Link Report for Wed. 6/13 -- Logan Schafer stays hot as Sounds finally win a road series

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Claudio Vargas at Memphis (Cardinals), 10:50 AM pre-game, 11:05 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: TBD (likely RHP Josh Stinson) at home vs. Montgomery (Rays), 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: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast.

 

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Brevard County: RHP Andy Moye at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 5:35 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Daytona 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.

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Matt Miller at Clinton (Mariners), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 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).

 

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DSL Brewers: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's 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

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris

[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]

Nashville Media Notes

 

Here's your 2013 Brewers CF, folks --

 

LOGAN’S RUN: Centerfielder Logan Schafer is enjoying a successful road trip, batting .583 (14-for-24) with four RBIs and five runs scored in seven games against Iowa and Memphis. The 25-year-old is currently riding a season-best eight-game hit streak, including multiple-hit efforts in five of his last seven tilts, and has hit safely in 20 of his last 25 contests overall. Schafer’s hot streak coincides with a recent drop from the leadoff spot to third in the Nashville lineup, where he is hitting .457 (16-for-35) in 10 games.

[Mass Haas]

Audio from Memphis — “Words from (Reggie) Williams”

 

Jeff Hem's note -- Today’s interview is with Reggie Williams, a Memphis native, a former major leaguer (Dodgers & Indians) and currently an outfield and baserunning instructor for the Milwaukee Brewers who was observing the Sounds’ series against the Memphis Redbirds.

[Mass Haas]

Congrats to Brevard closer Casey Medlen; he just tweeted out he's Florida State League All-Star Game bound. Jimmy Nelson had been the team's only rep prior to his promotion to AA. No token assignment, check out the K-to-BB ratio...

[Mass Haas]

Manatees' site article --

 

Vucinich and Medlen added to All-Star roster

'Tees second baseman and closer named to North Division squad

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Media Notes

 

Barnes is Noble (as in Jacob)

 

Awesome, that's why Chris gets the big bucks...

[Tedaldtada]

Nashville Wins, 5-4, To Take Series From Memphis

06/13/2012 3:39 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Nashville catcher Jason Jaramillo homered (Audio) and drove in three runs as the Nashville Sounds handed the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds a 5-4 defeat on Wednesday afternoon at AutoZone Park.

 

Nashville (26-41) took two out of three games from the division-rival Redbirds and netted its first winning series on the road this season. The one-run victory for the Sounds was also the club's PCL-leading 15th of the season.

 

Nashville survived a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth as Jim Henderson converted his fourth save of the season. The Redbirds opened the inning with three straight singles to load the bases before Henderson walked in the first run of the inning. Lou Montanez then grounded into a double play to score the other run.

 

With the tying run on third base and two outs, Henderson got Jamie Romak to pop out to Jordan Brown to end the game.

 

Nashville starter Claudio Vargas (2-0) tossed his first quality start for the victory, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five in six innings.

 

Five players posted multiple-hit games and accounted for all 11 of Nashville's hits on the afternoon. From the leadoff spot, outfielder Caleb Gindl led the charge with three hits, including a double and two runs scored. Outfielder Logan Schafer added two hits to extend his hitting streak to a season-best nine games.

 

Jaramillo (2-for-4) also had an RBI single with his two-run homer. Outfielder Corey Patterson and shortstop Hainley Statia both recorded two hits.

 

Schafer ripped an opposite-field RBI double (Audio) in the top of the third inning to score Gindl and put the Sounds on the board at 1-0 lead.

 

Nashville went ahead at 2-0, thanks to three consecutive one-out singles, highlighted by an RBI base hit to center by Jaramillo.

 

Memphis evened the score at 2-2 in the home half of the fourth, beginning with a base hit by the rehabbing Skip Shumaker. Vargas would walk two more batters to load the bases before Pete Kozma knocked a two-out, two-run single to center.

 

Nashville went back ahead at 3-2 in the next frame. Gindl reached on his second hit of the contest, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Eric Farris, and scored when Schafer lined a go-ahead RBI base hit to right.

 

The Sounds added two insurance runs in the sixth for a 5-2 advantage. After Patterson led off with a single to left, Jaramillo crushed a two-run homer to right for his first of the season. Amaury Rivas and Victor Garate threw scoreless frames in relief.

 

Brandon Dickson (2-6) allowed five runs on 11 hits in six innings for the loss.

 

Nashville returns to Music City tomorrow to begin an eight-game homestand with the division-rival Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA-Royals) and Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA-Astros). Beginning at 7:05 pm CT on Thursday at Greer Stadium, Sounds right-hander Seth McClung (1-7, 5.01) takes the mound against Omaha southpaw Ryan Verdugo (4-1, 3.29) in the four-game series opener.

 

Box Score

 

Logan Schafer and Caleb Gindl have really turned things around in a big way. Gindl has 12 hits since moving to the leadoff spot 6 games ago. Over his last 10 games he is sporting a .361/.368/.500 line. Schafer has been even better with a .486/.500/.600 line over his last 10. Schafer is a few ticks below an .800 OPS on the season now.

 

Claudio Vargas had another solid outing. He is inching his ERA under 4.00. Jim Henderson practiced bend but don't break in his lone inning. He managed to hold on for the save despite allowing 2 runs.

 

Game Log

 

A SAC bunt that leads to a run. Roenicke is all lik, booyah!

 

Nashville Top of the 5th

 

Caleb Gindl singles on a fly ball to left fielder Cedric Hunter.

Eric Farris out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Brandon Dickson to first baseman Mark Hamilton. Caleb Gindl to 2nd.

Logan Schafer singles on a fly ball to right fielder Lou Montanez. Caleb Gindl scores. Logan Schafer to 2nd on the throw.

Jordan Brown grounds out, first baseman Mark Hamilton to pitcher Brandon Dickson. Logan Schafer to 3rd.

Andy Gonzalez grounds out to pitcher Brandon Dickson.

 

Henderson's inning.

 

Memphis Bottom of the 9th

Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Aaron Bates replaces John Gaub.

Pitcher Change: Jim Henderson replaces Victor Garate, batting 7th.

Aaron Bates singles on a fly ball to right fielder Caleb Gindl.

Zack Cox singles on a fly ball to right fielder Caleb Gindl. Aaron Bates to 2nd.

Nick Derba singles on a fly ball to right fielder Caleb Gindl. Aaron Bates to 3rd. Zack Cox to 2nd.

Ryan Jackson walks. Aaron Bates scores. Zack Cox to 3rd. Nick Derba to 2nd.

Lou Montanez grounds into double play, shortstop Jeff Bianchi to second baseman Eric Farris to first baseman Jordan Brown. Zack Cox scores. Nick Derba to 3rd. Ryan Jackson out at 2nd.

Jamie Romak pops out to first baseman Jordan Brown.

 

Gameday

[Tedaldtada]

The BC game was suspended in the 3rd inning with Brevard County winning 3-1. Andy Moye started an allowed a single hit and a single run in 3 IP. On offense, T.J. Mittelstaedt hit a HR (9) and walked in 2 PA. If the same draft rules applied in 2010 as they do in 2012, 44th rounder Mittelstaedt would not have been drafted. Fantastic find by the scouts. He is the most dynamic hitter in A+ for the Brewers. Michael Reed, the nickname-less one, went 0-1.

 

Game Log

[TheCrew07]

Final: Wisconsin 4, Clinton 2

 

Wisconsin beats Clinton 4-2 to win sixth straight

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

CLINTON, IA - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitchers Matt Miller and Tyler Cravy teamed up to strikeout thirteen Clinton LumberKings batters on Wednesday night. Four different Wisconsin hitters provided an RBI and the first half Western Division Champion Rattlers beat Clinton 4-2 at Ashford University Field. The win was the sixth in a row for the Timber Rattlers and pushed the team to twenty games over .500 for the first time since 2001.

 

Miller, the starter for Wisconsin, got the first two outs of the bottom of the first inning, but a walk and an infield single extended the inning to Ramon Morlan. The LumberKings (23-42) took a 1-0 lead on a run scoring bloop single to center by Morlan.

 

Wisconsin (43-23) came right back in the top of the second and Ben McMahan led the way. McMahan extended his hitting streak to six games with a leadoff homer in the second. McMahan's fourth home run of the season tied the game 1-1. Yadiel Rivera followed with a double. Tyler Roberts, playing his first game since May 23, celebrated his activation from the disabled list by sending a single to right-center to knock in Rivera with the go ahead run.

 

Wisconsin tacked on single runs in the third and fourth innings. Jason Rogers doubled to start the third inning, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a Greg Hopkins sacrifice fly. In the fourth, Chadwin Stang reached on a two-out error. Brandon Macias doubled to left to send Stang home for a 4-1 lead.

 

Miller preserved the three run lead as he kept the LumberKings off the scoreboard in his final five innings of work. Miller struck out eight to match his single game high as professional and walked just one over his six innings against Clinton.

 

Cravy entered the game in the seventh inning and worked a 1-2-3 frame. But, he ran into trouble in the eighth. Jamal Austin reached second on an error to start the inning. McMahan kept the score at 4-1 for a moment when he threw Austin out at the plate after a single to left by Ji-Man Choi. But a two-out walk let Morla come to the plate again in an RBI spot. The LumberKings third baseman singled to get Choi home to cut Wisconsin's lead to two runs.

 

Clinton would get no closer. Cravy got a strikeout to end the eighth, struck out two more in the ninth, and worked around a two-out single by getting the final out on a fly ball to right. Cravy earned his first professional save by working the final three innings. He also struck out five in the game.

 

The Timber Rattlers conclude their series with the LumberKings Thursday night. Drew Gagnon (5-1, 2.66) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Ambioris Hidalgo (2-8, 5.04) is set to start for the LumberKings. Game time is 7:00pm. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:40pm.

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Ben McMahan (4th, 2nd inning off Trevor Miller, 0 out)

 

WP: Matt Miller (5-5)

LP: Trevor Miller (3-5)

SAVE: Tyler Cravy (1)

 

TIME: 2:24

 

Wisconsin Box Score

 

Jason Rogers was 2-4 with 2 doubles, Gregory Hopkins went 2-3, Ben McMahan went 2-4 with the HR, both Brandon Macias and Yadial Rivera added doubles. Unfortunately Max Walla's time off hasn't helped, he's 0 fer since returning and is batting .125 over his last 10. Macias was caught stealing and committed the error which was his 8th on a throw, but McMahan had the OF assist covered above.

 

Wisconsin Play By Play

A fairly uneventful game after the first 3 innings.

[Tedaldtada]

Nice start for Matt Miller. When he is on, hitters are in bad shape.

[TheCrew07]

Final: Montgomery 6, Huntsville 3

 

Huntsville Box Score

Josh Stinson pitched a stinker here only going 3 innings allowing 11 hits, 6 earned runs, 3 walks, and a wild pitch against only a one strike out. The Stars' relief corpse shut down the Biscuits after Stinson exited the game but it wasn't enough for the bats to recover. Daniel Meadows pitched 3 strong innings followed by clean frames from Mitch Stetter, Darren Byrd, and Santo Manzanillo. Stetter is on quite the hot streak with 8 straight scoreless appearances.

 

The top of the order for Huntsville was outstanding in this game. Josh Prince went 3-5 and his pushed his BA all the way to .261 which is quite remarkable given where he was just a month ago. Tommy Manzella had a perfect day at the plate going 4-4 with a BB, Scooter Gennett went 2-4 with a double while both Hunter Morris and Scott Krieger added doubles of their own. Adam Weisenburger committed his first error (throwing) but Kentrail Davis added an OF assist.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

Stinson was rocked hard by a pretty decent Rays line up for Montgomery.

Montgomery Top of the 2nd

• Brett Nommensen singles on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Krieger.
  Brad Coon out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Josh Stinson to first baseman Hunter Morris. Brett Nommensen to 2nd.
  Mayo Acosta walks.
  Hak-Ju Lee singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis. Brett Nommensen scores. Mayo Acosta to 3rd. Hak-Ju Lee to 2nd on the throw.
  Ty Morrison called out on strikes.
  Omar Luna doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Krieger. Mayo Acosta scores. Hak-Ju Lee scores.
  Ryan Garko singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Krieger. Omar Luna scores.
  Kyeong Kang walks. Ryan Garko to 2nd.
  Tyler Bortnick singles on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Krieger. Ryan Garko to 3rd. Kyeong Kang to 2nd.
  With Brett Nommensen batting, wild pitch by Josh Stinson, Ryan Garko scores. Kyeong Kang to 3rd. Tyler Bortnick to 2nd.
  Brett Nommensen grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris.

 

 

Montgomery Top of the 4th

• Ty Morrison triples (4) on a line drive to right fielder Kentrail Davis.
  Omar Luna doubles (6) on a soft fly ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis. Ty Morrison scores.
  Ryan Garko singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Krieger. Omar Luna to 3rd.
  Pitcher Change: Daniel Meadows replaces Josh Stinson.
  Kyeong Kang hit by pitch. Ryan Garko to 2nd.
  Tyler Bortnick flies into double play, right fielder Kentrail Davis to catcher Adam Weisenburger to first baseman Hunter Morris. Kyeong Kang out at 2nd on the throw.
  Brett Nommensen flies out to right fielder Kentrail Davis.
  

[Mass Haas]

Three of Wisconsin's Matt Miller's five wins this year are against Clinton.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Nine after 9

[Mass Haas]

STARS LOSE OPENER TO BISCUITS, DROP EIGHTH STRAIGHT

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Following a five-game sweep by the Mobile BayBears, the Huntsville Stars (33-32) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (33-30) in the first of five games at Joe Davis Stadium by a score of 6-3 on Wednesday night.

 

Coming out of the gates, it was Montgomery that struck first. Highlighted by RBI singles from shortstop Hak-Ju Lee and first baseman Ryan Garko, a two-run double by third baseman Omar Luna and a run-scoring wild pitch from Stars starter Josh Stinson, the Biscuits took a commanding 5-0 lead in the second inning.

 

In the third inning, the Stars were able to cut that lead down a bit. After center fielder Josh Prince reached on a Biscuits error and shortstop Tommy Manzella drew a walk to lead off the inning, first baseman Hunter Morris doubled both of them home to make the score 5-2. For Morris, the double was his league-leading 23rd of the season.

 

Following another RBI double from the Biscuits’ Luna and chasing Stinson from the game in the fourth inning, Huntsville was only able to manage to score one more run the entire ballgame. That run came in the fourth inning on a two-out rally where Prince singled and scored on a RBI double by second baseman Scooter Gennett to make the score 6-3.

 

With the loss, Stinson fell to 7-4 on the season after giving up six runs on eleven hits in three-plus innings of work. The 24-year-old was also defeated for the second straight start, and the three innings was his shortest outing of the season in ten starts.

 

Montgomery starting pitcher Jake Thompson improved to 4-5 with the victory after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits in five innings.

 

On the pitching side, the Stars bullpen shut down Montgomery’s offense without a hit for the final six innings of the ballgame. Reliever Dan Meadows led the way with three scoreless innings, while LHP Mitch Stetter , RHP Darren Byrd and RHP Santo Manzanillo each threw a scoreless frame.

 

For the Stars, the eight-game losing streak is their longest since May 12 th -19th of 2011. On offense, the Stars got three hits apiece from both Prince and Manzella.

 

Game two of a five-game series will begin on Thursday as the Stars will send LHP Dan Merklinger (1-6, 5.93 ERA) to the mound to square off against Biscuits RHP Alex Colome (2-2. 4.79 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 PM.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Stars' losing streak grows to eight

By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama --As much as an eight-game losing streak brings the impression that all the wheels have come off at once, it's more vexing than that.

 

"It's all facets," said Huntsville Stars manager Darnell Coles, "but not at the same time."

 

"If we pitch well, we don't swing the bats or we don't field. If we field, we're not hitting. If we're hitting, we don't pitch well," Coles continued as he sat in his office Wednesday night after Huntsville's 6-3 loss to Montgomery.

 

There's no simple solution except the most obvious. As Coles said, "You've just got to grind through it."

 

Now 33-33 on the season, this is the first time they've fallen to the .500 mark since April 27. This is the longest losing streak for the club since an eight-game skid May 12-19, 2011.

 

Huntsville will try to turn things around tonight in the second of a five-game home stand that ends Sunday, which also marks the end of the first half of play. Until last week, and the beginning of this losing streak, the Stars were in contention for the Southern League North first-half title, which has long-since been clinched by Jackson.

 

"You hate to say it, but you know you're going to go through stretches like this," Coles said. "But you still preach the same message. You have to execute and you have to make your pitches. Right now, teams are just playing better than us."

 

As a competitor, along with his chief role in developing talent, it's eating at Coles.

 

"I can't sleep at night, trying to figure out a way to get a W," he said. "Maybe a hit-and-run or a bunt, to try to do things but within the framework of the gameplan."

 

The Stars couldn't figure a way to overcome a five-run deficit after two innings. Starter Josh Stinson was bidding to join teammate Tyler Thornburg as the only eight-game winner in the Southern League. But four singles, a two-run double by Omar Luna, two walks and a wild pitch all added up to five runs.

 

Hunter Morris smacked a two-run double in the third to cut the gap to 5-2; it was his league-leading 23rd of the season. After the two swapped runs in the fourth, Montgomery went the rest of the game without a hit.

 

Huntsville bubbled up a small threat in the ninth when Josh Prince and Tommy Manzella led off with singles. But Scooter Gennett hit into a double play and Morris struck out.