Link Report for Thurs. 7/26 - Welch Flirts with Perfection

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

We'll have the rest of today's Menu just before games kick off tonight...

 

Arizona: Just turned 17-year-old Dominican RHP Luis Guerrero, who's been very solid, at the Cubs' complex in Scottsdale, 10:30 AM local time in Arizona, 12:30 Central; never any audio for Arizona Rookie League games

 

Arizona:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_cubrok_1

 

By the way, looks like the Manatees may face Pedro Martinez in a rehab start in a series at St. Lucie next week. First Chris Carpenter, now Pedro -- fun...

[Mass Haas]

The rest of Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Mark DiFelice at home vs. Fresno (Giants), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at Jacksonville (Dodgers), 5:50 PM pre-game; 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP David Welch at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:00 PM gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503

 

NOTE: Vero Beach audio only tonight.

 

West Virginia: RHP Chris Toneguzzi at home vs. Hagerstown (Nationals), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Helena: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jaxaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

These links will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally they are updated an hour or two prior to gametime, with Nashville's usually earlier:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Standings as of Thursday 6:00 PM:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 63 41 .606 - 33-15 30-26 W1 Iowa 59 46 .562 4.5 34-22 25-24 W4 Omaha 50 54 .481 13.0 33-18 17-36 W1 Memphis 43 62 .410 20.5 23-31 20-31 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 57 44 .564 - 30-20 27-24 L1 Tennessee 50 50 .500 6.5 28-22 22-28 L1 Chattanooga 47 56 .456 11.0 26-27 21-29 W3 West Tenn 45 58 .437 13.0 26-27 19-31 L2 Carolina 44 58 .431 13.5 27-23 17-35 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 60 42 .588 - 34-18 26-24 L1 Palm Beach 50 52 .490 10.0 23-30 27-22 L2 Jupiter 47 54 .465 12.5 24-24 23-30 W5 Daytona 46 56 .451 14.0 28-25 18-31 W2 St. Lucie 44 59 .427 16.5 21-28 23-31 W1 Vero Beach 42 59 .416 17.5 27-24 15-35 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 64 38 .627 - 31-20 33-18 W1 Lakewood 50 47 .515 11.5 27-23 23-24 L5 Greensboro 53 51 .510 12.0 35-16 18-35 W7 Delmarva 50 50 .500 13.0 24-24 26-26 L1 Hickory 49 52 .485 14.5 28-23 21-29 W9 Lake County 48 54 .471 16.0 25-26 23-28 L2 Lexington 48 56 .462 17.0 27-27 21-29 W2 Hagerstown 38 62 .380 25.0 22-27 16-35 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Helena 24 11 .686 - 11-7 13-4 W1 Great Falls 23 12 .657 1.0 14-3 9-9 L1 Billings 17 17 .500 6.5 10-6 7-11 L1 Missoula 14 21 .400 10.0 6-13 8-8 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Mariners 20 8 .714 - 11-2 9-6 L1 AZL Angels 19 9 .679 1.0 15-4 4-5 W4 AZL Padres 18 10 .643 2.0 10-3 8-7 W3 AZL Cubs 14 14 .500 6.0 7-7 7-7 W1 AZL Giants 14 14 .500 6.0 8-6 6-8 L3 AZL Athletics 12 16 .429 8.0 6-7 6-9 L1 AZL Royals 12 16 .429 8.0 5-8 7-8 W1 AZL Rangers 10 18 .357 10.0 4-9 6-9 L4 AZL Brewers 7 21 .250 13.0 2-12 5-9 L2

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Cubs, Arizona Brewers 3

That's just rubbing salt in our deep Brewer wounds...

 

Arizona Box Score:

RHP Santo Manzanillo, who walked 47 in 16.1 IP last year, seems to be flourishing in tiny relief-sized chunks this year; as noted above, this Luis Guerrero kid on the mound bears watching...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_cubrok_1

 

Arizona Game Log:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_cubrok_1

[MrBoozer]

Sorry for no audio tonight with the Manatees. Apparently, someone notified MILB in New York that we would not be broadcasting away games. That is untrue. Select road games are on the schedule for the radio network.

 

The Manatees/Devil Rays games two and three will be on the air starting tomorrow night from historic Holman stadium in Vero Beach.

[molitor fan]

Welch is pitching rather "satifactorily" in Brevard tonight....

 

One may want to tune....oh, wait

[Boy Jeenius]

Unearned runs - gack - mess up Welch's big night.

[pogokat]

Final: Nashville 6, Fresno (Giants) 1

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

DiFelice, Nelson Lead Sounds Past Grizzlies

Date Posted: 7/26/2007

 

NASHVILLE ? Mark DiFelice fanned a season-high eight batters over seven scoreless frames and Brad Nelson homered and drove in five runs to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 6-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies in front of 7,054 on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

DiFelice (1-0), who turned in his third consecutive quality start since joining the Sounds in mid-July, earned his first victory with Nashville. He improved to 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA (4er/35.1ip) in his six starts this year between the Sounds and Double-A Huntsville.

 

The right-hander?s eight strikeouts matched a season high. DiFelice walked Fresno leftfielder Brian Horwitz with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, the first base on balls he issued in 56 2/3 innings, dating back to May 19.

 

Nashville (64-41) grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and a man on first, Joe Dillon grounded to third baseman Justin Leone, whose throw to second was mishandled by William Bergolla. Nelson took advantage of the miscue by delivering a two-run double to deep center off Fresno starter Sun Woo Kim that plated Drew Anderson and Dillon.

 

Nelson (3-for-4) extended the lead to 4-0 in the sixth with a two-run, opposite-field homer to left. The blast, which chased Kim, was his 16th of the year and fourth in his last five games.

 

The Sounds increased the advantage to 6-0 in the seventh with a two-out rally against Grizzlies reliever Tyler Walker. Gabe Gross (3-for-4) and Anderson singled before Dillon registered his team-leading 71st RBI of the year with an RBI single to left. Nelson then ripped his second double of the night, an opposite-field line drive to left, to plate Gross for a 6-0 lead.

 

Fresno broke up the shutout bid with two outs in the top of the ninth inning against Sounds reliever Marino Salas when Horwitz plated Leone (2-for-4) with an RBI single to right-center, bringing the score to its final 6-1.

 

Kim (3-7) took the loss for Fresno after he allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits over five innings of work.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 7 p.m. finale on Friday evening. Right-hander Elmer Dessens (0-0, 1.35) will make his third rehabilitation start for Nashville and face Fresno right-hander Matt Kinney (5-9, 4.71).

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._freaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._freaaa_nasaaa_1

[pogokat]

Final: Jacksonville (Dodgers) 14, Huntsville 4

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Suns Explode in Big Win over Stars

 

Juan Gonzalez belted a home run and knocked in five runs to lead Jacksonville to 14-4 victory over Huntsville Thursday night in the fourth of a five-game set at the Baseball Grounds in a game delayed 50 minutes at the outset by rain. The Suns won for a third time in the series to improve to 24-10 in the second half and push their lead in the South Division to three games over Montgomery, while the Stars slipped to 20-14 in the second half and saw their North Division lead trimmed to one over Chattanooga after the Lookouts win over Mississippi earlier in the evening. The Suns have won six of the nine games between the teams this season and 16 out of 19 since last the start of least season.

 

Brendan Katin?s grand slam with two outs in the first staked the visitors to the early lead against Joey Norrito, who had given up more than three runs only once in his first 11 starts. Huntsville has scored in the first inning in each game of the series and in seven of the last nine games. However, the Stars could manage just three singles over the next five innings against Norrito, who picked up his seventh win of the season. The right-hander walked two, struck out five and improved to 5-0 at home. The Suns have won 10 of the 12 games Norrito has started since he moved into the rotation on May 19.

 

Jacksonville got the game tied with a four-spot in the second inning against Stars? starter Steve Hammond, who had not allowed an earned run over 14 innings in his last two turns. A two-run, bases loaded double by Gonzalez got the scoring started and a Blake DeWitt sacrifice fly capped the rally. Hammond was lifted after two frames, giving up four runs on five hits, walking one and fanning two. Vince Perkins took over and gave up the go-ahead run on a two-out, run-scoring double in the third by James Tomlin, who collected four hits, knocked in three and scored once.

 

The Suns blew the game open in the fourth with four more runs, highlighted by Tomlin?s two-run single. Gonzalez?s three-run home run, his third in the series, capped off a four-run sixth inning that put the game out of reach. DeWitt homered for a second time in the series to finish off the scoring for the league?s highest scoring team, which has hit a home run in each of the four games and six in the series. Mark Alexander went three scoreless, hitless innings, striking out five to record his second save of the series and fourth of the year. Jacksonville handed the Stars their second 10-run loss of the season and scored the most runs allowed in a game by Huntsville this season.

 

The series wraps up Friday night with Stars southpaw Sam Narron taking the hill against Suns? right-hander Zach Hammes. Coverage begins at 5:50 pm central time and can be heard on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com

 

Huntsville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._hunaax_jaxaax_1

 

Huntsville Game log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._hunaax_jaxaax_1

[pogokat]

Final: Brevard County 6, Vero Beach (Rays) 2

 

Milb Game Wrap

 

Welch pitches Manatees past Rays

July 26, 2007

 

David Welch took a perfect game into the eighth inning as visiting Brevard Country beat Vero Beach, 6-2, on Thursday.

Welch (6-3) breezed through the first seven innings thanks to a little help from his defense. Third baseman Mat Gamel knocked down a wicked grounder to end the first and left fielder Cole Gillespie made an outstanding running catch on a ball hit over his head to end the seventh.

 

"That's when I got a bit pumped up," said Welch who credited pitching coach Fred Dabney for getting him back on track.

 

"He's helped me a lot with my breaker and especially my fastball command," said the 24-year-old Australian, who had allowed a season-high four runs on eight hits in his previous start. "[My curveball] hadn't been working for me until later in the game, but tonight I had it working right out of the bullpen."

 

Welch lost the perfect game when catcher Anderson De La Rosa dropped a pop up in front of the mound. Matthew Devins followed with a run-scoring double to break up the no-hitter. Christian Lopez plated another run with a two-out single.

 

Welch kept his emotions in check after his catcher's miscue and settled down to secure the win.

 

"I just tapped him on the back and said, 'Don't worry about it.' He was calling great pitches. I hardly had to shake him off at all," Welch explained.

 

De La Rosa also contributed with his bat, stroking a pair of RBI triples as the first-place Manatees (20-14) built a 4-0 lead in the eighth.

 

De La Rosa, Gillespie, Yohannis Perez and Lorenzo Cain finished with two hits apiece. Ned Yost drew three walks and scored a pair of runs.

 

"We're having a great year, and we're going to keep it going through the playoffs," said Welch, who allowed two unearned runs on two hits while striking out five without a walk over 7 2/3 innings.

 

Ben Stanczyk retired all four batters he faced to earn his third save.

 

Vero Beach starter Jeff Kamrath (2-7) surrendered three runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 frames for the Devil Rays (8-25). -- Zack Hample/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._breafa_vbdafa_1

 

Brevard County game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb..._breafa_vbdafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Suspended: Hagerstown (Nationals) 0, West Virginia 0, after three innings

 

Power site:

 

The West Virginia Power and Hagerstown Suns played three innings at Appalachian Power Park on Thursday Night before the game was suspended because of rain. They will continue the scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning at 6:05 (5:05 Central) on Friday night. They will complete the first game through nine innings and play a seven inning game approximately a half hour after the first game has been completed.

 

***

Charleston Gazette:

 

Torrential rain suspended the Power?s South Atlantic League home game against the Hagerstown Suns Thursday evening at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The game was scoreless through three innings when the storm hit.

 

The teams will resume their nine-inning game starting Friday night. Following about a 30-minute break, they?ll play a seven-inning game. A fireworks display is scheduled after the second game.

 

Power right-hander Chris Toneguzzi (4-1) and Suns righty Erik Arnesen (4-5) were locked in a scoreless duel Thursday.

 

Arnesen allowed only a two-out single to Andrew Lefave in the first, retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced.

 

Toneguzzi walked one Suns batter in the first inning, hit another and gave up a single to Leonard Davis, but still managed to hold Hagerstown scoreless. Catcher Andy Bouchie threw out a runner attempting to steal and second baseman Jimmy Mojica made a nice pickup on a grounder to throw out Joe Napoli and retire the side with runners at second and third.

 

The Suns (9-24) have lost five in row, while the Power (16-18) halted a seven-game slide by winning Wednesday?s game against Hagerstown.

 

West Virginia Partial Box Score:

RHP Chris Toneguzzi avoids his first-inning blues...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Link for Callix Crabbe photo, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Sounds win with strong pitching, solid hitting

Nelson HR backs 8 K's by DiFelice

CHRIS GRAHAM

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds have made winning look easy, showing why they have the best record in the Pacific Coast League.

 

Behind the stellar pitching of Mark DiFelice, the Sounds (64-41) shut down the Fresno offense and rode the bat of first baseman Brad Nelson to a 6-1 victory over the Grizzlies in front of 7,054 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

"None of our wins are easy, we always have to go out and perform," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Although when we're hitting the ball that well it really helps out the pitcher; they don't have to be as sharp."

 

In the first inning, left fielder Drew Anderson reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced after a routine grounder by Joe Dillon ended up as a fielding error on Grizzlies second baseman William Bergolla. That set up Nelson for a two-run double.

 

"I've been seeing the ball pretty well for the past week," Nelson said of his first-inning RBI double. "I was in see-pitch-hit-pitch mode and he left one over the plate."

 

In the sixth, after a double by Dillon, Nelson launched another ball thrown by Grizzlies pitcher Sun Woo Kim over the left field wall, his fourth home run in the last five games.

 

"After I got one hit, I was confident and relaxed," Nelson said.

 

Kim allowed seven hits and four runs in five innings while striking out four.

 

Nelson's offense was more than enough for DiFelice. The right-hander pitched seven innings and struck out eight batters, tying a season high.

 

Dillon and Nelson each added an RBI in the seventh to extend the Sounds lead to 6-0. Nelson's five RBIs tie a season high.

 

The Grizzlies ended the shutout on an RBI single by left fielder Brian Horwitz.

 

The two teams will finish their series at 7 p.m. today at Greer.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Fans leave happy after Sounds win another at home

By CHRIS GRAHAM

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds appear comfortable playing in front of the home crowd. While boasting the Pacific Coast League's best overall record, Nashville also holds the best home record. Entering Thursday night's game against the Fresno Grizzlies, the Sounds had won 32 of their past 43 home games.

 

When leading after seven innings at home, the Sounds are undefeated (27-0). Thursday home games have been especially good to the Sounds, with a 6-1 record, their most successful day of the week at Greer Stadium.

 

Third baseman Joe Dillon has also enjoyed the Sounds homestands. He has a .336 home batting average, nine home runs and 24 RBIs in his past 24 home games.

 

Power pitching: The Sounds pitching staff led the PCL with 823 strikeouts entering Thursday's game. Starter Mark DiFelice struck out eight against Fresno on Thursday in seven innings, tying a season high.

 

DiFelice had not issued a walk in 56 2/3 innings until the fourth inning of Thursday's game.

 

Unhittable: The Sounds pitching staff leads the PCL with a 3.59 ERA, the only team with a sub-4.00 ERA. Entering Thursday's game, the Sounds were 25-3 at home when a starter threw six or more innings. Nashville has held opposing teams to one run or less on 24 occasions this year.

 

Nearly perfect: The Sounds defense has committed a PCL-low 67 errors this season and currently leads the league with a .983 fielding average.

 

If that number holds up, it will best the team's franchise record (.982) set last season, which also was best in the league.

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus --

 

Nashville announcer Chuck Valenches has some audio fun with the call of Barry Bonds' 756th home run -- a few chuckles here for sure:

 

www.tennessean.com/assets...106712.MP3

[gregmag]

Okay, what I want to know is, when is the last time -- anywhere in professional baseball -- that a catcher hit two triples in a game? Anderson de la Rosa did it last night for B.C., doubling his total of the last year and a half.

 

Greg.

[Brian the Automator]

Brad Ausmus had two triples in '99... I don't know if anyone's done it sooner. Doing the research would smack of effort.

[LouisEly]

Welch Flirts with Perfection

 

That's my boy! THAT'S MY BOY!!!

 

I wonder if the error, which ruined the perfect game, distracted him and led to the double to the next batter. It's a shame when a perfect game so late is ruined by an error before a hit or even a walk.

[mls4]

"when is the last time -- anywhere in professional baseball -- that a catcher hit two triples in a game?"

 

Sorry I'm late, but the last time in the majors was 7/1/2000 by Jason Kendall. No idea on the rest of professional baseball.