Link Report for Tue. 7/5 -- Mittelstaedt 5-for-5 as Rattlers grab 4th straight win; Nashville walks off, 9-8

[TheCrew07]

Ack my bad, yes I meant Gindl, thanks for the correction. You really like him as a 1B instead of an OF? You've mentioned it a couple of times now...

[brewmann04]

well one of the OF in nashville should be taking Kotsay place in Milwaukee.

[And That]

He'd be an athletic first baseman. Probably an adequate corner LF, but would the Brewers switch Braun to RF for Khris Davis?

 

Worst case is he gets some time in the infield to increase his value. Scouts like his bat a little. I think he plays in the bigs within a few years.

 

Edit: And sorry, it's 10 OPS points after tonight's game. Long way to go.

[TooLiveBrew]

Arnett is in Rookie ball over two years removed from being a first-round pick out of college, with a trail of big innings dragging behind him longer than the Cubs' World Series drought. No one man can be that unlucky.

Don't hold back. Tell us what you really think.

[YoungGeezy]

Like I have been screaming for over a year now, Nichols absolutely dislikes/hates Khris Davis. That is the only semi-reasonable excuse he has for not promotioning last year when he earned and now this season when he has earned it. This has made me EXTREMELY upset since he tore up the miswest league but I guess Nichols doesn't care about promoting great talent and deserving prospects. At some point someone in the orginization has to say enough is enough, he needs to be promoted.

 

FREE KHRIS DAVIS!!!!!!

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Missoula 7, @Helena 6

 

Brewers Fall in Extra Innings

By Nicholas Allen

 

The Brewers fought back from a 5-0 first inning deficit to tie the game

in the fourth inning and again in the ninth, but never led Tuesday night

in Helena. Alex Jones (1-2) suffered the loss for the Brewers allowing a

run in the bottom of the tenth inning. After recording a blown save on a

passed ball in the ninth, Matt Sample (1-0) earned the victory after

tossing a scoreless tenth.

 

Eric Arnett walked Chris Ellison to start the contest and then hit Josh

Parr on the first pitch of his at-bat. Ellison and Parr executed a

double steal to give the Osprey two runners in scoring position with

nobody out. Following a groundout, Jon Griffin singled to drive in both

runners. Tom Belza added an RBI single, scoring Griffin and Belza

advanced to third when Max Walla misplayed the ball in right field.

Belza would score on Jeremia Gomez's double and would come around to

score on a single by Fidel Pena, bringing the total to 5-0.

 

Helena would answer immediately in the bottom half as Robbie Garvey led

off the inning with a double down the right field line off Missoula

starter Robby Rowland. Adrian Williams followed with a single and Garvey

and Williams came in to score on Nick Ramirez's double to center.

Ramirez would score on a double play, bringing the score to 5-3 at the

end of the first. The Brewers would add a run in the bottom of the

second on Yadiel Rivera's fourth home run of the season and on a safety

squeeze by Williams in the fourth.

 

After the first, Eric Arnett allowed just one more run in six innings of

work, striking out eight and walking just one. Griffith would add an

RBI single in the fifth as Missoula took a 6-5 lead they would hold

until the ninth. Jacob Barnes pitched 0.2 scoreless innings and Alan

Williams followed with 2.1 innings of shutout work, surrendering one hit

and striking out five while surrendering just one hit.

 

The two teams will meet for the finale of the two game series Wednesday

at Kindrick Legion Field. Gates open at six, first pitch is 7:05.

 

 

Helena Box Score

Eight total runs were scored in the first inning. Just seemed like that should be noted.

 

Leadoff man Garvey went 3-4 with a walk and stolen base. Williams, Ramirez, & Rivera accounted for all Helena RBI. Walla & Parker Berberet added one single apiece.

 

2011 UDFA Alan Williams finished with an impressive line in relief. The lefty's listed at 6'3", 195 lbs., and was signed this past offseason from the independent Washington Wild Wings. Wild Things director of baseball operations Darin Everson noted his "power arm"; Williams played college ball at Meridian Community College (MS). Obviously we don't have a definitive scouting report, but a ratio of 18 K/3 BB is pretty impressive in just 8.2 IP. His success thus far has been exclusive to facing lefties, but he can boast a 13/3 K/BB ratio against righties.

 

Helena Play-by-Play

After four scoreless innings, the Brewers scratched out a run to tie things up in the bottom of the 9th:

Helena Bottom of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Matt Sample replaces Keith Hessler.
• Yadiel Rivera grounds out, third baseman Ryan Court to first baseman Jonathan Griffin.
• Douglas Elliot walks.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Ruben Ozuna replaces Douglas Elliot.
• John Dishon strikes out swinging.
• Robert Garvey singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jeremia Gomez. Ruben Ozuna to 3rd.
• With Adrian Williams batting, Robert Garvey steals (3) 2nd base.
• With Adrian Williams batting, passed ball by Fidel Pena, Ruben Ozuna scores. Robert Garvey to 3rd.
• Adrian Williams strikes out swinging.

Missoula came right back in the top of the 10th, though, singling & small-balling their way to the win:

 

Missoula Top of the 10th

• Defensive Substitution: Tyler Roberts replaces Ruben Ozuna, batting 8th, playing catcher.
• Pitcher Change: Alex Jones replaces Alan Williams.
• Jonathan Griffin singles on a ground ball to left fielder John Dishon.
• Eric Groff singles on a fly ball to right fielder Max Walla. Jonathan Griffin to 2nd.
• Tom Belza singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Alex Jones. Jonathan Griffin to 3rd. Eric Groff to 2nd.
• Jeremia
  Gomez grounds into a force out, shortstop Yadiel Rivera to catcher
  Tyler Roberts. Jonathan Griffin out at home. Eric Groff to 3rd.
  Tom Belza to 2nd. Jeremia Gomez to 1st.
• Fidel
  Pena grounds into a force out, shortstop Yadiel Rivera to second baseman
  Adrian Williams. Eric Groff scores. Tom Belza to 3rd. Jeremia
  Gomez out at 2nd. Fidel Pena to 1st.
• Justin Bianco grounds out, shortstop Yadiel Rivera to first baseman Nick Ramirez.

[Mass Haas]

Hunter Morris has committed 23 errors in 124 career games at first base, incliding 15 errors in just 66 games this year.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Nashville 9, Memphis 8

 

Sounds Walk Off Against Redbirds Again

Nashville Rebounds From Six-Run Deficit To Post 9-8 Victory

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds recorded their second straight walkoff win over the division-rival Memphis Redbirds, coming back from an early six-run deficit to post a 9-8 victory on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

With the bases full of Sounds and one out, Brandon Boggs lined a game-ending RBI single to right off Memphis reliever Cory Rauschenberger to plate Erick Almonte with the winning run.

 

It was Boggs' second big hit of the night. The outfielder's two-run double in the seventh capped off Nashville's comeback from an early 7-1 deficit.

 

Almonte, who paced the Nashville offense with a 4-for-4 evening that included a homer, tied a Sounds single-game record by scoring five runs on the night. He became the second player in the franchise's 34-year history to accomplish the feat, joining Adrian Brown (May 12, 1999 at Tucson).

 

The win was the seventh straight home victory for Nashville (39-46), which recorded its ninth last at-bat triumph of the season. The six-run comeback marked the Sounds' largest deficit overcome this year.

 

Rehabbing Memphis first baseman Gerald Laird (2-for-4) staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when he ripped a two-out RBI double to the wall in center off Sounds starter Chase Wright. Tyler Greene, who drew a game-opening walk from Wright, scored on the two-bagger, which came in Laird's first plate appearance with the Redbirds.

 

Later in the frame, Sounds right fielder Caleb Gindl threw out Laird by six steps at the plate to end the inning as he attempted to scored from second on an Aaron Luna single.

 

Almonte evened the contest in the second when he led off the inning with a solo homer to left off Memphis starter Nick Additon. The blast, his second in his last two plate appearances, was Almonte's fourth of the year.

 

The Redbirds pulled back in front comfortably, 7-1, with a six-run outburst against Wright in the third. Five of the six runs scored with two outs, including three on Adron Chambers' bases-loaded double to left-center. Memphis sent 12 men to the plate in the frame; right fielder Nick Stavinoha was responsible for all three outs.

 

Sounds catcher Wil Nieves made it a 7-3 game in the fourth when he belted a two-run homer to left-center that struck the guitar-shaped scoreboard. The big fly, his first of the year, extended the backstop's season-best hit streak to six games.

 

Nashville got another run back in the fifth as Edwin Maysonet led off with a single and later scored from second on a hustle play as he raced home on Gindl's infield single to first.

 

Third baseman Taylor Green pulled the Sounds within a run at 7-6 in the sixth when he hammered Memphis reliever Bryan Augenstein's one-out offering onto Chestnut Street beyond the right field wall for a two-run homer. The infielder's 12th homer of the year also scored Almonte, who singled earlier in the frame.

 

The Sounds completed their comeback from a six-run deficit in the seventh when Boggs lined a bases-loaded, two-run double to right with two outs against Redbirds reliever Pete Parise. The two-bagger gave Nashville its first lead of the night at 8-7.

 

Memphis responded quickly, knotting the score at 8-8 in the eighth against Mike McClendon. Stavinoha greeted the right-hander with a one-out single, moved to second when Matt Carpenter drew a two-out walk, and scored just ahead of Carroll's throw from center as he raced home on Luna's single to center.

 

McClendon (2-1) was the beneficiary of the Sounds' last at-bat heroics, picking up the win. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out four batters in his 1 2/3 innings.

 

Rauschenberger (4-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing the game-deciding run in his 1 1/3 frames.

 

Sounds second baseman Eric Farris went 0-for-5 to snap his season-best hitting streak at 10 games.

 

The Sounds will look for a sweep of the three-game series when the teams hook up for the 7:05 p.m. finale on Wednesday evening. All-Star left-hander Sam Narron (4-3, 3.60) will man the bump for the Sounds to face Memphis right-hander Maikel Cleto (1-0, 2.19).

Nashville Box ScoreSounds trailed 7-1 early, see big league Brewers, it could have been you -- guess not; you've got to give credit where it's due -- Erick Almonte does have bat skills, too bad we didn't see them with the parent club...

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

Hear Brandon Boggs' game-winning single via the link here.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 3, @Chattanooga 2

Clutch two-out hit by Matt Cline to put the Stars ahead:

Huntsville Top of the 7th

• Zelous Wheeler homers (1) on a fly ball to right field.
  
• Erik Komatsu walks.
  
• Martin Maldonado ground bunts into a force out, catcher Gorman Erickson to shortstop Wilberto Ortiz. Erik Komatsu out at 2nd. Martin Maldonado to 1st.
  
• With Hainley Statia batting, Martin Maldonado advances to 2nd on a balk.
  
• Hainley Statia pops out to third baseman Travis Denker in foul territory.
  
• Matt Cline singles on a ground ball to center fielder Brad Coon. Martin Maldonado scores. Matt Cline to 2nd on the throw.
  
• Chattanooga Lookouts Manager Carlos Subero ejected by HP umpire Justin Sassaman.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Steffan Wilson replaces Cody Scarpetta.
  
• Steffan Wilson grounds out, third baseman Travis Denker to first baseman Scott Van Slyke.

I guess Subero disagreed with the call at the plate.

From the Chattanoogan:

 

After the Zelous Wheeler homer, Withrow was pulled from the game in favor of reliever Cole St. Clair (1-2). The 2011 Southern League All-Star uncharacteristically walked the first batter he faced. After a force out at second, a controversial balk, and pop up, Matt Cline ripped a single to center, bringing home Martin Maldonado from second to give Huntsville the 3-2 lead.

 

Manager Carlos Subero, who was still fuming over the balk call on St. Clair, was ejected from the dugout by homeplate umpire Justin Sassaman. Subero vented his frustration to crew chief Anthony Johnson, who had called the balk. To put it mildly, Subero was livid.

 

 

 

[Mass Haas]

Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The Stars (8-5) got within one when Cody Scarpetta took Lookouts' starter Chris Withrow deep to straightaway center.

“It was the pitcher,” Withrow said. “I guess that was his second one of the year, but I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that he could really hit. I left one right over the middle, and he put quite a bit of barrel on it.”

[Mass Haas]

LATE REDEMPTION: Osprey's Pena knocks home winning run after costly miscue

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

Fidel Pena let his frustration out when he threw the ball down in the dirt.

With the Missoula Osprey just one strike away from putting a win in the books at Kindrick Legion Field, the catcher allowed a passed ball that just glanced off his glove to roll to the backstop and plate the tying run for Helena. The fans cheered as the Brewers pushed a game to extra frames for the fifth time this year.

It wouldn’t take long for Pena to silence the crowd and redeem his mistake.

After Missoula led off the 10th inning with three straight singles, Pena brought home the eventual winning run with an RBI fielder’s choice. The hosts managed just an infield single in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Osprey their first win at Kindrick this season, a 7-6 victory.

“I think the pitcher (Matt Sample) missed location,” Missoula manager Hector De La Cruz said of the pivotal passed ball. “But he (Pena) didn’t keep his head down and he came out swinging and executed. It was a good win.”

It was a wild Pioneer League game to say the least. What began as a heated slugfest — the teams combined for eight runs in the first inning alone, and both benches were warned after pitchers appeared to be intentionally plunking batsmen — turned into a strikeout affair. Missoula’s left-handed reliever Keith Hessler dazzled, mixing his pitches, filling the zone and keeping the Brewers off balance. He faced the minimum through three innings, fanning a season-high seven.

Helena southpaw Alan Williams was equally effective, striking out five through 2 1/3.

“The first two innings was crazy on both sides but after that things calmed down,” De La Cruz said. “In the end it was kind of rough, but we got the win.”

The Osprey peppered starter Eric Arnett for five runs on four hits in the first frame, but Helena responded with four hits and three runs of their own off Robby Rowland. Brewers shortstop Yadiel Rivera hit a solo home run in the second to trim the visitors’ lead to one, and Adrian Williams’ sacrifice bunt brought home John Dishon to tie it at 5-all in the fourth.

But the Brewers (8-8) would follow with four straight 1-2-3 innings, and Robbie Garvey’s two-out single that started the rally in the ninth was the first hit for the home team since the second inning.

Missoula (8-8) had a chance to break the game open in the seventh, when Helena reliever Jacob Barnes intentionally walked the Osprey’s hot-hitting first baseman, John Griffin. That loaded the bases, but Barnes struck out the next batter for the second out before giving way to Williams, who worked out of the jam when Tom Belza popped out in foul territory.

It’s positives like that one that Helena manager Joe Ayrault plans to take away from the loss. The Brewers have dropped five of their last seven games, but the skipper saw a lot of heart Tuesday night.

“That’s exactly what I talked about with these guys in the team meeting,” Ayrault said. “The heart that they had — to be down five-nothing and then respond in the bottom of the first inning, then keep battling all game ... I liked the way these guys played, especially late.”

In the ninth, after Rivera grounded out to third, Sample issued a one-out walk to Doug Elliot. Ruben Ozuna came in to pinch run, then sped all the way to third on Garvey’s single through the gap in right. Adrian Williams, after fouling off a couple of pitches, faced a full count. But the Brewers had their opportunity when what could have been a game-ending strike sailed past home plate.

The defending Pioneer League champions are now 3-2 in extra-inning contests this season.

The Brewers will try to snap a three-game skid when they go for the split of the short two-game set today. Right-hander Kevin Shackelford (0-0, 4.50) takes the mound for Helena, while Enrique Buros (1-1, 5.40) gets the nod for the Osprey.

“We’ve got to come in tomorrow with a positive attitude, hit the reset button and play Brewer baseball,” Ayrault said. “There’s a lot of positives that came out of that loss.”

NOTES: Missoula infielder Tom Belza kept his multi-hit streak alive, stretching it to five straight games with two hits or more. Belza, the DH on Tuesday, was 2 for 5 with a run scored ... The Brewers and Osprey are now in a tie for second in the North Division, one game behind first-place Billings ... Missoula outfielder Chris Ellison was walked twice Tuesday night, giving him a league-leading 13 free passes.

 

All photos by Dylan Brown Independent Record - Helena Brewers' Adrian Williams, left, and Robbie Garvey celebrate their runs Tuesday night at Kindrick Legion Field.

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/09/8096910a-a778-11e0-8f4f-001cc4c002e0/4e13c9c1a20eb.image.jpg

Brewers catcher Doug Elliot attempts to tag out Missoula's John Griffin at home Tuesday night in the first period at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/c3/cc32b486-a778-11e0-9edf-001cc4c002e0/4e13ca4080ae0.image.jpg

 

Helena Brewers shortstop Yadiel Rivera throws the ball to first for the out Tuesday evening at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/f2/ef2607d6-a778-11e0-85d6-001cc4c002e0/4e13ca7b255cd.image.jpg

[brewmann04]

MORRIS AND PRINCE have something in common they both are not great fielding 1st baseman.

[Mass Haas]

Chris' postgame thoughts, tells us, among many other things, that --

 

Note on T.J. Mittelstaedt…Say hello to your Midwest League leader in Batting Average!

[LouisEly]

If you ignore Nelson's draft position to remove some bias, and then just evaluate him on his scouting reports, checked his college career on baseball cube, and then looked at his pro career... Would you be inspired?

 

Looking at his last five starts I'm inspired - 8.72 K/9, 3.1 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP, 2.81 ERA. I don't think it really matters what they did in college (pitching against aluminum bats that greatly advantage the hitter until this past season) or even what they did last year - what matters to me is whether they are improving and making the adjustments at each level. For the most part, in rookie ball and even low-A pitchers are working on specific things. Given his results in the last five starts, it appears that he is getting better and making the adjustments.

 

I don't know that anyone ever said he threw mid-90's; I seem to recall from the scouting reports that he sat consistently at 91-92 and maybe he could crank it up to 94 every once in a while. When most people around here think of Jeff Suppan they think of the 34/35 year old version. They don't think of the Jeff Suppan that made it to the majors at the age of 20 and was a regular starter at the age of 22. I dare say that the 22-year-old Suppan threw harder than the 34/35 year old Suppan. And if Nelson, a second round pick like Suppan, can replicate Suppan's age 24-32 seasons in the majors I'll be happy as that is a well above average career for a second round pick.