Link Report for Wed. 7/25 - Manatees Sweep, Stars' Bats Booming

[TooLiveBrew]

Huntsville 6, @Pensacola 2

 

Huntsville Box

Hunter Morris stayed hot, socking a pair of HRs to lead the way on offense for the Stars. Starter Johnnie Lowe was solid -- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3:4 GO:AO, 74 TP -- and three Huntsville relievers combined to shut out the Blue Wahoos the rest of the way.

 

Morris finished 2-3 with a BB, and was the only Stars player with a multi-hit game -- but all eight Stars positional starters had hits. Kentrail Davis's only hit was a HR in the 4th to go back-to-back with Morris; Kentrail now has a modest 6-game hitting streak going. Khris Davis extended his own hitting streak to 9 games, clubbing Huntsville's other HR, a solo shot, in the 5th. "Kh." had posted multi-hit games in his previous 4 contests, and in his last 5 games is batting .571 (12-21); over his current 9-game streak, his AVG is .421.

 

Josh Prince singled and stole a base, his 37th on the season (still good for the organizational lead). Anderson De La Rosa's hit was a 2B. Scooter Gennett, T.J. Mittelstaedt, & Tommy Manzella each singled once; Manzella also drew a BB. Johnnie Lowe made the most of his PAs, drawing two BBs.

 

Dan Meadows posted scoreless frames in the 6th & 7th, Darren Byrd handled the 8th, and Brandon Kintzler took the 9th. Byrd had a very clean inning, but Kintzler had a little bit of drama in his inning of work (I'll get to that in the PbP section).

 

Pensacola SS Billy Hamilton did steal a base tonight, pushing his universe-leading season total to a staggering 113 (113/138, 82% success rate).

 

 

Huntsville PbP

After Billy Hamilton walked, stole 2B, & came in to score the game's first run on a single in the 1st, Hunter Morris answered back... and the Stars missed a chance to tack on with more:

 

Huntsville Top of the 2nd

-Hunter Morris homers (17) on a fly ball to right field.

-Kentrail Davis flies out to center fielder Ryan LaMarre.

-Anderson De La Rosa doubles (7) on a line drive to center fielder Ryan LaMarre.

-T. J. Mittelstaedt called out on strikes.

-Johnnie Lowe walks.

-With Josh Prince batting, wild pitch by Kyle Lotzkar, Anderson De La Rosa to 3rd.

-Josh Prince strikes out swinging.

 

The score remained tied at 1-1 heading into the 4th, but back-to-back blasts to lead off the inning took care of that:

 

Huntsville Top of the 4th

-Hunter Morris homers (18) on a line drive to left center field.

-Kentrail Davis homers (5) on a line drive to left field.

-Anderson De La Rosa grounds out, third baseman David Vidal to first baseman Beau Mills.

-T. J. Mittelstaedt lines out softly to center fielder Ryan LaMarre.

-Johnnie Lowe walks.

-Josh Prince singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Bryson Smith. Johnnie Lowe to 3rd.

-With Tommy Manzella batting, Josh Prince steals (37) 2nd base, Johnnie Lowe scores. Throwing error by catcher Mark Fleury.

-Tommy Manzella strikes out swinging, catcher Mark Fleury to first baseman Beau Mills.

 

And I noted above that Kintzler had a bit of an adventure in the 9th, but fortunately the game was well in hand... and the Stars' bullpen isn't the Brewers' bullpen:

 

Pensacola Bottom of the 9th

-Pitching Change: Brandon Kintzler replaces Darren Byrd, batting 9th.

-Ryan LaMarre hit by pitch.

-Beau Mills lines into a double play, third baseman T. J. Mittelstaedt to first baseman Hunter Morris. Ryan LaMarre doubled off 1st.

-Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Andrew Means replaces Chris Manno.

-Andrew Means singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Brandon Kintzler. Andrew Means advances to 2nd, on a throwing error by pitcher Brandon Kintzler.

-Donald Lutz lines out softly to left fielder Khris Davis.

 

 

Huntsville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

Brevard tops Daytona in game one

Four-run second propels 'Tees past Cubs

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees scored four runs in the second inning and never looked back as they took the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Daytona Cubs by the score of 6-4 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

After falling behind 2-0, the Manatees (18-14 second half, 47-53 overall) started the second inning with a single by Mike Walker and a walk drawn by Brock Kjeldgaard. A groundout by Cody Hawn advanced Walker and Kjeldgaard 90 feet each and then a walk by Shea Vucinich loaded the bases.

 

Joey Paciorek then stepped in and cleared the bases with a double to center to give the 'Tees a 3-2 lead. Paciorek would advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by John Dishon and then come home on an RBI single off the bat of Nick Shaw as Brevard took a 4-2 lead.

 

Reggie Keen would lead off the third inning with his second homer of the season to make it a 5-2 game, but Daytona (13-19, 43-57) answered back in the bottom of the frame with two runs of their own on a home run by Rafael Lopez off of Brooks Hall (4-3, 4.33), as the 'Tees advantage was cut to just one run.

 

Hall went just three innings, which was his second shortest start of the season. He gave up four runs on four hits, while walking four and did not record a strikeout.

 

Thomas Keeling came in for Hall and threw three scoreless innings as he was able to pitch around two hits and three walks to keep the Cubs off the scoreboard.

 

A two-out single by Walker in the fourth would score Shaw and give the 'Tees a 6-4 lead that they wouldn't relinquish.

 

Following Keeling's three shutout innings, Brevard's closer Casey Medlen shut the door in the ninth to earn his 15th save of the season. Medlen is now three saves away from tying Brevard County's single-season save record of 18, which was set by Rob Wooten in 2009.

 

Shaw, Walker and Jason Rogers all recorded two hits for the 'Tees in the first game of the double dip.

[Mass Haas]

'Tees blank Cubs to sweep twin bill

Brevard scores three in the seventh to break scoreless tie

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A two-run single by Brent Dean in the bottom of the seventh broke a scoreless tie as the Brevard County Manatees shut out the Daytona Cubs, 3-0 in the second game of Wednesday night's doubleheader at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Manatees have played three doubleheaders in the month of July and have swept all three.

 

Eric Marzec (1-2, 2.45) got the spot start for the 'Tees (19-14 second half, 48-53 overall) and blanked Daytona (13-20, 43-58) for five innings as he allowed just two hits and two walks, while fanning five. In his two spot starts this season, Marzec has thrown nine scoreless innings and has allowed just four hits, while striking out 11 hitters.

 

Daytona starter Frank Del Valle was just as impressive as he allowed one hit and three walks in five innings of work.

 

With Cubs closer Scott Weismann entering the game in the top of the seventh, Brock Kjeldgaard greeted him with a single to left to lead off the inning. Cody Hawn then singled to right to put two on with no outs. Hector Gomez then stepped in and was trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Weismann got behind on him and Daytona decided to walk Gomez and set up a force at any base.

 

Dean would make the Cubs regret that decision as he chopped a single to left field that scored Kjeldgaard and Hawn and gave Brevard a 2-0 lead. After a sacrifice bunt from Nick Shaw, the 'Tees would manufacture another run on a sacrifice fly by Reggie Keen to make it 3-0.

 

Alan Williams, who entered the game in the sixth and threw a scoreless inning, looked to end the evening in the seventh. After allowing a one-out walk, Williams would do just that as he retired the side and the Manatees evened up their season series with the Cubs 8-8.

 

Brevard County will now hit the road for a four-game series with the Fort Myers Miracle (16-18, 44-57), beginning on Thursday night at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). The Manatees took three of four from the Miracle in the middle of May.

 

Brandon Williamson (2-7, 6.71) will get the ball for the 'Tees in the series opener. In his only other start against Fort Myers, Williamson allowed just one unearned run in five innings of work and struck out five back on May 19.

 

The Miracle will counter with Tom Stuifbergen (3-3, 5.34). Stuifbergen has not been defeated in his last five starts.

 

The 'Tees have swept three twin bills in July. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/07/25/ygR7yPxj.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Brewers comeback and defeat Ogden 9-6

Helena Brewers

 

For three and a half innings it appeared as though the Ogden Raptors would cruise for an easy victory at Kindrick Legion Field. However, the Brewers tallied five runs in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back winning 9-6.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Brewers loaded the bases thanks to singles by Adam Giacalone and Michael Turay, which were followed by an error by Ogden third baseman Alex Santana. Ruben Ozuna then brought the Brewers back into the game when he blasted a 2-0 pitch for a bases clearing triple. Ozuna finished the game going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored.

 

The Brewers finished the contest plating nine runs, seven of which were unearned. The Raptors committed four errors Wednesday evening, two of which were charged to Santana. Pitcher Kazuki Nishijima was also charged with an error on a pickoff attempt as well as Malcom Holland on a grounder. In addition to the error, Nishijima was credited with his first loss of the season dropping his record to 5-1.

 

For Helena, Brent Suter poured in another solid outing. The lefty threw five innings allowing no earned runs and just one hit. The performance improved Suter's record to 3-2 and dropped his ERA to 4.40. Also of note, Giacalone clubbed his first professional home run.

 

Friday, the Brewers will head on the Billings Mustangs for the first game in a three game series. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Sounds deal out the fun

Card game allows players to relax in team's off hours

by Greg Sullivan, The Tennessean

 

Nashville pitching coach Fred Dabney needed a rally, but the Sounds’ game was more than an hour away.

 

“Rally cap!” Dabney called out.

 

Dabney wasn’t getting any good cards.

 

His opponents in a clubhouse card game of pluck — outfielder Logan Schafer and first baseman Jordan Brown — hardly looked up to see him adjust his hat.

 

“Haven’t you been wearing it like that the whole time?” Schafer asked Dabney.

 

“We’re about to get even now,” Dabney said, laughing.

 

Pluck, a spades-like card game, has been a staple for years in professional baseball clubhouses, allowing players to trash talk at one another, to let off steam and — just as important — kill time.

 

“At home you hit batting practice first,” Schafer said. “You’re typically off the field much earlier so the visiting team gets to hit. You have a good two hours, and card games help pass the time.”

 

Pluck, played in teams of two, is hands-down the most popular card game among the Sounds card players. Some of them refuse to play any other game.

 

“You get to talk smack. That’s basically why we do anything,” Brown said. “To try to beat somebody, talk smack and make them feel small. That’s the whole reason why we play.”

 

Getting to pick at Dabney is another reason. For players, it’s like getting to make your boss splash into the water at a company-picnic dunking booth.

 

“I’ve never had a coach that’s played cards,” Brown said. “Any time we get in (the clubhouse) we like to go into the coach’s office and get him because he likes to get in on it.

 

“Anyone that talks smack and can take it, that’s who you want to play with.”

 

Dabney, who played pluck when he played professional baseball from 1988-96, said he enjoys playing cards just like the players.

 

“Playing cards, having fun with the guys, killing time, that’s what it’s all about, but you can get a lot accomplished,” Dabney said. “I ask my main questions to the guys every now and then, sneak ’em in, see how everybody’s feeling. We did more card-playing in my playing days. You learned how people think.”

 

The 44-year-old former Sounds pitcher still gets in some of the better jabs, as well.

 

“(Outfielder) Caleb Gindl was around the table (in Memphis) and he was looking at us playing,” Dabney said. “He was like, ‘Oh, do this. You should’ve done this, done that ...’ He did that for 15 or 20 minutes so I finally looked at him and said, ‘What are you, the Pluck Whisperer?’ ”

 

Who is the best pluck player?

 

“Me. Of course,” Gindl said, smiling. “They are calling me the Pluck Whisperer.”

 

“Hey, you know we were kidding when we called you that right?” Brown said.

 

“I wasn’t kidding. I haven’t seen you beat me yet, Browny,” Gindl said.

 

“I don’t think there’s a day we haven’t played. We play on the plane sometimes. We play in the airport. We play at 6 o’clock in the morning sometimes.”

 

All the Sounds who play pluck said the game is something that’s picked up when a baseball player becomes a professional. It seems to be therapeutic.

 

Second baseman Eric Farris said the pluck games can be entertainment for all the players in the clubhouse, even the ones who don’t play cards.

 

“I don’t even know what’s going on, but it’s fun to see how those guys get,” Farris said.

 

From left, Sounds players Jordan Brown, Andy Gonzalez and Logan Schafer as well as pitching coach Fred Dabney play a card game called pluck while they wait for game time. The card game has become a hit in the team's locker room. John Partipilo / The Tennessean

 

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[Mass Haas]

Audio from Music City — “Talking Pitching with Fred Dabney”

 

Jeff Hem's note -- Tonight’s interview is with Sounds pitching coach Fred Dabney, who discusses the Sounds’ pitching staff (ranked 4th in the PCL in team earned run average and 1st since June 1), including the progression this year from guys like Mark Rogers, Wily Peralta and Jim Henderson.

[Mass Haas]

Stars launch four homers in 6-2 win over Wahoos

by Brady Aymond, Pensacola News Journal

 

Balls were flying out of the yard with regularity Wednesday night at Pensacola’s bayfront stadium, and it wasn’t a good thing for the host Blue Wahoos.

 

A night after hitting two home runs in a 6-1 win, the Huntsville Stars blasted four more homers in taking game two of the five-game series by a 6-2 margin in front of 4,631 at Community Maritime Park.

 

Hunter Morris blasted two of those homers to up his season total to 18, helping the Stars improve to 50-52 overall and 15-17 in the second half of the Southern League season.

 

The Wahoos (52-49) dropped to 18-14 in the second half to remain behind Montgomery in the South Division standings.

 

“A couple of ballgames now that they’ve really swung the bat well and pitched well,” Wahoos manager Jim Riggleman said. “We’re just not really on the top of our game.”

 

Pensacola right-hander Kyle Lotzkar (4-5, 5.32 ERA) continued to struggle in the second half of the season, giving up four runs and three homers in the loss.

 

Lotzkar is 1-4 with a 9.67 ERA in his last seven starts.

 

“His fastball was getting hit,” Riggleman said. “His breaking ball was extremely effective — that’s where he got his strikeouts. But his fastball, they were on it.”

 

Billy Hamilton staked the Wahoos to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after drawing a leadoff walk, stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw by the catcher on the steal. Hamilton scored on Bryson Smith’s infield single.

 

The steal was Hamilton’s 113th of the season, keeping him on pace for Vince Coleman’s professional baseball record of 145 set in 1983 with Macon.

 

But the Stars rallied, led by Morris, who clubbed solo homers off Lotzkar in the second and fourth innings. Kentrail Davis went back-to-back with Morris in the fourth as Huntsville scored three times to take control with a 4-1 lead.

 

Lotzkar gave way to Wilkin De La Rosa in the fifth inning and the deep balls kept flying for the Stars, this one a solo shot by Khris Davis for a 5-1 lead.

 

The Wahoos pulled to within three runs with an RBI single by Josh Fellhauer in the fifth, but the Stars got that run back in the top of the sixth with an RBI bunt single by Tommy Manzella.

 

The teams will square off in the middle game of the five-game set at 7:05 p.m. today. Daniel Corcino (7-5, 3.25 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Wahoos in hopes of turning the series around.

 

“It starts with pitching,” Riggleman said. “We just have to pitch good. Two nights in a row, we haven’t really pitched good, and if you want to win, you have to do that. Hopefully we’ll pitch better tomorrow.”

 

The Blue Wahoos' Billy Hamilton slides safely under a high throw to Huntsville second baseman Scooter Gennett for steal No. 113 this season / Bruce Graner Photo

 

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[Mass Haas]

For those of you who visit the Link Report only via the Twitter link, keep in mind there are multiple feature threads on this Minor League Forum, including this post from last night on Huntsville RHP Darren Byrd, back home this week in Pensacola.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville's Wily Peralta was the pre-game guest with Joe Block of the Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County sweeps Daytona Cubs in doubleheader

By Rob Ullery, Daytona Beach News Journal

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- A glimmer of hope that the Daytona Cubs may be turning the corner in the second half was quickly dashed by the Brevard County Manatees on Wednesday.

 

The Cubs snapped a four-game slide Tuesday with a 4-2 win over the host Manatees, then jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of a doubleheader Wednesday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

But then things came undone.

 

The Manatees rallied for four runs in the top of the second inning and went on to sweep the Cubs 6-4 and 3-0 in a Florida State League matchup.

 

"The first game, we had a couple of opportunities to break the game open and didn't," Daytona manager Brian Harper said. "Then the second game we just didn't get much going offensively."

 

With the help of four walks, the Cubs (43-58, 13-20 in the second half) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opener, only to see the Manatees erase that -- and then some -- in the top of the second on a double, two singles and two walks.

 

The teams traded home runs in the third inning. Reggie Keen drove a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall in the top of the inning to give the Manatees (48-53, 19-14) a 5-2 lead.

 

Daytona's Rafael Lopez did him one better with a two-run shot -- his first of the season -- over the right-field fence in the bottom half to cut the deficit to 5-4.

 

The Cubs missed a golden opportunity to erase the Manatees' 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases with no outs.

 

Rebel Ridling and Lopez drew walks, then Elieser Boone laid down a perfect bunt down on the third-base line to load the bases.

 

However, Taylor Davis hit a grounder to Manatees third baseman Mike Walker, who threw home to force one Cubs runner, then relayed to first baseman Jason Rogers to complete the double play. Tim Saunders then lined out to end the threat.

 

Bonne went 4-for-4 with two doubles -- giving him nine for the season -- in the opener.

 

"(I'm) more focused now on the game and on (my) swing," Bonne, who came into the game hitting .277, said through an interpreter. "I've been working with (my) hitting coach and with the coaches and (I'm) more focused now."

 

In the nightcap, Brent Dean's two-run high chopper over a drawn-in Matt Cerda at third in the seventh inning was all the Manatees needed.

 

Dean came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. With the infield drawn in, he slapped a high chopper over the leaping third baseman that found its way into left field for the winning runs.

 

Matt Szczur went 2-for-5 -- 2-for-3 in the second game -- with four stolen bases for the Cubs, giving him a league-leading 38 for the season. The Cubs stole six bases on the night to give them a league-best 152.

 

Cubs starter Frank Del Valle allowed just one hit over five innings in the nightcap. He struck out four and walked three but left with a no-decision.

 

"It was unfortunate we didn't win the first game, and the second one we just couldn't put the ball in play," Harper said. "It turned out to be a bad day, but we didn't play as bad as it looks."

[Mass Haas]

Some Huntsville photos in the Pensacola News-Journal gallery

[Mass Haas]

Jim Henderson to the bigs -- Oh, Canada!

 

Tom Haudricourt with the back story...

 

Major League thread for discussion on the topic

[igor67]

Kentrail seems to have tweaked his approach a bit perhaps in July. His walk and strikeout rates are both down a little, which suggests he might be attacking a little more earlier in the count. It would be hard to argue against that at this point. If we could get more of our pitchers healthy and dealing things would really be exciting.

[bkrause2]

Wasn't sure where to put this, since there hasn't been an official transaction yet I didn't put it in that thread, but feel free to move it. Wisconsin catcher Tyler Roberts is done for the season. He tore a ligament in his wrist on the last road trip on a play at the plate and had surgery on Monday.

[TooLiveBrew]

Man, catcher is just a brutal position. Cam Garfield lost most of his '11 at Wisconsin to injury, and now Roberts with a major injury the very next season.

[TooLiveBrew]

Kentrail seems to have tweaked his approach a bit perhaps in July. His walk and strikeout rates are both down a little, which suggests he might be attacking a little more earlier in the count. It would be hard to argue against that at this point. If we could get more of our pitchers healthy and dealing things would really be exciting.

Yeah, I'm doing my best not to get excited about Kentrail, but he's making that difficult.