Link Report for Sat. 5/10 - A PerfeKKKKKKKKKKKKKt Day, Don't Y'Know

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Mike Fiers at Iowa (Cubs), 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 $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

**********

 

Huntsville: RHP Tyler Cravy at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:00 PM pre-game, 6:15 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Steve Jarnicki is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars - welcome aboard! Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveJarnicki. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV - It appears seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games (not the Stars). Unfortunately, Chattanooga also does not provide MiLB.TV coverage.

 

**********

 

Brevard County: LHP Hobbs Johnson at Daytona (Cubs), 5:35 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

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

 

Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; 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 (or not at all), we'll let you know that.

 

No Florida State League games are available via MiLB.TV.

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Victor Diaz at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Twins), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 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.

 

For the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from seven Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

 

NOTE: Thirty-nine (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (30) will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and remember to refer to the Rattlers' full TV schedule so you can coordinate your DVR activity.

 

DVR ALERT: Next televised game is this coming Monday, 5/12, MyNew32 TV, 6:00 pregame show.[/i]

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

[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 these just prior to the respective game times --

 

Nashville Media Notes - it's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Roster" banner on the Sounds' site.

 

Brevard County Media Notes - again, it's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Manatees' site.

 

Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Southern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

[Mass Haas]

Sortable individual stat pages:

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

Weather.com:

 

Des Moines, IA

 

Chattanooga, TN

 

Daytona Beach, FL

 

Grand Chute, WI (Appleton)

[Mass Haas]

Wondering about the Dominican Summer League?

 

Formal schedule hasn't been released yet, but last year started Sat. June 1st, so this year Sat. May 31st seems like a reasonable guess.

[igor67]

Nice game already for Delmonico, Brevard was already my favorite box score to check, but with him at 3rd their is a position player worth keeping an eye on at every position most nights. It also feels like they could be rounding in to a very potent offense by FSL standards.

 

Ramirez was a guy I had been kind of ignoring, but he just keeps hitting. Still his profile screams Hunter Morris to me right now, which isn't too exciting is there something else to his game that would possible make him more than a potential so-so platoon guy?

[TheCrew07]

Wisconsin crack Kernels 6-3

McFarland extends hit streak with three hits, Diaz & Banda combine for 13 Ks

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers got a big day from Chris McFarland and their tandem of pitchers to defeat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Victor Diaz and Anthony Banda combined for thirteen strikeouts on the hill as McFarland finished the game a double shy of the cycle.

 

Diaz, the Wisconsin starting pitcher, got the first two outs in the top of the first inning. Then, Chad Christensen doubled to right. Mitch Garver knocked the next pitch to left for a single to score Christensen and the Kernels (19-16) led 1-0.

 

The Rattlers (16-19) tied the game on an odd play in the bottom of the second inning. They had loaded the bases with one out on a walk to Taylor Brennan and consecutive singles by Omar Garcia and Steve Halcomb. Angel Ortega's routine flyball to right was dropped. The Kernels got a force play at second, but Brennan scored to tie the game.

 

Kernels starting pitcher Ryan Eades hit a wild streak in the bottom of the third inning. McFarland started the inning with a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Clint Coulter drew a walk and Jose Pena blooped in a single to load the bases. Eades would throw a wild pitch with Michael Ratterree at the plate to let McFarland score the go ahead run. Eades retired Ratterree, but threw another wild pitch with Taylor Brennan at the plate and Coulter scored for a 3-1 lead. Later in the inning, Steve Halcomb dropped in a single to right and Pena scored the final run of the inning.

 

Diaz settled in after the first inning. He went five innings and would match his professional career high for strikeouts in a game with seven. Diaz hit a batter, walked none, and only gave up one run to put himself in position to pick up his first win of the season.

 

The Kernels scored a run in the top of the sixth off Banda. Christensen walked and stole second to start the inning. Bryan Haar doubled to center to send Christensen home and cut the Wisconsin lead to a pair of runs.

 

The red-hot McFarland, who had tripled in the fourth inning, put the Rattlers back up by three. He launched a solo home run off the scoreboard in left-center with one out in the bottom of the sixth. McFarland is 16-for-32 during his hitting streak.

 

Omar Garcia made the score 6-2 in the bottom of the seventh with a triple off Derek Penilla to score Brennan. Wisconsin would load the bases in the inning and McFarland would get a shot at the first cycle in Timber Rattlers history, but Yorman Landa, the third Kernels pitcher of the afternoon, struck him out to end the inning.

 

Banda walked the first two batters in the top of the eighth inning and the Kernels had runners at the corners with two outs. Haar cashed in one of the runs with a single. Then, Banda retired the potential tying run with his fifth strikeout to take a 6-3 lead into the ninth.

 

The Kernels went down in order in the ninth inning and Banda, who struck out six over four innings, recorded his first professional save.

 

The Timber Rattlers are off on Mother's Day and return to action with a home game against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Monday night. Preston Gainey (1-2, 2.59) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Quad Cities has named Michael Feliz (1-1, 5.52) as their starting pitcher for Monday. Game time is 6:35pm.

 

Monday is a Qdoba Q*Monday. Purchase a lunch entrée at either Qdoba location in Appleton (3813 E. Calumet Street or 4343 W. Wisconsin Avenue) on Monday before the Rattlers host the River Bandits to receive a ticket to any Monday home game during the 2014 season.

 

If you can't make it out to the game on Monday, there are several ways to catch the action. MyNEW 32's Sports Showdown will televise the game starting with their pregame show at 6:00pm. The radio broadcast will be on AM1280, WNAM and IHeartRadio starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm. Subscribers can watch the game on MiLB.TV.

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Chris McFarland (6th, 0 on in 6th inning off Derrick Penilla, 1 out)

 

WP: Victor Diaz (1-1)

LP: Ryan Eades (3-4)

SAVE: Anthony Banda (1)

 

TIME: 2:49

ATTN: 4,418

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

Victor Diaz had his best day as a professional, Chris was so enthusiastic talking about Diaz that I *almost* picked up MiLB TV to watch the game which I told myself I wasn't going to do this year. Once I buy it, all I do all summer is sit around and watch baseball because I feel obligated to get my money's worth. Diaz threw 45 of 69 pitches for strikes, just a fantastic outing.

 

Anthony Banda did about what he's mostly done all year, but he also piled on the SOs with 6 in his 4 innings. His ERA is fairly representative of his talent as well, at least as a starter.

 

Chris McFarland (3-5,3B,HR) is in the process of turning his career completely around, who of us would have guessed or even would have believed that he would have 6 HRs before June? He only had 3 HRs in 87 games last season. Baseball players just normally don't dedicate themselves to the weight room like he did, good for him.

 

Outside of McFarland this game was about the bottom of the order as Taylor Brennan (2-3,BB), Omar Garcia (3-4,3B), and Steven Halcomb (2-3,BB) all had multi-hit games.

 

Wisconsin Recap

 

Wisconsin Gameday

[SoupTown]

What an amazing night. They all win. Out starters struck out around 300 of the opposing batters. This guy named reed draws two more walks. How you walk twice as much as K is incredible

 

Delmonico homers first game back

 

Fiers Ks 13

 

Most of our fringe players (like Halton and Morris) are collecting multi hit games

 

All around very promising for the worst minors teams in baseball. I guess the other teams must be stacked with trout and pujohli and molini

[bkrause2]

Final: Brevard County 5, Daytona 2

 

Brevard completes sweep of Daytona with 5-2 win

Johnson fans career-high nine, Delmonico homers in first game of season

By Andrew Luftglass / Brevard County Manatees

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees wrapped up a four-game sweep of the Daytona Cubs with a 5-2 victory at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Saturday night.

 

Manatees' lefty Hobbs Johnson (3-4, 2.84 ERA) led the charge with career-highs in both strikeouts and innings pitched. The starter fanned nine men and reached the seventh inning for the first time this season before being removed with one out in the frame.

 

Johnson's crowning moment of the contest came between the fourth and sixth innings. Brevard's starter struck out six out of the seven batters he faced between the final out of the fourth and the end of the sixth. Johnson struck out the side in the sixth to conclude his hot stretch.

 

In addition to all of the strikeouts, Johnson kept the Cubs off the basepaths throughout his start. He did not walk a batter for the third time this season. The southpaw also allowed just two runs - one earned - on five hits.

 

Daytona scored both of their runs in Johnson's last inning of work. With the Manatees (20-15) leading 4-0, Albert Almora hit a chopper to third base for an infield single. Bijan Rademacher came up next and roped a double to put the Cubs (10-23) on the board.

 

Johnson was lifted after recording the first out of the inning and Martin Viramontes came in to pitch. Viramontes nearly got out of the inning, but a two-out ground ball hopped up on shortstop Yadiel Rivera and bounced into center field to score Rademacher. Both runs on the inning were charged to Johnson, but that was all Brevard would allow in the ballgame.

 

For the second game in a row, the majority of the Manatees' runs were scored in the third inning. Orlando Arcia started the inning with a one-out single to keep his season-best 10-game hit streak alive. Arcia stole second and moved to third on a groundout.

 

Then with two outs, Michael Reed hit a ground ball to second base that should have gotten Daytona out of the inning. However, Gioskar Amaya booted the ball and Arcia scored the first run of the game.

 

Arcia's run was not the only casualty of the Amaya error for the Cubs. Cameron Garfield came up with Reed on first and drove a deep fly ball over the scoreboard in left field. The catcher's first home run of the season put Brevard ahead, 3-0 and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

 

Saturday also marked the return of Nicky Delmonico and the left-handed hitter made his presence known quickly. In just his second at-bat of the season, Delmonico hit a long home run over the right field wall to lead off the fourth inning. Delmonico also singled two innings prior in his first time up and finished 2-for-4.

 

Garfield and Delmonico were not the only Manatees to go deep against Daytona pitching. Rivera punctuated Brevard County's sweep of the Cubs with a two-out solo shot in the eighth. The long ball was Rivera's third of the season and the ninth for the Manatees in the month of May, which already matches the team's total from the entire month of April.

 

After the Rivera home run gave the Manatees a 5-2 edge, Viramontes went back on the hill to work the bottom of the eighth. The right-hander walked one and kept the Cubs off the scoreboard. Viramontes held Daytona scoreless over 1.2 innings and struck out three men before the 'Tees turned to Tanner Poppe in the ninth.

 

Poppe allowed a two-out single, but nothing more. He shutout the Cubs in the ninth to earn his eighth save of the season. Brevard County's closer now sits second in the Florida State League in that category behind Dunedin's Arik Sikula (10).

 

The Manatees will enjoy a day off on Mothers' Day, but return to action on Monday night at 6:35 p.m. at Space Coast Stadium. Interdivision action begins in the FSL, as Brevard County hosts the Fort Myers Miracle (20-16) for a four-game set. Tyler Wagner (3-1, 2.03) is slated to start for the 'Tees against Miracle lefty Matt Tomshaw (1-1, 3.12).

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

Welcome back Nicky Delmonico! 2-for-4 with a home run in his first game back. Cameron Garfield homered and walked in four plate appearances. Yadiel Rivera also homered and singled in four at bats. Nathan Orf went 2-for-5 with a double out of the leadoff spot. Michael Reed singled, walked twice and stole two bases. Hobbs Johnson made another nice start for the 'Tees, going 6.1 innings and striking out nine. He allowed two runs, though only one was earned.

 

Brevard County Play-By-Play

 

Four of Brevard's five runs came via the longball

 

Brevard County Top of the 3rd

 

Nathan Orf pops out to second baseman Gioskar Amaya.

Orlando Arcia singles on a ground ball to center fielder Albert Almora.

With Tyrone Taylor batting, Orlando Arcia steals (7) 2nd base.

Tyrone Taylor grounds out, shortstop Tim Saunders to first baseman Dan Vogelbach. Orlando Arcia to 3rd.

Michael Reed reaches on a fielding error by second baseman Gioskar Amaya. Orlando Arcia scores.

Cameron Garfield homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Michael Reed scores.

Victor Roache grounds out, shortstop Tim Saunders to first baseman Dan Vogelbach.

 

Brevard County Top of the 4th

 

Nick Delmonico homers (1) on a fly ball to right field.

Garrett Cooper grounds out, third baseman Jeimer Candelario to first baseman Dan Vogelbach.

Yadiel Rivera grounds out, third baseman Jeimer Candelario to first baseman Dan Vogelbach.

Nathan Orf doubles (7) on a line drive to center fielder Albert Almora.

With Orlando Arcia batting, passed ball by Willson Contreras, Nathan Orf to 3rd.

Orlando Arcia flies out to center fielder Albert Almora.

 

Brevard County Top of the 8th

 

Pitching Change: Andrew McKirahan replaces Zach Cates.

Nick Delmonico strikes out swinging.

Garrett Cooper grounds out, shortstop Tim Saunders to first baseman Dan Vogelbach.

Yadiel Rivera homers (2) on a fly ball to left center field.

Nathan Orf strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO via Jeff Hem's blog --

 

"Tonight’s interview is with Sounds outfielder Jeremy Hermida. He discusses his season so far and coming to the Brewers; playing for Sounds manager Rick Sweet in Louisville (Reds) in 2011 and for Sounds hitting coach Bob Skube in Tucson (Padres) in 2012; his drive to get back to the big leagues, where he played at least part of every year from ’05-’12; and what he remembers about becoming the first player in major league history to hit a pinch-hit grand slam in his first major league at-bat (’05 with Marlins for Cardinals reliever and former Sound Al Reyes,

)."

 

***

 

Look for a fresh-faced Miguel Cabrera in the video as well.

 

Given this news (Weeks declines possibility of trying LF), keep an eye on the possibility of a Hermida call-up at some point.

[Mass Haas]

Just a day after lamenting the lack of local Huntsville coverage, Mark McCarter comes through with a Mitch Haniger feature just posted within our 2014 Stars thread.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio blog -- Postgame entry

 

Some insights from Chris, and the video highlights...

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County --

 

First, catching up from Friday with

 

VIDEO: Andrew Luftglass talks with Jorge Lopez after the 'Tees right-hander pitched seven two-hit innings to beat the Daytona Cubs.

 

Well, not only is the Puerto Rican native coming along with his English, but it seems other members of the Manatees' broadcast staff are epic video-bombers, you'll see.

 

***

 

AUDIO: Infielder Nicky Delmonico joins Justin Rocke on the Manatees Pregame Show

 

AUDIO, Saturday game highlights -- The Manatees sweep the Cubs, 5-2.

 

AUDIO: Delmonico and starting LHP Hobbs Johnson join the Manatees postgame show

[Mass Haas]

Struggling Cubs lose for ninth time in last 10 games

By Sean Kernan, Daytona News-Journal

 

DAYTONA BEACH — The Daytona Cubs and Brevard County Manatees are two teams heading in different directions.

 

The Manatees used three home runs, and Brevard County pitchers struck out 12 in a 5-2 victory over the Cubs at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Saturday night.

 

The Cubs have lost nine of their last 10 games, including four straight to Brevard County, while the Manatees have won seven of 10.

 

A big reason the Manatees (20-15) have improved and the Cubs (10-23) have not is Brevard County has raised its team batting average about 50 points to .250.

 

Daytona’s has slipped to .239.

 

“I think it comes down to how our approach has improved,” said Brevard County catcher Cameron Garfield, who slugged a two-run homer. “When you see a pitch that’s not the one you’re looking for, don’t swing at it.”

 

Nicky Delmonico and Yadiel Rivera also hit solo home runs for the Manatees.

 

Brevard County starter Hobbs Johnson (3-4) overmatched the Cubs through the first six innings before yielding two runs, one earned, in the seventh.

 

After Dan Vogelbach doubled to lead off the second, the Cubs didn’t hit a ball out of the infield until Bijan Rademacher doubled home Albert Almora with nobody out in the seventh.

 

The Cubs whiffed eight times between those two at-bats, and Johnson faced just two over the minimum number of batters in that stretch.

 

The Cubs fanned 12 times and drew just one walk in the game. Rademacher, who was 2 for 4, was the only Cub with more than one hit.

 

“Sometimes guys get too antsy and wired up because they want to get a hit so badly,” Daytona manager Dave Keller said. “They get a little anxious. Are our guys chasing (pitches)? Everybody chases at this level.”

 

The Florida State League is off Sunday.

[TheCrew07]

Fiers Deals Career-Best in Sounds 10-1 Win

Nashville Batters Record Season Best 10 Runs and 18 Hits

Nashville Sounds

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/2/5/4/75069254/cuts/_MPS0571_Large_1u9tc5di_g0nsn4w3.jpg

 

DES MOINES, Iowa. - Sounds starting pitcher Mike Fiers (6-1) racked up a career-best 13 strikeouts through 6 2/3 scoreless innings Saturday night at Principal Park in the Nashville Sounds series opening 10-1 win against the Iowa Cubs.

 

Fiers earned his sixth win of the season, scattering five Iowa hits en route to his sixth quality start. The 28-year-old fired 117 pitches on the night and increased his league-leading strikeout total to 64 on the year.

 

Fiers has now recorded double-digit strikeouts in four of his seven starts this season, which included his previous best 12 strikeouts that he recorded on April 19 at Omaha.

 

Offensively, the Sounds worked a season-best 18 hits off of Iowa pitchers to score 10 runs, also a season-high. Each batter in the Sounds' line-up recorded a hit, including Fiers, who doubled in the sixth. Five batters recorded multiple hits.

 

Hector Gomez put the Sounds on the board in the first inning with his solo home run over the left-field wall. In the following inning, Taylor Green drove in outfielder Sean Halton by slapping an RBI-double just inside of third base to make it a 2-0 ballgame.

 

Sounds first baseman Hunter Morris, 2-for-5, added to the Sounds lead with a two-out RBI-single through the gap at second base to score Gomez, who doubled. Morris came around to score on Halton's home run.

 

Nashville picked up an additional run in the fourth inning via Gomez's sacrifice-fly; one in the seventh from Halton's RBI-single; and another in the eighth courtesy of Gomez's infield single scoring Green.

 

Hainley Statia joined the hit parade in the ninth inning with his two-run pinch-hit double.

 

Both Gomez and Halton finished with three hits and three RBIs. Halton has logged 10 RBIs over his last six games and extends his hit-streak to a season-best six games.

 

Iowa scored its lone run off of Sounds reliever Kyle Heckathorn with two hits in the eighth inning. Johnnie Lowe stepped in to log a scoreless ninth inning for Nashville.

 

Cubs pitcher Eric Jokisch (2-3) was charged with the loss, his third, allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits over four innings of work.

 

I-Cubs first baseman Chris Valaika and Manager Marty Pevey were both ejected in the ninth inning by first base umpire Chris Gonzalez.

 

The Sounds play game two of their four-game series against the I-Cubs on Sunday afternoon. Right-handed pitcher Alfredo Figaro (0-1, 4.34) will make the start for Nashville, opposite Iowa's RHP Dallas Beller (1-0, 1.50). Broadcaster Jeff Hem has the call on 102.5 The Game.

 

Nashville Boxscore

 

Nashville Recap

 

Nashville Gameday

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 5, @Chattanooga 2

 

Cravy Stymies Lookouts In Stars Win

 

Chattanooga, TN - Huntsville Stars right-hander Tyler Cravy turned in yet another impressive start as he won his fifth straight decision by beating the Chattanooga Lookouts Friday night 5-2 at AT&T Field. Cravy improved to 6-1 on the season. His six wins are the most in the Southern League.

 

The Stars took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Lookouts starter Nick Struck (0-1). With two outs, Nick Ramirez tripled off the center-field wall. Mitch Haniger scored Ramirez on a single into center. The next batter, Kentrail Davis, singled into center scoring Jason Rogers.

 

The Stars made it 3-0 in the 3rd. Ramirez absolutely crushed a pitch over the right field wall for his seventh home run of the season.

 

The Lookouts scored one run against Cravy in the sixth. J.C. Boscan led off with a double. Struck got a sacrifice bunt down which was bobbled by Cravy and an error was charged to the Stars pitcher. Darnell Sweeney then singled through the right side scoring Boscan making it 3-1.

 

The Stars added two runs in the eighth. D'Vontrey Richardson tripled over the centerfielder Noel Cuevas's head scoring Josh Prince. Ramirez followed with an infield RBI single.

 

Chattanooga scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth as third baseman Rogers committed two errors, one throwing and one fielding which aided the Lookouts. Scott Schebler had an RBI single against Kevin Shackelford which went for an unearned run.

 

David Goforth worked a 1-2-3 ninth, notching his eighth save of the year, tied for the most in the Southern League.

 

Cravy worked seven innings allowing four hits. He struck out a season high nine.

 

Ramirez went 3-4 with 2 RBI.

 

The Stars improved to a Southern League best 24-12 while Chattanooga drops to 14-21. The Stars lead the Lookouts in the five-game series 1-0.

 

The Stars and Lookouts will continue their series with an afternoon game Sunday. The Stars will have RHP Drew Gagnon (3-1, 2.66). Chattanooga will have RHP Tyson Brummett (3-2, 0.49) on the mound. The game can be heard starting at 1:00 PM CT with Steve Jarnicki on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM, and wtkiradio.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

These Link Report days run together -- weren't we just singing RHP Tyler Cravy's praises just yesterday? Actually, it was five days ago, time flies.

 

The power was expected, but .292, Nick Ramirez? Nice.

 

Defensive growing pains for Jason Rogers at third base...

 

Huntsville Game Log

 

Kudos boys, 24-12, .667 ball. Crazy good. You'll see evidence of 4-for-6 with RISP here.

[Mass Haas]

What an amazing night. They all win. Our starters struck out around 300 of the opposing batters.

 

Almost!

 

25 innings, 38 K's!

[Mass Haas]

A good portion of Tom Haudricourt's Sunday notes column focuses on Huntsville. Click the link for the full article.

 

There are some big things happening on the pitching front with the Brewers' Class AA Huntsville affiliate. Entering Saturday, the Stars ranked second in the Southern League with a 2.64 ERA and led that circuit with six shutouts.

 

The Stars recently set a franchise record with 30 consecutive scoreless innings.

 

"We've had some guys dramatically improve and others we have high hopes for are pitching well," said Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash.

 

Among the surprises is left-hander Brent Suter, among the league leaders with a 5-1 record and 1.71 ERA through seven starts. Prospects Drew Gagnon (3-1, 2.66), David Goforth (2.60 ERA in 13 relief appearances, seven saves) and Kevin Shackelford (3.05 ERA in 14 relief outings) have fared well, and improving starter Tyler Cravy (5-1, 2.08) is another to watch.

 

Making the Huntsville pitching situation more impressive is the fact that two starting pitchers, Brooks Hall (elbow spur) and Andy Moye (hamstring strain), have been on the DL.

 

"That shows you the kind of depth we have," said Ash. "Cravy is an under-the-radar type guy who's having a nice year. We debated over the winter about putting him on the 40-man roster."

 

Another great story at Huntsville has been the offensive production of catcher Shawn Zarraga, a 44th-round draft pick in 2007. Zarraga, 25, was hitting .444 through 26 games with a .517 OBP and .500 slugging percentage.

 

Ash noted that Zarraga has made great strides behind the plate as well.

 

"He's always had the hitting capability, but he's never been a very good defender," said Ash. "I talked to him at the end of last year and I said, 'If you really want to be serious, you better get home and get in condition.'

 

"And he did. He lost 20 to 25 pounds. He has turned himself into a decent receiver. He's a switch-hitter. If you can hit like that, you've got a chance. No one had ever trusted his ability to catch. That's not the case anymore."

[Mass Haas]

Fiers fans career-high 13 in Sounds' rout

Brewers right-hander rebounds from rough outing against I-Cubs

By Tyler Maun / MiLB.com

 

Mike Fiers had mastered nearly every task set before him this season, but Saturday night provided him with an opportunity to redeem his one rough outing.

 

The Major League veteran recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts and allowed five hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings as Triple-A Nashville rolled to a 10-1 triumph at Iowa.

 

"It was just another one of those nights where everything was working," said Fiers, who issued one walk. "I had good life on my fastball. I was able to locate it, and that just helped out with every other pitch. I put a lot of guys away with the curveball, which was working really good. I was keeping it down, and then at times, I flipped it in there for a strike. It felt like everything was working. Keeping them off-balance was the biggest thing."

 

The record-setting performance came five days after the 28-year-old right-hander's worst outing of an otherwise dominant season. Iowa got to Fiers (6-1) for five runs on six hits over five innings. He fanned a season-low five while absorbing his first loss.

 

"Last game, I was definitely not happy. It was a bad outing," Fiers said. "I just didn't have anything going. I couldn't locate my fastball. I was getting behind in counts a lot of the time. I had to come back into counts and make pitches, which I didn't do. They were ready and they ended up making good swings and capitalized on the mistakes I was making."

 

Strikeouts came from the outset in Fiers' second shot at the Cubs' lineup. He froze Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez, Chicago's No. 6 and No. 1 prospects respectively, to close the first innings.

 

The Cubs had few answers for Fiers, who struck out the side in the second and fifth and had just one inning -- the fourth -- in which he didn't record multiple strikeouts. All those whiffs inflated Fiers' pitch count, with the Nova Southeastern product topping the 100-pitch plateau after six innings.

 

That didn't prevent him from going out for the seventh.

 

"I didn't know where I was, pitch count-wise," he said. "I knew I was getting up there. [Manager] Rick Sweet and [pitching coach] Fred Dabney asked me if I was all right and how I felt. I told them, 'I'm good.' They let me go back out there. I've been there before and they had the confidence in me to get it done."

 

After recording the first two outs in the seventh, Fiers surrendered a single to Logan Watkins to bring his night to a close. The outing dropped his ERA to 1.59, which ranks third in the Pacific Coast League. He's fanned 64 batters while walking only six and leads all Triple-A starters with a 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

 

"It's Minor League Baseball and, obviously, everyone here wants to play in the Major Leagues," Fiers said. "You have it in the back of your mind and even if I didn't have the numbers that I have now, just being in Triple-A, that next step is being in the big leagues. It's hard not to think about it. But that's one of the main things that you have to do is focus on what you're doing and going into every start like you would in the big leagues."

 

Fiers, who has made 36 appearances for the Brewers over the last three seasons, went 1-4 with a 7.25 ERA in 11 outings in 2013.

 

"You've got to take that mind-set because if you're in the Minor Leagues and you're dreading being here and worrying about a call, things aren't going to go as well as you've planned," he said. "It's definitely in the back of my mind, but I'm able to go out there and take every start like I am in the big leagues. It really is a stepping stone to pitching well there. I've got to pitch well here and get ready for whenever that call is."

 

Hector Gomez staked Fiers to a quick lead with a solo homer in the first inning. Taylor Green doubled home Sean Halton in the second and Halton hammered a two-run homer that capped a three-run third. Gomez, Halton and Elian Herrera each had three hits, with Gomez and Halton driving in three runs apiece.

 

Iowa starter Eric Jokisch (2-3) surrendered six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits while striking out five and walking one in four innings.

 

***

 

VIDEO, Full at-bat: Nashville's MIke Fiers fans 13th Iowa batter of the night as Sounds top Cubs, 10-1.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Nashville's Hunter Morris drives in run with a ground ball single as the Sounds rout Iowa, 10-1.

 

From Friday's game --

 

VIDEO: Nashville's Matt Pagnozzi hits his second homer of the game in a 9-7 win at Colorado Springs

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattler Profile via the Post-Crescent: OF Michael Ratterree