Link Report for Wed. 8/14 -- Stars on Wrong End of No-Hitter

[Mass Haas]

Stars No-Hit By BayBears

Alex Cohen, Huntsville Stars

 

Following a come-from-behind victory to begin their series one night earlier, the Huntsville Stars were no-hit by combined five pitchers, losing to the Mobile BayBears by a score of 2-0 on Wednesday night.

 

For the BayBears, the no-hitter began with starting pitcher Archie Bradley on the mound. The Diamondbacks top prospect twirled five scoreless innings while striking out seven batters and walking five to improve to 9-5 on the season.

 

After Bradley was taken out of the game with 98 pitches before the sixth inning, four Mobile relievers combined to blank the Stars bats through the final four innings to ensure the no-no.

 

Righties Matt Gorgen, Derek Eitel and Wily Paredes each tossed an inning of scoreless relief while closer Jake Barrett finished things off in the ninth when he sent down the Stars in order for his 10th save on the year.

 

On offense, the BayBears capitalized on two Stars errors to give the Mobile hurlers enough run support.

 

In both the third inning and the seventh inning, BayBears second basemen Mike Freeman reached on an error and ultimately scored on a two-out single by outfielder Ender Inciarte.

 

Seven games into their season series, Inciarte is 15-for-23 (.652) at the plate against the Stars pitching staff with three of his four homers on the year and seven runs batted in.

 

In a losing effort, Stars starting pitcher Andy Moye fell to 5-13 on the year after giving up just one unearned run on four hits in six innings of work.

 

The no-hitter for the BayBears was their first in franchise history. It came just a little over a year after the Stars had a combined no-hitter with five pitchers of their own against the Chattanooga Lookouts on August 2nd, 2012 at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

With the loss, the Stars winning streak was snapped at three games.

 

On Thursday, Huntsville will send RHP Taylor Jungmann (9-7, 3.72 ERA) to the hill while the BayBears will counter with LHP Andrew Chafin (9-6, 2.73 ERA).

 

First pitch is at 6:43 PM.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Milwaukee Outfield/baserunning coordinator Reggie Williams talks about what he looks for when he visits Helena for a second time

 

Williams shares an interesting story about Huntsville's Nick Shaw on the bases and the impact on Jason Rogers at the plate.

[Mass Haas]

Banda Comes Up Big in Win

Southpaw posts 4th quality start, offense gets back in gear

By Zac Vierra / Helena Brewers

 

After a rough performance by the Helena pitching staff on Tuesday night, the Brewers got exactly what they needed on Wednesday: a lights out performance by starter Anthony Banda.

 

The 6'3" southpaw earned his second win of the season after allowing just one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out a career-high eight in an 8-4 victory for the Brew Crew over Orem.

 

It was the fourth time this season Banda has posted a quality start and he has allowed just one run in his last two starts.

 

"It's one of these things where we needed to put a game like this together," said Helena skipper Tony Diggs. "He [threw] predominantly [his] fastball today, he threw a few silders, a few changeups, but for the most part he was able to locate his fastball today."

 

Despite the terrific pitching performance, the Brewers were trailing after three and a half thanks to a solo homer by Brandon Bayardi.

 

The Helena offense, which had been struggling in the past four games, managed to tie the game without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the fourth.

 

With runners on second and third and two outs, the Brewers collected their first hit of the game and it was a clutch one as Jalen Harris pulled a single to left to plate a pair and give Helena a 3-1 lead.

 

"He's done that a lot all year," said Diggs. "Great job by him. Great two-out hit, scores two runs, opens things up for us."

 

And Harris's hit did open up the floodgates for the Brewers.

 

After Harris had advanced to second on the throw home on his single, he would score when Angel Ortega hit a groundball that ate up shortstop Alex Allbritton.

 

Renaldo Jenkins would follow with a single and when Victor Alcantara threw a pitch in the dirt, both runners tried to advance. Catcher Zachary Livingston tried to get Jenkins at second but his throw went wildly into center field as Ortega scored and Jenkins scampered to third.

 

Jenkins would later score on a wild pitch as the Brewers put up a six spot on just two hits in the fourth.

 

After a long layoff, Banda would respond with a quick 1-2-3 inning that allowed the Brewers offense to get back to work.

 

"That's when it really matters. When you put up a zero after scoring runs like that, it gets everybody back in and you bring them back in for them to get a chance to hit again," said Diggs.

 

And right away the bats responded as Michael Ratterree hit an absolute laser to left that just cleared the fence for his eighth homer of the year.

 

Banda would toss another impressive frame in the sixth. After he walked the first two batters of the inning, Banda retired the next three via a strikeout, a pop out, and a fly to left to end his night.

 

A night after committing four errors, the Brewers defense also rebounded and the seventh inning was exhibit A.

 

Ranyelmy Mendoza led off the inning by hitting a groundball that looked like it was going to find the hole between first and second, but Adam Giacalone dove to his right and flipped the ball to pitcher Trevor Seidenberger to get the out.

 

Livingston would then hit a sinking liner to center and Garcia made a diving catch for the second out.

 

Ortega would finish the frame with yet another fine play after he made a leaping catch on a line drive off the bat of Mark Shannon.

 

"Defensively we played really well," said Diggs. "Pitching and defense, that's what it's all about."

 

Helena would pick up an insurance run in the sixth when Omar Garcia hit an RBI single to plate Harris and Orem grabbed three runs in the eighth, but Andy Hillis closed the door in the final frame to preserve the win.

 

Helena and Orem will be at it again on Thursday night for the third game of the series. First pitch is at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

Anthony Banda photo by Seth Eikomstead

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/8/5/4/57056854/cuts/18_Anthony_Banda_P_pfs9jfob_2jusi626.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Photos by James Ridle/Blackfoot Media Group

 

Helena Brewers third baseman Jalen Harris makes the tag against Orem’s Mark Shannon. Shannon was called safe on the play.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/39/939cffac-056b-11e3-991d-0019bb2963f4/520c67a819639.preview-620.jpg

 

Helena’s Anthony Banda delivers a pitch during the fifth inning Wednesday against the Orem Owlz.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog - Includes video of some nice defensive work and Orlando Arcia's HR

[Mass Haas]

Video highlights from the Rattlers' TV broadcast, including the unfortunate late HR

[Mass Haas]

There is a full Timber Rattlers photo gallery at the link --

 

***

 

Rodriguez hoping to end season on a high note

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — It’s late in the year, he knows his players are a bit weary but Wisconsin Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson doesn’t want to give Alfredo Rodriguez any rest.

 

“He’s a guy that everyday I come in here I look for a way to get him in the lineup,” said Erickson. “He’s earned that.”

 

Rodriguez continued to earn his manager’s respect Wednesday as he went two-for-four at the plate to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and was part of two of the Rattlers’ five double plays during a 3-1, 11-inning loss to Peoria in Midwest League play before 6,698 fans on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

Wednesday was the fifth extra-inning game between the Timber Rattlers and Chiefs this season, with Peoria taking four of those games.

 

Rodriguez has hit .355 during his hitting streak to raise his overall average to .269.

 

“I’ve just stayed with it,” said Rodriguez of his recent success. “I really haven’t changed much. Being aggressive and not letting the pitcher dictate my at-bat. Just coming out of the gates swinging.

 

“You just try to keep an aggressive approach and try and think everything’s a strike. You don’t want to be passive because when you’re passive they (the pitchers) dictate stuff. Being aggressive is going out there with a plan and sticking with it and not letting anything else change that.”

 

While being too aggressive can be a detriment, Rodriguez has shown a good knowledge of the strike zone as he’s second on the team with 42 walks.

 

“He hit lead-off for a stretch there and he was real patient at the plate, and that’s one of his attributes, he does know the strike zone pretty good,” said Erickson. “But when there are times, in hitters’ counts or with runners on base, we want to make sure he’s aggressive because he’s a guy that can swing the bat a little bit.

 

“I think, as far as offensively is concerned, he’s very simple. He probably has our most repeatable swing, beautiful stroke throughout the year. And anytime you have a repeatable swing, you’re going to have chances to put together good at-bats on a daily basis and right now he’s caught a streak where he’s got a few hits in a row.”

 

The Chiefs opened the 11th with Charlie Tilson reaching on a bunt single, and Bruce Caldwell followed with a two-run shot off Rattlers reliever Ryan Gibbard. Peoria reliever Dixon Llorens struck out the side in the 11th to preserve the win.

 

Rodriguez hopes he can carry his hot streak until the end of the season.

 

“I feel like I’ve been pretty confident all year. Sometimes the ball just falls your way,” said Rodriguez, the Brewers’ 17th-round pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. “I wouldn’t say it’s luck. It’s a long season and some days you hit three line drives and they get caught by people and some days you hit three balls not so well and they fall in.

 

“I’m always motivated. I know we’re getting near the end of the season and I definitely want to finish strong. It’s been my first full season and I’m just trying to end it on a good note.”

[Mass Haas]

Catching up with RHP Joel Pierce, the Canadian 2010 7th round high school pick that didn't pan out

[TheCrew07]

Cardinals’ Oscar Taveras Will Miss Rest Of Season

[TheCrew07]

More on the Stars getting worked over and a bunch of prospects that various people wanted to draft or trade for around here over the last couple of years.

 

Prospect Notebook: Diamondbacks’ Archie Bradley Combines With Relievers For Mobile No-Hitter