Link Report for Thurs. 7/11

[Mass Haas]

Wet, wild night sees Chukars snap Brewers’ 3-game win streak

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Hunter Dozier extended his Pioneer League-leading on-base streak to 21 straight games, Humberto Arteaga went 3 for 6 to snap out of a recent slump and the Idaho Falls Chukars finally got that elusive win over Helena.

 

After blowing early leads the previous two nights, the Chukars held on for a 10-6 victory Thursday at rainy Kindrick Legion Field, halting the Brewers’ win streak at three. Helena third baseman Jalen Harris knocked in a pair of runs on a double with two outs in the ninth to chip into the Chukars’ lead, but Angel Ortega flew out to right field to end the game.

 

It was a wild night on the mound for both pitching staffs, which combined for 18 walks, six wild pitches and three hit batters. But it was Brewers left-hander Tyler Linehan, a reliever making a spot start in place of Zach Quintana, who was tagged with the loss. Linehan walked five and gave up five earned runs on three hits through 2 1/3 innings. Idaho Falls reliever Tyler Mack (1-2) earned his first victory after striking out three and allowing just three hits and an unearned run in two innings.

 

Helena center fielder Omar Garcia extended his hit streak to six games, going 2 for 5, and swiped three bags to move into a tie for first in the league with eight thefts.

 

Dozier, meanwhile, saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end. But a pair of walks in the eighth and ninth innings kept the Kansas City Royals’ first-round draft pick perfect this season in another category, as the Chukars third basemen has now reached safely in every game he’s played. Dozier is the only player in the Pioneer League to see action in every game this season.

 

Idaho Falls led by as many as seven runs in the contest and took a 6-0 lead on Nick Cuckovich’s two-run single before Helena even had its first hit. The Brewers inched within four runs a few times, but never could close the gap further.

 

The Brewers, who had scored 27 total runs in their previous three victories, were not without chances Thursday evening. Helena (12-9) had the bases loaded on four occasions, but would finish the game hitting just 4 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10. And while they still finished with eight hits, the Brewers struck out 10 times — one day removed from striking out just twice, which matched a season low.

 

Brewers right fielder Charlie Markson was 2 for 2 with a pair of runs scored, a double and an RBI, but ran into a couple of key outs on the base paths. He was caught stealing in the first inning, then was picked off for the final out of the sixth with Helena threatening to score.

 

Idaho Falls, which is now 3-8 in road contests, will aim for the series split as the two teams finish off the four-game set tonight at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central). The Chukars will send right-hander Jake Junis (0-1, 9.53 ERA) to the mound against Helena southpaw Anthony Banda (0-2, 4.95).

 

NOTES: The announced attendance on “Bark in the Park” night at Kindrick Legion Field was 1,044 people and 89 dogs. … Brewers first baseman Garrett Cooper returned after missing five games with a hamstring injury and went 0-for-4 with a run scored. … Hobbs Johnson made his professional debut 24 hours after being promoted to Helena. Johnson gave up three hits and struck out two in two innings of relief. … The Brewers are now 11-3 on the season when scoring five or more runs. … Dozier is the first first-round college draft selection to play in Idaho Falls since 2004. … Arteaga, the Chukars shortstop, entered the game batting just 2 for his last 20 before a strong, breakout performance on Thursday night.

[Mass Haas]

Helena Box Score

Charlie Markson productive in all five plate appearances, if not on the bases; guess now we're seeing why OF Jose Pena (.260 OBP) is repeating this level; Jalen Harris doubled twice and drove in three; catcher Michael Turay walked twice and was HBP; LHP Juan Santiago walked five in just two innings late in the game...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers Report: Wisconsin 6, Fort Wayne 3

by Dan Kohn, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — Pitching and defense were a major problem for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers during the first half of the season.

 

On Thursday night, they proved to be strengths as the Timber Rattlers defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps 6-3 at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

Rattlers center fielder Tyrone Taylor made two outstanding defensive plays to help snuff out TinCap rallies, while reliever Harvey Martin pitched three solid innings of scoreless relief and Jono Armold a scoreless ninth for his third save. In all, Rattlers pitchers combined to blank Fort Wayne after the third inning.

 

“I think our pitchers are throwing a lot more strikes and we’re ready out there at all times,” Taylor said. “I just got two good jumps on the ball and made the play for them. Just the more reps I get in practice and during the games, I’ve just been getting better at it.

 

“Hopefully, we keep playing the way we have to get more W’s.”

 

The TinCaps were kicking the ball around early on. A pair of errors, a wild pitch and three singles added up to two runs in the first for Wisconsin.

 

After Fort Wayne scored a run in the second and two in the third, the Timber Rattlers were at it again in the fourth. A pair of singles and another error put runners on second and third for Tyler Roberts, who singled in two.

 

One out later, Alfredo Rodriguez connected for his second home run of the year to give Wisconsin a 5-3 lead.

 

Victor Roache, who raised his average to .228 by going three-for-four, led off the fifth with a triple and scored on a single by Mike Garza to make it 6-3.

 

From there, Rattlers relievers allowed three hits and two walks the rest of the way.

 

“Just keeping the ball low and throwing strikes,” Martin said of his approach. “I came out my first inning (in the sixth) and got some runners on. I was throwing a few balls in there and had a couple walks, which you don’t want to do coming into the game. I just settled in after that first inning and, like I said, keep it low and throw strikes and you will have some success.

 

“Defense is playing awesome. We’ve got some real good athletes out there. I think for them it’s just consistency. They come out and work hard every day before the game and do stuff people don’t see. It shows out on the field and it’s fun to pitch for them.”

 

Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson said he is impressed with the play of his bullpen and defense of late.

 

“The bullpen the last two days — yesterday five innings of shutout ball and then today six innings we kept them off the board,” he said. “Yesterday they gave us a chance to come back in the ballgame and today it allowed us to keep a lead and part of that is total defense.

 

“If you get pitchers pounding the zone and not giving up walks or free bases, it keeps your defense involved and gives them a chance to make plays and that was something we weren’t real good at in the first half and we have to be good in that area if we are going to be successful as a ballclub.”

 

Offensively, the Timber Rattlers banged out 14 hits against three Fort Wayne pitchers. Every Wisconsin hitter had at least one hit, including two each by Rodriguez, Michael Reed and Roberts.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds Clip Redbirds In Series Opener, 7-6

Nashville Snaps Six-Game Skid With Victory

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds snapped a six-game skid with a 7-6 victory over the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium in front of 7,721 fans in the opener of a four-game series.

 

Every Sounds starter recorded a hit in the contest except Hunter Morris, who drove in a run. Kentrail Davis enjoyed a successful Triple-A debut, going 2-for-4 with a pair of extra-base hits and an RBI on the night to pace three Nashville players with multiple-hit efforts.

 

Nashville (33-62) improved to 10-3 in Thursday action this season, the club's most successful day of the week.

 

The Sounds grabbed a 2-0 lead against Memphis starter Nick Additon in the bottom of the first inning. After Josh Prince singled with one out, Kentrail Davis made his Triple-A debut by ripping an RBI triple to right-center to bring in the night's first run (audio). Morris followed with a sac fly to double the lead.

 

Memphis halved the Nashville advantage to 2-1 in the second when Adron Chambers led off with a double and scored on Tommy Pham's ensuing single to shallow center that just eluded the glove of a diving Scooter Gennett.

 

Nashville upped the lead to 5-1 in the home half of the second. Gennett smacked a two-out, two-run triple to the right-center wall to bring home Cole Garner and R.J. Seidel (audio), and Prince followed with an RBI single (audio).

 

The Redbirds plated an unearned run in the third following a fielding error by shortstop Blake Davis, then pulled within 5-4 in the fifth. Brock Peterson belted his league-leading 22nd home run of the year, a leadoff solo shot to left off Seidel, and Greg Garcia added a two-out RBI double.

 

Neither team scored again until the eighth when the Sounds tacked on a pair of insurance runs against Victor Marte to up the lead to 7-4. Blake Lalli (3-for-4) delivered an RBI double to left-center (audio) that drove in Khris Davis, who had preceded him with a single. Later in the frame, pinch-hitter Stephen Parker drove in Lalli with a run-scoring two-bagger of his own to right-center (audio).

 

Memphis didn't go down without a fight against All-Star closer Rob Wooten in the ninth. Kolten Wong drew a leadoff walk before scoring on a two-out, two-run Chambers homer that made it a one-run contest. Wooten recovered to retire Pham on a game-ending popout to preserve the victory and earn his 18th save of the year.

 

Kyle Heckathorn (6-2) picked up the win for the Sounds after working 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief while Additon (6-5) absorbed the loss after giving up five runs in five frames of action in his start.

 

The Tennessee rivals continue the series with another 7:05 p.m. meeting on Friday evening. Left-hander Aaron Laffey (4-3, 5.61), who signed a minor league contract with the Brewers today, will make his Sounds debut and face Memphis southpaw Tyler Lyons (4-1, 3.42).

 

Nashville Box Score

Reliever Jesus Sanchez just keeps rolling along; Kyle Heckathorn has allowed only 30 hits (19 walks) in 41.2 IP; three Davis' in the starting lineup (good luck with that, Jeff Hem), although Khris heads to Milwaukee, at least for now; welcome to AAA with a bang, Kentrail...

 

Nashville Game Log

[brewmann04]

It nice to see we have possible Relievers to take the place of any Relievers that might be traded.

[TheCrew07]

RHP Zach Petrick of the Cards.

 

Cards' Petrick loses no-no bid in eighth

[TheCrew07]

Jesse Winkler of the Reds generates buzz again.

 

Reds' Winker productive at plate