Link Report for Fri. 6/27

[Mass Haas]

You heard this from Thursday's game, now watch --

 

VIDEO: Jeff Bianchi hits an RBI double in Nashville's 11-1 loss to New Orleans

 

***

 

Now to Friday's action:

 

Third baseman Jason Rogers -- who enjoyed a solid Sounds debut with a 2-for-3 effort that included two RBIs and a pair of extra-base hits -- ripped a leadoff triple to left-center in the bottom of the fifth inning for his first Triple-A hit and scored the night's first run when Jeremy Hermida followed with a bloop RBI single to left.

 

AUDIO: Jeremy Hermida RBI Single

 

The Sounds upped the lead to 4-0 in the sixth against Z's reliever Arquimedes Caminero. Rogers plated Jeff Bianchi (2-for-4) with a sacrifice fly before Hermida (2-for-4) blasted a monstrous 401-foot three-run homer to right-center, the slugger's eighth roundtripper of the season.

 

AUDIO: Jason Rogers Sac Fly

 

AUDIO: Jeremy Hermida Two-Run HR

 

Rogers continued his strong PCL debut in the eighth when he stroked an RBI double to left-center that plated Bianchi to up the Nashville advantage to 5-0.

 

AUDIO: Jason Rogers RBI Double

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County --

 

AUDIO: 'Tees manager Joe Ayrault chats with Andrew Luftglass about being named one of the top ballplayers from SW Florida and Fishing Hat Friday

 

AUDIO, Game Highlights (and yes, lots of highlights): Behind 17 hits and three home runs, the 'Tees defeat Clearwater, 8-4, as Orlando Arcia finishes a triple shy of the cycle

[Mass Haas]

Just posted this in our Rookie Leagues thread, but will sneak it in here as well, a good read --

 

8th round Villanova RHP J.B. Cole made his Helena debut on Thursday with two scoreless innings. Here's a detailed feature article on the 21-year-old via his hometown New Jersey newspaper.

[Mass Haas]

Congrats, Shawn Zarraga!

[Mass Haas]

Brewers' big inning puts the hurt on Mustangs

By Mike Scherting, Billings Gazette

 

Though the Mustangs absorbed a pretty good drubbing Friday night, manager Dick Schofield found a silver lining. Even if it was a sarcastic one.

 

“The good thing about that game,” the first-year skipper deadpanned, “is that it’s over.”

 

It took a while to get to the end of the 13-2 win by the Helena Brewers, mainly because of an eight-run third inning that left little doubt how this one would turn out.

 

The big inning started harmlessly enough: A ground ball out. But one by one the Helena hitters followed, dumping hits here, there and everywhere off Tyler Mahle (1-1) until Schofield strolled out to the mound to finally give the Mustangs starter the hook.

 

By that time, the Brewers had eight consecutive hits and seven runs, and they’d add one more run after Mahle left the game on yet another hit.

 

“You just kind of roll with what the other guys have done, so you can go into your at-bat with confidence,” said Brewers designated hitter Mitch Meyer, who delivered a two-run triple as the seventh man in the hit parade. “The pressure’s kind of off you because you’ve seen the other guys have success.”

 

The Brewers sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning and finished with six singles, two doubles and Meyer’s triple. Seven players drove in runs, and Mahle, who entered the game having allowed just nine hits in 10 innings through his first two starts, finished with a line score of 2 1/3 innings pitched with 10 hits and eight runs allowed.

 

“That wasn’t him,” said Schofield. “Everything they hit found a hole, soft or hard. That happens on occasion. I’m sure he’s frustrated and rightly so. But he’ll be out there in four days, and things will change.”

 

Schofield can only hope his team changes its defensive stripes. The Mustangs committed another five errors, giving them 14 over the last three games. They had 10 errors through their first nine games.

 

“We gave (the Brewers) more than three outs an inning quite often, and it’s hard to play that way,” Schofield said.

 

KEY MOMENT: Gregory Munoz started the third-inning onslaught with a one-out single, and Mahle appeared to have him picked off during Brandon Diaz’s at-bat. But first baseman Argenis Aldazaro couldn’t handle the throw, and instead of having two outs and nobody on base, the Brewers took off.

 

ON THE MOUND: As tough as the Brewers’ hitters were, so were the team’s pitchers. Starter Javi Salas faced one over the minimum in four innings, while Chad Thompson (2-1) struck out six in three scoreless innings of relief. “The pitchers did awesome tonight,” Meyer said. “It was good our hitters were able to roll with the good pitching and put runs up on the board when they have a performance like that.”

 

AT THE PLATE: Pick a Brewer, any Brewer, and he had a good night. Diaz and Elvis Rubio had three hits as Helena set a team high with 16. Natanael Mejia drove in four runs on two hits. The Mustangs finished with just five hits, and Ty Washington and Shed Long drove in the runs.

 

ON DECK: Game two of this four-game series is set for 7:05 PM Saturday (8:05 Central) at Dehler Park. The teams have played just twice so far, with Billings winning a 16-7 game in Helena on June 19 before rain postponed the second game of that series. “We blew them out at their place and they blew us out here, so we’re even,” Schofield said. “We’ll start even keel tomorrow.”

[Mass Haas]

Final: AZL Brewers 5, @AZL Padres 3, 11 innings

 

A-Crew scored one in the 8th to tie things at 3-3:

 

AZL Brewers Top of the 8th

 

Tanner Norton singles on a line drive to left fielder Jordan Paroubeck.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Jorge Quiterio replaces Tanner Norton.

With Carlos Belonis batting, wild pitch by Maxwell MacNabb, Jorge Quiterio to 2nd.

Carlos Belonis out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Carlos Belen to second baseman Luis Urias. Jorge Quiterio to 3rd.

Pitching Change: Tyler Wood replaces Maxwell MacNabb.

Milan Post strikes out swinging.

Jonathan Oquendo singles on a sharp ground ball to shortstop Ruddy Giron, deflected by pitcher Tyler Wood. Jorge Quiterio scores.

With Daniel Leonardo batting, Jonathan Oquendo steals (1) 2nd base.

Daniel Leonardo singles on a ground ball to second baseman Luis Urias. Jonathan Oquendo out at home, second baseman Luis Urias to pitcher Tyler Wood to catcher Ricardo Valenzuela

 

And then the go-ahead rally:

 

AZL Brewers Top of the 11th

 

Pitching Change: Brandon Fry replaces Tyler Wood.

Milan Post walks.

Jonathan Oquendo out on a sacrifice bunt, first baseman Jonas Lantigua to second baseman Luis Urias. Milan Post to 2nd.

Daniel Leonardo singles on a ground ball to right fielder Mason Smith. Milan Post to 3rd.

Troy Stokes singles on a ground ball to third baseman Carlos Belen. Milan Post scores. Daniel Leonardo scores. Troy Stokes to 3rd. Throwing error by third baseman Carlos Belen.

Jake Gatewood reaches on a fielder's choice out, second baseman Luis Urias to catcher Ricardo Valenzuela to third baseman Carlos Belen. Troy Stokes out at home. Jake Gatewood to 2nd on the throw.

Monte Harrison flies out to right fielder Mason Smith.

 

Maryvale Box Score

 

Stoked for Stokes!

 

The Brewers were 8-for-11 in stolen base attempts, wow, track meet (Padres were 2-for-2 on the bases).

 

18-year-old 4th round Maryland HS CF Troy Stokes stole two bases (now 6-for-6 on the season) and reached three times (two singles, including the knock highlighted above, plus a walk, plus a sacrifice fly - OBP now .367).

 

Have a game, Daniel Leonardo! The switch-hitting 18-year-old 2nd-year Dominican 2B, in his first stateside season was 4-for-5, including a triple.

 

We know everybody will be checking daily on the Gatewood/Harrison combo, they pooled for a 1-for-10 here with two walks and five K's, along with two stolen bases, click the box link for the breakdown.

 

Maryvale Game Log

 

All four hurlers represented well here, getting a bit late within a busy, busy Link Report, so once again we invite you to review the links here for details, thanks...

[Noche]

 

But we have the 29-30th ranked farm system because we have no good baseball players.

[Mass Haas]

BASEBALL AMERICA PITCHER OF THE DAY: Jimmy Nelson, rhp — Triple-A Nashville (Brewers)

 

No offense to Cody Scarpetta, who was part of Lynchburg's second consecutive combined no-hitter, or New Hampshire's Casey Lawrence, who came within an out of a perfect game. But Scarpetta's 25 at high Class A and Lawrence is 26 at Double-A. In the interest of keeping this space devoted to prospects, the PoD goes to the 25-year-old Nelson, the Sounds' ace and Milwaukee's top prospect who on Friday blanked New Orleans over seven innings to improve to 9-2, 1.66 with a 4.60 SO/BB ratio. At this point, as J.J. Cooper pointed out in Top 10 Fantasy Prospects, even scouts are wondering why Nelson isn't in Milwaukee yet.

[WV Brew]

I wonder if the Brewers aren't trying to control Nelson's innings so that he will be available at the end of the season. Remember what happened with Strassburg a couple of years ago. The Nats had to shut down their top pitcher as the playoffs were about to begin. Good problem to have though (what to do with Nelson that is).

[guylanderfridancies]

I think we definitely saw a case of that with him only throwing 85 pitches yesterday. I think the crew is trying to keep him right in that sweet spot between keeping him stretched out so he can go deep in games, but not working him so much that he doesn't have gas in the tank come september and maybe october. Hope every one has Jimmy ready on their fantasy bench! he'll be up shortly.

[igor67]

There is definitely an opportunity for Rogers with him moving up to AAA, not as much as if he were a lefty, but the guy takes his walks and so far hits for some power and batting average. With the positional versatility that could be enough for a late season call-up if he out hits Morris.

[Mass Haas]

Includes the audio interview with Garrett Cooper that the Rattler Radio blog included earlier, but in video form --

 

***

 

Timber Rattlers' Cooper swinging hot bat

Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — Garrett Cooper is hoping to hit the reset button and start his season over following a tough first half.

 

A reboot would be a positive thing for the 23-year-old first baseman who seems to be regaining his stroke in his return to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Cooper, though, will need good luck and rapid healing over the next few days to keep his momentum going.

 

In Wisconsin's 5-4 loss to the Burlington Bees Friday night, Cooper went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI to raise his batting average to a team-high .357.

 

However, Cooper injured a quad muscle while scoring one of Wisconsin's runs and had to leave the game in the bottom of the ninth inning after drilling an RBI single and rounding the first-base bag.

 

"I came up a little tight when I scored from third earlier and I didn't want to push it and have something tear," said Cooper, who spent the first half of the season at Brevard County, Milwaukee's high Class A affiliate. "I'll be icing it and working with Pax (trainer Jeff Paxson). It should be good in a few days. It was just pretty tight after I rounded first and I didn't want to go all out and risk tearing it. I don't think it will be long term."

 

Cooper, a sixth-round pick by Milwaukee in the 2013 first-year player draft, has been a hard-luck guy all season and could use a break. He injured an elbow early in the season at Brevard County and spent time on the disabled list. Shortly after his return to the active roster, several members of the team, including Cooper, became ill with a virus. Cooper struggled to regain his health eventually went on Brevard County's disabled list a second time for 2 ½ weeks.

 

"I never saw anything like that," said the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Cooper. "It took out 10 to 12 of our guys and put two or three of us on the DL for 14-to-17 days. It was pretty bad. I lost about 15 pounds."

 

Hampered by the injury and illness, the right-handed hitting Cooper never found his swing at Brevard County, hitting just .219 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 105 at bats. He joined the Rattlers on June 12 and Friday marked his first start of the season at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

"It was a tough first half, but injuries happen," said Cooper, Auburn product. "I feel like I'm getting my timing back. Being on time is huge for me. I was able to get my hands extended, get a few hits and knock in a few runs. That felt good."

 

Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson hopes the hot-hitting Cooper can stay in the lineup. Cooper spent the second half of the 2013 season with the Timber Rattlers and showed promise, hitting .287 with two homers and 20 RBI in 122 at bats.

 

"He can drive the ball the other way, to right field and right center," said Erickson. "That's his power source, the middle of the field. We'll see how he is tomorrow and go from there. Who knows?"

 

Shortstop Angel Ortega added a pair of hits for the Rattlers and Wisconsin (41-36, 5-3 second half) rallied back from a 4-0 deficit to make the game interesting with a three-run seventh highlighted by Cooper's two-run double to right and an RBI single by Steve Halcomb.

 

Trailing 5-3 entering the ninth, the Rattlers got a run back on a Michael Ratterree double followed by Cooper's RBI single to right, but couldn't pull even in their first home game since June 12.

 

"Until that seventh, I believe we had gone 15 innings without a run," said Erickson. "I thought it was going to be another tough day at the office, but we got the big inning and got a couple big hits.

 

"Their guy (starter Garrett Nuss) did a nice job. He had a little more life on his fastball than we had seen before and he was getting his breaking ball over

 

Wisconsin starter Clint Terry allowed four of the Bees' five runs and surrendered nine hits in five innings of work. Barrett Astin went the final four innings and allowed a run on three hits.

[TheCrew07]

Orlando Arcia is making me plenty happy.