Link Report for Sat. 4/12

[Mass Haas]

STARS LOSE MARATHON GAME TO MOBILE

Steve Jarnicki, Huntsville Stars

 

Huntsville, AL - The Mobile BayBears’ Jake Lamb hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the top of the 12th to lift the BayBears to a 10-7 win Saturday night over the Huntsville Stars at “The Joe”.

 

The Stars built a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Nick Ramirez lined a two-run double down the left field line and Mitch Haniger recorded an RBI single.

 

Mobile scored two runs in their fourth when Jon Griffin scampered home on a wild pitch by Stars reliever Johnnie Lowe. Gerson Montilla also had an RBI double cutting the Huntsville lead to 3-2.

 

In the fifth inning, Mobile tied it when Michael Freeman hit a solo home run that just stayed fair down the right field line. It was Freeman’s first homer of the season.

 

The Stars retook the lead in their fifth. With Haniger and Greg Hopkins on base, Michael Ratterree grounded a two-run single off third baseman Garrett Weber, scoring Haniger and Hopkins to give the Stars a 5-3 lead.

 

Sean Jamieson brought Mobile one run closer on his RBI single off Kevin Shackelford in the sixth.

 

In the top of the ninth, David Goforth was looking for his sixth save in six chances but the BayBears had other plans. With two outs, David Peralta laced a two-run double to left center scoring Jamieson and Freeman. Mobile had a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.

 

The Stars loaded the bases against Jake Barrett with nobody out. Haniger’s sacrifice fly scoring Nick Shaw tied the game at 6-6. Barrett buckled down though to strike out Hopkins and got Ratterree to pop out in foul territory to end the threat.

 

Eric Marzec (0-1) suffered the loss for the Stars, allowing the inside-the-park grand slam in the top of the twelfth.

 

The Stars scored their final run in the bottom of the twelfth when Shaw was walked with the bases loaded scoring Hopkins.

 

The Stars are now 10-6 on the season while Mobile improves to 9-7.

 

The Stars and BayBears play game two of their five-game series Sunday afternoon. The Stars will have RHP Brooks Hall (0-1, 4.85) on the mound while Mobile will start RHP Chase Anderson (2-1, 0.50). The game can be heard starting at 12:45 PM on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM and http://www.wtkiradio.com.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds pitcher stumps Chasers

By Tim Perera / Omaha World-Herald Correspondent

 

Nashville pitcher Mike Fiers is proof of the difficulty in succeeding in the major leagues.

 

After beginning the 2013 season as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers' starting rotation, Fiers was sent back to the minors after going 1-4 with a 7.25 ERA.

 

He's been nearly unhittable in his three Class AAA starts this season.

 

Saturday was no exception as the right-hander handcuffed the Omaha Storm Chasers for eight innings in a 5-1 win in front of 4,330 at Werner Park.

 

Fiers, who entered the game with a 0.71 ERA for Nashville, scattered five hits and struck out a career-high 12 in improving to 3-0.

 

He said he had every pitch in his repertoire working.

 

“I was able to keep these guys off-balance,” Fiers said. “These guys can swing it, so you just got to keep them off-balance as much as possible, pound the zone and try to get outs as quick as possible.

 

“You don't want to fall behind to too many of these hitters. They'll make you pay.”

 

Johnny Giavotella had two of the Chasers' five hits, going 2 for 4.

 

Omaha manager Brian Poldberg said it was difficult to get anything going offensively.

 

“He pitched well. We hit a couple of balls hard, but when we did it was right at somebody,” Poldberg said. “He limited us real well.”

 

Chaser starter P.J. Walters allowed two hits through four innings, but Nashville jumped on him in the fifth, getting the first four batters aboard.

 

Following a Taylor Green leadoff single, Hector Gomez reached when he was hit by a pitch. Kevin Mattison and Pete Orr followed with back-to-back doubles that gave the Sounds a 3-0 lead.

 

Meanwhile, Fiers was cruising, having allowed one hit through five innings with seven strikeouts.

 

Pedro Ciriaco became the first Omaha runner in scoring position when he doubled to left with one out in the sixth. Fiers extinguished the brief rally by striking out Brett Eibner and Christian Colon to end the inning.

 

The Chasers (8-8) finally got to Fiers in the seventh. Carlos Peguero reached on a fielder's choice and stole second with one out.

 

After Brian Fletcher was called out on strikes, Fiers issued his only walk of the game to Matt Fields to put runners on first and second with two outs.

 

Paulo Orlando then laced a 0-1 pitch into center field for his sixth RBI of the season as the Chasers cut the Nashville lead to 3-1.

 

Walters gave way to reliever Cory Wade in the eighth inning. Walters went seven innings and took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

 

Poldberg said he liked the way Walters bounced back from the three-run fifth with scoreless sixth and seventh innings.

 

“Things got away a little bit, but he battled and got through that and got out of that inning only giving up three runs,” Poldberg said. “He got through seven for us, so he kind of gave our bullpen a chance to catch its breath a little bit.”

 

Nashville (8-8) scored a pair of insurance runs off Wade in the ninth on two hits and two walks.

[Mass Haas]

FOX 11: More video highlights from the Rattlers game, kicking off with that inexplicable (Great Lakes) error.

 

VIDEO: One more look at Angel Ortega's first Timber Rattlers home run

 

***

 

From Friday night --

 

VIDEO: Huntsville's Jason Rogers doubles home two runs as the Stars rout Mississippi, 13-0

[Mass Haas]

How did Mike Fiers' not earn one of MiLB.com's feature stories last night? The one earned run, I guess...

[LouisEly]

FREE MIKE FIERS

 

As semi-official driver of the BF.net Mike Fiers bandwagon, the belief that last year was an aberration due to being distracted by his mother's illness is gaining more and more evidence.