Link Report for Fri. 8/29

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Michael Blazek at Round Rock (Rangers), 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.

 

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Huntsville: RHP Jacob Barnes at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:10 PM pre-game, 6:30 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).

 

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Brevard County: RHP Tyler Wagner at home vs. Dunedin (Blue Jays), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 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, as all games are scheduled to be broadcast in 2014.

 

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

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Preston Gainey at home vs. Burlington (Angels), 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.

 

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.

 

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Helena: RHP Devin Williams at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:40 PM pre-game, 8:00 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

There's a new Voice of the Helena Brewers in 2014, as Dustin Daniel (@dustin__daniel on Twitter) takes over for legendary Steve Wendt. We look forward to Dustin building his own legacy moving forward.

 

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Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): Season complete - Finished 24-31, out of the postseason

 

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DSL Brewers: Season complete - summary post here

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Helena

 

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.

 

***

 

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

 

***

 

STANDINGS: (For split-season leagues, 2nd half standings are shown as the default, although overall standings are also available at the link.)

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Southern 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 Central Division

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris

 

***

 

Sortable individual stat pages:

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Helena

 

Maryvale

 

Dominican Summer League Brewers

 

***

 

Weather.com:

 

Round Rock, TX

 

Huntsville, AL

 

Viera, FL (Melbourne)

 

Grand Chute, WI (Appleton)

 

Great Falls, MT

[Mass Haas]

Happy 25th Birthday, Huntsville LHP Brent Suter!

[Mass Haas]

Via Steve in Huntsville --

 

Each of the last two Stars wins have been in series openers and both wins have come with the Stars scoring seven runs. Prior to Thursday night, the Stars scored seven runs in a series opening win in Mobile on Friday August 22nd…The Stars play the best in series openers improving to 18-8. That’s the best record by the Stars in any game of the series…The Stars played their fourth straight home game that was decided by two runs or less…The Stars have only scored 146 runs in their last 40 games. In their last 40 games they are 17-23 and averaging a meager 3.7 runs per game….

 

RHP Drew Gagnon became the Stars first 11 game winner since Josh Stinson won 11 games in 2012… C/INF/OF Hector Gimenez went 3-4 with a three-run home run and was a triple away from hitting for the cycle. He has homered in six out of his past 10 games. In the month of August, he has hit seven home runs, which are second most in the Southern League for August. He trails only Chattanooga’s Scott Schebler who has hit nine homers in August….In his last eighteen games, Gimenez has seven home runs and 23 RBI.... Nick Ramirez went 0-3. In his last 21 games Ramirez is still batting only .139 (10-72. 2 HR, 9 RBI)… Since the All-Star break, Ramirez has the 4th lowest batting average in the Southern League at .207.... C Shawn Zarraga went 0-3 and is 1 for his last 25 at the plate. Since he returned to the Stars from Triple-A Nashville on August 8th, he is 11-54 (.204 with 2 RBI). Prior to his promotion, he was hitting .380 on June 27th.

[Mass Haas]

MARIETTA, GA – The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs is pleased to announce the 2014 Post-season All-Star Team as voted upon by the league’s field managers, radio broadcasters and print media.

 

The 2014 Southern League Post-season All-Star Team is as follows:

 

Designated Hitter Nick Ramirez Huntsville

 

Best Hustler Josh Prince Huntsville

 

Relief Pitcher David Goforth Huntsville

[TheCrew07]

I never understand these stories... sad really that anyone would think about getting out of control with a bat yet there is 1 or 2 of these every single year, but it's sad for Seattle all the way around.

 

Mariners' Montero involved in altercation

Seattle farmhand restrained during confrontation with crosschecker

 

edit. Spelling.

[TheCrew07]

Sounds Use Longball To Defeat Express, 7-4

Nashville Snaps Four-Game Skid, Stays Alive In Playoff Race

Nashville Sounds

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/4/8/2/85814482/cuts/Jason_Rogers_627_3_z19d4h17_r7bqhtsh.jpg

(Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds)

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Nashville Sounds snapped a four-game skid with a 7-4 victory over the Round Rock Express on Friday evening at The Dell Diamond.

 

With the victory, Nashville (75-65) stayed alive in the PCL American Conference Southern Division race. First-place Memphis held a late lead in its contest at New Orleans; with a win, the Redbirds would move their magic number to one to clinch the title.

 

All seven Sounds runs on the night came via the longball, as Matt Clark, Logan Schafer, and Jason Rogers each went yard.

 

Rogers paced the Sounds' offense with a 3-for-4 evening .The third baseman is batting .351 (34-for-97) with eight longballs during the month of August.

 

The red-hot Clark spotted the Sounds a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when he turned a Luke Jackson fastball into a two-run homer to right, the slugger's 14th big fly in 50 games with the club. Rogers, who had opened the frame with a single, also scored on the blast.

 

Schafer tacked on a three-run blast of his own later in the frame, his third roundtripper in the last five games, to increase the visitors' lead to 5-0.

 

Michael Blazek worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the home half of the second, striking out Josh Wilson looking for the third out to escape the inning unscathed.

 

The longball show continued for the Sounds in the third when Rogers launched a massive two-run bomb to left off Jackson that cleared the upper deck seats. The third baseman's blast, which also plated Jeremy Hermida following a leadoff walk, was his 11th of the year and upped the Nashville advantage to 7-0.

 

Jackson (1-3) was saddled with the loss after the Sounds touched him for seven runs on seven hits in his four frames of action.

 

Round Rock left fielder Drew Robinson put the home team on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when he launched his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to right off Blazek that cut the lead to 7-2.

 

The Express got another run back in the fifth when Jared Hoying (3-for-5) led off with a triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly to make it a 7-3 contest.

 

Blazek, who finished one out shy of earning wins in back-to-back outings for the first time this season, held the Express to three runs in 4 2/3 innings. v Hoying struck again for Round Rock in the seventh, leading off the frame with a towering homer to right off Dustin Molleken. The outfielder's 26th blast of the year, and second in two nights against the Sounds, cut the Nashville lead to 7-4.

 

Molleken (4-2) picked up the win with two innings of relief behind Blazek. Rob Wooten recorded the final four outs of the contest to notch his 13th save of the season for the Sounds.

 

The teams continue the series with a 4:05 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday that will consist of a pair of seven-inning games. Right-hander Billy Buckner (4-6, 6.07) will start the opener for the Sounds to face left-hander Edwar Cabrera (2-2, 4.36). Nashville has not yet announced its starter for the nightcap, when the Express will start former Sound Zach Segovia (0-1, 19.64).

 

Nashville Boxscore

Logan Schafer (2-5,HR) has hit .300 in August, Jason Rogers (3-4,HR) continues his stellar season, and finally Hunter Morris (2-4,2B) had a nice day at the plate as well.

 

Nashville Recap

 

Nashville Gameday

[TheCrew07]

Rattlers fall to Bees in regular season home finale

Burlington beats Wisconsin 4-2

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/4/8/4/92184484/cuts/Brennan_8_29_z9bjz1uu_53naqpa0.jpg

Taylor Brennan rounds third and heads for home in the third inning to score Wisconsin's first run of the game on Friday night against the Burlington Bees. (Ann Mollica/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers missed early opportunities on Friday night against the Burlington Bees and a 4-2 loss to the Bees at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium cost the Rattlers an opportunity to close in on a playoff spot.

 

Eric Aguilera put the Bees (67-69 overall, 29-28 second half) up 1-0 in the top of the first inning with a two-out ground rule double to right center field to score Bo Way from second base. The run was unearned. Way had singled to start the game and moved to second on a passed ball. He was still at second with two outs when Aguilera hit his ground rule double.

 

Way singled with one out in the top of the third inning. Kody Eaves followed with a home run to deep right-center and Burlington was up 3-0.

 

The Rattlers (71-65, 35-31) clawed their way back to within a run with single runs in the third and fifth innings. Clint Coulter singled with two outs in the bottom of the third inning to drive Taylor Brennan home from second base for the first Wisconsin run off Burlington starter Victor Alcantara.

 

In the fifth, the David Denson was at third and Coulter was at first with one out. Coulter took off early to draw a throw from pitcher Victor Alcantara. But, the Bees starter went into his delivery and stopped before turning to throw for a balk to let Denson score. The Rattlers had pulled to within 3-2 on the play and had Coulter in scoring position, but Alcantara got out of the inning with a strikeout and a grounder to third.

 

Rafael Neda drew a leadoff walk, the fifth free pass of game issued by Alcantara, in the bottom of the sixth. Alcantara got the first out before turning the game over to the Bees bullpen. Brian Loconsole entered and got a double play on the first pitch he threw to end the inning.

 

Alcantara allowed six hits, walked five, and threw two wild pitches in his 5-1/3 innings, but only allowed two runs. He left with a chance for his seventh win of the season.

 

Johnny Davis singled with one out in the seventh inning, but was left stranded at second base.

 

Burlington tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth and it was an unearned run, too. Way reached on a single with one out. Eaves was next and his grounder to first was missed for an error to put runners at the corners. Brandon Bayardi's fly ball to right field was deep enough to score Way from third base for a 4-2 lead.

 

Loconsole struck out the side in order in the eighth and left in favor of Burlington closer Alan Busenitz for the bottom of the ninth. Busenitz, who retired all six batters he faced in a two-inning save of a 1-0 Burlington win over the Rattlers on Wednesday, set down the first two batters he faced in the ninth on Friday. Taylor Brennan drew a two-out walk to keep the game going, but Busenitz got the final out with a strikeout.

 

The Bees won the season series from the Timber Rattlers with ten wins in the nineteen meetings between the teams this season. Wisconsin went just 4-7 against the Bees at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium this season.

 

In the Western Division Wild Card race, the two teams behind the Timber Rattlers were playing doubleheaders on Friday night. The Quad Cities River Bandits split a twinbill at home with the Clinton LumberKings. Quad Cities lost game one 1-0 and won game two 6-4. The Chiefs won game one of their doubleheader at home with the Beloit Snappers 10-4. There was a rain delay of over two hours between the end of game one and the start of game two at Dozer Park. The Chiefs were trailing 4-0 early in game two when this story was published.

 

The River Bandits are 33-34 and two games behind the Timber Rattlers. If Peoria comes back to win the nightcap of their doubleheader, they will be 34-33 and one game behind the Rattlers. If the Chiefs does not come back to win the second game of the doubleheader, they will be 33-34 and two games behind the Rattlers. There are three games remaining in the regular season.

 

Peoria will hit the road for their final three games of the regular season to face the 90-47 Kane County Cougars on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The River Bandits final three games of the regular season will also be on the road as they head to Burlington for a series against the Bees, who made the playoffs as the first half Wild Card in the Western Division. The Rattlers are on to Beloit for a series with the Snappers at Pohlman Field.

 

The Timber Rattlers hold the tie-breaker over both Quad Cities and Peoria if there is a tie with either team at the end of the regular season. If there is a three way tie between the teams at the end of the regular season, Peoria holds the tie-breaker.

 

Game one of Wisconsin's three-game set at Beloit is Friday night. Javier Salas (1-1, 2.89) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Joey Wagman (1-2, 6.10) is set to start for the Snappers. Game time at Pohlman Field is 7:00pm. Tune in for the action on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:40pm.

 

HOME RUN:

BUR:

Kody Eaves (9th, 1 on in 3rd inning off Preston Gainey, 1 out)

 

WP: Victor Alcantara (7-6)

LP: Preston Gainey (5-9)

 

TIME: 3:19

ATTN: 5,920

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

I wanted this one, closing out the season at Kane County is a tall order as they are far and away the best team in the league with a 90-47 record coming into the final series.

 

The pitching as a whole was good enough to win but the bats just couldn't push enough runs across. It hasn't matter who's caught lately, they've all had a PB or E, Rafael Neda had a PB tonight which cost the T-Rats a run in the 1st and a David Denson error cost the T-Rats another run in the 8th... those 2 gifted runs were the difference in the ball game.

 

Taylor Brennan (2-4,BB), Johnny Davis (2-4), and Clint Coulter (2-4) accounted for 6 of the 7 Ratter hits.

 

Wisconsin Recap

 

Wisconsin Gameday

[Eye Black]

Final: Helena 5, Great Falls 3

 

Brewers sweep Voyagers with 5-3 win

By Dustin Daniel / Helena Brewers

 

The Helena Brewers (11-20) swept the Great Falls Voyagers (13-18) on Friday with a 5-3 win at Centene Stadium.

 

Tucker Neuhaus led off the third inning with a single and came in to score on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Gregory Munoz. Neuhaus is now on a 15-game hitting streak, tied for the longest streak of the year with Sthervin Matos.

 

The Voyagers tied it in the fifth when Louie Lechich hit a solo home run off Devin Williams. Williams would go six innings, giving up just one run and striking out five, but would go home with no decision.

 

The win belonged to Brandon Woodruff (1-1) who pitched the final three innings in relief. It was his first professional win.

 

The Brewers broke open a 5-1 lead in the eighth when four runs scored on five hits. Eric Williams ripped an RBI single up the middle to knock Grant Monroe (1-2) out of the game and Edgardo Rivera finished off the scoring with a 2-RBI double off Matt Cooper.

 

It was the first time this season that the Brewers have swept a series and it was their first series win against an opponent outside of the Missoula Osprey.

 

The Brewers now head back to Helena to host the Voyagers for three games, starting with a double-header on Saturday. First pitch from Kindrick is set for 5:05 p.m.

 

Helena Box Score

Brandon Diaz struck out swinging in the first inning and was removed from the game when the Brewers took the field defensively. Helena managed 10 hits, but also struck out 12 times on the night. Tucker Neuhaus is batting .306 over the past month, hopefully he can carry his late season offensive momentum into next season. In 63.1 innings pitched this season, Devin Williams now has 60 strike outs while allowing 20 walks.

 

Helena Game Log

[Eye Black]

Brewers beat Great Falls 5-3

By Curt Synness / Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers used a 4-run eighth inning to propel themselves to a 5-3 Pioneer league win over Great Falls on the road Friday.

 

The win improves the Northern Division cellar-dwelling Brewers to a second-half record of 11-20. The Voyagers are one place ahead in the standings, in the third slot, with a 13-18 mark.

 

Helena starter Devin Williams had a 3-hitter through six innings, giving up one run and striking out five. He was relieved by Brandon Woodruff, who went the last three frames for the win.

 

The Voyagers used three pitchers, with Grant Moore sustaining the loss.

 

The Brewers broke a 1-1 deadlock in the top of the eighth inning, pushing across four runs to propel them to their second straight win over GF, after a 9-game losing streak.

 

After Dustin DeMuth and Jack Cleary reached base with singles, DeMuth came home on Alan Sharkey’s sacrifice bunt single and a throwing error by the pitcher.

 

An RBI single by Eric Williams then made it 3-1. Then with two-out and two men on, Edgardo Rivera ripped a double, plating a pair of runs and the Brew-crew went up by four.

 

Rivera finished with three hits on the night.

 

Great Falls came back to score a run in each of the last two stanzas, but the Brewers were able to hold on for the victory.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi 5, @Huntsville 0

 

Braves Blank Stars

Steve Jarnicki, Huntsville Stars

 

Huntsville, AL - Mississippi Braves RHP Greg Ross (7-3) threw seven dominant innings of shutout baseball Friday leading his Braves past the Huntsville Stars 5-0.

 

Ross scattered four hits through his seven innings before turning it over to Brandon Cunniff. Cunniff tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to combine with Ross for the shutout.

 

The Braves scored all their runs in four consecutive innings from the fourth through the eighth.

 

With the game scoreless in the top of the fifth, Daniel Castro hit a solo home run down the left field line against Huntsville starter Jacob Barnes (2-6). It was Castro's fourth home run of the season and it gave Mississippi a 1-0 lead.

 

The Braves then got a two-out RBI single off Cedric Hunter's bat in the sixth to push it to a 2-0 lead.

 

Barnes, who turned in a quality start, pitched six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out one.

 

The Braves scored their final three runs against reliever Tommy Toledo. Braeden Schlehuber provided a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Then in the top of the eighth, Gustavo Nunez singled into right field scoring Kyle Wren who tripled in front of him.

 

The next batter, Kyle Kubitza, stroked an RBI double scoring Nunez making it 5-0.

 

Wren led the Braves with a 4-4 performance.

 

Josh Prince and Erik Komatsu had two hits apiece in the Stars loss.

 

The Stars (30-37,76-61) and the Mississippi Braves (42-25, 81-55) are tied at 1-1 in their series as it continues Saturday. RHP Austin Ross (1-3, 3.86) will start for Huntsville. Mississippi will give the ball to RHP Williams Perez (7-6, 2.91) The game can be heard starting at 6:15 CDT on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM and wtkiradio.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Made the point on Twitter last night that Josh Prince (37-for-47 in SB attempts vs. AA batteries this year - yes, I did say AA batteries, isn't that clever) makes sense for the Brewers as a September callup specialist.

 

Huntsville Game Log

 

Nice AA debut, as bolded above, for RHP Jacob Barnes.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Blog - Postgame Entry

 

Audio, video, and the fan experience - bonus prize news...

[Southern Leaguer]

Nice AA debut, as bolded above, for RHP Jacob Barnes.

 

It was his 23rd game (21st start) for the Stars?

[bkrause2]

The Manatees were rained out on Friday. They will play another doubleheader on Saturday.

[LouisEly]

Nice AA debut, as bolded above, for RHP Jacob Barnes.

 

Am I misunderstanding what you are saying? Barnes has started 21 games for Huntsville this season.

[Mass Haas]

Sorry, I had LHP Mike Strong on the brain and somehow associated it with Jacob Barnes.

 

My bad -- admittedly, I am pretty much running on fumes at this point in Link Report season.