Link Report for Sat. 7/27 - Williams, Neuhaus, Denson, others make Maryvale a fun follow

[Mass Haas]

Brewers Take Advantage of Errors

Missoula makes three miscues as Miller gets tough-luck loss

By Zac Vierra / Helena Brewers

 

Sometimes baseball can be an unfair game and on Saturday night Missoula starter Adam Miller experienced this first hand.

 

Miller allowed zero earned runs in seven innings but was handed the loss after he was the victim of three errors, including two of his own, as Helena defeated the Osprey 3-2.

 

For the first time in almost a month, the Brewers were a part of a pitcher's duel and they got some help from the Osprey en route to victory.

 

"The [pitchers] from both teams did a good job in their starts. You are just happy that we came out on top. We were able to get a break and we made the most of it," said Helena manager Tony Diggs.

 

In the bottom of the fifth with Helena down 2-0, the Brewers took advantage of the first Missoula error of the game.

 

After Charlie Markson led off the inning with a hustle double, Angel Ortega hit a pop up to shallow right that went off the glove of second baseman Jake Miller. Markson would advance to third on the error and Ortega would scamper to second when the base was left unoccupied.

 

Markson would score in the next at bat when Taylor Brennan hit a sac fly to right field.

 

With one out and Ortega on third, the Osprey brought the infield in but Ortega was off on contact and broke home to score the tying run on a groundball off the bat of Renaldo Jenkins.

 

In the seventh with the game tied at two, Adam Miller didn't help his own cause making a pair of miscues.

 

Ortega led off the frame with a bunt to the left of the mound and Miller ranged to his right and fielded the ball, but his throw to first was off the mark as Ortega advanced to second on the error.

 

The next play would be almost an exact replica as Brennan bunted and again Miller fielded the ball cleanly but again his throw was wild as Ortega scored the go-ahead run.

 

Hobbs Johnson would come in and pitch a perfect eighth and ninth to earn his first professional save.

 

"That's what you look for in a guy that comes in later in the game. You hope that you can get a couple extra innings out of him," said Diggs. "Two inning saves are rare even in the big leagues so we will take a two inning save if we are going to get one"

 

The Osprey jumped out to a lead in the top of the first off Helena starter Zach Quintana when Daniel Palka hit a double into the gap in left-center that scored Chuck Taylor from first.

 

Palka would also be a part of the scoring for Missoula in the fourth inning when he led off with a double to right-center, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Jose Queliz slapped a single to right.

 

Quintana would be done after four but he pitched well allowing just two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

 

"It's been a while since he has had such a straightforward outing. That was very good to see from him," said Diggs.

 

Tyler Linehan would come into the game in the fifth and he pitched three shutout frames to earn his first professional win.

 

It was a night when the offense was limited for the Brewers as they had just five hits, two of which came off the bat of Adam Giacalone, yet Helena found a way to win.

 

"When you can take advantage of the other team's mistakes like we did tonight it makes things easier but it also shows that you are prepared and you are ready to take advantage of it," said Diggs.

 

In one negative note for the Brewers, Michael Ratterree went 0 for 3 with a walk and had his hitting streak snapped at 16 games.

 

Ratterree won't have to wait long to begin a new streak as the teams will be at it again tomorrow afternoon for the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM (2:05 Central).

 

Tyler Linehan photo via Helena site

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/7/5/4/55026754/cuts/13_Tyler_Linehan_P_m8luvbyp_iqdkhzt0.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Defensive miscues by Osprey turn game in Brewers’ favor

By Amber kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Three costly errors by the Osprey. Three gift-wrapped runs for the Brewers.

 

Helena took advantage of defensive mistakes by Missoula on Saturday night at Kindrick Legion Field, winning 3-2 in a game in which the Brewers batted 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

 

“When you can take advantage of other teams’ mistakes it does make it easier, but it also shows you’re prepared,” said Helena manager Tony Diggs. “Tonight was a complete game as far as pitching and defense goes, which I was just talking about, so that’s nice to see.”

 

The Brewers turned three double plays in the contest and got strong outings from all three pitchers who took the mound. Zach Quintana gave up a pair of earned runs in a four-inning start but struck out four, Tyler Linehan earned the win in relief with three scoreless innings and Hobbs Johnson was perfect through the final two frames to earn his first save of the season.

 

“Quintana, it’s been a while since he’s had such a straightforward start, so that was good to see,” Diggs said. “Linehan had a good outing and then Johnson with a two-inning save, that’s rare even in the big leagues.”

 

When Johnson caught Yorman Garcia looking on a fastball up the middle to end the game, he greeted Brewers catcher Dustin Houle with a fist bump just in front of the mound.

 

“I actually felt like my mechanics were a bit off that first inning out but then I started having success with the fastball and Houle called a good game,” said the left-hander, who needed just one off-speed pitch all evening.

 

Helena had recorded 29 hits in its previous two games but managed just five in this one. Johnson said it was nice for the pitchers to help pick up a win after a couple of rough outings in which the Brewers staff gave up 21 runs.

 

“Last night, after the game we had, Diggs said he wasn’t worried about the pitching; he said that we were going to come around,” Johnson said. “It’s nice to be able to carry the hitters for a change.”

 

The Osprey wasted a marvelous start by starter Adam Miller, who finished his night on a bittersweet note. Miller was dealing through six innings in the longest outing of his career, and at one point had retired 10 in a row. But the right-hander out of BYU was responsible for a pair of errors in the seventh inning that gave Helena a lead it would never relinquish, and Miller in turn sustained the loss. He fanned six and gave up five hits and three runs, none of which were earned.

 

An RBI double by Missoula first baseman Daniel Palka gave the Osprey the early lead, and the visitors built on that with another Palka double and an RBI single by Jose Queliz in the fourth to make it 2-0. But Helena finally got to Miller in the fifth, as Charlie Markson extended his hitting streak to nine games with a leadoff double, Angel Ortega reached on an error, and both came home on a sac fly by Taylor Brennan and a Renaldo Jenkins groundout to tie the game.

 

First baseman Adam Giacalone led the Brewers at the plate, going 2 for 3 to up his average to .478 since returning to Helena. But a pair of Brewers saw their hit streaks come to an end, as Michael Ratterree went 0 for 3 and Houle went 0 for 4 on a quiet night offensively. Ratterree, a league leader in multiple categories, had batted safely in the 16 games prior, the second longest streak in the Pioneer League. Houle’s seven-game hit streak came to an end with a strikeout in the eighth, an at-bat that ended with him emphatically slamming his bat to the ground.

 

Palka, Queliz and Jose Munoz all turned in multi-hit games for Missoula, but the Osprey could get nothing going with runners in scoring position, either. Missoula went just 1 for 10 in that situation and, like Helena, stranded seven base runners on the evening.

 

The three-game set continues this afternoon, with Felipe Perez scheduled to start for Missoula against Helena southpaw Anthony Banda.

 

NOTES: Osprey right fielder Yorman Garcia had the web gem of the game in the seventh, when he went horizontal to snag a laser line drive out of the air and rob Dionis Hinojosa of extra bases. ... Saturday’s game was the first meeting between the two teams since July 1, but Missoula and Helena will now see plenty of each other in the coming weeks. ... Brewers center fielder Omar Garcia stole his 14th base of the season Saturday, tying him with Billings' Jonathan Matthews for the league lead.

[Mass Haas]

Chasers pick up win in 11th inning

By Rob White / World-Herald staff writer

 

Sometimes you need a break.

 

Omaha grabbed a share of first place for the first time since May 21, but not until after Nashville center field Eugenio Velez dropped a two-out fly ball in the bottom of the 11th inning Saturday night.

 

The error allowed the Storm Chasers to score the winning run in a 5-4 victory before 8,052 at Werner Park.

 

“He was running hard to get in there, and at the end he was running on his heels (slowing down),” Omaha manager Mike Jirschele said of Velez. “Those are the ones where ... if someone is going to drop one, that's one that can be dropped. And I was happy when I saw it come out.”

 

Omaha rallied with two outs, as Ben Broussard and Max Ramirez had back-to-back singles. Broussard advanced to third on a drive to left center by Ramirez, as Nashville had its outfielders playing deep to prevent an extra-base hit that might have allowed Broussard to score from first.

 

Brett Hayes then lifted a fly ball to short center field and a charging Velez, a utility player who often plays the infield, got a glove on the ball only to have it fall to the ground — leading to an awkward victory celebration. Who do you hug on a game-ending error?

 

And with that, despite its 52-56 record, Omaha moved into a tie for first place with Memphis, one game ahead of Iowa. Both Memphis and Iowa lost Saturday.

 

Omaha is 8-3 since the All-Star break and 17-9 since June 29. The Chasers were 6 1⁄2 games out of first place on July 2.

 

“Long ways to go,” Jirschele said. “But we're at least going in the right direction. What are we, four games under .500?”

 

Omaha had it all but wrapped up, but Nashville — down to its final out — got a game-tying, two-run homer from Blake Lalli off reliever Will Smith.

 

It was Lalli's second homer of the game.

 

“Up to that point, Smitty had thrown the ball well,” Jirschele said. “But he got behind in the count against a guy who can hurt you ... and he let him hurt him.”

 

Omaha right fielder Anthony Seratelli injured an ankle on the play, crashing into the wall in an attempt to make a leaping catch.

 

“I'm sure it'll be at least a few days,” Jirschele said, speculating on how long Seratelli would be out.

 

Seratelli has been holding down the No. 3 spot in the batting order while second baseman Johnny Giavotella has been out. Jirschele had said previously that he was giving him some extra rest, but Giavotella missed a fourth straight day with what the manager called hip tightness.

 

Giavotella woke up stiff Wednesday, but is improving daily and took batting practice Saturday, Jirschele said.

 

“I'm going to wait with him and make sure he's 100 percent before I put him back out there,” Jirschele said.

 

Despite Lalli's homer, the Chasers rallied for their fourth walk-off win in six games.

 

“When they tied it, you worry about your club saying, 'Shoot, here we go,' ” Jirschele said. “But these guys expected to win that game.”

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog with video highlights

 

The best defense is a good offense – Sun Tzu….or someone like that.

[Mass Haas]

Additional Rattlers video from the TV broadcast

 

***

 

VIDEO: Victor Roache is the man of the hour for both Offensive and Defensive Plays of the Game

 

***

 

You can guess who the TV postgame video interview subject was tonight.

[Mass Haas]

Final: AZL Brewers 4, @AZL Dodgers 3

 

AZL Brewers Box Score

 

Nice win, Devin Williams (four hitless innings) focused on fastball command (tweet) while working at 92-95 MPH (tweet). Mechanical adjustment helped him (tweet). Looks like we may get some video of him today (tweet).

 

Micah Owings made his first pitching appearance for the Brewers, and now MiLB.com doesn't know what to list on his player page, batting vs. pitching, so they choose neither. Kieschnick'ed!

 

Tucker Neuhaus on base four times (double, two singles, walk, two stolen bases). Just turned 18. Makeup off the charts. Yes, be excited.

 

17-year-old 1B David Denson on base three times (double, single, walk). OBP now .381.

 

AZL Brewers Game Log

 

Team is 10-20, but 1-1 in the second half, so let's go, playoff push!

 

A very fun-to-follow Maryvale bunch this year...

[Mass Haas]

Still nothing on the DSL as of this post, we'll check later today.

[igor67]

Glad to see Cooper back and hitting with the T-Rats, put that with Taylor having a decent game and Roache continuing the monster July there is a lot of positive maybe enough to rub off on some of the other guys and maybe they could have a really special final month of the season. On a slightly lesser note nice to see Richardson hitting OK along with Nicky its giving me a reason to check the Brevard box scores again.

[bkrause2]

DSL Nationals 4, DSL Brewers 5

 

DSL Brewers Box Score

 

Nice come from behind win for the Brewers. Down 4 to 3 going in to the bottom of the 8th, they rallied to tie the game in the 8th and then walked off in the bottom of the ninth. Second baseman Roosevert Chal went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Shortstop Gregory Munoz reached base twice with a single and a walk. Sthervin Matos, Yunior Santana and Juan De Leon each doubled, while Juan De Los Santos and Natanael Mejia each singled.

 

Angel Ventura went deep in to the game, pitching eight innings and giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits. He struck out eight. Joshua Torres pitched a scoreless ninth and got the win. The Brewers defense committed four more errors but were able to overcome that and pull out the win.

 

DSL Brewers Play-By-Play

 

DSL BREWERS inning 9

 

- Green, A. to p for Sanchez, M..

- Martinez, Y. reached on a fielding error by ss.

- De Leon, J. out at first 1b to 2b, SAC; Martinez, Y. advanced to second.

- Mejia, N. singled, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b; Martinez, Y. scored, unearned.