Link Report for Thurs. 6/2 -- Sounds pound out the multi-hit efforts; DiFelice into AAA rotation

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Josh Butler at home vs. Iowa (Cubs), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Tennessee (Cubs), 6:43 PM gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

Traditional broadcast -- look for the Tennessee feed off the master MiLB.com audio list

Brevard County: RHP Nick Bucci at Bradenton (Pirates), 6:00 PM gametime

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

 

Wisconsin: RHP Jameson Dunn at Bowling Green (Rays), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

DSL Brewers: at the DSL Athletics, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

Wisconsin

 

DSL Brewers

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Omaha	30	23	.566	-	-	16-10	14-13	7-3	W3
	Iowa	25	28	.472	5.0	87	11-12	14-16	5-5	W3
	Memphis	24	28	.462	5.5	87	16-13	8-15	7-3	W2
	Nashville	21	31	.404	8.5	84	14-14	7-17	4-6	L3

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tennessee	34	19	.642	-	-	18-7	16-12	7-3	W2
	Jackson	31	22	.585	3.0	15	15-11	16-11	6-4	W1
	Huntsville	27	25	.519	6.5	12	14-8	13-17	7-3	L2
	Chattanooga	25	28	.472	9.0	9	12-18	13-10	4-6	L1
	Carolina	16	37	.302	18.0	E	11-19	5-18	3-7	L2

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Daytona	40	13	.755	-	-	21-6	19-7	9-1	W1
	Clearwater	33	20	.623	7.0	11	16-10	17-10	6-4	L1
	Dunedin	29	24	.547	11.0	7	10-14	19-10	4-6	W1
	Lakeland	28	25	.528	12.0	6	15-11	13-14	7-3	W3
	Tampa	25	28	.472	15.0	3	12-16	13-12	7-3	W4
	Brevard County	20	33	.377	20.0	E	12-18	8-15	5-5	L2

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	37	17	.685	-	-	18-5	19-12	7-3	L1
	Quad Cities	29	24	.547	7.5	-	12-12	17-12	5-5	W4
	Peoria	28	25	.528	8.5	17	18-8	10-17	4-6	L3
	Wisconsin	27	26	.509	9.5	16	17-12	10-14	3-7	L3
	Cedar Rapids	27	27	.500	10.0	15	15-11	12-16	5-5	L1
	Beloit	26	27	.491	10.5	15	11-14	15-13	5-5	W4
	Kane County	23	30	.434	13.5	11	12-14	11-16	6-4	L2
	Clinton	16	38	.296	21.0	4	6-20	10-18	5-5	W2

DSL S.D. North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	DSL Brewers	4	0	1.000	-	-	2-0	2-0	4-0	W4
	DSL Athletics	2	2	.500	2.0	67	1-1	1-1	2-2	W1
	DSL Mariners	2	2	.500	2.0	67	1-1	1-1	2-2	L1
	DSL Cardinals	0	4	.000	4.0	65	0-2	0-2	0-4	L4

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

No idea what circumstances surround this, but instead of LHP Chase Wright getting the start Friday, RHP Mark DiFelice is listed.

 

That's unique.

 

Huntsville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Game Notes and Lineup

 

By the way, this is night three, and we believe the final night, of a mini-sabbatical for Eric (Sessile Fielder), your normal evening Link Reporter (don't worry, everything's fine).

 

Over the first two nights, the Brewers U.S.-based squads have gone 0-for-8.

 

If it's 0-for-12 after tonight, obviously he'll never be able to take a night off again.

[Mass Haas]

The DSL Brewers have been postponed.

 

There's a good chance the teams will play two the next time they meet at the Athletics' complex, one week from today, June 9th.

[Mass Haas]

FYI, Jack Z. of the Mariners has decided to give another affiliated shot to LHP Tony Butler (career stats), the Milwaukee-born former Oak Creek product who was Seattle's 3rd round pick in 2006.

 

He was dealt to Baltimore in the Erik Bedard deal, subsequently released by the Orioles, picked up by Milwaukee, and then released again after 11 appearances in 2010.

 

Hat tip to Baseball America.

[Mass Haas]

In Don Money's world, SS Edwin Maysonet is a # 3 hitter, and Mat Gamel, Caleb Gindl, and Taylor Green all hit below the cleanup spot.

 

Only George Kottaras has a higher OBP than Gamel or Green. And he's batting 6th.

 

Reverse OBP lineups are fun -- not.

[DHonks]

The end is near (Rapture??)! oops...I guess not. THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING! just checked...not really happening.

 

BUT....Pascual just threw a clean 1-2-3 inning. He even attempted to allow a runner to reach on a pitch in the dirt, but luckily the catcher saved him. Toby, put him at #1!

[ListachRides]

Looks like Bucci finally decided to fall in line with the rest of the farm system. Peer pressure must've gotten to him. Nobody likes an overachiever.

[TheCrew07]

Looks like Bucci finally decided to fall in line with the rest of the farm system. Peer pressure must've gotten to him. Nobody likes an overachiever.

Funny you put it that way because I was just thinking along similar lines, I was looking at the organization pitching depth chart...

 

Thornburg is the only prospect starting pitcher in the organization above rookie ball with a K/9 over 9. In fact of all this is analysis is going to ignore the DSL kids as they've just gotten started. Peralta, Scarpetta, and Ross are all in the mid 8s (which is still good), everyone else is in the 7s or worse, bottomed by Hall at 3.94. I actually thought it was his K/BB ratio at first, he needs to learn to miss some bats. Out of curiosity I looked at Odorizzi's and wished I hadn't, he's at 12.6, of course his BB/9 has dropped this year to 2.4... I know it's early and there is a long ways to go but he has a legit chance to be special. At least we have Thornburg the reliever to look forward to! (no I'm not going to let that go anytime soon)

 

Speaking of BB/9... no prospect is under 2 but Hall, Heckathorn, Ross, and Bucci are all under 3. Bowman is at 3.1, Burgos and Thornburg both sitting at 3.2, Peralta is at 3.6 which is an improvement over last year's 3.9, Rosario (whom I'm still intrigued by), Bulter, Rivas (damn you Amaury), Scarpetta, Lasker, and De La Cruz are all over 4. Nelson, Howell, and Miller are in the mid 5s, and Rogers... *sigh* who even knows if he'll pitch again this season or how effective he'll be.

 

WHIP wise thank goodness for Ross, Thornburg, and Bucci, cause it gets pretty horrid in a hurry. Bowman (whom I consider more of a reliever now) is at 1.336, Miller is at 1.368, Hall is at 1.375 and then every other prospect is over 1.4.

 

ERA closely follows WHIP to no one's surprise. After top 3 pitchers WHIP wise the next best ERA is 3.68, which surprisingly belongs to Hiram Burgos who also possesses one of the systems highest H/9. Howell is somehow at 3.77 despite a .94 K/BB ratio. Scarpetta has a 3.91, Hall has a 3.94, everyone else is over 4... boo.

 

H/9 is about what you'd expect, Ross leads the way with a meager 6.7, Miller has a surprising 6.9, Thornburg is at 7.1, Bucci is at 7.5, and Howell has done well at 7.8. De La Cruz, Rivas, Scarpetta, and Bowman are in the 8s, Nelson 9.7 and Peralta 9.9, and everyone else pretty terrible at 10.0 or higher.

 

Outside of Bucci, Ross, and Thornburg, none of whom are pitching above A ball, there hasn't been much to feel good about on the whole. Pitching wise it's starting to feel like 2004 all over again after the optimism during the 2003 campaign.

 

I hope the next 2 months bring much better results than the first 2.

[brewmann04]

That why the Brewers need to draft the highest celing pitcher with the 12 th pick.

[TooLiveBrew]

Out of curiosity I looked at Odorizzi's and wished I hadn't, he's at 12.6, of course his BB/9 has dropped this year to 2.4... I know it's early and there is a long ways to go but he has a legit chance to be special.

 

Yeah, I think Odorizzi is going to be special. I love Grienke, but *man*.

[brewmann04]

we had to give up something to get something i guess .

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Wisconsin 6, @Bowling Green 3

 

Well Dunn! Rattlers beat Hot Rods 6-3

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

BOWLING GREEN, KY - Jameson Dunn tossed six scoreless innings and the

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers bats cracked out 15 hits in a 6-3 win over the

Bowling Green Hot Rods Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark. The

win snapped a three game losing streak for the Rattlers.

 

The Rattlers (28-26) scored in the first inning when Nick Shaw came home

from third on a wild pitch by Bowling Green starting pitcher Victor

Mateo. The Rattlers would match their season high for hits in a game

with 15 in Thursday's contest.

 

 

In the third inning, Mike Walker drilled an 0-1 pitch from Mateo over

the Rattlers bullpen in right field. Walker's tenth home run of the

season put Wisconsin up 2-0.

 

 

Tyler Roberts came to the plate in the sixth inning with the bases

loaded and no outs. His single to left drove in two runs. Later in the

frame, Yadiel Rivera's double scored Roberts and the Rattlers had a 5-0

lead.

 

 

Dunn worked a perfect sixth inning before calling it a night. He

allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out four over his six

scoreless innings.

 

 

Chris Dennis launched a home run over the wall in right-center to lead off the seventh inning and the Rattlers were up 6-0.

 

 

Bowling Green (30-25) got on the board in the seventh inning. A solo

homer by Nick Schwaner came off reliever Eric Marzec. Then, Robby Price

singled in a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut the Rattlers

lead to 6-2.

 

 

Stosh Wawrzasek got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth

inning, but Schwaner lined a pitch off the top of the wall in

right-center. The ball took a weird carom and by the time the ball

could be retrieved, Schwaner was heading home for an inside-the-park

home run. He just beat the relay to the plate to score the run that

made the score 6-3.

 

 

Wawrzasek walked the next batter, but got the final out on a fly ball to right to nail down the win.

 

 

The Rattlers start a series with the Dayton Dragons on Friday night at

Fifth Third Field. Austin Ross (5-2, 2.29) is the scheduled starter for

Wisconsin. Dayton has Daniel Corcino (6-3, 3.10) as their scheduled

starting pitcher. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or

timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 5:47pm.

Game time is 6:07pm CDT.

 

 

HOME RUNS:

WIS:

Mike Walker (10th, 0 on in 3rd inning, off Victor Mateo, 1 out)

Chris Dennis (4th, 0 on in 7th inning, off Omar Bencomo, 0 out)

 

 

BG:

Nick Schwaner (5th, 0 on in 7th inning, off Eric Marzec, 2 out)

Nick Schwaner (6th, 0 on in 9th inning, off Stosh Wawrzasec, 2 out,

Inside-the-park home run)

 

 

WP: Jameson Dunn (1-0)

LP: Victor Mateo (5-4)

 

 

TIME: 3:01

ATTN: 3,977

Wisconsin Box Score

Walker was 3-4 with a walk; Roberts was 2-4 with two RBI; Rivera was 3-4; Shaw was 2-3 with two walks. 1B Cody Hawn was 1-5 with a double. CF Reggie Keen & RF Franklin Romero were both 1-5. LF Robert Garvey was 1-4.

 

Dunn's final line was 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K. Lefty reliever Thomas Keeling did his job, striking out the only batter he faced -- Hot Rods SS & 3-hole hitter Derek Dietrich -- to end the 8th inning at 6-2 & strand a runner on 1B.

 

Wisconsin Play-by-Play

The top of the 6th was good for three T-Rats runs, but it was also a little odd:

 

Wisconsin Top of the 6th

• Michael Walker singles on a line drive to left fielder Nicholas Schwaner.
• Franklin Romero singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Victor Mateo. Michael Walker to 2nd.
• Robert Garvey singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Victor Mateo. Michael Walker to 3rd. Franklin Romero to 2nd.
• Tyler
  Roberts singles on a line drive to left fielder Nicholas Schwaner.
  Michael Walker scores. Franklin Romero scores. Robert Garvey out at
  3rd, left fielder Nicholas Schwaner to third baseman Robby Price to
  second baseman Robi Estrada to shortstop Derek Dietrich. Tyler Roberts
  to 2nd on the throw.
• Pitcher Change: Omar Bencomo replaces Victor Mateo.
• Yadiel Rivera doubles (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier. Tyler Roberts scores.
• Reggie Keen flies out to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.
• Nick Shaw walks.
• Cody Hawn flies out to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.

Two bunt singles & a baserunning gaffe by Garvey.

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: @Nashville 15, Iowa 11

 

Looks like there are some technical difficulties with the Sounds' game recap. I waited to post on this game, figuring it would get corrected... but at this point in the night, I'm assuming that isn't going to be the case. You'll have to make due with my brief recap http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Nashville Box Score

With a first-pitch 94 degree temperature tonight at Greer Stadium, pitching was optional -- or, at least I'm betting the pitchers wished it would've been. The bats were every bit as hot as the weather, with the Sounds & I-Cubs combining for 26 runs & 36 hits. Both starters got rocked: Austin Bibens-Dirkx allowed six runs, all earned, over four innings. Josh Butler surrendered eight runs, but only four ER, over his four innings of work. Butler gave up nine hits, walked four, and only struck out one batter. Boorrrring! On to the good stuff...

 

Every Nashville position player had a multi-hit game and at least one RBI. RF Brett Carroll had 4 hits, including a home run. 2B Eric Farris, LF Jordan Brown, & CF Caleb Gindl each had three hits -- Farris & Gindl notched triples, Brown a double. SS Edwin Maysonet, 1B Mat Gamel, C George Kottaras, & 3B Taylor Green had two hits apiece. Kottaras doubled, while Gamel boasted a two-run home run & walk on the evening. Brown, Maysonet, Gamel, & Green were the Sounds with two RBI (everyone else had one).

 

Iowa raced out to an 8-2 lead after three innings, but in the middle third of the game, the Sounds seized back control. They scored four in the 4th, five in the 5th, and three in the 6th. When the dust settled after the 6th inning, the Sounds were leading 14-10. Carroll's solo home run in the 7th tacked on the final Nashville run, and they were able to hang on for the action-packed win.

 

Reliever Donovan Hand was the only Sounds pitcher to not allow a run. He worked two innings, allowed two hits, no walks, & struck out one. Hand added a 6th-inning RBI single for good measure.

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

Pitching? We don't need no stinking pitching!

 

Nashville Bottom of the 4th

• George Kottaras hits a ground-rule double (6) on a line drive .
• Caleb Gindl triples (1) on a line drive to right fielder Fernando Perez. George Kottaras scores.
• Taylor Green grounds out, first baseman Scott Moore to pitcher Austin Bibens-Dirkx. Caleb Gindl scores.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Chase Wright replaces Josh Butler.
• Chase Wright strikes out swinging.
• Eric Farris triples (3) on a line drive to right fielder Fernando Perez.
• Jordan Brown doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder Fernando Perez. Eric Farris scores.
• Edwin
  Maysonet singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Fernando Perez.
  Jordan Brown scores. Edwin Maysonet out at 2nd on the throw, right
  fielder Fernando Perez to catcher Welington Castillo to shortstop Augie
  Ojeda.

I guess this was "Pick on Fernando Perez" inning... though he did see four more balls hit his way in the 6th

Nashville Bottom of the 5th

• Pitcher Change: Marco Carrillo replaces Austin Bibens-Dirkx, batting 9th.
• Brett Carroll singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Marco Carrillo.
• Mat Gamel homers (9) on a fly ball to right center field. Brett Carroll scores.
• George Kottaras grounds out, second baseman Bobby Scales to first baseman Scott Moore.
• Caleb Gindl singles on a ground ball to center fielder Matt Camp.
• Taylor Green singles on a ground ball to right fielder Fernando Perez. Caleb Gindl to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brandon Boggs replaces Robert Hinton.
• Brandon Boggs walks. Caleb Gindl to 3rd. Taylor Green to 2nd.
• Eric Farris out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Matt Camp. Caleb Gindl scores.
• Jordan
  Brown reaches on force attempt, fielding error by shortstop Augie
  Ojeda. Taylor Green scores. Brandon Boggs to 3rd.
• Edwin Maysonet singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Matt Camp. Brandon Boggs scores. Jordan Brown to 3rd.
• Brett Carroll pops out to third baseman Marquez Smith.

Nashville Bottom of the 6th

• Mat Gamel singles on a ground ball to right fielder Fernando Perez.
• George
  Kottaras grounds into a force out, second baseman Bobby Scales to
  shortstop Augie Ojeda. Mat Gamel out at 2nd. George Kottaras to
  1st.
• Caleb Gindl singles on a line drive to right fielder Fernando Perez. George Kottaras to 2nd.
• Taylor Green lines out to right fielder Fernando Perez.
• Donovan Hand singles on a line drive to right fielder Fernando Perez. George Kottaras scores. Caleb Gindl to 3rd.
• With Eric Farris batting, wild pitch by Marco Carrillo, Caleb Gindl scores. Donovan Hand to 2nd.
• Eric Farris singles on a line drive to left fielder Bryan LaHair. Donovan Hand to 3rd.
• Defensive switch from left field to first base for Bryan LaHair.
• Pitcher Change: Jeff Stevens replaces Marco Carrillo, batting 6th.
• Defensive Substitution: Ty Wright replaces pitcher Marco Carrillo, batting 9th, playing left field.
• Jordan Brown singles on a line drive to center fielder Matt Camp. Donovan Hand scores. Eric Farris to 2nd.
• Edwin Maysonet flies out to center fielder Matt Camp.

If you're keeping score at home, that's 12 runs on 15 hits in just three innings for Nashville. I'll bet they don't reach those tallies in more than two or three games the rest of the way this season.

 

Nashville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

Sorry for the delayed updates below, technical difficulties of my own as well --

 

Final: @Bradenton 5, Brevard County 2

 

Marauders Poised for Sweep After 5-2 Win

Bradenton Takes First Three with Brevard County

Bradenton Marauders

 

BRADENTON, FL - The Bradenton Marauders, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, took their third straight Thursday, topping the Brevard County Manatees 5-2 at McKechnie Field.

The Manatees were the first to score, getting a run off Donnie Veal in the second. Veal made his first start since coming back from Tommy John surgery last June. He pitched last year at Triple-A Indianapolis and spent 2009 with the Pirates. He finished by going two innings and allowing just the lone run.

 

Bradenton responded in each of the next three innings, scoring two in the second, one in the third and two in the fourth. In the second Aaron Baker and Elevys Gonzalez led off with a single and a double respectively. David Rubinstein and Calvin Anderson drove them each in with a groundout and double.

 

In the third Jarek Cunningham led off single, replaced as first on a fielder's choice by Ramon Cabrera. Two batters later Gonzalez singled off the pitcher Nick Bucci (literally) to drive in the catcher for a 3-1 lead.

 

The Marauders finished their scoring in the fifth when Anderson led off with a walk. Robbie Grossman then doubled him in and scored himself when Cabrera singled later in the frame.

 

Nathan Baker picked up the win going six innings of one-run baseball in relief of Veal. Zach Foster also made his Marauders debut, tossing a hitless inning in the third.

 

Bradenton goes for the four-game sweep Friday at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central) against the Manatees. Right hander Quinton Miller takes the ball against Adrian Rosario.

 

Brevard County Box Score

On the bright side, the much-used Brevard bullpen has tossed 11.2 innings of shutout ball the last two nights; Nick Bucci, as others noted above, couldn't maintain his stellar season-long pace in this one, 4 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3 K. Nothing especially exciting offensively, seven hits for the 'Tees, with catcher Sean McCraw having the lone multi-hit effort and sole extra-base hit, a double. Kentrail Davis' "wow us" streak ended at one game, as he was 0-for-4 with two K's. Hunter Morris posted the same line. Five others had singles, with Shea Vucinich and Shawn Zarraga driving in runs with theirs.

 

Brevard County Play-by-Play

Scooter Gennett stole his 6th base in eight attempts, so he's just about on pace for a similar ratio as last year in Wisconsin, where he was 14-for-18.

[Mass Haas]

Great, the seven non-DSL games I've summarized the last three nights the squads are winless...

 

Final: Tennessee 3, @Huntsville 2

 

Stars Can’t Hold Early Lead; Drop Series Versus Smokies With 3-2 Loss

Jill Cacic, Huntsville Stars

 

Huntsville, AL – Another tight game goes the way of the Tennessee Smokies (35-19) who take the series over the Huntville Stars (27-26) in game four, 3-2. The Stars got out to an early 2-0 lead after the first two innings but could not hold on as the Smokies creeped back into the game. They tied it with one run in the first and second inning.

 

Sean Halton had a great day at the plate for the Stars going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Zelous Wheeler also came around to score a run, finishing the night 1-for-4. The Stars offense ended up getting shut down by the Smokies bullpen.

 

For the Smokies, starter Trey McNutt (1-2) left after left two innings and four relievers pitched the final seven innings allowing no runs on six hits. Jeffrey Beliveau (2-0) got the win after pitching the sixth and seventh innings, striking out three batters.

 

Starter Michael Bowman (2-2) pitched well for the Stars going five innings giving up just two runs on five hits. He also walked five and struck out one. Lucas Luetge (1-2) suffered the loss pitching in two innings, giving up the third run of the game for the Smokies on two hits.

 

The series finale will be Friday night. Cody Scarpetta (1-2, 3.91 ERA) will take the mound for the Stars against a pitcher who the Smokies have not yet named.

 

Huntsville Box Score

He limited the damage, but Michael Bowman would probably disagree that he pitched "well", not with the five free passes. Reliever Roque Mercedes also did Bowman a huge favor, escaping from a 1st and 2nd, no out mess that Bowman left in the 6th. As the Huntsville media notes pointed out (and everyone will learn something each night by perusing the various media notes links we provide), Sean Halton is just a beast at Joe Davis Stadium -- that's an 18-game home hitting streak extended easily here. The Stars spread their ten hits and four walks too well, given they only plated the two runs. Lee Haydel (2-for-5) and Erik Komatsu (1-for-4, BB, out trying to stretch his single into a double) were the other Stars besides Halton to reach more than once.

 

Huntsville Play-by-Play

Given the futility of the baserunners-to-actual runs ratio mentioned, you'd figure there'd be some major frustration in the log, but there were no glaring disasters, no outs made with less than two outs and a runner on 3rd. 1-for-8 with RISP won't cut it, though.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds summary now available --

 

Sounds Offense Breaks Out In 15-11 Win Over IowaNashville Posts Season Highs In Hits & Runs In Snapping Three-Game Skid

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds rallied from an early six-run deficit to post a 15-11 victory in a slugfest with the division-rival Iowa Cubs on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

The 15-run outburst was the highest this season for the Sounds (22-31), who snapped a three-game losing streak with the come-from-behind victory.

 

Nashville pounded out a season-high 22 hits on the night, a PCL-era record for the club at Greer Stadium and two shy of the overall team hits record of 24 (accomplished twice during the 2000 season).

 

Every starting Sounds position player recorded a multiple-hit effort. Brett Carroll led the way with season-best 4-for-5 evening. Nashville went 9-for-18 with runners in scoring position.

 

Iowa jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Sounds starter Josh Butler in the top of the second inning. Cubs catcher Welington Castillo led off the frame with his fourth home run of the year, a solo shot to left-center. A pair of one-out walks came back to haunt Butler later in the inning when Fernando Perez plated Augie Ojeda and Matt Camp with a two-out double down the right field line.

 

Nashville responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the second to pull back within a run at 3-2. Carroll led off with a single against Cubs starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx, moved to second when Mat Gamel drew a walk, and scored on George Kottaras' RBI single to right. Gamel crossed home later in the frame following a Taylor Green sacrifice fly.

 

Kottaras continued his red-hot hitting with a 2-for-5 night. The Nashville catcher has hit safely in 14 of his last 17 contests at a .373 clip (22-for-59).

 

The I-Cubs stretched their lead to 8-2 with a five-spot against Butler in the third. Four of the five runs in the inning were unearned following a two-out fielding error by Sounds shortstop Edwin Maysonet.

 

Butler took a no-decision for the Sounds after giving up a season-high eight runs (four earned) on nine hits over his four innings of work. He walked four batters in the contest, throwing only 48 of his 95 pitches for strikes on the evening.

 

The Sounds got four runs back in the bottom of the fourth against Bibens-Dirkx, drawing back within two at 8-6. Kottaras led off with a ground-rule double to right and came around to score when Caleb Gindl (3-for-4) stroked a triple to right-center, his first three-bagger of the year. Green then drove in Gindl with a groundout, making it an 8-4 contest.

 

The fourth-inning rally continued as Nashville turned three consecutive two-out hits into two more runs. Eric Farris (3-for-5) tripled into the right field corner, Jordan Brown roped an RBI double down the line, and Maysonet blooped a run-scoring single into shallow right but was thrown out at second to end the frame.

 

Once again, Iowa had an immediate answer to a Sounds' rally as Scales drilled a two-out, two-run homer to right off Nashville reliever Robert Hinton in the fifth, his fourth roundtripper of the year.

 

Scales enjoyed a solid 2-for-4, four-RBI night in front of a large contingent of family, who traveled from his hometown of Alpharetta, Ga. for the game.

 

The Sounds rallied for five runs off Iowa reliever Marco Carrillo in the bottom of the fifth, sending ten batters to the plate to take their first lead of the night at 11-10.

 

Gamel got things started with a massive two-run homer to right-center, his ninth longball of the year and fourth in his last seven games. Farris plated Gindl with a sacrifice fly later in the inning to pull the Sounds within one at 10-9, then Ojeda, the Cubs' shortstop, booted a routine, two-out grounder off the bat of Brown to allow Green to race home with the tying run. Maysonet then put Nashville in front with his second bloop run-scoring single to right.

 

Nashville continued to pour it on in the sixth, scoring three two-out runs off Carrillo to push the lead to 14-10. With runners on first and second, Sounds pitcher Donovan Hand helped his own cause with an RBI single. Carrillo then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Kottaras to score from third for the second run of the frame. After Farris singled, Brown followed by greeting new Iowa reliever Jeff Stevens with an RBI single to center.

 

Carroll increased the Sounds' lead to 15-10 when he led off the Nashville seventh with his sixth home run of the year, a line drive shot to left off Stevens.

 

Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair closed out the evening's scoring in the eighth with a two-out solo homer to right off Zack Segovia, the infielder's team-leading 13th big fly of the year for Iowa.

 

Hinton (1-0) was the beneficiary of the Sounds' mid-game rally as he picked up his first win of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs (both on Scales' homer) in his two innings of work.

 

Carrillo (0-1) absorbed the loss after surrendering eight runs (six earned) on nine hits in just 1 2/3 innings of relief work for the visitors.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 7:05 PM finale on Friday evening. Right-hander Mark DiFelice (1-1, 2.30) will make his first start of the season for Nashville, as he replaces Chase Wright in the Sounds' rotation. Iowa will counter with right-hander Alberto Cabrera (0-0, 6.75). Another Firestone Friday Fireworks show will follow the on-field action.

[Mass Haas]

The life of a minor league bus rider, summarized in a Chris Mehring tweet

 

[Oldcity]

Is DiFelice just making a spot start? It seemed he was banging down the door to Milwaukee, but if he's being moved to a starter for some reason, that puts him a ways away.

[CheezWizHed]

Outside of Bucci, Ross, and Thornburg, none of whom are pitching above A ball, there hasn't been much to feel good about on the whole.

 

In writing up the Player of the Month posts for the last two months, I've come to the same conclusion. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif At least Bucci and Ross have been nice surprises.

[paul253]

I was wondering if maybe Defelice was going to start just to build up his arm in order to go multiple innings. It makes no sense to me to put him at starter otherwise. He should be pitching in Milwaukee's bullpen.

[And That]

Defelice

DiFelice.