Link Report for Tue. 8/9 -- Timber Rattlers earn split with one-hit shutout

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Billings 2, @Helena 0

 

Billings Baffles Brewers

By Nicholas Allen

 

The Brewers' pitching was great on Tuesday at Kindrick Legion Field...but Billings was better.

 

The Mustang pitching staff tossed its second straight gem in Helena, shutting out the Brewers and in the process ran its scoreless streak to 30 consecutive innings dating back to Auguest 6th in Great Falls.

 

Billings starter Tony Cingrani sat down Helena in order in the first three innings and Mustang pitchers allowed only four Brewer baserunners. Billings allowed just one runner in scoring position as the Brewers fell in their seventh straight game, losing 2-0. Cole Green (1-1) earned the victory and James Allen recorded his seventh save for the Mustangs who were led offensively by Junior Arias' RBI triple and a solo home run by Nick O'Shea.

 

Mike Strong (2-3) struck out 13 Billings Mustangs, nearly twice his previous career-high of seven, but received no run support. The Oklahoma State product pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs while scattering six hits without walking a batter. Twice, Strong pitched out of a situation in which a Mustangs runner reached third base with no one out. Jacob Barnes pitched the final two scoreless innings, striking out three and surrendering just one hit. John Dishon and Perker Berberet combined for six of the Brewers seven hits in the series, each adding a single Tuesday. Dishon stole his 16th base of the season in the contest.

 

Helena will welcome the Missoula Osprey for the final two games of the four-game homestand starting Wednesday.

 

 

Helena Box Score

Kenny Allison's single was the only other hit aside from Dishon's & Berberet's.

 

 

Helena Play-by-Play

Here's one of the aforementioned Houdini acts managed by Strong. This one ended his night with an exclamation point:

 

Billings Top of the 7th

• Ryan Wright singles on a line drive to left fielder Benjamin McMahan.
• With
  Junior Arias batting, Ryan Wright steals (4) 2nd base, . Ryan Wright
  advances to 3rd, on throwing error by catcher Parker Berberet.
• Junior Arias strikes out swinging.
• Yovan Gonzalez strikes out swinging.
• Cristobal Rodriguez strikes out swinging.

[TooLiveBrew]

Final: Nashville 5, @Reno 3

 

Sounds Put Up Five In First, Defeat Reno 5-3

Fiers Earns Fifth Win In Five Starts For Nashville

Nashville Sounds

 

RENO, Nev. - The Nashville Sounds continued to flourish in road action on Tuesday evening at Aces Ballpark, posting a 5-3 victory over Reno.

 

With the win, the Sounds (59-59) drew back to the .500 mark for the first time since April 22nd, when they were 8-8.

 

Nashville, which has won 13 of its last 17 contests away from Greer Stadium, has taken the first three games of the series against the Pacific Northern Division-leading Aces and will attempt to complete their third sweep of the year on Wednesday.

 

First baseman Mat Gamel drove in three of the Sounds' five runs with a first-inning homer, while center fielder Logan Schafer (2-for-4) was one of three Nashville hitters to post a multiple-hit effort in the victory. Schafer continued his solid start to his Triple-A career; he has hit safely in 18 of his 19 PCL games, including 12 multi-hit efforts.

 

Right-hander Mike Fiers (5-0) picked up his fifth win in five Triple-A starts, holding Reno to two unearned runs on five hits while striking out seven batters over 5 2/3 innings of work to lower his ERA to 1.42 for the Sounds.

 

The Sounds got started quickly against Reno starter Kevin Mulvey, sending 11 batters to the plate and posting five runs in the top of the first inning.

 

The first four Nashville batters all recorded singles against the right-hander, with the last two of those knocks by Eric Farris and Taylor Green driving in runs, before Gamel capped off the rally by belting his team-leading 25th home run of the year, a three-run shot to right that came on the first pitch he saw from Mulvey.

 

The longball extended Gamel's hitting streak to nine games (15-for-39, .385), the longest active stretch among Nashville batters.

 

Reno responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame to cut the Sounds' lead to 5-2. Ryan Langerhans and Juan Miranda contributed RBI singles against Fiers in the frame.

 

Despite multiple scoring opportunities by both clubs (19 total runners were left on base in the contest), the score remained unchanged until the bottom of the seventh, when the Aces tacked on a run against Sounds reliever Daniel Meadows to pull within 5-3.

 

In the Reno seventh, Langerhans singled with one out, stole second, and came plateward on Andy Tracy's RBI double off the left field wall. During the next at-bat, pinch-runner Angel Berroa broke for third on Meadows' 3-2 pitch to former Sound Cole Gillespie, who swung at the offering for strike three then was called for batter's interference as he contacted catcher Martin Maldonado as the backstop attempted to throw to third.

 

The bizarre inning-ending double play got Meadows out of the jam with a two-run lead intact and led to the ejection of Reno manager Brett Butler.

 

Mike McClendon worked into and out of a one-out, runners on the corners jam unscathed in the eighth before retiring the side in order in the ninth to secure the victory and nail down his team-leading seventh save of the year for Nashville.

 

Mulvey (3-6) took the loss for the Aces after giving up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 frames.

 

Nashville will look to wrap up a four-game series sweep in the teams' 3:05 p.m. CT matinee finale tomorrow afternoon. Right-hander Josh Butler (7-6, 4.78) will make the start for the Sounds to face Reno southpaw Zach Kroenke (8-2, 6.75).

 

 

Nashville Box Score

Schafer & Jordan Brown both went 2-4 with one walk. Green was 2-5. Gamel, Farris, Edwin Maysonet, & Fiers added a hit apiece. Caleb Gindl walked three times; Maldonado walked once.

 

 

Nashville Play-by-Play

A five-run 1st sure kicks a game off in style:

Nashville Top of the 1st

• Logan Schafer singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ryan Langerhans.
• Jordan Brown singles on a line drive to left fielder Evan Frey. Logan Schafer to 2nd.
• Eric
  Farris singles on a bunt ground ball to third baseman Andy Tracy.
  Logan Schafer scores. Jordan Brown to 3rd. Throwing error by third
  baseman Andy Tracy.
• Taylor Green singles on a line drive to right fielder Cole Gillespie. Jordan Brown scores. Eric Farris to 3rd.
• Mat Gamel homers (25) on a fly ball to right field. Eric Farris scores. Taylor Green scores.
• Edwin Maysonet grounds out, third baseman Andy Tracy to first baseman Juan Miranda.
• Caleb Gindl walks.
• Martin Maldonado flies out to center fielder Ryan Langerhans.
• Michael Fiers singles on a ground ball to left fielder Evan Frey. Caleb Gindl to 2nd.
• Logan Schafer walks. Caleb Gindl to 3rd. Michael Fiers to 2nd.
• Jordan Brown grounds out, second baseman Mark Hallberg to first baseman Juan Miranda.

Nashville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

Brewers’ offense silenced in seventh consecutive loss

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Mike Strong had a career night on the mound and a final line that many pitchers would be envious of.

Helena’s hurler struck out a personal-best 13, walked none and allowed just two runs on six hits. But with the Brewers’ offense struggling to string hits together — they had just three on Tuesday night and failed to score a run in the two-game series — the left-hander was tagged with a tough-luck loss.

The Billings Mustangs won 2-0 to hand Helena (2-8) its seventh straight defeat and improve to .500 in the second half (5-5). They did so despite striking out a season-high 16 times, riding the arms of their pitchers to victory. The Billings staff continued to dazzle, and has now held opponents scoreless through 30 straight innings.

“We’re on a pretty good roll right now,” said Mustangs manager Pat Kelly. “Our starting staff has kind of solidified this second half, they’re taking us late into the game, and our bullpen’s been solid all year.”

Southpaw starter Tony Cingrani retired the first 11 batters he faced, showing good command of his mid-90s fastball. Parker Berberet’s two-out single in the fourth frame broke up Billings’ no-hit bid, but the shutout remained intact. Cingrani gave way to Cole Green after throwing 58 pitches — the former Rice University reliever is on a pitch count of 60 — and Green threw a one-hitter for the win. After Erik Miller pitched an inning, James Allen closed out the game for his Pioneer League-leading seventh save.

Meanwhile, Strong was left with his third loss after what was his best performance by far this season at Kindrick Legion Field.

“Can’t really blame it on anyone, really it was just the other pitcher — I have to tip my cap to him, too. He went out and competed,” the Oklahoma State product said. “Our hitting slacked a little bit, but I have faith in our hitters.

“I haven’t pitched very well at home so it was kind of nice to get this one out of the way. Yeah, I did take the loss, but it felt good. I’m just gonna go with it.”

On an evening where Strong couldn’t go wrong with any of the pitches in his arsenal — fastball, curveball, changeup — nothing seemed to go right for the Brewers at the plate.

“Our hitters got themsevles out early in the count, broke some bats,” Helena skipper Joe Ayrault said. “There were a few hard shots that could’ve fallen in there. We had a few good at-bats ... it’s just a matter of getting things rolling and getting hot.”

All of Helena’s hits were singles, and two of them came with two outs. John Dishon managed to move into scoring position after his base hit in the sixth, with his 15th stolen base this season, but Yadiel Rivera struck out swinging to end the threat. The tying run came to the plate again in the eighth after Kenny Allison singled, but both men were thrown out at second base.

Strong worked out of some jams of his own. Twice Billings had runners on third base with less than two outs — once with no outs — and both times Strong stranded them there. With Ryan Wright on third in the seventh after a leadoff single, a stolen base and an error, Strong struck out the side.

“The way Strong battled, he just rose to the occasion when guys got on base. He definitely did his job tonight, and (Jacob) Barnes finished it off,” Ayrault said, referencing his closer’s two frames of one-hit ball. “It’s just one of those things ... we get good pitching one day, and the hitters don’t hit. We’ve just gotta get everything clicking together.

“That’s what happens when you’re in a little bit of a rut, but we’ve got a lot of season left, thank goodness.”

Ayrault said the attitude in the clubhouse remains positive despite the recent skid. His players know it’s just as easy to get on a hot streak as it is to lose back-to-back games.

“This game can be a roller coaster, it’s just a matter of trying to stay on that even keel,” Ayrault said.

Billings got on the board in the second, when Junior Arias laced an RBI triple that scored Kyle Waldrop, who reached on a double. The Mustangs made it 2-0 when Nick O’Shea drilled a blast to dead center with two outs for his seventh homer of the season. Not shook up in the least, Strong struck out the next three batters after giving up the long ball.

“They held us tight,” Kelly said. “It was only a 2-0 ballgame and you’re never really comfortable when you have a lead that small. Their pitching was outstanding this series, even (Monday) night they held us to three runs.

“Fortunately, we just didn’t give up any.”

 

Photos by Dylan Brown Independent Record -

Helena left handed pitcher Mike Strong delivers a pitch in the sixth inning Tuesday night, while playing against the Billings Mustangs. Strong had 13 strike outs and zero walks.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/0c/20c2960a-c2ff-11e0-8717-001cc4c002e0/4e41f80858c7c.image.jpg

 

Helena second baseman Adrian Williams catches the ball before tagging out Billings' Juan Silva

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/50/4508a054-c2ff-11e0-aa42-001cc4c002e0/4e41f84532ec6.image.jpg

Helena centerfielder John Dishon hits a line drive for a single

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/8e/f8e25c56-c2fe-11e0-9e25-001cc4c002e0/4e41f7c571b2a.image.jpg

[Mass Haas]

One run, one win in doubleheader for Cougars

By Kevin Druley, Kane County Chronicle

 

GENEVA – Shutout in one game, shut out the next.

 

Tuesday's doubleheader split with Wisconsin encapsulated the Cougars' season, which still carries a strong bid for the Midwest League playoffs despite a Jekyll and Hyde attack.

 

Five hits and one run in 13 turns at bat helped the Cougars stay six games ahead of Beloit for a postseason spot, but the club ultimately knows its offense needs a tune-up as September looms. The Cougars won Game 1, 1-0, before Timber Rattlers lefty Brian Garman and reliever Dan Britt limited them to one hit in a 5-0 loss in the nightcap.

 

"I know the first game was only 1-0, but some guys were starting to get into grooves," left fielder Brian Fletcher said. "Coming into the second game, it was a little tough just because the guy was doing a great job of keeping the ball down and getting calls. It was really tough for us to fight back and come back."

 

Kane County first baseman Jake Kuebler singled off Garman's glove to shortstop with two outs in the second inning for the team's lone hit. Continuing a seasonlong struggle against soft-tossing southpaws – Garman's fastball topped out in the mid-80s – the Cougars went quietly after that.

 

Wisconsin (18-26 second half, 56-58 overall) retired the final 13 batters of the game. Both contests were seven inning games.

 

The Cougars (26-18 second half, 54-59) breezed to a similar victory in the opener, winning in a brisk 1 hour, 38 minutes behind another strong outing from right-hander Leondy Perez.

 

Perez notched his fourth straight win and quality start with six innings of one-run, four-hit ball, staying in line for the victory after Nick Rogers' shaky save situation in the Wisconsin seventh.

 

With men on the corners and Franklin Romero at bat with one out, the Cougars caught Greg Hopkins between third base and home. Romero squared to bunt for a safety squeeze and missed, allowing catcher Kevin David to nab Hopkins in a run-down.

 

"We've always been taught when someone bunts through it, you just throw it behind because the runner always freezes," David said. "It just happened to work out where we got the out and Rogers did a great job of going and finishing it off."

 

Hopkins watched from the dugout when Romero struck out to end the game.

 

Savvier baserunning produced the lone run in the opener, as Geulin Beltre scampered from first to third on pitcher Brooks Hall's errant pickoff attempt in the bottom of the first. He scored easily on Brett Eibner's double later in the at-bat.

 

Eibner added another double in the third. Beltre and Orlando Calixte had the team's other hits.

 

The Cougars averaged 3.5 runs per game in the first half but enter tonight's series opener against Peoria at 4.5 runs per game since the All-Star break.

 

With club wins and ERA leader Greg Billo set to start against the Chiefs, runs figure to be in short supply for one side. Eyeing the organization's fourth straight postseason trip, the Cougars are eager to do their part at the plate after Tuesday's showing.

 

"You just look at it and move on from it," Fletcher said, "and just hopefully come back tomorrow."

[igor67]

Wouldn't Wisconsin likely our still to be signed draft picks as well? A couple of really good starters can go a long way towards making a team more interesting.

[And That]

Wisconsin fans, feel free to be less than excited about 2012 -- this is not an exciting Helena / Maryvale bunch.

Just off the top of my head, the rotation should be something like Bradley, Gagnon, Strong, Toledo, Moye. Depending on how fast they push Bradley and Gagnon (and Jungmann). Bullpen should have Barnes, Albury, Conner, Cravy and Keeling, plus potentially Goforth, Jones and Shackleford. That's a good staff, even if it might not stay together all that long.

 

Offense might be another story, unless they push some of the younger guys like Reed, Berard and Garcia. Rivera, Walla and Dishon should be fun to watch, along with whichever young catcher (or catchers) makes it there.

[CheezWizHed]

I would think a healthy Garfield would be back at Wisconsin next year.