Link Report for Sunday 4/26

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Colorado Springs: RHP Tyler Thornburg at home vs. Iowa (Cubs), 2:05 PM pre-game, 2:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

We welcome Dan Karcher, who is the longtime play-by-play voice of the Sky Sox; follow him on Twitter @SkySoxKarch

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Colorado Springs 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. The video of each game is archived online, which is a nice feature. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

NOTE: Notice that on MiLB.TV's page, you can click on "Filter", then "Milwaukee Brewers", and you'll see just the Crew's organizational TV lineup.

 

**********

 

Biloxi: RHP's Brooks Hall and Jacob Barnes in a doubleheader at Pensacola (Reds), 1:35 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime; each contest slated for seven innings

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

We also welcome Chris Harris as the very first play-by-play voice of the Shuckers! Follow Chris on Twitter @CHarris731. We'll be looking off to his very promising "Shuck Dynasty" blog. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be radio broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV - Seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games, and Biloxi staff indicates it is hopeful it will be eight when the new stadium opens.

 

NOTE: This series from Pensacola is airing on MiLB.TV, nice.

 

**********

 

Brevard County: LHP Wei-Chung Wang at Lakeland (Tigers), 12:00 PM gametime

 

NOTE: One of the very few series with no online audio at all.

 

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

 

**********

 

Wisconsin: LHP Zach Hirsch at home vs. Peoria (Cardinals), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link - 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.

 

NOTE: Forty-two (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (34) 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.

 

***

 

So, for the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sky Sox games, most Shuckers games, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

[Mass Haas]

NOTE: Not sure if Pensacola will have their MiLB.TV feed back today - storm knocked it out on Saturday.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Colorado Springs

 

Biloxi Game One

 

Biloxi Game Two

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Look for these just prior to the respective game times --

 

Colorado Springs Media Notes - It's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Sky Sox' site.

 

Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog

 

Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog

 

***

 

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League South Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

***

 

Sortable individual stat pages:

 

Colorado Springs

 

Biloxi

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

***

 

Weather.com:

 

Colorado Springs, CO

 

Pensacola, FL

 

Lakeland, FL

 

Grand Chute, WI

[Mass Haas]

Chris Mehring just uploaded the game highlights of Saturday's win --

 

[Mass Haas]

Farmhand birthdays Sunday:

 

Manatees CF Johnny Davis, currently sidelined (knee), turns 25

 

RHP Joshua Torres, the Arizona Rookie League ERA champ in 2014, turns 21; he should be a mainstay on Helena's staff this June

[Mass Haas]

Per Buck Rogers, Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville looking good for later this week...

[TheCrew07]

The choppiness is back during the T-Rats broadcast, it has to be something on the stadium side because the commercials are fine. Poor Chris, they've been working hard on this issue... he talks about it everyday.

[WV Brew]

Brevard County 14, Lakeland 4

Oh. My. Goodness. Clint Coulter and Victor Roache continue to lay waste the Florida State League. Wei-Chung Wang could only go 4 innings. He really is not right at the moment. No audio for this game but he has had trouble locating his fastball the last couple of outings. Final line: 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 W, 1 K

 

Trevor Seidenberger, on the other hand, has been stellar. He gets the win with: 3 IP, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. Tristan Archer closed it out with the last 2 innings giving up no runs.

 

Offense?

Clint Coulter 4-5, HR

Taylor Brennan 3-5, 2B, now batting over .300

Victor Roache 1-4, HR

Garrett Cooper 3-5, 3 run HR

Paul Eshleman 3-5, 2B, 3B

 

 

April 26, 2015

 

 

 

 

Brevard County Bats Explode in 14-4 Victory

 

Manatees Smack 18 Hits in Win Over Lakeland

 

 

 

Lakeland, Fla. –The Brevard County Manatees (8-9) collected 18 hits in a 14-4 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (7-11) on Sunday afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium.

 

 

 

Brevard County’s offense scored all 14 runs in just four innings, highlighted by a five-run third. Trailing 1-0, Stevan Halcomb singled to lead off the third. Halcomb stole second before Lakeland starter Jonathan Maciel (0-2, 9.33 ERA) recorded back-to-back outs. With two outs, Taylor Brennan drilled an RBI double to right to plate Halcomb and tie the game. Clint Coulter then singled home Brennan. After Victor Roache was hit by a pitch, Garrett Cooper launched an opposite field three-run homer to make it 5-1 Manatees. It was Cooper’s first home run of the season.

 

 

 

After Lakeland scored a run in the bottom of the third, the Manatees plated three more in the fourth. With one out, Omar Garcia singled. After a Christopher McFarland ground out, Brennan singled home Garcia. Maciel then uncorked a wild pitch. Coulter stepped to the plate and drilled a two-run blast to left to give the Manatees an 8-2 advantage. It was Coulter’s sixth home run of the season.

 

 

 

Lakeland scored two in the bottom half of the fourth on a two-run single by Javier Betancourt, but Brevard County would respond with two runs of their own in the fifth. Cooper singled against the new pitcher Julio Felix. Paul Eshleman then tripled to deep center and scored Cooper. After an Angel Ortega strikeout, Halcomb singled to left. Eshleman scored and gave Brevard County a 10-4 lead.

 

 

 

The score would stay the same until the top of the ninth. Brennan and Coulter led off with consecutive singles. Roache then crushed a three-run homer to right field. For Roache, it was his fifth home run of the year. Two batters later, Eshleman doubled to left and advanced to third on an Ortega single. Halcomb completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Eshleman.

 

 

 

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game, led by Coulter’s 4-for-5 afternoon. He scored three runs, hit the homer and had three RBI. Coulter, Roache and Cooper all drove in three runs. Brennan had three hits, including a double, scored three runs and drove in two. Eshleman went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, and an RBI. Cooper and Halcomb each had two hits.

 

 

 

Trevor Seidenberger (1-0, 0.00 ERA) was credited with the win after he tossed three no-hit relief innings. He walked just one and struck out four. Starter Wei-Chung Wang lasted just four innings. He surrendered four runs – three earned – on seven hits and three walks. He struck out one and allowed a solo home run to Ben Verlander. Tristan Archer pitched the final two innings. He did not allow a run and gave up just one hit.

 

 

 

Maciel’s final line was not a pretty one. He took the loss and gave up eight runs on ten hits in four innings.

 

 

 

The two clubs will play again in Lakeland tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Brandon Woodruff (0-1, 11.42 ERA) will toe the rubber for Brevard County. Ryan Longstreth (1-2, 3.95 ERA) will get the nod for Lakeland.

 

 

 

Dave Walkovic

Director of Broadcasting

Brevard County Manatees

Advanced-A, Milwaukee Brewers

Ph: 321-633-9200 x3002

Fax: 321-633-4418

 

Brevard County Manatees

5800 Stadium Parkway, Suite 101

Viera, FL 32940

 

FEAR THE SEA COW!

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

Brevard County Game Log

[igor67]

Quite the day so far on the farm, Matos continues to find that stroke he had going last year at Helena. DeMuth with 3 hits and a HR again.

[Mass Haas]

Manatees pound out 18 hits in 14-4 win over Lakeland

Donald Rieber Jr., Examiner.com

 

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/53/fb/53fbcaca30c8330083f590228cb448da.JPG?itok=oByZ6T4G

 

Clint Coulter, photographed here in an earlier game, hit his sixth home run of the season on Sunday in the Manatees 14-4 win over Lakeland. Photo Credit: Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography

 

The Brevard County Manatees traveled to Lakeland on Sunday to start a three-game series against the Flying Tigers and the visitors brought their big bats. Brevard County pounded out a season-high 18 hits on the day, with Garrett Cooper, Clint Coulter and Victor Roache each homering, leading the ‘Tees to a 14-4 win at Joker Marchant Stadium.

 

Coulter finished the day 4-for-5 with three RBI, while Cooper was 2-for-5 and had three RBI on one swing, a home run in the Manatees five-run third inning. Roache hit his home in the ninth inning, a three-run shot that highlighted a four run frame. Taylor Brennan had a big day as well, going 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored.

 

The five-run third erased a 1-0 deficit that came about thanks to a solo home run by Lakeland’s Ben Verlander in the bottom of the second against Brevard County starter Wei-Chung Wang. It was Verlander’s second homer of the season, both coming against the Manatees.

 

The Manatees (8-9) third inning started with Steven Halcomb slapping a single to left and stealing second base. Two outs later, Brennan doubled to right, bringing Halcomb home and tying the game at one. Coulter followed with an RBI single and Roache was then hit by Lakeland starter Jonathan Maciel, putting runners at first and second. That brought Cooper to the plate and he belted one over the right field wall, making it a 5-1 game.

 

Lakeland got one run back in the bottom of the third when Bobby Borchering singled home Dominic Ficociello, who doubled with two outs in the inning, cutting the lead to 5-2. The Brevard County offense got right back at it in the bottom of the fourth when Brennan brought home Omar Garcia with a single, upping the lead to 6-2. Coulter made it 8-2 with a two-run bomb to left, his sixth home run of the season.

 

Lakeland loaded the bases in their half of the fourth with a single and two walks. Javier Betancourt singled on a ball to shortstop Angel Ortega, allowing two runs to score and cutting the lead in half. Ortega’s throw to first was wild and Cooper got a throwing error of his own at first, but the Lakeland base runner Drew Longley went no further than third.

 

Wang got out of further trouble in that inning, but his day on the mound was done. He allowed four runs (three earned), on seven hits, walked three and struck out one, leaving him with a no-decision.

 

The Flying Tigers (7-11) made a pitching change in the top of the fifth, but their woes continued. Brevard County got the two runs back that they had surrendered in the fourth. Julio Felix gave up a single to Cooper to start the inning and he came home on the Paul Eshleman triple that followed, making it a 9-4 game. Eshleman scored one out later when Halcomb singled to left field, meaning the Manatees hit double digits on the scoreboard.

 

That was all the scoring in the game until the ninth when Roache belted his fifth homer of the season and second in consecutive games. It was a three-run shot and meant that every Brevard County starter had at least one hit. The final run of the game came on an RBI double by Eshleman, putting a cap on his 3-for-5 day.

 

Trevor Seidenberger (1-0), who took over for Wang in the fifth inning, pitched three innings of scoreless relief to get the win. He didn’t allow a hit and walked one, while striking out four. Tristan Archer pitched the final two innings of the game, allowing one hit in his second appearance with the Manatees.

 

Game two of the series will be played Monday night at Lakeland. Brandon Woodruff (0-1, 11.42 ERA) will start for Brevard County. He will be opposed by Ryan Longstreth (1-2, 3.95 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM (5:30 Central, no audio).

[Mass Haas]

Sky Sox, Cubs Postpone Sunday's Game Due To Weather

Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

With inclement weather and cold temperatures expected throughout the day, Sunday's 1:35 PM (2:35 Central) game between the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and Iowa Cubs has been postponed and rescheduled as part of a double-header on Monday, April 27. The games will both be seven inning contests with the first game starting at 4:30 PM (5:30 Central) and the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

[Mass Haas]

Dustin DeMuth with 3 hits and a HR again.

 

You'll read this in Chris Mehring's game story later on --

 

A controversial call added to Wisconsin's lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. DeMuth sent a slicing fly ball down the left field line. Andrew Sohn, playing as an outfielder for the first time as a professional, made a dive for the ball but missed it. The ball appeared to land in foul territory, but was ruled fair - after a brief hesitation - by the plate umpire. Sohn, who landed hard was trying to get his breath back as the ball rolled to the corner where centerfielder Blake Drake had track it down. DeMuth kept running and circled the bases easily for an inside-the-park home run and his third hit of the game.

[WV Brew]

Florida Today write up:

 

Manatees’ Coulter has big day against Lakeland

Staff report 7:22 p.m. EDT April 26, 2015

manateeslogo.jpg

 

 

The Brevard County Manatees showed off their power Sunday afternoon in Lakeland as they pounded the Flying Tigers 14-4.

 

Clint Coulter led the attack with four hits, including his Florida State League-leading sixth home run of the season. Coulter drove in three runs and scored another three.

 

Teammate Victor Roache hit his fifth of the season during a four-run ninth inning and also drove in three.

 

Garrett Cooper hit his first home run of the season and also drove in three runs.

 

Taylor Brennan had three hits and scored three times and Paul Eshleman continued his strong start with three hits and was a home run shy of the cycle.

 

The Manatees finished with 18 hits.

 

Brevard County starter Wei-Chung Wang struggled again, going four innings and allowing four runs, three earned. Trevor Seidenberger came in and tossed three hitless innings, striking out four to pick up his first win.

 

Ben Verlander hit a home run, his second of the season.

 

The Manatees, who improved to 8-9, will send Brandon Woodruff to the hill in Game 2 of the series Monday. Ryan Longstreth will get the start for Lakeland and picked up the win against Brevard County in his last start, pitching six scoreless innings.

[homer]

That is quite the 3/4 combination they've got down in Brevard.

[Jenkins5]

Coulter and Roache are hitting like this in maybe the most unfriendly hitters league/park..... Image what they could do in Biloxi! Roache needs to move up, he was held back & I think he has shown enough. Wren can move up and play in the not that great AAA OF.

[brewmann04]

totally agree let Wren move up to 3A especially seeing what on that roster.

[homer]

Roach will move up but I'd be surprised if it's before the draft.

[TheCrew07]

Why are we always in such a hurry to move up a player after 1 hot month? I prefer they play at least half a year at their level, what's the rush? Who are any of these guys going to supplant in Milwaukee? Khris Davis is really the only player one could claim needs to be replaced, but none of our OFs will be major league ready by the end of this season. I see no reason to aggressively promote someone who's currently hitting nearly .100 points better than he ever has before. If both guys are still raking at the break by all means promote them and let them face better competition, but Roache in particular needs to prove he can make consistent contact.

 

Coulter's best month of 2014 was April as well, he hit to 1.065 OPS and then leveled off in the .880 range for the rest of the season.

 

I'm thrilled with the hot starts but I will continue to caution against these calls for promotions in April and May. I like to see what happens after teams make their adjustments, do the players continue to have success and make constant adjustments? If so then by all means promote them but that's not something we'll know about until June.

[splitterpfj]

I'm with Crew07 on this, I'd leave Coulter where he is for the full season, and I'd leave Roache there at least for the first half.

 

Roache had not met expectations to this point, let him have some success, if he stays hot, he can hit AA in July.

[TheCrew07]

Rattlers complete the sweep of Peoria

Hirsch goes seven strong inning, DeMuth & Matos each get three hits

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/0/0/8/120693008/cuts/4_Apr26_Hirsch_gil85g58_91oo6n9n.jpg

Zach Hirsch earned the win by allowing one run over seven innings in Wisconsin's 5-1 victory over Peoria on Sunday. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers/Ann Mollica)

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers completed a three-game sweep of the Peoria Chiefs with a 5-1 win Sunday at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Zach Hirsch allowed one run over seven innings to earn his first Midwest League victory.

 

The Chiefs (8-10) got to Hirsch in the first inning. Andrew Sohn doubled with one out and scored on a Danny Diekroeger single for a 1-0 lead. Collin Radack was next and Hirsch snared a liner off Radack's bat with a backhand to start an inning-ending double play.

 

Peoria had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the second, but Hirsch got a strikeout and a flyout to left to keep the Chiefs at one run.

 

Wisconsin (6-12) tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Sthervin Matos singled with one out and stole second. He moved to third on a flyout to right. Monte Harrison was hit by a pitch to extend the inning. Elvis Rubio delivered a single to drive in Matos with the tying run.

 

The Rattlers took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Peoria starting pitcher Matt Pearce retired the first two batters of the inning, but walked Gregory Munoz to keep the inning alive. Brandon Diaz singled to put runners at first and second. Dustin DeMuth dropped a flare into right-center to score Munoz with the go-ahead run.

 

Wisconsin padded their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Matos doubled, his second of three hits in the game, to start the inning and moved to third on a grounder to the right side of the infield by Carlos Leal. Harrison lined a single through the drawn-in infield to score Matos for a 3-1 lead.

 

Later in the sixth, an errant pickoff throw allowed Harrison to race around to third base. Luis Aviles came through with the RBI single - Wisconsin's third two-out RBI hit of the game - to make it 4-1.

 

Hirsch came out to pitch the top of the seventh and worked a perfect frame. Sunday marked the first time Hirsch pitched seven innings in a game as a professional. He gave up six hits, walked none, and struck out four over his seven innings of work.

 

A controversial call added to Wisconsin's lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. DeMuth sent a slicing fly ball down the left field line. Sohn, playing as an outfielder for the first time as a professional, made a dive for the ball but missed it. The ball appeared to land in foul territory, but was ruled fair - after a brief hesitation - by the plate umpire. Sohn, who landed hard was trying to get his breath back as the ball rolled to the corner where centerfielder Blake Drake had track it down. DeMuth kept running and circled the bases easily for an inside-the-park home run and his third hit of the game.

 

Peoria manager Joe Kruzel disagreed with the call and was ejected after a vehement argument.

 

Tyler Linehan worked a scoreless eighth and Josh Uhen worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the Chiefs.

 

The Chiefs swept a three-game series from the Timber Rattlers in the Fox Cities earlier this month, but the Rattlers returned the favor with this three-game sweep. Peoria has lost six straight games.

 

The Timber Rattlers are off on Monday before returning to action on Tuesday in Iowa when they face the Clinton LumberKings at Ashford University Field. David Burkhalter (0-1, 7.27) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Clinton will sent Pat Peterson (2-1, 1.15) to the mound. Game time is 6:30.

 

The broadcast will be available on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:10pm. The broadcast will also be available on Tune In Radio.

 

Wisconsin's next homestand will be May 1 through May 6 when they host the Quad Cities River Bandits and Cedar Rapids Kernels. Tickets are available by calling (800) WI-TIMBER or (920) 733-4152, in person at the Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium Box Office, or online through timberrattlers.com.

 

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Dustin DeMuth (1st, 0 on in 7th inning off Nick Lomascolo, 1 out, inside-the-park)

 

WP: Zach Hirsch (1-2)

LP: Matt Pearce (1-2)

 

TIME: 2:22

ATTN: 3,898

 

Postgame Post with Highlights and Interviews

Post game comments and video highlights as per usual.

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

How awesome are the Brewer themed Sunday unis? Of course Ann takes great pictures as well, but I dig those unis, if I was a jersey buyer, I'd be in the market for one.

 

I wish this game would have been televised because I would have loved to have watched Peoria's manager get ejected, Chris' description of events was entertaining enough. What wasn't mentioned in the story was that the home plate was a replacement for the home plate umpire who from Friday's game, I forget his name. However I remember when he got dinged, it was a FB up that the batter just ticked enough to skip over Leal's glove and it hit the umpire square in the mask. Leal spent a good 2 minutes out at the mound letting the ump collect himself. The same ump did the bases yesterday (the same crew works the entire series) but bowed out of today's game with concussion like symptoms so they brought in this local replacement. His strike zone was bigger than a typical professional umpire's zone so he was already taking a bit of heat from the teams (he called it the same both ways at least), and then he missed that call down the line which led to DeMuth's inside the park HR.

 

Speaking of Dustin Demuth, did I mention he has a huge shiner? He took a ground ball to the face on the road trip and I wonder if that contributed to his recent slide as he went 3 straight hitless games before busting out again today.

 

Sthervin Matos had his 3rd straight multi-hit game, and 3rd game in a row with an XBH, I could get used to this.

 

Monte Harrison has been hit by pitches 5 times already this year and Jake Gatewood got the day off.

 

Wisconsin Recap

[WV Brew]

I added Dave Walkovic's write-up of the Manatees game to the link report above.

[Mass Haas]

Manatees' Coulter goes yard again

Brewers' No. 4 prospect lifts average to .338 in Manatees' blowout

By Jake Seiner / MiLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/3/4/120689134/cuts/960_Coulter_Cliff_Welch_68ia0w3i_zsy6rkzb.jpg

 

Clint Coulter has 28 homers in 143 Minor League games over the last two seasons. (Cliff Welch/MiLB.com)

 

The wind tends to blow in from left field at Brevard County's Space Coast Stadium. If that breeze isn't going to hold back Clint Coulter's power, there probably isn't a park in the Florida State League that can keep him from going yard.

 

That theory held Sunday afternoon as Coulter belted a two-run homer onto the berm in left-center field at Lakeland's Joker Marchant Stadium to help the Manatees stomp the Flying Tigers, 14-4.

 

Coulter went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored, completing the first four-hit game of his professional career. The Brewers' No. 4 prospect lifted his average to .338 and briefly moved into a four-way tie for the Minor League lead with six homers (Preston Tucker slugged his seventh for Triple-A Fresno). No. 14 prospect Victor Roache added his fifth, a three-run blast.

 

Through 17 games, Coulter has a .434 on-base percentage and .708 slugging percentage. The catcher-turned-outfielder is coming off a breakout campaign with Class A Wisconsin that earned him Milwaukee's Minor League Player of the Year award and a Brewers' Organization All-Star nod.

 

The 21-year-old has outstanding power, something that's shown as he's driven four balls out to left at Space Coast Stadium.

 

Playing in Brevard County, the wind blows in from left. "It takes a strong man, driving the ball through that wind," Manatees manager Joe Ayrault said. "He's done that a couple of times.

 

"He's coming off a great year in the Midwest League. He has a great eye at the plate. He's a very strong player with a quality approach at the plate, takes quality at-bats every time he's in there."

 

After contributing an RBI single in a five-run third inning, Coulter connected with two outs in the top of the fourth. By the end of the fifth, Brevard County was up, 10-4.

 

In an attempt to improve on a successful 2014 campaign, Coulter has been working daily with Minor League hitting coordinator Jeremy Reed and Manatees hitting coach Ned Yost IV.

 

"He has a good feel for his swing," Ayrault said. "He's a good communicator and he's working hand-in-hand with Jeremy and Ned. They're communicating every day, talking about his swing."

 

Coulter's also making progress transitioning to the outfield after spending his first three seasons behind the plate. The 2012 first-round pick (27th overall) has a strong arm, and the Manatees coaching staff has been teaching him how best to utilize it from the grass.

 

"A big thing for him is getting reps in, more experience, get games under his belt," Ayrault said. "He has a plus arm. It's very strong. It's just the little things. What base to throw to, throwing through the cutoff man. He has a strong arm and we're just hammering him on keeping the ball down, throwing through the cutoff man.

 

"He's making the improvements. He's one of those guys, he makes adjustments, learns from his mistakes. He's making a big improvement."

 

Coulter isn't alone there. Roache, who went yard in the ninth, has performed dramatically better in his return to the Florida State League. After hitting .226 with 18 homers as a Manatee last season, he's hitting .338 with five long balls in 17 games this year.

 

Offensively, the 2012 first-rounder (28th overall) has tried to adopt more of an all-fields approach. That's shown the past couple days, as the right-handed hitter homered to right-center field on Saturday and to right on Sunday.

 

Each of Roache's five homers have flown out right of center, a stark jump from a year ago, when he hit six opposite-field home runs all season.

 

"He's always had plus power," Ayrault said. "Now he's using the whole field. … He just has a good feel for his swing. He's driving the ball the other way. He did that at times last year, using the whole field."

 

Ayrault said Roache also is improving in the outfield, where MLB.com's Prospect Pipeline team rated him as below average heading into the season.

 

"His arm has gotten stronger," Ayrault said. "He's moving around a little better, too."

 

Brevard County piled on 18 hits in Sunday's blowout. Third baseman Taylor Brennan had three, lifting his average to .306. Catcher Paul Eshleman was 3-for-5 with a double and a triple and is batting .440 through six games.

[Mass Haas]

Wow, my PC just ate and disappeared a mega-Biloxi post with audio and more (bummer), so until later today, here's the doubleheader recap from the Shuckers site.