Link Report for Southern League Playoffs - Latest: Stars Rally Comes Up One Run Short

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

Central Time

 

Huntsville: RHP Austin Ross at home vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:10 PM pre-game, 6:30 gametime; it's Game Two of a Best-of-Five Series, Stars trail 1-0, rest of the series after tonight on the road

 

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.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Huntsville

 

Scattered thunderstorms in the forecast, of course...

 

C'mon Stars, give those diehard Huntsville fans who are watching a lame-duck, but no, wait, it's not really a lame-duck, it's like "half-a-duck because we'll be back next spring only to really abandon you when our new stadium is ready" team.

 

And of course, to the players and Brewers staff who have no control of that aspect of things, Go Stars!

[TheCrew07]

Arcia is 2-3 so far, heck of a start at AA, especially considering the stage.

[TGOTJ]

And Taylor with a hit as well. Really looking forward to both of them at AA next year.

[DHonks]

just curious people's thoughts....Hardy played only 26 games in AAA and 152 in AA (over 2 seasons). Is it possible---if Arcia and Segura continue like this season--that we might have Arcia starting at SS in 2016? He'd be 22.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Taylor Jungmann and Jason Rogers were named Pitcher/Player of the Month for August.

 

Jungmann was 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA. 42 SO in 35 IP. Batters hit just .181 vs him during the month.

 

Rogers hit .356 with 8 HRs, 22 RBIs, and 19 runs scored. His OPS was 1.120.

 

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FYI - Matt Clark hit .336 with 12 HRs, 22 RBI, and 24 runs scored. His OPS was 1.103. They couldn't do co-players?

[brewmann04]

The Stars keep their Postseason alive.

[WV Brew]

Heck of a game from Austin Ross but why is Bradley pitching from the pen? I would have thought he'd be one of the starters.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Huntsville 9, Mississippi 0

 

Stars One Hit Lookouts To Even Series

Steve Jarnicki, Huntsville Stars

 

Huntsville, AL - Austin Ross (1-0) pitched seven dominant innings and the offense came alive to shutout the Chattanooga Lookouts Friday night 9-0 at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville.

 

With the Stars win, they have evened their best of five game series at 1-1 with the Lookouts.

 

Ross, who struck out eight batters on the night, only allowed one hit. It was a two-out single to Daniel Mayora in the fourth inning.

 

Other than that lone hit he allowed, he walked one batter on his time on the mound.

 

Jed Bradley and Kevin Shackelford combined to pitch the final two scoreless innings and complete the one-hitter of the Lookouts.

 

The Stars offense backed Ross early in the game against Chattanooga starter Steve Smith (0-1).

 

Orlando Arcia tripled over centerfielder Darnell Sweeney's head in the bottom of the first giving the Stars a 1-0 lead.

 

Hector Gimenez grounded out to first base scoring Arcia making it 2-0.

 

Yadiel Rivera lined an RBI single into centerfield in the bottom of the second increasing the lead to 3-0.

 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Nick Shaw scored on a wild pitch from Smith adding to the Stars lead.

 

The Stars blew the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth.

 

Tyrone Taylor singled over the shortstop's head scoring Shaw giving the Stars a 5-0 cushion.

 

Then with the bases loaded in the same inning, Josh Fellhauer blasted a grand slam to right center against Freddie Cabrera increasing their lead to 9-0.

 

Arcia, Fellhauer and Josh Prince each had two hits apiece leading the Stars to victory.

 

The Stars and Chattanooga will continue their five game series in Chattanooga, TN at AT&T Field in Chattanooga on Saturday night. The Stars will turn to LHP Michael Strong (0-0, 0.00). Chattanooga will send RHP Jeremy Kehrt (2-0, 1.69) to the hill. The game can be heard starting at 6:00 CDT on the internet only at wtkiradio.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Such vindication for the spring 2012 Tommy John surgery of RHP Austin Ross.

 

OBP Machine Nathan Orf would of course walk in his AA debut - the only surprise is that it wasn't a pinch-hit HBP.

 

Hopefully with the Brevard kids just added to the very veteran core here, the Stars are primed for a fun run in this series and the finals.

 

One thing is for sure, 2015's Huntsvile/Biloxi hybrid squad is going to be a blast to follow.

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Ross' gem pulls Stars even in semifinals

Brewers prospect allows one hit, fans eight in seven shutout innings

By Josh Jackson / MiLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/6/7/4/93360674/cuts/ross640_qalwhw3l_lwefz2x2.jpg

 

Austin Ross was 9-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 games, including 16 starts, across two levels this season. (Huntsville Stars photo)

 

Austin Ross sees the silver lining to losing a no-hit bid before it gets too serious, at least in the playoffs.

 

"I didn't have that weighing on me. We got it out of the way early," the Brewers prospect said. "It was an important enough game that in the later innings it's OK that I didn't have that extra stress."

 

Ross went seven innings in Huntsville's 9-0 whitewash of Chattanooga, limiting the Lookouts to a single and a walk while striking out eight. The win evened the best-of-5 Southern League semifinal series at 1-1.

 

"That was huge. Anytime you lose the first game and then go 2-0, that's a huge amount of momentum for them," he said. "We didn't win last night, but we had a spark around the seventh or eighth inning and guys were really positive going into today. It wasn't, 'Oh, crap, we lost the game.'"

 

Coming off Tommy John surgery, the 26-year-old right-hander was limited to 56 2/3 innings last season. This year, he was 9-8 with a 3.62 ERA with Class A Advanced Brevard County and the Stars. Friday's game marked his longest Southern League outing and his first scoreless start at the Double-A level.

 

"I felt like I improved and learned stuff every time out, and it all came together tonight," he said.

 

Ross retired his first seven batters and, after walking Jeremy Hazelbaker with one out in the third, had no more trouble until Daniel Mayora dropped a two-out single into shallow right field.

 

"A lot of people on our side think I struck him out one pitch before the hit, but that's part of the game," Ross said. "I probably got some calls that weren't necessarily strikes, too. That's just how it goes. It was a fastball in that I jammed him with, but he flared it over the second baseman's head."

 

Ross responded by setting down the next 10 Lookouts.

 

"Pitching is extremely difficult, but the principle is simple," the LSU product said. "If you can control the fastball down and locate off-speed stuff on both sides of the plate, that's all pitching is. To be able to execute it is difficult, but I was doing that."

 

Top Brewers prospect Tyrone Taylor entered as a defensive replacment and went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored. Josh Fellhauer provided insurance with a sixth-inning grand slam and Nick Shaw walked twice, stole a base and scored three times.

 

The series shifts to Chattanooga, with Game 3 set for Saturday.

[Mass Haas]

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

 

Who is Erik Cordier and where did this 101 MPH fastball come from?

 

His dad posted here as far back as 2004, and Patrick (colbyjack) had met the family pre-draft and had shared those experiences. Long path, but congrats.

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

 

Central Time

 

Huntsville: LHP Mike Strong at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:15 gametime; it's Game Three of a Best-of-Five Series, tied at 1-1, rest of the series after tonight on the road

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

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

 

Huntsville

 

***

 

Weather Forecast

[And That]

Heck of a game from Austin Ross but why is Bradley pitching from the pen? I would have thought he'd be one of the starters.

Bradley is pushing 150 IP. The Brewers may be shutting him down.

[WV Brew]

Heck of a game from Austin Ross but why is Bradley pitching from the pen? I would have thought he'd be one of the starters.

Bradley is pushing 150 IP. The Brewers may be shutting him down.

 

Ah, I didn't notice that. I'm sure you're right. Just seemed odd, Bradley out of the pen and Strong, who has been in the pen, as the next starter.

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Chattanooga 2, Huntsville 1

 

Late Hit Leads Lookouts To Win

Steve Jarnicki, Huntsville Stars

 

Chattanooga, TN - The Chattanooga Lookouts received a clutch pinch hit from Angel Sanchez late in the game lifting them over the Huntsville Stars 2-1 Saturday night at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

 

With the win, Chattanooga now leads the Stars 2-1 in their best of five series in the Southern League North Divisional Series.

 

The game was tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh. With runners at first and second base, Sanchez singled into left field scoring Corey Seager from second giving the Lookouts a 2-1 advantage.

 

Nick Ramirez gave the Stars a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on his RBI single to right field.

 

The Lookouts tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on Daniel Mayora's RBI single to left.

 

Jacob Barnes (0-1) took the loss for the Stars as he gave up what turned out to be the game winning hit to Sanchez.

 

Ralston Cash earned the win for the Lookouts out of their bullpen. Cash struck out all six batters that he faced.

 

Daniel Coulombe, who earned the save came into the game in the eighth with two runners on base. Coulombe retired Shawn Zarraga and Josh Fellhauer on a groundout to first and a strikeout to end the threat.

 

Coulombe then got a 1-2-3 ninth inning to preserve the save.

 

The Stars and Chattanooga will continue their five game series in Chattanooga, TN at AT&T Field in Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon. The Stars will turn to RHP Tyler Wagner (0-0, 0.00). Chattanooga will send RHP Matt Shelton (0-0, 0.00) to the hill. The game can be heard starting at 1:00 CDT on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM WTKI and wtkiradio.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Wow, big spot for Tyler Wagner Sunday.

 

Huntsville Game Log

 

Great chance in first inning --

 

Huntsville Top of the 1st

 

Nick Shaw singles on a ground ball to center fielder Noel Cuevas.

Orlando Arcia singles on a fly ball to left fielder Bobby Coyle. Nick Shaw to 2nd.

Hector Gimenez flies out to center fielder Noel Cuevas.

Shawn Zarraga flies out to left fielder Bobby Coyle. Nick Shaw to 3rd. Orlando Arcia to 2nd.

Josh Fellhauer strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

Central Time

 

Huntsville: RHP Tyler Wagner at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 1:00 PM pre-game, 1:15 gametime; it's Game Four of a Best-of-Five Series, Stars trail 2-1, finale Monday in Chattanooga if necessary (hopefully)

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

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

 

Huntsville

 

***

 

Weather Forecast

[WV Brew]

Dominant performance for Tyler Wagner through 6. Stars not doing much better offensively though. Pinch hitting for TW in the 7th. I don't know, he's only thrown 63 pitches. Hopefully, the pen can get the job done.

[DHonks]

great outing. Hopefully the Stars hold on.

[WV Brew]

Stars go up 4-0 although they had 2 guys out at 3rd in the 8th. Robinson Diaz tripped over the base as he was trying to score on Tyrone Taylor's single.

[DHonks]

just noticed that in August and Sept Komatsu has returned to being a solid OBP machine.

[WV Brew]

Stars win. Combined 3 hitter. Goforth went the last 3 so he will probably be unavailable tomorrow. Brent Suter will be the starter. If there is any player symbolic of the Stars' season, it has to be Suter. Tremendous first half followed by a mediocre second half. He will have to string something together tomorrow.

 

It has been a real pleasure to listen to Tyler Wagner's games this year. He works quickly, throws strikes and gets ground balls. Yet he still gets his share of strikeouts. He and Taylor Williams have been a revelation to me this year although I know some of you were touting both at the start of the season and before.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, @Chattanooga 0

 

Stars Force Game Five With Shutout

Steve Jarnicki, Huntsville Stars

 

Chattanooga, TN - The Huntsville Stars blanked the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-0 Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field in Chattanooga forcing a fifth and final game Monday to determine who will move on to the Southern League Championship series.

 

Both of the Stars wins in the series have been shutouts as the series is tied two games apiece going into the finale Monday.

 

Tyler Wagner (1-0) dazzled in his Double-A debut for the Stars.

 

Wagner threw six shutout innings and scattered only two hits. He struck out four and walked one.

 

The Stars and Lookouts were scoreless until Erik Komatsu changed that with an RBI double to center in the fifth inning against Matt Shelton (0-1).

 

The Stars then put three runs on the scoreboard in the eighth against Lookouts reliever Blake Smith.

 

Nick Ramirez doubled to deep center scoring Orlando Arcia making it 2-0 Stars.

 

Robinzon Diaz singled into right field scoring Ramirez. Tyrone Taylor also added an RBI single to left giving the Stars a 4-0 advantage.

 

David Goforth combined with Wagner on the shutout.

 

Goforth, who earned his first save in the postseason, pitched three scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.

 

The Stars and Chattanooga will play gave five Monday night in Chattanooga to determine the winner of the series. The Stars will turn to LHP Brent Suter (10-10, 3.96). Chattanooga will send RHP Nick Struck (5-6, 5.47) to the hill. The game can be heard starting at 6:00 CDT on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM WTKI and wtkiradio.com.

 

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Wagner, Stars refuse to go out in Game 4

Brewers right-hander tosses six scoreless innings in Double-A debut

By Sam Dykstra / MiLB.com

 

Tyler Wagner wasn't there to help Double-A Huntsville capture the Southern League North Division first-half title, nor was he around to help the team in the second half. He was with Class A Advanced Brevard County, going 13-6 with a 1.86 ERA in 25 starts.

 

But on Sunday, he was there to help the Stars when they needed it most.

 

The Brewers' No. 14 prospect surrendered only two hits and a walk and struck out four over six innings in his Double-A debut to lead Huntsville to a 4-0 win over Chattanooga in Game 4 of the best-of-5 Southern League semifinals. The win forced a decisive Game 5 at Chattanooga's AT&T Field on Monday.

 

"I didn't have any doubts that I could pitch at this level when I got promoted," Wagner said. "But at the same time, it's nice to see some results too. All I was thinking was that it's the same game here as it was down there. I just had to pitch the same way I had all year long."

 

Known for his quick work on the mound, Wagner didn't waste much time settling into a groove. Thanks to a pair of double plays, the 23-year-old right-hander faced one above the minimum and needed only 63 pitches (41 strikes) to complete his six frames before reaching his innings limit. He credited his low-90s sinking fastball, which was graded at 60 by MLB.com, for his string of zeros.

 

"A lot of it was working ahead with fastball," he said. "I was able to establish the fastball early and let everything kind of fall into place from there. The changeup and slider were in the zone too, but it all comes from establishing the fastball. When you're able to throw all three pitches in the same counts, it makes it tough for them to know what's coming."

 

The Stars needed a strong start from Wagner against Chattanooga right-hander Matt Shelton, who retired the first 12 Huntsville batters he faced. The budding pitching duel didn't have much of an impact on how Wagner approached his Double-A bow.

 

"I didn't even realize what he had going on until about the fourth or fifth," he said. "I don't pay much attention to what the other guy is doing, just because I am focused on what I can control. I don't think it affects me too much, to be honest."

 

Huntsville got to Shelton in the fifth when Hector Gimenez singled to lead off the frame and Erik Komatsu smacked an RBI double two batters later. The Stars tacked on three insurance runs off reliever Blake Smith in the eighth on a run-scoring double by Nick Ramirez and RBI base hits by Robinzon Diaz and Tyrone Taylor.

 

No. 16 Brewers prospect David Goforth allowed only one hit over the game's final three innings to earn his first save of the postseason.

 

The victory preserved the existence of Huntsville Stars baseball for at least one more game, with the club set to move to Biloxi ahead of the 2015 season. That's not the focus of the players, though. This particular group of Brewers prospects is hoping to get one more win, so they can face either Mobile or Jacksonville with a ring on the line.

 

"We've been positive every day, at least every day that I've been here," Wagner said. "Just take things day by day, that's the mentality we've had, even when we're down. And that's the same we'll look at tomorrow. Just win that game before any other stuff can happen."

 

Huntsville Box Score

 

Brewers looking very bright for the callups of Wagner, Arcia, and Taylor.

 

David Goforth not being available for Monday complicates things a bit.

 

Huntsville Game Log

 

Chattanooga completely stifled by Wagner and Goforth - three singles, one walk, one LOB.

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

Central Time

 

Huntsville: LHP Brent Suter at Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:00 PM pre-game, 6:15 gametime; it's the deciding Game Five of a Best-of-Five Series

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

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

 

Huntsville

 

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Weather Forecast

[TheCrew07]

Well the Stars have probably pitched their way out of the post season, now down 7-2 in the top of the 7th.