Link Report for Wed. 6/1 -- Nelson shaky for Rattlers; Heckathorn can't escape first inning for 'Tees

[brewmann04]

Kudos to our DSL team make us proud

[Mass Haas]

Chris Mehring's Post-game Rattler Thoughts

[TooLiveBrew]

Is it sad that I really enjoy these DSL prospect like 100x more than most of our system right now?

Yes. And no. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Iowa 7, @Nashville 5

 

I-Cubs Take Second Straight From Sounds, Win 7-5

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds scored four runs in the bottom

of the ninth inning, but came up short in a 7-5 defeat to the

division-rival Iowa Cubs on Wednesday night at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville moves to 21-31 and is only 1-8 in the PCL American Northern Division this season.

 

 

The top four batters in the Nashville lineup went a combined 1-for-18,

while the 5-8 hitters collected nine hits. Catcher Mike Rivera went

2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Taylor Green went 3-for-4 with a

homer, while Mat Gamel added two doubles.

 

 

Iowa starter Jay Jackson (2-4) threw his best performance of the season

against the Sounds for the win, surrendering one run on six hits in

seven innings pitched.

 

 

Iowa quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a

Scott Moore three-run homer to right field. The long ball was Moore's

fourth of the season.

 

 

Marquez Smith made it 4-0 in the top of the third with his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot down the left field line.

 

 

The Cubs made it 5-0 in the next frame, as catcher Welington Castillo

singled and was doubled home by Jonathon Mota. Bobby Scales hammered a

solo homer down the right field line in the next frame to make it 6-0.

 

 

The Sounds got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning as Gamel

led off the frame with a double to right center, his second of the

contest. Rivera then singled home Gamel with a hard hit grounder of the

middle.

 

 

Iowa tacked on another run in the top of the eighth inning on a Fernando Perez RBI double down the right field line.

 

 

The Sounds scored four late runs before making and out in the bottom of

the ninth inning on two home runs. After leading off the inning with a

walk, Rivera tattooed a two-run homer to right field, his fourth of the

season. Two batters later, Green smacked another two-run homer down the

right field line after Caleb Gindl singled.

 

 

After walking the next two batters, Iowa closer Esmailin Caridad struck

out the go-ahead run to earn his fourth save of the season.

 

 

Remaining winless on the season, Frankie De La Cruz (0-4) allowed six

runs on seven hits with three home runs allowed in five innings for

Nashville. The three homers were De La Cruz's most given up this season,

while it also matched the most allowed by a Sounds pitcher in 2011.

 

 

Sounds right hander Daniel Herrera struck out three batters over two

innings in relief. Justin James allowed one run in one inning.

 

 

In his fifth overall rehab appearance and third with the Sounds,

left-hander Zach Braddock struck out one and walked one in one inning.

Appearing in back-to-back days for the first time during his rehab, the

southpaw tossed 17 pitches, 11 for strikes.

 

 

The Sounds and Cubs will continue their four-game series at 7:05 pm CT

on Taco Bell Throwback Thursday at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Josh

Butler (3-3, 4.63) will toe the rubber for Nashville.

 

Nashville Box Score

As the postgame article points out, the top four hitters in the Sounds lineup were a woeful 1-18. What the article doesn't point out is that, somehow, Mat Gamel, Caleb Gindl, and Taylor Green weren't hitting in the top 4 spots for Nashville, nor have they been recently, if my memory serves correctly.

 

Brandon Boggs & Eric Farris were both 0-4 with a walk. Edwin Maysonet was 1-5 with a double. Gamel had a walk with his two doubles. Gindl was 2-4 with a double. Once again, no Emmy Lou Harris, no problem for Taylor Green, who finished with two RBI. She must've left him a lock of hair or something.

 

The postgame article mistakenly refers to RHP Daniel Herrera. Obviously he's a lefty, but another strong outing from DRH is a bright spot on the pitching side. Braddock followed up his bad appearance last night with a solid effort tonight. Hang in there, Zach, & get back to Milwaukee asap http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif And hey, at least none of the Sounds pitchers had the night that Marcos Mateo did: 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 HR allowed, and zero outs recorded. Ouch!

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

The Sounds had doubles they failed to plate in the 3rd & 4th innings. After getting one run in the 7th, they had runners on 1B & 2B with one out, but the inning ended on a 6-4-3 double play. In the 8th, Maysonet doubled with two outs, but wasn't brought in to score.

 

Wow, that sure was frustrating. At least they scored four runs in the 9th & the game didn't end frustratingly, right?

 

Nashville Bottom of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Marcos Mateo replaces Blake Parker, batting 9th.
• Mat Gamel walks.
• Mike Rivera homers (4) on a fly ball to left field. Mat Gamel scores.
• Caleb Gindl singles on a ground ball to right fielder Fernando Perez.
• Taylor Green homers (6) on a fly ball to right field. Caleb Gindl scores.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Erick Almonte replaces Zach Braddock.
• Erick Almonte walks.
• Pitcher Change: Esmailin Caridad replaces Marcos Mateo, batting 4th.
• Defensive Substitution: Bryan LaHair replaces pitcher Marcos Mateo, batting 9th, playing first base.
• Brandon Boggs strikes out swinging.
• Eric Farris walks. Erick Almonte to 2nd.
• Edwin Maysonet strikes out swinging.
• Brett Carroll strikes out swinging.

Nope, disappointment in the 9th, too!

 

Nashville Gameday

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Tennessee 7, @Huntsville 3

 

Huntsville Box Score

A five-run 3rd inning was enough to doom the Stars to defeat tonight. Starter Dan Merklinger (6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) allowed just one hit & baserunner through the first two innings. However, the 3rd began with a hit batter, and then a throwing error by catcher Martin Maldonado. Merklinger got the next two hitters to flyout & popout, but then allowed an RBI infield single, and RBI single, & a three-run HR before recording the third out. The Smokies only managed two other runs, but the Huntsville bats could only muster three runs.

 

Stars batters not named Schafer or Maldonado combined to go a brutal 4-28 (.143). Leadoff man & centerfielder Logan Schafer was 2-3 with two singles & a walk. Maldonado went 2-4. LF Steffan Wilson & 2B Sergio Miranda were both 1-4. 1B Sean Halton & 3B Zelous Wheeler were both 1-4 with doubles. Wheeler & SS Angel Gonzalez had the only two RBI for Huntsville.

 

RP Jesus Sanchez worked the 7th inning & allowed a run. RP Roque Mercedes worked a scoreless 8th, allowing two hits & striking out two. RP Jim Henderson completed a flawless 9th, striking out two.

 

Cubs prospect Josh Vitters was lifted from the game before the start of the bottom of the 5th -- he'd singled in the top of the 5th. Even after searching around a bit on the interwebs, I couldn't find any note as to why.

 

Huntsville Play-by-Play

Really wasn't much Huntsville offense to speak of, so here's a look at how that painful top of the 3rd went:

 

Tennessee Top of the 3rd

• Luis Flores hit by pitch.
• Christopher Rusin reaches on force attempt, throwing error by catcher Martin Maldonado. Luis Flores to 2nd.
• Brett Jackson flies out to left fielder Steffan Wilson. Luis Flores to 3rd. Christopher Rusin to 2nd.
• Junior Lake pops out to shortstop Angel Gonzalez.
• Josh Vitters singles on a ground ball to shortstop Angel Gonzalez. Luis Flores scores. Christopher Rusin to 3rd.
• Rebel Ridling singles on a line drive to left fielder Steffan Wilson. Christopher Rusin scores. Josh Vitters to 2nd.
• Steve Clevenger homers (4) on a fly ball to left field. Josh Vitters scores. Rebel Ridling scores.
• Marwin Gonzalez flies out to right fielder Brandon Jones.

Huntsville Gameday

[brewmann04]

It a very nice sign to see Green finding his stroke in Nashville and also nice to see Gamel keep hiiting .

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm also glad to see Schafer has gotten off to a solid start. It must be heavenly for him to be playing again.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Taylor Green's two-run bomb

[TheCrew07]

It a very nice sign to see Green finding his stroke in Nashville and also nice to see Gamel keep hiiting .

After Green's "Your wrist will just heal magically over the winter" fiasco I've been pulling even harder for him. It is disappointing that his defense hasn't really improved over the years. Who knows though, maybe he can be the next McGehee...

[CheezWizHed]

It is disappointing that his defense hasn't really improved over the years.

 

I've always been under the impression Green's defense was very solid at 3B. What part of it do you see as lacking? Arm strength/accuracy? Glove work? Range? How do you compare him to Gamel and McGehee (ok, that is a low bar, but...)? And is that based off of seeing him play or box scores or ?

 

I ask because my only basis is reading bf.net and box scores (i.e. very limited).

[TheCrew07]

He always committed less errors than Gamel, but it's hard to commit 30+ errors in a season. I think he's average at best as a 3B, just from the descriptions I've read and the audio I've listened to. People were cracking on Escobar's 20 errors last season, Taylor has commited 23, 18, 14 (injury shortened), 18, and 6 so far this season. He's never played more than 110 games in a single season, and isn't very athletic.

 

While we all know there's more to defense than errors, on the MiLB side that's about all we have to go on other than scouting reports and the eye test. I haven't seen him play out there, but the results haven't been very good. So mostly it's just the impression I've gotten over the years.