Link Report for Thurs. 8/8

[Mass Haas]

Sounds Surge In Ninth To Win Opener, 6-1

Nashville's Kroenke Serves Up Six Scoreless; Lalli Homers

 

Zach Kroenke image from earlier this season via Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/9/9/4/56394994/cuts/808_kronk_t74k5m90_uxk4f0x8.jpg

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Nashville Sounds broke away with a five-spot in the ninth inning to defeat the Colorado Sky Sox by a 6-1 margin Thursday night in the series opener at Security Service Field. The victory is Nashville's ninth in their last 10 games.

 

The Sounds loaded the bases in the ninth before recording a hit in the inning, as Sean Halton walked, Hunter Morris reached on an error, and Blake Lalli on a sacrifice bunt fielder's choice. Stephen Parker followed with a dribbler to first base which was misfielded by Ben Paulsen to allow the go-ahead run (audio).

 

Blake Davis gave the Sounds a pair of insurance runs with a deep double to the centerfield wall (audio). Pinch hitter Ozzie Chavez made it 5-1 with his sacrifice fly (audio) and Kentrail Davis shot a single into centerfield for the team's final run (audio).

 

Reliever Kyle Heckathorn (8-3) picked up the win for Nashville, his eighth. The right-hander walked the bases loaded in the eighth, before retiring the side in his only inning of work.

 

Lalli, 2-for-3, helped Nashville out to an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run to the opposite field (audio). The second-inning blast marked Lalli's 10th of the year to become the fourth Sound to record double-digit jacks this season.

 

Lalli's run held for the Nashville advantage until the bottom of the seventh inning. Sky Sox outfielder Kent Matthes led off the inning with a single into centerfield that just dropped in despite Kentrail Davis' best effort. He reached second on the play in a run down.

 

Matthes moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, which brought in lefty Travis Webb from the Sounds bullpen. Webb picked up the second out of the inning via strikeout, but pinch hitter Ryan Wheeler lined a double to the left-field corner to knot the game, 1-1. The run was charged to reliever Johnnie Lowe, who began the inning.

 

A one-hour and 58-minute rain delay preceded the game, burning both team's starting pitchers: R.J. Seidel for Nashville and Cory Riordan for Colorado Springs.

 

The delayed start put Zach Kroenke on the hill for Nashville to make his first start since July 10 in Albuquerque. Despite the short notice, the 29-year-old delivered six innings of scoreless baseball for Nashville, limiting the Sky Sox to just two hits for his fifth quality start of the season.

 

The lefty retired nine Sky Sox in a row, beginning in the third inning, before a pair of Hunter Morris fielding errors at first put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth. Kroenke escaped the jam by getting outfielder Xavier Nady to strike out swinging.

 

Kroenke finished with four strikeouts and only one walk before giving way to Lowe in the seventh.

 

Brent Leach also saw work on the hill for Nashville, pitching a scoreless ninth, though he did load the bases on two hits and one hit batsmen.

 

The Sounds will play game two against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox Friday night at Security Service Field. Throwing for Nashville will be LHP Aaron Laffey (5-5, 5.46) opposite the Sky Sox RHP Armando Galarraga (0-1, 9.39).

 

Nashville Box Score

 

Zach Kroenke hasn't been interviewed since May 19th? That has to be revisited, Jeff. Entertaining guy.

 

Nashville Game Log

 

Listening to this half-inning was frustrating, but to his credit, Kyle Heckathorn got out of it --

 

Col. Springs Bottom of the 8th

 

Pitching Change: Kyle Heckathorn replaces Travis Webb, batting 9th, replacing Hainley Statia.

Josh Rutledge grounds out, third baseman Stephen Parker to first baseman Hunter Morris.

Reid Brignac walks.

Ben Paulsen walks. Reid Brignac to 2nd.

Xavier Nady walks. Reid Brignac to 3rd. Ben Paulsen to 2nd.

Kent Matthes strikes out swinging.

Drew Garcia grounds out, shortstop Blake Davis to first baseman Hunter Morris.

[Mass Haas]

Quintana, Linehan shut down Osprey

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Just another all-around fine outing for the Helena Brewers.

 

Jalen Harris was 2 for 3 with three runs batted in, Charlie Markson broke out of a recent slump with a 3-for-5 performance and Helena got superb pitching from Zach Quintana and Tyler Linehan in a 6-3 victory over Missoula.

 

For Quintana, Thursday’s win was his fourth of the season but his first in the friendly confines of Kindrick Legion Field. It was also the second straight victory in as many appearances for the right-hander, who kept the Osprey off balance all evening by mixing his devastating fastball with a solid changeup. His strategy? Don’t get too fancy.

 

“We’ve kind of been getting back to the basics, keeping it simple,” said Quintana, who allowed just two runs on seven hits through five innings, striking out three and walking none. “It’s been working the past couple times, so I’m just planning on sticking with it.”

 

Linehan picked up his second straight save, throwing four innings of one-hit ball to close out the game. The lefty retired Chuck Taylor with a nasty breaking ball to seal the deal, much to the delight of the 1,132 fans stomping their feet. It was Linehan’s fourth strikeout of the game and, although he walked two and gave up a run, Brewers manager Tony Diggs couldn’t have been more pleased with both of his pitchers.

 

“Controlling the game as far as walks go is a big priority for us,” said Diggs, whose pitching staff had walked a Pioneer League-high 177 batters entering Thursday’s game. “We relayed that to them, and these two seemed to take it to heart today. They did a good job of making guys put the ball in play and letting the defense make some great plays behind them.

 

“When you walk a guy, we talked about how you take your defense completely out of the game. They can’t help you … but when you let them put the ball in play, you’ve got eight guys behind you who can make a play.”

 

Aside from three errors, Helena’s defense did a good job of that Thursday night. And the Brewers once again brought their bats, with another double-digit hit performance — 11 in this one — following Wednesday’s season best of 19. Third baseman Taylor Brennan extended his hit streak to eight games, his longest of the season, and Markson finished with a game-best three hits from his leadoff spot.

 

For Markson, it was a welcome outing after a rough series against Great Falls that saw him go just 1 for 13.

 

“Great Falls didn’t go how anybody wanted, personally or as a team,” said the outfielder, who upped his batting average to .304. “It’s a long season, so you’ve just got to stay up and not get too high, not get too low. Put in your work and it will pay off eventually.

 

“I’ve been working with (hitting coach) Chuckie (Caufield) a lot on getting down early and hitting the inside pitch … it worked a little bit today, so hopefully I can continue that the rest of the year.”

 

Markson said the effective pitching not only gave the bullpen a rest, but took a lot of pressure off the Helena offense.

 

“When they’re working fast like that, throwing strikes, we’re putting runs up and they’re getting shutdown innings like that, it makes it so much easier as a hitter,” he said. “Props to them, they did great tonight.”

 

Diggs was happy to see Markson connecting and looking comfortable at the plate Thursday. In his previous 10 games, Markson had been batting just .190.

 

“You go through those little funks where you’re gonna have off nights,” Diggs said. “… He’s had a couple, but he’s a battler. He gets in there and he’s aggressive. He wants to swing the bat. I’m glad it fell for him tonight.”

 

The third inning was the big difference in the game for the home team, as Helena managed four runs on five hits against Osprey starter Adam Miller, who fell to 0-3 on the season. The Brewers made it 5-0 when two runs came in on Harris’ single to center, with the 6-foot, 223-pound Brennan plowing over Missoula catcher Jose Queliz at home plate.

 

“He busted his butt coming around third base, and you tell your kids you want them doing that every single day, every single play,” said Diggs, whose team improves to 4-5 in the second half.

 

Osprey center fielder Colin Bray was the only player with more than one hit for the visitors, who will look to avoid the three-game sweep tonight. First pitch is 7:05 (8:05 Central), with southpaw Anthony Banda taking the mound for the Brewers. Right-hander Felipe Perez gets the nod for Missoula.

[Mass Haas]

Four Helena photos at the link

[Mass Haas]

Our thoughts to those suffering from devastating flooding in Nashville.