Link Report for Mon. 6/30

[Mass Haas]

Final: AZL Mariners 6, @AZL Brewers 5, 14 innings

 

Maryvale Box Score

 

13th round RHP Kaleb Earls (Limestone College, South Carolina) with a valiant effort, but in his 4th inning of work, the Mariners used small ball and some well-placed ground balls to take the lead --

 

AZL Mariners Top of the 14th

 

Alex Jackson singles on a ground ball to right fielder Monte Harrison.

Gareth Morgan out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Sthervin Matos to first baseman Tanner Norton. Alex Jackson to 2nd.

Arturo Nieto called out on strikes.

Lachlan Fontaine singles on a ground ball to right fielder Monte Harrison. Alex Jackson scores.

Jose Leal strikes out swinging.

 

SS Jake Gatewood had the best line -- double, two singles, sacrifcie fly, and a walk. Please click the box score link to digest all the other lines.

 

Maryvale Game Log

 

What a strand-fest! A-Crew strands 15, Mariners 13!

 

It all started in the very first inning, oh my!

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 1st

 

Troy Stokes grounds out, pitcher Kevin Gadea to first baseman Leurys Vargas.

Jake Gatewood singles on a line drive to right fielder Alex Jackson.

Monte Harrison singles on a line drive to center fielder Luis Liberato. Jake Gatewood to 2nd.

Sthervin Matos singles on a line drive to left fielder Gareth Morgan. Jake Gatewood to 3rd. Monte Harrison to 2nd.

Tanner Norton grounds into a double play, second baseman Ismael Alcantara to shortstop Rayder Ascanio to first baseman Leurys Vargas. Sthervin Matos out at 2nd.

 

The 3rd inning started well --

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 3rd

 

Troy Stokes walks.

Jake Gatewood walks. Troy Stokes to 2nd.

Monte Harrison strikes out swinging.

Sthervin Matos pops out to second baseman Ismael Alcantara.

Tanner Norton strikes out swinging.

 

OK, enough -- trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the 9th:

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 9th

 

Pitching Change: Tyler Herb replaces Nick Kiel.

Jake Gatewood doubles (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Luis Liberato.

Monte Harrison doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Luis Liberato. Jake Gatewood scores.

Sthervin Matos strikes out swinging.

Tanner Norton called out on strikes.

Carlos Belonis singles on a line drive to right fielder Alex Jackson. Monte Harrison scores.

Juan Ortiz strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Tyler Herb. Carlos Belonis to 2nd. Juan Ortiz to 1st.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Matt Martin replaces Milan Post.

With Matt Martin batting, Carlos Belonis steals (3) 3rd base. Juan Ortiz steals (1) 2nd base.

Matt Martin strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Tyler Herb. Carlos Belonis scores. Juan Ortiz to 3rd. Matt Martin to 1st.

Daniel Leonardo strikes out swinging.

 

OK, so there was help (there also was when the Brewers scored two 4th inning runs), but still a nice rally.

 

30th round Delta State RHP Taylor Stark pitched around two singles and a walk in the Seattle 10th.

 

So this was a big Monte Harrison K in the bottom of the 10th --

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 10th

 

Arturo Nieto remains in the game as the catcher.

Troy Stokes singles on a ground ball to shortstop Rayder Ascanio, deflected by third baseman Lachlan Fontaine.

Jake Gatewood out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Tyler Herb to first baseman Leurys Vargas. Troy Stokes to 2nd.

With Monte Harrison batting, wild pitch by Tyler Herb, Troy Stokes to 3rd.

Monte Harrison strikes out swinging.

Sthervin Matos grounds out, shortstop Rayder Ascanio to first baseman Leurys Vargas.

 

This is tough to read --

 

AZL Brewers Bottom of the 13th

 

Monte Harrison walks.

Sthervin Matos out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Lachlan Fontaine to second baseman Ismael Alcantara. Monte Harrison to 2nd.

Tanner Norton singles on a ground ball to center fielder Luis Liberato. Double play, center fielder Luis Liberato to catcher Arturo Nieto to shortstop Rayder Ascanio. Monte Harrison out at home. Tanner Norton out at 2nd.

 

The Brewers were retired in order only three times -- in the 5th, 11th, and 14th.

[Mass Haas]

From Sunday --

 

VIDEO: Nashville's Hunter Morris hits a solo home run (off LHP Brad Hand) in the first inning of a 6-4 win over New Orleans

 

VIDEO: Local TV News Report

 

Monday's game --

 

Sean Halton's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning erased a 3-2 deficit and provided the Sounds with their tenth come-from-behind victory of the year. The slugger went 2-for-4 on the night and is hitting .440 (11-for-25) over his past seven games.

 

AUDIO: Sean Halton Go-Ahead Double

 

Halton halved the Redbirds' lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second when he slugged a solo homer to left-center off Boone Whiting. The blast was Halton's fourth of the year and first in his last 126 at-bats.

 

AUDIO: Sean Halton Solo HR

 

VIDEO: Local TV News Report

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County (all from Sunday) --

 

AUDIO: Cameron Garfield chats with Andrew Luftglass of the Manatees Radio Network to recap Saturday's wild 6-4 win

 

AUDIO, Game Highlights: The 'Tees complete the sweep of Clearwater with a 5-3 win

 

AUDIO: After sweeping Clearwater, Andrew Luftglass chats with 'Tees RF Michael Reed and LHP Mike Strong

[Mass Haas]

Billings Gazette / Helena Game Story

 

Gregory McCall rounds third base during the Billings Mustangs vs. Helena Brewers game Monday at Dehler Park. Hannah Potes photo / Billings Gazette

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/8b/b8bf319e-00db-11e4-900c-0019bb2963f4/53b23f6a9e8fb.preview-620.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers' Victor Diaz making strides on mound

Diaz threw five shutout innings to push his scoreless innings streak to 15 before it ended in the top of the sixth

Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media

 

Twenty-year-old pitchers who throw strikes and keep putting up zeroes fall into the prospect category of intriguing.

 

Put Victor Diaz into that group.

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' promising right-hander delivered a strong start Monday afternoon, but didn't get much help from his bullpen. Consequently, Wisconsin's game marking the finish of a four-game series with Burlington got away from the Rattlers in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Bees.

 

Diaz, signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2012, was charged with the loss, but deserved a better fate. He threw five shutout innings to push his scoreless innings streak to an impressive 15, before it ended in the top of the sixth.

 

That's when Burlington loaded the bases against Diaz on a pair of hits and a walk. Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson then pulled Diaz after 84 pitches, but the strategy backfired. Reliever Trevor Seidenberger walked in a run, then threw a pair of wild pitches to let in two more before Ranyelmy Mendoza finished off Burlington's game-changing four-run sixth with an RBI single.

 

"Victor was rolling along pretty good doing what he's been doing, throwing up zeroes," said Erickson. "But his pitch count was getting up there and Seidy was ready to go. That's a situation where Seidy has had some success in the past. I really didn't want to leave Victor out there because he had pitched so well. He's been pitching in a tandem with Anthony Banda and hasn't really been extended a lot. I thought it was the best option for that situation."

 

Despite departing with a 2-0 lead, Diaz was charged with all three of the Burlington runs and the Bees' sixth-inning eruption marred an otherwise solid performance. Of his 84 pitches, 52 were strikes and he was able to consistently get ahead of hitters. Diaz struck out three and walked two, while allowing six hits.

 

"I was feeling good, even in the sixth," said Diaz through shortstop Angel Ortega, who served as his translator. "I was trying to get ahead with the fastball and paint the ball outside when I got two strikes. I wasn't tired. I just didn't execute my pitches that last inning."

 

Erickson likes what he has seen from Diaz, who allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings in his previous start. He is 2-3 on the season with a 3.59 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings. Entering the game, opponents were hitting just .206 off him.

 

"He's been doing a nice job every time he goes out there," said Erickson. "He's a great competitor, he throws the ball over the plate and he mixes his pitches well."

 

Diaz put together a 16-inning scoreless streak earlier this season. He's not overpowering, with a fastball that topped out Monday in the low 90s, but has good command of his pitches and has a knack for finding a rhythm on the mound.

 

"What jumps out about him is his overall competitiveness and his tempo," said Erickson. "I was telling Elvin (Nina, the Wisconsin pitching coach) the other day that as an old infielder, I'd love to play behind a guy like that. He has great tempo, he pounds the zone and pitches to contact."

 

The Rattlers added a run in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded walk to Taylor Brennan, but Omar Garcia grounded out to end the threat.

 

Overall, Wisconsin collected eight hits, with second baseman Chris McFarland and shortstop Steve Halcomb leading the way with two apiece.

 

McFarland, who just came off the disabled list after a severe ankle sprain, has gone 4-for-8 at the plate the past few days.

 

"The first night he came back it looked like he hadn't played in awhile, but Chris has looked good the past few days," said Erickson. "I like him in the two hole. He does a nice job of staying inside the ball."

[Mass Haas]

Miller Park Prospects- Wisconsin Photo Gallery via Brad

 

Also from the site, a Farm Progress Report (posted on the 27th)

[JohnBriggs12]

Good to see Halton is heating up. Don't forget this guy as a 1B option. He didn't embarrass himself with the big club last year. He needs a red hot couple of months to put himself into the discussion at 1B/backup corner OF.

[fondybrewfan]

Really nice day all around for the hitters through the organization. The power hasn't quite come yet for the Rookie league guys but it is nice to seem them getting some hits after a bit of a slow start

 

Are the two Hawaiian kids going to make their pitching debuts in Arizona anytime soon?