Link Report for Mon. 6/6 -- Almonte, Kottaras lead Sounds on historic night; Manatees drop a wild one

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Frankie De La Cruz at New Orleans (Marlins), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime

Live Audio Link

iPad/iPhone: Listen

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

Huntsville: LHP Dan Merklinger at Mobile (Diamondbacks), 7:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- it's the BayBears feed

Brevard County: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- it's the Cubs' feed

 

Wisconsin: Idle

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

 

DSL Brewers

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Omaha	31	26	.544	-	-	17-11	14-15	5-5	L2
	Iowa	27	30	.474	4.0	84	13-12	14-18	6-4	W2
	Memphis	26	30	.464	4.5	84	16-15	10-15	6-4	W2
	Nashville	25	31	.446	5.5	83	16-14	9-17	7-3	W4

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tennessee	36	21	.632	-	-	19-8	17-13	5-5	W1
	Jackson	34	23	.596	2.0	12	17-11	17-12	7-3	L1
	Huntsville	28	28	.500	7.5	7	15-9	13-19	5-5	L2
	Chattanooga	26	31	.456	10.0	4	13-19	13-12	2-8	W1
	Carolina	17	40	.298	19.0	E	11-19	6-21	4-6	L1

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Daytona	41	16	.719	-	-	21-7	20-9	6-4	W1
	Clearwater	36	21	.632	5.0	9	19-11	17-10	7-3	L1
	Dunedin	31	26	.544	10.0	4	11-15	20-11	5-5	W1
	Lakeland	30	27	.526	11.0	3	17-12	13-15	6-4	L2
	Tampa	28	29	.491	13.0	1	13-16	15-13	8-2	W2
	Brevard County	21	36	.368	20.0	E	12-19	9-17	5-5	L1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Burlington	39	19	.672	-	-	18-5	21-14	5-5	W1
	Quad Cities	31	26	.544	7.5	-	12-12	19-14	6-4	L1
	Peoria	30	27	.526	8.5	13	18-8	12-19	3-7	L1
	Wisconsin	30	27	.526	8.5	13	17-12	13-15	4-6	W2
	Beloit	28	29	.491	10.5	11	11-14	17-15	7-3	L1
	Cedar Rapids	27	30	.474	11.5	10	15-11	12-19	4-6	L4
	Kane County	25	32	.439	13.5	7	12-14	13-18	5-5	L1
	Clinton	19	39	.328	20.0	1	6-20	13-19	6-4	W2

DSL S.D. North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	DSL Brewers	6	0	1.000	-	-	3-0	3-0	6-0	W6
	DSL Athletics	3	3	.500	3.0	64	1-1	2-2	3-3	W1
	DSL Mariners	2	3	.400	3.5	64	1-2	1-1	2-3	L2
	DSL Cardinals	0	5	.000	5.5	62	0-3	0-2	0-5	L5

[Mass Haas]

The DSL Brewers and DSL Athletics are postponed. That's one at each of their sites in the past week.

 

We believe they play two on Thursday the 9th. It's now possible they'll also double-dip on Tuesday the 14th.

 

Undefeated for at least one more day!

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[TheCrew07]

Anundsen started today for BC and didn't start well giving up 3 runs in the 1st.

[And That]

Komatsu was pulled after popping out to end the first. Ruh-roh.

[brewmann04]

Maybe we are seeing some moves up the Ladder .

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Nashville 19, @New Orleans 1

 

Sounds Destroy Zephyrs, 19-1

- Almonte Ties Club Record With 7 RBIs, Kottaras Homers Twice, De La Cruz Picks Up First Win

Nashville Sounds

 

METAIRIE, La. - First baseman Erick Almonte went 5-for-6 with a

franchise record-tying seven RBIs to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 19-1

blowout of the New Orleans Zephyrs on Monday evening at Zephyr Field.

 

The win - which extended Nashville's longest winning streak of the

season to five games - featured the Sounds' largest margin of victory in

the Pacific Coast League era, which dates back to 1998. The 18-run

defeat was the worst in Zephyrs team history.

 

 

Nashville, which came within a run of tying the team's single-game

scoring record, used four home runs (including two by catcher George

Kottaras), three six-run innings, and a solid start from Frankie De La

Cruz to post the blowout victory.

 

 

Nine of the Sounds' 18 hits on the night went for extra bases and the club finished 10-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

 

 

The lopsided victory also continued the Sounds' recent dominance in New

Orleans. Nashville (26-31) has won 17 of its last 23 games played at

Zephyr Field. In the first three games of this series, the Sounds have

outscored the Zephyrs, 32-3.

 

 

The outstanding effort by De La Cruz (1-4), who finally picked up his

first victory of the 2011 season in his 11th start, was somewhat

overshadowed by the offensive explosion.

 

 

The hard-throwing right-hander tossed seven innings of scoreless,

three-hit ball, striking out five during his 101-pitch effort. After

receiving only 14 combined runs of support during his time on the hill

during his first ten starts, he was backed by 13 on this night alone.

 

 

The Sounds got off to a quick start again against the Z's, putting up a

six-spot in the top of the first inning for the second straight night.

 

 

Almonte, who missed the cycle by a triple, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead

when he chopped a two-run single through the left side of the infield.

Brandon Boggs and Eric Farris each scored on the knock after opening the

contest by drawing consecutive walks from New Orleans starter Sean

West.

 

 

After Kottaras drew a walk, Caleb Gindl delivered an RBI single to

center to plate Almonte before third baseman Zelous Wheeler, making his

first Triple-A start since the second game of the season, blasted a

three-run homer to left-center to extend the Nashville advantage to 6-0.

It was his first big fly of the year.

 

 

Gindl, who went 3-for-5 on the night to extend his longest hit streak of

the year to seven games, tacked on another run for Nashville in the

fifth with a two-out RBI single off West that plated Almonte.

 

 

Nashville turned a lopsided affair into a laugher in the sixth as it

plated six more runs to up the lead to 13-0. After a Boggs RBI double

(his third two-bagger in three games this series) chased West, the

Sounds' offense kicked it into another gear against Z's reliever Garrett

Parcell, tallying five more scores on a Farris single, an Almonte

three-run jack, and a solo shot by Kottaras, the red-hot backstop's

second roundtripper of the year.

 

 

Kottaras continued his hot hitting with a 3-for-5 night and has hit

safely in 16 of his last 19 tilts at a .382 clip (26-for-68).

 

 

New Orleans broke up the Sounds' shutout bid in the eighth, touching

Sounds reliever Chase Wright for a run in his first inning of work on

the night on Matt Dominguez's one-out RBI double. Wright successfully

worked out of a bases-loaded jam later in the frame by catching PCL

veteran Ruben Gotay looking at a called third strike to escape further

damage.

 

 

The Sounds closed out the night's scoring in the ninth with their third

six-spot of the night, this one coming against New Orleans reliever

Dustin Richardson. Edwin Maysonet lined a one-out RBI double into the

left field corner to bring in Jordan Brown, who had opened the frame

with a pinch-hit double. Almonte followed with a two-run double to cap

off his seven-RBI night before Kottaras brought the score to its final

19-1 standing by crushing his second home run of the evening, a massive

three-run shot to right.

 

 

West (0-3) remained winless on the year for New Orleans as he absorbed

the loss after surrendering nine runs on seven hits over his five

frames.

 

 

Sounds first baseman Mat Gamel had the night off for the first time all

season. He was the lone Nashville player to appear in each of the club's

first 56 contests.

 

 

The Sounds will attempt to complete a four-game sweep when the teams

wrap up the series with an 11:30 a.m. matinee finale on Tuesday morning.

Right-hander Josh Butler (3-3, 4.99) will toe the rubber for Nashville

and face New Orleans right-hander Chris Sampson (2-0, 3.50).

Nashville Box Score

If you remember my recap of the 15-11 defeat of Iowa just back on the 2nd, I made the wisecrack -- in reference to the middle three innings that night -- that, "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." Well, cross one of those two or three off. I only have one or two left for my blowhard claim.

 

Almonte & Kottaras were the big stars tonight, but Caleb Gindl was 3-6 with two RBI. Wheeler's home run was his lone hit, but he made it count as a three-run shot; he also walked once. Boggs was 1-4 with a double & two walks. Farris was 3-5, but was hit by a pitch to reach in the first inning -- he didn't walk after Boggs's leadoff walk like the game story stated. Boggs, Farris, & Maysonet each added one RBI.

 

As the game story notes, De La Cruz's fine start was overshadowed. His final line was 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, & 5 K. He threw 101 pitches, with 65 strikes to 36 balls. Frankie also walked & scored a run. Why not? Everyone else did -- literally. Every Sounds hitter scored at least one run.

 

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

Only show the big innings? Only show the big innings --

 

Nashville Top of the 1st

• Brandon Boggs walks.
• Eric Farris hit by pitch. Brandon Boggs to 2nd.
• Edwin
  Maysonet out on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Brad Davis to first baseman
  Ruben Gotay. Brandon Boggs to 3rd. Eric Farris to 2nd.
• Erick
  Almonte singles on a ground ball to left fielder Josh Kroeger.
  Brandon Boggs scores. Eric Farris scores. Erick Almonte to 2nd on
  the throw.
• Brett Carroll flies out to right fielder Chris Aguila.
• George Kottaras walks.
• Caleb Gindl singles on a line drive to center fielder Bryan Petersen. Erick Almonte scores. George Kottaras to 2nd.
• Zelous Wheeler homers (1) on a fly ball to left center field. George Kottaras scores. Caleb Gindl scores.
• Frankie De La Cruz strikes out swinging.

Six runs in the 1st...

Nashville Top of the 6th

• Frankie De La Cruz walks.
• Brandon
  Boggs doubles (8) on a line drive to center fielder Bryan Petersen.
  Frankie De La Cruz scores. Brandon Boggs to 3rd on the throw.
• Pitcher Change: Garrett Parcell replaces Sean West, batting 9th.
• Eric Farris singles on a line drive to center fielder Bryan Petersen. Brandon Boggs scores.
• Edwin Maysonet reaches on fielding error by third baseman Matt Dominguez. Eric Farris to 2nd.
• Erick Almonte homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Eric Farris scores. Edwin Maysonet scores.
• Brett Carroll strikes out swinging.
• George Kottaras homers (2) on a fly ball to right field.
• Caleb Gindl strikes out swinging.
• Zelous Wheeler grounds out to first baseman Ruben Gotay.

Six more runs in the 6th...

 

Nashville Top of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Dustin Richardson replaces Garrett Parcell, batting 2nd, replacing second baseman Joe Thurston.
• Jesus Merchan remains in the game as the second baseman.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Jordan Brown replaces Chase Wright.
• Jordan Brown doubles (5) on a line drive to center fielder Bryan Petersen.
• Brandon Boggs called out on strikes.
• Eric Farris singles on a ground ball to center fielder Bryan Petersen. Jordan Brown to 3rd.
• Edwin Maysonet doubles (7) on a line drive to left fielder Josh Kroeger. Jordan Brown scores. Eric Farris to 3rd.
• Erick Almonte doubles (2) on a line drive to center fielder Bryan Petersen. Eric Farris scores. Edwin Maysonet scores.
• Brett Carroll walks.
• George Kottaras homers (3) on a fly ball to right field. Erick Almonte scores. Brett Carroll scores.
• Pitcher Change: Mike Cervenak replaces Dustin Richardson, batting 2nd.
• Caleb Gindl flies out to right fielder Chris Aguila.
• Zelous Wheeler walks.
• Jordan Brown pops out to shortstop Ryan Klosterman.

... and six runs in the 9th. One run in the 5th, just for good measure. 18 might not have been enough, you never know.

 

 

Nashville Gameday

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Hunstville 3, @Mobile 2

 

Mobile Game Story: "Win Streak Snapped as Stars Best BayBears"

MOBILE, Ala. - For the first time in the series, the Huntsville Stars

crossed home plate as they picked up three runs in the third inning

which was enough to beat the BayBears, 3-2, on Monday night at Hank

Aaron Stadium.

 

Wes Roemer (4-2) surrendered those three tallies in his six innings of

work. Huntsville (29-28) snapped a scoreless string to start the series

of 20.2 innings as Logan Schafer singled home Hainley Statia with two

outs in the top of the third. Brandon Jones, who entered the ballgame in

the bottom of the first to replace Erik Komatsu, followed up with a

two-run homer to put the Stars up by three.

 

 

Dan Merklinger (4-3) only lasted five frames for the Stars as he allowed

two runs on four hits. Paul Goldschmidt singled with one out in the

fourth and advanced to third on a two-base hit from Josh Ford. Taylor

Harbin cracked a slow bouncer that scored Goldschmidt, putting the

BayBears (33-25) on the board.

 

 

In the fifth, Jake Elmore cranked his first home run of the season to

draw the BayBears within one, but they wouldn't get closer. They did put

a couple men in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth before

Alfredo Marte popped out to second, ending the threat.

 

 

Daniel Meadows tossed 2.1 innings out of the Huntsville bullpen without

surrendering a run while Jim Henderson (S, 2) recorded the final five

outs. The BayBears remain in first place by a ½ game in the South

Division over the Birmingham Barons while Jacksonville pulled within

just one game. The BayBears have 12 ballgames remaining in the first

half.

 

The BayBears take on the Stars in game four of their five-game series on

Tuesday night at 7:05. Right-hander Kyler Newby (1-0) will start for

the BayBears against fellow righty Michael Bowman (2-2). It's Guaranteed

Win Night at "The Hank" as fans will receive a free box seat to the

next Tuesday home game if the BayBears don't win.

 

 

Huntsville Box Score

Leadoff man Lee Haydel was 2-5. Schafer was 1-4 with a walk, and added an assist from centerfield -- he cut down Mobile's leadoff batter in the bottom of the 8th trying to stretch a single into a double; Statia was 0-2 but walked twice. Jones was 1-3, with the two-run homer & one walk, in relief of Komatsu. Steffan Wilson was 2-4; Sergio Miranda & Martin Maldonado each added a single.

 

Merklinger's final line: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 0 BB, 5K. He only threw 65 pitches, and was remarkably efficient -- 46 of them were strikes. I wonder if & hope that brewmann04 is onto something with Komatsu's short night & Merklinger's seemingly abbreviated night, and callups are coming soon (not injury reports). Meadows & Henderson combined to keep the BayBears off the ScoreBoard in the final four innings, excellent work by the two relievers in such a tight game.

 

Huntsville Play-by-Play

The 3rd inning was the only one in which the Stars scored. Thanks to some strong pitching, it turned out to be all they needed:

Huntsville Top of the 3rd

• Hainley Statia walks.
• Dan
  Merklinger out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Daniel Kaczrowski to
  second baseman Jacob Elmore. Hainley Statia to 2nd.
• Lee Haydel flies out to center fielder A. J. Pollock.
• Logan Schafer singles on a line drive to right fielder Alfredo Marte. Hainley Statia scores.
• Brandon Jones homers (4) on a fly ball to right center field. Logan Schafer scores.
• Sean Halton flies out to right fielder Alfredo Marte.

The Stars had the bases loaded in both the 5th & 6th innings, but couldn't get any more runs across:

 

Huntsville Top of the 5th

• Hainley Statia flies out to right fielder Alfredo Marte.
• Dan Merklinger reaches on fielding error by shortstop Taylor Harbin.
• Lee
  Haydel singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Wes Roemer. Throwing
  error by pitcher Wes Roemer. Dan Merklinger out at home, second baseman
  Jacob Elmore to catcher Josh Ford. Lee Haydel to 3rd on the throw.
• Logan Schafer walks.
• With Brandon Jones batting, wild pitch by Wes Roemer, Logan Schafer to 2nd.
• Brandon Jones walks.
• Sean Halton grounds into a force out, shortstop Taylor Harbin to second baseman Jacob Elmore. Brandon Jones out at 2nd.

Huntsville Top of the 6th

• Steffan Wilson singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ollie Linton.
• Sergio Miranda grounds out, third baseman Daniel Kaczrowski to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Steffan Wilson to 2nd.
• Martin Maldonado walks.
• Hainley Statia walks. Steffan Wilson to 3rd. Martin Maldonado to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Angel Gonzalez replaces Dan Merklinger.
• Angel Gonzalez strikes out swinging.
• Lee Haydel grounds out, second baseman Jacob Elmore to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

Schafer was involved in another interesting defensive play in the 6th:

 

Mobile Bottom of the 6th

• Pitcher Change: Daniel Meadows replaces Dan Merklinger, batting 9th.
• A. J. Pollock flies out to right fielder Brandon Jones.
• Paul Goldschmidt singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel.
• Josh Ford flies out to center fielder Logan Schafer.
• Taylor
  Harbin doubles (9) on a fly ball to right fielder Brandon Jones,
  deflected by center fielder Logan Schafer. Paul Goldschmidt to 3rd.
• Alfredo Marte pops out to second baseman Sergio Miranda.

Given the way that play is described, he might've made a diving attempt & just gotten a glove on it... or he botched a routine play or running attempt at the catch.

 

Huntsville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Daytona 10, Brevard County 9

Brevard County Box Score
Sigh, where to begin. Manatees are up 4-0 before the dreaded Cubbies even come to bat. Cubs crush ahead after three innings, 7-4. Brevard closes the gap to one in the 7th, and rallies again for three in the 8th to take a 9-7 lead. Then disaster as Daytona comes right back with three of their own in the very next half-inning. Basically, this was the type of game that teams with 42-16 records win, and teams with 21-37 records lose.

The good -- Switch-hitter Shawn Zarraga, batting left-handed, clubbed a two-out, three-run blast to give the Sea Cows the exciting (at the time) 9-7 8th inning lead. Brock Kjeldgaard was only 0-for-1, but walked twice, was HBP, and stole his 11th base in 13 tries. 3B Shea Vucinich, who skipped Wisconsin, hit a two-run HR, his 3rd, as part of the four-run Brevard first inning. He also walked and scored another run. Scooter Gennett tripled and walked, and Hunter Morris sneaks into this category on a 1-for-5 night only because triples are cool. Jon Pokorny, Efrain Nieves, and Mark Willinsky provided quality relief work.

The bad -- The Manatees are off Tuesday, so it looks like all the starters will have as much as six days rest betwen starts duing this next turn. RHP Evan Anundsen got the nod here, and unfortunately, he gave us the April Evan and not the May Evan (see splits here). 2.1 IP, 10 H (four for extra bases), 7 R. Corey Frerichs was the only reliever to perform poorly, retiring only one of the five men he faced to take the loss. CF D'Vontrey Richardson went 0-for-4 with two K's.

Brevard County Play-by-Play
The ugly -- Anundsen's two rough innings along with Frerichs'. Now to be fair, the Manatees did have three productive innings on offense you can check out in the game log.

Daytona Bottom of the 1st

• Evan Crawford singles on a ground ball to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson.
• Matthew Cerda doubles (12) on a fly ball to left fielder Khristopher Davis. Evan Crawford scores.
• Jae-Hoon Ha grounds out, shortstop Juan Sanchez to first baseman Hunter Morris. Matthew Cerda to 3rd.
• Justin Bour strikes out swinging.
• Michael Burgess walks.
• Jake Opitz doubles (13) on a fly ball to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson. Matthew Cerda scores. Michael Burgess scores.
• Michael Brenly grounds out, shortstop Juan Sanchez to first baseman Hunter Morris.

Daytona Bottom of the 3rd

• Matthew Cerda grounds out to first baseman Hunter Morris.
• Jae-Hoon Ha singles on a line drive to left fielder Khristopher Davis.
• Justin Bour homers (15) on a fly ball to center field. Jae-Hoon Ha scores.
• Michael Burgess singles on a ground ball to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson.
• Jake Opitz doubles (14) on a fly ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis. Michael Burgess to 3rd.
• Michael Brenly singles on a soft fly ball to left fielder Khristopher Davis. Michael Burgess scores.
• Rubi Silva singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson. Jake Opitz to 3rd. Michael Brenly to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Jonathan Pokorny replaces Evan Anundsen.
• Logan Watkins strikes out swinging.
• Evan Crawford walks. Jake Opitz scores. Michael Brenly to 3rd. Rubi Silva to 2nd.
• Matthew Cerda called out on strikes.

Daytona Bottom of the 8th

• Pitcher Change: Corey Frerichs replaces Efrain Nieves.
• Logan Watkins doubles (4) on a fly ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis.
• Evan Crawford flies out to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson. Logan Watkins to 3rd.
• Matthew Cerda walks.
• With Jae-Hoon Ha batting, wild pitch by Corey Frerichs, Logan Watkins scores. Matthew Cerda to 2nd.
• Jae-Hoon Ha homers (7) on a fly ball to left field. Matthew Cerda scores.
• Justin Bour walks.
• Pitcher Change: Mark Willinsky replaces Corey Frerichs.
• Michael Burgess strikes out swinging.
• Jake Opitz strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Audio of Erick Almonte's three-run blast available at the Nashville game summary link

[Mass Haas]

D-Cubs win slugfest with 3-run eighth

By SEAN KERNAN, Daytona News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- While the 2,082 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark were enjoying Monday's night's all-you-can-eat promotion, the Daytona Cubs and Brevard County Manatees had a smorgasbord of their own.

 

Hitters from both clubs feasted on pitching, combining for 19 runs and 22 hits.

 

By the time the 3-hour, 14-minute marathon concluded, Daytona had beaten Brevard County 10-9.

 

"It was like a Pacific Coast League game out there with all the runs and the hits, and it's never over until it's over," Daytona manager Buddy Bailey said. "That was a bizarre game."

 

Jae-Hoon Ha's two-run homer over left field in the eighth inning provided the winning margin for the Cubs, who overcame 4-0 and 9-7 deficits.

 

"That's kind of been our MO (modus operandi) all year -- if we're down late, we still believe," said Daytona catcher Mike Brenly, who had two hits and an RBI.

 

Logan Watkins, who had struck out in his first three at-bats, ignited the game-winning rally with a leadoff double. Watkins tagged up to third base on Evan Crawford's flyout to right field and scored on a wild pitch by Corey Frerichs.

 

Matt Cerda battled off several tough pitches by Frerichs to earn a walk ahead of Ha's heroic at-bat.

 

"How about Matt Cerda's great at-bat in the eighth inning? That does not go unnoticed in this locker room," Brenly said. "That was huge for (Cerda) to get on in front of Ha. We knew something special was going to happen there."

 

Bailey agreed.

 

"I'm sure if you ask their pitcher (Frerichs), he threw it exactly where he wanted, and those pitches would have been called strike three had Cerda not fought them off," Bailey said. "Then Ha got into a hitter's count (2-0) and knocked it into the batting cage."

 

The Manatees had taken a 9-7 lead in the eighth inning on Shawn Zarraga's two-out, three-run homer to center field. Zarraga launched a 2-0 pitch from Daytona closer Frank Batista, who had walked two of the first three batters he faced.

 

The first inning was a harbinger of what was to come. The Manatees jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning with a rally highlighted by Shea Vucinich's two-run homer.

 

The Cubs came back with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cerda delivered a run-scoring double, and Jake Opitz had a two-run double.

 

Justin Bour gave the Cubs their first lead of the game with a two-run bomb to center field to spark a four-run rally in the third inning. It was Bour's 15th homer of the season, tying him for the league lead with Dunedin's Brad Glenn.

 

The rally continued with singles by Michael Burgess, Brenly and Rubi Silva, and another double by Opitz.

 

Daytona (42-16) maintained its five-game lead over Clearwater in the Florida State League North Division.

 

Daytona’s Logan Watkins tags Brevard’s Juan Sanchez at second base and throws to first for a double play Monday at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. (N-J | David Massey)

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/images/2011/06/07/cubs10607.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Sounds' Almonte plates seven in rout

Journeyman looking to get one last shot at the big leagues

By Ashley Marshall / Special to MLB.com

 

Veteran utilityman Erick Almonte knows he may not get another chance to play at the Major League level, but he's making the most of every opportunity he gets just in case.

The 33-year-old, outrighted from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds on May 28, proved Monday night that he can still rake with the best of them.

 

Almonte went 5-for-6 with a franchise record-tying seven RBIs and four runs scored in Nashville's 19-1 rout of the New Orleans Zephyrs. The Sounds fell one run shy of the team's single-game record, while the 18-run win was the club's largest margin of victory in the 13-year history of the Pacific Coast League.

 

"I've had a few games like this in my career, but this is the first time I've had seven RBIs," Almonte said. "I don't really know if I've ever had that many at any level. When the team is playing good, you come up to that level and today was one of those days."

 

Almonte doesn't expect to play every day in Nashville, but after just 12 at-bats in his previous six games -- which included three consecutive appearances off the bench, he was grateful to get the chance to start.

 

"I'm just going to pinch-hit and play once or twice a week, so I want to contribute in any way I can," Almonte added. "They sent me down here, but they also gave me a chance in Spring Training and I made the team, so I will always be thankful for that.

 

"Maybe another chance will open up for me, but right now, I just have to do whatever the manager needs me to do. I'll work with the younger guys and be supportive, but I have to keep doing what I know how."

 

On Monday, Almonte -- primarily used as a right fielder when he does play -- made a rare start at first base.

 

He pulled a two-run single to left field in the first inning, flew out to right field in the third and singled the other way in the fifth. Almonte then blasted a three-run homer down the third-base line in the sixth, singled to right in the eighth and doubled home two more runs on a shot to center field in the ninth.

 

"I'm a guy that always tries to look the other way, but I got a couple hits to left field. The home run was to left field," he said.

 

"Teams try to work me away a lot, but in the at-bat before [the homer], he pitched me inside and jammed me a little. When I came up in the sixth, I thought they might try it again and I was looking for a pitch inside and I got my first-pitch fastball."

 

Almonte, signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent in 1996, has had three brief stints in the Majors. He appeared in eight games as a 23-year-old in 2001 and he batted .260 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 31 games in '03. After an unsuccessful season in the Colorado Rockies' Minor League system and less than a month on the Cleveland Indians' payroll in the 2004 offseason, Almonte's contract was purchased by the Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League.

 

Almonte came back to North America in '07 and spent a year with the Detroit Tigers before moving on the Chicago Cubs. He joined the Brewers in '09 and appeared in 215 Pacific Coast League games with Nashville before being invited to Spring Training earlier this year.

 

Almonte made the Opening Day roster as a right-handed bat off the bench, but he recorded just three hits in 29 at-bats over 16 games with Milwaukee. He went on the seven-day DL with a concussion April 26 after being hit in the head with a ball during a workout, and he was later placed on the 15-day DL after a slow recovery.

 

Almonte was 2-for-10 during his rehab with Nashville and he has remained on the team since. "The Brewers are playing well at the big club and all I worry about is what happens here," he said.

 

He is 8-for-18 (.444) with 11 RBIs after starting 3-for-12 (.250) with four RBIs.

Erick Almonte hit .320 over 110 Triple-A games last year. (Dave Nelson/MiLB.com)

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2011/06/07/ulqWnkQU.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Reliever Rob Bryson (Sabathia deal), who we have been discussing in this thread, will likely face the Rattlers this week. He is rehabbing with the Lake County Captains and pitched an inning Sunday striking out two of the three batters he faced. he should be back at AA soon.

 

Thanks to an old friend of Brewerfan (and still reader) from the West Virginia Power days for the heads-up.

[Mass Haas]

Office dwellers, remember to listen in to the red-hot Sounds at 11:15 AM Tuesday. New Link Report out shortly before.

[Bernman23]

On 6/6 the Sounds posted innings of 6, 6, 6. If those players were going to sell their souls to the devil, why would they do it for a win over the Zephyrs. They must not have read the fine print.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Erick Almonte's silent movie three-run home run