Link Report for Fri. 8/2

[Minigoon]

Final: Mississippi 13 Huntsville 2

 

Mississippi jumped on the Huntsville Stars early and often in their 13-2 drubbing of them Friday night. Righty Drew Gagnon started for the Stars and didn't make it past the 3rd inning. Gagnon (4-6, 6.22) worked 3 innings allowing 8 runs, 7 earned on 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. He also allowed 2 home runs. It took Gagnon 82 pitches, 46 strikes, to work through those 3 innings. His GO/FO ratio was 1-4. Not a start to remember for Drew.

 

With another short start from a Stars starter, the bullpen was again asked to soak up innings. Tonight, Mark Williams was first up. He did well, going 3 innings. He did allow 2 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3. Williams threw 54 pitches, 36 strikes, in covering his 3 innings. Casey Medlen was next for Huntsville. He worked 2 innings, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3. So Williams and Medlen were effective enough to eat up some innings, but weren't able to keep the Braves off the scoreboard. Greg Holle worked a pressure-less 9th inning. He didn't allow a hit or a run and struck out 1.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

The Stars offense was held to 8 hits and 2 runs tonight. Right fielder Rene Tosoni had nearly half the Stars hits. Tosoni went 3-4 with an RBI for the Stars. Chadwin Stang had another multi-hit game, going 2-5 with a run scored. First baseman Jason Rogers added to his league leading totals with his 19th home run and 73rd RBI. Shortstop Nick Shaw reached base twice, on a single and a walk. Second baseman Eric Patterson had the Stars other hit tonight. Adam Weisenburger and Shea Vucinich each drew a walk for Huntsville.

 

Huntsville Play By Play

 

Pretty ugly read here tonight. The one highlight I could find.

 

Huntsville Bottom of the 6th

 

Defensive Substitution: Omar Luna replaces third baseman Edward Salcedo, batting 5th, playing third base.

Pitching Change: Thomas Keeling replaces Aaron Northcraft, batting 9th.

Nick Shaw strikes out swinging.

Rene Tosoni flies out to center fielder Mycal Jones.

Jason Rogers homers (19) on a fly ball to left field.

Eric Patterson pops out to third baseman Omar Luna.

 

Huntsville (17-23 second half, 46-62 overall) and Mississippi will play game 2 of this series Saturday night. Righty Andy Moye (5-11, 4.25) will be on the mound for the Stars. Game time is set for 6:43 Central with Stars Radio Broadcaster Alex Cohen starting things at 6:28 with the pregame show.

[homer]

Keith Law is never a good source on prospects imo. He probably hasn't even ever seen Williams or Roache play in person... everything he seems to 'report' on prospects usually sounds like hearsay to me.

Not to mention pinning a guy with the vague "make-up issues" tag two months into his professional career without any further details or supporting evidence is completely reckless.

 

 

I have no idea how Keith Law has a job. Bernie Pleskoff is much more enjoyable to read.

[battlekow]

Final: @Missoula 5, Helena 1 (game one)

Final: Helena 12, @Missoula 1 (game two)

 

Helena box score (game one)

Helena box score (game two)

A tale of two games offensively. The Brewers' offense was anemic in the first game, managing just four hits, but they exploded for 12 runs and 13 hits in game two.

 

Overall Michael Ratterree was 4-8 with two homers, both in the second game. Taylor Brennan also homered in the nightcap, as well as tripling and driving in six runs; he was 1-3 in game one. Charlie Markson got the first game off but had a great night in the leadoff spot, singling three times and also drawing a walk. Adam Giacalone had just one hit between the two games but walked four times.

 

Taylor Williams started the early game and pitched pretty well, allowing two runs in five innings with a 4/0 K/BB (though he hit a batter). I believe this is the first time he's appeared in a game that Barrett Astin hasn't; Astin started the second game and also turned in a nice performance, probably his best as a pro: four innings of shutout ball with a 3/0 K/BB.

 

Helena play-by-play (game one)

Helena play-by-play (game two)

Brennan came up with the bases loaded in two straight innings and delivered big time:

 

Helena Top of the 3rd

• Dionis Hinojosa grounds out, second baseman Jake Miller to first baseman Jake Mayers.
  
• Michael Ratterree singles on a line drive to center fielder Colin Bray.
  
• Adam Giacalone walks. Michael Ratterree to 2nd.
  
• Taylor Brennan homers (8) on a fly ball to left field. Michael Ratterree scores. Adam Giacalone scores.
  Michael Turay walks.
  
• Angel Ortega grounds out, third baseman Anderso Bolivar to first baseman Jake Mayers. Michael Turay to 2nd.
  
• With Nathan Orf batting, wild pitch by Bobby Hillier, Michael Turay to 3rd.
  
• Nathan Orf grounds out, shortstop Joe Munoz to first baseman Jake Mayers.

Helena Top of the 4th

• Ruben Ozuna singles on a ground ball to center fielder Colin Bray. Ruben Ozuna out at 2nd, center fielder Colin Bray to shortstop Joe Munoz.
  
• Charlie Markson singles on a fly ball to right fielder Matt Vinson.
  
• Dionis Hinojosa singles on a ground ball to left fielder Chuck Taylor. Charlie Markson to 2nd.
  
• Michael Ratterree strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Bobby Hillier. Charlie Markson to 3rd. Dionis Hinojosa to 2nd.
  
• Adam Giacalone walks.
  
• Pitching Change: Eric Meyerchick replaces Bobby Hillier.
  
• Taylor Brennan triples (1) on a line drive to right fielder Matt Vinson. Charlie Markson scores. Dionis Hinojosa scores. Adam Giacalone scores.
  
• Michael Turay singles on a line drive to left fielder Chuck Taylor. Taylor Brennan scores.
  
• Angel Ortega grounds into a force out, fielded by shortstop Joe Munoz. Michael Turay out at 2nd.

 

Hope Giacalone's okay:

 

Helena Top of the 7th

• Charlie Markson walks.
  
• With Dionis Hinojosa batting, wild pitch by Michael Blake, Charlie Markson to 2nd.
  
• Dionis Hinojosa flies out to right fielder Matt Vinson. Charlie Markson to 3rd.
  
• Michael Ratterree strikes out swinging.
  
• Adam Giacalone hit by pitch.
  
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Jalen Harris replaces Adam Giacalone.
  
• Taylor Brennan strikes out swinging.

[TheCrew07]

I apologize, I'm in no condition to analyze this game.

 

Rattlers snap losing streak with big night

Wisconsin hammers 17 hits in 7-4 win at Kane County

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were looking to end their four game losing streak as they took on the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Friday Night. The Rattlers made it interesting, but pounded out seventeen hits on the way to a 7-4 victory. Lance Roenicke and Parker Berberet led the way for the offense with four hits apiece. On the pitching side of the ledger, Mike Strong provided ten strikeouts in four innings of relief and picked up the win.

 

Victor Roache tripled off the wall in right field to start the second inning. Garrett Cooper followed with a single through the right side of the infield for a 1-0 lead. Cooper was erased on a double play so the Rattlers restarted the rally with a two out single by Roenicke. A wild pitch sent Roenicke to second. Chris McFarland's sinking line drive to right popped in and out of the glove of Reggie Golden, who made a diving attempt at the catch. Roenicke scored on the play and the Rattlers (45-60 overall, 16-24 second half) were up 2-0.

 

Rattlers starting pitcher Austin Ross pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second and left the Cougars with the bases loaded in the third. Ross, who is still working his way back from Tommy John Surgery in May of 2012, left after three scoreless innings.

 

Roenicke gave Ross a little going away present with a solo home run to left-center in the top of the fourth.

 

Strong pitched a scoreless fourth and almost escaped the fifth without allowing a run. But Kane County (43-62, 13-26) tied the game in their half of the fifth.

 

Oliver Zapata tripled to right-center to start the Cougars fifth. Strong struck out the next two batters, but hit Dan Vogelbach and walked Jeimer Candelario on four pitches to load the bases. Strong got ahead of Rock Shoulders 0-2, but the Kane County designated hitter lined the next pitch to the gap in left-center for a bases-clearing double to tie the game 3-3.

 

Wisconsin responded in the top of the sixth. Berberet doubled to start the inning. Roenicke's sacrifice bunt turned into a bunt single to put runners at the corners. McFarland grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to score Berberet with the go ahead run.

 

The Rattlers restarted another rally after this double play, too.

 

Orlando Arcia drew a walk and Alfredo Rodriguez followed with a single to put Arcia on third base. Michael Reed, in his first game back from the disabled list, singled to get Arcia home for a 5-3 lead.

 

Strong would work a 1-2-3 sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Gioskar Amaya and Albert Almora singled to start the inning. Strong struck out Vogelbach for the first out of the inning - and his eight strikeout of the game. Candelario was next and he snuck a single up the middle to drive in Amaya and cut Wisconsin's lead to one run.

 

Strong bounced back and struck out Shoulders and Marco Hernandez to end the frame with the tying and lead runs on base. Strong allowed four runs on six hits and struck out ten over his four innings of work.

 

Wisconsin added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Berberet knocked in a run with a single to left, his fourth hit of the game. Roenicke followed with an RBI single, his fourth hit of the game, and the Rattlers led 7-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth.

 

Rodolfo Fernandez, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, allowed a one out single in the bottom of the ninth to Almora. But, Fernandez ended the game with a flourish by striking out Vogelbach and Candelario to end the game.

 

The three Wisconsin pitchers - Ross (3), Strong (10), and Fernandez (3) - combined for 16 strikeouts.

 

Roenicke had a scored twice and knocked in two runs to go along with his four hits in Friday's game.

 

Berberet extended his hitting streak to seventeen games as he went 4-for-5 in the game. That is the longest hitting streak by a Timber Rattler this season and ties him with Cody Hawn for the fourth longest hitting streak in team history.

 

The Timber Rattlers return home on Saturday to begin a four game series with the Beloit Snappers. Preston Gainey (4-5, 6.08) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Beloit sends Seth Streich (10-6, 3.82) to the bump. Game time is 6:35pm.

 

Saturday night is Jimmy Buffett Night. There will be plenty of tropical feelings around the park and South of Disorder, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band, will be playing a postgame concert on the club level. Plus, Fly Away Saturday means one lucky fan will win airfare for two from Funjet Vacations and Fox World Travel at this game and FOX 11 presents a postgame fireworks display!

 

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, My NEW32's Sports Showdown has the television broadcast starting with their pregame show at 6:00pm. The radio call is on AM1280, WNAM and IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm. Subscribers of MiLB.tv may also catch the game.

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Lance Roenicke (1st, 0 on in 4th inning off Michael Heesch, 1 out)

 

WP: Mike Strong (2-3)

LP: Michael Heesch (3-9)

SAVE: Rodolfo Fernandez (3)

 

TIME: 2:58

ATTN: 6,197

 

Strike as hard as you can and keep moving on – Postgame post for August 2, 2013

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

 

Wisconsin Recap

[Mass Haas]

Nashville site game story has been updated with audio highlights

[Mass Haas]

O's, Brewers split the decision

By AJ Mazzolini, The Missoulian

 

Missoula Osprey pitcher Carlos Hernandez lost his magic on the mound with an inning to go during the first game of a doubleheader. Turns out Helena's Barrett Astin found it for Game 2.

 

The respective starters put the opposition’s half innings in a cage as Missoula and Helena split a Pioneer League twin bill Friday, a pair of slick one-sided wins with one in each direction. Hernandez and the O’s silenced Helena 5-1 in the early game before Astin got the Brewers going in an eventual 12-1 stomping.

 

Friday’s pair was born from a rainout in Missoula on Thursday. The squads squeezed in two seven-inning games at Ogren-Allegiance Park the day after the wash.

 

Game 1 belonged to Hernandez. The only thing that could get to the Missoula pitcher turned out to be his Osprey batters.

 

Hernandez set a season-high with nine strikeouts and shut down the Brewer bats through six innings. But a half hour’s worth of Osprey offense in the bottom of that frame knocked the righty out of his groove for the final frame.

 

“I just felt a little cold and it was hard to find my release point again,” Hernandez said. “But overall I felt good. My fastball command, huge factor, and my outside pitches were there against righties.”

 

He couldn’t finish the seven-inning game — though the bullpen did for him — as Missoula held on in the first game of the doubleheader.

 

The pitcher allowed three hits through the first six innings and was just two batters over the minimum. He walked the seventh inning’s leadoff man on four pitches, the eventual lone Helena run, before more trouble kept Hernandez from a complete game.

 

Silvino Bracho came on to get the final two outs, back-to-back strikeouts.

 

The Osprey (18-23, 2-1 second half) started giving Hernandez run support in the third inning. Yorman Garcia led off with a double before Colin Bray and Chuck Taylor followed with base hits. The lead was Missoula’s at 1-0 on Taylor’s double.

 

A game after batting for the cycle against Helena on Wednesday, Jose Queliz finished 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and an RBI groundout in that third inning.

 

Then came the Osprey carousel in the sixth. Missoula batted around in the inning and scored three times, one on Stryker Trahan’s fourth home run of the season.

 

The Brewers (24-17, 1-2) went to their bullpen twice during the rally, leaving Hernandez (3-2) to sit a little longer still. His 6 1-3 innings pitched were also a season high and the only time he’s seen the seventh inning in eight starts.

 

“Of course it’s different,” Hernandez said about heading out for the seventh inning Friday versus any normal seventh. “I just knew with a seven-inning (game), I was prepared to throw all seven innings.

 

“But,” the 19-year-old Dominican born ballplayer started, before releasing a heavy sigh. “I just lost the command.”

 

For Game 2, Astin started just as hot. He allowed three hits over four innings, but left the game too early to mark his first win. A bullpen-starter hopper, Astin was on a shorter leash and reached 41 pitches before getting the hook.

 

Osprey starter Bobby Hillier couldn’t get that deep despite nearly twice as many pitches. Helena knocked around the right-hander in his 3 2-3 innings, tagging Hillier for eight earned runs and eight hits in his first start this season.

 

The Beer Makers scored in bunches off the Missoula spot starter to even Friday’s play at one apiece.

 

(Hey, Beer Makers, I kind of like that...) - MH

 

“It’s always great to have the chance to come out and get another win,” Taylor Brennan said of the doubleheader setup Friday. “It’s sure better than going 0 and 2.”

 

Two Helena runs rounded the bases on one swing in the first — a Michael Ratterree home run — then another three scored on Brennan’s three-run bomb two innings later before Brennan cleared the bases with a triple in the fourth.

 

“It felt good because I’ve been in a slump a little bit too,” Brennan said of his big game, which gave him eight home runs and 30 RBIs on the season. “It all felt really good coming off my bat and I felt like I was seeing the ball a lot longer tonight.”

 

Ratterree added another homer in yet another three-run inning in the sixth in response to Missoula’s only push back. Bray singled in a run in the fifth after Astin left the game, but the home team left two runners in scoring position.

 

No Osprey reached second base or beyond in any other inning.

 

Missoula won the three-game series despite Friday’s split after beating Helena 7-3 Wednesday to open the second half of the season.

 

Here's a shot of Michael Ratterree's back, courtesy of the Missoulian

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/missoulian.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/54/95435b60-fbea-11e2-b3e9-001a4bcf887a/51fc7534e2d23.preview-620.jpg

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS embedded in the game story from Alex --

 

***

 

Stars Downed By M-Braves in Series Opener

By Alex Cohen / Huntsville Stars

 

To open up a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium, the Huntsville Stars lost to the Mississippi Braves by a score of 13-2 on Friday night.

 

In each of the first five innings, the M-Braves scored at least one run against the Stars pitching staff including eight runs in the first three innings against starting pitcher Drew Gagnon.

 

Against the 23-year-old righty, Mississippi got a solo homer from second baseman Tommy LaStella in the first inning, a two-run blast from first baseman Christian Marrero in the second inning and a pair of two-run hits from shortstop Jaime Pedroza and outfielder Dan Brewer in the third inning.

 

Gagnon ultimately gave up eight runs (seven earned) in three innings of work in falling to 4-6 on the season, snapping his three-start winning streak.

 

Following Gagnon's departure, the big night for Mississippi and Pedroza continued. After left fielder Robby Heffinger came through with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, an RBI single from Pedroza off Stars righty Mark Williams made the score 9-1.

 

Then, in the eighth inning, Pedroza cleared the bases with a three-run double against reliever Casey Medlen to give the M-Braves their final runs of the game. In the end, the M-Braves shortstop went 3-for-5 with a season-high six runs batted in on the ballgame.

 

Mississippi scored their only other run of the ballgame on an RBI single from outfielder Mycal Jones in the fifth inning.

 

That run support was plenty for M-Braves starting pitcher Aaron Northcraft. The 10th ranked prospect in the Braves notched his third straight win and improved to 6-8 on the year after giving up one runs on four hits in five innings of work.

 

On offense, the Stars got a three-hit night from outfielder Rene Tosoni, who also drove in the Stars first run of the game in the third inning (audio).

 

The only other run of the game for the Stars came on a solo blast from first baseman Jason Rogers in the eighth inning against former Huntsville reliever Thomas Keeling (audio). For Rogers, it was his fifth homer in the last six games and league-leading 19th roundtripper of the season. The homer also increased Rogers's hitting streak to 14 games.

 

On Saturday, the Stars will play game two of a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium against Mississippi. Huntsville will send RHP Andy Moye (5-11, 4.25 ERA) to the bump to try to snap their four-game losing skid while the M-Braves will counter with RHP Gus Schlosser (6-3, 2.35 ERA). First pitch is 6:43 ET.

[Mass Haas]

Brief Huntsville TV report lowlights

[Mass Haas]

Final: @AZL Rangers 9, AZL Brewers 5

 

AZL Brewers Box Score

 

The trumpets have not been blaring for RHP Gian Rizzo, who was tagged for six runs in just 2.2 innings (RHP Eric Arnett allowed two of three inherited Rizzo runners to score, but that's still not a pretty line).

 

Two of the five Brewer runs scored were not earned, as the A-Crew won the defensive battle, four errors to none, but that was your only real team positive.

 

Clint Coulter doubled, singled, walked, drove in two and scored a run as the DH, you'd think he'd return to Helena at some point soon.

 

AZL Brewers Game Log

 

Rizzo's 2nd and 3rd innings --

 

AZL Rangers Bottom of the 2nd

 

Jose Gonzalez grounds out, second baseman Francisco Castillo to first baseman Alan Sharkey.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa singles on a ground ball to shortstop Tucker Neuhaus.

Smerling Lantigua singles on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Diaz. Isiah Kiner-Falefa to 2nd.

Saquan Johnson doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Diaz. Isiah Kiner-Falefa scores. Smerling Lantigua to 3rd.

Carlos Garay singles on a fly ball to right fielder Elvis Rubio. Smerling Lantigua scores. Saquan Johnson scores.

Royce Bolinger called out on strikes.

Joey Gallo strikes out swinging.

 

AZL Rangers Bottom of the 3rd

 

Travis Demeritte pops out to third baseman Steven Halcomb in foul territory.

Fernando Vivili hit by pitch.

Jose Gonzalez flies out to left fielder Brandon Diaz.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa singles on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Diaz. Fernando Vivili to 3rd.

Smerling Lantigua singles on a fly ball to left fielder Brandon Diaz. Fernando Vivili scores. Isiah Kiner-Falefa to 3rd.

Saquan Johnson walks. Smerling Lantigua to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Eric Arnett replaces Gian Rizzo.

Carlos Garay singles on a ground ball to center fielder Edgardo Rivera. Isiah Kiner-Falefa scores. Smerling Lantigua scores. Saquan Johnson to 3rd.

Royce Bolinger flies out to center fielder Edgardo Rivera.

 

***

 

Wow, look at the power and strikeout numbers for 19-year-old Rangers farmhand Joey Gallo, on rehab assignment for this one, in which he was 0-for-5 with four K's. A truly intriguing but polarizing player in terms of prospect discussion nationally.

[Mass Haas]

How'd the Brewers let a Canadian kid get away?

 

LH starting pitcher Andrew Albers, drafted in the 12th round out of a Saskatchewan high school by the Brewers in 2004, will make his big league debut with the Twins. Minnesota signed him prior to the 2011 season after Albers had to go the indy league route in 2010 after Tommy John surgery and his release by the Padres, his initial pro organization.

 

Albers is proof that if a player can play, a scout will find him. In 2004, Albers was drafted in the 12th round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Instead of signing, he went to the University of Kentucky. “For me, it was a matter of maturity. I don’t think I was mature enough coming out of high school to go into professional baseball. I knew I had a good situation if I chose to go to the University of Kentucky. I was going to have great coaching and was going to have the opportunity to play in one of the nation’s top baseball conferences. I also knew that I had to get a lot stronger and had never lived on my own, so I thought college would be a better fit for me. It would also allow me to work on getting my degree in case baseball did not end up working out for me. I have never regretted my decision to go to school.”

 

If you have the time, this is a very worthwhile story if you want to lean more about Albers.

[Mass Haas]

Speaking of LHP's that got away, went the indy route, and made for great stories with the Twins, Caleb Thielbar continues to put up insane numbers - WHIP of 0.66.