those guys in. That's what I take pride in as a hitter."

Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson said the Rattlers are hoping to develop more consistency at the plate with Dennis.

"He's very streaky, but when he's good, he's really good, as good as it gets," said Erickson. "He's got a lot of stuff going on in his rhythm at the plate and we're trying to calm that down."

The Rattlers also received strong pitching from starter Del Howell and reliever Eric Marzec, who combined on a six-hitter. Howell, a left-hander, allowed the lone run in six solid innings, delivering his best start of the season.

Marzec was impressive out of the bullpen, throwing three shutout innings and striking out five.

"When you pitch and play defense, you keep yourself in games and give yourself the opportunity to have a big inning," said Erickson. "I thought we did that tonight. Howell had 13 ground ball outs. Hooky (pitching coach Chris Hook) challenged him early to see if he could get some ground ball outs, because he's not the type who's going to blow the ball by hitters. And I thought our bullpen was very good for the second straight night, Eric Marzec came in and just shut them down."

[Mass Haas]

Stranded runners doom Smokies against Stars

By Adam Greene, Knoxville News

 

SEVIERVILLE - The Tennessee Smokies had their chances, but stranded 11 runners on base in a 7-5 loss to the Huntsville Stars at Smokies Park on Tuesday afternoon.

"It seemed like we were one hit away," Smokies manager Brian Harper said. "Early in the game from breaking it open and one hit away late to win. We had been getting those, but today we just didn't."

Tennessee (19-13) still leads the Stars (18-13) by one-half game in the Southern League Northern division with three games to go in their five-game series. The Smokies and Stars meet up in another day game today in Smokies Park at 11:30 AM (10:30 Central).

The Smokies were in perfect position to take the game in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Steve Clevenger led off the inning with a single. First baseman Rebel Ridling followed that up with a base hit into center field to put the tying run on first.

Blake Lalli was next at the plate and had already made Huntsville pay with a solo home run in the seventh. Lalli couldn't connect solid and sent a high pop foul to Stars third baseman Andy Gonzalez for the Smokies' first out.

"I like my chances with Lalli hitting," Harper said. "Maybe with somebody else you bunt there, but with Lalli it wasn't even a thought. I was playing more for the win than the tie. I would do it again because he's such a good hitter."

Josh Vitters came next and barely tapped a ball that moved the runners to second and third, but also picked up Tennessee's second out, with Huntsville catcher Anderson De La Rosa throwing Vitters out at first.

The Smokies had one final chance with league-leading hitter James Adduci at the plate. Adduci fouled off the first pitch, then sent a slow ground ball to Stars second baseman Sergio Miranda to end the game.

"Their guy (Huntsville closer Michael Fiers) made some good pitches," said Harper, whose team defensively turned five double plays. "He threw a couple of good change-ups to Lalli and a couple of good breaking balls to Vitters, then a real good change-up to end the game on Adduci."

Tennessee starter Brooks Raley (0-3) was roughed up in his four innings, giving up 11 hits, five runs and a walk with a strikeout.

Jeff Beliveau made his Class AA debut in the seventh for the Smokies. Beliveau pitched two hitless innings with one walk and three strikeouts.

"He (Beliveau) has been throwing good his whole career," Harper said. "He looked good."

Smokies shortstop Marwin Gonzalez was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.

[Mass Haas]

Look for a morning Link Report kickoff Wednesday.

 

Office audio --

 

Brevard County at 9:35 AM

 

Huntsville at 10:30 AM

 

Nashville at 10:50 AM

 

Wow!