Link Report for Wednesday 7/15 - Back To Work

[Mass Haas]

Final: International League 4, Pacific Coast League 3

 

IL rallied for three runs in the top of the 9th (MiLB.com game story)

 

RHP David Goforth tossed one scoreless inning, stranding his own runners at 2nd and 3rd with his team down 1-0 at the time, whew --

 

INT All-Stars Top of the 6th

 

Pitching Change: David Goforth replaces Tyson Perez.

James Beresford singles on a ground ball to left fielder Travis Taijeron.

Matt Hague pops out to shortstop Cristhian Adames.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Kyle Roller replaces Jesus Aguilar.

Kyle Roller singles on a sharp ground ball to center fielder Jason Pridie. James Beresford to 2nd.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Tyler Henson replaces Dariel Alvarez.

Tyler Henson grounds into a force out, shortstop Cristhian Adames to second baseman Arismendy Alcantara. James Beresford to 3rd. Kyle Roller out at 2nd. Tyler Henson to 1st.

With Matt Davidson batting, Tyler Henson steals (1) 2nd base.

Matt Davidson flies out to right fielder Peter O'Brien.

[Mass Haas]

Final: AZL Brewers 12, AZL Indians 2

 

Have we ever been more impressed overall with a 9-11 rookie squad?

 

Maryvale Box Score

 

Fantastic night on the mound -- veteran RHP John Ely has to be encouraged after opening with three scoreless innings; 22-year-old 2nd year pro RHP Caleb Smith netted the win with four innings of two-run ball (zero BB, six K's); and the beat goes on for unscored upon non-drafted Lafayette RHP Alex Farina who finished up with two scoreless frames (now at 10.1 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 18 K, not even an unearned run allowed).

 

Maryvale Game Log

 

The A-Crew scored in seven of eight innings, and placed 23 men on base via hit, walk, or HBP.

 

Congratulations to Demi Orimoloye on his first professional home run (guessing it's not hard to retrieve the ball), while rehabbing catcher Dustin Houle poked his second of the summer.

 

LF Joantgel Segovia was 4-for-6, all singles, in fact, all 24 of his hits are singles in 2015. The 18-year-old Venezuelan and 2014 DSL batting champ was 2-for-3 on the basepaths, you'd think with his speed, one of those singles would have been stretched out by now. Segovia may be the slappiest slap-hitter of the Link Report era (2001-).

 

Both Trent Clark and Gilbert Lara were hit by pitches (don't do that!). Each also doubled and singled.

 

Six Brewers reached base at least three times, while another, DH Mitch Ghelfi, did so twice. Everyone had at least one base hit. The lineup has been tremendous, the less-heralded guys at the bottom of the order have reached base consistently all summer as well.

 

Sign us up for Maryvale season tickets for the 2nd half (they're free!)

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Interview with Monte Harrison, 2014's 2nd-rounder tells us how he's developed in his second year of pro ball

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Helena 4, Grand Junction 2

Final, Game Two: Grand Junction 6, Helena 3

 

Brewers and Rockies split Wednesday

Helena Brewers

 

The Helena Brewers (11-13) split a doubleheader with the Grand Junction Rockies (14-12) on Wednesday at Kindrick Field before a crowd of 1,254, taking game one 4-2 and losing game two 6-3.

 

Drake Owenby (1-0) got the start in the first contest of the twinbill, pitching five innings of one-run baseball on six hits while striking out two. It would be Owenby's first win in professional baseball.

 

The Brewers were outhit by Grand Junction in game one, but took advantage of their four defensive errors to take home the win.

 

Monte Harrison and Steven Karkenny managed to score in the first when George Iskenderian hit a two-RBI single off Peter Lambert (0-1). Lambert, a high school draftee out of San Dimas, CA, was making his professional debut after signing in late June with the Rockies.

 

Troy Stokes would score the two remaining Helena runs, coming in twice on errors by the Grand Junction infield. The Rockies tied a season-high in errors for an opponent with four.

 

The win gave the Brewers' their third consecutive victory. It was the first time this season that Helena was able to win three straight.

 

Helena Game One Box Score

 

Helena Game One Game Log

 

Defensive mistakes would again play a role in the second game of the series as Grand Junction was able to score two early runs on bases loaded walks.

 

J.B. Kole (0-2) struggled to find the zone, giving up four runs on four hits over his four innings of work.

 

Karkenny smoked his fourth home run of the season, a three-run homer to left off Alec Crawford. He would score Harrison and Stokes on the hit.

 

Harrison had yet another hot night at the plate, going 4-for-4 in game two with a double, triple, and a run scored.

 

The two teams will face off in another doubleheader Thursday at Kindrick Field. First pitch in game one is set for 4:30 PM (5:30 Central).

 

***

 

Brewers best Rockies in opener before falling in nightcap

Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

PHOTO GALLERY at above link: Images via James Ridle, Blackfoot Media Group

 

The Helena Brewers were able to hand one heralded draft pick a loss Wednesday night.

 

In the nightcap of the Pioneer League doubleheader, however, the Grand Junction Rockies -- who gave second-rounder Peter Lambert and third-rounder Javier Medina their professional pitching debuts -- saw the latter youngster earn the win.

 

Helena, a winner in eight of its last 13 games, took its recent momentum into the first game, downing Lambert and the Rockies 4-2 before Medina and company handed the Brewers a 6-3 loss to end the evening at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Medina went just three innings, surrendering no runs on three hits while tallying five strikeouts. But the Brewers, who had nine hits in the loss, had a little more success against the Rockies' other arms.

 

Steven Karkenny's three-run homer in the sixth cut the Rockies' lead to 4-3, but they tacked on two more runs in the top of seventh to put the Brewers away.

 

Monte Harrison had a four-hit ball game, tallying a triple, a double and two singles for the Brewers (11-13), who had an opportunity to get back to .500.

 

"I thought we swung the bats well and pitched well today," said Harrison, the 50th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. "We just have to keep on pressing."

 

Chris Rabago paced the Rockies (14-11) with a solo homer in the third and an RBI single in the seventh.

 

In the first game of the twin bill, the Brewers came up with just five hits but were boosted by a slew of Rockies miscues.

 

George Eskendarian's two-RBI single in first inning gave the Brewers a swift 2-0 lead, scoring Troy Stokes, who reached after running out a passed-ball strikeout, and Harrison, who got on base via an error in center field.

 

Stokes was on base again in the third after sprinting out an infield hit before Karkenny reached on a throwing error, scoring Stokes to make it a 3-0 contest.

 

The Rockies were able to cut the Brewers' lead to 3-2 after Jonathan Piron's single scored Tyler Nevin -- son of former MLB slugger Phil Nevin, now a manager of the Reno Aces -- in the sixth, but it was close as the Colorado affiliate would get.

 

Stokes was able to score one more time in the top of seventh -- the game's final frame due to the doubleheader -- after Harrison reached again on an error preceding a wild pitch, scoring Stokes.

 

Brewers manager Tony Diggs felt lucky his team even finished with a split.

 

"We were fortunate to come away with a win today," Diggs said. "We weren't very sharp today. We can't play like that and expect to compete."

 

University of Tennessee product Drake Owenby earned his first win of the season, going five innings, giving up just one run on six hits while striking out two. Junior Rincon notched the save after locking down the Rockies in the seventh.

 

The 18-year-old Lambert, who committed to UCLA before opting to go the pro route last spring, gave up three runs on two hits in three innings.

 

Helena Game Two Box Score

 

Helena Game Two Game Log

 

VIDEO, Doubleheader Highlights: Via KTVH

 

***

 

Grand Junction Top of the 7th (Game Two)

 

Anthony Brito singles on a line drive to center fielder Monte Harrison.

Mylz Jones grounds into a force out, third baseman Jose Cuas to second baseman George Iskenderian. Anthony Brito out at 2nd. Mylz Jones advances to 2nd, on a throwing error by second baseman George Iskenderian.

Cole Anderson strikes out swinging.

Chris Rabago singles on a line drive to right fielder Carlos Belonis. Mylz Jones scores.

Sam Hilliard doubles (5) on a line drive to left fielder Omar Cotto. Chris Rabago scores.

Defensive Substitution: Troy Stokes replaces left fielder Omar Cotto, batting 1st, playing left field.

Jensen Park grounds out, shortstop Luis Aviles to first baseman Steven Karkenny.

 

No immediate update on Cotto's apparent injury status...but Ryan Collingwood did tweet --

 

"Omar Cotto smacks into the wall trying to make a play that brings in another Rockies run -- 6-3 Brewers trail."

[molitor fan]

Monte Harrison 16 for his last 29 with 6 stolen bases.....woosh

 

Dustin Houle has roughly a 1.6 OPS in his last 6 games as well...nice to see him back at it

[Mass Haas]

Via Kyle at Reviewing the Brew -- Milwaukee Brewers First Half All-Organization Team

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: More from Helena (from the Grand Junction audience perspective), but does include Monte Harrison's triple and Steven Karkenny's home run from game two

[TheCrew07]

Wisconsin Bottom of the 9th

 

Pitching Change: Ryan Thompson replaces Elieser Hernandez.

Tucker Neuhaus singles on a line drive to right fielder Ramon Laureano.

Mitch Meyer called out on strikes.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Gregory Munoz replaces Tucker Neuhaus.

Brandon Diaz strikes out swinging.

With Blake Allemand batting, Gregory Munoz caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Jamie Ritchie to shortstop Alex Bregman.

 

***

 

While Tucker Neuhaus is 0-for-2 on the basepaths this season, Gregory Munoz is now frustratingly only 11-for-22.

 

Maybe it's a matter of the other players on the squad (Sthervin Matos, Dustin Demuth), but Neuhaus as a second baseman has me puzzled. I know our Link Reporter TheCrew07 has seen much more Timber Rattler action than I have and indicated Neuhaus profiled better defensively at second base, but Neuhaus is 6'3", has no apparent baserunning speed - that doesn't scream future middle infielder to me. The 20-year-old was excited about the third base opportunity in early season feature articles.

 

I'm convinced this organization is just flummoxed when it comes to developing players at the hot corner, from top to bottom.

 

Tucker was the feature interview on the latest edition of Timber Rattlers Field Pass and he indicated that Bob Miscik and Matt Erickson thought he'd be a better fit at 2nd, right now he's just happy to play wherever they ask him.

 

For what it's worth Matos made another outstanding play last night ranging into the hole to his left and cutting off a ball in front of Allemand, then spinning and gunning the runner by 2 steps at 1st. It's not very often a 3B will make the play on that ball, Matos is real deal at 3rd. The longer Neuhaus has been at 2nd, the better he looks over there as well. Going around the horn I think Matos, Allemand, Neuhaus, and Sharkey is the Rattlers' best defensive infield. Neuhaus' range at 2nd is comparable to Gennett, maybe a half step to step better at the same point in their careers, but Tucker has a much better arm than Scooter.

[torts]

the AZL team is FUN to follow.

[MoreTrife]

Monte Harrison 16 for his last 29 with 6 stolen bases.....woosh

 

You mean "sploosh"

 

http://i.imgur.com/Y88sPTY.gif?noredirect

[TheCrew07]

Archer references for all!

[CheezWizHed]

Tucker was the feature interview on the latest edition of Timber Rattlers Field Pass and he indicated that Bob Miscik and Matt Erickson thought he'd be a better fit at 2nd, right now he's just happy to play wherever they ask him.

 

For what it's worth Matos made another outstanding play last night ranging into the hole to his left and cutting off a ball in front of Allemand, then spinning and gunning the runner by 2 steps at 1st. It's not very often a 3B will make the play on that ball, Matos is real deal at 3rd. The longer Neuhaus has been at 2nd, the better he looks over there as well. Going around the horn I think Matos, Allemand, Neuhaus, and Sharkey is the Rattlers' best defensive infield. Neuhaus' range at 2nd is comparable to Gennett, maybe a half step to step better at the same point in their careers, but Tucker has a much better arm than Scooter.

 

Too bad neither one is hitting worth anything.