Link Report for Fri. 9/1 - Huntsville Stars, Playoff-Bound!

[bthurley19]

Pour Some Champagne The STARS ARE DIVISION CHAMPS!

[WestCoastBrewer]

Unbelievable come back in the 2nd half, very exciting team! Congrats to all the players and coaches!!

[PrimeTime955]

It's remarkable how bad Huntsville was in the first half, and then to win the division, ridiculous.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 6, Birmingham (White Sox) 5, ten innings

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=995

 

Second Half Comeback Complete - Stars Win Division Title!

 

Brad Nelson singled home the game-winning run and Joe Valentine retired the side in order in the bottom half of the tenth inning to preserve Huntsville?s North Division clinching 6-5 win Friday night at the Hoover Met in Birmingham. The Stars won their ninth straight game, and fifth in the last six by one run, to improve to 40-25 in the second half, while the Barons fell to 27-39 in the second half. Huntsville returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2003, when they beat Birmingham and lost to Carolina in the Southern League Championship Series.

 

Ryan Braun walked with two outs in the tenth, after Callix Crabbe was thrown out trying to steal, and moved to second base on a Travis Ezi single. Nelson then followed with a stinging single to right field on a 1-0 offering from Ehren Wasserman, who had given up only one run in nine outings against the Stars prior to tonight, to score Braun with the decisive run. Valentine retired Wally Rosa, Eric Hollis and Chris Getz on ground ball outs to record his 12th save with the Stars and convert on his ninth straight save chance.

 

Birmingham tied the game at five in the eighth inning on a fielders? choice grounder by Getz that plated Stefan Gartrell, who had walked. Matt Yeatman worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fifth win of the year and third in the last six games.

 

Jeff Eure?s run-scoring double plated Brendan Katin to give the Stars a 5-4 lead in the seventh but they stranded runners at second and third with one out. Gerrit Simpson walked Hollis, Chris Amador and Michael Myers to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning and was replaced by Travis Phelps, who got Corey Smith to bounce into a force out at the plate and struck out Micah Schnurstein to end the inning and keep the Stars in the lead.

 

Braun blasted a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Stars the early lead against Wes Whisler, making his seventh start at the double-A level. Huntsville starter Correy Thurman tossed three scoreless innings before giving up a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to fall behind 4-2. Lou Palmisano singled home a run and Steve Moss doubled in a run in the sixth to knot the game at four.

 

The series continues Saturday evening with a doubleheader and the Stars? starters are still to be determined. Coverage starts at 4:50 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:

Huge unsung hero roles in this one for Jeff Eure, Travis Ezi, Travis Phelps and Matt Yeatman; this game a microcosm of the entire second half surge -- yes, Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo have been huge, but literally every player on this roster -- every gosh darn player -- has made a significant contribution these last two months; this has been amazing to follow -- too bad there's still a doubleheader and such, Don Money needs to get everyone some kind of rest now...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Stars get clinching victory

Amazing reversal complete with 6-5 win over Barons

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

HOOVER -- You've never hit a better, sweeter mulligan in your life than what the Huntsville Stars have done.

 

They went 24-45 in the first half of the season. With the fresh start of the second half, the Stars have gone 40-25 - and now reign as Southern League North second-half champs.

 

The Stars clinched the title Friday night with a 6-5 10-inning victory over Birmingham, Huntsville's ninth consecutive win.

 

"Great victory,'' said first baseman Brad Nelson. "Great team."

 

Nelson singled home Ryan Braun with two out in the 10th, then ex-Baron Joe Valentine sat Birmingham down in order for his third save in three appearances against his former team.

 

Huntsville opens the playoffs next Thursday at first-half champ Chattanooga, which was mathematically eliminated from the second-half race despite its 3-1 win at West Tenn last night.

 

It was a day of wham!-wham!-wham! news aside from the pennant race.

 

The Stars made it official that they are renewing the player development contract with the Milwaukee Brewers through the 2008 season.

 

Pitcher Luther Hackman and catcher J.C. Boscan were promoted to Triple-A Nashville and pitcher Mike Jones and catcher Carlos Corporan were promoted from Single-A Brevard County to fill their spots.

 

The moves were necessitated when the Brewers called ex-Stars Dennis Sarfate and Vinny Rottino to the majors.

 

The bad news, young pitchers Yovani Gallardo (4-2, 1.70) and Steve Hammond (5-5, 2.76) are nearing or at their maximum number of innings allowed by the Brewers. Their availability for the postseason will be limited at best. By virtue of the Stars' clinching Friday, they won't be needed in the final three games.

 

Braun's team-leading 14th homer (in 56 Huntsville games) gave the Stars a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Barons (losers of six in a row) stormed back on Micah Schnurstein's RBI single in the fourth.

 

They stretched it to 4-2 when starting pitcher Corey Thurman mishandled a squeeze bunt, leading to a three-run fifth.

 

A Lou Palmisano RBI single and Steve Moss RBI double tied the game 4-all in the sixth, then Jeff Eure's sharp double down the third-base line in the seventh made it 5-4.

 

Travis Phelps inherited a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh and bailed the Stars out but gave up two walks and two bat-breaking infield hits to enable the Barons to tie it in the eighth.

[Mass Haas]

The bad news, young pitchers Yovani Gallardo (4-2, 1.70) and Steve Hammond (5-5, 2.76) are nearing or at their maximum number of innings allowed by the Brewers. Their availability for the postseason will be limited at best. By virtue of the Stars' clinching Friday, they won't be needed in the final three games.

 

Disappointing, yet at the same time, good to hear in a way; have to look at the big picture...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

Stars bubbly all over after 2nd-half title

Contact Mark McCarter at markcolumn@aol.com

Huntsville Times

 

HOOVER - The loud, piercing "whoop" sounds were the sort seldom found anywhere but an Animal Planet documentary.

 

The champagne was the sort found on finer pharmacy shelves everywhere. Chateau du $3.95.

 

The smell was the ghastly chemistry of cheap champagne and foamy beer poured on sweat-soaked uniforms and carpet. No perfume ever smelled better.

 

The Huntsville Stars are the Southern League North second-half champions.

 

They celebrated accordingly. Beverage was poured. Ice buckets were dumped on unsuspecting victims. Even Buck the Bus Driver was chased down a narrow hallway and drowned in beverage.

 

You could only imagine the conversation if the bus were to be pulled over.

 

"Honest, officer, I was just standing there and they poured six gallons of champagne and a 12-pack of beer on me. I didn't drink a drop..."

 

First, they celebrated in the clubhouse.

 

Then, later, the plan was to get knee-deep in Buffalo wings. And, perhaps, a celebratory beverage or two will actually be consumed rather than poured.

 

It was deserved.

 

Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over Birmingham was the culmination of one improbable turnaround. Between the first half and the second, the Stars went from a '67 tie-dyed VW microbus to a Ferrari.

 

They were 24-45 in the first half. You've seen better performances as the kindergarten Christmas pageant.

 

Surprised now?

 

"Yes," manager Don Money admitted, "if you'd asked me in the first half. But this is basically the same team we had then. We added (Ryan) Braun and a couple of pitchers. But everything else is the same."

 

Yet nothing was the same.

 

It was a nice bit of symmetry that the playoff spot was clinched on the same day that Huntsville and Milwaukee announced the working agreement would be renewed for two more years.

 

However, unwelcome news: Young pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Steve Hammond, two catalysts in the second-half surge, have neared the Milwaukee-established inning limit for the season and their availability in the playoffs may be limited.

 

The natural response to this is some "Whyyyyy?" wail, like a 10-year-old begging for five more minutes before bedtime.

 

Yes, gifted arms like those attached to Gallardo and Hammond are platinum-level precious. And the name of the game is player development.

 

But why not see how how the young pitchers perform under playoff pressure?

 

OK, enough picking at nits. Let's return to Hoover, where the Stars were playing only the second-most expensive and second-most publicized team in the neighborhood, behind Hoover High's football team.

 

Back to a corner of the clubhouse, to Callix Crabbe, soaked with champagne.

 

"Special, man," he said. "Turning it around shows you the heart we have as a group. Hopefully, we can keep riding this through the playoffs.

 

"And," he added, "we can go out and get us some hardware."

[Mass Haas]

Final: Billings (Reds) 8, Helena 7

 

MiLB.com Game Summary:

 

Parker, Mustangs tip Brewers

 

Logan Parker went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Billings defeated visiting Helena, 8-7, on Friday.

 

Parker, who smacked RBI doubles in the third and fifth, led off the eighth with a single and scored three batters later on an error by second baseman Taylor Green.

 

Daniel Dorn, Jason Louwsma, Denis Phipps and Juan Francisco each chipped in two hits for the Mustangs (23-9), who extended their winning streak to four games.

 

Billings reliever Terrell Young (3-1), who forced in a run with a balk, retired one batter in the eighth for the win. Joshua Roenicke tossed a perfect ninth for his sixth save. Starter Joshua Ravin gave up four runs -- three earned -- on five hits and five walks over 3 1/3 innings.

 

Chuckie Caufield had an RBI bunt single in the second, Green lined a run-scoring double in the fourth and Carlos De La Cruz added a two-run single in the fifth for the Brewers (18-14), who had a five-game winning streak snapped. Stephen Chapman went 2-for-3 with two walks and a run scored.

 

Helena reliever Stuart Sutherland (2-2) surrendered one run on five hits over 2 1/3 innings for the loss. Starter Chris Jean yielded six runs on seven hits and two walks in 2 1/3 frames. -- Marc Jimenez/MLB.com

 

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Link while active, text follows:

 

www.billingsgazette.net/a...stangs.txt

 

Mustangs win 11th straight at Cobb Field

By MIKE SCHERTING

Of The Billings Gazette Staff

 

The Billings Mustangs did all the things that cost baseball teams wins.

 

They walked eight Helena Brewers batters. Pitchers gave up base hits when ahead no balls and two strikes in the count. They committed three errors, leading to three unearned runs.

 

And yet Friday night's game turned out like so many lately at Cobb Field, an 8-7 Mustangs victory as they somehow eked out a run in the eighth and Josh Roenicke made quick work of the Brewers in the ninth to nail down his sixth save in six chances.

 

It was the 11th straight win at Cobb Field for the Mustangs, who improved to 13-2 on their home turf in the second half of the season. Four of their last seven home wins have been by one run.

 

"Everyone loves playing at home, you know," said second baseman Justin Turner, who was named a Pioneer League All-Star on Thursday. "You get a little bit more time, everything slows down for us. I know as a hitter I love hitting here more than anywhere else that we go. I just think we're a confident team when we're at home."

 

Logan Parker led a 14-hit attack by going 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs and five other Mustangs had two hits each. Michael McKennon had three RBIs.

 

Still, the game was tied 7-7 and it took a resourceful eighth inning for the Mustangs to get the winning cushion. Parker led off the eighth with an infield single and then took second on a sacrifice by Tony Esquer. Parker reached third base on another infield single, this time by Denis Phipps. McKennon then drove in Parker for the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice ground ball, which Helena second baseman Taylor Green bobbled for an error when he tried to flip the ball to shortstop Fredy De La Cruz.

 

Roenicke then sealed the win by setting down the Brewers in the ninth on just 14 pitches.

 

"If there ever was a game where you would think you were winning ugly, tonight was one of those games," Mustangs manager Rick Burleson said. "A lot of physical errors. Not so many mental errors, but just from the pitching standpoint all the walks, the 0-2 hits and those things. Eventually, it's got to cost you. Hopefully it won't be when we don't want it to."

 

Mustangs starter Josh Ravin lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs - three earned - on five hits and five walks. Helena tied the game at 6-6 with two unearned runs off of Jeremy Burchett when Carlos De La Cruz's single to center rolled under Denis Phipps' glove for a two-base error, allowing Bill Rowe to score from second and Andy Bouchie to score all the way from first.

 

Despite earning the win, Terrell Young (3-1) balked in the tying run in the eighth.

 

"It was not a very well played game from our standpoint," Burleson said. "I think that we were lucky to win tonight, to be honest with you."

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Manatees blank Cubs

 

C.J. Medlin's three-run homer highlighted a nine-run eighth inning as Brevard County routed Daytona, 10-0, on Friday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

After managing little against Cubs starter Donald Veal, the Manatees (27-33) scored all their runs in the last two innings. Ned Yost started the eighth with a single and, two batters later, Ryan Crew lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to snap a scoreless tie.

 

Alcides Escobar delivered an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch by Jon Hunton (6-5). Adam Heether came home on a throwing error by shortstop Jonathan Mota before Medlin sent a pitch from Grant Johnson over the left-field fence for his second homer.

 

Freddy Parejo, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base, singled and doubled in the eighth as Brevard County sent 13 men to the plate.

 

Veal struck out a career-high 12 batters over 6 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander gave up two hits and walked three, but left after reaching his pitch count limit.

 

Veal gave up one hit and fanned 10 over six innings for Class A Peoria on May 20. The Chicago Cubs' second-round pick in 2005 is fourth in the Minor Leagues with 174 strikeouts.

 

Reliever Dave Johnson (7-6) allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five over four innings for the victory. Derek Miller gave up three hits with one walk and five strikeouts over five frames in his seventh start for the Manatees.

 

Jake Muyco collected two of the five hits for the Cubs (35-29). Hunton gave up five runs -- three earned -- on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.

 

Daytona fell two games behind first-place Palm Beach in the Florida State League East Division. -- Michael Echan/MLB.com

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-journalonline.co...090206.htm

 

Brevard stomps Daytona

Cubs' playoff hopes slim

By SEAN KERNAN

News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Brevard County Manatees have the Daytona Cubs' number.

 

And that number is 0.

 

The Manatees shut out the Cubs for the third straight game the two Florida State League rivals have played. Friday night's setback was a devastating 10-0 rout after pitchers from both clubs combined for seven scoreless innings at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

The Cubs are not yet mathematically eliminated from getting into the Florida State League playoffs, but the local club is down to its last gasp after suffering its worst loss of the second half.

 

Brevard County's C.J. Medlin drove in four runs, including three on a home run in a nine-run eighth-inning rally.

 

The Cubs have no wiggle room tonight as they face elimination from the pennant race in a doubleheader at Viera's Space Coast Stadium that's scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Daytona (35-30) is in third place two games back of first-place Palm Beach (36-27) as the Cardinals overcame a 5-0 deficit to the Jupiter Hammerheads and won 10-6 Friday night.

 

Meanwhile, the St. Lucie Mets (36-30) moved into second place by a half game over Daytona with a 6-1 victory against Vero Beach.

 

One more Daytona loss or one more Palm Beach victory eliminates the Cubs from the pennant race.

 

The final home game of the regular season for Daytona was -- with an emphasis on was -- a classic pitching duel through seven scoreless innings. Daytona starter Donnie Veal was superb, striking out 12 batters and allowing just two hits in 6 1/3 innings before reaching the organization's 100-pitch limit.

 

"People who see the score won't realize what a great performance that young man had tonight," Cubs manager Buddy Bailey said. "He had good life on his fastball and got some strikeouts with his curveball. We just don't score any runs for him. He's on a 100-pitch limit and to me he's one of the best minor-league pitching prospects by far and we're sure not going to take a chance on jeopardizing his health and his career in Daytona Beach."

 

Cubs reliever Jon Hunton (6-5) retired both batters he faced in the seventh, but in the wild eighth inning was tagged for five runs (three earned) on three hits and a walk. Reliever Grant Johnson gave up four unearned runs after two errors by shortstop Jonathan Mota. All in all, the Manatees scored nine runs, only three of which were earned, on six hits, two Cubs errors and two walks.

 

While the Cubs' pitching and fielding was horrible for one inning, the club's offense continued its stretch of scoreless innings to 21 going back.

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

Wow, the Power came within a few feet of blowing a 10-1 ninth-inning lead...

 

POWER USE CAIN TO OUTSLUG CRAWDADS

 

Five of West Virginia?s 19 hits in Friday night?s game against the Hickory Crawdads came from right fielder Lorenzo Cain who went 5 for 5 in the game as the Power held off a late Hickory rally with a 10-6 victory in the opening game of the series over the Crawdads.

 

The Power started early with a four run first inning. Mike Bell, Tony Festa, Michael Brantley and Nestor Corredor all hit RBI singles. In the second inning the Power took a 7-0 lead on an RBI triple from Bell who scored on Kenny Holmberg?s double, and Holmberg scored the final run of the inning on a base hit from Brantley. In the third Cameron Blair hit a solo home run to put the Crawdads on the board.

 

The Power scored twice in the fourth inning on Corredor?s sacrifice fly that plated Bell and Nate Yoho drove in Holmberg with a single. The Power scored their final run of the game in the fifth inning on Bell?s fourth hit of the game, an RBI single that put the Power ahead 10-1.

 

Dave Welch and Matt Kretzschmar combined to retire 18 Hickory batters in a row, before the ?Dads exploded for five runs in the ninth inning. The game ended with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate when Mike McCuistion hit a deep fly ball to right center field that was caught by Darren Ford.

 

Welch (8-6) allowed a run on two hits through five innings and established a new single game season high with nine strikeouts to earn the victory, Kevin Roberts (8) got the save and Mike Crotta (1-2) suffered the loss. The Power are 74-60 overall and 35-30 in the second half after the victory while the Crawdads fell to 65-70 overall and 32-34 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will continue their final series of the season against the Hickory Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium on Saturday night. The Power will throw left hander Brandon Parillo (3-0, 4.56) and Hickory will counter with right hander Jared Hughes (4-4, 5.82). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 PM Central).

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with Manager Ed Sedar (Select date for September 1st, skip to the 16:30 minute mark) --

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Carlos Villanueva photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2139

 

Sounds Lose Heartbreaker To Express, 7-5

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Carlos Villanueva carried a perfect game and a 5-0 lead into the eighth inning on Friday evening at Greer Stadium before the Round Rock Express shocked the Sounds by scoring seven runs over the final two innings of play to steal a 7-5 victory over Nashville in the opener of a four-game series.

 

With the loss, Nashville (75-66) was forced to keep the champagne on ice for one more day as the second-place Iowa Cubs were also victorious on the evening (3-2 over Omaha), leaving the Sounds? magic number at one and reducing the lead in the American Conference Northern Division to two games with three to play.

 

Villanueva, who retired the first 21 Express batters in order, was left with a no-decision after allowing two runs on two hits and striking out a season-high nine batters in the outing.

 

Nashville entered the ninth holding a 5-2 lead as the bullpen was summoned to finish off a potential pennant-clinching victory.

 

Chris Demaria relieved Villanueva and retired the first batter before running into trouble. Mike Rodriguez laced a triple to the base of the wall in center and scored one batter later on a groundout to make it a 5-3 contest. Brooks Conrad followed with a double off the right field wall to chase Demaria.

 

Alec Zumwalt took over on the hill and was greeted by an RBI single off the bat of former Sound J.R. House to make it a one-run contest at 5-4. The Express rallied continued when the right-hander served up back-to-back home runs to Eric Munson, whose two-run shot improbably put the visitors on top, and Brian Gordon.

 

Munson?s blast was his second of the contest and also his second of the season for Round Rock. Gordon's roundtripper was his 16th of the campaign.

 

Zumwalt (0-3) was saddled with the loss after suffering his fourth blown save of the season. He allowed three runs on three hits while recording only one out.

 

The last at-bat loss marked the 18th time that an opponent recorded a victory in its last at-bat against the Sounds and only the fourth time that Nashville suffered a defeat in a game it led after eight innings of play.

 

The Sounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Express starter Taylor Buchholz. Tony Gwynn led off with a single to left that extended his hitting streak to 12 games, matching his longest of the year. After he stole second for his 30th theft of the campaign and advanced to third on a passed ball, Gwynn scored the game?s first run on Chris Barnwell?s RBI single.

 

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth when the Sounds plated three two-out runs to up the lead to 4-0. After the first two men were retired, Nashville loaded the bases with two outs against Buchholz on a Graham Koonce single and a pair of walks to Andrew Beattie and Jermaine Clark. The home team then unloaded them on Zach Sorensen?s two-run single to left coupled with a throwing error by Brian Gordon that allowed Clark to score from first on the play.

 

AUDIO: Sorensen's Bases-Clearing Single --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%209-1.mp3

 

With his sixth-inning single, Koonce extended his hitting streak to five games, matching his longest of the season.

 

Brent Abernathy pushed the Nashville lead to 5-0 in the seventh with a two-out RBI single to right off Express reliever Mike Gallo that scored Barnwell, who had reached with a two-out single of his own.

 

Villanueva retired the first 21 Round Rock batters in order before House, who played in Music City in 2004, broke up the perfect game with a clean leadoff single to center to open the eighth. The crowd at Greer Stadium responded with an impromptu extended standing ovation saluting the right-hander?s effort.

 

The following batter, Munson, ended the shutout bid with one swing of the bat. The catcher slugged a two-run homer to right, his first of the year, to make it a 5-2 game.

 

Gallo (2-0) was the beneficiary of the late Round Rock heroics, earning the win after allowing one run in his two frames of work.

 

Travis Driskill worked a perfect ninth to notch his 15th save of the year.

 

The Sounds will try to lock up the division title against Saturday when the teams continue the series with a 6 p.m. meeting at Greer. Left-hander Dana Eveland (6-4, 2.18) will make the start for Nashville and face Round Rock right-hander Jared Gothreaux (8-9, 4.37).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds perfect game blown

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

A perfect game turned into a perfect mess for the Sounds.

 

Nashville's Carlos Villanueva had pitched a perfect game Friday night before giving up two hits and two runs in the eighth inning.

 

Villanueva, who recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts, retired the first 21 batters and had a five-run lead heading into the eighth inning.

 

But Round Rock staged a furious rally, scoring seven runs, including five in the ninth, to claim a 7-5 win, which stunned a Greer Stadium crowd of 4,911.

 

The loss prevented Nashville from clinching its second consecutive American Conference Northern Division title and a playoff berth.

 

By virtue of Iowa's 3-2 win Friday over Omaha, the magic number for the Sounds (75-66) to earn a playoff berth remains at one with three games remaining.

 

"We just made bad pitches, missing the middle of the plate,'' said Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas. "That's what happens. You've got to make pitches at that time.''

 

The poor pitching performance was a combined effort of Chris Demaria and Alec Zumwalt, who replaced Villanueva. Demaria pitched to four batters. He got two outs in the ninth, but Mike Rodriguez hit a triple and Brooks Conrad had a double.

 

Alec Zumwalt then replaced Demaria and gave up a single to J.R. House, which scored Brooks Conrad and closed the gap to 5-4. Eric Munson gave the Express a 6-5 lead with a two-run homer. Brian Gordon added a solo homer.

 

Travis Driskill got the save by retiring the side in the ninth.

 

"It's really disappointing, but in a team way,'' said Villanueva, who had suffered his first AAA loss last Sunday in Memphis. "We really wanted it today. I tried to do my part the best that I could. This was just one of those days. Zumwalt has been so reliable all year. You just pat him on the back and he'll have our back tomorrow.''

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Rottino, Sarfate join Milwaukee

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds lost a pair of players Friday when major league rosters were expanded.

 

Reliever Dennis Sarfate was recalled and utility man Vinny Rottino had his contract purchased by Milwaukee. Both will make their major league debuts with their first appearances with the Brewers.

 

Rottino was eighth in the Pacific Coast League in hitting (.314) and Sarfate was 10th in ERA (3.67).

 

To replace Sarfate and Rottino on the Sounds roster, right-handed reliever Luther Hackman and catcher J.C. Boscan were called up from AA Huntsville.

 

Hackman, who was with the Sounds in 2004, posted a 3-0 record with a 0.66 ERA in eight relief outings in Huntsville. He signed with the Brewers on Aug. 11 out of the Independent League.

 

The 31-year-old did not walk a batter and struck out 15 at Huntsville.

 

Boscan, 26, had been in Huntsville since the 2006 season started. He was hitting.194 with no home runs and 14 RBIs in 43 games. He threw out 17 of 50 runners attempting to steal (34%).

 

Gwynn still going: Sounds leadoff batter Tony Gwynn extending his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the first inning. It is Gwynn's longest hitting streak of the season.

 

Gwynn stole second, then advanced to third on a passed ball. It was Gwynn's 30th steal, which marks the third consecutive season he has had at least 30.

 

Gwynn scored on a Chris Barnwell single, giving Nashville a 1-0 lead.

 

Camo auction: Fans attending tonight's game will have the opportunity to purchase the camouflage jerseys that the Sounds wore for each Sunday home game this season during a silent auction.

 

The Sounds will wear the camouflage jerseys again for Sunday's game. Winning bidders will be able to get their jerseys after that.

 

Proceeds will benefit an organization that helps families of deployed soldiers who are members of the Tennessee National Guard, which sponsored the Sounds' Sunday home games.