Link Report for Mon. 8/1 -- Walkoff Rattlers' heroics; Rivas, Heckathorn rocked; Gagnon rolls; Arcia homers

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

Nashville: RHP Amaury Rivas at home vs. Round Rock (Rangers), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link -- Select the Nashville feed from the MiLB main audio page

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

 

Huntsville: RHP Kyle Heckathorn at home vs. Carolina (Reds), 6:43 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page

iPad/iPhone: Listen

Traditional Broadcast Live Audio Link -- Select the Carolina feed from the MiLB main audio page

Brevard County: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. Bradenton (Pirates), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link -- Select the Bradenton feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

Wisconsin: RHP Maverick Lasker at home vs. Burlington (Athletics), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

Helena: RHP Drew Gagnon at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

Live Audio Link -- Select the Helena feed from the MiLB main audio page

Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): RHP Danny Keller at home vs. the lower case A's; 1:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

 

DSL Brewers: at the DSL Mariners, 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
Wisconsin

Helena

Arizona Rookie (Maryvale)
DSL Brewers

[Mass Haas]

PCL American North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Omaha	59	49	.546	-	-	32-24	27-25	6-4	W3
	Memphis	54	54	.500	5.0	31	32-21	22-33	3-7	W2
	Nashville	53	56	.486	6.5	30	33-24	20-32	6-4	L1
	Iowa	47	62	.431	12.5	24	27-25	20-37	3-7	L2

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Chattanooga	21	15	.583	-	-	10-10	11-5	6-4	L1
	Huntsville	17	19	.472	4.0	31	6-10	11-9	5-5	W3
*	Tennessee	17	19	.472	4.0	31	10-6	7-13	6-4	W2
	Carolina	16	20	.444	5.0	30	9-11	7-9	2-8	L1
	Jackson	15	21	.417	6.0	29	7-9	8-12	4-6	W1

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tampa	21	16	.568	-	-	10-9	11-7	6-4	L2
	Clearwater	19	18	.514	2.0	32	13-7	6-11	8-2	W1
	Dunedin	19	18	.514	2.0	32	8-8	11-10	7-3	W3
*	Daytona	18	19	.486	3.0	31	8-9	10-10	5-5	W2
	Brevard County	16	19	.457	4.0	31	5-10	11-9	5-5	L5
	Lakeland	15	20	.429	5.0	30	8-10	7-10	3-7	W1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Kane County	21	14	.600	-	-	9-9	12-5	6-4	L1
	Quad Cities	21	14	.600	-	-	13-7	8-7	6-4	W1
	Clinton	19	16	.543	2.0	34	11-9	8-7	6-4	W1
	Beloit	17	18	.486	4.0	32	8-7	9-11	3-7	L1
	Cedar Rapids	15	20	.429	6.0	30	9-8	6-12	4-6	W1
	Wisconsin	13	22	.371	8.0	28	5-12	8-10	3-7	L5
*	Burlington	12	23	.343	9.0	27	8-10	4-13	3-7	W3
	Peoria	11	24	.314	10.0	26	4-11	7-13	2-8	L1

PIO North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Great Falls	1	0	1.000	-	-	1-0	0-0	1-0	W1
	Helena	1	0	1.000	-	-	0-0	1-0	1-0	W1
	Billings	0	1	.000	1.0	37	0-1	0-0	0-1	L1
*	Missoula	0	1	.000	1.0	37	0-0	0-1	0-1	L1

AZL Central
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	AZL Dodgers	17	15	.531	-	-	8-8	9-7	6-4	L1
	AZL Reds	17	16	.515	0.5	24	9-8	8-8	5-5	W2
	AZL Indians	16	17	.485	1.5	23	8-8	8-9	4-6	L3
	AZL Brewers	8	22	.267	8.0	18	4-12	4-10	4-6	L1

DSL S.D. North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	DSL Mariners	37	16	.698	-	-	20-6	17-10	5-5	W1
	DSL Brewers	32	20	.615	4.5	16	16-10	16-10	5-5	L1
	DSL Cardinals	20	32	.385	16.5	4	13-14	7-18	7-3	W4
	DSL Athletics	18	36	.333	19.5	E	11-15	7-21	4-6	L1

[battlekow]

Final: AZL Athletics 5, AZL Brewers 3

AZL Brewers box score

6th-rounder Danny Keller wasn't the best (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K), though of course as a raw high school arm, stats only tell a small fraction of the story at this point. Relievers Stephen Peterson, Michael White, and Mitch Conner combined to strike out eight and walk none over the rest of the game. Kevin Berard had an excellent game, 1-2 with three walks and four steals. Jose Garcia (2-3, BB) and Steve Felix (2-3, 2 BB) also had nice days, but Jalen Harris had an awful one, striking out all five times up.

AZL Brewers play-by-play

Wonder what happened here:

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 7th

• Kevin Berard walks.
• With Jalen Harris batting, Kevin Berard steals (9) 2nd base.
• Jalen Harris called out on strikes.
• Steve Felix walks.
• With Hitaniel Arias batting, Kevin Berard steals (10) 3rd base. Steve Felix steals (8) 2nd base.
• Kevin Berard out at home, shortstop Wilfredo Solano to catcher Reynaldo Mateo. Steve Felix to 3rd.
• Hitaniel Arias flies out to center fielder Dayton Alexander.

They're listed as separate plays, but I wonder if the throw went down to second to try to get Felix, was errant/dropped, and then Berard was caught trying to score.

[Mass Haas]

Media Notes:

Nashville

 

Wisconsin

[battlekow]

BC postponed.

[battlekow]

Final: DSL Brewers 8, @DSL Mariners 3 (8.5 innings)

DSL Brewers box score

Though they've been struggling against everyone else, the Cerveceritos have started dominating their sworn enemies, the Marineritos, taking the last four games in the series. The game was called after the top of the 9th, which isn't exactly sporting, but it also happened to the Cerveceritos earlier this year, though not against the same team. Orlando Arcia swatted his sixth homer as part of his 2-5 day, and Juan de Leon and Raul Mondesi also homered. Esthervin Matos was 1-3 with two walks and two steals. Outfielder Dionis Hinojosa, who will be 21 in two weeks--too old to be a prospect in the DSL--had three hits and stole four bases. Elvis Rubio did not play, but Milton Gomez did, finally healthy enough to make a full start for the first time since mid-June. He went five innings today, allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits and a walk while fanning five. Nicely done, young sir.

DSL Brewers play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: Carolina 13, @Huntsville 1

Huntsville box score

Kyle Heckathorn: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K, 2 HR, 96 pitches, 57 strikes. Ugh. Heckathorn had allowed exactly three runs in each of his first four AA starts, never excelling, and this is a step in the wrong direction. When you consider that he's performing the best of the three 2009 first-rounders...

Obviously not much going on with the bats. Lee Haydel was on twice with a hit and a walk, but all that served to do was net him his 14th caught-stealing this year. Khris Davis entered the game in the 7th as a pinch hitter and doubled once in two trips.

Hunstville play-by-play

[battlekow]

Final: Round Rock 9, @Nashville 4

Nashville box score

Amaury Rivas's line was much the same as Heckathorn's, with even worse peripherals: 4 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 86 pitches, 51 strikes. At least Dan Meadows worked 2.1 scoreless. Mat Gamel cracked his 21st homer as part of his two hits, and Caleb Gindl and Brandon Boggs also had two knocks, plus a walk. Logan Schafer and Taylor Green cooled off, 0-5 and 0-4 respectively.

Nashville play-by-play

I'm sure the recap will cover you in this regard, but I have to go to bed.

[brewmann04]

Rivas should not be #1 on the top 50.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Rivas should not be #1 on the top 50.

I think you missed a 0. Maybe 2.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Wisconsin 8, Burlington 5, ten innings

Brownstein bashes extra inning game winner

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers stunned the Burlington Bees with an 8-5, ten inning victory. Wisconsin was down 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but rallied to tie the game. Then, Mike Brownstein drilled a two-out, three- run home run in the bottom of the tenth to emphatically snap Wisconsin's five game losing streak. Brownstein had five RBI in the game.

Wisconsin (52-54 overall, 13-23 second half) grabbed an early lead. Nick Shaw drove in Reggie Keen with a single in the first inning. In the second, Brownstein had two runners in scoring position with two outs and he cracked a two-run single to give the Rattlers a 3-0 lead.

 

But Burlington (57-49, 12-24) rallied in the fourth against Wisconsin starting pitcher Maverick Lasker. Tony Thompson started the inning with a home run. Douglas Landaeta followed with a double. Yodry Cabrera tripled to send Landaeta home and Nino Leyja followed with another triple to tie the game.

 

Casey Medlen relieved Lasker to face Tyreace House. The Bees centerfielder wound up at second after two errors on the same play, but Leyja had to hold at third base. Royce Consigli and Beau Taylor concluded the scoring in the inning with consecutive RBI singles to give Burlington a 5-3 lead.

 

Medlen, Adrian Rosario, and Seth Lintz kept the bees off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, but the Rattlers offense struggled to get anything going until the ninth.

 

Pedro Vidal got the first out with a strikeout. Chad Stang singled to get aboard, but Vidal got the second out with another strikeout. Stang would move up to second on defensive indifference with Brownstein at the plate. Brownstein would take a walk to put the tying runs on base.

 

Keen cashed in Stang with a single to center. Then, Shaw lined a single to right and drove in Brownstein with the tying run.

 

Lintz, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, gave up a leadoff single to Thompson in the top of the tenth. One out later, Thompson took off for second with Cabrera at the plate. The throw by Rattlers catcher Joey Paciorek was high and into center to allow Thompson to take third. However, Cabrera was ruled to have interfered with Paciorek. That ruling sent Thompson back to first and Cabrera to the dugout as the second out of the inning. Lintz retired the next batter to send the game to the bottom of the tenth.

 

Drew Tyson came into the game for the bottom of the tenth and retired the first two batters. Stang started the rally with a single. Paciorek singled to center to move Stang around to third base.

 

Brownstein didn't mess around with the game on the line. The Rattlers second baseman drilled his second home run of the season on a line drive over the wall in left and the Rattlers celebrated an 8-5 win.

 

Wisconsin continues their current homestand on Tuesday night when they take on the Clinton LumberKings. Jimmy Nelson (5-7, 4.30) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. George Mieses (4-10, 5.02) is scheduled to start for Clinton. Game time is 7:05 PM.

 

Tuesday is the first Jimmy Buffett Night at Time Warner Cable Field. Timber Rattlers house band First Degree will be playing Buffett tunes and island-themed music on the third base picnic deck in a postgame concert. The first 1,000 fans to attend Tuesday's game will receive an Allegiant Air Flip Flop Keychain courtesy of the Outagamie County Regional Airport.

 

Tuesday is also a Bang for Your Buck Night with Pepsi products, Cher-Make hot dogs, and Miller Beer products available for $1.

 

Plus, it is a KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets. Buy 1 Ticket, Get 1 Free from KRAFT Singles with purchase. Bring your package wrapper to a Timber Rattlers game on Tuesdays for a steal of a deal!

 

If you can't make it out to the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberratlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45 PM. The game is also available on MiLB.TV.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Nice heroics! Stellar relief work made Mike Brownstein's heroics possible. Chad Stang remains hot. T.J. Mittelstaedt, while not involved in any of the rallies, did walk twice. One sour offensive note -- Nick Ramirez a golden sombrero with a bonus out (0-for-5, 4 K's).

 

Wisconsin Play-by-Play

It's not often a pitcher allows home run - double - triple - triple to consecutive batters as Maverick Lasker did in the 4th...

 

But ending on a better note --

 

Wisconsin Bottom of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Pedro Vidal replaces Zach Thornton.
  
• Nick Ramirez strikes out swinging.
  
• Chad Stang singles on a line drive to left fielder Royce Consigli.
  
• Joseph Paciorek called out on strikes.
  
• With Mike Brownstein batting, Chad Stang advances to 2nd on defensive indifference.
  
• Mike Brownstein walks.
  
• Reggie Keen singles on a fly ball to center fielder Douglas Landaeta. Chad Stang scores. Mike Brownstein to 3rd.
  
• Nick Shaw singles on a line drive to right fielder Ryan Pineda. Mike Brownstein scores. Reggie Keen to 2nd.
  
• With T. J. Mittelstaedt batting, Reggie Keen steals (35) 3rd base.
  
• T. J. Mittelstaedt walks. Nick Shaw to 2nd.
  
• Gregory Hopkins strikes out swinging.

Burlington Top of the 10th

• Tony Thompson singles on a ground ball to third baseman Gregory Hopkins.
  
• Douglas Landaeta strikes out swinging.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Wade Kirkland replaces Tony Thompson.
  
• Yordy Cabrera bunt grounds out to catcher Joseph Paciorek. Yordy Cabrera out on batter interference.
  
• Nino Leyja flies out to right fielder Chad Stang.

Wisconsin Bottom of the 10th

• Wade Kirkland remains in the game as the third baseman.
  
• Pitcher Change: Drew Tyson replaces Pedro Vidal.
  
• Michael Walker grounds out, first baseman A. J. Kirby-Jones to pitcher Drew Tyson.
  
• Nick Ramirez flies out to center fielder Douglas Landaeta.
  
• Chad Stang singles on a ground ball to shortstop Yordy Cabrera.
  
• Joseph Paciorek singles on a line drive to center fielder Douglas Landaeta. Chad Stang to 3rd.
  
• Mike Brownstein homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. Chad Stang scores. Joseph Paciorek scores.

[Mass Haas]

Brownstein gives Timber Rattlers big finish in 10th inning to beat Bees

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE — Mike Brownstein is more of a contact hitter than a crusher.

 

But the compact 5-foot-10, 175-pound Wisconsin Timber Rattlers second baseman filled the role of slugger Monday night and did it in dramatic fashion.

 

Brownstein slammed a three-run, walk-off homer with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Timber Rattlers to a stirring 8-5 win over the visiting Burlington Bees.

 

It was the second home run of Brownstein's professional career and the first walk-off homer he has ever experienced.

 

"I'm not a real home run hitter and I was just trying to get a base hit," Brownstein said. "Right away, I could see the trajectory of the ball and it was all kind of surreal. It (a walk-off homer) doesn't happen too often, and for it to happen to me, that's pretty cool. I was kind of surprised."

 

Brownstein smoked a 2-2 pitch from Burlington reliever Drew Tyson and the ball landed well over the left-field wall at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

"Right before the pitch, I kind of felt I had an opportunity to do something special," Brownstein said. "He threw me a fastball in, and I was looking for that exact pitch. I was sitting on it, and when I saw it, I knew I could do something with it."

 

Brownstein's wild, walk-off homer capped the biggest hitting night of his pro career. He went three-for-four to raise his average to .258 and knocked in five runs.

 

"Brownstein's not a home run guy, but he had a terrific game and really came through in the clutch," said Wisconsin outfielder Chad Stang, who also had three hits and started the game-winning rally with a two-out single.

 

Stang also singled to start Wisconsin's game-tying, two-run rally in the ninth, which erased a 5-3 deficit and forced extra innings. Reggie Keen and Nick Shaw drilled RBI singles to highlight the ninth-inning rally.

 

The victory snapped a five-game losing streak.

 

"We've been kind of struggling and playing up-and-down baseball," Stang said. "Tonight, we were able to kind of grind it out and we just kept scrapping."

 

The Timber Rattlers struck first with a run in the opening inning on an RBI single by Shaw.

 

The Rattlers pushed their lead to 3-0 in the second on a two-run single by Brownstein.

 

Burlington knocked out Wisconsin starter Maverick Lasker with a five-run fourth inning to grab a 5-3 lead.

 

Tony Thompson opened the inning with a long solo homer to left and Doug Landaeta followed with a double. Yordy Cabrera and Nino Leyja belted RBI triples, and Wisconsin reliever Casey Medlen was greeted by run-scoring singles by Royce Consigl and Beau Taylor.

 

You'll find a photo gallery at the Post-Crescent link.

[Mass Haas]

Obviously a must-read (always, win or lose), but here's your walkoff Rattler Radio Post-Game Thoughts.

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

Sounds Lose To Express, 9-4, On Monday

Mat Gamel homers, doubles in loss

Nashville Sounds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds lost, 9-4, to the Round Rock Express on Monday evening at Greer Stadium in the third game of a four-game series. Round Rock leads the season series, 11-4.

Designated hitter Mat Gamel went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double for Nashville. Outfielders Caleb Gindl and Brandon Boggs added two hits. Leadoff hitter Logan Schafer went hitless to snap his 10-game hitting streak, the longest active streak on the club.

Round Rock opened the contest with a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. After Express center fielder Leonys Martin singled, former Sounds Brad Nelson crushed his first hit of the series, a two-run home run on to Chestnut Street. The long ball was Nelson's 18th of the season.

Nashville plated its first run in the bottom of the second. With one out in the inning, Gamel doubled down the right field line and scored on the next play as second baseman Eric Farris lined an RBI two-bagger off the center field wall.

The Express plated two more runs for a 4-1 lead in the top of the third. Sounds starter Amaury Rivas recorded the first two outs and then ran into trouble, allowing two singles and a two-out walk to load the bases. Chad Tracy then hit a fly ball just inside the left field line to score two runs for his team leading 84th and 85th RBIs.

Round Rock added another run for a 5-1 advantage in the fourth as Green doubled in another former Brewer farmhand, Guilder Rodriguez, who singled earlier in the frame.

The Sounds plated three runs in the bottom of the frame to trail by one at 5-4. Gamel began the rally with a towering solo homer (audio) over the wall in right center, his team-leading 21st of the season.

Farris worked a one-out walk and scored on the ensuing Jordan Brown base hit combined with a Round Rock throwing error. Express right fielder Val Majewski attempted to throw out Farris trying to advance to third on the single, but his throw was too high and bounced into the stands, allowing Farris to walk home. As Brown advanced to second on the throw and third on the error, Boggs grounded out to third, which let Brown come home to score the final run of the inning.

The Express scored two runs in the fifth as the first two batters of the inning reached to remove Rivas from the contest. Former Vanderbilt star Matt Kata then recorded a hit on reliever Daniel Meadows for the first run. Martin knocked in Majewski for the second run. The first seven runs scored in the game were by seven different Round Rock players.

Round Rock scored its final two runs in the top of the eighth to push the lead to 9-5. Jim Henderson entered the game with two men on base and allowed two straight base hits and a sacrifice fly.

Rivas (7-11) was tagged for seven runs on eight hits and four walks in four innings. The seven runs by the Rivas were the most given up this season since the 25-year-old surrendered nine runs on May 9 at Round Rock.

Meadows tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, but allowed both of his inherited runners to score. Chase Wright gave up two runs in an inning. Henderson finished the game with 1 2/3 scoreless innings pitched, but also allowed two inherited runners to cross the plate..

In his fifth quality start of the season, former Sound and Express starting pitcher Zach Jackson (9-4) scattered eight hits for four runs (three earned) in six innings. Nashville is now 3-10 when the opposition starts a former Sound on the hill this season.

The Sounds and Express wrap up their season series with tomorrow's 7:05 PM CT finale on at Greer Stadium. Nashville right-hander Frankie De La Cruz (5-6, 3.96) takes the mound against Round Rock Brett Tomko (5-4, 6.56).

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Great Falls 2, Helena 1

The Helena Independent Record provides a Brewers perspective from a distance for the road game in Great Falls --

 

GREAT FALLS — An anemic Helena Brewers offense stranded 11 base runners and wasted five innings of solid work from starting pitcher Drew Gagnon to drop a 2-1 loss to the Great Falls Voyagers on the road Monday night.

 

The defeat drops Helena to 1-1 in the second half of the Pioneer League season. Great Falls is 2-0.

 

The Brewers actually knotted the score at 1-1 when Max Walla’s single to right field scored Parker Berberet in the top of the eighth inning.

 

The Voyagers got off to an easy start in the bottom of the ninth, though, when leadoff hitter and center fielder Qualon Millender was awarded a trip to first base after the Brewers’ Berberet was called for catcher interference for the second time in two innings.

 

Great Falls’ Kyle Eveland (yes, Dana's brother -- MH) then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Millender to second, and second baseman Joe De Pinto next came through with a clutch dribbling double to left field to bring Millender home and give the hosts the walk-off victory.

 

Gagnon lasted five frames for Helena and allowed just three hits, no runs, no walks and struck out three.

 

Tyler Cravy relieved him in the sixth and surrendered both Great Falls runs on just two hits and a walk, while striking out two. The loss knocks Cravy to 2-3 on the season.

 

Voyagers starter Samuel Phippen also lasted five innings and allowed just three hits and struck out three himself, though he walked six Brewers.

Stew Brase pitched the top of the ninth, striking out two, to pick up his first win of the season for Great Falls.

 

Walla was the only Brewer with multiple hits in the game, going 2 for 3 and adding his club’s only RBI.

 

Millender finished 1 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI for the Voyagers. De Pinto was 2 for 4 as the only Great Falls player with multiple hits and added an RBI.

 

***

 

De Pinto the hero in another walk-off win for Voyagers

by Jesse Geleynse, Great Falls Tribune

Great Falls manager Ryan Newman may be only 32, but if the rest of the Voyagers' Pioneer League games are like the past two, Newman might start worrying about his health.

Joe De Pinto's one-out single in the bottom of the ninth scored Qualon Millender with the game-winning run as the Voyagers won their second consecutive contest in walk-off fashion to edge the Helena Brewers 2-1 on Monday at Centene Stadium.

"I'm trying to be a hero," De Pinto said jokingly after he was mobbed by his teammates near second base. "No, I was just looking for a ball out over the plate that I could put my best swing on. Getting hits isn't really what you're looking for. You just want to hit the ball hard in play and good things will happen."

The Voyagers, who won 4-3 on a walk-off home run by Mark Haddow on Sunday, improve to 19-21 overall. Most importantly, Great Falls is 2-0 since the second half began on Sunday. The Voyagers remain in first place in the North Division while Helena (19-21, 1-1) slips in to a tie for second place.

"We talked about it in orientation yesterday, you know, how it's a clean slate," Newman said. "People remember how you finish, not how you start. We talked about that yesterday, we talked about that today. They've obviously taken it to heart, winning two games in the ninth inning."

With a pair of starting pitchers on the mound each sporting an earned-run average of greater than six, fans attending Monday's contest probably did not expect to witness a pitcher's duel. But that's exactly what ensued as the Voyagers' Sam Phippen and Helena's Drew Gagnon each went five scoreless innings.

But while Gagnon took advantage of two Voyagers thrown out on the base paths and one inning-ending double play to face the minimum through five, Phippen worked out of several jams.

Phippen worked around two walks and a hit in the second as Max Walla was thrown out at home trying to score on a wild pitch. The 6-fot-9 right-hander also picked off Ben McMahan in the fourth to help counter two walks and single in the inning.

"Honestly, I gotta give it all to the defense," Phippen said. "I was throwing strikes, but I was also throwing a lot of balls and they picked me up. They did a phenomenal job out there."

The Voyagers finally climbed on the board in the bottom of the sixth against Helena reliever Tyler Cravy. Michael Earley led off the inning with a double. David Herbek sacrificed Earley to third and after a walk to Randall Thorpe, Millender's infield chopper plated Earley for a 1-0 lead.

The Brewers drew even in the top of the eighth. Parker Berberet reached on a dropped third strike. He advanced to third on a single by Kyle Dhanani and Walla drove home Berberet with an RBI single to left to tie the game at 1-1.

Millender led off the ninth by reaching on catcher's interference and Kyle Eveland bunted him to second. That brought up De Pinto, who worked the count full, then drove the ball down the third-base line for the game-winner.

"I guess that's going to be our thing," De Pinto said of walk-off wins. "The bullpen really did great, Sam threw great, and being able to come through again, just like yesterday, it's a good way to set the tone for the second half."

The Voyagers received strong performances out of the bullpen from Kevin Vance and Stew Brase. Vance worked three innings, allowing just the one unearned run on three hits. Brase picked up the win by fanning two in a scoreless top of the ninth.

"Outstanding, both of them," Newman said. "Kevin did an outstanding job. We gave them an extra base and it ended up costing us a run there. But he and Brase did an outstanding job, came in, threw strikes and that's all I can ask of them."

De Pinto had two hits for Great Falls and Walla had a pair for the Brewers, who wrap up their brief two-game stint in Great Falls today. The two teams then head to Helena for a three-game series.

"We're trying to win the second half and last night after Mark's walk-off bomb (Sunday), it pumped us up a little bit," Phippen said. "And then to get back-to-back walk-off wins, that's just incredible. That's a good start."

NOTES: The Voyagers will send Scott Snodgrass (0-1, 4.79) to the hill on Tuesday against Helena's Eric Arnett (3-2, 4.89)...Monday's win was just the second for the Voyagers when they score three or fewer runs as Great Falls improves to 2-10 in that category...Monday's win matches the Voyagers' season-high for consecutive games won at two. Great Falls has won back-to-back games four times this season, but never three in a row.

 

Helena Box Score

Gagnon and Cravy combined for 15 ground ball outs; Brewers had 15 baserunners and scored one run -- sad; Yadiel Rivera stole his 3rd base with Helena, but was also caught stealing once...

 

Helena Play-by-Play

[Mass Haas]

The Brevard County game will not be made up since the Manatees and Bradenton Marauders do not play each other again this season.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville shelled by Carolina as hitting woes continue

By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- It's simple, really. As Stars manager Mike Guerrero said late Monday night, sitting at his desk in the Huntsville clubhouse, "If the pitching is not there and the offense is not there, it's a recipe for a long night."

 

In this case, it was three hours long and seemed longer, basically watching the Carolina Mudcats -- specifically Neftali Soto -- bully around the Stars for a 13-1 victory, cashing in on 18 hits.

You want a microcosm of baseball? It was at Joe Davis Stadium on consecutive nights.

First, on Sunday, a masterpiece painted by the Stars' Wily Peralta, a dominating two-hit shutout.

Then, on Monday, a messy bit of preschool fingerpainting, something not worth hunting for a magnet to hang it on the fridge.

The evening belonged to Carolina first baseman Soto, who had slowpitch softball numbers -- 4-for-6, two homers, six RBIs, two runs scored. It was a tree falling in an empty forest. Loud noise nobody heard. The announced crowd was 600, worst of the season. This was the 13th time in 50 home dates in which the home attendance didn't break the four-digit mark.

Down five runs after three innings on Monday, the Stars went down meekly. As has become customary.

In its last 12 games, Huntsville has scored only one or two runs seven times. Miraculously, it actually managed to win two of those. Taking the 11 games before Monday's lopsided game, the Stars had allowed only 27 runs -- but scored just 30 runs, winning five of the 11.

It didn't help the Stars' offense to have Milwaukee trade away Erik Komatsu, batting .293, to Washington for journeyman major league infielder Jerry Hairston Jr.

Include Komatsu on a list that includes ex-Stars like Brett Lawrie, Matt LaPorta, Jeremy Jeffress, Michael Brantley, Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar as Milwaukee farm hands swapped away since 2008 who were rated as top-tier prospects, chosen in high rounds or earned All-Star honors.

"If you have pitching and you're able to support your pitching with runs, you're going to win some games," Guerrero said.

Guerrero noted the Komatsu trade and the promotion of two starters to Triple-A in the last two weeks.

"But the guys we have need to make adjustments and swing the bats like we're capable," he said. "I think it's going to get better."

[Mass Haas]

Always a day behind, MiLB video highlight: Caleb Gindl RBI single (off a southpaw)

[TooLiveBrew]

6th-rounder Danny Keller wasn't the best (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K), though of course as a raw high school arm, stats only tell a small fraction of the story at this point.

Well-stated. I'm excited about Keller as a prospect just based on draft-day scouting reports.