Link Report for Thurs. 8/4 -- Sounds split twinbill despite outscoring Sky Sox 25-9; Fiers fantastic

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

Nashville: RHP Mike Fiers and LHP Sam Narron in a doubleheader at Colorado Springs (Rockies), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings
Live Audio Link -- Select the Nashville feed from the MiLB main audio page
MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

Huntsville: RHP Cody Scarpetta 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. Dunedin (Blue Jays), 6:05 PM gametime
Live Audio Link -- Select the Dunedin feed from the MiLB main audio page

Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller at home vs. Clinton (Mariners), 6:45 pre-game, 7:05 PM gametime
Live Audio Link
MiLB.TV -- for subscribers

Helena: LHP Mike Strong at home vs. 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): at home vs. the Reds' tykes; 1:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

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

[Mass Haas]

REMINDER: Time Warner Cable Sports 32 has the Rattlers' game this evening.

 

***

 

Brevard's Hiram Burgos with a birthday start tonight -- busy day for that in the system, young gun Mr. Arcia no longer Sweet 16.

 

Orlando Arcia - 17

Hiram Burgos - 24

Joel Dicent - 20

Mike Francisco - 23

Casey Medlen - 22

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville Game One (Gameday also available)

 

Nashville Game Two (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	62	49	.559	-	-	33-24	29-25	7-3	W6
	Memphis	56	55	.505	6.0	27	34-21	22-34	5-5	L1
	Nashville	54	57	.486	8.0	26	34-25	20-32	5-5	W1
	Iowa	48	64	.429	14.5	19	28-25	20-39	3-7	W1

SOU North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Chattanooga	23	16	.590	-	-	10-10	13-6	6-4	W1
*	Tennessee	20	19	.513	3.0	29	13-6	7-13	7-3	W5
	Carolina	18	21	.462	5.0	27	9-11	9-10	4-6	W1
	Huntsville	18	21	.462	5.0	27	7-12	11-9	5-5	L1
	Jackson	16	23	.410	7.0	25	8-11	8-12	4-6	W1

FSL North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Tampa	21	18	.538	-	-	10-10	11-8	5-5	L4
	Clearwater	20	19	.513	1.0	31	14-7	6-12	7-3	W1
*	Daytona	20	19	.513	1.0	31	10-9	10-10	7-3	W4
	Dunedin	20	19	.513	1.0	31	9-8	11-11	7-3	L1
	Brevard County	17	19	.472	2.5	30	6-10	11-9	5-5	W1
	Lakeland	16	21	.432	4.0	29	8-10	8-11	4-6	L1

MID Western
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Quad Cities	24	14	.632	-	-	14-7	10-7	8-2	W4
	Kane County	23	15	.605	1.0	-	9-9	14-6	7-3	W2
	Clinton	19	19	.500	5.0	29	11-10	8-9	5-5	L3
	Beloit	17	21	.447	7.0	27	8-9	9-12	3-7	L4
	Cedar Rapids	16	22	.421	8.0	26	10-10	6-12	3-7	L2
	Wisconsin	16	22	.421	8.0	26	8-12	8-10	4-6	W3
	Peoria	14	24	.368	10.0	24	6-11	8-13	4-6	W3
*	Burlington	12	26	.316	12.0	22	8-10	4-16	3-7	L3

PIO North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Great Falls	3	1	.750	-	-	2-1	1-0	3-1	W1
	Helena	2	2	.500	1.0	34	0-1	2-1	2-2	L1
*	Missoula	2	2	.500	1.0	34	1-0	1-2	2-2	W1
	Billings	1	3	.250	2.0	33	1-2	0-1	1-3	L1

AZL Central
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	AZL Dodgers	19	16	.543	-	-	9-8	10-8	7-3	L1
	AZL Reds	19	16	.543	-	-	10-8	9-8	6-4	W4
	AZL Indians	18	17	.514	1.0	21	10-8	8-9	5-5	W2
	AZL Brewers	8	25	.242	10.0	13	4-13	4-12	2-8	L4

DSL S.D. North
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	*ELIM #	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	DSL Mariners	38	17	.691	-	-	20-7	18-10	5-5	W1
	DSL Brewers	34	20	.630	3.5	15	17-10	17-10	5-4	W2
	DSL Cardinals	20	33	.377	17.0	2	13-15	7-18	6-4	L1
	DSL Athletics	19	37	.339	19.5	E	11-15	8-22	4-6	L1

[Mass Haas]

Look for the Nashville and Wisconsin media notes here and here later on, respectively.

 

If Huntsville posts theirs, it will be found by placing your cursor over the "roster" banner at the Stars' home page.

[battlekow]

Huntsville and the DSL Crew were both postponed. The Stars' game will not be made up.

[battlekow]

Final: AZL Reds 1, @AZL Brewers 0

AZL Brewers box score

Lose 15-1 or lose 1-0--which is better? The Brewers have accomplished both over the last two afternoons, with the Reds being the victor both times. Del Howell went seven innings and allowed the game's only run. Good Manuel Ruiz showed up, tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts, albeit also with two walks. 50th-rounder Matt Franco had a rare two-hit game going before leaving the game in the 5th inning. Jalen Harris had a hit but struck out in his other three at-bats; he's fanning in over 30% of his plate appearances so far.

AZL Brewers play-by-play

Looks like Franco was injured on a play at second:

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 5th

• Matthew Franco singles on a fly ball to center fielder Bryson Smith.
• With Ronny Puello batting, passed ball by Wagner Gomez, Matthew Franco to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Steve Felix replaces Matthew Franco.
• Ronny Puello strikes out swinging.
• With Andres Martinez batting, wild pitch by Joel Bender, Steve Felix to 3rd.
• Andres Martinez strikes out swinging.
• Kevin Berard grounds out, third baseman Juan Francisco to first baseman Carlos Sanchez.

[trwi7]

I really don't like Don Money. Farris is the 3 hitter, Maysonet is the 6 hitter, Gindl is the 7 hitter.

[LouisEly]

Green & Gamel back-to-back in the 2nd. Both now are hitting exactly .324.

 

Wondering how they plan on getting in a DH this late, even though they only are 7 innings.

[battlekow]

Final: Dunedin 11, @Brevard County 1

Brevard County box score

The best pitching line belonged to Efrain Nieves: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K; Hiram Burgos and Skyler Crawford each allowed four runs. The Sea Cow's only run came on a 9th-inning face-saving blast from Kentrail Davis, his seventh of the year; Davis also singled. Shawn Zarraga was the only other 'Tee with more than one hit. Hunter Morris drew a walk [trumpets]. D'Vontrey Richardson started the game but was removed after playing defense in the top half of the 1st. I think that's the second time this year he's been in the lineup but left before batting. It's been a struggle for D'Vo to stay healthy.

Brevard County play-by-play

Dunedin Top of the 1st

• Brad McElroy walks.
• With A. J. Jimenez batting, Brad McElroy steals (22) 2nd base.
• A. J. Jimenez out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Hunter Morris. Brad McElroy to 3rd.
• Sean Ochinko doubles (24) on a ground ball to left fielder Chuck Caufield. Brad McElroy scores.
• Brad Glenn singles on a ground ball to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson. Sean Ochinko to 3rd.
• Ryan Schimpf grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris. Sean Ochinko scores. Brad Glenn to 2nd.
• Brian Van Kirk flies out to center fielder D' Vontrey Richardson.

Must have hurt himself on the catch?

[battlekow]

Final: Clinton 3, @Wisconsin 2

Wisconsin box score

Matt Miller pitched pretty well: 7 IP, 4 H, 3 R 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 K, 8/5 GO/FO, 92 pitches, 59 strikes. Chad Stang, who's hot again, had three hits, including a double, and Joey Paciorek had two to extend his hit streak to seven. Nick Ramirez was back in the lineup and drew a walk [trumpets] but was hitless.

Wisconsin play-by-play

The Rattlers got a run each in the 7th & 8th to get close, but they left a runner in scoring position in each inning as well:

Wisconsin Bottom of the 7th

1. Joseph Paciorek strikes out swinging.
2. Chad Stang doubles (9) on a fly ball to center fielder Mike McGee.
3. With Nick Ramirez batting, throwing error by Roenis Elias on the pickoff attempt, Chad Stang to 3rd.
4. Nick Ramirez walks.
5. With Gregory Hopkins batting, passed ball by Carlton Tanabe, Nick Ramirez to 2nd.
6. Gregory Hopkins grounds out, second baseman Carlos Ramirez to first baseman Mickey Wiswall. Chad Stang scores. Nick Ramirez to 3rd.
7. Mike Brownstein strikes out swinging.

Wisconsin Bottom of the 8th

• Franklin Romero pops out to third baseman Jake Schlander in foul territory.
• Reggie Keen reaches on fielding error by shortstop Anthony Phillips.
• With Nick Shaw batting, passed ball by Carlton Tanabe, Reggie Keen to 2nd.
• Nick Shaw singles on a line drive to center fielder Mike McGee. Reggie Keen to 3rd.
• Jason Rogers out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Kevin Rivers. Reggie Keen scores.
• Joseph Paciorek singles on a fly ball to right fielder Kevin Rivers. Nick Shaw to 2nd.
• Chad Stang called out on strikes.

[DHonks]

wow, I am starting to hope Fiers isn't the PTBNL. Guys with less stuff sometimes have better careers than guys with stuff...just look at the Childers brothers.

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Great Falls 8, @Helena 2

 

Helena Box Score

The Voyagers scored five runs in the first two innings, knocking starter Mike Strong out after an inning & one-third. Helena pulled to within 5-2 after the second inning, but Great Falls pitching silenced the Brewers the rest of the way.

 

Parker Berberet, Max Walla, John Dishon, & Mike Nemeth had the only Brewers hits, all singles. Dishon also walked twice & threw a runner out at the plate. Nemeth & Kenny Allison both drove in runs in the second inning.

 

Kevin Shackleford allowed one earned run in 4.1 innings of relief. He got the final out of the 2nd inning & pitched three scoreless... until the 6th. Shackleford got the first out of the inning, but then allowed two singles and a double. He picked a runner off first to help dig himself out, but an error charged to Yadiel Rivera allowed a run to score & kept the inning alive for Great Falls. After a single to left off Shackleford, Dishon threw Kyle Eveland out at home to end the inning.

 

After starting out shakily in the seventh, Seth Harvey finished with three scoreless innings, with 1 hit, 4 K/1 BB, & two wild pitches. The hit, WPs, & BB all came in the 7th, and Harvey retired the final six outs in order.

 

 

Helena Play-by-Play

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: @Nashville 19, Colorado Springs 0

 

Sounds Blow Out Sky Sox In Twinbill Opener

Nashville Ties Club Record For Hits In 19-0 Rout

Nashville Sounds

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Nashville Sounds blew out Colorado

Springs, 19-0, in the opener of a doubleheader on Thursday at Security

Service Field. Nashville belted a season-high five home runs while tying

a team record with 24 hits in the contest.

 

Nashville (55-57) tied a team record by legging out 24 hits on the

night, including a season-high five home runs in the seven-inning

contest. It marked the Sounds' first five-homer effort since August

2008. All three of the Sounds' 24-hit outbursts in club history have

occurred in Colorado Springs.

 

The 19 runs scored matched Nashville's season high and fell one short of the team's single-game record.

 

 

Every Sounds starter, including the pitcher, recorded a multiple-hit effort, scored a run, and drove in a run in the game.

 

 

Logan Schafer went 4-for-5, including his first career Triple-A homer,

with three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Sounds' offensive

attack. He continues his strong start to his Nashville career, hitting

safely in 12 of 13 contests at a .426 clip (23-for-54).

 

 

After being retired in order in the first, the Sounds scored in each of

the next six innings, including five multiple-run frames, and batted

around on three different occasions.

 

 

Right-hander Mike Fiers (4-0) continued his outstanding pitching for

Nashville to earn his fourth win in his first four Triple-A starts. He

worked six scoreless innings, scattering five hits while striking out

seven batters during his 86-pitch effort. In his last 12 starts between

Nashville and Double-A Huntsville, Fiers is 7-2 with an impressive 1.83

ERA (14er/68.2ip).

 

 

The start of the game was delayed by over 2 ½ hours due to rain.

 

 

Nashville got things started in the second when Taylor Green and Mat

Gamel led off the frame with the Sounds' fifth set of back-to-back

homers this season. The homers, against Sky Sox right-hander Clayton

Mortensen, were Green's 18th and Gamel's team-leading 24th of the

season.

 

 

After Nashville added an unearned run in the third stemming from a

throwing error by Colorado Springs shortstop Ryan Rohlinger, the Sounds

put the game out of reach with a five-run outburst in the fourth using

seven consecutive two-out hits to extend the lead to 8-0 and chase the

Sky Sox starter from the contest.

 

 

Highlights of the Nashville fourth, which saw 10 batters come to the

plate, included catcher Martin Maldonado's first Triple-A homer of the

season, a solo shot to center, a two-run Jordan Brown double, and

run-scoring singles by Eric Farris and Green.

 

 

Logan Schafer staked the Sounds to a double-digit lead in the fifth when

he belted his first career Triple-A homer, a two-out, two-run shot to

right-center off Sky Sox reliever Blake Johnson.

 

 

The Sounds tacked on five more scores in the sixth as 10 batters came to

the plate in the frame against Johnson. The first eight batters of the

inning reached base safely as the visitors increased their lead to 15-0.

 

 

 

Sky Sox infielder Warren Schaeffer took over on the hill in the seventh

to make his third career pitching appearance and surrendered four runs,

two of them coming on a monstrous two-run homer by Caleb Gindl off the

hitter's eye screen in dead center. The blast was Gindl's 14th of the

year.

 

 

Left-hander Randy Flores made his Sounds debut by pitching a scoreless

seventh inning, allowing no hits while walking one batter and striking

out a pair.

 

 

Mortensen (1-6) took the loss for Colorado Springs after surrendering

eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in just 3 2/3 innings of work.

Nashville Box Score

This was the fifth time Nashville has scored at least 13 runs in 2011. Schafer had four hits, a home run, three RBI, one walk, & three runs. Jordan Brown, Gamel, & Green each had three hits; Farris, Edwin Maysonet, Gindl, Maldonado, & even Fiers had two. If you're keeping score at home, Schafer, Green, Gamel, Gindl, & Maldonado each had homers; Brown, Farris, & Maysonet added doubles.

 

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

4th inning, 'everything after two' with seven hits in a row:

 

Nashville Top of the 4th

• Edwin Maysonet bunt grounds out, pitcher Clayton Mortensen to first baseman Mike Jacobs.
• Caleb Gindl grounds out, second baseman Matt Macri to first baseman Mike Jacobs.
• Martin Maldonado homers (1) on a fly ball to center field.
• Michael Fiers singles on a fly ball to center fielder Joe Mather.
• Logan Schafer singles on a fly ball to center fielder Joe Mather. Michael Fiers to 2nd.
• Jordan Brown doubles (20) on a fly ball to center fielder Joe Mather. Michael Fiers scores. Logan Schafer scores.
• Eric Farris singles on a fly ball to left fielder Carlos Gonzalez. Jordan Brown scores. Eric Farris to 2nd on the throw.
• Taylor Green singles on a line drive to right fielder Mike Paulk. Eric Farris scores.
• Mat Gamel singles on a fly ball to right fielder Mike Paulk. Taylor Green to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Blake Johnson replaces Clayton Mortensen, batting 9th.
• Edwin Maysonet grounds into a force out, fielded by shortstop Ryan Rohlinger. Mat Gamel out at 2nd.

Nashville Gameday

[igor67]

19 runs in a 7 inning game is pretty crazy. Perhaps it does put into perspective how silly this teams numbers might look if they played there home games in one of the west coast band boxes and were truly PCL inflated.

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: @Colorado Springs 9, Nashville 6

 

Gonzalez puts in late night as Sky Sox splitIgnacio Marquez, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

The team came out for routine batting practice, complete with ground ball catching drills. But it was not business as usual.

 

Carlos Gonzalez was in town, rehabbing for the Sky Sox on Thursday night.

 

There was no fanfare and no crowd surrounding the young slugger, who took regular defensive drills and batted after a couple of his Sky Sox teammates did.

 

The Rockies’ star outfielder, who went on the disabled list on July 22 after reaggravating his right wrist injury, was slated to begin his rehab assignment for Colorado Springs on Wednesday, but rain impeded that.

 

But he played two on Thursday. After a rain delay of 2 hours, 38 minutes, a crowd of 3,192 watched the Sky Sox lose the first game of a doubleheader, 19-0, to the Nashville Sounds.

 

Considerably fewer people watched the second game, which didn’t start until 10:42 p.m. Those who did watched a more offensively-sound Sky Sox team defeat the Sounds 9-6 to split the doubleheader in a game that ended at 12:58 a.m.

 

Gonzalez singled in four at-bats in the opener. The left fielder was limited to one inning in the second game, leading off the bottom of the first with a single.

 

He came around to score the Sky Sox's first run on a sacrifice fly by Mike Jacobs.

 

“It feels great, but I know I can get a lot better,’’ Gonzalez said between games. “This is only the first game back, but once I start swinging more and getting more playing time, it will all fall into place.”

 

Gonzalez is scheduled to return to Denver on Saturday.

 

In the second game, Jacobs two-run home run in the the third inning highlighted a six-run frame that put the Sky Sox up for good. Jacobs now has 95 RBIs, which tied him for the lead in all minor league baseball.

 

Had Gonzalez not gotten a chance to play, Sky Sox manager Stu Cole was unsure of what the Rockies would have done.

 

“We just have to wait and see what happens,” Cole said.

 

It seems nothing worked for the Sky Sox — plans or otherwise — Thursday night, at least in the first game. The hits kept pouring after the rain stopped as the Sounds had 24 hits — and that just was the first game.

 

The stat line through seven innings read 2-1-5-2-5-4. The Sounds offensive onslaught included two innings in which they batted around.

 

Nashville starter Mike Fiers (4-0, 1.73 ERA) kept Colorado Springs at bay with seven strikeouts in six innings of work.

 

The Sounds struck big in the fourth inning when the lineup batted around, chasing Sky Sox starter Clayton Mortensen out and scoring five runs to make the score 8-0.

 

Mortensen (1-6) pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs on 10 hits and saw his ERA balloon to 10.55. Blake Johnson replaced Mortensen in the fourth inning.

 

Cole attributed Mortensen’s up and down season to his change in clubs. The starter has been called up to the Rockies and sent back down on some occasions.

 

“At the beginning of the season, he had a stretch were he was going back and forth between the big league club and here, so he started for us and come out of the bullpen up there,” he said.

 

“When he came back down the last time, he had to build his pitch count back up, and I think once he got to that point and back into a rhythm.”

 

Nashville Game Two Box Score

Every Sound starter, including pitcher Sam Narron, reached base at least once; Eric Farris tripled, doubled, and scored twice; Mat Gamel singled twice and drove in two; Taylor Green doubled and drew a walk; Sounds had a 6-2 lead when Narron surrendered a six-spot in the 3rd; all the offensive pyrotechnics puts Mike Fiers' Game One effort in an even brighter light...

 

Nashville Game Two Play-by-Play

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County routed by Dunedin, 11-1

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

VIERA, Fla. -- The Brevard County Manatees were unable to build on the momentum of Wednesday's comeback win as they were routed by the Dunedin Blue Jays, 11-1 on Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium.

 

Manatees (44-63 overall, 17-20 second half) starting pitcher Hiram Burgos - who turned 24 years old on Thursday - went five innings and allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits, en route to dropping his record to 3-7.

 

Skyler Crawford came in for Burgos and didn't fare that well either as he gave up four runs (all earned), off of two hits and four walks in just 1 1/3 innings.

 

Efrain Nieves gave up one unearned run in 1 2/3 innings, and Roque Mercedes allowed two runs - both earned - in the top of the ninth.

 

Brevard County's pitching staff allowed 11 hits - five of them for extra bases - and Dunedin (60-50, 21-19) hitters went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

 

Conversely, the 'Tees offense sputtered as Brevard County scored just one run on a lead-off homer in the bottom of the ninth by Kentrail Davis, his seventh of the year. The Manatees had just three runners get past first base the whole night.

 

Both Davis and Shawn Zarraga had two hits each in the loss.

 

Both Brevard County and Dunedin will look to earn a series win in Friday's rubber game, set to begin at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Nick Bucci (7-9, 3.57) will take the hill for the Manatees, while Dunedin's starting pitcher has yet to be announced.

 

Manatees starting pitcher Hiram Burgos, who turned 24 on Thursday, allowed four runs in five innings of work in Brevard County's 11-1 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2011/08/04/VGvZyokw.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Clinton takes close contest from Wisconsin

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Clinton LumberKings took game three of a four game series from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3-2 on Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Field. The game was the third straight between the teams in the series to be decided by one run. Wisconsin had won the first two games of the series.

Robbie Anston started the ballgame by drawing a leadoff walk from Wisconsin starting pitcher Matt Miller. Anston stole second with one out, but was still at base with two outs. Miller made a good pitch to Stefen Romero, but the LumberKings second baseman fought it off and blooped the ball into right field for an RBI single.

Clinton (44-65 overall, 20-19 second half) padded their lead in the fourth inning. Kevin Rivers doubled to start the winning. He took third on a grounder to the right side and scored on a wild pitch by Miller.

The LumberKings got an insurance run in the sixth. Anston doubled and Julio Morban followed with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.

Wisconsin (54-55, 16-23) struggled to put together a rally against Clinton starting pitcher Roenis Elias through the first six innings. But, they got something cooking in the seventh.

Chad Stang, who had three hits in the game, doubled with one out and Nick Ramirez drew a walk to chase Elias from the game. One of the first pitches from reliever Jesse Nava was mishandled by catcher Carlton Tanabe for a passed ball to allow Ramirez to second base. Greg Hopkins grounded out to second to get Stang home and move Ramirez to third. But, Nava got the final out of the inning to keep Clinton up 3-1.

Elias allowed an unearned run on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 6-1/3 innings in his first Midwest League start.

Miller went seven innings and allowed three runs on four hits with six strikeouts for the Rattlers.

In the bottom of the eighth, Reggie Keen reached on a one-out error and moved to second on a wild pitch. Nick Shaw extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single to center that got Keen to third base. Next was the key play of the game.

Jason Rogers sent a fly ball to shallow right-center that looked like it might drop for a run scoring single that would also move Shaw around to third with the tying run. But, Rivers charged and made a diving catch off the top of the grass for the second out. Keen tagged and scored, but Shaw had to retreat to first base.

Matt Bischoff replaced Nava on the mound and gave up a single to Joey Paciorek that sent Shaw around to third, but Bischoff got the final out of the eighth and worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the game for Clinton.

The final game of the four game series is Friday night at 7:05 PM. Charly Bashara (4-4, 5.12) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.12) is set to start for the LumberKings.

Friday is Emergency Services Night at Time Warner Cable Field. Paramedics, firemen, police officers, and their families will receive $1 off reserved bleachers and box seating for Emergency Services Night.

Plus, the first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a baseball courtesy of Baycom.

Friday is also North Shore Bank Family Night. Children 12 and under eat free. After the postgame fireworks display, Fazoli's invites children 14 and under to participate in Kids Run the Bases.

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

[Mass Haas]

Walker's loss puts Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' offense in a hole

by Ricardo Arguello, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE – There's no doubt that Mike Walker's absence in the middle of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lineup has left a gaping hole in terms of power and production.

That has been evident in Wisconsin's last three games, including Thursday's 3-2 loss to Clinton in a Midwest League game in front of 5,371 fans at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

Walker, who is among the league leaders in home runs (15) and RBI (72), was placed on the seven-day disabled list after missing the past two games with a hand injury.

"Anytime you lose a guy who has been instrumental and very consistent in our lineup, you have to find a guy to replace that," Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson said. "We haven't yet, but we're going to keep throwing guys out there.

"That's the beauty of the game. Somebody goes down and other guys get opportunities and hopefully we can get some guys to step up and take advantage of that."

Wisconsin (54-55 overall, 16-23 second half) left six runners in scoring position and mental mistakes on the base paths short-circuited early scoring opportunities.

That put the onus on the Timber Rattlers pitching staff, which has produced three consecutive solid outings in as many games.

Timber Rattlers starter Mike Miller threw seven innings, striking out six and allowing three earned runs, but was saddled with the loss to drop to 4-6 on the season.

"We had some real good pitching performances the last few days and we had another one today," Erickson said. "Miller definitely threw the ball well enough to get the win and our bullpen has been very solid this series."

Trailing 3-0, Wisconsin rallied with single runs late in the game.

Greg Hopkins had an RBI groundout in the seventh to score Chad Stang to make the score 3-1.

Wisconsin appeared to have a big inning brewing with runners on first and third with one out, but a spectacular catch by outfielder Kevin Rivers limited the Rattlers' Jason Rogers to an RBI sacrifice fly.

A single by Joey Paciorek put runners on the corners again for the Rattlers, but Clinton got out of the inning when Stang was called out on a close check swing for the third out.

"I was ready for that (situation) the whole game and I just kind of got too amped up," Stang said. "I got out of the zone I was in earlier in the game and I was too worried about trying to get that hit instead of just waiting on that pitch.

"It was one of those situations where that pitch could have gone either way."

Stang finished three-for-four and Nick Shaw recorded a base hit in the eighth inning to increase his hitting streak to 11 games.

It was after that single where Shaw had a quick conversation with Walker, who was coaching first base.

"I said 'We really miss you Mike,' " Shaw said. "It's tough because he has like 15 home runs and almost 80 RBI on the season … but we're doing well with who we got now so we just have to keep grinding."

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Post-Game Thoughts

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

WORST TO FIRST: Voyagers knock off Brewers, stay atop Pioneer League

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

After Great Falls finished the first half 17-21 and in the basement of the Pioneer Leauge North Division, Voyagers manager Ryan Newman had some inspiring words for his team.

“A lot of people don’t remember how you start; they remember how you finish,” Newman recounted.

The Voyagers have seemed to buy into that. With their 7-2 victory over the Helena Brewers Thursday at Kindrick Legion Field, Great Falls improved to 4-1 in the second half and remained in first place. Behind solid pitching and timely offense, everything seems to be clicking for the Voyagers as they make a push for the final playoff spot. Great Falls advanced last year, losing to Helena in the division championship.

“They’ve made progress all season and the ball’s bouncing our way right now,” Newman said. “Pitchers are going out there and throwing strikes and our hitters are getting on base.”

The Voyagers pounded out 13 base knocks — just three shy of their season high — to just four by the Brewers. Helena struggled against a starting southpaw for the second straight night, touching up Pete Gehle for just two runs on three hits. The Brewers got on the board in the second inning, when Kenny Allison’s RBI groundout scored Max Walla and Mike Nemeth’s RBI single brought John Dishon home. But the hosts went hitless over the next six frames, until Parker Berberet singled to lead off the ninth. Helena didn’t have any extra-base hits in the contest.

Brewers manager Joe Ayrault called it another great pitching performance by Great Falls after the game, and his counterpart agreed.

“Pete did an outstanding job, he’s been solid for us all year,” Newman said. “I think everytime he goes out there he gives us at least five innings. He’s kept us in games all year and fortunately today we scored enough runs for him and the bullpen held on.”

Jamaal Hollis and Stew Brase combined for three scoreless innings of relief. Gehle (3-5, 4.34) got the win, while Helena starter Mike Strong (2-2, 4.75) was tagged with the loss after a less-than-stellar start.

Strong was touched up for two runs in the first inning, before Great Falls tacked on three more in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead. The lefty who entered the game with opponents batting just .192 against him — a league low — was chased in the second after allowing five runs on five hits.

Mark Haddow led the Voyagers at the plate, going 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Five different Great Falls sluggers hit doubles Thursday.

“This team bats well,” Newman said. “These guys have worked really hard.”

With 18 players on the Voyagers roster new to pro ball this year, the Great Falls skipper said the day-in, day-out grind of a 76-game slate has taken a toll. Only now are they beginning to adjust.

“It’s the first time they’ve had to come to the ballpark every day ready to play,” he said. “They kind of have their feet underneath them now, know their routine and they’re settling in.”

With the win, Great Falls guaranteed a series victory over Helena, which will try to avoid the sweep. The three-game set concludes tonight, with right-hander Andy Moye (4-0, 4.42) taking the mound for the Brewers. Lefty Jarrett Casey (4-0, 4.15) gets the nod for Great Falls in a battle between unbeaten pitchers.

TRANSACTION: Right-handed pitcher Eric Arnett was promoted to Low-A Wisconsin following Wednesday’s game. The 2009 first-round pick had a 4-2 mark with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts for Helena. Arnett ranked second in the Pioneer League with 49 strikeouts, and his 52 innings pitched and 229 total batters faced were tops in the league ... Brewers infielder Kyle Dhanani is day-to-day with a hand injury. He was wearing a brace following Thursday’s game and said it might be broken ... Great Falls third baseman Kyle Eveland took the field against his brother’s former team. Dana Eveland played for Helena in 2003 ... Every Pioneer League contest except the Helena-Great Falls game went extra innings Thursday ... Missoula infielder Eric Groff ran his league-best hitting streak to 21 games, getting his lone hit Thursday in his final at-bat to keep the streak alive.

 

Photos by Dylan Brown Independent Record -

Brewers' John Dishon smiles after scoring Thursday night at Kindrick Legion Field, while playing against the Great Falls Voyagers.

 

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Brewers catcher Tyler Roberts looks at second base after successfully keeping Great Falls' Randall Thorpe from scoring.

 

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Brewers' Yadiel Rivera hits a line drive.

 

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