Link Report for Saturday 4/25

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Biloxi game highlights via WLOX includes Chris Harris' audio call while you're watching Orlando Arcia's home run "into Pensacola Bay"; nice defensive play by Yadiel Rivera at second base, too...

 

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AUDIO: Other game highlights from Chris' broadcast also available at that same link, including Kyle Wren's game-ending catch

[Mass Haas]

Shuckers' Arcia clubs first Double-A homer

Brewers prospect notches eighth multi-hit game, hikes average to .458

By Ashley Marshall / MiLB.com

 

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Orlando Arcia has reached base by a hit or walk in all 15 games for Biloxi this season. (Photo by Kevin Pataky/MiLB.com)

 

On paper, Saturday's game between Biloxi and Pensacola should have been the start of the Shuckers' second series on their first homestand. In reality, Milwaukee's Double-A affiliate won't play a game at MGM Park for six more weeks.

 

Orlando Arcia is loving his time on the road.

 

The Brewers' top prospect smacked his first Double-A homer, doubled and scored twice as Biloxi held on for a 4-3 win at Pensacola.

 

"It was a good performance," Shuckers manager Carlos Subero said. "He's had a good year so far ... and he had quality at-bats tonight and hit the ball hard. Overall, tonight was another good night for Orlando."

 

Batting third and playing shortstop, Arcia lined to left field in the first inning, doubled off the left field wall in the third and homered to left-center in the fifth. Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2010, he was hit in the back by a pitch with one out in the seventh, then grounded to third base on the eighth pitch of his at-bat to end the ninth.

 

"He took two curveballs for balls and waited for a pitch that stayed middle-in," Subero said of the homer. "Off the bat, you knew it was gone. It was a no-doubter. What he did tonight and what he's done all year is lay off breaking balls that are not strikes and put himself in good hitting counts. Pitchers just aren't giving him good pitches early, but there's no chase in Orlando right now."

 

The outing raised MLB.com's No. 86 overall prospect's average to .458. Only Tennessee's Daniel Vogelbach (.460) and Bradenton's Jin-De Jhang (.487) have higher averages than Arcia, the younger brother of Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia.

 

The 20-year-old Venezuela native has eight multi-hit efforts in his first 15 games, including each of his last three contests. Arcia, who missed the entire 2012 season with a fractured right ankle suffered while sliding into second base in Spring Training, has reached base in every game and hit safely in eight straight.

 

What makes Arcia's numbers -- as well as the fact that Biloxi is the first Southern League team to record 10 wins -- more impressive is that the Shuckers have yet to play a game at home. The franchise relocated from Huntsville to Biloxi in the offseason, but construction delays on $36 million MGM Park means the team likely will not play at its new field until at least June 6.

 

That's a 55-game, 60-day road trip through eight cities before the Shuckers get to step inside their own locker room.

 

"We've only had 15 games so far, but it's a mind-set thing," Subero said. "We know that after five games we'll hit the road again, go to another hotel and then play on somebody else's field. I think once we're around 40 games in, then it'll be unique. But right now, the season is fresh, so you can't pick up on much. It will be interesting."

 

Subero said the road trip has an effect on a number of things, from practice schedules and routines to familiar food and locker room furniture.

 

"When you're at home, you get plenty of work in. On the road, you minimize the work load," he added. "At home, you get your early work and you have a regular routine. On the road, you get one hour, that's what the other team gives you. You try to compensate, to add a little bit more in because you're not getting that regular work, but you have to be wise because you're always going from one state to another.

 

"At home, you can go back to an apartment. Kids all have their own rooms, it's a privacy thing. Then you get to the stadium and you know it's your own place. You have your locker and your couch and your pregame meal. But that's baseball and we knew the situation and we can't use it as an excuse."

 

Catcher Parker Berberet was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Biloxi. Jaye Chapman (1-1) earned the win, working 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief.

 

Pensacola starter Robert Stephenson (0-2), the Reds' top prospect, gave up four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and three walks while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings.

[Mass Haas]

First place Shuckers hang on for fourth straight win

Orlando Arcia doubled, homered and helped Biloxi to 4-3 win at Pensacola

Biloxi Shuckers

 

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Orlando Arcia hit his first Double-A homerun on Saturday night in the win (Photo by John Shadrick)

 

PENSACOLA, FLA. - The Shuckers won their fourth straight game Saturday night with a heart-pounding 4-3 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, in the opener of a six-game series in five days at Bayfront Stadium. The win catapulted the Shuckers into first place in the Southern League South all by themselves and also become the first team in the league to reach double-digit wins. The four-game win streak is the longest in the young inaugural season. 20-year-old Orlando Arcia supplied much of the magic again with a double, two runs scored, a home run and 2-for-4 night at the dish, now having reached base safely in all 15 games.

 

The game was delayed by 31-minutes to repair the left-field wall at Bayfront Stadium that had fallen earlier during a storm that passed through Pensacola.

 

Biloxi got out to an early lead on Saturday night with a two-spot in the second on a two-run single by Parker Berberet (2x4, 2 RBI) that plated Taylor Green (1x4, R) and Nathan Orf (1x3, R, BB).

 

Biloxi starter Brent Suter took the mound for the first time in 13 days and struggled with his command throughout the start. The lefty walked the leadoff man in the second and gave up a single to Kyle Waldrop before walking Seth Mejias-Brean to load the bases. After getting Juan Perez to fly out, Suter hit Chris Berset to bring in a run. Opposing pitcher Robert Stephenson hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Waldrop and back-to-back walks to Juan Silva and Ryan Wright loaded the bases brought in another run to give Pensacola a 3-2 lead. Nine Wahoos batters came to the plate in the second frame.

 

Suter went just 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on one hit, but walked four and hit three with one strikeout on 80 pitches. In total, Biloxi pitching would walk a season-high eight batters, but hold Pensacola to just three hits.

 

The Shuckers were quick to respond in the top half of the third.

 

Arcia doubled with two outs to extend his on-base streak to a Southern League-high 15 games and his hitting streak to seven games. Nick Ramirez (1x4, RBI) brought Arcia home from second with a single to center to tie the game at 3-3.

 

The second-ranked prospect in the organization was at it again in the fifth with a bomb into Pensacola Bay to put Biloxi back on top, 4-3.

 

Mike Strong (IP, H, BB, SO) took over for Suter with two down the fifth and walked Marquez Smith before getting Waldrop to ground out. The 26-year-old lefty had to be removed with two outs in the sixth after suffering an injury during an at-bat to Sean Buckley. Jaye Chapman (W, 1-1) came on for Strong and worked 2.1 scoreless innings with two walks and a strikeout.

 

Biloxi called on Wirfin Obispo (IP, H) for a second straight night to lock down a save, and the seasoned vet stepped up to the challenge. Pensacola had a man at second base, but left him stranded as Kyle Wren (1x5) chased down a drive to center by Jesse Winker and crashed into the wall to secure the win.

 

Arcia ended the night with a .458 batting average and is currently second in the Southern League. Yadiel Rivera finished the night 0-for-3 with a walk, extending his on-base streak to 14, but ending his league-leading 11-game hitting streak.

 

The two teams will have a twinbill tomorrow with RHP Brooks Hall (2-0, 1.13) taking on RHP Tim Adleman (0-2, 2.70) in game one. Then, RHP Jacob Barnes (0-2, 3.72) faces off against RHP Layne Somson (0-0, 1.13) in game two. Both games can be heard, with coverage beginning at 1:50 PM on 1240-AM WGCM, 1580-AM WPMO and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com.

 

Biloxi Box Score

 

Former Brewers' 40-man roster member RHP Kevin Shackelford has struggled for Pensacola, this was his first scoreless outing in four tries...

 

Biloxi Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Read Chris' overnight Twitter timeline for more Shuckers' statistical goodness.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Colorado Springs 9, Iowa 8

 

Clark's Walk-Off Blast Stuns I-Cubs in 9-8 Sox Win

Colorado Springs Erases Seven-Run Deficit To Win Series Opener

By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

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Matt Clark's two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth would seal an exciting 9-8 victory for the Sky Sox. (Photo by Paat Kelly)

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - There was certainly no shortage of excitement in Colorado Springs on Saturday night as the Sky Sox dug themselves out of an early seven-run deficit to shock the Iowa Cubs in a 9-8 walk-off victory in front of 3,750 fans at Security Service Field.

 

Sox starter Taylor Jungmann would strike out the first batter of the game, I-Cubs second baseman Arismendy Alcantara, on three straight pitches. This promising result would not be a trend however as Jungmann would hit a rough patch starting with the very next batter. The Cubs would wind up putting four runs on the scoreboard in the first frame on the strength of a Junior Lake RBI single and a towering three-run home run off the bat of third baseman Christian Villanueva, giving him three of his five RBI on the ballgame.

 

Right-hander Dallas Beeler made the start for Iowa after a late activation from the disabled list. Beeler would face the minimum six batters through his first two innings of the 2015 season, striking out two Sky Sox along the way. He would bend a bit in the third inning however, allowing one run to score after the recently-promoted Brandon Macias got his team rolling with a triple to the right field corner with just one out. The triple represented the first Triple-A hit of Macias' professional career. In his first at bat with the Sky Sox, Jungmann would help his own cause, driving Macias home from third on a 5-3 RBI groundout.

 

The Colorado Springs offense would continue on the comeback trail over the following two innings after Jungmann allowed three more runs between the second and fourth. In all, Jungmann would allow seven runs on ten hits and two walks while striking out three.

 

The Sox would quickly chip away at the 7-1 deficit starting in the home fourth, sending eight batters to the plate en route to a three-run frame. The runs would be scored without the benefit of an extra-base-hit as the Sky Sox compiled three singles and a walk off of Beeler.

 

Ariel Peńa would take the mound in the fifth and retire the side in order in relief of Jungmann with the help of a sharp slider and crisp fastball. More importantly, Peńa kept Iowa off the board and maintained the 7-4 score heading into the Sky Sox fifth.

 

Rick Sweet's club would once again send eight batters to bat in the fifth, scoring three more runs to add to Beeler's final line. The game's original starter, Carlos Pimentel, would come on for Iowa in the fifth after Beeler failed to record an out after allowing a leadoff double to the hot-hitting Matt Long and consecutive walks to Pete Orr and Luis Sardinas. Each of Pimentel's inherited runners would score as the right-hander threw two wild pitches, each scoring one run for the Sky Sox, and allowed the third runner to cross the plate on Nevin Ashley's RBI fielder's choice groundout. The Sky Sox would come all the way back to tie the game at 7-7, taking advantage of any and all miscues made by the opposition.

 

The game would remained knotted at seven until Peńa, in his third inning of work, gave up a leadoff triple to catcher Taylor Teagarden and RBI single to Villanueva. Upon Iowa taking the lead, Brent Leach came on to limit the damage with one out in the seventh. He would single-handedly end the inning with a pickoff of Villanueva at first and swinging strikeout of right fielder Rubi Silva.

 

Cubs reliever Yoanner Negrin held the Sky Sox scoreless for two innings, striking out two before turning the ball over left-hander Joseph Ortiz (0-1, 4.70) to close out the ballgame with his team holding a late 8-7 lead. Right-handers Brandon Kintzler, making his first appearance since being activated from the disabled list, and Corey Knebel (1-0, 1.29) pitched beautifully out of the Sox 'pen, making quick work of the eighth and ninth innings. The relievers combined to pitch two scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out one.

 

With his team trailing by one heading into the bottom of the ninth, leadoff hitter Matt Long would double to left-center to keep the home team's hopes alive. Long would move to third on a Pete Orr sacrifice bunt before being cut down at home on a weekly hit Luis Sardinas grounder. Sardinas would reach first base to keep the game going but, with two out in the inning, things were not looking up. Matt Clark would immediately ease the Colorado Springs faithful's collective minds as he took the first pitch he saw from Ortiz over the right field wall to send an electrified stadium crowd home happy with a 9-8 walk-off victory.

 

New Sox addition Tyler Thornburg (NR) gets the call on Sunday afternoon as he is set to face off with I-Cubs right-hander Donn Roach (1-0, 2.60). First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM MDT (2:35 Central) at Security Service Field.

 

Colorado Springs Box Score

 

Five innings of one-run ball from the 'pen; LHP Brent Leach's pickoff move is, wait for it, legendary; Luis Sardinas was 0-for-4 but scored three times...

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: What's that, you want to see the Matt Clark walkoff? Yes, we can oblige you!

 

Oh, off a southpaw, too...

[Mass Haas]

Walk-off home run breathes life to struggling Colorado Springs Sky Sox

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

It's not like one swing fixes all ills, but it sure made things look a bit better for the Sky Sox for at least one day.

 

The Sky Sox notched a morale-boosting 9-8 victory Saturday night on a walk-off, two-out, two-run home run from Matt Clark.

 

Before that, it looked like another long night in what has been a young season full of them. The Sky Sox trailed Iowa 6-0, then 7-1, as they gave up another pile of runs and were on the verge of adding another loss to the worst record in Triple-A.

 

Then a slow rally that was aided by a pair of runs on wild pitches inched Colorado Springs back into the game and Clark brought home Luis Sardinas with the blast to right field.

 

"It was bound to happen eventually," Clark said. "Someone was going to do it. I just happened to be the right guy today.

 

"We've just had a lot of bad luck lately, balls bouncing the wrong way. Maybe this will get us going."

 

The team was certainly in need of something, anything, positive.

 

Colorado Springs (5-11) is giving up the most runs per game in the Pacific Coast League. It's offense is smack in the middle of the pack. The record is the worst in the league, mirroring the parent club. The Milwaukee Brewers own the worst record in the major leagues and are last in both runs scored and runs allowed.

 

Manager Rick Sweet preaches winning as an important part of development. When losses happen, his approach is to figure out why, address it and fix it. Well, he's had a lot of try and fix early on as a 2-5 opening home stand was followed by a 2-6 road trip.

 

"There's no doubt it's a little bit of everything," Sweet said before Saturday's game.

 

Sweet had hoped that having his opening day starter Taylor Jungmann on the mound would help Saturday. But Jungmann gave up four runs in the first inning - three on a 425-foot home run to Iowa's Christian Villanueva - and he exited with a 7-4 deficit after four innings.

 

"It starts with our starting pitching," Sweet said. "We've got to pitch better. We've got to throw more strikes. We've got to be more aggressive. We need to get deeper in games and not put so much pressure on our bullpen.

 

"But I've also not been happy with our defensive play, especially in the outfield. Pitching and defense go hand-in-hand. Those things have to be working. Right now they're better, but they're not where they need to be."

 

There had been signs of improvement. On the recent road trip the Sky Sox gave up three or fewer runs four times.

 

Now we'll see what a shot of adrenaline can do for this team.

 

"It's no fun when you're losing," Clark said. "And we were down 6-0 today. I think it would have been easy to say, 'Well, that's another one for the loss column.' But we did that and hopefully we can bring this back with us tomorrow and keep this going."

[WV Brew]

In case someone wants to bid on these Manatees/Kennedy Space Center uniforms:

 

 

Brevard County Manatees Partner Up With Kennedy Space Center May 7-9

 

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By Brevard County Manatees // April 25, 2015

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The Brevard County Manatees announced on Thursday that they have partnered with the Kennedy Space Center to host Kennedy Space Center Weekend at Space Coast Stadium from May 7-9. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily)

 

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Brevard County Manatees announced on Thursday that they have partnered with the Kennedy Space Center to host Kennedy Space Center Weekend at Space Coast Stadium from May 7-9.

 

The Manatees will officially change their name to the Brevard County Space Explorers for the weekend.

 

The Space Explorers will wear specialty space-themed jerseys and caps that were designed by Kennedy Space Center employee, Angela Krenn.

 

Angela Krenn

 

Angela Krenn

 

“The shirt design uses images from the Hubble Space Telescope to show the Comet ISON against a backdrop of distant galaxies and stars,” said Angela Krenn.

 

“ISON was the comet which was torn apart when rounding the Sun in 2013. The hat design is an image of Jupiter, also taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Featured prominently on the front is Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, which is a 10,000-mile wide hurricane-like storm.”

 

Krenn is a cryogenics engineer for NASA, focusing on propellant systems.

 

The space-themed jerseys, seen below, will be available for purchase via auction at manateesbaseball.com.

The Brevard County Manatees announced on Thursday that they have partnered with the Kennedy Space Center to host Kennedy Space Center Weekend at Space Coast Stadium from May 7-9. (Zach Clark, SpaceCoastDaily Image)

 

The Brevard County Manatees announced on Thursday that they have partnered with the Kennedy Space Center to host Kennedy Space Center Weekend at Space Coast Stadium from May 7-9. (Zach Clark, SpaceCoastDaily Image)

 

The auction starts on May 7.

 

The caps can be purchased in the Manatees official team store, The Lagoon, located at Space Coast Stadium.

 

“The Kennedy Space Center is excited to share our passion for space exploration with the Manatees baseball team and fans,” said Mike Bolger, NASA Ground Systems Development and Operations Program Manager.

 

“As baseball fans and members of this community, we look forward to an out of this world weekend!”

 

Bolger will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday Night.

 

On Saturday May 9, the Kennedy Space Center Event will feature postgame fireworks, NASA and KSC educational exhibits and displays, photos with the KSC Visitor Complex Spaceman, and activities and entertainment for the entire family.

‘Breakfast of Champions’ Recognizes Best Prep Athletes

Related Story:

‘Breakfast of Champions’ Recognizes Best Prep Athletes

 

The Fur Circus, a traveling live circus-themed character mascot group who specializes in humor, will also be in attendance.

 

The Manatees host the Tampa Yankees on May 7, 8 and 9 with first pitch for all three games scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

 

Tickets start at just $6 and can be purchased by calling 321-633-9200 or online at manateesbaseball.com

 

For more information on Kennedy Space Center Weekend, contact Chad Lovitt at 321-633-9200 ext. 2017 or by e-mail at clovitt@spacecoaststadium.com

[igor67]

At nearly the 70 PA mark both Coulter and Roache have OPS' over 1.000 in the FSL. Small sample size or not, that is impressive. Maybe even terrifying to the Southern League, imagine if the bumped Kyle Wren up to AAA to clear space for both Coulter and Roache right now?