Link Report for Sun. 8/18

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog - Postgame Entry a must-visit after such a big win

[Mass Haas]

Vogelbach, Bryant go back-to-back to lead Daytona

By Brent Woronoff, Daytona News-Journal

 

DAYTONA BEACH – Dan Vogelbach and Kris Bryant talked about hitting back-to-back home runs before Sunday's game.

 

The new Daytona Cubs then pulled off the feat in a five-run seventh inning and Daytona (30-19) hung on for a 5-3 victory over Brevard (24-30) before 1,860 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

“It was cool to go back-to-back. We talked about doing that before the game,'' Vogelbach said. “Hopefully we'll be doing that a lot more.''

 

Brevard lefty Brent Suter tossed six shutout innings and left with a 1-0 lead on T.J. Mittlestaedt's homer in the third. But Daytona teed off on reliever Stephen Peterson (4-1) in the seventh. The Cubs began the frame with four straight hits — two on bunts — to take a 2-1 lead. Vogelbach then blasted an 0-2 fastball over the right-center field fence for a two-run shot. Bryant followed with a homer to left.

 

“The lefty who started was really good. The other lefty who came in (in the seventh) had a little more lively fastball,'' said Vogelbach, the Cubs' second-round pick in 2011. “He got me on the first two. So I was trying to get my foot down earlier. He left it up a little, and I hit it pretty well. That homer by (Bryant) was huge. The guy left a curve ball up.''

 

Bryant, the second overall pick in June's major-league draft, hit his third homer in his seventh game with the D-Cubs, while Vogelbach hit his second. The pair were both promoted last Tuesday.

 

“That's what everybody sees,'' Daytona manager Dave Keller said of the homers. “But it all started because we bunted and got some base hits. That set up everything.''

 

Daytona's Pierce Johnson pitched four innings to improve to 6-1. He struck out six of the first eight batters he faced, but loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. Jeffrey Lorick got out of the inning, allowing two runs on ground outs. Austin Reed allowed one hit in the ninth to get the save.

 

Johnson came on in the fourth for Scott Baker, who made his second rehab start for Daytona. Baker gave up one run, on Mittlestaedt's homer, in three innings.

 

Baker last pitched on July 29.

 

The Cubs hit three doubles and advanced a runner to third three times against Suter before scoring their first run in the seventh.

 

Daytona Cubs' Pierce Johnson throws to Brevard Manatees' Greg Hopkins Sunday during the fifth inning.

News-Journal photo / David Massey

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20130818&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=130819414&Ref=AR&MaxW=445&border=0

[Mass Haas]

Brewers get bats cracking

By Troy Shockley, Helena Independent Record

 

Through the first few innings Sunday, it seemed as if Helena and Grand Junction were settling in for another pitchers’ duel.

 

Then came the fourth inning. That’s when the Brewers offense exploded for a half-dozen runs en route to a 13-5 win at Kindrick Legion Field. It was the Brewers’ fifth consecutive win and second straight over the Pioneer League North Division Rockies, who won the North’s first-half title.

 

“I don’t know how many extra-base hits we had, but we had a number of them. We had a lot of doubles in the gap, and we had a couple long balls too. Today was definitely an offensive day,” manager Tony Diggs said. “I would have liked to get better out of our starting pitcher … but it was just one of those days for him was all.”

 

That starter was Zach Quintana, who went 4 2/3 while giving up four runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked three.

 

The bulk of the Grand Junction offense came in the top of the third. After Helena’s Michael Ratterree and the Rockies’ Miguel Dilone traded early home runs, the visitors’ Ryan McMahon won a long battle with Quintana, eventually reaching on a single to give his team runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly to center made it a 2-1 Grand Junction lead, and a double from Dilone that sailed over Ratterree’s head in right scored another, making it 3-1.

 

Quintana, though, gritted his way through the inning. And, with his pitches missing their mark, used a pick-off of Dilone at second to end the frame. It was his second such move of the inning, after recording a pick-off out at first earlier in the third.

 

The momentum shifted quickly, however, and after the fourth inning the game was never in question the rest of the way.

 

Taylor Brennan led off the inning with a double to the left corner, and Dustin Houle followed with a liner to right. Brennan had stopped at third, but a throw came in from Dilone in right field, anyway. He bypassed the cutoff man and tried to rifle it home — but was badly off the mark. That allowed Brennan to score, making it a one-run game.

 

Jose Pena tested Dilone again in the next at-bat, lofting a high floating pop-up along the first-base line. Dilone made a diving stab at the ball, but missed.

 

Next up, Jalen Harris, who connected to left on a single. A bobble by Ryan Garvey on the fielding attempt helped him to second and pushed two runs in, making it a 4-3 Brewers lead.

 

Nathan Orf made it six straight base hits, his RBI single scoring Harris.

 

A wild pitch advanced the runners, and things didn’t get any better for the Rockies after that.

 

While the Brewers did surrender two quick outs, Grand Junction starter Zach Jemiola then watched a runner score on two consecutive wild pitches before Ratterree popped out to end the inning with Helena on top, 7-3.

 

Helena went on to score at least one in the next four innings — including a Pena homer in the fifth and a three-run rally in the sixth — to put the game away.

 

Earning the win for the Brewers was Chris Razo, who transferred back to the Capital City club from Wisconsin on Saturday. Fellow righty Ryan Fasano was promoted to Wisconsin in his place.

 

Razo pitched 1 1/3 innings, getting the Brewers out of a runners-on-the-corners jam in the fifth and giving up just one hit to improve to 6-0. All of his wins have come out of the bullpen. Tyler Linehan earned a three-inning save, allowing one run on one hit while striking out three.

 

“That’s his forte,” Diggs said of Razo. “Not that it’s necessarily a win, but to come in shut down the problem right then and let us keep playing. It’s good to have him back.”

 

Also good is seeing the bottom of the lineup turn in such a strong day. The Brewers finished with 17 hits in the win, but just two of them came from the top three in the lineup. The bottom six, meanwhile, went 15 of 27 with 11 runs scored and six RBIs.

 

Pena finished 4 for 5 with the home run and three doubles. Designated hitter Jesse Weiss also turned in a strong performance, going 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored. Brennan, Houle, Harris and Orf all finished with a pair of hits.

 

“We’re a great hitting team,” Weiss said. “And I think our offense is really coming around. It’s always nice to have the bottom guys pick up the top guys when they’re not hitting as well.”

 

The two teams will meet once more at Kindrick, wrapping up a three-game set today in a 7:05 PM start (8:05 Central).

 

Helena’s Renaldo Jenkins connects for a base hit that would drive in Jesse Weiss on third during the bottom of the sixth inning Sunday against Grand Junction. James Ridle photo, Blackfoot Media Group

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/6b/c6b007c4-0889-11e3-ae00-0019bb2963f4/5211a27664db1.preview-620.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Reliever Greg Holle feature in our Huntsville thread this AM

[Mass Haas]

Final: AZL Brewers 8, @AZL Athletics 6

 

AZL Brewers Box Score

 

A-Crew scores two in the top of the 8th to take a 6-5 lead, give up a run in the bottom of the frame as the A's tie it up, and then the good guys score two in the 9th and hold on for the win --

 

AZL Brewers Top of the 8th

 

Tanner Norton singles on a ground ball to center fielder Billy McKinney.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Yonki Hernandez replaces Tanner Norton.

Brandon Diaz out on a sacrifice bunt to first baseman Shawn Duinkerk. Yonki Hernandez to 2nd.

With Eric Williams batting, wild pitch by A. J. Burke, Yonki Hernandez to 3rd.

Eric Williams singles on a line drive to right fielder Justin Higley. Yonki Hernandez scores.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Jose Sermo replaces Luis Aviles.

With Jose Sermo batting, Eric Williams steals (6) 2nd base.

With Jose Sermo batting, wild pitch by A. Burke, Eric Williams to 3rd.

Jose Sermo singles on a ground ball to right fielder Justin Higley. Eric Williams scores.

Pitching Change: Rony Acevedo replaces A. J. Burke.

With Steven Halcomb batting, Jose Sermo steals (2) 2nd base.

With Steven Halcomb batting, Jose Sermo steals (3) 3rd base.

Steven Halcomb strikes out swinging.

Johnny Davis lines out to second baseman Joe Bennie.

 

AZL Athletics Bottom of the 8th

 

Yonki Hernandez remains in the game as the designated hitter.

Jose Sermo remains in the game as the third baseman.

Ben McQuown walks.

With Billy McKinney batting, Ben McQuown steals (9) 2nd base.

Billy McKinney grounds out, shortstop Steven Halcomb to first baseman David Denson.

With Justin Higley batting, wild pitch by Scott Lieser, Ben McQuown to 3rd.

Justin Higley doubles (7) on a ground ball to center fielder Brandon Diaz. Ben McQuown scores.

Pitching Change: Tyler Spurlin replaces Scott Lieser.

Kyle Wheeler called out on strikes.

Gabriel Santana grounds out, shortstop Steven Halcomb to first baseman David Denson.

 

AZL Brewers Top of the 9th

 

Francisco Castillo walks.

Clint Coulter called out on strikes.

With David Denson batting, wild pitch by Rony Acevedo, Francisco Castillo to 2nd.

David Denson strikes out swinging.

Yonki Hernandez triples (2) on a fly ball to center fielder Billy McKinney. Francisco Castillo scores.

Brandon Diaz singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ben McQuown. Yonki Hernandez scores.

With Eric Williams batting, Brandon Diaz picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Rony Acevedo to first baseman Shawn Duinkerk to second baseman Joe Bennie to pitcher Rony Acevedo.

 

AZL Athletics Bottom of the 9th

 

Piikea-Jiro Kitamura called out on strikes.

Joe Bennie grounds out, shortstop Steven Halcomb to first baseman David Denson.

Seongmin Kim strikes out swinging.

 

AZL Brewers Game Log

 

Huntsville LHP Brian Garman managed a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance:

 

AZL Athletics Bottom of the 1st

 

Shawn Duinkerk singles on a ground ball to second baseman Francisco Castillo.

Ben McQuown walks. Shawn Duinkerk to 2nd.

Billy McKinney flies out to center fielder Brandon Diaz.

Justin Higley strikes out swinging.

Kyle Wheeler strikes out swinging.

 

17-year-old 1B David Denson started things off nicely --

 

AZL Brewers Top of the 1st

 

Johnny Davis flies out to left fielder Ben McQuown.

Francisco Castillo singles on a fly ball to center fielder Billy McKinney.

Clint Coulter doubles (5) on a line drive to left fielder Ben McQuown. Francisco Castillo to 3rd.

David Denson homers (5) on a fly ball to left field. Francisco Castillo scores. Clint Coulter scores.

Tanner Norton grounds out, second baseman Joe Bennie to first baseman Shawn Duinkerk.

Brandon Diaz lines out to left fielder Ben McQuown.

 

***

 

With 13 hits and five walks, lots for you to review on the Brewer side of the box score. A-Crew won despite four errors and a super-adventurous day on the basepaths.

[igor67]

There has been a lot to keep an eye on for the Wisconsin box scores, particularly here in the second half. However no one there seems to have clearly broken out in a way that has removed all the questions except for when will they be starting for the Brewers. Taylor has stabilized in August, Roache is doing alright but has cooled off from July. Cooper has done fairly well. Arcia has been trending upward, but even for a SS the OPS is still pretty mediocre. I'm not down on any of these guys, in fact I'm fairly excited. I'm posting to think out loud about whether or not having as extreme of a pitcher's park as Brevard is going to help these guys. It is one thing for us to apply adjustments to the stats and try to eyeball the effects, but are you going to tell me that Haniger feels like he had a great year after he went from lighting it up with Wisconsin to an OPS in the .700's?

[TheCrew07]

Nothing divisional related, but I'll call my shot now and say that Toronto is going to end up looking pretty stupid trading both Syndergaard and Nicolino, didn't like the trades at the time and they look even worse now. So many GMs in baseball just don't get it. /offsoapbox

 

Prospect Notebook: Noah Syndergaard Extends Scoreless Streak

[TheCrew07]

The Reds' Ben Lively has done exactly what college pitchers should do in the Pioneer League. We'll see what happens with him next year.

 

Reds' Lively maintains perfect keel

[TheCrew07]

LHB Jin-De Jhang a C in the Pirates' organization. His career numbers are pretty decent.

 

Jhang homers twice, plates six runs

[TheCrew07]

Normally I don't pass these on even though I read them, but the tweet I quoted was pretty funny.

 

Minoring in Twitter: PF Chang’s, Willy Wonka and Walter White

I have been selected yet again for a “random” drug test…I’m 6’2 180lbs with a Reagan era fastball… 5 tests in less than a year #mid80s

 

— Ben White (@Bennyhana42) August 12, 2013