Link Report for Thurs. 6/14

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Seth McClung 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.

 

**********

 

Huntsville: LHP Dan Merklinger 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.

 

**********

 

Brevard County: First, it's the completion of Wednesday's nine-inning game vs. Daytona (Cubs), 4:35 PM gametime (Manatees lead 3-1 after three innings), followed by LHP Brian Garman starting the seven-inning nightcap

 

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.

 

**********

 

Wisconsin: RHP Drew Gagnon 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).

 

**********

 

DSL Brewers: at the DSL Angels, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County Completion of Suspended Game

 

Brevard County Regularly Scheduled Game

 

Wisconsin

 

DSL Brewers

[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]

Brian Garman, the soon-to-be 24-year-old 5'10" Brevard County southpaw the Brewers drafted in the 17th round in 2010 out of the University of Cincinnati, will make only his 2nd pro start tonight. He has 79 career appearances, his only other start came last year, also with the Manatees.

 

***

 

Also, you'll note that the Manatees will be the home team for the completion of the suspended game tonight, although the game will be played in Daytona. Brevard will be the road team for the seven-inning nightcap.

[TheCrew07]

Yadiel Rivera love at the bottom.

 

MWL notes: Cubs patient with Baez

Chiefs shortstop adjusting to Midwest League, breaking balls

By Curt Rallo / Special to MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/13/xvznWner.jpg

Javier Baez is batting .315 in his first 15 Class A games. (Dennis Sievers/Peoria Chiefs)

 

The numbers are astonishing. As a high school senior last year, Javier Baez hit .771 (64-for-83) with 22 homers, 20 doubles and six triples at Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville, Fla. The shortstop also stole 28 bases.

 

So it's no doubt that the Cubs -- who drafted Baez in the first round of the 2011 Draft, making him the No. 9 pick overall and second shortstop selected -- would treat the 19-year-old like a jeweler shining a precious stone.

 

When Cubs players broke camp after Spring Training, Baez didn't head to Peoria and instead was sent to work out at the team's complex in Arizona. In fact, he didn't play his first game for the Chiefs until Memorial Day.

 

"There's an old adage, it's a lot easier to move somebody up than to move them back," Cubs vice president of player personnel Oneri Fleita said. "You're talking about a young man from the state of Florida. It's real cold in Peoria. We wanted to make sure he had his feet on the ground. It's his first season. When you're dealing with your top prospect, you want to be on the conservative side."

 

Fleita said that the Cubs explained the process to Baez, and that he understood and accepted it well.

 

"Javier understood why he didn't go to Peoria right away," Fleita said of the 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed hitter. "He understands we have a process set up and that we'll follow it to the letter. Being in Arizona, in a controlled atmosphere, allowed him to get a good handle on what's expected every day from the organization, and it gave us a chance to get to know him. He also got a lot of extra work, and that allowed him to be prepared to join the Peoria Chiefs."

 

So far, Baez has adjusted well -- through 15 games, Baez was batting .315 with two homers and eight RBIs

 

"When you're in Arizona, and you don't have the long bus trips that they have in the Midwest League, you don't lose any travel time," Fleita added. "You can get extra time getting a whole lot more ground balls, swinging, working on double plays and working on the finer points of a game. He got a whole lot of extra attention from coaches in a lot of different areas of the game."

 

Baez said that he made good use of his time in Arizona.

 

"I was working hard in Arizona, so I could come to Peoria and kept working for the team," Baez said. "I just keep hitting the ball like I'm hitting and working on my swing. I realize there are more people before me. I was just relaxing and doing my job. I was working on hitting the ball to the right side."

 

Now that he's in Peoria, he's still working on fine-tuning his swing and approach.

 

"It's different here than what I faced in Arizona," Baez said. "Here, they throw more breaking balls and mix it up. It's not hard, but every time I sit on the fastball, but the pitchers mix it up a lot. I'm still learning the game. My goal is to keep learning and [to] try to do my best."

 

In brief

 

Walk-off, take two: The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers put a bite on the Beloit Snappers in their last at-bat -- twice -- and each time the hero was Yadiel Rivera. The 20-year-old shortstop belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 5-2 victory. The next night, he delivered an RBI single in the ninth for an 8-7 win as the Rattlers rallied from a 6-2 deficit.

 

Simmons sizzles: South Bend reliever Seth Simmons had his scoreless streak snapped Tuesday when he gave up three runs against Lake County. Simmons, who hadn't allowed a run in his last 10 appearances (15 1/3 innings), does have a home scoreless streak still intact. He hasn't given up a run at Coveleski Stadium all season (14 1/3 innings), and has only yielded runs in two of the 19 games in which he's pitched. Simmons, a 5-foot-9 righty from Winston-Salem, N.C., was a 40th-round pick last summer.

 

Diamond value: The Dayton's Dragons are the most valuable Class A franchise and the eighth-most valuable franchise in all of Minor League Baseball, according to Forbes. (The most valuable franchise is the Sacramento River Cats.) Valued at $23 million, the Dragons own the record for professional sports' longest consecutive sellout streak, having sold out every home game in its 13-season history at 7,230-seat Fifth Third Field.

[TheCrew07]

Garcia, Cards turn unlikely triple play

Springfield accomplishes feat for first time in team history

By David Heck / Special to MLB.com

 

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Greg Garcia was a Midwest League midseason All-Star last season. (Tony Farlow/MiLB.com)

 

The triple play is one of the rarest occurrences in baseball, so rare that the Double-A Springfield Cardinals had not completed one in their eight-year history. That was until Greg Garcia came along.

 

The Cardinals shortstop prospect made a sliding grab to start a triple play in the fifth inning Wednesday before Springfield dropped a 6-1 decision to the Arkansas Travelers.

 

With runners on first and second, Ryan Mount hit a humpback liner over Garcia's head. The 22-year-old shortstop went back to make a sliding catch, then threw to second base to double up Jean Segura.

 

"I knew it was going to be tough for our outfielder, Kyle Conley, to get to it," Garcia said. "I knew I had to go for it. The center fielder [Adam Melker] let me know it's your ball or no one's ball. I was able to slide and make the play."

 

Second baseman Kolten Wong fired to first but threw wildly. Backing up the play, catcher Travis Tartamella retrieved the ball and nailed Renny Osuna at second.

 

"It was a tough read for those baserunners because they wanted to advance but didn't know if I would catch it," Garcia said.

 

"When I caught it and turned to look, I saw both runners were far off and knew we had a chance. I tried to get the ball in as quickly as possible. Kolten had a tough throw -- a runner was in his throwing lane. It's pretty cool how it worked out."

 

Garcia said the triple play was the first he'd been a part of or seen in person since he was a kid.

 

"I think the last triple play I've ever been a part of was maybe in Little League," he added. "Nothing in real, competitive baseball. It was pretty exciting."

 

It turned out to be the lone highlight for the Cardinals as Ariel Pena (4-4) pitched a seven-hitter for the Travelers' second straight complete game. Casey Haerther led Arkansas at the plate with a pair of homers and four RBIs.

 

The Cardinals will finish the first half of the Texas League season with a four-game set against Northwest Arkansas. The teams are tied for second place in the North Division, three games behind Tulsa.

 

"We've been going on a little run here, trying to win the first half," Garcia said. "Our whole clubhouse is trying to take it one game at a time and play as hard as we can. We'll see what happens with that. As long as we play as hard as we can, there's nothing else we can do. They're a good team, it should be a good series."

[TheCrew07]

Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo Keeps Rolling In Triple-A

 

Posted Jun. 12, 2012 10:01 am by Jim Shonerd

Filed under: Daily Dish

 

We often talk about players needing to show they’ve mastered a level before they’re ready to move up. It’s not exactly going out on a limb to say that Anthony Rizzo has mastered Triple-A, but his last two games have further underscored the point.

 

The Cubs prospect hit two home runs on Sunday for Triple-A Iowa then belted two more on Monday, part of a 3-for-4 night in which he also added a double and had four RBIs. The lefthanded-hitting Rizzo homered to center field in the second inning Monday—three of his last five homers have gone to center—and then hit a three-run shot to right in the fifth. The 22-year-old’s outburst has vaulted him to the top of the Pacific Coast League with 22 homers and put him in a tie with Wil Myers for second in the minors, trailing only Toledo slugger Brad Eldred’s 24.

 

Rizzo hit .331/.404/.652 in Triple-A with Tucson last season and has been even better this year despite moving to the less hitter-happy American Conference of the PCL as a result his being traded from the Padres to the Cubs in the offseason. He’s up to .363/.422/.721 through 215 at-bats with Iowa and has nearly matched his 2011 Triple-A homer total of 26. He’s not walking as frequently (10.4 percent of PAs last year, 8.4 percent this year) but has improved his strikeout rate (17.7 percent of PAs, down from 21.5 percent of PAs last year), and he’s hitting a combined .343/.411/678 at the Triple-A level between the 2011-12 seasons combined.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

 

Odorizzi and Peralta still line up for Sunday...

[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

 

Eric Arnett came out first in this continued game from yesterday. He went on to pitch 3 innings, his longest on the season. His night: 3 IP 3 H 2 R 2 ER 1 BB 4 K HBP 4:1 GO:FO. Thomas Keeling was next and he pitched great. 2 IP 1 H 0 R 4 K WP. All-Star Casey Medlen finished it off with a scoreless inning.

 

There were no XBH's for the 'Tees besides T.J. Mittelstaedts's HR from yesterday. He added a walk today and finished 1-2 HR (9) BB HBP. Wunderkid Michael Reed keeps piling up the BB's with one, but he finished 0-3. Reggie Keen had 2 hits in this one. More on him later. Lost in the Michael Reed hoopla is recently added from EST Joey Paciorek. He is hitting .367 since joining BC.

 

Mike Walker committed his 14th error and Keen his 1st.

 

Game Log

 

Arnett with something to hang his hat on tonight.

 

Daytona Top of the 6th

 

Richard Jones strikes out swinging.

Micah Gibbs strikes out swinging.

Dustin Harrington strikes out swinging.

 

Everything with two.

 

Brevard County Bottom of the 6th

 

Mike Walker flies out to left fielder Nelson Perez.

Shea Vucinich grounds out, third baseman Dustin Harrington to first baseman Richard Jones.

Cody Hawn singles on a ground ball to right fielder Elieser Bonne.

Joey Paciorek reaches on missed catch error by first baseman Richard Jones, assist to shortstop Arismendy Alcantara. Cody Hawn to 2nd.

Brent Dean singles on a fly ball to right fielder Elieser Bonne. Cody Hawn scores. Joey Paciorek to 3rd.

Michael Reed walks. Brent Dean to 2nd.

Nick Shaw walks. Joey Paciorek scores. Brent Dean to 3rd. Michael Reed to 2nd.

Pitcher Change: A. J. Morris replaces Frank Del Valle.

Reggie Keen singles on a ground ball to third baseman Dustin Harrington. Brent Dean scores. Michael Reed to 3rd. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

T. J. Mittelstaedt flies out to left fielder Nelson Perez.

 

Keeling can do this.

 

Daytona Top of the 8th

 

Greg Rohan strikes out swinging.

Rubi Silva strikes out swinging.

Elieser Bonne singles on a line drive to center fielder Reggie Keen.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Taylor Davis replaces Richard Jones.

With Taylor Davis batting, wild pitch by Thomas Keeling, Elieser Bonne to 2nd.

Taylor Davis called out on strikes.

[Tedaldtada]

Omaha (Royals) 4 Nashville 2

 

Box Score

 

Anemic offense in this one. Two thirds of the hitters had 1 hit and rest had 0. Caleb Gindl went 1-4. Andy Gonzalez hit a HR (4). Adding 7 walks to the 6 hits, the Sounds really should have put more than 2 on the board. Logan Schafer had the rare game where he did not reach base.

 

Seth McClung pitched and finished with an unpleasant looking line. 7 IP 6 H 4 R 2 ER 4 BB 1 K 1 HR 11:6 GO:FO. It was a night of relief pitchers going multiple innings as Rob Wooten finished with 2 scoreless IP and 3 K.

 

Wil Myers it an opposite field homer off of McClung. It is said he is pretty decent. Fact is, you could argue the Brewers have not had a hitting prospect of this caliber since Ryan Braun came through. That is one thick lineup the Royals are cooking. Too bad for them their young pitching is in disarray. Kyle Zimmer was drafted to specifically remedy that.

 

Game Log

 

Gameday

[Tedaldtada]

Box Score

 

The 2nd BC game has been delayed shortly after the Manatees took the lead in the top of the 8th. Game sits at 2-1 Manatees. Reggie Keen has 3 hits in G2 giving him 5 in the last 2. He also stole his 22nd base. Michael Reed has a 1B in 3 trips. No one else has a hit besides those two guys.

 

Brian Garman, Eric Marzec and Greg Holle have pitched a great game thus far with 7 IP 6 H 1 R 1 ER 6 K 1 HR and a 12:2 GO:FO.

 

Game Log

 

Sparkplug Wunderkid (aka Michael Reed)

 

Brevard County Top of the 8th

 

Michael Reed singles on a line drive to center fielder John Andreoli.

Franklin Romero Jr. hit by pitch. Michael Reed to 2nd.

Nick Shaw hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by third baseman Greg Rohan. Michael Reed scores. Franklin Romero Jr. to 3rd. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

Reggie Keen lines out to pitcher Scott Weismann.

 

Let's see if this one gets completed tonight.

[Tedaldtada]

Sounds Lose Homestand Opener To Storm Chasers, 4-2

06/14/2012 10:33 PM ET

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds fell to the division-rival Omaha Storm Chasers, 4-2, in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night at Greer Stadium. The loss was Nashville's (26-42) fourteenth two-run defeat of the season.

 

Omaha starting pitcher Ryan Verdugo (5-1) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings of work. Louis Coleman converted his second save of the season.

 

Outfielder Logan Schafer (0-for-4) and first baseman Sean Halton (0-for-3) each went hitless to end their respective nine-game hit streaks. Six other Sounds each accounted for the team's six hits.

 

Omaha plated an unearned run in the top of the first inning off starter Seth McClung. Irving Falu reached on an infield throwing error, moved to third on a Johnny Giavotella double, and scored as Royals top prospect Wil Myers ground out to second base.

 

The Storm Chasers added two more runs in the next inning for a 3-0 advantage, thanks to doubles from Max Ramirez and Falu. On the next pitch during the Giavotella at-bat, Derrick Robinson scored on a passed ball that got away from catcher Jason Jaramillo.

 

Nashville trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the next frame after a walk by first baseman Sean Halton and hits from Jaramillo and outfielder Jordan Brown. Outfielder Corey Patterson then hit a deep ball to the wall for a sacrifice fly, scoring Halton from third.

 

Third baseman Andy Gonzalez crushed a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Sounds within one run at 3-2. The homer was his fourth of the season. Brown nearly tied the game during the next at-bat by missing a solo homer by a couple of feet.

 

Myers pushed the lead back to 4-2 with opposite-field solo homer that landed inside the right field foul pole. The homer was the prospect's 10th of the year. (Yeah, in like 27 AAA games.)

 

After three early runs, McClung (1-8) calmed down to last seven innings but took the loss. The 31-year-old gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks.

 

Reliever Robert Wooten threw two scoreless innings while fanning three to end the game for the Sounds.

 

The Sounds and division-rival Omaha Storm Chasers continue their series at 7:05 pm CT on Friday night. Sounds right-hander Mark Rogers (2-4, 5.87) takes the mound against Omaha southpaw Everett Teaford (3-0, 1.64).

[Mass Haas]

WTMJ Pregame Interview w/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Manager Matt Erickson

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Notes

 

Wisconsin Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Audio from Nashville — “Verbiage from Victor (Garate)”

 

Jeff Hem's note -- Tonight’s interview is with Sounds reliever Victor Garate, who discusses his outing in yesterday’s Sounds win in Memphis, his season so far, his great ’11 campaign in the PCL with New Orleans (Marlins) and his first major league call-up with the Washington Nationals in ’09

[TheCrew07]

Final: Montgomery 9, Huntsville 7

 

Huntsville Box Score

This was an extremely disappointing loss as the Stars battled all the way back to tie the game at 7 in the bottom of the 8th only to give up 2 in the 9th and lose. Dan Merklinger was the spot starter going 3 IP allowing 2H and 3BB in his time on the bump. R.J. Seidel entered the game in the 4th and had his worst outing in a while giving up 5 ER in 2 IP. Darren Byrd replaced Seidel and also didn't pitch well giving up 2 ER in 2 IP. Brandon Kintzler got through the 8th fairly easily, picking off Rays #2 prospect Hak-Ju Lee in the process but couldn't get through the 9th giving up 2 runs, 1 earned. Mitch Stetter recorded the final out of the game with a strike out.

 

Josh Prince was 1-3 with a HR and 2 BB, Tommy Manzella went 3-5, Scooter Gennett went 1-5 with a double, Kentrail Davis was 2-3 with a walk, and finally Anderson De La Rosa rounded out the noteworthy offensive accomplishments going 3-4 with a HR. I'm not sure what's gotten into Prince, but I like it, too bad he's not a middle IF, he also stole his 22nd base tonight. Seidel committed his 3rd error on a pick off attempt and Gennett committed his 9th throwing.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

The Biscuits broke the game open in the 5th...

Montgomery Top of the 5th

• Brett Nommensen walks.
  With Mark Thomas batting, throwing error by R. J. Seidel on the pickoff attempt, Brett Nommensen to 3rd.
  Mark Thomas singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Krieger. Brett Nommensen scores.
  Hak-Ju Lee walks. Mark Thomas to 2nd.
  Ty Morrison singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher R. J. Seidel. Mark Thomas to 3rd. Hak-Ju Lee to 2nd.
  Omar Luna singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis, deflected by second baseman Scooter Gennett. Mark Thomas scores. Hak-Ju Lee scores. Ty Morrison to 3rd.
  Ryan Garko pops out to first baseman Hunter Morris in foul territory.
  Tyler Bortnick reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by third baseman Matt Cline. Ty Morrison scores. Omar Luna to 2nd.
  With Michael Sheridan batting, Omar Luna steals (16) 3rd base. Tyler Bortnick steals (18) 2nd base.
  Michael Sheridan grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris. Omar Luna scores. Tyler Bortnick to 3rd.
  Greg Sexton grounds out, third baseman Matt Cline to first baseman Hunter Morris.

 

Walks...

Montgomery Top of the 7th

• Ryan Garko flies out to center fielder Josh Prince.
  Tyler Bortnick walks.
  With Michael Sheridan batting, Tyler Bortnick steals (19) 2nd base.
  Michael Sheridan walks.
  Greg Sexton flies out to center fielder Josh Prince. Tyler Bortnick to 3rd.
  Brett Nommensen doubles (2) on a fly ball to left fielder Scott Krieger. Tyler Bortnick scores. Michael Sheridan scores.
  Mark Thomas grounds out, shortstop Tommy Manzella to first baseman Hunter Morris.

 

The Stars start the comeback...

Huntsville Bottom of the 7th

• Scott Krieger grounds out, third baseman Greg Sexton to first baseman Michael Sheridan.
  Kentrail Davis singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ty Morrison.
  Anderson De La Rosa homers (4) on a fly ball to left field. Kentrail Davis scores.
  Domnit Bolivar strikes out swinging.
  Matt Cline walks.
  Josh Prince homers (4) on a fly ball to left center field. Matt Cline scores.
  Pitcher Change: Adam Liberatore replaces Neil Schenk.
  Tommy Manzella grounds out, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee to first baseman Michael Sheridan.

 

and finish the comeback here.

Huntsville Bottom of the 8th

• Scooter Gennett doubles (17) on a fly ball to left fielder Omar Luna.
  Hunter Morris singles on a ground ball to right fielder Brett Nommensen. Scooter Gennett scores.
  Scott Krieger bunt pops out to catcher Mark Thomas in foul territory.
  Kentrail Davis singles on a ground ball to right fielder Brett Nommensen. Hunter Morris to 2nd.
  Pitcher Change: Frank De Los Santos replaces Adam Liberatore.
  Anderson De La Rosa singles on a line drive to right fielder Brett Nommensen. Hunter Morris to 3rd. Kentrail Davis to 2nd.
  Domnit Bolivar out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Ty Morrison. Hunter Morris scores. Kentrail Davis to 3rd. Anderson De La Rosa to 2nd.
  Matt Cline grounds out, second baseman Tyler Bortnick to first baseman Michael Sheridan.

 

*sigh* the losing streak continues.

Montgomery Top of the 9th

• Tyler Bortnick grounds out, third baseman Matt Cline to first baseman Hunter Morris.
  Michael Sheridan singles on a ground ball to second baseman Scooter Gennett, deflected by pitcher Brandon Kintzler.
  Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Kyeong Kang replaces Greg Sexton.
  Kyeong Kang singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kentrail Davis. Michael Sheridan to 2nd.
  Brett Nommensen walks. Michael Sheridan to 3rd. Kyeong Kang to 2nd.
  Mark Thomas grounds into a force out, shortstop Tommy Manzella to second baseman Scooter Gennett. Michael Sheridan scores. Kyeong Kang scores. Brett Nommensen out at 2nd. Mark Thomas advances to 1st, on throwing error by second baseman Scooter Gennett.
  Pitcher Change: Mitch Stetter replaces Brandon Kintzler.
  Hak-Ju Lee strikes out swinging.

[TheCrew07]

Final: Wisconsin 9, Clinton 1

 

Rattlers sweep Clinton with 9-1 win

Wisconsin has won seven straight games

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

CLINTON, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are staying on their roll heading into the final three games of the first half. Wisconsin defeated the Clinton LumberKings 9-1 Thursday night at Ashford University Field. Drew Gagnon pitched five shutout innings, Ben McMahan and Brandon Macias led the 13-hit attack with three runs each, and the Rattlers won their seventh straight game. The victory also gave the Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers a three-game sweep of the LumberKings.

 

Wisconsin (44-23) scored first with a pair of runs in the first inning. Cameron Garfield drove in the first run with a double. A couple of pitches later, Nick Ramirez came home from third on a passed ball to put the Rattlers up 2-0.

 

Macias continued his hot hitting with a double to lead off the third inning. In thirteen games this month, Macias has 19 hits in 52 at bats. Max Walla drove him home with a single and took second on the throw home. Speaking of hot hitting, McMahan extended his current hitting streak to seven games with an RBI single to send Walla home for a 4-0 advantage.

 

The Rattlers would tack on four more runs with a two out rally in the fourth inning with Macias, Walla, & McMahan all figuring into the outburst. Macias drove in John Dishon with a two-out RBI double. Walla drew a walk and a single by McMahan loaded the bases to chase Clinton starter Ambioris Hidalgo from the game.

 

One of the first pitches from reliever Josh Corrales to Ramirez went to the backstop to let Macias score Wisconsin's sixth run of the game. A couple of pitches later, Ramirez singled to center to chase both Walla and McMahan home for an 8-0 lead.

 

Gagnon cruised through five innings. He allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out three. The right-hander out of Long Beach State University allowed just one runner to reach third base. Gagnon would eventually pick up his sixth win of the season to move his record to 6-1.

 

Kevin Shackelford took the mound for the bottom of the sixth inning. He would allow one run in the seventh on an RBI grounder by Mario Yepez, but the offense got that run back when McMahan's third single of the game knocked in Carlos George in the top of the eighth. Shackelford would earn his first professional save by tossing the final four innings of the game.

 

Wisconsin closed out their first half series against Clinton at 8-1, including a 6-0 mark at Ashford University Field.

 

The Timber Rattlers begin their final series of the first half on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa with game one of a three game set against the Quad Cities River Bandits. Chad Thompson (2-1, 5.55) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Quad Cities counters with Hector Hernandez (4-4, 4.20) to take the hill. 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.

 

WP: Drew Gagnon (6-1)

LP: Ambioris Hidalgo (2-9)

SAVE: Kevin Shackelford (1)

 

TIME: 3:01

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Gagnon left early so Shackelford could get some work, Chris correctly pointed out on the broadcast that the tandems have been so effective this year the relievers aren't getting enough work. I actually have nothing more to add as I'm sure Chris will cover the rest in the 9.

 

Wisconsin Play By Play

[TooLiveBrew]

DSL Brewers 7, @DSL Angels 5

 

DSL Box

A strong start from Gian Rizzo, combined with a four-run 5th inning, propelled the Brewers to victory. Rizzo's line: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R/0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 9:3 GO:AO. Even though the lone run allowed was unearned, it came on a Rizzo throwing error on a close play at first base in the 3rd inning. Still, I don't want to diminish his strong start today. Six of the seven hits he allowed were scored as ground ball singles; the other hit was a double allowed in the scoreless Angels 5th inning. Rizzo definitely had the groundball working today.

 

Once Rizzo left the game, the Angels went to work on the Cerveceritos bullpen. Felix Paulino allowed a run in his inning of work, Angel Ventura was charged for all three runs the Angels scored in the 8th, and Doni Arias walked three straight batters in relief of Ventura in said 8th inning. The Brewers called on 17-yo Melvin Tejada (RHP, 6'3", 175 lbs.) to come into his fifth career professional game with the bases loaded and two outs... in the bottom of the 8th inning... in a 6-5 game. No worries, as Tejada induced a groundball out to end the 8th, and slammed the door in the 9th (after an error led off the inning with a free baserunner for the Angels). He finished with one single allowed, two strikeouts, and two groundball outs -- including the final out of the game. Congrats to Melvin on recording his first professional save!

 

Offensively, everyday-Carlos Pena doubled to kick-start the four-run rally in the 5th, and then socked a two-run HR in the 6th to lead the way for the Brewers. SS Carlos Belonis found another timely hit, with a two-RBI single in the 5th. 2B Alejandro Mendoza and 1B Kevin Martinez came up with back-to-back RBI singles in the 5th. 3B Raphachel Colatosti had a double and a single, along with one stolen base. Belonis, too, swiped another bag... but was also thrown out for the first time this season.

 

LF Juan Ortiz added a stolen base as well as two walks. RF Elvis Rubio doubled once in five ABs. CF Francisco Castillo went 0-4 out of the leadoff spot, but he did come up with an OF assist for the first out in the 3rd inning when he caught a runner trying to go first-to-third on a single. His assist came just one batter before Rizzo's throwing error allowed a run to come in from second base, which all but certainly would've been a two-run error without Castillo's play.

 

Sthervin Matos was again in the starting lineup, but again it was at DH. He went 1-4 with a walk.

 

 

 

DSL PbP

All the offense. First, the four-run 5th:

 

DSL Brewers Top of the 5th

-Sthervin Matos singles on a ground ball to left fielder Luis Jolly.

-Carlos Pena doubles (3) on a fly ball to center fielder Ayendy Perez. Sthervin Matos to 3rd.

-Alejandro Mendoza singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ayendy Perez. Sthervin Matos scores. Carlos Pena to 3rd.

-Kevin Martinez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Ranyelmy Mendoza. Carlos Pena scores. Alejandro Mendoza to 2nd.

-Francisco Castillo hits a sacrifice bunt. Alejandro Mendoza to 3rd. Kevin Martinez to 2nd. Francisco Castillo to 1st.

-Raphachel Colatosti strikes out swinging.

-Carlos Belonis singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ayendy Perez. Alejandro Mendoza scores. Kevin Martinez scores. Francisco Castillo to 3rd.

-With Elvis Rubio batting, Carlos Belonis caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Angel Guerra to shortstop Erick Salcedo.

-Elvis Rubio grounds out, third baseman Juan Moreno to first baseman Gabriel Villavicencio.

 

Two more in the 6th, thanks to Pena:

 

DSL Brewers Top of the 6th

-Juan Ortiz walks.

-With Sthervin Matos batting, Juan Ortiz steals (2) 2nd base. Juan Ortiz advances to 3rd, on throwing error by catcher Gabriel Santana.

-Sthervin Matos strikes out swinging.

-Carlos Pena homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Juan Ortiz scores.

-Alejandro Mendoza strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Angel Guerra. Alejandro Mendoza to 1st.

-Pitcher Change: Jose Mendoza replaces Angel Guerra.

-Kevin Martinez grounds into a force out, shortstop Erick Salcedo to second baseman Ismael Dionicio. Alejandro Mendoza out at 2nd. Kevin Martinez to 1st.

-Francisco Castillo called out on strikes.

 

After the Angels rally in the 8th to cut the defecit to 6-5, and in a manner very befitting the 2012 Cerveceritos, one more insurance run in the 9th was tacked on thanks to chaos on the basepaths:

 

DSL Brewers Top of the 9th

-Pitcher Change: Alexander Valdez replaces Ernesto DeLeon.

-Francisco Castillo called out on strikes.

-Raphachel Colatosti singles on a soft ground ball to pitcher Alexander Valdez. Raphachel Colatosti advances to 2nd, on throwing error by pitcher Alexander Valdez.

-Carlos Belonis strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Alexander Valdez. Raphachel Colatosti to 3rd. Carlos Belonis to 1st.

-With Elvis Rubio batting, Carlos Belonis steals (7) 2nd base.

-Elvis Rubio reaches on fielding error by third baseman Juan Moreno. Raphachel Colatosti scores. Carlos Belonis to 3rd.

-With Juan Ortiz batting, passed ball by Gabriel Santana, Elvis Rubio to 2nd.

-Juan Ortiz pops out to shortstop Erick Salcedo.

-Sthervin Matos strikes out swinging.

[Tedaldtada]

Brevard County 2 Daytona (Cubs) 1 Finished early

 

Box Score

 

The 2nd BC game has been delayed shortly after the Manatees took the lead in the top of the 8th. Game sits at 2-1 Manatees. Reggie Keen has 3 hits in G2 giving him 5 in the last 2. He also stole his 22nd base. Michael Reed has a 1B in 3 trips. No one else has a hit besides those two guys.

 

Brian Garman, Eric Marzec and Greg Holle have pitched a great game thus far with 7 IP 6 H 1 R 1 ER 6 K 1 HR and a 12:2 GO:FO.

 

Game Log

 

Sparkplug Wunderkid (aka Michael Reed)

 

Brevard County Top of the 8th

 

Michael Reed singles on a line drive to center fielder John Andreoli.

Franklin Romero Jr. hit by pitch. Michael Reed to 2nd.

Nick Shaw hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by third baseman Greg Rohan. Michael Reed scores. Franklin Romero Jr. to 3rd. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

Reggie Keen lines out to pitcher Scott Weismann.

 

Let's see if this one gets completed tonight.

 

So they just called this one after 8 1/2 innings. Great sweep for the 'Tees.

 

No game story posted as of now for either game.

[Mass Haas]

Schafer's bat heating up for Sounds

by Greg Sullivan, The Tennessean

 

On the most recent Sounds roadtrip, center fielder Logan Schafer couldn’t stop getting hits.

 

The 25-year-old prospect led the Pacific Coast League with a .593 average (16-for-27) over the recent seven-game trip that ended Wednesday. In Thursday’s home game, he was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

 

“To be honest, I think I’ve been swinging the same as I have since April but, yeah, balls are starting to find holes,” said Schafer, who was recently dropped to the third spot in the batting order from leadoff.

 

“I love hitting with people on base,” Schafer said. “I welcome the challenge.”

 

“His average will tell you he’s hitting a lot better, hitting the ball to all fields, staying within himself”, Sounds Manager Mike Guerrero said. “He’s a line-drive hitter who occasionally hits the long ball. He’s coming around.”

 

Schafer has raised his average to .295 after a slow start and has five home runs. He is hitting .419 (18-for-43) in 12 games batting third.

 

Nashville Brewers: The Sounds have sent 10 players to Milwaukee this season, but this weekend Nashville will be playing host to a group of rehabbing Brewers for the first time.

 

Brewers right-hander Marco Estrada, who is rehabbing a right quadriceps strain, is scheduled to start for the Sounds on Saturday against the Storm Chasers. Brewers first baseman Travis Ishikawa (left oblique strain) and shortstop Cesar Izturis (left hamstring) are also expected to play in this weekend’s series, Guerrero said.

 

From the majors: Sounds reliever Vinnie Chulk has lots of stories from the big leagues, but his best is easily the one of his major-league debut at Yankee Stadium in 2003.

 

Chulk, then a Blue Jay, jogged from the bullpen to make his first appearance but he left the bullpen a little too early.

 

“I got caught in the middle of left field, ‘God Bless America’ starts and my legs start shaking,” Chulk said. “And I’m like, ‘Just keep it together.’ Telling myself to keep it together the whole time, not even thinking about pitching, just trying to stay up on my feet.

 

“Finally it ended and I got to run in. I think I sprinted as fast as I could to the mound, threw some warmup pitches and got on with the inning.

 

“I ended up throwing two innings. Well, I almost hit (Derek) Jeter in the head by accident. That probably would have ended up being the worst thing of my career, but I put it together and got some outs.”

 

Tennessee’s trophy: The new I-40 Cup was in the Sounds’ press box on Thursday night. The two-foot-tall, silver trophy presented by the Tennessee Education Lottery will go to the winner of the Nashville-Memphis season series beginning this year.

 

Nashville has a 2-1 lead for the Cup after winning its first road series this season against the Redbirds with Wednesday’s 5-4 win. The two teams will meet 12 more times this season.

[Mass Haas]

STARS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT, DROP NINTH STRAIGHT

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.- In a game where they took a six-run deficit and made it into a tied ballgame in the eighth inning, the Huntsville Stars (33-34) ultimately fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (35-30) by a final score of 9-7 on Thursday night at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

The Stars got on the board first in the third inning. Center fielder Josh Prince drew a walk and stole second to get in scoring position. Shortstop Tommy Manzella singled up the middle to plate Prince and put the Stars up 1-0.

 

Huntsville starter Dan Merklinger threw a gem in his spot start, holding the Biscuits scoreless through three innings. Reliever R.J Seidel came in in the fourth and gave up a two-out single and he left the runner stranded. The fifth inning was a different story. Montgomery sent nine batters to the plate against the 24-year-old righty in the inning. Overall, the Biscuits scored five runs highlighted by an RBI single by catcher Matt Thomas, a two-run single by left fielder Omar Luna and a RBI groundout by first baseman Michael Sheridan to take a commanding four-run advantage.

 

Then, with Stars reliever Darren Byrd on the mound, a two-run double by right fielder Brett Nommensen gave Montgomery a steady 7-1 lead.

 

However, Huntsville would not go down without a fight. With a pair of two-run home runs by catcher Anderson De La Rosa and center fielder Josh Prince, the Stars cut their deficit to two by the end of the seventh.

 

In the eighth inning, the Stars were able to make it a brand new ballgame. After a lead-off double by second baseman Scooter Gennett, an RBI single from first baseman Hunter Morris made the score 7-6. Following back-to-back singles by right fielder Kentrail Davis and De La Rosa that would load the bases, a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Domnit Bolivar scored Morris to tie up the ballgame.

 

The tie would not last for long though. In the top half of the ninth inning, the Biscuits loaded the bases against Stars reliever Brandon Kintzler. Then, with one out, a Mark Thomas grounder caused a throwing error by Gennett while trying to turn an inning-ending double play that helped plate the final two runs of the ballgame.

 

For Montgomery, LHP Frank De Los Santos pitched a scoreless ninth inning to improve to 4-1 on the season.

 

For Huntsville, Kintzler took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year. The Stars bullpen as a whole gave up all nine runs on the night after Merklinger began the game. The loss was the Stars season-high ninth straight of the season and ties their longest streak dating back to 2009.

 

On offense, both Manzella and De La Rosa had three hits apiece. Manzella is now 7-for-9 at the plate through the first two games of the series.

 

On Friday, the Stars will face off against Biscuits LHP Kyle Lobstein (3-2, 4.15 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 p.m.

[Mass Haas]

Daytona Cubs drop 2 games; Manatees win suspended game

By ROB ULLERY, Daytona News Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Brevard County Manatees may be praying for rain every game.

 

Showers and thunderstorms wrecked havoc on two games against the Daytona Cubs, but they walked away with a 7-3 victory in the completion of a suspended game Thursday and a 2-1 victory in the nightcap of a game called because of unplayable field conditions at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

One game took two days and the other game -- tied after its scheduled seven innings -- was called in the top of the eighth, and in total there were four rain delays and one suspension. But it all equaled two victories for the Manatees (29-37).

 

The first game began Wednesday at Space Coast Stadium, but was suspended because of thunderstorms with the Manatees up 3-1 after three innings. The game resumed in Daytona Beach, becoming part of a twinbill with another game already scheduled for Thursday.

 

The Cubs quickly erased the Manatees' 3-1 lead with runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Rubi Silva scored on Richard Jones' single in the fourth inning and Arismendy Alcantara scored on a Silva bases-loaded groundout to first base in the fifth.

 

But the Manatees put the game out of reach in the sixth. They parlayed three hits and an error into three unearned runs for a 6-3 lead they would never relinquish. Cody Hawn hit a two-out single, then Joey Paciorek reached an on error. Hawn scored on Brent Dean's single, Paciorek on a bases-loaded walk and Dean on Reggie Keen's single.

 

The Manatees added an insurance run in the seventh when Shea Vucinich drew a walk, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on Paciorek's single.

 

"The first game we just made some mistakes that hurt us," manager Brian Harper said.

 

The Cubs bounced back in the nightcap. P.J. Francescon got the starting nod and pitched a two-hit shutout over five innings, but would not get the win.

 

Micah Gibbs, who came into the games hitting .241, blasted a one-out home run over the right-center field fence in the fourth inning. Having already gone 1-for-3 in the first game, he added a double and would go 2-for-3 in the nightcap.

 

"Gibbs is swinging the bat well," Harper said. "He really drove that ball to right-center."

 

But Brevard County's Keen tied things up when he drove a triple to right-center field with a man on in the sixth. That would send the game into extra innings as the rains returned.

 

The Manatees pulled ahead in the top of the eighth when Michael Reed led off with a single, went to second when Franklin Romero Jr. was hit by a pitch and scored on an error. Cubs third baseman Greg Rohan tried to throw out Romero at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt, but threw wildly into left field.

 

The Cubs never got to bat in the eighth as heavy rains pelted the field. The rains would ease around 11:15 p.m. and the grounds crew worked frantically to try to get the field ready, but the game was finally called at 11:30 p.m.

 

"I wasn't sure if it would just be suspended or if it would be canceled or what," Harper said. "In that second game we had our opportunities and we didn't collect on them."

[Mass Haas]

Catching up on Nashville video from the Memphis series:

 

Jordan Brown connects on a two-run shot off Shelby Miller in the Sounds' 10-4 win last Monday

 

Corey Patterson hits a two-out double in the sixth inning of the Sounds' 2-0 loss Tuesday

 

Jason Jaramillo homers to right scoring Corey Patterson in the Sounds' 5-4 win Wednesday