Link Report for Mon. 5/28 -- Amazing Timber Rattlers move to 15 games over .500

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Claudio Vargas at home vs. Round Rock (Rangers), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 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: RHP Josh Stinson at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM pre-game, 6:15 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: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast.

 

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Brevard County: Idle

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller at Peoria (Cubs), 1:40 PM pre-game, 2:00 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]

MiLB.TV note -- Reminder that in addition to the always-available Sounds feed (for Mrs. Claudio Vargas today), you're treated to Stars video for this series in Tennessee, so good time for friends and family of Huntsville players (and the rest of us) to invest in MiLB.TV if so inclined.

[Mass Haas]

ONE LAST REMINDER ON THIS:

 

Please note the following from the Rattler Radio Blog:

 

If you listen to the Timber Rattlers on the internet feed see below information for IMPORTANT NEWS!!

 

There have been issues with the internet feed the last few nights and the station engineer gave me the story and a few tips on how to listen to the games.

 

The story: The station has moved to a new provider for the internet feed. The new provider is supposed to be able to automatically take out the commercials and go back into programming. There have been a few problems with that on their end, but here are the fixes he suggested.

 

#1: There is a new link or try the Main WNAM page and click on the big LISTEN LIVE button at the top.

 

#2: Download the Silverlight and Adobe Flash programs and start running them on your computer.

 

#3*: Be Patient. If you go to the link and there is dead air, hang with it the programming should come back on.

 

#4**: Test it out before the game.

 

*-This is the most important one. My blood pressure started to go up after I was at the new link and heard nothing for 45 WHOLE SECONDS! The NERVE!

 

**-This one is mine…but it makes sense.

 

If you are in the listening area, feel free to tune in on AM1280, WNAM.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

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]

The Rattlers can qualify for the post-season via a first-half wild card, and with 20 games remaining in the first half, they now have a five-game wild card lead.

 

The celebratory dogpile would be much more fun with a division-clinch, however, and Wisconsin has a three-game lead for that.

 

Chris is going to crucify me for this, because he thinks I jinx everything, but do you dogpile after clinching a playoff spot, or should you wait until you grab the division? Of course, you might not win the division and if you waited on the earlier wild-card clinch, you could lose out altogether on the fun. Where are the guidelines on this?

 

If the Rattlers self-destruct in the next three weeks, this post will never have existed, but I'll be in a witness protection program.

 

***

 

Huntsville doesn't have the fallback of a first-half wild card, they need to win the division. Now 1 and 1/2 games back because Jackson (Mariners) played and won Sunday, the Stars remain just one out in the loss column.

[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]

New photos added to last night's Nine After Nine from the Rattler Radio Blog

[Mass Haas]

Media Notes:

 

Nashville

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

Audio from Music City — “Mondays with Mike (Guerrero)”

 

Jeff Hem's note: Here is this week’s “Mondays with Mike” interview with Sounds manager Mike Guerrero, who discusses the team’s rough loss yesterday, the short-handed pitching staff, the recent struggles of Wily Peralta and the addition of Jay Gibbons to the roster from Double-A Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Brooks Conrad Named PCL Batter Of The Week

Slugger's Hot Hitting Earns League Award, Promotion To Brewers

Nashville Sounds

[Mass Haas]

That pre-game interview must have put Mike Guerrero in a feisty mood:

 

Nashville Bottom of the 1st

Eric Farris doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Ryan Spilborghs.

Jeff Bianchi grounds out, second baseman Yangervis Solarte to first baseman Michael Bianucci. Eric Farris to 3rd.

Corey Patterson reaches on a fielder's choice out, second baseman Yangervis Solarte to catcher Dusty Brown. Eric Farris out at home.

With Sean Halton batting, Corey Patterson steals (4) 2nd base.

Sean Halton called out on strikes.

 

Round Rock Top of the 2nd

Nashville Sounds Manager Mike Guerrero ejected by HP umpire Stu Scheurwater.

[Mass Haas]

The DSL schedule is finally up.

 

Our DSL Link Report contributor is DSL afficienado "Young Geezy", right? Ready for June 2nd?

 

Braves, Angels, Blue Jays and Tigers all season in a five-team division, as the Brewers move to a new division given their new complex location near San Pedro de Macoris instead of Santo Domingo. The five-team division will lead to more scheduled days off just out of necessity.

[TheCrew07]

Final:Wisconsin 3, Peoria 1

 

Rattlers win third straight in Peoria

Wisconsin is 5-1 in first six games of 13-game road trip

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

PEORIA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers beat the Peoria Chiefs 3-1 on Memorial Day at Peoria Chiefs Stadium. It was the third win in a row for the Rattlers, who are 5-1 in the first six games of their current 13-game road trip. Max Walla broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the eighth inning and Seth Harvey escaped jams in the eighth and ninth innings to get the Rattlers to fifteen games over the .500 mark.

 

Rafael Neda gave the Rattlers (33-18) a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Peoria starting pitcher Jose Rosario struck out the first two batters he faced in the inning. Carlos George kept the inning going by dropping in a bloop single to center. Neda followed with a line drive to the gap in left-center. George scored easily from first base on the double by Neda.

 

The Chiefs (22-29) tied the game by scoring a run without a hit in the bottom of the sixth. Rattlers starting pitcher Matt Miller walked Zeke DeVoss with one out. Miller threw wildly to first on a pickoff throw and allowed DeVoss to go to second. DeVoss would steal third and score the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Wes Darvill.

 

Neda started a rally in the top of the eighth inning when he was hit by a pitch from Peoria reliever Austin Reed hit him to lead off the inning. Adrian Williams dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner John Dishon to second base. Walla grounded a single through the right side of the infield with two outs and Dishon scored without a play to make it 2-1 Wisconsin.

 

Peoria threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning as reliever Michael Strong walked a pair of runners with one out. Closer Seth Harvey came on and got a strikeout and a fly ball to left to get out of the jam and keep the Rattlers up by a run.

 

Nick Ramirez padded Wisconsin's lead with a leadoff homer in the top of the ninth. The tape-measure shot by Ramirez cleared the batter's eye in center field and made the score 3-1.

 

Harvey allowed a pair of singles to start the ninth inning and a sacrifice bunt moved the tying runs into scoring position. Pin-Chien Chen looked like he would tie the game with a sinking line drive to right, but Walla made a spectacular diving catch to deny Chen and record the second out of the inning. Then, Harvey got the final out on a routine grounder to shortstop for his eleventh save of the season.

 

The final game of the four game series at Peoria is Tuesday night. Drew Gagnon (3-1, 3.08) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria has Kyler Burke (1-2, 2.31) as their scheduled starter. Game time is 6:30pm. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:10pm.

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Nick Ramirez (2nd, 0 on in 9th inning off Austin Reed, 0 out)

 

WP: Michael Strong (1-0)

LP: Austin Reed (2-3)

SAVE: Seth Harvey (11)

 

TIME: 2:26

ATTN: 1,287

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Matt Miller's last 10 games looks like a rollercoaster if you plot it on a graph but he put up his second consecutive good outing in a row. His peripherals were upside down giving up 4BB while only getting 2SO, but it's tough nitpick 6 innings without an earned run. Michael Strong also had upside down secondary numbers, in fact the Rattler pitchers walked 7 and only struck out 4 on the day, but this team just finds a way to keep on winning. Seth Harvey pulled out his best Bob Wickman intimation getting into and out of the jam with the help of the excellent defense described above to preserve the victory.

 

In addition to his diving catch Max Walla also had an OF assist and went 2-4 with a double at the plate. He is knocking on the door of the .270 barrier and his OBP is currenly .377, over 100 points higher than his average. The only problem in his entire line is his .338 SLG, once his power comes around prospect guru's will start to take notice. Carlos George had the other multi hit game putting up a 2-4 effort. Gregory Hopkins stole his 5th base and other than Miller's error the Rattlers played clean defense. This team has a been a joy to follow this season.

 

One last note, the opposing starter pitcher Cubs prospect Jose Rosario is kind of an interesting guy. He has a big arm and is already in his 5th professional season so I'm not sure he's prospect worth following today, but he is the kind of guy that could break out and turn heads in the future. Here is BA's take on him from the winter when they had him rated the #22 prospect in the Cubs system:

Rosario has yet to make it to full-season ball after four years as a pro, including three in the United States, but he'll get there in 2012 after making impressive strides last season. After his fastball worked at 90-93 mph in 2010, it jumped to 93-97 and exploded on hitters last year. One scout saw him throw five consecutive 97-mph heaters in one game. Rosario has good life to go with his velocity, and he also has improved his ability to command his fastball. He has a chance to develop a plus slider, though his is presently more notable for its mid-80s velocity than its bite. It lacks consistency and gets slurvy at times. His changeup is even more rudimentary, and some scouts wonder if he'll develop a deep enough repertoire to remain a starter in the long run. His lack of size also may not be conducive to the durability needed to stay in the rotation, though he generates his velocity with arm speed and not effort. Rosario has the ceiling of a No. 3 starter or a set-up man, but it will take a few more years before the Cubs know exactly what they have in him.

 

Wisconsin Play By Play

The T-Rats missed a chance out of the gate.

Wisconsin Top of the 1st

• Chadwin Stang grounds out, third baseman Wes Darvill to first baseman Ryan Cuneo.
  Max Walla doubles (6) on a line drive to left fielder Oliver Zapata.
  Jason Rogers grounds out, shortstop Javier Baez to first baseman Ryan Cuneo. Max Walla to 3rd.
  Nick Ramirez grounds out, second baseman Zeke DeVoss to first baseman Ryan Cuneo.

 

Miller did a nice job working around a lead off double in the 4th.

Peoria Bottom of the 4th

• Zeke DeVoss doubles (9) on a fly ball to left fielder Jason Rogers.
  Taiwan Easterling strikes out swinging.
  Wes Darvill walks.
  Paul Hoilman pops out to shortstop Yadiel Rivera on the infield fly rule.
  Ryan Cuneo grounds into a force out, second baseman Adrian Williams to shortstop Yadiel Rivera. Wes Darvill out at 2nd.

[TheCrew07]

Cubs' Rizzo exits with sore right wrist

PCL home run leader replaced by pinch-hitter in sixth inning

By Daren Smith / MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/05/27/J5HFv4ol.jpg

Anthony Rizzo has 10 homers and 23 RBIs in 26 games this month. (Allison Rhoades/MiLB.com)

 

Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs' top prospect who leads the Pacific Coast League in homers and slugging percentage, left Sunday's game due to a sore right wrist.

 

Rizzo delivered a two-run double in the first inning of Triple-A Iowa's 5-1 win at Memphis, then grounded out to end the second and took a called third strike in the fourth. He left for a pinch-hitter in the sixth, fueling speculation he might be promoted to the Major Leagues.

 

But the Chicago Cubs later issued a statement that said Rizzo is listed as day-to-day with a sore wrist.

 

The 22-year-old first baseman has been abusing PCL pitching for the second season in a row. He leads the league with 17 homers, a .713 slugging percentage, 30 extra-base hits, 129 total bases and shares the top spot with 46 RBIs. He also ranks fifth with a .354 batting average.

 

On Tuesday, MLB.com's No. 32 prospect tied an Iowa team record by scoring five runs. He also collected three hits and three RBIs in an 18-8 rout of Tacoma.

 

Even Chicago manager Dale Sveum conceded Rizzo has little left to prove in the Minor Leagues.

 

"He's done everything he can down there, but once again, when you bring somebody up like that, he has to play every day. That's the million-dollar question. How do we get that playing time?" Sveum told MLB.com earlier this month.

[TheCrew07]

Marte hits first Minor League slam

Pirates prospect continues resurgence in Indy's 9-4 romp

By Sam Dykstra / Special to MLB.com

 

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Starling Marte leads the International League with five triples. (Carl Kline/MiLB.com)

 

Starling Marte has achieved a lot in his six-year Minor League career.

 

He set a single-season franchise record for Double-A Altoona with 178 hits last year. He led the Eastern League in batting (.332), hits, doubles (38) and outfield assists (18). And he was named MLB.com's No. 35 overall prospect heading into this season.

 

But he had never hit a grand slam.

 

That changed Sunday.

 

Marte slugged a grand slam to cap a seven-run ninth inning as the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians rallied for a 9-4 victory over the Louisville Bats.

 

Trailing, 4-2, the Indians had six straight batters reach base to start the ninth. Jordy Mercer hit a two-run homer before Marte slugged his third longball of the season and first since April 29.

 

"He's got unbelievable power," Mercer said. "You saw a glimpse of it right there. That ball still hasn't landed yet. We strung together four, five, six at-bats in a row, and I think that's what it takes to come back. Then you get a big knock like Marte does and it puts the game out of reach."

 

The slam gave Marte his fourth multi-hit effort in five games, a span during which the 23-year-old center fielder is 9-for-23 to raise his batting average 22 points to .261.

 

That streak follows a week-long stretch in which Marte hit .115 (3-for-26) with eight strikeouts in seven games. The Pirates' No. 3 prospect also missed four games with a hand injury after getting hit by a pitch on May 6.

 

The ninth-inning rally got Indians starter Jeff Locke off the hook. The Bucs' No. 9 prospect recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits.

 

Reds' No. 6 prospect Neftali Soto went 2-for-3 with a solo homer for the Bats.

[TheCrew07]

I sure hope YG is around for the DSL, I don't recall a post from him in over a month? In fact I just checked the member page and he hasn't logged into the site since 4/28.

[Mass Haas]

With his first at-bat single, Huntsville starter Josh Stinson is batting .500 (5-for-10). Hey, he's on the 40-man, bring him up in the Brooks Kieschnick role.

 

***

 

With Martin Maldonado a possible call-up given the Brewers catcher situation, the organization may need to ask for a return from Toronto after the Paul Phillips sale.

[Tedaldtada]

I just wanted to start by thanking bkrause2 and SessileFielder for filling in for me this weekend. I followed along from the raft we have floating in the middle of our lake while my wife and in-laws were catching bass and blue gills off the dock. #EndingBragAbout"TheLife"

 

I am now back for the foreseeable future. I will have an extended (4-5 days) absence in the beginning of August, so I will be soliciting volunteers before that.

 

Again, thanks!

 

*********

 

Sounds Drop Homestand Finale In 10 Innings

05/28/2012 6:38 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Round Rock Express plated three runs in the top of the tenth inning to record an 8-5 victory over the Nashville Sounds in a Memorial Day matinee at Greer Stadium.

 

With the defeat, Nashville (20-30) missed a chance to record its third winning home series in the last four sets at Greer as the teams split their four-game holiday weekend series. The game was the Sounds' seventh extra-inning contest of the year (4-3), which ties for the most in the PCL.

 

Luis Hernandez led off the Round Rock tenth with a go-ahead solo homer to right on a 3-2 offering from Sounds reliever Jim Henderson (3-2), who suffered the loss after allowing his first runs of the season during his two-plus-inning stint. The right-hander, who was tagged for four runs on the afternoon, had opened the season with 24 1/3 scoreless frames. (Big time props to Jim Henderson for his start to the season.)

 

Yangervis Solarte followed the homer with a single and quickly moved to third on Ryan Spilborghs' double off the batter's eye in center field, which chased Henderson. Victor Garate took over on the hill for Nashville and struck out Brad Nelson before issuing an intentional walk to Joey Butler to load the bases with one out. Michael Bianucci, who plated four runs on the afternoon as part of a 2-for-5 effort, followed with a two-run double into the left field corner that upped the visitors' lead to three.

 

Round Rock closer Tanner Scheppers retired the Sounds in order on three flyouts in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory and notch his eighth save of the year.

 

Former Vanderbilt star Matt Kata, who went 3-for-5 and missed the cycle by a triple, led off the contest with a solo homer to right off Sounds starter Claudio Vargas, who made his first home start of the season for Nashville. The blast was Kata's fifth of the season.

 

Solarte, the Round Rock second baseman, cut down the Sounds' attempt to answer the rally in the bottom of the frame. Eric Farris led off the inning with a double that extended his hitting streak to eight games, moved to third on a groundout, and attempted to score on Corey Patterson's grounder to second but was thrown out at the plate.

 

It was a staff pitching effort for Round Rock after scheduled starter Zach Jackson, a former Sounds, was a late scratch due to illness.

 

Derek Hankins started and worked a pair of scoreless frames before giving way to Ben Snyder, against whom the Sounds rallied to take the lead in the third.

 

Catcher Dayton Buller led off with a single, was sacrifice to second by Farris, and came plateward on an RBI single up the middle off the bat off Jeff Bianchi, who has hit safely in nine of his 12 starts with Nashville. Later in the frame, Sean Halton ripped a go-ahead RBI double (Audio) into the left field corner for a 2-1 Sounds lead.

 

Round Rock pulled back ahead with a two-spot of its own in the following half-inning as a pair of two-out walks came back to haunt Vargas. Bianucci put the visitors on top, 4-3, with a bases-loaded, two-run single with two outs in the frame.

 

The back-and-forth affair continued in the bottom of the fourth when Caleb Gindl clubbed a two-run homer (Audio) to right off Snyder, the outfielder's fourth big fly of the year. Jay Gibbons, who joined the Sounds earlier in the day, also scored on the blast after preceding Gindl with his first Triple-A hit of the season.

 

The Express knotted the score in the fifth on Spilborghs' two-out RBI single, which chased Vargas from the contest.

 

Vargas took a no-decision after he allowed four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in his third start for Nashville, tossing a season-high 76 pitches in the outing.

 

Nelson put the Express back in front with a mammoth solo homer in the top of the eighth inning off Henderson, which snapped the right-hander's season-opening scoreless streak at 24 1/3 innings. The homer, which landed on Chestnut Street well beyond the right field wall, was Nelson's sixth of the year and gave Round Rock a 5-4 lead. (I think Nelson spent at least some (11/1/2002-5/29/2003) time as the #1 P50 Prospect before J.J. Hardy staked claim. In other words, this is a perfect example of how even the most exciting prospects can fall short. Highly touted guys fail regularly and superstars can come out of nowhere.)

 

The see-saw battle was tied once again in the bottom of the eighth as the Sounds etched across the tying run against Express reliever Johan Yan. Halton (2-for-4) led off with a single and moved to third on a Brown single before scoring on Andy Gonzalez's double-play groundout.

 

The Sounds embark upon a four-game road trip to Oklahoma City tomorrow. Right-hander Mike Fiers (Nope. Boy got the call) (1-3, 4.42) is scheduled to man the bump for Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. series opener against the RedHawks (AAA-Astros). Oklahoma City will send southpaw Dallas Keuchel (4-4, 4.52) to the hill.

 

Box Score

 

That was a great game write-up tonight. I'll just add some things:

 

Caleb Gindl hit 8th and raised his average to .200. Sean Halton is a hot week away from some bfan.net buzz. Jeff Bianchi might have signed with the perfect team. He is hitting .341.

 

Jim Henderson must have been frustrated. First he is passed over for Mike McClendon again. Now his incredibly noteworthy streak is over. Rough week, Jim.

 

Sounds have been playing better ball lately, especially at home, but they are losing players to the bigs left and right.

 

Game Log

 

Gross start

 

Round Rock Top of the 1st

 

Matt Kata homers (5) on a fly ball to right field.

Luis Hernandez flies out to center fielder Caleb Gindl.

Yangervis Solarte grounds out, second baseman Eric Farris to first baseman Sean Halton.

Ryan Spilborghs grounds out, third baseman Andy Gonzalez to first baseman Sean Halton.

 

Big Brad breaking Jim's streak.

 

Round Rock Top of the 8th

 

Pitcher Change: Jim Henderson replaces Vinnie Chulk.

Ryan Spilborghs grounds out, pitcher Jim Henderson to first baseman Sean Halton.

Brad Nelson homers (6) on a fly ball to right field.

Joey Butler grounds out, shortstop Jeff Bianchi to first baseman Sean Halton.

Michael Bianucci strikes out swinging.

 

Gameday

[TheCrew07]

Final: Huntsville 8, Tennessee 4

Huntsville Box Score

Well it's too bad Nashville isn't playing Iowa or else we could have went for the organization sweep against the Cubs today. I have a soft spot for pitchers that can hit so obviously Josh Stinson has grown on me quickly. Josh went 5IP today allowing 3H, 3BB, and 1ER against 3SO while throwing 47 of 88 pitches for strikes and posting a 8:0 ratio (everyone should know I'm referring to GO:FO by now). 2 of the 3 hits came in the first inning when a single and then a ground rule double put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs, but Josh limited the damage to a single run. Danial Meadows hasn't been sharp in his return to AA, he allowed another run today during his 1 inning appearance. Darren Byrd allowed 2 runs, both unearned, in his 1.2IP and Jesus Sanchez bailed out Byrd in the 8th and then sat the Smokies down in order in the 9th. The box score lists him with a save but that seems to be an error unless the tying run being on-deck in the 8th matters? I thought that was just the 9th? Why do I care?

 

The Stars pumped out 13 hits and posted a 5 run 2nd which was all they would need to secure the victory. Lee Haydel continued his excellent 2012 campaign going 4-5 this evening, Lee doesn't have the power of your typical LF but his contact skills are intriguing. Jason Jaramillo went 2-5 as did Kentrail Davis, with Davis adding a double. Josh Prince and Scooter Gennett both doubled, the double extended Scooter's hit streak to 11 games, he's batted .417 over that span. Unfortunately Gennett also committed his 7th error on a missed catch, the errors have come much more frequently here in May for Scooter. Prince stole his 14th base of the season and I would have never guessed prior to the season that he'd be out OPSing Kentrail Davis through the first 2 months, .686 vs .665.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

The 5 run 2nd.

Huntsville Top of the 2nd

• Domnit Bolivar singles on a line drive to left fielder Rebel Ridling.
  Jason Jaramillo grounds out, second baseman Matthew Cerda to first baseman Justin Bour. Domnit Bolivar to 2nd.
  Kentrail Davis doubles (10) on a fly ball to center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha. Domnit Bolivar scores.
  Lee Haydel singles on a fly ball to left fielder Rebel Ridling. Kentrail Davis scores.
  Josh Stinson out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Dae-Eun Rhee to second baseman Matthew Cerda. Lee Haydel to 2nd.
  With Josh Prince batting, wild pitch by Dae-Eun Rhee, Lee Haydel to 3rd.
  Josh Prince walks.
  With Tommy Manzella batting, Josh Prince steals (14) 2nd base.
  Tommy Manzella singles on a ground ball to shortstop Logan Watkins. Lee Haydel scores. Josh Prince to 3rd.
  Scooter Gennett doubles (10) on a fly ball to center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha. Josh Prince scores. Tommy Manzella scores.
  Hunter Morris grounds out, first baseman Justin Bour to second baseman Matthew Cerda to pitcher Dae-Eun Rhee.

 

Darren Byrd's 8th, he certainly didn't help his own cause after the error.

Tennessee Bottom of the 8th

• 
  Junior Lake pops out to second baseman Scooter Gennett.
  Justin Bour walks.
  Rebel Ridling reaches on force attempt, missed catch error by second baseman Scooter Gennett, assist to third baseman Domnit Bolivar. Justin Bour to 2nd.
  With Matthew Cerda batting, wild pitch by Darren Byrd, Justin Bour to 3rd. Rebel Ridling to 2nd.
  Matthew Cerda strikes out swinging.
  Luis Flores singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel. Justin Bour scores. Rebel Ridling scores.
  Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Elliot Soto replaces Brian Schlitter.
  Elliot Soto singles on a line drive to center fielder Josh Prince. Luis Flores to 2nd.
  With Michael Burgess batting, wild pitch by Darren Byrd, Luis Flores to 3rd. Elliot Soto to 2nd.
  Michael Burgess walks.
  Pitcher Change: Jesus Sanchez replaces Darren Byrd, batting 9th.
  Jae-Hoon Ha strikes out swinging.

[TheCrew07]

I'm not much of stolen base guy, but geez...remember when Farris ignited debate with his 70 for the season in 2009?

Blaze's Hamilton runs theft total to 52

Cincy's top prospect on pace to have over 100 steals in 2012

By Danny Wild / MLB.com

05/28/2012 8:56 PM ET

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/05/28/PIZFC9tA.jpg

Billy Hamilton has not gone more than three straight games without a steal. (Ricky Bassman)

 

Billy Hamilton enters each season with the goal of doubling his stolen-base total from the previous year. Last year, he swiped 103.

 

Is 200 really a feasible goal?

 

"I mean, it's possible," the shortstop said. "I think 144 is possible, but I'm not saying I'm going to go out and get 144. I knew [103] would be tough to double, but I didn't set any goals. I just want to get better, come work on my jump, and whatever happens, happens."

 

So far, it's happening. Quickly. Hamilton, the Reds' top prospect, stole three more bases Monday -- his 50th, 51st and 52nd thefts of the season -- as Class A Advanced Bakersfield got past Inland Empire, 6-2.

 

Can Hamilton really challenge Donnell Nixon's "crime wave" of 1983, when the former Major Leaguer stole 144 in 135 games for that same Bakersfield team? Hamilton would end up dashing two-and-a-half miles if he makes a run at that mark. And that hinges on if the Reds can resist the urge to promote Hamilton this summer.

 

"Every couple days I look back and see, compare how I'm doing compared to last year, and you can see it's a real big jump," said Hamilton, who is ranked No. 30 among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects. "It gives me a bunch of confidence in knowing I'm improving every year and getting better."

 

Hamilton currently leads all of professional baseball in steals. He has over twice as many as Major League steals leader Emilio Bonifacio (20) and seems to be on pace to challenge Nixon's mark.

 

Nixon, whose brother Otis also played in the Majors, spent parts of four seasons in the bigs with Seattle, San Francisco and Baltimore but never came close to replicating the speed he showed in the summer of '83.

 

Hamilton's really been on the move lately. He's stolen 10 bases in his last six games, had a streak of 15 steals in seven games from April 22-29, swiped four on April 26 and hasn't gone more than three consecutive games all season without a swipe.

 

Getting the milestone 50th steal wasn't exactly hanging over Hamilton's head, but coming into Monday's game, he knew he was close.

 

"It was on my mind, but I mean, it wasn't like, 'OK, I need to get to 50,'" he said. "I just go out there, do what you gotta do, get bases."

 

Hamilton singled and stole second in the first inning, hit a two-out single and swiped second again in the fourth and plated Theo Bowe with a base hit before taking second in the eighth.

 

His Blaze teams have enjoyed watching the show too.

 

"It's the confidence, it hasn't gone. I get thrown out a couple times, more times than I want, so I know I have to get better on the jumps," said the Mississippi native, who's been thrown out 11 times. "But my teammates love it, it helps me out, and it's cool to have the confidence behind me from my teammates. They boost me to steal, they're still behind me."

 

What's it like stealing three or four bases in a game?

 

"It feels good, knowing I can steal bases like that," said Hamilton, who was encouraged to run during previous Spring Trainings spent with former big leaguers Delino DeShields and Joe Morgan. "Most times guys don't like to draw walks, and I'm walking more this year, so I know if I can get on base, I can steal a bag. The main thing is trying to get on base."

 

Last season in the Midwest League, Hamilton had 133 strikeouts and 52 walks in 135 games. This year, in 47 contests, he's struck out 37 times while drawing 22 walks. When he hears or reads about people saying he whiffs too much or isn't the ideal leadoff man, it only makes him more determined.

 

"Every day I'm just hearing how I can't hit or stuff like that, and it motivates me to get my hitting better," said Hamilton, who is batting .316. "I'm shortening up more than I did last year, putting the ball in play and not striking out so much. Shortening up is helping me out."

 

As far as the record goes, Nixon will probably retain his mark as Hamilton's numbers -- he's got a .384 on-base percentage -- will probably prompt the Reds to move him to Double-A Pensacola before the season is over. Some Reds fans wouldn't mind seeing the speedster up in the Majors later this year too.

 

"I have no idea, I don't talk to [the Reds] like that. I keep coming out, showing them here every day that I'm working," Hamilton said of a potential promotion. "They want to see if I can adjust, how I get through this season. I'm not going to worry about when I'm struggling or playing well, they want to see if I can do it every day. That's the main key to moving up."

 

So far, Hamilton has been as advertised and more.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio: Nine after 9

[brewmann04]

Any chance Haydel moves up to Nashville?