Link Report for Sat. 9/2 -- Will this be the Sounds' night?

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu: Happy and safe Labor Day weekend to all!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Dana Eveland at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 5:40 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: TBD (times two) in a doubleheader at Birmingham (White Sox), 4:50 PM pre-game, 5:05 gametime; how will this 12-man staff staff be guided over 14 innings today, games Sunday and Monday, and then properly set up for the Chattanooga playoff series -- we'll see...

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD (times two) at home in a double-dip vs. Daytona (Cubs), 5:00 PM -- TBD is busy today...

 

Audio link (opponent's) --

www.daytonacubs.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Brandon Parillo at Hickory (Pirates), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

 

Helena: RHP Roque Mercedes at Billings (Reds), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: Season completed

[Mass Haas]

Follow Saturday'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 Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Huntsville Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_2

 

Brevard County Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_2

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hicafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice:

 

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

 

NOTE: Huntsville notes haven't been updated as of this post since 8/24...

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Friday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 75 66 .532 - 41-28 34-38 L2[/b] Iowa 73 68 .518 2.0 43-28 30-40 W1 Memphis 57 84 .404 18.0 34-39 23-45 L1 Omaha 53 88 .376 22.0 31-38 22-50 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Huntsville 40 25 .615 - 21-12 19-13 W9[/b] Chattanooga 37 30 .552 4.0 20-15 17-15 W2 Tennessee 36 31 .537 5.0 19-13 17-18 W1 West Tenn 29 38 .433 12.0 19-13 10-25 L10 Carolina 27 39 .409 13.5 19-12 8-27 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 36 27 .571 - 20-11 16-16 W2 St. Lucie 36 30 .545 1.5 19-15 17-15 W2 Daytona 35 30 .538 2.0 24-15 11-15 L3 [b]Brevard County 28 33 .459 7.0 13-13 15-20 W5[/b] Vero Beach 23 37 .383 11.5 14-16 9-21 L1 Jupiter 22 42 .344 14.5 12-20 10-22 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 45 21 .682 - 24-7 21-14 W1 [b]West Virginia 35 30 .538 9.5 21-12 14-18 W1[/b] Lake County 33 31 .516 11.0 17-16 16-15 W1 Greensboro 32 32 .500 12.0 16-18 16-14 L1 Hickory 32 34 .485 13.0 15-20 17-14 L2 Lexington 28 38 .424 17.0 18-14 10-24 W2 Delmarva 27 38 .415 17.5 17-16 10-22 L1 Hagerstown 26 40 .394 19.0 14-19 12-21 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 23 9 .719 - 13-2 10-7 W4 Missoula 20 12 .625 3.0 12-5 8-7 W3 [b]Helena 18 14 .563 5.0 11-6 7-8 L1[/b] Great Falls 8 24 .250 15.0 6-9 2-15 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 19 8 .704 - 6-3 13-5 W1 AZL Royals 19 9 .679 0.5 9-6 10-3 W2 AZL Padres 18 9 .667 1.0 11-4 7-5 L1 AZL Giants 16 11 .593 3.0 8-6 8-5 L1 AZL Athletics 14 13 .519 5.0 10-4 4-9 W3 AZL Cubs 11 16 .407 8.0 4-9 7-7 L2 AZL Mariners 11 16 .407 8.0 8-6 3-10 L3 AZL Rangers 8 20 .286 11.5 6-9 2-11 L4 [b]AZL Brewers 7 21 .250 12.5 5-9 2-12 W2[/b]

[1e Corbeau]

Ryan Braun has hit 22 HRs on the season across two "pitchers'" leagues. Yo left after three; the game log has the last play of the third as a ground out pitcher to first. Let's hope it was purely a pitch count decision and not a batted ball.

 

Also, Nashville will have to wait til tomorrow to clinch: they're down 14-0 in the third quarter... er, inning.

 

Brevard may never play again this season at the current postponement rate.

[igor67]

Ouch what happened to Dana tonight?

[TheEndless7]

he pitched like the Dana Eveland of the Milwaukee Brewers rotation!

[plowjockey]

Roque Mercedes with a real solid night for Helena. Encouraging. Cole Gillespie goes yard again.

[pogokat]

Final Round Rock 14 (Astros), Nashville 3

 

Nashville Site Game Review

link, including picture of Brent Abernathy, then text

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/news/news.asp?newsId=2140

 

Sounds Fail To Clinch, Lose 14-3 To Express

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Round Rock Express put together back-to-back seven-run innings en route to a 14-3 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Saturday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville (75-67) failed to clinch a playoff spot for the third consecutive day. The second-place Iowa Cubs defeated Omaha, 8-2, leaving the Sounds? magic number at one and reducing the lead in the American Conference Northern Division to one game with two to play. Because the Sounds won the season series against Iowa by a 9-7 margin, Nashville would advance to the postseason if they teams finished the year with identical records.

 

The 14-3 margin of defeat was the largest suffered by a Nashville club in over a year, dating back to a 12-1 loss to Oklahoma on August 22, 2005.

 

After allowing seven runs in an inning only twice previously during the 2006 season, the Sounds gave up that number in consecutive innings as the visiting Express built a 14-0 lead by the end of the third inning. Nashville did not record its first hit in the game until the fourth inning.

 

Round Rock took a 7-0 lead in the top of the second inning by sending 12 batters to the plate. Sounds starter Dana Eveland loaded the bases with a pair of walks sandwiched around a hit batter then hit Royce Huffman in the side to force home Eric Munson with the game?s first run. Round Rock pitcher Jared Gothreaux helped his own cause when he followed with a two-run single through the right side of the Nashville infield to increase the visitors? lead to three.

 

After Mike Rodriguez drew the Express? third walk of the inning to re-load the bases, Eveland struck out Joe McEwing for the second out before hitting his third batter of the frame, Brooks Conrad, to force home another run. Former Sound J.R. House continued his solid series against his old club by following with a two-run single to chase Eveland from the ballgame.

 

Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez took over on the hill and was greeted by a Munson RBI single that increased the Express lead to 7-0.

 

House, who played in Music City in 2004, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs on the evening and has five hits in nine at-bats in two games this series.

 

The Express continued to pour it on the third as they batted around for the second consecutive frame and added seven more runs against Fernandez, all of which scored unearned with two outs in the inning. After the first two batters were retired in order, the knuckleballer struck out Gothreaux swinging but the ball eluded catcher J.C. Boscan and the Round Rock hurler reached on a passed ball. Rodriguez and McEwing followed with consecutive two-out singles, the second of which plated Gothreaux for the eight-run lead.

 

Conrad, House, and Munson added back-to-back-to-back doubles to bring home four more Express runs before Hector Gimenez capped off the inning with a two-run homer to right off Fernandez, his eighth roundtripper of the campaign.

 

The Sounds put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning against Gothreaux when Drew Anderson scored on a Zach Sorensen sacrifice fly.

 

Nashville added a second run in the fifth on Anderson?s two-out RBI double to right-center that plated Chris Barnwell. Anderson (3-for-5) has hit safely in 11 of his initial 14 games with the Sounds, including seven multiple-hit efforts.

 

The Sounds wrapped up the evening?s scoring in the eighth when Boscan, who finished 2-for-4 to record his first hits of the season for Nashville, singled home Brent Abernathy with two outs against Round Rock reliever Aaron Williams. Nashville left the bases loaded in the frame, however, as Express closer Roberto Giron struck out Tony Gwynn to end the frame.

 

Gwynn finished 0-for-4 to snap his season-best hitting streak at 12 games.

 

Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce went 1-for-5 on the evening to extend his season-best hitting streak to six games. Abernathy went 3-for-4 for the second consecutive evening to extend his hit streak to six games, matching his best this season.

 

Gothreaux (9-9) evened his record on the year with his fourth consecutive winning start for the Express. He allowed two runs on five hits over five innings of work.

 

Eveland (6-5) suffered through his shortest start of the season, working only 1 2/3 innings and allowing seven runs. The left-hander allowed only two hits but hurt himself by issuing three walks and hitting three batters. He had hit only six total batters through his first 18 starts.

 

The Sounds will take another shot at locking up the division title on Sunday evening when the teams continue the series with a 6 p.m. meeting at Greer. Right-hander Justin Lehr (4-7, 3.94) will man the bump for Nashville to face Round Rock southpaw Philip Barzilla (8-4, 3.81).

 

Iowa plays its Sunday game at 1:35 p.m. CT in Omaha so the Sounds could be playoff-bound before taking the field tomorrow evening if the Cubs lose that contest.

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c..._nasaaa_1

[pogokat]

Final (Game One): Huntsville 11, Birmingham (White Sox) 1

 

Final (Game Two): Birmingham (White Sox) 5, Huntsville 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

link, then text

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=998

 

Stars and Barons Split Twin Bill

 

Arnie Munoz threw six strong innings in just his second start of the season to pitch Birmingham past Huntsville 5-1 in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday night at the Hoover Met. The Stars won game one 11-1 to extend their win streak to a season-high 10 games and the Barons losing streak to a season-high seven games. The Stars lead the season series 15-8 and saw their seven-game win streak over Birmingham snapped in the night cap.

 

Munoz retired the first nine hitters he faced before Steve Moss and Callix Crabbe opened the fourth inning with back-to-back doubles to produce the visitors only run. Crabbe moved to third base with the potential tying run on a Brendan Katin ground out but the left-hander retired Jeff Eure on a comebacker and struck out Brad Nelson to end the frame and keep his team on top at 2-1.

 

Ron Acuna took over on the hill for the Stars and tossed a scoreless third inning before giving up a run in the fourth on a Wally Rosa run-scoring single. Matt Yeatman, who picked up the win in each of his last three relief outings, gave up a run-scoring single to Corey Smith and a fielders? choice grounder by Micah Schnurstein that scored Michael Myers to push the Barons? lead to 5-1.

 

Munoz put together his longest outing of the year and struck out a season-high eight without walking a batter. He earned his second win of the season and first since beating West Tenn in relief on June 7. Stars? starter Steve Hammond took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits over two innings.

 

Moss reached base with a single, two walks and on two errors in game one and scored three times for a second time this year. Ryan Braun hit his team-leading 14th home run, scored twice and knocked in a pair, while Brad Nelson collected three hits for a sixth time this season, drove in a run and scored a run. Catcher Carlos Corporan had two hits, drove in a run and scored twice in his double-A debut.

 

Yovani Gallardo worked three scoreless innings and was replaced by Chris Mabeus, who picked up his first win after allowing a run on three hits. Joe Thatcher worked two shutout frames to close out the Stars eighth win out of their last 13 over the Barons in which they scored at least eight runs.

 

The series continues Sunday evening with Stars? right-hander Tim Dillard taking the hill against Barons? southpaw Corwin Malone. Coverage begins at 5:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score and game Log (Game One):

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c..._biraax_1

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log (Game Two)

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c..._biraax_2

[pogokat]

Final: Hickory (Pirates) 8, West Virginia 5

 

West Virginia Site Game Review

 

CRAWDADS SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN, BEAT POWER

 

FiveThe Hickory Crawdads outscored the West Virginia Power 6-3 in the first two innings of Saturday night?s game at L.P. Frans Stadium, and the Crawdads beat the Power 8-5 to even up the series 1-1.

 

Darren Ford scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning. Later in the first Tony Festa?s two out double scored Mike Bell to put the Power ahead 2-0. Hickory scored three times in the first to take the lead and never looked back. Mike McCuistion reached on a fielder?s choice and scored Cameron Blair in the process to put the ?Dads on the board. Jason Delaney tied the game with an RBI single and Steve Lerud?s run scoring base hit gave Hickory the lead. Nate Yoho ripped a two out triple in the second inning and scored the tying run on a wild pitch.

 

Hickory scored three more times in the second inning to take the lead again. Shelby Ford ripped an RBI double to score Euvi Solano, Brad Corley?s groundout scored Cameron Blair and Mike McCuistion ripped an RBI single to cap off the inning. Mat Gamel ripped an RBI single in the fourth inning and the Power were able to bring themselves within a run after Brad Willcutt?s Sac Fly RBI in the seventh inning. The Crawdads received a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh on Mike McCuistion?s two run double.

 

Darren Ford stole three bases in the game to give him 68 on the year, the Power stole five bases altogether. Rafael Lluberes retired ten batters in a row for the Power and Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single in the ninth inning.

 

Jared Hughes (5-4) earned the victory, Justin Vaclavik (17) got the save and Brandon Parillo (3-1) suffered the loss. The Power are 74-61 overall and 35-31 in the second half after the loss while the Crawdads improved to 66-70 overall and 33-34 in the second half after the win.

 

The Power will continue their final series of the season against the Hickory Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium on Sunday night. The Power will throw left hander Steve Garrison (7-6, 3.45) and Hickory will counter with right hander Todd Redmond (12-6, 2.89). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c..._hicafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 12, Billings (Reds) 3

 

MiLB.com Game Summary:

 

Brewers batter Mustangs

 

Andy Bouchie hit a grand slam and drove in a season-high five runs to power visiting Helena to a 12-3 victory over Billings on Saturday.

 

The Brewers (19-14) scored seven times in the sixth to extend their lead to 12-1. Stephen Chapman delivered an RBI single, Cole Gillespie was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Bill Rowe drew a bases-loaded walk. Bouchie capped the inning with his sixth homer.

 

Bouchie also plated a run with a groundout in the fourth. Gillespie slugged a solo shot in the fourth, while Chapman went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

 

Helena starter Roque Mercedes (5-4) pitched six strong innings to get the win, yielding one run on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

 

Mustangs starter Jordan Smith (6-3) was charged with five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 frames.

 

Drew Stubbs crushed a solo shot in the first and Angel Colon homered in the ninth for the Mustangs (23-10), who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Their magic number for clinching the Pioneer League North Division title remained two. -- Eric Justic/MLB.com

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.billingsgazette.net/a...ponies.txt

 

Helena slams Ponies

Brewers end Billings 4-game win streak with 12-3 victory

By MIKE SCHERTING

Of The Billings Gazette Staff

 

There's no way to soft sell what happened Saturday night at Cobb Field.

 

Off to a good start when Drew Stubbs led off the home half of the first inning with a home run, the Billings Mustangs eventually absorbed one of their worst defeats of the season, losing 12-3 to the Helena Brewers to snap a four-game win streak.

 

Helena scored two runs in the fourth, three runs in the fifth and then in the sixth it got really ugly: Helena's first seven batters scored, including four on a grand slam by Andy Bouchie, who knocked Misael DeJesus's 0-2 pitch deep over the left-field fence.

 

"It's just one of those things tonight, we got whacked around," Mustangs manager Rick Burleson said. "They flat out-played us tonight."

 

Brewers starter Roque Mercedes was solid after allowing Stubbs' lead-off homer. Mercedes (5-4) gave up just three hits in six innings and he struck out five. After Ryan Brown hit a bloop two-out double in the second inning, Mercedes retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced.

 

Facing the 11-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth, Burleson started to empty his bench, using three pinch-hitters in the bottom of the sixth to try and spark the Mustangs' offense.

 

"Tonight, that guy did his job," Mustangs first baseman Logan Parker said, tipping his cap to Mercedes. "He was in and out, located his fastball, kept everything down. That was the main point from him. He never really elevated, got us anything good to hit. We made a couple first-pitch outs, myself included. We maybe chased a couple balls, but that guy did a really good job tonight, kept the ball down."

 

The same couldn't be said for the first two Mustangs pitchers.

 

Jordan Smith (6-3) allowed five runs, three of them earned, in 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four before giving way to DeJesus.

 

DeJesus struck out the only batter he faced in the fifth, but he fell apart in the sixth. Brad Miller led off the inning with a single, and six batters later DeJesus was walking back to the dugout after Bouchie's grand slam without getting an out.

 

"We're pitching up in the zone too much and we're not making the pitches right now that we made all year," Burleson said. "When that happens you get whacked around."

 

Both Smith and DeJesus overthrew first base on sacrifice bunt attempts by Taylor Green. Both times Green eventually came around to score.

 

James Morris threw three innings of shutout relief and Adam Pointer threw a scoreless eight. Meanwhile, Juan Francisco contributed an RBI double and Angel Colon a solo home run in the ninth to provide at least a few Mustangs highlights.

 

Just five games remain in the regular season. The Brewers have won six of their last seven games.

 

"(The Brewers) have been playing good ball, I mean they're 19-14 (in the second half of the season," Burleson said. "They turned their season around the second half over there. They basically have played pretty solid baseball, the same as Missoula."

 

NOTES: The loss was the first at Cobb Field in 12 games for the Mustangs, who are now 13-3 at home in the second half. Overall, the Mustangs are 23-10. ... Burleson used 15 position players during the game. ... Cole Gillespie also homered for the Brewers. ... The Mustangs collected just six hits off three Helena pitchers. ... The teams wrap up their regular-season series today at 4:00 PM (5:00 Central). The Mustangs lead the series 10-5.

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

[Mass Haas]

What a mess for Manatees' management -- the promised fireworks were to be "spectacular"...

 

Brevard County Site:

 

The Brevard County Manatees scheduled 6:00 PM doubleheader on Saturday, September 2nd was postponed due to downpours and flooding of the outfield. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, September 3rd beginning at 12:00 PM (11:00 AM Central).

 

The fireworks will not be made up due to the final game being in the afternoon. Fans can still enjoy baseball though, because anyone holding a ticket for the Saturday night game can use that ticket for admission to the noon doubleheader on Sunday. September 3rd is the final game of the 2006 Manatees season and this is the last chance for fans to use any rain-out stamped tickets or tickets which were dated for a rain-out game during the season.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Playoffs still eluding Sounds

By JESSICA HOPP

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Baseball typically reflects the three-strikes-and-you're-out rule. Lucky for the Sounds that rule didn't apply Saturday night.

 

After failing in its third attempt to clinch the American Conference Northern Division title with a 14-3 loss to Round Rock in front of 6,436 fans at Greer Stadium, Nashville has not yet lost its chance at the playoffs.

 

A win in either of its two final games, including one tonight at 6:00 PM against Round Rock, will advance Nashville to the postseason.

 

Additionally, if Iowa ? which trails the Sounds by one game ? loses either of its last two games, Nashville advances.

 

However, even with its playoff hopes still alive, the loss still stung. The 11-run difference was the Sounds' largest margin of defeat in more than three years. Nashville suffered a 16-2 loss against Oklahoma on Aug. 19, 2003.

 

"We just have to go out and get the job done," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

 

After allowing just two seven-run innings all season, the Sounds gave up two back-to-back on Saturday.

 

The damage began in the second when Sounds pitcher Dana Eveland (6-5), one of the team's most successful starters, hit three batters, walked three others and gave up two hits, allowing six Round Rock runs.

 

Eveland was replaced by Jared Fernandez, who allowed an RBI single by Eric Munson before retiring the side with Round Rock holding a 7-0 advantage.

 

The third inning didn't turn out much better as Round Rock hit three consecutive two-out doubles, followed by a home run by Hector Gimenez, which gave Round Rock a 14-0 lead.

 

A single by Sounds second baseman Zach Sorensen in the fourth put Nashville on the board, driving in Drew Anderson. Anderson followed that with an RBI double in the fifth, scoring Chris Barnwell to make the score 14-2.

 

Nashville scored one more in the eighth off an RBI single by newly acquired catcher J.C. Boscan.

 

What they said: "They just found some holes and hit the ball decent. That usually happens when you get a big lead.'' ? Kremblas.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Eveland misses qualifying for ERA leaders

By JESSICA HOPP

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Dana Eveland had a chance Saturday night to work himself onto the Pacific Coast League leaderboard and officially show the rest of the league his success as a starter.

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't his night.

 

In Eveland's shortest start of the year, the lefty hit three batters, walked three more and allowed six runs in the 14-3 loss to Round Rock. He was pulled after 1 2/3 innings.

 

"Dana just lost his command," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Unfortunately he couldn't get it back."

 

As a result, Eveland will miss his chance at showing up in the league rankings because he has not pitched enough innings. He made five starts and had four relief outings with the Brewers, keeping his Triple-A inning count low.

 

Had he pitched five innings at Greer Saturday, Eveland would likely have had enough innings ? getting to 112 for the season. Heading into Saturday night, Eveland led the Sounds with a 2.18 ERA in 18 starts. He had produced six quality starts in his last eight outings, including victories in his last three trips to the mound.

 

Ouch: Hitting so many batters was unusual, but not unprecedented for Eveland.

 

In 17 of his previous 18 starts he hit a total of three batters.

 

The other start ? an Aug. 7 game at Sacramento ? Eveland hit three batters but didn't allow any runs.

 

Streaks: With a single in the fourth inning, Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce extended his hitting streak to a season-best six games.

 

On the flip side, Tony Gwynn ended a 12-game hitting streak going 0-for-4 Saturday night.

 

Boscan behind the plate: J.C. Boscan made his debut for the Sounds on Saturday night as the starting catcher.

 

He was 2-for-4, with a ground rule double in the sixth and an RBI single in the eighth.

 

The 26-year-old, who was called up on Friday to help replace reliever Dennis Sarfate and utility man Vinny Rottino, had been in Huntsville since the start of this season where he hit .194 with no home runs and 14 RBI in 43 games. He also threw out 17 of 50 runners attempting to steal (34 percent).

 

Iowa stays in it: With a 8-2 win at Omaha Saturday, Iowa didn't do Nashville any favors.

 

The Cubs now trail the Sounds by one game in the American Conference North Division with two games remaining in the season. The only way for Iowa to pass Nashville in the standings is if the Sounds lose the final two games and Iowa wins both their games.

 

Iowa plays Omaha again at 1:30 PM today. With the Sounds magic number remaining at one, a loss by the Cubs will give Nashville the title.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

WORST TO FIRST

STARS CAP OFF GREATEST COMEBACK IN HISTORY

It's the 1951 Giants, the 1967 Red Sox, the 1969 Mets and the 1973 Mets. It's all the miracles in baseball on a smaller stage.

 

I hope this time, this moment, this season, will forever be remembered by the impassive community that is Huntsville toward their team as the year of the Stars' miracle comeback....... Certainly, their most ardent fans can never forget this 2006 season........ Ask anyone who comes to the ballpark and they'll tell you what it was like the first half -- the erstwhile feeling of doom even before the first pitch is thrown, and the constant stream of opportunities blown on the field when the bases were loaded or runners in scoring position, and the chances to take a lead that were never realized.......

Fans will tell you of a team, rarely battered in games, that simply couldn't produce hits (the middle of the order could manage only a .211 average after 40 games) or score runs (2.73 per game in May).......

 

On June 22, Ryan Braun joind the team shortly after the 2nd half starts, but the Stars lose in 10 that night to Mobile, 8-7 in 10 innings. Three days later, Steve Hammond makes his debut with the Stars with a six-inning, three-hit effort won in the 9th inning, 1-0, on Lou Palmisano's two-out single to score Ron Acuna....... The next day, Yovani Gallardo makes his debut on the mound with seven scoreless innings, although the Stars lose 4-2. The Stars wake up in 5th place with a 3-5 record, but the three figures I've pointed to all along as being instrumental in this 2nd half success story are there.

 

The Stars leave Birmingham on July 8th with an 8-12 record after Jorge de la Rosa beats the Barons, 8-1 for his first win in the third of six rehab starts, but Huntsville climbs now into 3rd for the first time.........Then they lose six of their next 10 games, and after an 8-2 loss at Five County Stadium on July 22nd, they're 11-18 and back into 5th place........ The pivotal game, I'd say, came there the next day when they beat the Mudcats, 3-2 in 10 innings. Travis Phelps survives a bases-loaded, none-out situation by striking out Patrick Arlis before Jon Acevas hits into a 4-6-3 double play, Callix Crabbe-to Guilder Rodriguez-to Jeff Eure, to end the game........ After that, the Stars were 28-7...... Phelps, who came in with a 4.26 ERA, registers his first save. (Since that time, Phelps has given up just three earned runs in 20 2/3 innings, a 1.31 ERA)

 

On the emotional front though, it's a pair of 9-8 victories over the Chattanooga Lookouts on August 1-2, that mark the point, for me at least, where I thought, we can beat anyone now........ Corey Thurman, in a post-game interview, told Brett Pollock that one big reason for the 2nd half turnaround was the change in confidence level....... In both games, the Stars lost leads and had to come back in the 9th to win. That never happened in the first half. And at that moment, as you can see, the Stars found the confidence to win, and win they did indeed, going a record 22-5 in August......... After Friday night's division-clinching 6-5 victory, the Stars have won nine straight, their best winning streak since May 1992.

 

About a dozen Huntsville fans, mostly Boosters, and members of the Stars office staff were in attendance at Hoover Met to witness the occasion......... The Birmingham Barons came in as a pretty battered team....... Thomas Collaro (11, 51, .213) and Ricardo Nanita (8, 42, .286) were both injured. Nanita was placed on the DL August 24. As a result, the Barons' outfield consisted of a catcher, Wally Roaa, playing out there for the first time and Stefan Gartrell skipping two levels of A ball to fill in after hitting .308 at Bristol (Appa.).

 

Ryan Braun wasted no time getting the Stars in front after Steve Moss's leadoff single in the 1st inning. Braun blasted an 0-1 change-up high in the air to centerfield and over the 405' mark for a 2-0 lead. The Stars had a chance to pile on the damage after Brendan Katin singled, Brad Nelson walked, and Ron Acuna singled to load the bases, but Jeff Eure hit into a double play.

 

The game became a see-saw affair after that...... Micah Schurstein's RBI single in the 4th made it 2-1 and in the 5th, the Barons went ahead, 4-2 with a three-run rally that was started when light-hitting Wally Rosa hit a 1-2 pitch for a double that went all the way to the warning track in left-center, scoring Stefan Gartrell, who had led off the inning with a single....... After Eric Hollis moved Rosa to third on a grounder, Corey Thurman tried to pick up Chris Getz's sacrifice bunt on the bare hand in front of the mound but could not, and it scored Rosa, putting the Barons in front, 3-2....... Getz stole second. Then with two out, Michael Myers, a 4-for-8 hitter against Thurman, grounded a single up the middle to score Getz to make it 4-2.

 

But the Stars came back in the top of the inning to tie it back up, 4-4..... Brad Nelson drove Whisler's first pitch down the right field line toward the corner for a single. Ron Acuna sent him to third with a double to right on the first pitch he saw. Gartrell tried to make a diving catch, but in stretching out to make what nearly was a great catch, the ball got out of his glove and made its way to the wall....... After Jeff Eure struck out on a change, Lou Palmisano bounced a 1-0 pitch to the hole on the left side for a single, extending his hitting streak to a season-high six, and scoring Nelson........ Then with two out, Steve Moss knotted up the score with a double on a 2-1 pitch to Wally Rosa who made a long run for it in left, but the ball landed in front of him..... Callix Crabbe walked to load the bases, but Ryan Braun flied out on a long drive to right to end the inning....... At this point, the Stars had stranded eight runners.

 

Gerrit Simpson came on in relief of Thurman in the 6th and quieted the Barons down, giving the Stars a chance to take the lead in the 7th with Dwayne Pollok now in relief for Birmingham....... Singles by Katin and Acuna set Jeff Eure up to make amends for hitting into a double play and striking out twice........ On a 1-for-20 slump, Eure bounced a timely double past a diving Myers at short, giving the Stars a 5-4 lead, his team-leading 54th RBI, but the Stars once more couldn't take advantage of the situation with Eure at 2nd and Acuna on 3rd. Palmisano and Chavez both grounded out to end the inning.

 

Birmingham, of course, came back to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th........ With the bases loaded and one out, Chris Getz hit a ball to Ozzie Chavez that he could have caught on the fly, but Chavez risked everything on the double play by taking the ball on the hop, hoping he could get the double play, and retire Getz that way........ He didn't....... Getz, the team leader in stolen bases with 19, beat the relay to first and Stefan Gartrell scored to tie the game and eventually send it into extra innings, but all's well that ends' well.

 

The Stars didn't rest on Saturday....... They went after the Barons, 11-1, in the first game of a double-header to make up for a July 28 rain-out, but lost the second game, 5-1, ending a 10-game winning streak --- the longest since July 1989. The record of 12, set in 1988, was also broken up by the Barons in a game that was televised. I still have the tape....... The game was not broadcast on ESPN-1450. I couldn't get it on Eyecentric, the Stars other internet link, nor could I pick the game up from the Barons' web site, so I can't tell you anymore about the game than you already know, unless you were there. But catcher Carlos Corporan made his Stars debut in the first game, hitting into a 2nd inning double play in his first at-bat in his new uniform. He did drive in a run in his next at-bat in a four-run 4th inning.......

 

Corporan and pitcher Mike Jones joined the Stars on Friday after a chain reaction of events that started when the Brewers called up Dennis Sarfate and purchased the contract of Vinny Rottino from Nashville. In turn, the Stars sent Luther Hackman and J.C. Boscan to Nashville....... Rottino made his major league debut Friday, becoming the 162nd former Star to graduate to the majors. He appeared in the 9th inning, striking out as a pinch-hitter for Francisco Cordero....... Rottino appeared as a pinch-hitter Saturday night as well, hitting into a force to end the game, a 9-6 loss -- the 9th straight for the Brewers.

 

Scott Martens, Business Manager for the Brewers' Minor League Operations and Development sent our Booster Club president Bill Billingsley his congratulations and gratitude for all the Boosters have done for the minor leaguers who have come through the system in the last seven years, and let him know in an e-mail message that the Brewers were extending their PDC with Huntsville........ The Brewers have also extended their relationship with Nashville, Brevard County, and Helena. Brevard got a four-year extension.

 

At 9:00 AM on Tuesday, the Stars office will open for full season ticket holders to pick up their tickets to the playoffs. That's a part of the benefits season-ticket holders have. If they want additional tickets, they'll have to pay, but they get first crack....... The series against Chattanooga opens on Thursday at BellSouth Park. Game 2 is Friday, Game 3 is at the Joe on Saturday, with 4 and 5 if necessary at the Joe, Sunday and Monday....... Should the Stars advance to the Championship series, Games 1 and 2 would be at the Joe with dates and times yet to be determined..

 

If you haven't seen it, go to the standings page and see, in numbers, how the Stars made their miracle climb to the top in the Southern League:

 

www.starsboxscore.com/standing.htm

[Mass Haas]

The Brevard County Manatees fans threw 5,906 Honorary First Pitches tonight before Saturday night's rainout. The staff opened Space Coast Stadium at 6:00 AM and began throwing first pitches under stadium lights at 6:11 AM. Just before 5:00 PM severe thunderstorms moved into the area and stopped the first pitch ceremony at the 5,906 mark. After a rain delay and field flooding the umpires cancelled both games of Saturday's doubleheader.

 

The previous record of honorary first pitches was 5,127 which was set by the Madison (WI) Mallards set three weeks ago.

[saget]

Why did Yo come out after 3? Pitch count?

[Team Canada]

Why did Yo come out after 3? Pitch count?

 

He's reaching the upper limit of his innings allowed this season, so might not even pitch much more than that in the playoffs, either.