Link Report for Tue. 5/8 -- Wooten Saves Another as Stars Move to One Game Out of First

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Mike Fiers at home vs. Colorado Springs (Rockies), 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.

 

**********

 

Huntsville: RHP Evan Anundsen at Jackson (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 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.

 

**********

 

Brevard County: LHP Jed Bradley at home vs. St. Lucie (Mets), 5:35 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the St. Lucie feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

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.

 

***

 

Wisconsin: RHP Kevin Shackelford at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM

 

Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio.

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of only two (Great Lakes) Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV; Chris' call provides the audio. So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, all Timber Rattlers home games, and 24 Stars' road games (one Helena series this summer, too).

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - 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

[Mass Haas]

OK, so who played the parlay on Juan Sanchez, Matt Cline, Brandon Macias, and Ben McMahan all hitting their first home runs of the season Monday? Who won that pool?

 

***

 

Hey, did you all see this?

 

Top minor league team blog site in all the MLB blog umbrella, and ahead of most MLB blogs as well. How lucky are we? Of course, we direct some of that traffic .

[Mass Haas]

Note from Chris Mehring:

 

Drew Gagnon was the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers today, but is being skipped as a precaution.

 

***

 

We won't read too much into that, an extra day or two or even a skipped turn can't hurt the talented young man.

[Mass Haas]

Joe Block's Monday Brewers pre-game audio with Taylor Green

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Rotation

 

notes

 

from Chris.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

A nicely detailed report from today's Rattlers game from Kyle at BrewCrewBall.

 

His audio from the game will be posted at the end of that link soon, it may even be there when you visit it, depending on your timing.

[ahagen1987]

I didn't know where at put this question. But I was wondering where Chris Mcfarland is in the minor leagues. I checked all over and can't find anything stats or information about him being on any of our minor league teams.

[And That]

McFarland is in extended spring training down in Arizona. My guess is that he'll "break camp" with the rookie-league Arizona League Brewers and start at either 2B or SS for them.

[Mass Haas]

Welcome aboard ahagen1987!

 

McFarland, like all the players who will open with Helena and/or Maryvale in mid-June, does play games for a ten-week period against other rookie players from Arizona-based spring training teams.

 

The difference is this these games don't count in terms of schedule, standings, or stats, and coaching staffs can bend conventional game rules a bit, especially for rehabbing players from higher levels of the minors or even big leaguers.

 

The young Brewers will often tweet about these games (usually about the already high heat) or as in LHP Will West's case today, the length of these games.

 

The games will become more formal, with box scores, after the official start.

[TheCrew07]

I will get to my updates sometime between midnight and 1 am.

[JohnBriggs12]

Jeff Bianchi doesn't seem to be finding the jump from AA to AAA too daunting so far.

[Mass Haas]

Still just mid-game, but Evan Anundsen outpitching James Paxton is pretty sweet.

 

***

 

Just came here to post about Jeff Bianchi, Briggs. Cautiously very excited he's "found" something, still wondering how he managed a Texas-League OPS of only .654 last year (it was his first year back after losing 2010 to Tommy John).

[DHonks]

ask and we shall receive...a Josh Prince sighting at SS!!

[TooLiveBrew]

ask and we shall receive...a Josh Prince sighting at SS!!

Woo!

 

Very nice to see, & good catch DHonks.

[Tedaldtada]

'Tees edge first place Mets

05/08/2012 10:22 PM ET

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

VIERA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees ended their three-game losing streak by edging out the top team in the Florida State League, the St. Lucie Mets on Tuesday night at Space Coast Stadium. The 'Tees won 3-2 and handed the Mets just their seventh loss of the season.

 

In a match-up of the FSL's two best pitching staffs, it was the Manatees (14-18) who came out on top as Brevard County pitching recorded 13 strikeouts on the night. Southpaw Jed Bradley (4-2, 3.38) earned the win as he went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He walked four and fanned four.

 

Brevard County's offense gave Bradley and the pitching staff all the run support they would need in the fourth inning as the Manatees plated three runs.

 

With two outs in the inning, Mike Walker and Shea Vucinich reached on back-to-back singles. Scott Krieger then drew a walk to load the bases. Adam Weisenburger and Franklin Romero Jr. then came up and hit consecutive RBI singles with Weisenburger's plating one and Romero Jr.'s bringing home two.

 

After Bradley exited the game, the 'Tees bullpen took care of the rest as they combined to throw four shutout innings and allow three hits. Alan Williams did the most damage out of the pen as in his two innings of work all six outs that he recorded came via the strikeout.

 

Williams and Brian Garman each earned a hold, while Casey Medlen shut the door to earn his sixth save of the season.

 

Shea Vucinich had the only multi-hit effort of the night as he went 2-for-3 and has now reached base in 14 consecutive games. After hitting just .178 in April, Vucinich is hitting at a .357 in the month of May.

 

Nick Shaw went 1-for-4 and has now reached base in 24 straight games.

 

Brevard County and St. Lucie (25-7) will continue their four-game series on Wednesday with a matinee beginning at 10:35 a.m.

 

The Florida State League leader in ERA and WHIP, Hiram Burgos (2-1, 0.79) will toe the rubber for the 'Tees on Wednesday morning. Burgos has allowed just one run in his last 25 innings of work and has not allowed a run in either of his last two starts.

 

The Mets will send Jenrry Mejia to the mound to start the game and he will be "piggybacked" by Angel Cuan (2-1, 3.14). Mejia is on a Major League rehab assignment as he recovers from Tommy John surgery that he had last season.

 

Box Score

 

Jed Bradley started and was good enough to earn a win, but it was not easy for him. 5 IP 5 H 2 R 2 ER 4 BB 4 K 1 WP 1 Balk 4:4 GO:FO 1 Pickoff. Bradley has been very, very impressive in his first taste of full season ball. But check out the pitchers drafted before him:

 

Gerrit Cole (A+): 28 IP 20 H 10 BB 34 K 3.54 ERA

Danny Hultzen: (AA): 30 2/3 IP 15 H 19 BB 34 K 2.34 ERA

Trevor Bauer (AA): 41 1/3 IP 27 H 25 BB 51 K 1.96 ERA

Dylan Bundy (A-): 20 IP 2 H 2 BB 33 K 0.00 ERA

Archie Bradley (A-): 31 IP 9 H 19 BB 34 K 2.03 ERA

Taylor Jungmann (A+): 43 IP 35 H 12 BB 30 K 2.93 ERA

Jose Fernandez (A-): 36 IP 22 H 10 BB 45 K 1.75 ERA

 

Add that to the line from the 19th overall pick:

 

Matt Barnes (A-/A+): 32 2/3 IP 16 H 5 BB 54 K 0.55 ERA

 

And it becomes clear that the 2011 class was one of a kind. Hopefully Jungmann and Bradley are not 2011 class afterthoughts in the end, but their upside is not close to some of these other guys.

 

Be sure to see the game log section to see what Alan Williams did tonight.

 

The offense did enough to win as Shea Vucinich (2-3) stays hot. Nick Shaw (1-4) continues his streak as well.

 

Game Log

 

The Horse's halves.

St. Lucie Top of the 7th

 

Pitcher Change: Alan Williams replaces Brian Garman.

Robbie Shields strikes out swinging.

Wilmer Flores called out on strikes.

Richard Lucas called out on strikes

 

St. Lucie Top of the 8th

 

Cesar Puello strikes out swinging.

Blake Forsythe strikes out swinging.

Rafael Fernandez doubles (3) on a ground ball to right fielder Miguel Velazquez.

Alonzo Harris strikes out swinging.

[Tedaldtada]

Sounds Lose Series Opener To Sky Sox, 7-4

05/08/2012 10:50 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Second baseman DJ LeMahieu ripped a bases-loaded triple with two outs in top of the ninth inning to power the Colorado Springs Sky Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

LeMahieu's game-winning three-bagger, which caromed off the top of the wall in left-center, came against Sounds left-hander Juan Perez, who inherited the bases-loaded jam from Mike McClendon. The Sky Sox filled the bags against the right-hander on a pair of singles sandwiched around an intentional walk.

 

Nashville (9-22) fell to 1-8 in series openers this season and has dropped five of its last six contests overall.

 

Logan Schafer homered and drove in two of the Sounds' four runs on the night, while shortstop Jeff Bianchi went 3-for-4 on the night and has opened his Nashville career with five hits in his first seven at-bats.

 

The visiting Sky Sox took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning against Nashville starter Mike Fiers. Ex-Sound Wil Nieves got things started with a leadoff double and scored on a one-out double off the bat of another former Sound, Hernan Iribarren. LeMahieu (2-for-4) followed with an RBI single up the middle that extended the Sky Sox lead to two. Later in the frame, Andrew Brown ripped a two-out, run-scoring double to right-center to make it a three-run advantage.

 

The Sounds responded in the home half of the frame, pulling back within a run with a pair of two-out scores against Sky Sox right-hander Brandon Hynick.

 

After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Schafer crushed his third home run of the year, a solo shot to right, to put Nashville on the board. Caleb Gindl kept the rally going with a line-drive double down the right field line and scored on an RBI single from Bianchi to make it a 3-2 contest.

 

Colorado Springs shortstop Tommy Field increased the visitors' lead to 4-2 in the fourth when he slugged a one-out solo homer to left off Fiers, his third roundtripper of the year.

 

Fiers helped his own cause in the fifth, ripping a leadoff double and later scoring on Bianchi's third knock of the contest, a two-out single to left. Fiers' two-bagger in the frame was the first extra-base hit recorded by a Nashville pitcher this season.

 

Nashville tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh against Sky Sox reliever Edgmer Escalona. Eric Farris led off with a single, moved to third on a well-executed, hit-and-run single by pinch-hitter Hainley Statia, and scored the tying run on a bunt single by Schafer.

 

The Sounds missed a chance to pull ahead in the eighth when they put runners on second and third with two outs against Dustin Molleken, but the right-hander struck out Martin Maldonado to escape the jam unscathed.

 

Molleken (2-0) was the recipient of the late Sky Sox rally and was awarded the victory following one scoreless inning of relief. Zach Putnam retired the Sounds in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win and notch his fifth save of the year.

 

McClendon (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Nashville after being charged with three runs in his two-thirds of an inning of action.

 

The teams continue the series with an 11:05 a.m. Education Day game on Wednesday morning at Greer, when thousands of area schoolchildren will pack the stands as a reward for reach their goals in the popular Nashville Sounds Reading Club program.

 

Right-hander Seth McClung (0-3, 7.71) (sorry kids) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face Colorado Springs right-hander Guillermo Moscoso (1-3, 7.91).

 

Box Score

 

Lots of audio snippets for tonight. Enjoy.

 

· AUDIO: Bianchi RBI Single

· AUDIO: Schafer Solo Homer

· AUDIO: Fiers Scores Third Run

· AUDIO: Schafer Bunts Home Farris

 

Logan Schafer (2-5 HR) and Eric Farris (2-3 BB SB) produced while Jeff Bianchi (3-4) can smell the putrid MLB SS situation all the way from Greer Stadium. I should mention that I personally witnessed Ceasar Izturis' jack tonight. It really did happen. I was there.

 

Mike Fiers started and got hit more than preferred. 7 IP 7 H 4 R 4 ER 1 BB 7 K 1 HR 7:4 GO:FO. Mike did slug a double for the Sea Cows. Mike McClendon needs a reboot on the 2012 season.

 

Game Log

Self-check game log tonight. Let me know if you see something cool.

 

Gameday

[Tedaldtada]

LeMahieu Triple Gives Sox 7-4 Over Nashville

05/08/2012 10:52 PM ET

 

DJ LeMahieu hit a two-out, three-run triple in the top of the 9th inning to break a 4-4 tie as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox defeated the Nashville Sounds by the score of 7-4 on Tuesday night. The win gets the Sox off to a great start as they begin an eight-game road trip in Tennessee.

 

Colorado Springs got out to an early 3-0 lead in the third inning on RBI hits by Hernan Iribarren, LeMahieu and Andrew Brown but the Sounds struck right back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own. The Sounds' runs came on a solo homer by Logan Schafer and a RBI double by Jeff Bianchi.

 

Shortstopp Tommy Field blasted his third homer of the season in the fourth, a solo bomb, to give the Sox a 4-2 lead before Nasvhille chipped away to tie the game. They put up lone tallies in the fifth and the seventh innings to set up the heriocs in the 9th.

 

In the top of the 9th, two hits, a sac bunt and a walk against reliever Mike McClendon (1-2) loaded the bases for the Sky Sox with one out before Juan Perez came on and struck out Iribarren to bring LeMahieu to the plate. On the first pitch of the at bat, LeMahieu drilled the ball to the left-center field gap to chase everyone one and give the Sox their 7-4 lead.

 

Sox closer Zach Putnam worked a perfect ninth inning while striking out two batters to notch his fifth save of the season and make a winner of reliever Dustin Molleken (2-0).

 

Game two of the four-game series is set for 11:05 AM (CST) tomorrow with RH Guillermo Moscoso (1-3, 7.91) facing RH Seth McClung (0-3, 7.71).

[TheCrew07]

Final: Cedar Rapids 5, Wisconsin 4

 

Kernels end Rattlers win streak

Wiscosin strands nine in 5-4 loss and watched their eight game winnings streak end

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had many opportunities to extend their longest winning streak in nine seasons. But, the Rattlers missed out on those chances and fell 5-4 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-4 Tuesday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The loss ended Wisconsin's winning streak at eight games.

 

The Kernels (14-18) scored three times in the top of the second to take their first lead in the four game series. Matt Scioscia singled and went to second on a balk. He was still at second with two outs, but a double to right by Abel Baker got Scioscia to score the first run of the game. Wendell Soto made it a 3-0 lead with a two-run homer.

 

Wisconsin (20-12) got one run back in the bottom of the second. Yadiel Rivera doubled to start the inning and went to third on a single by Ben McMahan. Tyler Roberts grounded into a 4-6-3 double play that allowed Rivera to score.

 

The Rattlers went a more traditional route to tie the game in the bottom of the third. Chadwin Stang walked to start the frame. Then, Brandon Macias belted his second homer in as many days. The blast from Macias tied the game 3-3. But, the tie did not last long.

 

Scioscia led off the Kernels fourth inning with a line drive homer to left. Later in the inning, Soto struck again with an RBI single and the Kernels were up 5-3.

 

McMahan pulled the Rattlers to within a run in the bottom of the sixth. Greg Hopkins had doubled with one out. McMahan tripled to center with two outs to send Hopkins home and make the score 5-4.

 

Wisconsin received five innings of scoreless relief to keep the game close. Michael Strong, the 10th round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2011 draft, made his Midwest League debut in the fifth inning and worked three scoreless frames. Stephen Peterson took over for Strong in the eighth and put two more zeroes on the scoreboard.

 

The Rattlers offense had many chances in the final three innings to at least tie the game.

 

In the seventh, Carlos George singled and Stang beat out a bunt single. But, Macias was next and he popped a bunt up the third base line. Kaleb Cowart made a diving attempt and got the ball in his glove, but could not hang on for the out. George was out easily at third. Cedar Rapids brought left-hander Stephen Tromblee to face lefty Max Walla with runners at first and second and one out. As Tromblee and Walla faced each other, Stang broke for third on an attempted steal. But, Kernels catcher Abel Baker's throw to third beat Stang for the second out. Tromblee struck out Walla for the final out.

 

In the eighth, Jason Rogers doubled to left against Ty Kelley. Greg Hopkins beat out a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Rivera was asked to bunt Hopkins into scoring position and he did. But, Kelley got out of the inning with back to back strikeouts of McMahan and Roberts.

 

Stang started a Rattlers rally in the bottom of the ninth. He drew a walk with one out. Macias followed with a single to left that put the tying run at third and the winning run at first with one out. Kelley escaped by striking out Walla and getting Rogers to ground out to third.

 

Wisconsin stranded nine runners in the game, including five in the last three innings.

 

HOME RUNS:

CR:

Wendell Soto (2nd, 1 on in 3rd inning off Kevin Shackelford, 2 outs)

Matt Scioscia (1st, 0 on in 4th inning off Kevin Shackelford, 0 out)

 

WIS:

Brandon Macias (2nd, 1 on in 3rd inning off Eswarlin Jimenez, 0 outs)

 

WP: Eswarlin Jimenez (1-2)

LP: Kevin Shackelford (1-2)

SAVE: Ty Kelley (4)

 

TIME: 2:47

ATTN: 1,040

 

Nine after 9 (well after 9) for May 8, 2012

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Man was I hoping the T-Rats would go on a historic run besting the franchise record for consecutive wins but it wasn't meant to be. Someone should ask Chris why we are velocity mavens, there has to be a better term! About the only thing Chris didn't cover on the pitching side was Shackelford's balk, but otherwise he nailed all the rest.

 

Chadwin Stang(covered in the 9), Brandon Macias, Gregory Hopkins, and Ben McMahan all had 2 hits a piece. Stang, Hopkins, Jason Rogers, and Yadiel Rivera doubled while McMahan tripled and Macias blasted his 2nd HR.

 

Wisconsin Play By Play

[TheCrew07]

Final: Huntsville 2, Jacksonville 1

 

Huntsville Box Score

Just gotta love our MiLB pitching from AA on down so far this year, it's been fantastic. Evan Anundsen went 5.1 innings allowing 4H, 1ER, and 1BB against 5SO. Darren Byrd followed Anundsen and had one of his better if not best outing of the season going 3 full innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 with a huge pickoff in the 8th. Mitch Stetter came on to face a lefty in the 9th and walked him, thus entered Rob Wooten to close it out with 2 fly balls.

 

Josh Prince managed the only multi-hit game and XBH for the stars going 2-4 with a double though he did get caught stealing a base and the Stars played a clean game defensively.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

The Stars got all they would need in the 5th.

Huntsville Top of the 5th

• Lee Haydel walks.
  Matt Cline singles on a ground ball to center fielder Denny Almonte. Lee Haydel to 2nd.
  Kentrail Davis flies out to left fielder Chris Pettit.
  Josh Prince doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Chris Pettit. Lee Haydel scores. Matt Cline scores.
  Scooter Gennett called out on strikes.
  Hunter Morris grounds out to first baseman Rich Poythres

 

Byrd with my nomination for play of the game.

Jackson Bottom of the 8th

• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Daniel Carroll replaces Kalian Sams.
  Daniel Carroll singles on a ground ball to shortstop Josh Prince.
  Gabriel Noriega out on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Anderson De La Rosa to second baseman Scooter Gennett. Daniel Carroll to 2nd.
  With Francisco Martinez batting, Daniel Carroll caught stealing 3rd base, pitcher Darren Byrd to third baseman Matt Cline to second baseman Scooter Gennett to pitcher Darren Byrd to shortstop Josh Prince.
  Francisco Martinez grounds out, third baseman Matt Cline to first baseman Hunter Morris.

 

The tying run made it as far as 2B in the 9th.

Jackson Bottom of the 9th

• Eric Campbell grounds out, shortstop Josh Prince to first baseman Hunter Morris.
  Pitcher Change: Mitch Stetter replaces Darren Byrd.
  Joseph Dunigan walks.
  Pitcher Change: Robert Wooten replaces Mitch Stetter.
  With Rich Poythress batting, Joseph Dunigan steals (6) 2nd base.
  Rich Poythress flies out to right fielder Kentrail Davis.
  Denny Almonte flies out to center fielder Juan Sanchez.

 

edit. Mass noted James Paxton earlier in thread and because it was so late I was going to skip over that, but for those who are wondering why he was the #52 prospect in BA's top 100 prior to the season and the #4 in Seattle's system. He's only the 3rd best pitcher on his own AA staff as Taijuan Walker(#20)(#2) and Danny Hultzen(#21)(#3) and are on the same team and ranked ahead of him. I wish we had all 3.