Link Report for Wed. 8/28 -- Playoff-race drama in Appleton; Wrapping things up in Maryvale

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Alfredo Figaro at Oklahoma City (Astros), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Jeff Hem is the play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

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Huntsville: Idle

 

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Brevard County: RHP Damien Magnifico at home vs. Lakeland (Tigers), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the link based on listed schedule

 

Manatees audio, hooray! Dave Walkovic is the first play-by-play voice of the 'Tees since 2007, he's joined by Andy Towne; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and many road games are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed, we'll let you know that.

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Austin Ross at home vs. Quad Cities (Astros), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM

 

Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio.

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV.

 

So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

 

NOTE: Many of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and WACY-TV My NEW32 will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and will try to provide day-before DVR reminders, so regularly check with us.

 

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Helena: Idle

 

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Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): It's the season finale at home vs. the Indians' youngsters, 12:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

 

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DSL Brewers: Season complete (26-45), final individual stats found here

[Mass Haas]

DVR Alert!

 

As we mentioned yesterday, tonight's 7:05 PM Timber Rattlers game will be televised on MyNew32 TV out of Green Bay. "Showdown: Timber Rattlers Pre-Game" airs at 6:30.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Nashville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Maryvale

 

New MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

 

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BONUS BOX:

 

Root for Peoria vs. Clinton to aid the Rattlers' playoff push

[Mass Haas]

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

[Mass Haas]

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times.

 

New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here.

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division

 

Rookie - Arizona Summer League

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division

 

***

 

NOTE: To view first half or overall standings for Huntsville, Brevard County, Wisconsin, and Maryvale, you'll notice options at the respective links for that. Otherwise it's second-half standings as the default view for those three leagues.

[Mass Haas]

Weather.com:

 

Oklahoma City, OK

 

Viera, FL (Melbourne)

 

Grand Chute, WI (Appleton)

 

Maryvale, AZ

[Mass Haas]

Happy 18th Birthday to Dominican Summer League switch-hitting rookie second baseman Daniel Leonardo!

[Mass Haas]

Final, Season Over: @AZL Brewers 4, AZL Indians 3, ten innings

 

SWEEP the three-game set in less than 18 hours!

 

Now that's how you end a season! The A-Crew managed to break even in the second-half at 14-14, after a rough 9-19 first half.

 

AZL Brewers Box Score

 

It's been a rough go for recently-turned 18-year-old catcher Tanner Norton (.453 OPS), but he walked off the season as part of a two-hit day --

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 10th

 

Pitching Change: Ramon Rodriguez replaces Kyle Bellows.

Defensive Substitution: Juan De La Cruz replaces catcher Shane Rowland, batting 4th, playing catcher.

Tucker Neuhaus grounds out, third baseman Yonathan Mendoza to first baseman Gerald Bautista.

Elvis Rubio singles on a line drive to right fielder Silento Sayles.

Brandon Diaz singles on a line drive to left fielder Victor Cabral. Elvis Rubio to 2nd.

Tanner Norton singles on a line drive to right fielder Silento Sayles. Elvis Rubio scores. Brandon Diaz to 2nd.

 

Another 18-year-old, OF Brandon Diaz, was the DH today and he doubled, singled twice, walked, and stole two bases (now with 21 in 30 tries). That'll do.

 

Recently-turned 19-year-old RF Elvis Rubio has made the chore of late night / early AM Maryvale Link Report duty so much more palatable. Thank you, Elvis, you've been my hero all summer. Two more singles and a walk today, if anyone deserves a flight to Montana for a couple of weeks of reward seasoning, it's you.

 

AZL Brewers Game Log

 

Over the past couple of weeks, 5th round UW-Milwaukee RHP Josh Uhen has been pitching like you'd expect a high-round college arm to do in this league, nice to see. Uhen only turned 21 last April, so he's a youngish-college arm as well.

 

32nd round RHP Ryan Deeter jumped from the College World Series experience with UCLA to the Arizona League experience - the lack of fans didn't phase him, finishes with a 0.00 ERA through seven relief outings, today was the longest, three innings to net his first professional win, congrats!

 

We'll squeeze in a post in the Helena / Maryvale thread at some point, capping the high- and low-lights of the Maryvale season, and we'll link to the team's individual stat lines in each Daily Menu right through Helena's (and hopefully Wisconsin's) postseason run(s).

[TheCrew07]

A few divisional mentions at the bottom.

 

Prospect Notebook: Clayton Blackburn, Henry Owens Finish On A High Note

[TheCrew07]

LHP Kyler Burke of the Cubs.

 

Burke, Cubs no-hit Blue Jays again

[TheCrew07]

As usual plenty of familiar names.

 

Baez, Buxton lead talent headed to AFL

[TheCrew07]

This was updated and reposted at BA, I always enjoy looking at this kind of information.

 

2013 Big League Debuts And Their Signing Scouts

[Mass Haas]

RHP Mark Rogers is scheduled to make his 6th rehab start for Brevard County Thursday night.

 

As we noted earlier, the Brewers played the timing of the beginning of Rogers' rehab period just as they needed to, in order to end the stint just as rosters expand September 1st.

 

Major league rehab stints are limited to 30 days, and Rogers debuted with the Manatees on August 4th. Thursday will be Rogers' last minor league appearance, because the affiliate regular seasons (except for Helena) all end by Monday.

 

The Brewers will need to activate Rogers from the 60-day DL, and once activated, his spot on the 40-man roster will once again count. The Brewers are currently carrying 39 on the 40-man roster, so Rogers will fill the open spot. (If the Brewers wanted to add a non-roster player to the big league club for September, say Jimmy Nelson or Hunter Morris, they could still do so by moving Rickie Weeks to the 60-day DL, or any number of other moves involving fringe 40-man players.)

 

So unless the Brewers can creatively cite a setback, they won't be able to place Rogers back on the DL. Not sure how much Mark will pitch in September, but look for Rogers to be in the Brewers dugout for the month.

 

Rogers is out of options, so the Brewers would need to carry Rogers on the 40-man through the winter in order to get another look at him in spring training of 2014.

 

Rogers, like Mat Gamel and Taylor Green, has been earning his near-minimum big league salary all season (near $500,000), so while rehabbing serious injuries is arduous and certainly not fun, at least the pay and service time accumlation has been big-league level.

 

So we'll see if things go as described here, but this seems to be the only alternative the Brewers have without exposing Rogers to waivers.

[Mass Haas]

Speaking of 40-man roster players, Adam McCalvy did learn from Gord Ash recently that RHP Nick Bucci is done for the year with a shoulder injury. Already consulted once with Dr. Andrews, and will see him again in September to see if the rest helped.

 

Truly a lost season for the recently-turned 23-year-old Bucci. Should he continue to be on the Brewers' 40-man in the next couple of years, Bucci would qualify for a 4th option year in 2016.

[TheCrew07]

Speaking of 40-man roster players, Adam McCalvy did learn from Gord Ash recently that RHP Nick Bucci is done for the year with a shoulder injury. Already consulted once with Dr. Andrews, and will see him again in September to see if the rest helped.

 

From elbow to shoulder... another rehab gone wrong.

[Eye Black]

Final: Lakeland 4, Brevard County 3

 

Brevard bitten by Flying Tigers, 4-3

By Andy Towne / Brevard County Manatees

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/2/2/58835122/cuts/Richardson_8.28_scjrw2au_5mdmk7ir.JPG

Manatees center fielder D'Vontrey Richardson led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run in Brevard County's 4-3 loss to the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Wednesday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

VIERA, Fla. - A pair of home runs propelled the Lakeland Flying Tigers past the Brevard County Manatees, by the score of 4-3 on Wednesday night at Space Coast Stadium.

 

Lakeland took advantage of a Brevard County (28-35 second half, 65-65 overall) error to score the eventual winning run in the sixth. After a dropped pop-up in foul territory by Nick Ramirez, Jeff McVaney drilled a solo homer into the visitors' bullpen in left to give the Flying Tigers (30-28, 60-66) the lead.

 

Devon Travis blasted a two-run shot to left in the fifth inning to tie the game up at 3-3.

 

D'Vontrey Richardson's first home run of the season, which was also the team's fourth leadoff shot of 2013, gave the Manatees an early 1-0 lead.

 

After the Flying Tigers tied it up with an unearned run in the second, Lance Roenicke gave Brevard a 3-1 lead on a two-run double in the bottom of the inning.

 

Jacob Barnes (9-6, 3.08 ERA) took the loss as he allowed both home runs for a total of three runs, though just two were earned, in his four innings out of the bullpen.

 

Damien Magnifico (0-2, 5.26) was limited to two innings as the starting pitcher for the 'Tees, as he surrendered just one hit with a walk and allowed one unearned run with two strikeouts.

 

Lakeland's Tommy Collier picked up the victory as he went seven innings and allowed three runs, while striking out six.

 

The final series of the season begins Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. with the Daytona Cubs coming to Space Coast Stadium to open a four-game series. Mark Rogers (0-1, 4.50) will get the start for the Manatees, while the Cubs will send Corey Black (6-8, 4.07) to the mound.

 

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

 

Brevard County Play-by-Play

[TheCrew07]

Rattlers fall 4-2 to Bandits, miss opportunity

Clinton loses at Peoria in 12 innings; Wisconsin stays one game back

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers got a huge favor from the Peoria Chiefs. Unfortunately, the Rattlers couldn't do themselves a favor as they lost 4-2 to the Quad Cities River Bandits Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin could not hold a slim, early lead and could not pick up ground in the second half playoff chase.

 

Victor Roache gave the Timber Rattlers (59-71 overall, 30-35 second half) the lead in the first inning. Roache drove in Orlando Arcia from second base with a two-out single to center.

 

Wisconsin starting pitcher Austin Ross went five scoreless innings. He walked the first batter of the game, but retired the next thirteen River Bandits hitters. Roberto Pena snapped the streak with a one-out single in the top of the fifth, but he was stranded when the inning ended. Ross struck out seven, walked two, and turned a 1-0 lead over to Alan Williams in the top of the sixth.

 

The left-handed Williams walked two of the first three Bandits batters he faced in the top of the sixth. That brought lefty Danry Vazquez to the plate. He pulled a 1-0 pitch inside the first base line. The ball got into the corner for a triple that scored both runners and the Rattlers trailed 2-1.

 

Wisconsin brought the infield in with Vasquez at third and Rio Ruiz at bat. Third baseman Mike Garza dove at the liner off the bat of Ruiz, but the ball glanced Garza's glove into left field for an RBI to make it 3-1.

 

Quad Cities starter Chris Devenski tossed six innings, allowed the run in the first inning, allowed four hits, and struck out two.

 

The Rattlers got to reliever Richard Rodriguez in the sixth. Garza tripled to right-center with one out. Max Walla drove in Garza with a sacrifice fly and the Rattlers were down a run. Dustin Houle reached on an error with two outs in the sixth, but Wisconsin could not take advantage.

 

Williams walked Tony Kemp to start the top of the eighth and gave up an infield single with one out. Wisconsin went to the bullpen to bring Taylor Wall in to face Vasquez. Wall got Vasquez to line a one-hopper at second baseman Adrian Williams for a potential inning ending double play. But, the ball deflected off Williams into centerfield. That allowed Kemp to score the run that put the River Bandits (77-56, 39-25) up 4-2.

 

There would be no late rallies for the Timber Rattlers on Wednesday night. Wisconsin went down in order in the eighth inning against Mitchell Lambson and in order in the ninth inning against Andrew Walter.

 

The Timber Rattlers missed a huge opportunity to pick up ground in the Western Division Wild Card race. The Clinton LumberKings, the team that led the Rattlers by a game in the standings heading into Wednesday's game, lost 7-6 in twelve innings at Peoria. Clinton lost their seventh straight game despite four home runs and leads of 4-0 and 6-3 to fall to 31-34 in the second half.

 

Wisconsin still trails the LumberKings by a game in the playoff chase. Wisconsin needs to finish a game in front of Clinton to claim the playoff spot. If the teams end in a tie, Clinton holds the tie-break on the basis of defeating the Timber Rattlers in the season series between the teams.

 

Game two of the series is Thursday night. Ryan Gibbard (4-6, 5.49) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Joe Bircher (3-3, 4.11) is set to start for the River Bandits. Game time is 7:05pm.

 

Thursday night is the final Arty's Old Fashioned/95.9 KISS FM Thirsty Thursday. Fans may enjoy 16oz soda, beer, and Arty's Old Fashioned drinks for just $2 as part of Thirsty Thursday. Plus, Clint Coulter was the choice for the Fans' Choice Bobblehead. The first 1,000 to attend this game receive the bobblehead of one of Milwaukee's two first round picks - and the 27th overall pick - in the 2012 draft.

 

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. Thursday's game is also available to MiLB.TV subscribers.

 

WP: Chris Devenski (4-3)

LP: Alan Williams (0-1)

 

TIME: 2:46

ATTN: 5,904

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

Austin Ross continues his ascension towards next year, it will be interesting to how well he fairs again going through the FSL.

 

With only 5 hits there isn't much offense to discuss but Tyrone Taylor (2B), Max Walla (2B), and Michael Garza (3B) all had XBHs.

 

Wiscsonin Recap

 

I hate to pin it on one play but this was the nail in the coffin, it was only Williams' 2nd error of the season, just very unfortunate.

 

Quad Cities Top of the 8th

• Anthony Kemp walks.
  Teoscar Hernandez flies out to right fielder Max Walla.
  Carlos Correa singles on a ground ball to shortstop Orlando Arcia, deflected by third baseman Mike Garza. Anthony Kemp to 2nd.
  Pitching Change: Taylor Wall replaces Alan Williams.
  Danry Vasquez reaches on a force attempt, fielding error by second baseman Adrian Williams. Anthony Kemp scores. Carlos Correa to 2nd.
  With Rio Ruiz batting, Carlos Correa caught stealing 3rd base, catcher Dustin Houle to third baseman Mike Garza, Danry Vasquez to 2nd.
  Rio Ruiz walks.
  Roberto Pena grounds out, shortstop Orlando Arcia to first baseman Parker Berberet.

 

Wisconsin Gameday

[TooLiveBrew]

Sounds Defeat RedHawks, 6-1

Velez Extends Hitting Streak To 17, Figaro Victorious In Solid Start

Nashville Sounds

 

http://i.imgur.com/5zZK65L.jpg

Alfredo Figaro, archive photo (Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds)

 

• AUDIO: Eugenio Velez Extends Hit Streak With Two-Run Single
  
• AUDIO: Diaz Scores On Statia Groundout
  
• AUDIO: Hunter Morris Opposite-Field RBI Double
  
• AUDIO: Blake Lalli RBI Single

 

OKLAHOMA CITY - Eugenio Velez extended his hitting streak to 17 games and drove in a pair of runs to help lead the Nashville Sounds to a 6-1 victory over the Oklahoma City RedHawks on Wednesday evening at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

 

Right-hander Alfredo Figaro (1-0) earned his first Triple-A win of the year for Nashville by allowing one run in his five innings of work, scattering four hits and inducing three double plays during his 73-pitch effort.

 

The Sounds (54-85) struck first, plating a pair of runs in the top of the third against RedHawks starter Asher Wojciechowski. Hainley Statia drew an inning-opening walk and moved to third on a Josh Prince double before both runners scored when Velez extended Nashville's longest hit streak of the year to 17 games with a two-run single to center.

 

Velez is batting .333 (25-for-75) during his hit streak and has also reached base safely in 31 straight contests, one shy of the longest such effort in the Pacific Coast League this season.

 

Nashville tacked on a run in the fourth when Robinzon Diaz (2-for-5) singled with one out and later scored on a Hainley Statia fielder's choice grounder.

 

Wojciechowski (9-7) absorbed the loss for the 'Hawks after allowing three runs on six hits in his 4 2/3 frames of action.

 

Oklahoma City netted its first run in the home half of the fourth when Figaro uncorked a two-out wild pitch to allow Brandon Laird to race plateward.

 

The Sounds increased their advantage to 4-1 in the sixth against RedHawks reliever Hector Ambriz. Blake Lalli (3-for-4) led off with an infield single and moved to third on a Diaz double before scoring on a Stephen Parker groundout.

 

Nashville kept the offense churning in the seventh with a pair of two-out scores off Wade LeBlanc. After the first two batters of the frame were retired, Sean Halton singled before scoring on an opposite-field RBI double into the left field corner by Hunter Morris (2-for-4), who extended his hitting streak to six games (11-for-24, .458). Lalli followed Morris with a run-scoring single that made it a 6-1 contest.

 

Dustin Molleken was solid in relief behind Figaro, allowing just one single and striking out a pair of batters during three scoreless frames of work.

 

Jesus Sanchez made things interesting in the ninth, opening the frame with a warning track flyout before permitting a pair of baserunners. The right-hander recovered to retired the final two batters to escape the jam and close out the win with a scoreless frame.

 

The Sounds will look to secure just their third winning road series of the year when the teams wrap up the four-game series with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Thursday night. Left-hander Aaron Laffey (6-8, 6.82) will man the bump for the Sounds and face Oklahoma City right-hander Bobby Doran (3-0, 3.96).

 

 

Nashville Box

 

 

Nashville PbP

 

 

Nashville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

LINK INCLUDES VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH RHP AUSTIN ROSS -- Some of those quotes included in text below

 

***

 

Ross strong in Wisconsin's defeat

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — Friends and family of Austin Ross are pleased with his recovery from Tommy John surgery, because the pain in their ears is now starting to subside.

 

“I probably talked to anybody that would listen,” said Ross of his frustrations with his recovery. “I probably got on a few people’s nerves along the way, just talking their ear off.”

 

But the confidence has returned, along with the quality outings. That included Wednesday’s five-inning, one-hit and no runs effort during a 4-2 loss to Quad Cities in Midwest League play on Timer Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

The setback kept the Rattlers a game behind Clinton in the race for the final wildcard playoff spot with five to play. The Lumberkings dropped a 7-6 decision in 12 innings at Peoria. Because Clinton owns the tiebreaker, the Rattlers must finish one game ahead of Clinton in the final standings.

 

Ross, an all-star with the Rattlers in 2011, injured his arm after just three starts last season in Brevard County. The comeback has been trying at times, but he’s on the verge of regaining his previous form. In his past six starts, he has a 0.93 ERA. He has struck out 14, including a season-best seven Wednesday, and walked four during that stretch.

 

“It’s been pretty good the last four, five weeks,” he said. “And that’s what everybody told me, pitching coaches and staff. I started throwing again around the first of June in Arizona. It’s a little frustrating because you want to get right back to where you were.

 

“But I’ve been very patient with it and stuck to the process and tried to improve every time out and make little strides. It was pretty frustrating. I could see I was making progress, but the results just weren’t there.”

 

After walking the first hitter he faced on four pitches Wednesday, Ross retired the next 13 straight before giving up a one-out single in the fifth.

 

“You try to tell yourself not to look at results,” Ross said. “But the reality of it is when you have good results, you have a little more confidence where if you weren’t. So it’s nice to see some results finally.”

 

Ross has been on an 80-pitch limit the last couple of weeks and Rattlers manager Matt Erickson said it will remain that way until the end of the season, whenever that may be.

 

“It’s like anything else you do. It’s a process,” said Erickson, “whether it’s player development or coming back from an injury. He’s a little bit older. He’s been in this league. He understands that. And he’s doing what he can to get back to pitching every five days.”

 

Ross exited with a 1-0 lead. But the River Bandits got to reliever Alan Williams for four runs on four hits in 2 1⁄3 innings. The Rattlers were held to five hits by four Quad Cities pitchers.

 

No matter what happens from here, Ross will head into the offseason feeling good about his future.

 

“Even like my first few starts, I felt like I was getting close but the results just weren’t there,” he said. “I had to be patient with it and stuck to the process. This is what I told myself every day, ‘Do what you can do today to improve and stick to the process you’ve gone through.’

 

“So I feel like I’m getting it back to where I was before I was hurt.”

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog -- Postgame entry includes video highlights

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County AUDIO --

 

Pre-game interview with former UW-Milwaukee RHP Chad Pierce

 

Wednesday game highlights/lowlights

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO from Wednesday's home run action from two players high on the Brewers' prospect watch list --

 

Nashville's Hunter Morris hits one out in the second inning of a 5-4 loss to Oklahoma City

 

***

 

Helena's Clint Coulter hits a two run homer as the Brewers beat Grand Junction, 8-4

 

***

 

Huntsville's Brock Kjeldgaard singles in two as the Stars fall to Mississippi, 4-3