Link Report for Wed. 7/18 - Rattlers Walk Off on McMahan Blast!

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Seth McClung at home vs. Round Rock (Rangers), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

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

 

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

 

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Huntsville: Idle

 

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Brevard County: LHP Jed Bradley at St. Lucie (Mets), 5:30 PM gametime; each contest slated for seven innings

 

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

 

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

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Chad Thompson at home vs. Great Lakes (Dodgers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 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 Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, plus one July Helena series (11th-13th).

 

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Helena: Idle

 

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Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at the Padres' complex in Peoria; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

 

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

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Maryvale

 

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

 

Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division

 

Rookie - Arizona Summer League

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division

 

***

 

NOTE: AAA Nashville does not play a split schedule. The other leagues, including the rookie leagues, do. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County or Wisconsin, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

[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]

DVR ALERT!

 

As we like to do and have done all this week, here's some notice for you.

 

On Thursday the 19th, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers game (7:05 PM).

 

The Brewers are off, so a nice TV bonus for locals.

 

RHP Matt Miller is the scheduled starter.

[Mass Haas]

Our friends at Disciples of Uecker put together their Midseason Top 30 Brewers Prospects list.

[TooLiveBrew]

EDIT: Today is not Thursday. I'm going to tomorrow night's T-Rats game. Also, I am dumb.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes

[pogokat]

Cam Garfield has been some kind of awesome this month---for those of you who have gotten to see him a lot this year, is there a noticeable difference? What's going on here?

[Tedaldtada]

Nic Bucci threw an inning in Maryvale.

[nate82]

Cam Garfield has been some kind of awesome this month---for those of you who have gotten to see him a lot this year, is there a noticeable difference? What's going on here?

 

Last year he had an injury and the year before that he was rather young for where he was. Not sure there is anything different. What I would like to know is if that knee injury is hampering his catching at all.

[homer]

Cam Garfield has been some kind of awesome this month---for those of you who have gotten to see him a lot this year, is there a noticeable difference? What's going on here?

 

I was just going to post about him. Really impressive numbers this year. Wonder if he'll get bumped before end of the season?

 

EDIT: Actually, he's only got 32 games played so far. I bet they let him stick the year out in Appleton and start him out in BC next season.

[Tedaldtada]

Brevard County 9 Port St. Lucie (Mets) 7

 

Box Score

 

Jed Bradley, what do we do with you? He was left in to suffer through most 5th inning and we have been suffering through his starts since mid-April. The most frustrating thing is that I am sure Bradley looked great in the 2010 Cape Cod League. It was during that time that Bradley was touching 97 with his FB. Along with the heat, he also flashed a plus breaking ball and had the perfect pitching body. The icing was the fact that he is a lefty. Fast forward to the 2011 college season. Now Bradley is more of a low-90's guys with mixed results. With the step back in stuff came a fall in the draft all the way to #15. I get the pick even, the Brewers bought low. This was the top lefty in the draft for much of the lead up to draft day and there he was sitting there with our 2nd pick in the round. They saw value and pounced. Unfortunately for them (and us), Bradley has taken yet another step back stuff wise. Most reports I come across now have him high-80's with the heater with an inconsistently nasty slider and a get me over change up. In these instances, I almost always hope injury, because if it isn't injury, it is the player. My plan is to basically ride the cautiously optimistic train and hope his stuff makes a miraculous jump back to that 2010 Cape Cod League stuff. In the end, it is probably up to Jed moreso than miracles.

 

Thomas Keeling went 7 scoreless outs before giving way to the returned Alan Williams. Williams threw a scoreless inning. Casey Medlen closed it out for his 13th save. I sometimes wonder what would happen if you swapped the BC bullpen with the parent club bullpen. Would Medlen, Harvey, Williams, Keeling, Holle, Garman, and Marzec really be that much worse?

 

At the plate, BC rapped out 9 singles. Jason Rogers went 2-5 and Reggie Keen went 2-4 with a BB and 2 SB. John Dishon went 1-5 and stole 3 bags. Hector Gomez has been pretty awful at the plate and in the field since being signed.

 

Game Log

 

Bat around in the 1st and feel great.

 

Brevard County Top of the 1st

 

Nick Shaw reaches on fielding error by second baseman Daniel Muno.

Shea Vucinich singles on a ground ball to left fielder Rafael Fernandez. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

Jason Rogers singles on a fly ball to center fielder Alonzo Harris. Nick Shaw to 3rd. Shea Vucinich to 2nd.

Mike Walker hit by pitch. Nick Shaw scores. Shea Vucinich to 3rd. Jason Rogers to 2nd.

Brock Kjeldgaard singles on a line drive to left fielder Rafael Fernandez. Shea Vucinich scores. Jason Rogers to 3rd. Mike Walker to 2nd.

Hector Gomez strikes out swinging.

With Reggie Keen batting, wild pitch by Chase Huchingson, Jason Rogers scores. Mike Walker to 3rd. Brock Kjeldgaard to 2nd.

Reggie Keen walks.

Joey Paciorek hit by pitch. Mike Walker scores. Brock Kjeldgaard to 3rd. Reggie Keen to 2nd.

John Dishon grounds into a force out, shortstop T. Rivera to second baseman Daniel Muno. Brock Kjeldgaard scores. Reggie Keen to 3rd. Joey Paciorek out at 2nd. John Dishon to 1st.

With Nick Shaw batting, John Dishon steals (5) 2nd base.

Nick Shaw hit by pitch.

Pitcher Change: Kyle Allen replaces Chase Huchingson.

Shea Vucinich pops out to first baseman Richard Lucas.

 

Double steal?

 

Brevard County Top of the 3rd

Hector Gomez hit by pitch.

Reggie Keen singles on a fly ball to right fielder Cory Vaughn. Hector Gomez to 2nd.

Joey Paciorek singles on a line drive to left fielder Rafael Fernandez. Hector Gomez to 3rd. Reggie Keen to 2nd.

John Dishon grounds into a force out, shortstop T. Rivera to second baseman Daniel Muno. Hector Gomez scores. Reggie Keen to 3rd. Joey Paciorek out at 2nd. John Dishon to 1st.

With Nick Shaw batting, Reggie Keen steals (31) home. John Dishon steals (6) 2nd base.

Nick Shaw strikes out swinging. John Dishon steals (7) 3rd base.

Shea Vucinich reaches on fielding error by shortstop T. J. Rivera. John Dishon scores.

Jason Rogers singles on a line drive to right fielder Cory Vaughn. Shea Vucinich to 3rd.

Mike Walker grounds out, second baseman Daniel Muno to first baseman Richard Lucas.

[bkrause2]

Final: Great Lakes 4, Wisconsin 5 (10 Innings)

 

Mac Attack! McMahan blasts game-winning homer in tenth for Rattlers

Wisconsin beats Great Lakes 5-4 in ten innings

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - Ben McMahan drilled a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to propel the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to a 5-4 win over the Great Lakes Loons Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. McMahan also drove in the tying run with a double as Wisconsin started a six-game homestand with their ninth 'walkoff' win of the season.

 

Nick Ramirez put the Rattlers (57-37 overall, 13-12 second half) on the board in the first inning. The slugging first baseman cracked a two-run homer that landed on the beach beyond the wall in right-center for a 2-0 lead. The homer was the tenth of the season for Ramirez.

 

But, the Loons (45-50, 11-14) rallied back with two runs in the second and two more in the third off Rattlers starting pitcher Chad Thompson. Pedro Guerrero tied the game with a two-out, two-run double in the second. Joe Winker put Great Lakes in front with a one out triple to drive in a run in the third. A single by O'Koyea Dickson made it 4-2.

 

Wisconsin went to the bullpen in the fourth inning and Jacob Barnes responded to the call. The right-hander scattered six hits and struck out six over 6-1/3 innings to keep the Loons at four runs.

 

Cameron Garfield brought the Rattlers to within a run with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning.

 

There were two outs and none on for Wisconsin in the bottom of the sixth when Ramirez drew a walk and Greg Hopkins singled. McMahan tied the game by pulling a 1-0 pitch inside the third base bag for a double into the left field corner to score Ramirez with the tying run.

 

Barnes left the game after getting Darnell Sweeney to bunt foul with two strikes with a runner at first in the top of the tenth. Lefty Stephen Peterson replaced Barnes and retired the next two Great Lakes batters - both left-handed hitters - to set the stage for McMahan in the bottom of the tenth.

 

Matt Shelton, the fifth Loons pitcher of the night, retired the first two batters in the bottom of the tenth. Then, McMahan jumped on the first pitch of his at bat against Shelton and lined it over the wall in left-center for his eighth home run of the season.

 

The blast was the third 'walkoff' home run of the season for the Timber Rattlers.

 

Game two of the series is Thursday night. Matt Miller (7-6, 4.29) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Loons have Greg Wilborn as their starter and he will make his first Midwest League start. Game time is 7:05pm.

 

There is a lot going on at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Thursday night. Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy is scheduled to make the first of four appearances on a rehabilitation assignment for the Timber Rattlers.

 

Thursday is Knights Jewelry Ladies Night. The first 500 ladies to attend the game will receive a gift bag including a nail file, special offers and candy compliments of Vande Walle's Candies. Ladies Night will also feature wine tasting, massages and salon/spa offers. The evening will wrap up with a diamond dig where a select number of ladies will compete to find a half-carat diamond in the sand beach area.

 

All fans can enjoy 16oz soda and beer for just $2 as part of Thirsty Thursday presented by Slugger's Sports Bar! After the game, those in attendance can take their ticket stub to Sluggers Sports Bar - located in Super Bowl on Northland Avenue - to win Miller Lite drinks and prizes.

 

If you can't make it to the ballpark there are many ways to follow the action. Time Warner Cable subscribers can watch the broadcast on Sports32. The radio call is on AM1280, WNAM and timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. Fans with subscriptions to MiLB.TV can watch the internet video of the game.

 

HOME RUNS:

WIS:

Nick Ramirez (10th, 1 on in 1st inning off Raydel Sanchez, 2 out)

Cameron Garfield (5th, 0 on in 4th inning off Raydel Sanchez, 0 out)

Ben McMahan (8th, 0 on in 10th inning off Matt Shelton, 2 out)

 

WP: Stephen Peterson (3-2)

LP: Matt Shelton (1-4)

 

TIME: 3:16

ATTN: 4,467

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Yet another walk-off win for the Rattlers. This time it was Ben McMahan providing the heroics. He went 2-5 with a double and that 10th inning walk-off home run. Chadwin Stang also had another 2 hit game, going 2-5 with a double and he stole his 19th base of the year. Greg Hopkins was finally back in the lineup for the T-Rats after getting drilled in the head a couple weeks ago. Really glad to have Hopkins back in the heart of the Timber Rattlers order. Nick Ramirez cracked his 10th home run and also walked. As previously mentioned, Cameron Garfield hit his 5th home run in 32 games. Brandon Macias was on base twice with a walk, and you guessed it, a hit by pitch. Macias also stole a base.

 

Chad Thompson gave up four runs in threee innings, but Jacob Barnes came on in relief and completely shut down Great Lakes. He went 6.1 innings and did not give up a run. He allowed six hits and struck out six. Stephen Peterson got the last two outs of the 10th inning and notched his third win of the season.

 

Wisconsin Play By Play

Wisconsin Bottom of the 10th

Nick Ramirez strikes out swinging.

Gregory Hopkins flies out to center fielder James Baldwin.

Ben McMahan homers (8) on a fly ball to left center field.

[TheCrew07]

Sounds Fall To Express, 8-5

Patterson Homers, Halton Drives In Two For Nashville In Losing Effort

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds dropped their second straight game to the Round Rock Express, falling 8-5 on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

With the defeat, the Sounds (42-55) suffered their first consecutive losses since late June.

 

All-Star outfielder Joey Butler paced the Express' offensive attack with a 5-for-5 night that included an RBI and three runs scored. It marked the first five-hit effort by an opponent against Nashville this season.

 

First baseman Sean Halton went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to highlight four two-hit efforts by Sounds batters on the night.

 

Round Rock opened the scoring with a three-run second inning against Sounds starter Seth McClung, who suffered his Pacific Coast League-leading 12th loss of the year.

 

Former Sound Brad Nelson led off with a double to right and, after Ryan Spilborghs was hit by a pitch, scored the night's first run on Butler's RBI two-bagger into the right field corner. Luis Hernandez made it 2-0 when he plated Spilborghs with a sacrifice fly before Butler scored the third Express run on Elio Sarmiento's RBI single to center.

 

The Sounds got a run back in the bottom of the second. After loading the bases with one out against Round Rock starter Chad Bell on three consecutive singles, catcher Jason Jaramillo lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Halton to make it a 3-1 contest. Nashville was unable to do any further damage, though, as Bell induced an inning-ending groundout from Edwin Maysonet.

 

Nashville pulled in front, 4-3, with a three-run outburst against Bell in the third. Halton tied the game with a two-out, two-run double down the left field line that brought in Eric Farris (single) and Andy Gonzalez (walk). For the third straight night, Taylor Green (2-for-4) gave the Sounds their first lead of the contest when he followed with a broken-bat RBI single to shallow right.

 

Round Rock reclaimed a 6-4 lead in the fourth, chasing McClung from the contest in the process. After the right-hander issued a leadoff walk to Spilborghs, Butler and Yangervis Solarte followed with back-to-back singles, the second of which knotted the game at 4-4. Later in the frame, Butler put the Express back on top when he raced plateward on Julio Borbon's bases-loaded infield single. McClung followed by issuing a walk to his final batter, Greg Miclat, to up the visitors' lead to 6-4.

 

Sounds reliever Rob Wooten inherited a one-out, bases-loaded jam and escaped without further damage by popping up former Vanderbilt star Matt Kata and inducing a groundout from Nelson.

 

McClung (2-12) allowed six runs on six hits over 3 1/3 innings of action, walking four batters and striking out three.

 

The Express added single runs in the fifth and sixth against Wooten on a two-out Hernandez RBI double and a Kata run-scoring single to extend the advantage to 8-4.

 

Corey Patterson belted his eighth home run of the year, a mammoth one-out solo shot to right off Bell, to pull the Sounds within three at 8-5. The red-hot veteran went 2-for-4 on the night and is hitting .391 (36-for-92) over his last 29 contests.

 

Bell (3-2) picked up the victory for Round Rock after allowing five runs on nine hits in seven innings of work.

 

Johan Yan and Yoshinori Tateyama closed out the contest with a pair of perfect innings for Round Rock, with Tateyama picking up his second save of the year.

 

The teams will wrap up the four-game set with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Thursday evening. Right-hander Claudio Vargas (3-1, 4.94) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face Round Rock right-hander Justin Grimm (0-0, 2.25).

 

The first 2,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a bobblehead of Oak Ridge Boy bass singer Richard Sterban, a former Sounds minority owner and one of the team's official ambassadors.

 

Nashville Box Score`

I find it discouraging that Melvin cycled back both McClung and Vargas as starting pitchers for Nashville. Hasn't that ship already sailed? I certainly have no problem stashing depth in AAA, but neither pitcher fits my definition of MLB starting pitching depth at this point in their careers. Don't get me wrong, I've always liked big Seth, but he's just not a starting pitcher at this point.

 

Sean Halton had a big day but is only SLG in the mid .400s, I'm honestly not sure what to make of him as that's about where I would guess Scooter Gennett would end up if he makes it in MLB.

 

Nashville Play By Play

[Tedaldtada]

Brewers 9 Padres 4

 

Box Score

 

Hey, Nic Bucci, my #14 prospect, is alive and pitching. Nice! He gave up a homer to Jaff Decker in his lone inning. Decker has been around for awhile now and he has always raked, so don't feel to bad Nic. Zachary Quintana came in next and threw 4 very impressive innings. Quintana gave up only 2 hits and struck out 4. He also forced a fantastic 7 GO's against only 1 FO. Zachary has started off his career with 15 pretty darn good innings. Danny Keller also pitched well in this one going 2.1 perfect innings with a K. He needed that.

 

The bats roughed up 7th overall pick Max Fried to the point where he had to be reomved in the 2nd inning. Clint Coulter (2-4 BB), Dustin Houle (2-5 2B) (#36), Jose Garcia (2-5 3B HR) and Malcom Dowell (2-5) (#54) all had multi-hit games. The outburst was out of character for Garcia and do notice that Dowell was in CF tonight. His bat probably profiles better there, but that has yet to be determined. Clean-up hitter Alan Sharkey (1-3 2B 2 BB) and 8-hitter Renaldo Jenkins (1-3 2 BB 3 SB) were on base all night. In his final AB, Jose Pena hit a 3B to finish 1-5. Pena just keeps punishing the baseball as this one was listed as a line drive.

 

Game Log

 

Quintana!

 

AZL Padres Bottom of the 2nd

 

Pitcher Change: Zachary Quintana replaces Nick Bucci.

Jairo Gomez grounds out, shortstop Angel Ortega to first baseman Alan Sharkey.

Adam Ford strikes out swinging.

Christian Munoz reaches on fielding error by second baseman Renaldo Jenkins.

Edwin Moreno grounds into a force out, shortstop Angel Ortega to second baseman Renaldo Jenkins. Christian Munoz out at 2nd.

 

AZL Padres Bottom of the 3rd

 

Jalen Goree bunt grounds out, third baseman Taylor Smith-Brennan to first baseman Alan Sharkey.

Jaff Decker singles on a ground ball to second baseman Renaldo Jenkins.

Luis Tejada strikes out swinging.

Gabriel Quintana pops out to shortstop Angel Ortega.

Quintana v Quintana

 

AZL Padres Bottom of the 4th

 

Henry Charles called out on strikes.

Jairo Gomez doubles (1) on a fly ball to right fielder Jose Pena.

Adam Ford grounds out, second baseman Renaldo Jenkins to first baseman Alan Sharkey. Jairo Gomez to 3rd.

Christian Munoz grounds out, first baseman Alan Sharkey to pitcher Zachary Quintana.

 

AZL Padres Bottom of the 5th

 

Edwin Moreno flies out to center fielder Malcolm Dowell.

Jalen Goree strikes out swinging.

Jaff Decker grounds out, pitcher Zachary Quintana to first baseman Alan Sharkey.

[TheCrew07]

Helisek unhittable in third career start

Cardinals' 30th-round pick fans two over six shutout innings

By Danny Wild / MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/07/18/HqZz6KBO.jpg

Kyle Helisek was the first Villanova player drafted by St. Louis. (Villanova Athletics)

 

When you're five games into your professional career, winning an argument with a manager is about as likely as getting a call to the Majors. Not that Kyle Helisek didn't have a valid argument to make on Wednesday night.

 

Helisek tossed six hitless innings in his third start in the Cardinals' system, striking out two before reaching his pitch count in short-season Batavia's 2-1 loss to Jamestown.

 

"I knew he wasn't going to let me go three more," Helisek said, referring to Muckdogs skipper Dann Bilardello. "He said I wasn't going to win the argument."

 

Helisek, the Cardinals' 30th-round pick last month out of Villanova, worked 1-2-3 innings in every frame but the third, when Juancito Martinez reached on first baseman David Washington's error. Helisek and catcher Jonathan Keener took care of that when the lefty picked off the Jammers' lone baserunner and retired the final 10 batters he faced.

 

For Helisek, a no-hitter came into focus around the sixth. By then, after four outings in which he hadn't gone more than 4 2/3 innings, his night was over.

 

"I think, to be honest, the sixth, when I got taken out after two times through the order, I'm thinking, 'Three more innings, nine more outs, I can do this,'" Helisek said. "And that's when I got the news I was done."

 

Helisek, like countless Minor Leaguers before him, took a seat with a no-hitter in progress. He handed the ball to Brandon Creath, who kept the gem intact in the seventh but gave up two hits in the eighth.

 

"As soon as I came in, Dann Bilardello told me right away," Helisek said. "I mean, I just kinda accepted it. It was early."

 

Helisek lost what would have been his second victory when Jamestown rallied for a walk-off win against Lee Stoppelman.

 

Win or not, it was a dominant effort by the Pennsylvania native, who said the deepest he took a no-hitter in college was about the eighth.

 

"I knew I was on a pitch count, but that's always in the back of your mind," Helisek said. "It's definitely hard to come out of that situation."

 

The 22-year-old, who pitched four seasons at Villanova, said he fed Jamestown a steady diet of heat after his curveball felt off in the bullpen.

 

"I threw a ton of fastballs. I knew in my bullpen I didn't love my breaking ball," he said. "I knew I had to keep my fastball low. Every pitch, I moved in and out and kept it low. It worked well for me today."

 

Only fastballs? Not quite, but in the New York-Penn League, sometimes that's all you need.

 

"I would say fastballs in and out, locating, and I mixed in a lot of changeups," Helisek said. "Our catcher, Keener, did a good job calling pitches, so that was really helpful."

 

Helisek's pick-off in the third was a case of Batavia guessing right. He threw to first and Washington fired to shortstop Alex Mejia for the tag.

 

"To be honest, after I saw my second baseman [breyvic Valera] catch it, I put my head down and then heard the crowd cheer," Helisek said. "I got two pick-off calls from our catcher, so credit to him. He read that one and we got him, so it was good."

 

The outing will be another lesson in the Minors, something Helisek said he's adjusting to well since leaving Villanova ranked sixth in school history in innings pitched.

 

"It's been great, playing out here, and it's nice to go out and have a great defense behind you," he said. "For the most part, we're hitting well, so it's a great feeling. I've been really enjoying it, definitely learned a lot and it's only been a month and a half."

 

Jamestown trailed until rallying in the ninth. Martinez drew a leadoff walk, Cameron Flynn reached on a bunt and a groundout by Jesus Solorzano moved both runners into scoring position. Matt Juengel followed with a line drive to center field for a walk-off single.

[TheCrew07]

DSL Cubs righties suspended by MLB

De La Cruz, Encarnacion to miss 50 games for Stanozolol

By Danny Wild / MLB.com

 

NEW YORK -- A pair of Chicago Cubs Minor Leaguers were suspended on Wednesday after each tested positive for a banned steroid.

 

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that right-handed pitchers Juancito De La Cruz and Antonio Encarnacion have each been suspended for 50 games without pay after testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol. The suspensions are effective immediately.

 

De La Cruz has appeared in 10 games for the Cubs' Dominucan affiliate this season, going 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA through July 16.

 

Encarnacion has spent three seasons with the Cubs' DSL affiliate but has yet to pitch in 2012.

 

Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone that is sometimes prescribed by veterinarians to encourage muscle growth, red blood cell production, bone density and to stimulate the appetite of weakened animals. It's also been linked to body builders and several former and current baseball players.

 

Major League Baseball has suspended 55 players this year for violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

[TheCrew07]

No DSL Box Score yet as of 00:05 CDT I'll keep checking as long I can stay awake.

 

edit. off to bed, will get it in the morning if no one else does before I head to work.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog -- Video Highlights

 

The Garfield and McMahan home runs are naturally fun to watch, but the defense shines here -- Nick Ramirez snags a liner, Jacob Barnes with a nice diving catch on a bunt, but most impressively, Yadiel Rivera bare-handing a long feed from second baseman Greg Hopkins as part of a 4-6-3 double play. Like Chris said, "Are you kidding me?"

 

From earlier in the afternoon, Wisconsin Media Notes; unique baseball-free evening for yours truly Wednesday, thunderstorms knocked out power until Thursday morning.

[Mass Haas]

Here's the full DSL scoreboard from Wednesday, note that several games were interrupted mid-game and then suspended, no Brewers box yet, makes you wonder if they got underway at all. We'll keep an eye on it for possible catch-up later on.

[Mass Haas]

McMahan delivers game winner as Timber Rattlers top Loons in 10th

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE — Ben McMahan had a hunch he’d see a fastball from Matt Shelton on the first pitch.

 

McMahan won both the guessing game and the ballgame.

 

McMahan drilled a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to a dramatic 5-4 win over the Great Lakes Loons on Wednesday night.

 

McMahan’s eighth homer of the season was a line shot that just cleared the wall in left-center to give Wisconsin its ninth walk-off win of the season.

 

“I was fully expecting a fastball,” said McMahan. “We’ve had a lot of extra-inning games this year and it was good to end one early for the boys. I got it pretty good, but it was kind of low and I thought for a second it was going to bounce off the wall.”

 

It didn’t, and the Rattlers had delivered another late-inning victory at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin (57-37) has an outstanding 33-12 record at home.

 

“There is just a belief here that we’re going to score more runs than the other team,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. “It’s great to be back home.”

 

It was McMahan’s first walk-off homer as a pro.

 

“I did it once in college against Georgia and it’s such an awesome feeling,” said McMahan. “And when you do it in front of a home crowd, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

 

McMahan, a 23rd-round pick out of the University of Florida by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2011 first-year player draft, has put together a strong season. He is hitting .298 and has knocked in 44 runs, second-best on the team. He entered the game with an impressive slugging percentage of .482.

 

“Ben has a very repeatable swing, where his mechanics are easy to repeat,” said Erickson. “And he’s got a little pop.”

 

First baseman Nick Ramirez and catcher Cameron Garfield also slammed homers for the Rattlers.

 

Ramirez hit a long two-run shot to right in the first inning that landed near the “Welcome to the Beach” sign. It was his 10th home run of the season. Ramirez also made a terrific defensive play at first base in the third inning, diving to his right to snag a line drive by Scott Shebler and take away a base hit.

 

Garfield hit a solo homer in fourth, his fifth of the year and second in the past two games.

 

Wisconsin received a top-notch pitching performance out of the bullpen by right-hander Jacob Barnes.

 

Barnes took over for starter Chad Thompson in the fourth and threw 61/3 scoreless innings. Barnes scattered six hits and struck out six before departing with one out in the top of the 10th.

 

Stephen Peterson, who got the final two outs in the 10th, was credited with the win.

 

“Jacob Barnes was our player of the game,” said Erickson. “He just kept putting zeroes up there. When you have a pitcher doing that, it just creates a belief in the position players that he’s keeping you in the game.”

[Mass Haas]

Brevard hangs on to top Mets

'Tees score five in the first, win 9-7 to take series

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees jumped out to an 8-1 and held on to defeat the St. Lucie Mets, 9-7 on Wednesday night at Digital Domain Park. The win gave the 'Tees a series victory over the first half South division champs, as they took three of four from the Mets.

 

Brevard (15-11 second half, 44-50) jumped all over the Mets right out of the gate as they scored five in the first inning as St. Lucie (11-16, 60-35) starter Chase Huchingson lasted just 2/3 of an inning. Nick Shaw led off the game by reaching first on an error and then back-to-back singles by Shea Vucinich and Jason Rogers loaded the bases.

 

Mike Walker was then hit by a pitch as Shaw scored. Brock Kjeldgaard then singled to drive in Vucinich to give Brevard a 2-0 lead, with the bases still loaded with no outs. After Hector Gomez struck out swinging, a wild pitch by Huchingson allowed Rogers to score. Reggie Keen then drew a walk to load the bases once again.

 

Joey Paciorek was then hit by a pitch to give the Manatees a 4-0 lead. John Dishon grounded into a force out to score Kjeldgaard as the 'Tees took a commanding 5-0 lead. Brevard batted around in the frame as Shaw stepped up to the plate and reached on Huchingson's third hit by pitch of the inning. Kyle Allen relieved Huchingson and got out of the inning by forcing Vucinich to fly out to first.

 

The Mets would get one run back in the bottom of the first off of 'Tees starting pitcher Jed Bradley (5-7, 5.01), but Brevard plated three in the third to take an 8-1 lead. Gomez led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch and then back-to-back singles from Keen and Paciorek loaded the bases for Brevard.

 

Dishon then grounded into a force out that scored Gomez. With Nick Shaw at the plate, Brevard was able to successfully execute a double steal that saw Keen steal home for the second run of the inning and Dishon swipe second. Dishon then stole third and would score as Vucinich reached on an error by shortstop T.J. Rivera.

 

The 8-1 cushion looked to be enough for Bradley, but he allowed a two-run homer to Richard Lucas in the fourth to make it an 8-3 game and then ran into some more trouble in the fifth.

 

Cory Vaughn led off the fifth for the Mets with a double and then Blake Forsythe singled to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch by Bradley allowed Forsythe to move to second and then a ground out by Aderlin Rodriguez plated Vaughn to cut Brevard's lead to 8-4.

 

Two batters later, Lucas singled up the middle to drive in Forsythe to make it 8-5 and then Rivera would single up the middle to put runners on first and second with one out. Bradley's night would end following back-to-back RBI hits as Alonzo Harris doubled and Daniel Muno singled to make it just a one run game.

 

Bradley allowed a season-high seven earned runs on 11 hits in just 4.2 innings of work. He tied a season-high by walking four and struck out four. Thomas Keeling came in for Bradley with runners on the corners and two outs, but was able to end the inning by striking out Mike Baxter.

 

From that point on, Brevard County's bullpen took control of the game as Keeling threw 2.1 scoreless innings and Alan Williams pitched a scoreless eighth.

 

The Manatees plated an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Dishon drove in Keen with a bunt single to make it 9-7. Dishon drove in three runs and stole three bases in the win.

 

Casey Medlen came on in the ninth to close out the game and after walking Rafael Fernandez and having the tying run step to the plate; Medlen retired the side in order for his 13th save of the season.

 

Brevard County will return home to Space Coast Stadium to open up a four-game series with the Palm Beach Cardinals (13-14, 44-50), beginning Thursday at 6:35 PM (5:35 Central).

 

Brooks Hall (3-3, 4.07) will take the mound for the 'Tees. Hall is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last four starts. Palm Beach will counter with Drew Benes (4-6, 4.81).

[igor67]

Given that the last two years have been kind of a long road, and Garfield is not old for low-A (and playing catcher as well, which seems to develop a little slower). It seems like letting him continue to swing away makes a ton of sense. I'm sure they have some defense related things he is working on improving. With Lucroy and Maldanado we also have no pressing MLB need for another, so there isn't that motivation to try and challenge him. About the only thing I could possibly see was if they needed to promote him to mess with the AFL roster in some way (not saying they will put him there, but one could make an argument).