Link Report for Tue. 5/1 -- Sounds and Stars build on winning streaks

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Wily Peralta at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Jeff Hem is the new play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). We imagine the audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

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Huntsville: LHP Dan Merklinger at home vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime

 

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

 

I-Phone friendly audio link

 

Alex Cohen is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. It's fantastic that Huntsville is returning to what will be a traditional broadcast format this year. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV subsciption note: A total of 24 Stars' games (in Jacksonville and Tennessee) will be broadcast.

 

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Brevard County: RHP Taylor Jungmann at Tampa (Yankees), 6:00 PM gametime

 

Sorry, no audio for this series...

 

Once again this season, Brevard does not have its own audio coverage. It appears two teams in the Manatees North Division (within which the majority of games are played) have audio, and all six teams in the South Division have audio (at least for their home games), so there will be opportunities to listen to approx. 70% or Brevard's games this season, just all from the opponent's perspective. There are no Florida State League games on MiLB.TV this year.

 

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Wisconsin: Idle

[Mass Haas]

RHP Brandon Kintzler will begin his rehab at Brevard County and will presumably see action tonight. Don't be surprised to see Kintzler throw the first inning before Jungmann jumps in.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

Florida State League North Division

 

Midwest League Western Division

[Mass Haas]

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter

[TheCrew07]

A nice article about turning around the National's scouting and player development staff from SI.

 

How the Washington Nationals became baseball's sleeping giant

 

edit. This quote made me laugh a little bit.

 

Still, notes Rizzo, his collection of power arms is one sign of a franchise on the upswing. "We used to have sinker, pitch-to-contact guys," he says. "That's who you get when you're not elite."

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes -- they're keeping Mike Fiers on normal rest despite recent rainouts

[Mass Haas]

Minor league guru John Sickels was at Saturday's Sounds' game

[Mass Haas]

Maybe they'll break out in the next seven innings, but this Brevard squad could be historically weak offensively in the Melvin / Jack Z. / Seid era, even in the pitching-friendly Florida State League.

 

Team batting line: .220 / .298 / .317

 

FSL Team Batting Stats thru April

 

The first two innings are somewhat representative of what's happened on the rare occasions baserunners do reach scoring position:

 

Brevard County Top of the 1st

Nick Shaw singles on a fly ball to center fielder Eduardo Sosa.

Reggie Keen out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Michael O'Brien to first baseman Kyle Roller. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

T. J. Mittelstaedt strikes out swinging.

Cody Hawn flies out to center fielder Eduardo Sosa.

 

Brevard County Top of the 2nd

Michael Walker singles on a fly ball to left fielder Ramon Flores.

Scott Krieger walks. Michael Walker to 2nd.

Shea Vucinich pops out to shortstop Jose Mojica.

Adam Weisenburger walks. Michael Walker to 3rd. Scott Krieger to 2nd.

Franklin Romero Jr. strikes out swinging.

Nick Shaw grounds out, second baseman Kelvin Castro to first baseman Kyle Roller.

 

FYI, the opponent tonight, Tampa, has a lower team OPS by a percentage point at .614.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville catcher Jason Jaramillo still out of the lineup going back to his early exit on the 28th, but must be available (not on the DL, serving as the backup in emergency, you'd imagine).

[And That]

The Manatees' offense is horrifying, even by Manatee standards. I know they're not all top prospects, but... yikes.

 

Edit: I did not see MH's post above when I wrote this. Something about great minds...

[Tedaldtada]

Something about great minds...

 

I am not so sure that applies here.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Part One of Jeff Hem's chat with Gord Ash

 

It was Craig Counsell who suggested that Eric Farris see OF time to develop him as a Jerry Hairston-type...

[markedman5]

Peralta so far has given up 3 runs 86 pitches 62 for strikes through 7. Had a rough first inning but after that has been dominant. 8 k's so far

[homer]

Nice outing by Jungmann.

[TheCrew07]

Final: Huntsville 4, Chattanooga 3

 

Huntsville Box Score

So if I told you a relief pitcher gave up 9th inning runs would you be surprised? Dan Merklinger was the starting pitcher tonight and I thought he was in trouble when he gave up a HR in the 1st inning, but he settled after and that was the only run he allowed. His final line 6IP, 3H, 1ER, 1HR, 4BB, and 5SO. As you can guess by the BB total he wasn't particularly efficient with his pitches throwing 85 but only 48 for strikes. Jesus Sanchez pitched the next 2 innings with 2 SOs and has quite the run going, he hasn't been scored upon in his last 9 appearances. The usually very steady Rob Wooten struggled to lock this one down allowing 3 hits including a double and a HR accounting for 2 runs in the 9th. His wild pitch moved the tying run to 3rd before he struck out the batter to end the game.

 

Offensively Hunter Morris led the way going 3-4. Jay Gibbons, Jeff Bianchi, and Anderson De La Rosa each added 2 hits a piece. Kentrail Davis and Bianchi doubled, Scooter Gennett tripled, and De La Rosa smacked HR. It was a clean game defensively, Bianchi stole his 3rd base, and De La Rosa didn't any of the 3 runners that stole a base.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

The 2 run 7th put the game away.

Huntsville Bottom of the 7th

• Pitcher Change: Geison Aguasviva replaces Chris Withrow, batting 9th.
  Lee Haydel grounds out, shortstop Jake Lemmerman to first baseman J. T. Wise.
  Kentrail Davis strikes out swinging.
  Jeff Bianchi doubles (3) on a fly ball to center fielder Anthony Jackson.
  Scooter Gennett triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Anthony Jackson. Jeff Bianchi scores.
  Pitcher Change: Blake Johnson replaces Geison Aguasviva, batting 9th.
  Andy Gonzalez walks.
  Hunter Morris singles on a line drive to center fielder Anthony Jackson, deflected by shortstop Jake Lemmerman. Scooter Gennett scores. Andy Gonzalez out at 3rd on the throw, center fielder Anthony Jackson to third baseman Pedro Baez.
  

 

Wooten's 9th.

Chattanooga Top of the 9th

• Pitcher Change: Robert Wooten replaces Jesus Sanchez, batting 8th.
  Travis Denker homers (2) on a fly ball to left field.
  Kyle Russell doubles (5) on a line drive to center fielder Lee Haydel.
  Pedro Baez strikes out swinging.
  Gorman Erickson singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis, deflected by first baseman Hunter Morris. Kyle Russell scores.
  Nick Buss grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris. Gorman Erickson to 2nd.
  With Luis Nunez batting, wild pitch by Robert Wooten, Gorman Erickson to 3rd.
  Luis Nunez strikes out swinging.

[Tedaldtada]

'Tees blanked by Yanks to open road trip

05/01/2012 9:53 PM ET

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

TAMPA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees were shut out for the third time this season as they were blanked 3-0 by the Tampa Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday night.

 

2011 first round draft pick Taylor Jungmann (2-3, 2.72) gave the 'Tees a quality start as he allowed three runs in seven innings of work, while striking out six. Jungmann scattered eight hits against Tampa, including two that went for extra bases.

 

Tampa scored early on as they pushed a run across in both the second and third innings. Tyson Blaser drove in Rob Segedin with a RBI single in the second, while Jose Mojica led the third inning off with a solo homer to give the Yanks a 2-0 lead.

 

The Yankees' other run came in the bottom of the fifth as Eduardo Sosa doubled home Garrison Lassiter.

 

Offensively, Brevard County (11-14) struggled once again as they tallied just three hits, struck out eight times and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Manatees did draw seven walks, but were unable to take advantage as they left eight men on base.

 

Brandon Kintzler, who was just assigned to the Manatees on a Major League rehab assignment, threw a scoreless eighth inning as he allowed a double and a walk.

 

Brevard County will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday night as they take on Tampa (12-13) in the second game of their three-game set.

 

Jimmy Nelson (2-1, 1.76) will take the mound for the 'Tees. In his last outing, which was last Friday against Tampa, he struck out six batters in 7 2/3 innings.

 

The Yanks will send Nik Turley (2-0, 2.01) to the bump. Last Friday, Turley struck out five in eight innings of work against Brevard County.

 

Box Score

 

Nice outing by Jungmann.

Agreed. Another nice outing. He owns a nice season line. Everything is pretty nice.

 

Taylor Jungmann went 7 IP with 8 H 3 R 3 ER 0 BB 6 K 1 HR 12:0 GO:FO. There are hints of dominance peeking through. Brandon Kinzler pitched the 8th and was effective. Welcome back, Brandon. Kinzler has a legit shot at pitching high leverage big league innings at some point for the Brewers, but only if his stuff is as good as it was before his missed time. The Manatees pitchers recorded zero flyball outs.

 

7 walks and 3 hits, yet a goose egg in the runs column for the Sea Cows. I feel the need to call out some guys. Cody Hawn (.553 OPS), Mike Walker (.649 OPS), Miguel Velazquez (.611 OPS), Scott Kreiger (.389 OPS), Shea Vucinich (.522 OPS), Franklin Romero Jr. (.588 OPS), and Reggie Keen (.547 OPS) represent the majority of the everyday lineup. The other guys I did not mention are not much better.

 

Keen (2B) and Romero Jr (home) threw out base runners from the outfield.

 

Game Log

Jungmann saved a run here with help from Vucinich

 

Tampa Bottom of the 6th

 

Rob Segedin singles on a fly ball to left fielder T. J. Mittelstaedt.

With Kyle Roller batting, Rob Segedin steals (4) 2nd base.

Kyle Roller grounds out, second baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Cody Hawn. Rob Segedin to 3rd.

Tyson Blaser grounds out, second baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Cody Hawn.

Kelvin Castro grounds out, second baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Cody Hawn.

[Tedaldtada]

Sounds Defeat Omaha For Third Straight Victory

05/01/2012 11:44 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Wily Peralta fanned eight batters during a seven-inning quality start while Brooks Conrad and Sean Halton each belted a three-run homer to lead the Nashville Sounds to their third straight victory, an 8-5 triumph over division-leading Omaha on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Peralta (1-2) earned his first victory of the season by working a quality start for the third time in five trips to the hill for Nashville. The right-hander struck out eight batters while allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings of work.

 

Conrad continued his hot start to the season for the Sounds, homering for the second straight night as part of a 3-for-5 effort that extended his team-best hitting streak to nine games. The veteran infielder is hitting .413 (19-for-46) in 14 games for Nashville this season.

 

Conrad joined third baseman Taylor Green (3-for-4) and catcher Martin Maldonado (3-for-4) with three-hit efforts to pace the Sounds' 14-hit offensive attack.

 

Nashville (7-17) has posted three consecutive victories on the heels of its 10-game losing streak.

 

The visiting Storm Chasers got off to a quick start against Peralta, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.

 

After ex-Sound Jason Bourgeois opened the contest by drawing a four-pitch walk, Derrick Robinson slapped a single through the left side of the infield and Johnny Giavotella (2-for-4) lifted an RBI double to deep right-center to put the visitors on the board. Following another four-pitch walk issued by the right-hander, Peralta induced a double-play grounder from Max Ramirez for the first two outs, with Derrick Robinson scoring Omaha's second run on the play.

 

The Sounds responded in the home half of the opening frame, halving the deficit to 2-1 when Logan Schafer led off with a single against Omaha starter Will Smith and later scored on an Erick Almonte groundout.

 

Conrad powered the home team into the lead in the second frame when he slammed a three-run homer that careened off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center. The blast, his team-leading fourth of the year and second in two nights, came against Smith and gave the Sounds a 4-2 advantage. Eric Farris (single) and Schafer (hit by pitch) also scored on the roundtripper.

 

Omaha pulled back within a run at 4-3 in the third on Clint Robinson's two-out double to right that scored Giavotella.

 

Halton gave the Sounds some breathing room in the seventh when he muscled up and smashed his second home run of the season , a massive three-run homer to left off Storm Chasers reliever Brandon Sisk that also plated Taylor Green and Caleb Gindl.

 

Conrad extended the Nashvile lead to 8-3 in the eighth as he raced home from third on Corey Patterson fielder's choice grounder.

 

Omaha didn't go down without a fight in the ninth, however, plating a pair of runs off Sounds reliever Mike McClendon on consecutive one-out RBI singles off the bats of David Lough and Tony Abreu to draw within 8-5.

 

With runners on the corners and only one out, McClendon induced a fly ball to right from Kevin Kouzmanoff that was snagged by Gindl with a nice sliding catch then struck out pinch-hitter Anthony Seratelli to end the contest.

 

Smith (0-2) took the loss for Omaha after allowing four runs on seven hits in his five frames.

 

The teams continue the series with a 12:05 p.m. matinee on Wednesday afternoon. Right-hander Brian Baker (1-1, 5.63) will man the bump for the Sounds to face Omaha left-hander Everett Teaford, who will make his first Triple-A appearance of the year.

 

Box Score

 

Brooks Conrad (3-5 HR), Taylor Green (3-4 2B BB) and Martin Maldonado (3-4 2B) racked up hits in triplicate. Edwin Maysonet (2-4) has back-to-back two-hit games. Caleb Gindl (1-4 BB) and Logan Schafer (1-4 HBP) were each on twice. Sean Halton hit a "mammoth shot". Gindl's average is still south of the Mendoza Line, but comfortably above the Dunn Demarcation. Taylor Green has fought his way up to .271.

 

Wily Peralta was very good again tonight despite, for the second straight start, getting roughed up early. The line: 7 IP 5 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 8 K 7:1 GO:FO. Wily is up over 8.0 K/9 for the season now.

 

Craig Counsell pet project Eric Farris 1-4 SB (5)) was in LF yet again.

 

Ejections: Omaha Storm Chasers Manager Mike Jirschele ejected by HP umpire Quinn Wolcott (7th)

 

Game Log

 

I will always post these when I see them.

 

Omaha Top of the 2nd

Tony Abreu strikes out swinging.

Kevin Kouzmanoff strikes out swinging.

Cody Clark called out on strikes.

 

Jeffress perhaps getting squeezed?

 

Nashville Bottom of the 7th

 

Taylor Green singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jason Bourgeois.

Erick Almonte walks. Taylor Green to 2nd.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Corey Patterson replaces Erick Almonte.

Pitcher Change: Brandon Sisk replaces Jeremy Jeffress.

Omaha Storm Chasers Manager Mike Jirschele ejected by HP umpire Quinn Wolcott.

Caleb Gindl ground bunts into a force out, third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to shortstop Tony Abreu. Taylor Green to 3rd. Corey Patterson out at 2nd. Caleb Gindl to 1st.

Sean Halton homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. Taylor Green scores. Caleb Gindl scores.

Eric Farris flies out to center fielder Jason Bourgeois.

Martin Maldonado singles on a line drive to center fielder Jason Bourgeois.

Edwin Maysonet flies out to center fielder Jason Bourgeois.

[Mass Haas]

STARS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.- The Huntsville Stars (15-11) continued their winning ways on Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory against the Chattanooga Lookouts (11-15) in game one of a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning on a solo-home run by Chattanooga shortstop Jake Lemmerman, the Stars gave starting pitcher Dan Merklinger some offense in the fifth inning with a solo shot of their own by catcher Anderson De La Rosa to tie up the game at 1-1. That was de la Rosa’s second homer in as many games.

 

In the fifth inning, an RBI single by De La Rosa gave Huntsville the lead for good. Important insurance runs came via an RBI triple by second baseman Scooter Gennett and an RBI single by first baseman Hunter Morris in the seventh inning.

 

Up 4-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Huntsville closer Rob Wooten ran into a little trouble. Following a leadoff solo-home run by Lookouts second basemen Travis Denker, left fielder Kyle Russell doubled and then scored on an RBI single by catcher Griff Erickson to make it a one-run game. However, with Erickson standing on third base representing the game-tying run, Wooten struck out pinch-hitter Luis Nunez to notch his Southern League-leading sixth save of the season.

 

In terms of pitching, Merklinger improved to 1-2 on the season with the victory. He had a solid start with a season-high six innings, giving up just one run on three hits. He allowed four walks and struck out five batters. Stars RHP Jesus Sanchez also pitched two scoreless innings, earning his second hold of the season.

 

For Chattanooga, starting pitcher Chris Withrow fell to 0-1 on the season with the loss. He gave up just two runs and struck out seven batters in six innings of work.

 

The Stars' offense continued their production with double-digit hits (11) for the third time in four games. Morris chipped in with three hits and left fielder Jay Gibbons added two singles. Fresh off the disabled list, shortstop Jeff Bianchi recorded a multi-hit game (2-for-4) with a double and his third stolen base of the season. It was his first game since April 15th.

 

For the Stars, the victory is their season-high fifth in a row and puts them four games over .500.

 

The Stars will continue their series with the Lookouts on Tuesday as RHP Tyler Thornburg (1-0, 1.93 ERA) toes the rubber against the Lookouts’ RHP Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 2.08 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 p.m.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Brooks Conrad Three-Run HR

 

AUDIO: Sean Halton Three-Run HR (Titanic!)

[Mass Haas]

This might be the first Nashville article of the regular season from the Tennessean, several quotes included.

[Mass Haas]

A reminder you'll be able to listen to Jeff Hem and Sounds baseball with a matinee today at 11:50 AM Central. Link Report will be up by late morning.