Link Report for Fri. 7/15 -- 3rd round RHP Drew Gagnon debuts as Helena rolls

[And That]

Rivera made another pretty impressive play with his arm tonight, winging a throw on the bag at second to first (that he caught barehanded from 2B Gant Elmore) on a double play. Between his arm and his range, he should be a plus defender at the MLB level at some point in the future. Bat? I dunno.

[brewmann04]

Hey AND THAT Rivera already sound better that bentacourt .

[TooLiveBrew]

Sad, but possibly true

[And That]

I wouldn't say that's true yet. Rivera is too inconsistent on the routine ground ball, a young player problem, and his bat is years away from being at even Betancourt's level.

[brewmann04]

The brewers have to find a closer in Nashville Green should not be on the roster.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Jupiter 2, Brevard County 1

Brevard County box score

Tyler Thornburg was good, allowing just a two-out, two-run homer in the 1st inning, but the 'Tees didn't have enough offense to overcome even that; Thornburg fanned six in six innings of work. BC managed just two hits, one each by D'Vontrey Richardson and Josh Prince. Prince also walked and stole his 14th base but also committed two errors.

The box score was updated to give Prince three errors on the evening, including a double error in the first that meant the two-run HR surrendered by Thornburg produced two unearned runs against Tyler's line.

[Mass Haas]

Jensen's 19th HR the Only Offense in 2-0 Win
Jupiter Hammerheads

In a game that saw just four combined hits, Kyle Jensen's league-leading 19th home run provided all the offense Jupiter needed to take 2-0 win over Brevard County.

Rob Rasmussen faced 15 batters before giving up his first hit, setting the tone for a pitchers duel in which the Hammerheads and Manatees held each other to just two hits.

The left-hander wasn't quite perfect, hitting two batters and issuing a walk, but it wasn't until Josh Prince's single through the hole with one out in the 5th inning that a batter hit safely against him.

Though it was the only hit Rasmussen allowed, it was also his final inning, as the left-hander's night ended after just five frames. He left with a 2-0 lead, setting him up to take his third straight win, becoming just the second Hammerhead hurler to get the W in three consecutive starts, along with All-Star Jose Alvarez.

The runs came back in the 1st inning, thanks to the first of Brevard County's four errors on the night, and Jensen's big blast. Chase Austin reached on a fielding error by shortstop Prince and got to second on a subsequent throwing error.

The extra base proved unnecessary, as two batters later, Jensen sent the first pitch he saw over the left field wall. The two-run shot is his fourth in five games and gives the slugger the most homers in the Florida State League. Jensen also owns the league's highest slugging percentage, and at .322, the fourth-best batting average.

After Rasmussen's early exit, Jupiter brought on five different relievers to make the lead stick. The only one to allow a hit was the first, Graham Johnson. Johnson issued a pair of walks in the 6th before D'Vontrey Richardson's single up the middle put Brevard County on the board.

Not only would it be the last run put up on the scoreboard, it was game's last hit as well. Hammerheads relievers Collin Cargill, Wade Korpi, Zach Simons and A.J. Ramos combined to no-hit the Manatees over the final 3.1 innings, with a walk by Cargill the only base runner allowed.

The Hammerheads needed the dominant relief, because the Manatees' duo of starter Tyler Thornburg and reliever Bradley Blanks were nearly as good, holding Jupiter hitless after Austin's single in the 3rd inning. Things weren't exactly spotless, as Thornburg gave up three walks and hit a batter in addition to the two hits in his six innings. Blanks issued a pair of walks as well, and the pitchers had to work around four errors made behind them.

Jupiter will try to win their third straight for the first time since June 8th in the series finale on Saturday. If they do it, they may also break one of the toughest streaks in all of baseball, as starter Chad James is still searching for his first win, entering the game with an 0-13 record that belies his 3.81 ERA, one of the twenty-lowest in the league. The left-hander faces off against Brevard County's Hiram Burgos on Diamond Dig Night at Roger Dean Stadium. After the 6:35 PM game (5:35 Central), all ladies in attendance will get their chance to dig up a $5,000 diamond ring buried in the infield.

[Mass Haas]

Final (game one): @DSL Brewers 3, DSL Cardinals 2 (7 innings)

DSL Brewers box score

18-year-old Venezuelan righty Jorge Ortega pitched well again, posting a 5/0 K/BB in six innings while allowing two runs. .

Ortega's overall season line now has him with only six walks in 44 innings, while allowing only 40 hits. It's almost staggering how polished some of the DSL arms have been this season with their peripherals. Very encouraging...

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: DSL Brewers 1, DSL Cardinals 0, eight innings (scheduled for seven)

So, the league decided to make up last week's rainout and leave the completion of the suspended game for another time...

DSL Brewers Game Two Box Score

You know we're going to talk pitching, so we'll get the formality out of the way -- the winning run in the first extra inning --

 

DSL Brewers Bottom of the 8th

• Raphachel Colatosti singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jhohan Acevedo.
  
• Francisco Castillo pops out to first baseman Rafael Medina.
  
• Yonki Hernandez strikes out swinging.
  
• Pitcher Change: Addelin Ceballo replaces John De Aguas.
  
• Dionis Hinojosa singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jhohan Acevedo. Raphachel Colatosti to 2nd.
  
• Deivi Mejia singles on a line drive to center fielder Jhohan Acevedo. Raphachel Colatosti scores. Dionis Hinojosa to 2nd.

19-year-old RHP Elvis Mora made his first pro start after 23 relief appearances this season and last, and while there were multiple baserunners in three of his four innings, he still tossed scoreless ball; next to the mound was fellow 19-year-old RHP Orlando Torrez, who lowered his ERA after seven appearances (18.1 innings) to 0.98 with three frames of (obviously) scoreless work; still 18 years old for another couple of weeks, RHP Doni Arias pitched the final frame, stranding the Cardinalitos' two-out walk and single. If you go to this link and then click the WHIP column, you'll see that the coaches are doing a nice job with pitching fundamentals for this group. Now before we go too overboard (probably too late), you'll see from the DSL team batting averages here, pitching does dominate on the island.

 

DSL Brewers Game Two Play-by-Play

The most prominent position players we've discussed this season had Game Two off.

 

The bad guys almost scored in the 3rd --

 

DSL Cardinals Top of the 3rd

• Carlos Torres flies out to right fielder Raul Mondesi.
  
• Robelys Reyes strikes out swinging.
  
• Daniel Barbuena reaches on fielding error by shortstop Raphachel Colatosti.
  
• Domingo Diaz singles on a ground ball to center fielder Francisco Castillo. Daniel Barbuena to 3rd.
  
• With Amaury Capellan batting, wild pitch by Elvis Mora, Domingo Diaz to 2nd.
  
• Daniel Barbuena out at home, second baseman Alejandro Mendoza to catcher Carlos Pena.

And the Cerveceritos' lost chance in the 6th --

 

DSL Brewers Bottom of the 6th

• Defensive Substitution: Rafael Medina replaces Jose Martinez, batting 6th, playing first base.
  
• Pitcher Change: John De Aguas replaces Anderson Gerdel.
  
• Raphachel Colatosti singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jhohan Acevedo.
  
• Francisco Castillo out on a sacrifice bunt, first baseman Rafael Medina to second baseman Robelys Reyes. Raphachel Colatosti to 2nd.
  
• Alejandro Mendoza walks.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Yonki Hernandez replaces Alejandro Mendoza.
  
• With Dionis Hinojosa batting, wild pitch by John De Aguas, Raphachel Colatosti to 3rd.
  
• With Dionis Hinojosa batting, Yonki Hernandez steals (13) 2nd base.
  
• Dionis Hinojosa pops out to first baseman Rafael Medina.
  
• John De Aguas intentionally walks Deivi Mejia.
  
• Jose Pena strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Whitecaps crash in on Rattlers
By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers took a 4-1 lead into the top of the eighth inning Friday night against the West Michigan Whitecaps at Time Warner Cable Field. But the Whitecaps scored three times in the eighth and once in the ninth to beat Wisconsin 5-4. James Robbins drove in one of the runs in the top of the eighth and knocked in the go ahead run in the top of the ninth.

The game started the way the last eleven have for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, with the opponents scoring first. This time, it took just two batters.

Jeff Rowland started the game with a single. Hernan Perez followed with a double into the left field corner and the Whitecaps (44-46 overall, 12-9 second half) were up 1-0 in the first inning.

Rattlers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson bounced back and did not allow another run over his 6-2/3 innings of work. Nelson struck out six in the game.

Wisconsin's offense got even in the bottom of the fifth. They loaded the bases on singles by Reggie Keen and Nick Shaw and a walk to T.J. Mittelstaedt with one out. Reliever Jade Todd came into the game and threw a wild pitch on his second pitch to let Keen score the tying run.

The Rattlers (47-44, 9-12) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Shaw started the inning with a bunt single and was balked to second base. Mittelstaedt followed with a single to send Shaw home with the go ahead run.

Jason Rogers singled to put Mittelstaedt on third. Then, Greg Hopkins pinch ran for Rogers. Mike Walker singled in Mittelstaedt and Hopkins raced around to third base. Hopkins scored when Cody Hawn grounded into a 4-6-3 double play and the Rattlers were up 4-1.

But the Whitecaps came right back in the eighth against Greg Holle. The first two batters of the eighth inning walked. Robbins singled in the first run and put runners on the corners. Jason Krizan grounded out to second to knock in a run to make the score 4-3 and move Robbins to second. A passed ball let Robbins take third base. Steven Moya's grounder to second was mishandled to let the tying run score.

Wisconsin went down in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.

West Michigan did not go down in order in the ninth. Dan Britt struck out the first batter of the inning, but walked the next two. Britt got the second out with another strikeout. But, Robbins singled to right to drive in the go ahead run.

The Rattlers went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Hawn singled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. That is the longest current hitting streak in the Midwest League.

Wisconsin begins a series with the South Bend Silver Hawks on Saturday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Del Howell (1-5, 5.36) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Bradin Hagens (4-3, 4.12) is set to start for the Silver Hawks. Game time is 6:35 PM.

Saturday night is Christmas in July at Time Warner Cable Field. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for the game. A Christmas Tree and holiday decorations will be on the concourse with a bake sale and a kettle drive with proceeds going to the Salvation Army. After the game, there will be a FOX 11 fireworks display set to Christmas music.

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 6:15 PM.

[Mass Haas]

Rattlers fall to Whitecaps but pitcher Nelson, first baseman Hawn on a roll

by Jim Oskola, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

GRAND CHUTE — Not a person in the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers clubhouse was happy after the 5-4 loss to West Michigan at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Friday.

The Rattlers took a 4-1 lead into the top of the eighth inning but the Whitecaps scored three times in the eighth and once in the ninth.

But when one is playing Midwest League baseball with hopes of moving up the ladder, each member of the team does his best to contribute to a victory and at the same time tries to improve his own game.

Two of the Rattlers making progress are pitcher Jimmy Nelson and first baseman Cody Hawn.

"I thought I did all right," Nelson said. "I don't think I got ahead of the guys like I should have, but we had some great defensive plays out there. Some guys really helped me out on some pitches I left up that guys were really squaring up. We just made the plays when we needed to, for the most part. I need to do a better job of getting ahead of guys the next time."

Through his first 12 appearances with the Rattlers, Nelson had an ERA of 5.20 through 62 1/3 innings. In his last five, over 32 2/3 innings, Nelson has given up ten runs. That's an ERA of 2.75.

"I've had a more competitive attitude," Nelson said. "I've been trying to go at guys and trust that great defense we have. I've been trying to do a better job of keeping the ball down, just trusting myself and mixing all my pitches, and developing my changeup."

Nelson also didn't want to break the pitching momentum started by Maverick Lasker, who allowed just one run in seven innings on Thursday.

"Maverick had a great start," Nelson said. "The kid threw 70 pitches through seven innings. You don't want to be the guy who stops the momentum. You want to keep the momentum rolling."

Hawn has had momentum rolling in his favor since the Rattlers' late June home stand against Peoria. Hawn has built a 15-game hitting streak, going 24-of-59 (.406).

"I've just been seeing the ball a little bit better," Hawn said. "I'm trying to get set, get my foot down and set a little earlier. It seems like it has helped. I don't feel as rushed as I did earlier in the season. I hope I can keep it going."

After the games against Peoria, Hawn spent considerable time in the batting cage, hitting off a tee.

"It was just mechanics," Hawn said. "There were a couple of nights there where I felt like I got some good pitches to hit and wasn't making good contact with it. I was just trying to slow myself down and get in a good hitting position."

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Post-Game Thoughts includes --

 

This game took a bad turn in the third inning. Romero and Keen singled to start the inning and were at second and third with no outs. The next three Rattlers struck out and both Romero and Keen were still at second and third.

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

Details on the Huntsville schedule --

 

Biscuits and Stars Rained Out

Teams will play two on Sunday

 

MONTGOMERY, AL - Tonight's game between the Biscuits and Stars has been postponed due to inclement weather. The teams will play a doubleheader Sunday with the first game beginning at 5:05.

 

Matt Moore will start on Saturday as scheduled, with Jim Paduch getting bumped back to Sunday's second game.

 

***

 

Uber-prospect Matt Moore -- wow.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @AZL Reds, AZL Brewers 6

Arizona Box Score

Seven Brewer errors for this stumbling, bumbling, fumbling bunch -- record now 4-16; seven of the ten Redleggette runs were earned, so the pitchers didn't shine either, particularly 22-year-old undrafted free agent RHP Greg Davis, who had a particularly tough night.

 

Rehabbing LHP Mitch Stetter doing his best to make sure the Mets aren't interested, although it looks like he got his ground balls --

 

AZL Reds Bottom of the 6th

• Spencer Dickinson strikes out swinging.
  
• Pitcher Change: Mitch Stetter replaces Greg Davis.
  
• Gabriel Rosa singles on a ground ball to left fielder Jose R. Garcia.
  
• Carlos Sanchez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Steve Felix. Gabriel Rosa to 3rd. Carlos Sanchez to 2nd on the throw.
  
• Brennan May doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Jose R. Garcia. Gabriel Rosa scores. Carlos Sanchez scores. Brennan May out at 3rd, left fielder Jose R. Garcia to shortstop Renaldo Jenkins to third baseman Andres Martinez.
  
• Robert Ramirez singles on a ground ball to second baseman Brandon Macias.
  
• Wagner Gomez strikes out swinging.

18-year-old 6'4" undrafted LHP Will West (soon to be 19) is intriguing with his back story, struck out five in two innings (one unearned run).

 

FIELDING

E: Martinez, An (5, fielding), Arias, H (3, throw), Jenkins 2 (6, throw, missed catch), West (1, pickoff), Dowell (2, fielding), Pharr (4, catcher interference).

 

Arizona Play-by-Play

18-year-old SS Renaldo Jenkins had more singles (three) than errors (two), at least; Steve Felix (in RF for this one) reached base four times; oh, by the way, the not quite "A"-Crew batters combined to strike out 17 times...

 

Would you quantify these two runs as "gifts"?

AZL Reds Bottom of the 1st

• Juan Perez grounds out, shortstop Renaldo Jenkins to first baseman Hitaniel Arias.
  
• Spencer Dickinson walks.
  
• Gabriel Rosa reaches on fielding error by third baseman Andres Martinez. Spencer Dickinson to 3rd.
  
• With Carlos Sanchez batting, Gabriel Rosa steals (1) 2nd base, Spencer Dickinson scores. Throwing error by first baseman Hitaniel Arias.
  
• Carlos Sanchez reaches on throwing error by shortstop Renaldo Jenkins. Gabriel Rosa scores. Carlos Sanchez to 2nd.
  
• Brennan May grounds out, second baseman Brandon Macias to first baseman Hitaniel Arias.
  
• Robert Ramirez grounds out to first baseman Hitaniel Arias.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds, Isotopes Suspended Friday Due To PCL Curfew Rule

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Friday night's Pacific Coast League game between the Nashville Sounds and Albuquerque Isotopes was suspended at 12:59 a.m. at the conclusion of the eleventh inning with the score tied at 3-3 due to the enforcement of the PCL's curfew rule.

 

The league by-law states that no new inning can begin after 12:50 a.m. local time.

 

The Sounds held a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning before Albuquerque scored a pair of late runs to force extra frames. The game didn't start until 9:18 p.m. due to a two-hour-plus rain delay.

 

The game will be completed to its entirety beginning on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. Saturday evening's regularly scheduled game between the teams will be a nine-inning contest that will begin approximately 30 minutes after the suspended game completion.

 

Gates will open at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday. The first 2,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a 2011 Sounds baseball card set, courtesy of Kraft Foods and Kroger, and another Saturday fireworks show, presented by News 2, will light up the sky following the on-field action.

 

In Saturday's regularly scheduled game, All-Star left-hander Sam Narron (4-3, 3.83) will man the bump for Nashville to face fellow PCL All-Star and former Sound Dana Eveland (8-5, 3.77) for Albuquerque.

 

Nashville Suspended Box Score

RHP Josh Butler's 76 pitches (43 strikes) were effective -- 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K; standard positions in the lineup -- Mat Gamel at 1B, Eric Farris at 2B, Taylor Green at 3B...

 

Nashville Suspended Play-by-Play

LHP Daniel Meadows' 8th inning saw him allow four base hits but only one run, thanks to RF Brandon Boggs' throw to the plate.

 

NOTE: CF Brett Carroll was out on a play at the plate in the bottom of the 5th. Looks as though he went back out for defense in the top of the 6th, but was pinch-hit for by Jordan Brown with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 6th. Normally Carroll wouldn't be lifted in that spot in the 6th, so either something stiffened up or it was purely a Don Money decision.

 

RHP Sean Green was OK in the 10th and 11th, but not when the Sounds needed him to be in the 9th --

 

Albuquerque Top of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Sean Green replaces Daniel Meadows, batting 9th.
  
• Trayvon Robinson singles on a line drive to right fielder Brandon Boggs.
  
• Russell Mitchell walks. Trayvon Robinson to 2nd.
  
• Justin Sellers out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Sean Green to second baseman Eric Farris. Trayvon Robinson to 3rd. Russell Mitchell to 2nd.
  
• Damaso Espino singles on a ground ball to center fielder Caleb Gindl. Trayvon Robinson scores. Russell Mitchell scores.
  
• Jamie Hoffmann strikes out swinging.
  
• With Dee Gordon batting, wild pitch by Sean Green, Damaso Espino to 2nd.
  
• Dee Gordon strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 9, @Idaho Falls 2

Chukars Strikeout in 9-2 Loss to Brewers

Idaho Falls K a season high 19 times while dropping rubber game

By Aaron Cox / Idaho Falls Chukars

 

The Idaho Falls Chukars looked like they had put their free swinging ways behind them of late, as the club had more than doubled their home run output in the past week while raising their team batting average to near the top of the Pioneer League. The Helena Brewers had no trouble missing Chukar bats Friday night however, as Idaho Falls struck out a season high 19 times while dropping the rubber game againgt the Brew Crew 9-2.

 

Eight of the nine Chukars batters struck out at least once, with six of those eight striking out multiple times. The main villain for the birds was Brewers reliever Tyler Cravy, who fanned 12 batters while giving up two runs on three hits in five innings pitched.

 

When the Chukars weren't swinging and missing they managed only five hits and needed the help of three wild pitches to score their two lone runs.

 

Shortstop Adrian Martinez singled to lead off the fourth inning and, after moving up on a wild pitch by Cravy, came in to score one out later on an RBI double from Dean Espy. The Chukars would then strike out twice to end the inning and strand Espy in scoring position. Idaho Falls would score their final run in the seventh frame when Espy singled to start the inning, moved up to second base on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a passed ball and finally scored on another wild pitch.

 

On the mound, Chukars starting pitcher Brennon Martin (1-2) improved from his last disastrous outing in Orem, but still gave up three runs on eight hits over his five innings pitched while earning the loss. Unfortunately, new Chukars pitcher Willian Avinazar followed Martin and was roughed up even worse to the tune of four runs on six hits in just two innings. Cravy (2-2) earned the win for Helena.

 

With the loss, the Chukars (10-14) lose their second straight series while the Brewers (12-13) pull back to within a game of .500.

 

***

 

The Helena Independent Record's notes from this road contest --

 

Brewers blast Chukars

The Helena Brewers’ bats pounded out 18 hits and Tyler Cravy struck out 12 in an extended relief effort as the visitors cruised past the Idaho Falls Chukars 9-2 on Friday.

Helena improved to 12-13 on the year and remains locked with Great Falls for last place in the Pioneer League’s North Division. The Chukars fell to 10-15.

The Brewers already led 2-0 before Cravy replaced starter Drew Gagnon in the bottom of the third inning. Over the next five frames he scattered just three hits and two runs as the Helena bats took over.

Gagnon, the Brewers’ third-round pick in the 2011 MLB draft, was held to a short pitch count but struck out five and allowed just one hit in his first start.

Idaho Falls managed to cut the lead in half on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, but the tight score didn’t last long.

Nick Ramirez tacked on a run in the top of the fifth off a double by Kenny Allison, before the game really broke open with a three-run sixth for the visitors. Kyle Dhanani doubled in Gant Elmore and Yadiel Rivera to start that rally, and then later crossed home himself on a follow-up line drive single by Ramirez.

Rivera, Dhanani and Tyler Berberet knocked in a pair of runs apiece with multiple hits for the Brewers. Ramirez led the offensive charge by going 4 for 6 with an RBI and a run scored.

Rivera, the leadoff hitter went 3 for 5 with a run scored, while center fielder Robbie Garvey went 3 for 4.

Six different Brewers finished the game with multiple hits to just one for the Chukars. First baseman Richard Espy went 2 for 3 for the home team.

Seth Lintz pitched the final two innings for Helena, allowing just one hit and no runs.

 

Helena Box Score

18 hits, four walks, and an HBP for Brewer baserunners, plus 5-for-6 on the basepaths and 8-for-21 with RISP; just about everybody padded their numbers in this one -- domination across the board, much needed after so many close contests and tough losses -- enjoy the box score...

 

Helena Play-by-Play

Seth Lintz did walk three in his two scoreless innings...

[battlekow]

Nick Ramirez's walk rate so far for Helena is only a couple thousandths of a percent higher than Yadiel Rivera's. Ramirez is hitting well enough that it doesn't matter, but it's something to keep an eye on as he progresses. In theory it would make sense that even someone with good plate discipline might not walk much when facing pitchers much less talented than him, especially a power hitter, but that doesn't seem to hold true in real life, perhaps because it doesn't take into account that less-talented pitchers are usually much wilder and often throw four balls without ever throwing a hittable strike.