Link Report for Mon. 6/24 -- Brevard, Helena victorious; Struggles continue at AAA, AA

[Mass Haas]

Pre-game audio: Helena Brewers first baseman Garrett Cooper talks about his first week as a professional, and getting sent to Montana

[Mass Haas]

Ratterree's Walk-Off Wins It

Helena Battles Back For Hard Earned Victory

By Zac Vierra / Helena Brewers

 

Monday's game was one in which the Brewers could have easily folded over. After Helena blew a two run lead in a top of the eighth inning in which everything seemed to go wrong, it would be no surprise to see a shell-shocked Brewers club go down without a fight.

 

Instead, the Brewers battled back as they did all night against Great Falls, tying the game in the eighth and winning it 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a walk-off single by Michael Ratterree which plated Renaldo Jenkins.

 

It was a thrilling way for Helena to get its first win of 2013 at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Going into the top of the eighth the Brewers held a 5-3 lead. But then things fell apart. After a hit batter, an error, a passed ball, a wild pitch, and groundball the Voyagers had tied the game at five off Helena reliever Sean Albury. Great Falls would take the lead on an infield single, the only hit of the frame. All of the Voyagers runs were scored in the inning without the ball leaving the infield.

 

But second baseman Nathan Orf, who was making his professional debut, would atone for the error he made in the top of the eighth. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Taylor Brennan on second, Orf slapped a blooper down the right field line that dropped in to tie the game. It was his first pro hit.

 

In the ninth the Brewers won it when Jenkins hit a one-out single, stole second, and scored when Ratterree's single dropped in front of the slide of Great Falls right fielder Arby Fields.

 

It was a game in which Helena battled all night. When Great Falls took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Brewers responded in the bottom of the frame as Brennan hit a homer to left to tie it.

 

When Great Falls took a 2-1 lead in the fifth the Brewers battled back yet again tying the game as Orf came home on a fielder's choice by Ruben Ozuna.

 

In the sixth inning Brennan would hit another homer, this one a three-run opposite field shot to give the Brewers a 5-2 advantage. It was Brennan's third hit the season, all of which have left the ballpark.

 

The Voyagers would pick up a run in the seventh before the disastrous top of the eighth.

 

But that inning would be forgotten when Ratterree's hit off Eric Jaffe won the game for Helena.

 

Ryan Fasano picked up the win for the Brewers after pitching a clean ninth inning. Jaffe was handed the loss.

 

Helena will go for the sweep of the brief two game series on Tuesday night. It will be tough to match the excitement of Monday's 7-6 victory.

 

Taylor Brennan photo by Seth Eikomstead

 

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[Mass Haas]

Brewers rally for win in 9th

By Curt Synness, Helena Independent Record

 

After blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning, the Helena Brewers came back to beat the Great Falls Voyagers in the ninth on Michael Ratterree’s walk-off, pop-fly single Monday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

With the score tied at 6, two out and nobody on in the ninth, the Brewers were one out away from going into extra innings.

 

But then Renaldo Jenkins reached on a base hit. After stealing second, Jenkins raced home with the winning run on Ratterree’s Texas Leaguer to right field.

 

Helena improves to 2-3 after the 7-6 victory and snaps an early season losing streak.

 

Ryan Fasano earned the win on the mound, relieving in the top of the ninth and setting the Voyagers down in order, including a pair of strikeouts.

 

Eric Jaffe sustained the loss.

 

Helena third baseman Taylor Brennan had a huge night at the plate, with two homers — a solo shot to left field in the fourth inning, and a three-run blast to right-center in the sixth frame, putting the hosts out in front, 5-2.

 

Brennan finished with three runs scored and four RBIs.

 

Great Falls scored a run in the seventh and pulled ahead 6-5 in the eighth, tallying three runs on a hit batsman, an error, a walk, two wild pitches, a groundout RBI, and an RBI single by Nicholas Basto.

 

Helena pushed across a marker in their half of the inning to get even again, setting up the dramatic finish in the ninth.

 

The Brewers were hurt by four errors, but did get a crucial defensive play in the third when a Great Falls runner was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a passed ball.

 

The Voyagers outhit Helena 13-11, led by Basto and Alex Williams (double, two RBIs), with three hits apiece.

 

Four Brewers had two base knocks each; Brennan, Ratterree, Garrett Cooper and Jesse Weiss (double).

 

The two teams square off again tonight at Kindrick Legion, first pitch slated for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

All photos by Eliza Wiley, Independent Record

 

Barrett Astin throws in a pitch as the Brewers begin a night of baseball at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

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Brewers Nathan Orf makes the out at second against Great Falls' Justin Jirschele during the second inning Monday night.

 

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Orf sends one flying as the Brewers battled with the Voyagers to get on the score board late in the second inning.

 

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Orf is ready for Great Falls Tyler Williams at second base for the second out of the third scoreless inning.

 

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Helena Brewers pitcher Taylor Williams makes the tag at home on Great Falls’ Jacob May on Monday, recording the out and keeping a Voyagers run off the board in the top of the fourth inning at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Audio highlights of Brevard County knocking off the Dunedin Blue Jays, 4-3

 

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Pre-game audio interview: Catcher Rafael Neda talks about his game, the team as a whole, and getting more playing time

[Mass Haas]

Stars Routed By Barons in Series Opener

By Alex Cohen / Huntsville Stars

 

After losing four of five games against the Jacksonville Suns in a series at Bragan Field, the Huntsville Stars lost the opener of a five-game series against the Birmingham Barons at Regions Field by a score of 14-2 on Monday night.

 

Birmingham started their offensive barrage in the first inning off of Stars starting pitcher Drew Gagnon. In allowing five of his first six batters to reach base, Gagnon gave up an RBI single to Barons first baseman Dan Black and a two-run single to catcher Michael Blanke to put Birmingham on the board. A wild pitch from Gagnon during the inning allowed another run from third to make the score 4-0.

 

Gagnon was taken out of the ballgame after 0.2 innings pitched, the second shortest start for a Stars starting pitcher this season. The 22-year-old righty gave up four runs on six hits while striking out two to fall to 1-2 on the season. He was relieved by righty Arcenio Leon with two outs in the first inning.

 

After an RBI double from outfielder Trayce Thompson off of Leon put Birmingham up by five, the Barons offense heated up again in the sixth inning against righty Santo Manzanillo.

 

Following back-to-back singles from outfielder Jared Mitchell and Blanke, an RBI double from third baseman Cody Puckett started the scoring. One batter later, a two-run homer from second baseman Marcus Semien put Birmingham up by seven. Later in the inning, a wild pitch from Manzanillo and then a bases-loaded walk drawn by Dan Black made the score 10-1.

 

Birmingham tacked on four runs in the eighth inning against reliever Greg Holle, highlighted by a two-run homer from Black and an RBI single from Puckett to give the Barons a 14-1 lead.

 

On offense, the Stars scored their first run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Jason Rogers. Huntsville got their only other run in the ninth inning with an RBI single from third baseman Joey Paciorek. Outfielder Rene Tosoni paced the Stars offensive attack with three hits, his second three-hit night in the last three games. Second basemen Shea Vucinich also added two hits.

 

The 20 hits and 14 runs given by Huntsville both marked a season-highs for the Stars pitching staff.

 

On Tuesday, the Stars and Barons will play game two of a five-game series at Regions Field. Huntsville will send RHP David Goforth (Double-A Debut) to the bump as Birmingham will counter with RHP Nick McCully (6-1, 2.62 ERA). First pitch is at 7:05 CT.

[Mass Haas]

Pre-game audio: Huntsville Stars Manager Darnell Coles previews the upcoming series against the Birmingham Barons

Discusses some position news and some rest days off on Monday...

 

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VIDEO: Rene Tosoni would have had a four-hit night if not for this catch, although "amazing" and "circus" seem a bit much...

[Mass Haas]

Joey Paciorek's RBI watch is over -- now with 50 AB's between Nashville and now Huntsville, got one on Monday.

[Mass Haas]

Central Time Tuesday Pre-Game Audio Starts Listed:

 

We'll effort to have our Tuesday Link Report up in time, but please remember to listen to Cody Scarpetta and the Manatees at 9:05 AM (audio link) and Tyler Thornburg and the Sounds at 11:10 AM (audio link).

[LouisEly]

The Mad Bahamian is back!!

 

I want to believe in Drew Gagnon, but it hurts that just a few picks later Cincinnati selected a college pitcher out of Rice named Tony Cingrani.