Link Report for Sun. 4/21 -- Rattlers Return Home

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Tyler Thornburg at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 1:45 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Jeff Hem is the 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). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

**********

 

Huntsville: RHP Ariel Pena at Birmingham (White Sox), 2:45 PM pre-game, 3:00 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

Alex Cohen is the play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. It appears four Southern League teams air their home games on MiLB.TV, and we'll let you know when those dates pop up on the schedule.

 

**********

 

Brevard County: RHP Brooks Hall at Tampa (Yankees), 3:30 PM pre-game, 4:00 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Brevard County feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

Manatees audio, hooray! Dave Walkovic is the first play-by-play voice of the 'Tees since 2007, he's joined by Andy Towne; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and many road games are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed, we'll let you know that.

 

NOTE: Dave indicates that he hopes to include a pre-game interview prior to each game; it's a 30-minute pre-game! We'll fill you in if Brevard masters archiving a la Nashville and/or Helena.

 

**********

 

Wisconsin: RHP Leonard Lorenzo at home vs. Quad Cities (Astros), 4:45 PM pre-game, 5:05 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 four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV.

 

So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

 

NOTE: 32 of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel has seventeen games scheduled and WACY-TV My NEW32 plans to show fifteen games. We'll let you know when, but won't be providing day-before DVR reminders, so regularly check for proper channel and time planning (scroll to the bottom of this link).

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

New MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, 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

[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]

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times.

 

New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here.

[Mass Haas]

Weather.com:

 

Nashville

 

Birmingham

 

Tampa

 

Appleton (Grand Chute)

[TheCrew07]

No divisional news from yesterday but the Nationals & Astros had big days from the prospect perspective, while the Rays had a mixed bag.

[TooLiveBrew]

From the Nashville Sounds' twitter account:

 

- Game notes are up

 

- "we're wearing camo unis today for Military Sunday, courtesy of @PiedmontNG & @Tennessee811. special tix pricing to service families. #USA"

[Mass Haas]

Jeff Hem's blog:

 

Audio from Nashville — “Comments from Cole (Garner)”

 

Today’s interview is with Sounds outfielder Cole Garner, who discusses his great game last night (2-for-3, GS, 4 RBIs), the team’s recent cold and wet road trip, his season so far, his unique 2012 campaign at Triple-A for the Yankees during which he never played a true home game and his memories of playing on a talented, nationally-ranked high school team in ’03 in his native California.

[pogokat]

FINALLY going to get to see Roache in a box score

[TooLiveBrew]

Rough outing for Thornburg. Not a great start to his season; hope he can fine-tune things & turn it around.

[homer]

Homer for Roache in his first AB.

 

Welcome to A Ball, Victor Roache!

[Eye Black]

Homer for Roache in his first AB.

 

Welcome to A Ball, Victor Roache!

And he just took a nasty flip over the fence down the left field line. Ouch, welcome to A Ball indeed!

[TooLiveBrew]

Sounds Fall to Omaha, 8-3

Nashville Pitchers Allow Season-High 15 Hits

Nashville Sounds

 

http://i.imgur.com/diFe0TT.jpg

Scooter Gennett (Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds)

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After an exciting 11-run outburst the day before, the Nashville Sounds were unable to keep pace with the Omaha Storm Chasers Sunday afternoon at Greer Stadium, falling by the final score of 8-3.

 

Sounds pitchers surrendered a season-high 15 hits to the Chasers, capped off by a three-run eighth inning. Reliever Chris Jakubauskas was touched for four hits to give two runs to Omaha, before Rob Wooten entered in relief. Wooten, with inherited runners on the corners, allowed a single to right field to his first batter, Johnny Giavotella, for the Storm Chasers final run, charged to Jakubauskas.

 

Omaha first plated a pair of runs in the second inning with three hits off of Sounds starter Tyler Thornburg (0-2). Brett Hayes connected for a double off the right-field wall, and scored on Irving Falu's single through the gap at second. The second run came on David Lough's RBI-single, scoring Chad Tracy, who reached base on balls.

 

Thornburg picked up a quick two outs in the third, one coming from one of his third and final strikeout of the day, but a two-out walk prolonged the inning and was followed by a Brett Hayes RBI-single. Omaha scored again when Chad Tracy hit a double past a diving Caleb Gindl to bring in Hayes.

 

Thornburg finished after five innings of work, surrendering five runs on nine hits, two walks and one home run to Lough in the fourth inning. He was charged with the loss, his second. The winning pitcher for Omaha was starter Chris Dwyer (3-1), who limited Nashville to one run on five hits over 6.2 innings.

 

The Sounds finally broke through offensively in the seventh, finding a run on three hits in the inning. Caleb Gindl's two-out double to dead center scored Sean Halton from second. Gindl scored another run in the ninth on a single to center, turning a corner after entering the game 1-for-his-last-25 at-bats.

 

Catcher Anderson De La Rosa also put up two hits for the Sounds, the first a single to centerfield in the seventh inning that extended his hit streak to seven games. The stretch matches the longest by a Sound this season; previously by Scooter Gennett and Stephen Parker. His double in the ninth scored the Sounds final run.

 

Gennett accounted for three of the Sounds ten hits on the day and extended his hit streak to five games. Gennett tried for his fourth stolen base of the year, but was caught stealing second to end the third inning. The out snapped a streak of 12 straight successful steals by Sounds runners to open the 2013 season.

 

The Sounds will look to retake the series lead Monday night at Greer Stadium in the third game of a four-game set against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Starting for Nashville will be LHP Zach Kroenke (0-1, 10.29) against TBA.

 

 

Nashville Box

Gennett definitely did his job at the plate as a leadoff man today, as he's done all season so far. His AVG after today's game is up to .396. The same questions remain about him, with a low BB rate & low XBH totals, but his hit tool has translated to every level so far.

 

Gennett: 3-4, CS

Jeff Bianchi: 0-3, BB

Halton: 2-4

Parker: 0-3, BB

Gindl: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI

De La Rosa: 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB, 0/1 CS

Blake Davis: 1-4

 

[pre]Thornburg: 5 IP 9 H 5 R 5 ER 2 BB 3 K 90 TP (61 strikes) 8:1 GO:FO

Jakubauskas: 2.1 IP 5 H 3 R 3 ER 1 BB 1 K

Wooten: 1.2 IP 1 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 1 K[/pre]

 

Nashville PbP

The home half of the 1st looked promising...

 

Nashville Bottom of the 1st

-Scooter Gennett singles on a line drive to right fielder Anthony Seratelli.

-Jeff Bianchi walks. Scooter Gennett to 2nd.

-Hunter Morris grounds into a double play, second baseman Johnny Giavotella to shortstop Christian Colon to first baseman Chad Tracy. Scooter Gennett to 3rd. Jeff Bianchi out at 2nd.

-Sean Halton called out on strikes.

 

From there Nashville only put together two singles & two walks, until they got on the board in the 7th:

 

Nashville Bottom of the 7th

-Sean Halton singles on a line drive to left fielder David Lough. Sean Halton advances to 2nd, on a missed catch error by second baseman Johnny Giavotella.

-Stephen Parker flies out to left fielder David Lough.

-Cole Garner lines out to right fielder Anthony Seratelli. Sean Halton to 3rd.

-Caleb Gindl doubles (4) on a line drive to center fielder Paulo Orlando. Sean Halton scores.

-Pitching Change: Louis Coleman replaces Chris Dwyer.

-Anderson De La Rosa singles on a line drive to center fielder Paulo Orlando. Caleb Gindl to 3rd. Anderson De La Rosa to 2nd on the throw.

-Blake Davis lines out to left fielder David Lough.

 

A double play killed any hope for a score in the 8th, but Nashville did tack on two more in the 9th. Too little, too late, unfortunately:

 

Nashville Bottom of the 9th

-Pitching Change: Dan Wheeler replaces Louis Coleman.

-Sean Halton singles on a line drive to left fielder David Lough.

-With Stephen Parker batting, wild pitch by Dan Wheeler, Sean Halton to 2nd.

-Stephen Parker flies out to left fielder David Lough.

-Cole Garner flies out to center fielder Paulo Orlando.

-Caleb Gindl singles on a ground ball to center fielder Paulo Orlando. Sean Halton scores.

-Anderson De La Rosa doubles (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Paulo Orlando. Caleb Gindl scores.

-Blake Davis flies out to right fielder Anthony Seratelli.

 

 

Nashville Gameday

[Minigoon]

Final: Huntsville 8 Birmingham 3

 

It wasn't pretty, but the Stars pitchers combined on a 1 hitter this afternoon as Huntsville took game 2 at Regions field in Birmingham. Righthander Ariel Pena earned his 1st win in a Stars uniform. It was a battle for Pena, working 5 plus innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 1 hit, but also walked 7 and struck out 4. This has basically been the story for Pena as he now has given up only 11 hits but has allowed 14 walks in 16 1/3 innings.

 

Pena started the 6th but was lifted after walking the first 2 Baron hitters. Newly promoted Mark Williams was brought in. Williams quickly recorded 2 outs, but then completely lost the strike zone, walking the next 4 hitters he faced, forcing in 3 runs. Williams was able to get out of it on a fly out.

 

La Crosse native R.J. Seidel had another good game, working 2 scoreless innings allowing only a walk. Closer Casey Medlen came on to work a 1-2-3 ninth inning to end the game.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Huntsville was able to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, never looked back. The middle of the Stars line up really got the job done. Kentrail Davis went 2-5 with 2 runs scored. Jason Rogers was also 2-5 with a double and triple. Rogers scored once and drove in 2. Brock Kjeldgaard was 1-4 with a walk. He scored twice and also drove in 2, and Robinzon Diaz went 2-5 with 2 RBI's.

 

The downside of the game today was catcher Shawn Zarraga having to leave in the 8th after injuring his lower body after singling to center. Hopefully this is something minor for Shawn.

 

Great to see the Stars play a clean game defensively. No errors tonight.

 

So the Stars struck out 13 times and allowed 12 walks to Baron hitters, and win 8-3. [sarcasm]I'm sure that's how they drew it up.[/sarcasm]

 

Huntsville Play By Play

 

The Stars' 3 run first. All runs scored with 2 outs.

 

Huntsville Top of the 1st

 

Nick Shaw strikes out swinging.

Shea Vucinich walks.

Kentrail Davis called out on strikes.

Jason Rogers triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Trayce Thompson. Shea Vucinich scores.

Brock Kjeldgaard walks.

Robinzon Diaz singles on a soft line drive to left fielder Jared Mitchell. Jason Rogers scores. Brock Kjeldgaard scores. Robinzon Diaz to 2nd. Fielding error by left fielder Jared Mitchell.

Rene Tosoni hit by pitch.

Shawn Zarraga flies out to right fielder Keenyn Walker.

 

The 6th inning where Birmingham got back in the game, without a hit.

 

Birmingham Bottom of the 6th

 

Keenyn Walker walks.

Marcus Semien walks. Keenyn Walker to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Mark Williams replaces Ariel Pena.

Trayce Thompson pops out to catcher Shawn Zarraga in foul territory.

Andy Wilkins grounds into a force out, first baseman Jason Rogers to shortstop Hector Gomez. Keenyn Walker to 3rd. Marcus Semien out at 2nd. Andy Wilkins to 1st.

Dan Black walks. Andy Wilkins to 2nd.

Jared Mitchell walks. Keenyn Walker scores. Andy Wilkins to 3rd. Dan Black to 2nd.

Tyler Saladino walks. Andy Wilkins scores. Dan Black to 3rd. Jared Mitchell to 2nd.

Michael Blanke walks. Dan Black scores. Jared Mitchell to 3rd. Tyler Saladino to 2nd.

Cody Puckett lines out to right fielder Kentrail Davis.

 

The Stars go for the series win tomorrow morning. Game 3 will start at 11:30 with Alex Cohen's pregame show starting at 11:15. The Brewers #2 prospect, Taylor Jungmann will be on hill for Huntsville.

[bkrause2]

Final: Brevard County 8 Tampa 3

 

'Tees top Tampa in series opener

Brevard records 13 hits in 8-3 victory

By Dave Walkovic / Brevard County Manatees

 

http://brevardcounty.manatees.milb.com/assets/images/1/2/8/45452128/cuts/Rivera_4.7_1_11cqiqdc_vn1jf6l3.JPG

Manatees shortstop Yadiel Rivera went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in Brevard County's 8-3 win over the Tampa Yankees on Sunday evening at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

TAMPA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees banged out 13 hits in an 8-3 win over the Tampa Yankees on Sunday evening at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

 

The 'Tees (10-7) took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. With runners on the corners and two outs, Dionis Hinojosa beat out a potential double play ball to score Cameron Garfield and break the scoreless tie.

 

Adrian Williams then looped an RBI single down the right field line to score Yadiel Rivera. Rivera went 3-for-4 with three singles and three runs scored in the ballgame.

 

Brevard County extended the lead in the fourth inning. Cody Hawn and Rivera led off with back-to-back singles. That put runners on the corners for Lance Roenicke, whose ground out to third base and allowed Hawn to score.

 

With Rivera on second, Hinojosa laced an RBI triple in the left-center field gap to give the Manatees a comfortable 4-0 lead. Later in the frame, Chadwin Stang beat out an infield single that scored Hinojosa with two outs to make it 5-0.

 

Brevard County starting pitcher Brooks Hall (2-1, 2.01) was dominant on the mound en route to the victory. He allowed just one run on two hits over six innings of work. He struck out three and retired eight Tampa (8-9) hitters in a row at one point.

 

The Manatees would tack on two more runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Garfield and an error by Tampa's Anderson Feliz that allowed Rivera to score for the third time.

 

Yankees' starter Corey Black (1-1, 4.79) suffered the loss. He lasted just 4.2 innings and gave up seven runs - four of which were earned - on 11 hits. The Yankees had four errors total which led to Black's three unearned runs.

 

Brevard County and Tampa will be back at it on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. for game two of their three-game series.

 

For the Manatees, David Goforth (1-1, 2.35) will toe the rubber and he will be opposed by Tampa's Shane Greene (1-1, 4.15).

 

Coverage from the Manatees Radio Network starts at 6:30 p.m. with the Manatees Pregame Show on ManateesBaseball.com.

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

Another good outing from Brooks Hall. He went six innings and gave up just one run, allowing only two hits. Brandon Macias was the only BC starter who did not have a hit. Yadiel Rivera was 3-4 and scored 3 runs. Nick Ramirez was 2-5 with a double. Cameron Garfield and Chadwin Stang each had two singles. Dionis Hinojosa tripled and walked. Adrian Williams was 1-3 and walked once. Lance Roenicke was 1-5 with a double. Cody Hawn was 1-5.

 

Brevard County Play-By-Play

 

Brevard County Top of the 4th

Cody Hawn singles on a fly ball to center fielder Mason Williams.

Yadiel Rivera singles on a ground ball to right fielder Eduardo Sosa. Cody Hawn to 2nd.

With Lance Roenicke batting, wild pitch by Corey Black, Cody Hawn to 3rd. Yadiel Rivera to 2nd.

Lance Roenicke grounds out, third baseman Anderson Feliz to first baseman Saxon Butler. Cody Hawn scores.

Dionis Hinojosa triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Mason Williams. Yadiel Rivera scores.

Adrian Williams called out on strikes.

Chadwin Stang singles on a ground ball to second baseman Robert Refsnyder. Dionis Hinojosa scores.

Brandon Macias flies out to left fielder Ben Gamel.

[TheCrew07]

Quad Cities chills Wisconsin's homecoming

Roache homers for Rattlers in professional debut

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers returned home from a week of bad weather in Iowa and were happy to be able to play at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Sunday. But, the Quad Cities River Bandits and Houston Astros prospect Carlos Correa spoiled the homecoming with a 12-5 decision over Wisconsin. The result also put a damper on the professional debut of Victor Roache, the latest Milwaukee Brewers prospect on the Timber Rattlers roster.

 

Correa, the #1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, put the River Bandits (10-5) up in the top of the first with a solo home run.

 

Victor Roache, who was selected with Milwaukee's 28th pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, responded for the Timber Rattlers in the bottom of the first. Roache lined the second pitch he saw in his professional debut off the scoreboard in left-center for a two-run homer and a 2-1 lead.

 

Chris McFarland followed with another home run and the back-to-back round trippers put Wisconsin (5-8) in front 3-1.

 

But, the River Bandits came back with three runs in the top of the second inning. Ariel Ovando drove in the first run with a double. Jordan Scott was next and his two-run double pushed Quad Cities up 4-3.

 

Jesse Wierzbicki pressed the River Bandits advantage to 6-3 with a two run home run in the top of the third.

 

Wisconsin pulled to within a run in the bottom of the third. Clint Coulter, who was picked with the 27th pick in the 2012 draft by the Brewers, knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Adam Giacalone, who just joined the team on Sunday, followed with an RBI single.

 

But, the River Bandits pulled away with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Leonard Lorenzo walked Correa to start the fifth and gave up an RBI double to Austin Elkins. Lorenzo walked Wierzbicki and that was all for the Rattlers right-hander.

 

Wisconsin reliever Taylor Wall would get a strikeout to record the first out of the frame, but Rio Ruiz drove in two runs with a double and the Bandits were up 9-5.

 

Quad Cities put the game away with three more runs in the top of the eighth. Correa hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left off Damien Magnifico. A wild pitch let the third run of the inning score.

 

Wisconsin went down quietly in the second half of the game. Vincent Velasquez retired the final eleven Rattlers hitters he faced in order to close out the game.

 

Game two of the series is scheduled for Monday evening. Brent Suter (0-1, 1.00) is scheduled to start for the Timber Rattlers. Daniel Minor (1-0, 5.56) is set to go for the River Bandits. Game time is 6:35pm.

 

Monday is a Qdoba Q*Monday with 106.7 The Kruz. Purchase a lunch entrée at either Qdoba location in Appleton and receive a ticket to any Monday home game during the 2013 season.

 

If you can't make it out to the game, there are a myriad of ways to follow the action. Monday's game is being broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. The game is available to fans with subscriptions to MiLB.TV. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm.

 

HOME RUNS:

 

QC:

Carlos Correa (2nd, 0 on in 1st inning off Leonard Lorenzo, 1 out)

Jesse Wierzbicki (2nd, 1 on in 3rd inning off Leonard Lorenzo, 1 out)

Carlos Correa (3rd, 1 on in 8th inning off Damien Magnifico, 2 out)

 

WIS:

Victor Roache (1st, 1 on in 1st inning off Joe Bircher, 1 out)

Chris McFarland (1st, 0 on in 1st inning off Joe Burcher

 

WP: Michael Dimock (2-0)

LP: Leonard Lorenzo (0-1)

SAVE: Vincent Velasquez (2)

 

TIME: 2:44

ATTN: 2,478

 

Rattler Radio Blog with post game thoughts.

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

This young WI team, like many young teams, tends to have things really go south when they start going bad. Hopefully over the course of the season that situation will reverse itself. Interesting roster moves today gave Tyrone Taylor a chance to have the day off, Mitch Haniger actually roamed CF and Michael Reed moved over to RF with Victor Roache playing left. Roache was involved in a couple of interesting defensive plays and the wall incident mentioned earlier in the thread is included in Chris' blog story linked above.

 

Carlos Correa broke out of an 0-10 slump in a huge way today... my goodness.

 

The Rattler batting averages are getting pretty ugly but like the pitching lines with such sporadic game action it's extremely difficult to take anything away from the early part of this season.

 

I wouldn't qualify the defensive issues as playing time related, the throwing & passed ball problems have been consistent since the start of the season. Hopefully that will also improve as we move deeper into the schedule.

 

Wisconsin Recap

 

Chris skimmed this half inning in the game story.

 

Quad Cities Top of the 8th

• Ariel Ovando grounds out, shortstop Orlando Arcia to first baseman Adam Giacalone.
  Jordan Scott walks.
  Teoscar Hernandez grounds out, third baseman Jose Sermo to first baseman Adam Giacalone. Jordan Scott to 2nd.
  Carlos Correa homers (3) on a fly ball to left field. Jordan Scott scores.
  Austin Elkins walks.
  Jesse Wierzbicki singles on a line drive to right fielder Michael Reed. Austin Elkins to 3rd.
  With Chase Davidson batting, wild pitch by Damien Magnifico, Austin Elkins scores. Jesse Wierzbicki to 2nd.
  Chase Davidson strikes out swinging.
  

 

Wisconsin Gameday

[TooLiveBrew]

MiLB.com piece on Roache & Carlos Correa (with quotes)

 

And, given the distance his HR traveled, I think it's safe to say Roache's power survived his wrist injury. Be sure to click through to Chris Mehring's blog to watch the video. You don't see many easier HR swings on tape-measure shots than the one he had tonight. Take note of some of the reactions in the T-Rats dugout (around the 0:10 mark) after that shot. McFarland's shot wasn't exactly a wall-scraper, either.

 

Weather permitting, I might have to get out to the stadium tomorrow evening.

[Mass Haas]

Stars Combine to One-Hit Barons for Second Straight Victory

By Alex Cohen / Huntsville Stars

 

Despite walking 12 batters and striking out 13 times on offense, the Huntsville Stars hurlers combined to one-hit the Birmingham Barons en route to a 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field.

 

For the second straight game, the Stars got out to a quick start against the Barons. After third baseman Shea Vucinich drew a walk, an RBI triple from first baseman Jason Rogers put the Stars on the board. Following a two-out walk from right fielder Brock Kjeldgaard, an RBI single from designated hitter Robinzon Diaz and an accompanying error by Barons left fielder Jared Mitchell allowed Rogers and Kjeldgaard to score to give the Stars a 3-0 lead.

 

In the fifth inning, with the score still intact, the Stars bats equaled that same output. To begin the inning, second baseman Nick Shaw drew a walk against Barons starter Spencer Arroyo (L, 1-1) that chased him from the game. Then, after Barons reliever Taylor Thompson gave up a single to right fielder Kentrail Davis to begin his outing, a two-run double down the right-field line from Kjeldgaard scored Shaw and Davis to give Huntsville a five-run lead. Later in the inning, Kjeldgaard scored on another RBI single by Diaz to make the score 6-0.

 

That run support was plenty for Stars starting pitcher Ariel Pena, who earned his first victory in 11 starts in a Stars uniform on Sunday to improve to 1-2 on the season. The 24-year-old righty gave up a single to Barons catcher Michael Blanke as the only hit of the ballgame with two outs in the fifth inning. Pena finished the day by going five innings while striking out four batters and walking seven.

 

Pena was tabbed for two earned runs when he walked the first two batters of the sixth inning before leaving the ballgame. His replacement, righty Mark Williams, ultimately gave up three straight bases-loaded walks to allow the Barons to cut their deficit in half by the end of the inning. In his Double-A debut, the 24-year-old hurler threw an inning, giving up one run while walking four batters after being transferred to the Stars from Brevard County (A+) early Sunday morning.

 

In the ninth inning, Huntsville put the game out of reach with two more runs. After Barons righty Ryan Kussmaul walked Vucinich and gave up a single to Davis to begin the inning, Rogers smoked a RBI double down the left-field line to plate Vucinich. Davis later scored on a wild pitch from Kussmaul to make the score 8-3.

 

On the pitching side, Stars got two innings of scoreless relief from righty R.J Seidel and righty Casey Medlen sent the Barons down in order to finish the game in the ninth inning.

 

For Huntsville, the victory was their second in a row and now gives the Stars a 6-1 record away from Joe Davis Stadium in 2013. The combined one-hitter was the second of the sorts this year for Huntsville, even with the 12 walks issued being a season-high for the Stars hurlers.

 

The Stars and Barons will play game three of their five-game series at Regions Field on Monday morning. Huntsville will send RHP Taylor Jungmann (1-2, 7.62 ERA) to the bump to square off against Birmingham RHP Erik Johnson (1-0, 1.47 ERA). The pitching matchup features a pair of top-five prospects per MLB.com in each organization with Jungmann (2nd) for the Brewers and Johnson (4th) for the White Sox. First pitch is at 11:30 AM.

[TheCrew07]

A neat question, no Brewers listed but quite a few divisional prospects make the 25 man roster.

 

Ask BA: The Ideal 25-Man Prospect Roster

[brewmann04]

Did Roache Finish the Game ?

[TheCrew07]

Did Roache Finish the Game ?

 

Yes

[TheCrew07]

This article focuses on often criticized draft pick Tony Sanchez of the Pirates

 

IL notes: Sanchez growing, maturing

[Mass Haas]

Post-Crescent Photo Gallery

 

Game story link includes Victor Roache video interview

 

Roache debuts with Timber Rattlers in loss to Quad Cities

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — The Milwaukee Brewers’ organization will be keeping a close eye on Victor Roache in the coming years. The power-hitting outfielder showed Sunday night why he’s a talented prospect worth watching.

 

The 21-year-old Roache made an impressive debut in his first professional game, providing dynamic plays with his bat and glove for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in a 12-5 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits.

 

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Roache, who was activated by the Timber Rattlers earlier in the day, launched his promising career the ideal way by slamming a long two-run homer in his first professional at-bat. Three innings later, he made a sensational catch of a foul ball, while flipping over the railing of an aluminum fence along the left-field line at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium for a highlight-reel put-out.

 

“The home run felt pretty amazing,” said Roache. “It was definitely not the thing I expected. I was just trying to put the barrel on the ball and get that first hit out of the way. Luckily, I was able to catch it pretty good and it went out.”

 

Plenty more may be on the way. The right-handed-hitting Roache has exceptional power and was the 28th overall pick by Milwaukee in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He is rated by Baseball America as the Brewers’ seventh-best prospect and is the highest-rated prospect among the Timber Rattlers.

 

“He’s got big-time power,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. “One of the things you notice about him when you see him in batting practice, or in the batting cage, is that the ball makes a different sound off his bat. But he’s got to learn how to hit and he has some work to do in the outfield to become an adequate outfielder.”

 

Roache was in extended spring training in Arizona recovering from a hamstring injury before getting the call to head to Grand Chute for his first professional gig.

 

Roache missed most of the 2012 season after breaking his left wrist Feb. 25 diving for a fly ball, while playing college baseball for Georgia Southern. He missed the rest of the collegiate season, but the injury didn’t stop the Brewers from selecting him a pick after taking current teammate Clint Coulter with the 27th selection in the 2012 draft.

 

After signing with the Brewers, Roache spent the remainder of the 2012 season rehabbing the wrist injury.

 

“It’s definitely been a waiting game,” said Roache, who grew up in Ypsilanti, Mich. “I had to sit out seven months with my wrist and then my hammy tightened up right near the end of spring training. It’s been frustrating and I’m just glad to get out on the field. Being a competitor, I was kind of upset at first that I had to stay in Arizona. But I’m actually glad I stayed because the hamstring is better than ever now and I’m a lot more flexible.”

 

Roache caught the attention of scouts with a big sophomore season at Georgia Southern, batting .326 with 30 home runs. He was chosen as the Southern Conference Player of the Year.

 

Roache, who batted cleanup and played left field in his pro and Rattlers debut, is known more for his bat than his glove, but made the defensive play of the game Sunday with his diving catch of Jordan Scott’s foul ball that carried him over the fence along the left-field line.

 

“I thought I had more room than I did and as soon as I caught it, my knee hit the fence and I flipped over it,” said Roache. “It’s the first time I’ve ever flipped over a fence like that. My knee still hurts a little bit.”

 

Another Wisconsin newcomer, first baseman Adam Giacalone, also had a solid Timber Rattlers debut. Giacalone, who was promoted from Helena, went one-for-three with a two-run single.

 

“Both those guys are going to add more of a threat to our lineup,” said Erickson. “We worked with Victor (Roache) all through spring training and the plan was for him to break camp with us, but he had a little hamstring issue and that’s what delayed him.”

 

Roache wasn’t the only No. 1 pick with a big game Sunday night. Quad Cities shortstop Carlos Correa, the first overall selection in the 2012 MLB draft, socked a pair of homers and went three-for-four to lead a 12-hit River Bandits attack.

 

Third baseman Chris McFarland added a solo homer and the Rattlers generated sufficient offense, but their pitching staff struggled.

 

Wisconsin starter Leonard Lorenzo was hit hard, allowing nine runs on eight hits in four innings.

 

“I like the way we competed at the plate, but we had a tough time on the mound,” said Erickson. “Too many free passes. When you keep falling behind in the count against professional hitters, they’re going to hurt you.”