Link Report Wed. 8/16 -- Final Update: Huntsville

[Mass Haas]

The Sounds, Stars, and H-Crew all in playoff pushes - personally, I wish somebody would finally knock off the Cardinals' AA club (Tennessee), because the Stars are really making a nice push here and their appearance in the postseason would be a heck of a story and a nice reward for some of our long-time friends and ticket holders in Huntsville.

 

Regardless, with the Brewers in a lunch-time matinee, here's a suggestion to give minor league audio a chance tonight. Nobody's asking you to spend nine innings with a squad, but check out one of the four available broadcasts tonight, if even for a bit. Chuck, Brett, Andy, and Steve do a nice job for their respective affiliates, and it's always a plus when a listener passes on something to us here on the board we might not learn otherwise.

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at home vs. New Orleans (Nationals), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Carolina (Marlins), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD at home vs. Tampa (Yankees), 6:05 PM; sorry, no web audio for this series

 

West Virginia: RHP Matt Kretzschmar at home vs. Hickory (Pirates), 6:55 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

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

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday'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_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_casrok_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

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Tuesday's action:

I think MiLB.com's standings are off a bit regarding Arizona, which split Tuesday...

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 65 59 .524 - 35-26 30-33 L1[/b] Iowa 63 61 .508 2.0 35-27 28-34 L3 Memphis 50 74 .403 15.0 29-35 21-39 W3 Omaha 45 79 .363 20.0 27-34 18-45 L9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 31 20 .608 - 17-9 14-11 W1 [b]Huntsville 27 23 .540 3.5 13-12 14-11 W2[/b] Chattanooga 26 24 .520 4.5 17-13 9-11 W1 West Tenn 25 26 .490 6.0 15-6 10-20 W2 Carolina 22 29 .431 9.0 16-9 6-20 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 28 22 .560 - 19-11 9-11 L3 St. Lucie 28 22 .560 - 14-11 14-11 L2 Palm Beach 28 24 .538 1.0 16-9 12-15 L1 [b]Brevard County 21 29 .420 7.0 10-10 11-19 W1[/b] Jupiter 19 32 .373 9.5 11-16 8-16 L6 Vero Beach 19 32 .373 9.5 11-15 8-17 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 35 16 .686 - 19-5 16-11 W6 Lake County 28 21 .571 6.0 15-11 13-10 W2 Hickory 27 24 .529 8.0 13-15 14-9 L2 Greensboro 25 24 .510 9.0 13-13 12-11 L1 [b]West Virginia 24 26 .480 10.5 13-9 11-17 W1[/b] Hagerstown 20 30 .400 14.5 11-18 9-12 L2 Lexington 20 31 .392 15.0 13-11 7-20 W1 Delmarva 18 31 .367 16.0 11-13 7-18 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 11 6 .647 - 5-2 6-4 W3 Missoula 10 7 .588 1.0 8-2 2-5 W2 [b]Helena 9 8 .529 2.0 6-4 3-4 L2[/b] Great Falls 4 13 .235 7.0 3-4 1-9 L7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 11 5 .688 - 3-0 8-5 W2 AZL Giants 11 5 .688 - 5-3 6-2 L1 AZL Royals 11 5 .688 - 6-3 5-2 W1 AZL Padres 9 6 .600 1.5 6-3 3-3 L1 AZL Athletics 8 8 .500 3.0 7-2 1-6 W1 AZL Cubs 7 9 .438 4.0 3-6 4-3 W3 AZL Mariners 7 9 .438 4.0 5-3 2-6 L2 AZL Rangers 4 11 .267 6.5 3-5 1-6 L1 [b]AZL Brewers 3 13 .188 8.0 3-5 0-8 L3[/b]

[Mass Haas]

RHP Robert Hinton has been named as the Manatee starter tonight.

[Mass Haas]

Apparently Angel Salome has already had ankle surgery today (Wednesday morning) -- we should learn more about the severity of the break later this week. As with all surgeries of this nature, I'm sure we'll be told it was "successful".

[bretsky07]

Nice work ZackJack. CG 2 ER

[Mass Haas]

personally, I wish somebody would finally knock off the Cardinals' AA club (Tennessee)

 

I make this affiliation mistake at least twice a year since the switch -- the Cards' are in the Texas League now, and the D-Backs are affiliated with the Tennessee squad.

 

By the way, lookin' good for the Stars to gain a game tonight...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 7, New Orleans (Nationals) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for new Zach Jackson photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2112

 

Jackson Twirls A Dandy In Sounds' 7-2 Win

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Left-hander Zach Jackson worked his first career complete game and the Nashville offense belted three home runs in the Sounds? 7-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Nashville (66-59) temporarily increased its lead to 2 ½ games over Iowa in the PCL American Conference Northern Division, pending the result of the Cubs? game in Round Rock later in the evening.

 

Jackson (3-5) worked all nine innings to pick up his first PCL win since May 24th. The southpaw held the Z?s to two runs on four hits in the contest; both runs came on solo homers. He allowed only two runners into scoring position all night.

 

Jackson?s effort was the Sounds? PCL-leading eighth complete game of the year. He threw 110 pitches, 65 for strikes.

 

The Nashville offense got off to a hot start at the plate. Seven of the club?s first nine hits went for extra bases, including three home runs. Four Sounds posted multiple-hit efforts, including Jackson, who finished 2-for-4 after having only two previous career hits.

 

The game was the shortest nine-inning contest of the season for the Sounds, finishing in only two hours and six minutes.

 

Andrew Beattie, who paced Nashville with a 3-for-4, three-RBI evening, spotted the Sounds a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when his two-out RBI single off Andrew Good plated Chris Barnwell, who had doubled, from second. The knock extended Beattie?s hitting streak to six games, one shy of his longest this season.

 

Catcher Chad Moeller doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the when he belted his first home run as a Sound, a one-out solo shot to right off Good. It was the backstop?s first roundtripper in 136 at-bats, dating back to a May 18th tater with Milwaukee.

 

The scoring continued in the third when first baseman Graham Koonce increased the lead to 4-0 with a two-run blast to right-center, his 14th longball of the year. Laynce Nix scored on the homer.

 

AUDIO: Graham Koonce Two-Run HR --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-16.mp3

 

Beattie added to the power barrage in the fifth when he hit a line-drive homer to right off the Watson?s hot tub deck to make it a 5-0 game. The homer was his eighth of the year and second as a Sound.

 

Zephyrs center fielder Kenny Kelly put the visitors on the board in the top of the sixth when he led off the frame with his first home of the year, a shot to right-center off Jackson.

 

Koonce and Beattie continued their solid night in the seventh when they combined to increase the Sounds? advantage to 7-1 with a pair of back-to-back two-out RBI knocks. Koonce plated Tony Gwynn with an opposite-field, two-out double to left then scored on Beattie?s single to left-center.

 

Zephyrs third baseman Dan DeMent closed out the evening?s scoring in the bottom of the ninth when his one-out solo homer to right, his first of the year, to bring the score to its final 7-2.

 

Good (8-8) took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits, including three homers, over his six frames of action.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Thirsty Thursday at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Carlos Villanueva (5-0, 2.77) takes his undefeated record to the hill for Nashville to face former Sound and former Brewer Nelson Figueroa (2-3, 4.76), who is seeking his 100th career win for New Orleans.

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log:

Way to go, Zach Jack -- one of only eight "Zach's" to ever appear in the majors, with teammate Zach Sorensen being another (thank you, Nashville media notes for that tidbit); the organization has a knack for plucking the right available AAA veterans when needed -- see Graham Koonce and Andrew Beattie...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County's Brendan Katin, in the DH role tonight, was caught stealing to end the 4th inning, and was pinch-hit for in his next plate appearance in the 7th in a then-scoreless game. That can't be good, and is eerily similar to how Angel Salome was injured last night.

 

Given the scarcity of details we get from Manatee-land, we'll do our best to learn more...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 6, Hickory (Pirates) 4

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log:

Lefty David Welch with three sparkling innings in relief to get the win, Kevin Roberts the save; second baseman Mike Bell with 29 doubles, an impressive number -- 43 extra-base hits overall; Mat Gamel and Tony Festa go deep; Darren Ford two more steals, now with 58, although it looks like he overslid the third base bag in the 7th and was called out after his second steal -- or was it the hidden ball trick -- let your game log imagination run wild; Power win despite being outhit, 9-6...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

FOUR RUN SIXTH PROVIDES POWER VICTORY

 

Mat Gamel and Tony Festa both hit two-run homers in the sixth inning of Wednesday night?s game at Appalachian Power Park to help the Power erase a two-run deficit and beat the Hickory Crawdads 6-4.

 

The Power scored first in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Bell crossed the plate on a wild pitch and Ryan Barba brought in Kenny Holmberg on an RBI groundout to give the Power 2-0 lead.

 

Hickory answered with three in the top of the third inning to take the lead. The Crawdads scored all three runs with two outs. Shelby Ford knocked in the first run on a single and Brad Corley drove in the next two on a double. Corley struck again with two outs in the fifth inning with an RBI single to put Hickory on top 4-2.

 

In the bottom of the sixth inning Gamel hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 4-4. It was Gamel?s first home run at Appalachian Power Park since May 30th against Lakewood, and it was his 13th of the season. Two batters later Festa gave West Virginia the lead for good with a two-run blast, his fourth homer of the season.

 

Darren Ford stole two bases, giving him 58 on the year, three away from tying the franchise record and Lorenzo Cain went 1 for 4, to give him 144 hits on the year, six hits shy of the franchise record.

 

Dave Welch (5-6) pitched three fantastic innings out of the bullpen to get the win. He threw three scoreless innings of two-hit ball and struck out six while Kevin Roberts (5) pitched a perfect ninth inning to get the save and Derek Antelo (2-4) got the loss. The Power are 64-56 on the year and 25-26 in the second half after the win while the Crawdads fell to 60-61 overall and 27-25 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Crawdads Thursday night. Right hander Blair Johnson (3-4, 4.95) will make the start for Hickory and the Power will counter with left hander Steve Garrison (5-5, 4.11). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tampa (Yankees) 3, Brevard County 0

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log:

Three lonely singles for the 'Tees; just add Robert Hinton to the list of promising starting pitchers in the mid-ranks of the organization; night off for the Hurricane; catcher C.J. Medlin's dropped ball error on a fielder's choice in the 8th led to all three runs being unearned; here's hoping Hasan Rasheed's OK -- wasn't he sent home with an illness weeks ago? Freddy Parejo's playing every day now, and hasn't seized the opportunity...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 6, Carolina (Marlins) 3

Details from Stars site soon enough; Huntsville 2 1/2 out, two in the loss column...

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Lefty Steve Hammond with eight strong, Travis Phelps the save; conspiracy theory -- catcher Carlos Lee (El Caballo's brother) hasn't started a game since the big trade, he wasn't just signed to help appease big brother, was he? Enough silliness -- Stars win! Stars win!

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[colbyjack]

Nice win by the Stars tonight. Steve Hammond with a solid outing. He gives up the same number of home runs in tonight's game that he has given up all season at AA (3). Those three runs accounted for all three of the Mudcats runs. Oddly enough, the same thing happened to Zach Jackson at AAA tonight, giving up two runs, both runs coming via solo shots.

 

The announcer had an interesting point on Drew Anderson. As a left-handed hitter he actually hits LHP better (.308) than RHP (.272).

 

Robert Hinton with a nice start for BC.

 

WV faced Jared Hughes this evening, a pitcher many (including myself) were hoping the Brewers would draft in the early rounds. Nice to see the Brewers knock him around a little (especially since he's in the Pirates organization).

 

Time to switch to over to Helena...

[Mass Haas]

Interesting to see Fredy de la Cruz starting at shortstop tonight for Helena -- with his pop, his value would rise dramatically if he can show he can handle the position; with middle infielders Taylor Green, Brad Miller, and David Parker all with OPS' on the south side of .600, they've all been bypassed twice already by Maryvale kids when new bodies were needed in West Virginia.

 

By the way, give credit to Taylor Green for a big night, three hits (two doubles) -- play-by-play man Steve Wendt indicated Green has been playing with a broken bone in his foot most of the season, toughing it out.

 

Looks like Chuckie Caufield's 17-game hit streak will come to an end (0-for-5).

 

EDIT: His teammates get Caufield a 6th at-bat in the 9th -- triple and the hit streak is at 18...it's now 12-4 H-Crew over Casper...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=970

 

Hammond Hits and Pitches Stars to Victory

 

Steve Hammond worked eight solid innings and chipped in with a key two-run double to push Huntsville past Carolina 6-3 Wednesday night in the second of a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars improved to 28-23 in the second half and pulled to within two and a half games of first place Tennessee, which fell to Mississippi 7-2 at Smokies Park. The Mudcats fell to 22-30 in the second half and for a 17th time in their last 20 road games.

 

The Stars loaded the bases with one out in the second inning on a Jeff Eure single, Drew Anderson getting hit by a pitch and a Lou Palmisano walk. Ozzie Chavez followed with a double over the head of center fielder Brett Carroll that scored Eure and Anderson and pushed Palmisano to third. Hammond then bounced a 1-2 offering from Mudcats? starter Manu Olivera down the left field line for his first two-bagger of the year to plate both runners to push the Stars advantage to 4-0. It was the second straight night the Stars? starting pitcher doubled in a pair of runs in the second inning. Steve Moss moved Hammond to third base with a ground ball out and Callix Crabbe dropped down a beautiful bunt single to score Hammond to complete the Stars? five-run uprising.

 

J.C. Muniz led off the third with a home run to slice the Huntsville lead to 5-1. He homered again in the fifth to make it 5-2 and become the first batter to hit two long balls in a game against the Stars this season. Hammond set down the next eight hitters until Jonathan Aceves hit a pinch-hit home run, his second this year, with one out in the eighth to trim the lead to 5-3. Hammond had given up only three home runs in his first nine starts at the double-A level. Carolina has totaled only six hits in the series but four of them have been solo home runs.

 

Hammond allowed four hits, walked one and fanned six to earn his fifth win since joining the Stars. Travis Phelps took over in the ninth inning and walked Kevin Randel to start the frame before picking him off. He then struck out Jason Hill and Josh Pressley to end the game and earn his fourth save and third in the last nine games.

 

The series continues Thursday night with right-hander Yovani Gallardo making the start for Huntsville against Mudcats? left-hander Paul Mildren. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Steve Hammond Photo from the Stars' Site:

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/Hammond,%20Steve%2019t.JPG

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 12, Casper (Rockies) 4

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log:

Bill Rowe and Taylor Green with four hits apiece -- Green with three doubles and five RBI; Cole Gillespie a first-inning home run; eight of 17 H-Crew hits for extra bases; Brae Wright a strong relief effort; Roque Mercedes' start effective enough for a win, if not overly attractive numbers-wise...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_casrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Yankees blank Manatees

 

Chase Wright and Edwar Ramirez combined on a three-hitter as visiting Tampa blanked Brevard County, 3-0, on Wednesday.

 

Wright (10-3) allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two over seven innings to become the second 10-game winner in the Florida State League.

 

Ramirez, who lowered his ERA to 1.66, struck out two in two perfect innings to notch his first save and seal Tampa's fifth shutout.

 

The Yankees (29-24) scored all their runs in the eighth. Rudy Guillen led off with a double and scored on an error by catcher C.J. Medlin. Christopher Malec, who reached on a fielder's choice, stole home and Cody Ehlers hit an RBI single. Ehlers leads the FSL with 100 RBIs.

 

Manatees starter Robert Hinton yielded five hits and struck out five over six scoreless innings. Ben Stanczyk (8-4) was charged with one unearned run on one hit in 1 1/3 frames.

 

Milko Jaramillo, Alcides Escobar and Charlie Fermaint singled for Brevard County (21-30). -- Marissa Rega/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Stars within 2 1/2 games of first and not worried

Huntsville tries to tend to its own business and does it very well

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

The burgeoning pennant race into which Huntsville has lately entered was the subject du jour in manager Don Money's office two hours before game time. There was a consensus reached among Money, coach Sandy Guerrero and others:

 

Don't worry about anybody else.

 

The Stars need to take care of their own business.

 

Which is what they did Wednesday night in a 6-3 victory over the Carolina Mudcats, their eighth win in nine games and 17th in 22.

 

Want an eerie coincidence? On the anniversary of Elvis' death, Stars reliever Travis Phelps struck out a hitter named Pressley (Josh, the Mudcats' first baseman) to end the game.

 

As for the "anybody else" they're not worrying about, the Tennessee Smokies lost to Mississippi, enabling the Stars to close within 2 1/2 games of first in the Southern League North, with 19 games remaining, including tonight's 7:05 date with Carolina.

 

Confession time: Despite the philosophy in the manager's office, "We're keeping an eye on (the Smokies)," said starting pitcher Steve Hammond.

 

"We haven't been in second place all year, so it's like we're playing with a chip on our shoulder. We want to keep this run going," said catcher Lou Palmisano.

 

Hammond, a 24-year-old lefty from Visalia, Calif., allowed only three hits and struck out six in eight innings to improve to 5-4 since his midseason promotion from Class A Brevard County. He also slapped a two-run double.

 

The only damage he suffered came on a pair of solo homers by right fielder J.C. Muniz, the No. 8 hitter in the lineup, and one by pinch-hitter Jonathan Aceves.

 

(On Tuesday, starter Corey Thurman allowed only one run, on a homer, and drove in two runs with a double.)

 

"I didn't have my best stuff, but I was trying to make pitches, trying to hit spots all night," said Hammond. As for the home runs, "I was challenging guys with nobody on base and I made a couple of mistakes."

 

And, as for his own hit, "All I was trying to do was help out my own cause."

 

Carolina starter Manu Olivera didn't pitch poorly, but endured one of those dreadful innings that was like cutting yourself shaving. The ordeal began innocently enough, then it never seemed the bleeding would stop.

 

With one out in the second, he gave up a single to Jeff Eure, then drilled Drew Anderson with a pitch. Palmisano walked, then shortstop Ozzie Chavez walloped a 395-foot double to dead-away center field to drive home two runs.

 

Hammond, with two strikes against him, followed with his double over the third base bag, scoring Palmisano and Chavez. After a Steve Moss grounder advanced Hammond to third, Callix Crabbe plopped down a textbook bunt for a single, enabling Hammond to score.

 

In the Carolina eighth, Aceves homered, then Rex Rundgren walked - but only after play was delayed temporarily for Huntsville pitching coach Rich Sauveur to remove three bats of the winged variety that landed near home plate.

 

Then Chavez snared a Ryan Bear grounder to begin a nifty 6-4-3 double play that ended the inning.

 

Only a minute or so earlier, it had become official. Tennessee had lost.

 

Not that anybody's worrying about that.

[Mass Haas]

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chip Ellis

Tony Festa (9) of the West Virginia Power breaks up a double play as he slides into Hickory second baseman Shelby Ford.

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/Dads.jpg

[Mass Haas]

The Tennessean:

 

Love the love song: The news is starting to leak out about Dave Krynzel's interesting introduction music from Tuesday night.

 

The Sounds outfielder strolled to the plate in the second inning to the love song "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan.

 

But it wasn't his song of choice. He took a second before stepping into the batter's box, realized his teammates were playing a joke on him, laughed, then composed himself.

 

Moments later he hit a two-run home run.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Homers back gem from Jackson

By BRYAN MULLEN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Nashville decided it was time to break out the big bats to break out of a mini slump.

 

Coming off of a power-lacking June and July, the Sounds continued a power-packed August by slamming three home runs on Wednesday night to defeat New Orleans 7-2 in front of 3,948 at Greer Stadium.

 

"I think we have some different personnel than we did the last couple of months," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "But it's probably more of a trend that we're hitting more home runs. You never count on hitting home runs. It does more against the other team's thought process than anything."

 

The Sounds (66-59) never trailed. Chad Moeller drilled a solo home run in the second, followed by a two-run home run by Graham Koonce in the third and a solo shot by Andrew Beattie in the fifth.

 

Seven of Nashville's first nine hits went for extra bases, three for HRs.

 

Nashville starting pitcher Zach Jackson didn't need much help. He flustered New Orleans (65-59) throughout and tossed the first complete game of his career. Jackson (3-5) cruised, allowing only four hits and two earned runs.

 

"I had a stretch of rough starts so it's nice to get one under my belt and do my part for the team," said Jackson, also 2-for-4 with a double. "I was being aggressive with my fastball and throwing some good sinkers."

 

Jackson's complete game couldn't have come at a better time for the Sounds.

 

"We needed it after (Tuesday night's) game because we used a lot of guys in the bullpen and they threw a lot of pitches," Kremblas said. "That was huge for our pitching staff."

 

It was the eighth time this season a Sounds starting pitcher threw a complete game, tops in the Pacific Coast League.

 

Pitch and hit: Everything was working for Sounds starting pitcher Jackson, and not just on the mound. Jackson threw a complete game, allowing only four hits and two earned runs.

 

But Jackson also made some noise with the bat. In the second inning, he hit a double to right, marking the first extra-base hit of his career.

 

Quick pitches: Nashville has hit 17 home runs in 16 games this month. In June and July, the Sounds hit a total of 15 and 14, respectively. ?Beattie extended his hitting streak to six games. ? The home run by Moeller in the second inning was his first since May 18 when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers. It was also his first with Nashville. ? Entering Wednesday night, the Sounds had lost seven of their previous eight games at Greer Stadium and were 9-12 during their last four homestands.