Link Report for Mon. 7/24 -- Helena Loses Wild One, 14-13

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Wilton Chavez at Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: Rehabbing LHP Jorge de la Rosa at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD at Clearwater (Phillies), 6:05 gametime; sorry, no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: LHP Dave Welch at Charleston (Yankees), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: LHP Brandon Parillo at Billings (Reds), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: RHP Jeremy Jeffress at the Giants' complex vs. the rookie San Fran kids, 12:30 PM Central time, 10:30 AM local, never any web audio for the Arizona League

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday'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_orhaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_clrafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_crdafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

 

Arizona Rookie:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_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 Sunday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 56 46 .549 - 32-20 24-26 L2[/b] Iowa 53 49 .520 3.0 30-24 23-25 W5 Memphis 40 62 .392 16.0 22-29 18-33 L5 Omaha 40 62 .392 16.0 25-26 15-36 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 17 13 .567 - 10-5 7-8 W1 Tennessee 16 14 .533 1.0 8-7 8-7 W2 West Tenn 16 14 .533 1.0 11-4 5-10 W3 Carolina 12 18 .400 5.0 8-7 4-11 L1 [b]Huntsville 12 18 .400 5.0 5-10 7-8 W1[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 19 9 .679 - 12-6 7-3 W1 St. Lucie 16 13 .552 3.5 9-8 7-5 L3 Palm Beach 13 18 .419 7.5 6-6 7-12 W1 [b]Brevard County 12 17 .414 7.5 6-5 6-12 L1[/b] Vero Beach 11 19 .367 9.0 5-10 6-9 L3 Jupiter 10 19 .345 9.5 6-12 4-7 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 21 9 .700 - 9-2 12-7 W1 Lake County 17 12 .586 3.5 9-5 8-7 W1 Hickory 14 16 .467 7.0 8-12 6-4 L1 Greensboro 13 15 .464 7.0 8-9 5-6 W1 [b]West Virginia 13 16 .448 7.5 7-6 6-10 L1[/b] Hagerstown 12 17 .414 8.5 5-12 7-5 W4 Lexington 11 19 .367 10.0 7-9 4-10 L5 Delmarva 10 18 .357 10.0 5-7 5-11 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 20 12 .625 - 11-4 9-8 W2 Great Falls 16 17 .485 4.5 6-9 10-8 L2 Missoula 15 17 .469 5.0 9-8 6-9 W1 [b]Helena 12 21 .364 8.5 6-12 6-9 L4[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Padres 16 9 .640 - 5-6 11-3 W1 AZL Giants 16 10 .615 0.5 8-5 8-5 L1 AZL Royals 16 10 .615 0.5 9-4 7-6 W1 AZL Mariners 14 12 .538 2.5 8-4 6-8 W1 AZL Angels 13 13 .500 3.5 10-8 3-5 L2 [b]AZL Brewers 12 13 .480 4.0 6-7 6-6 W3[/b] AZL Athletics 10 16 .385 6.5 5-7 5-9 L3 AZL Rangers 10 16 .385 6.5 6-6 4-10 W2 AZL Cubs 9 17 .346 7.5 5-7 4-10 L1

[Mass Haas]

Arizona Brewer left fielder Zach McAngus left today's Arizona Brewer game an inning after being hit by a pitch.

 

Jeremy Jeffress with two scoreless innings thus far -- keep it up, kid....

[Team Canada]

Jeremy Jeffress with two scoreless innings thus far -- keep it up, kid....

 

 

.. make that 4IP 1H 1BB 2K so far... (and 8:2 gb/fb)

 

 

edit: Final line: 6IP 3H 0R 2BB 4K, 12:2 gb/fb

 

What a boring game for the outfielders. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[pogokat]

Jeremy Jeffress with 4 shutout innings now...

[molitor fan]

Heck of a performance by Jeffress today. Since being drafted he has made quite the positive impression.

[brewmann04]

Great outing going 6 shutout Frames by Jeffress,Hopefully he keep tthis up and stay healthy.

 

Watch out Rodgers Jeffress comming on strong

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman batting cleanup in this week's Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...61998.html

[Mass Haas]

Early returns:

 

-- Nelson Cruz another extra-base hit (double)

 

-- JDLR with (9) nine! K's through four IP, two runs

 

-- The Manatee bullpen simply can't be expected to go six innings every night

 

-- Rain delay after five innings for the Power, but they're up, and it's official

 

-- Cole Gillespie back in the Helena lineup

[germanking]

What's even better for JDLR, 0 Walks through 4 innings so far!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Giants 4, Arizona Brewers 3

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score and Game Log Link:

Walk-off loss insignificant compared to Jeremy Jeffress' fine outing, as our daytime posters indicated above; converted infielder and developing closer Harold Mejia came within one out of saving the game; Canadian Craig Langille's ERA may be 1.00, but can't any Arizona reliever strand a runner -- three scored when Langille only needed one out; need to get Brent Brewer going offensively and defensively......

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

[wibadgers23]

Iribarren and N. Cruz continue to tear things up. Other than that, pretty quiet night in the minor leagues it seems like.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Clearwater (Phillies) 11, Brevard County 5

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log Link:

Brendan Katin 3-for-4, two doubles -- smokin'; Ryan Crew and Steve Sollman reach three times apiece; lefty Joe Thatcher a nice three-inning relief stint; losing Steve Hammond and Yo Gallardo pretty much decimated this staff, we'll see what is gained down the road long-term from having current or former 40-man members Jones, Parra, Pena, and Narron do their comeback thing here...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_clrafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 2, Charleston (Yankees) 0, five innings, rain

This Charleston is in South Carolina...

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

WELCH TOSSES COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT

 

In a rain shortened contest at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park on Monday night, Power lefty Dave Welch tossed a complete game shutout, in a five-inning 2-0 Power victory over the Charleston Riverdogs.

 

Lorenzo Cain singled into left field with Darren Ford on first base in the top of the first inning. The ball was booted by left fielder Estee Harris, allowing Ford to score the first run of the contest. In the top of the third inning Ford scored again on a sacrifice fly from Angel Salome.

 

Welch pitched himself out of two jams during the contest. In the first inning the Riverdogs had runners on second and third with nobody out, but Welch induced a groundout to third and then struck out the next two batters to end the threat. Welch recorded a two-out strikeout in the fifth inning, leaving two runners in scoring position again, which proved to be the game-winning strikeout.

 

The complete game shutout is the first this season for the Power, and it is their fifth shutout of the season.

 

Welch (3-6) earned the victory, and Wilkins Arias (6-6) got the loss. The Power are 53-46 overall and 14-16 in the second half after the win while the Riverdogs fell to 51-50 overall and 13-18 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will continue the four-game series against the Riverdogs Tuesday night. Right hander Erick Abreu (3-1, 2.66) will make the start for Charleston and the Power will counter with left hander Steve Garrison (4-3, 3.10). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log Link:

Darren Ford on base three times, scores twice -- that's the way to do it; Dave Welch worked around three errors in the five-inning stint to maintain the shutout, the miscues committed by two guys who have really struggled defensively -- SS Mike Bell and RF Lorenzo Cain...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_crdafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Zach Jackson:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-24.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 3, Nashville 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2075

 

Dickey, RedHawks Defeat Sounds, 3-2

 

OKLAHOMA CITY ? Nashville native R.A. Dickey led the Oklahoma RedHawks to a 3-2 victory over the Sounds on Monday evening at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in the finale of a six-game series between the clubs.

 

The loss resulted in a series split for the clubs with each team claiming three games apiece. Nashville (56-47) dropped its third straight contest and had its division lead reduced to just 2 ½ games over idle Iowa, its smallest margin since May 1st (also 2 ½ over Iowa).

 

Dickey (5-6) earned a win for his second straight start and improved to 4-11 in his career against his hometown Sounds. The right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits over a season-high eight innings of work.

 

The Sounds jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs against Dickey in the top of the first inning. After the first two batters of the frame were retired, Dave Krynzel drew a walk and scored when Nelson Cruz ripped a double into the right-field corner. Graham Koonce capped off the scoring when he plated Cruz with an RBI single to left to make it a 2-0 contest.

 

AUDIO: Nelson Cruz RBI Double --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-24.mp3

 

Cruz?s two-bagger, his first of two during a 2-for-4 evening, extended his hitting streak to five games and resulted in the slugger?s 72nd RBI of the season.

 

Wilton Chavez made his third spot start of the year for the Sounds and labored through a hitless, 34-pitch first inning. He walked the bases loaded with two outs before retiring Jamie Burke on a groundout to escape the jam unscathed.

 

Oklahoma again loaded the bases against Chavez in the second, jamming the bags with none out on three hits that did not leave the infield. The veteran right-hander worked out of the jam with minimal damage as the RedHawks managed only one run when Jason Hart scored on a double-play grounder. Chavez retired Drew Meyer on a lineout to end the frame with the Sounds holding a 2-1 lead.

 

The RedHawks, who had left five runners in scoring position over the first three innings of action, tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Joaquin Arias doubled home Anthony Webster to make it a 2-2 contest.

 

Chavez worked 3 2/3 frames for Nashville and allowed two runs on six hits and four walks while throwing 87 pitches.

 

Oklahoma took its first lead of the night at 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh when Laynce Nix brought home former Sound Adam Hyzdu with an RBI double against Nashville reliever Mike Meyers. Sounds catcher Chad Moeller was ejected in the middle of the first at-bat of the inning by the home plate umpire, Nashville?s second ejection in as many nights. Brent Abernathy was ejected from the nightcap of Sunday?s doubleheader.

 

The Sounds' bats went cold against Dickey after the first inning as they put only one baserunner into scoring position the rest of the ballgame. Cruz was stranded at second following a sixth-inning double.

 

Scott Feldman relieved the knuckleballer in the ninth and worked a scoreless inning to notch his third save of the year and second in as many nights against Nashville.

 

Meyers (3-5) worked the final 4 1/3 innings for the Sounds and took the loss after allowing one run on two hits while striking out three.

 

The Sounds return to Greer Stadium on Tuesday to begin an eight-game homestand with the 7:00 p.m. opener of a four-game series against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA-Rockies). Right-hander Dennis Sarfate (7-6, 3.64) will make the start for Nashville and face Sky Sox right-hander Sun-Woo Kim (5-4, 4.58).

 

Nashville Site Box Score and Game Log Link:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_orhaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 8, Birmingham (White Sox) 2

 

Huntsville Site Box Score and Game Log Link:

Both Carlos Lee's, the two brothers, had big nights tonight; reliever Gerrit Simpson deserves a crack at AAA one of these days; 1,049 in attendance on a summer Monday, certainly not spectacular for the AA level, but the Stars have had so many stinkers this year at home -- tonight's crowd rewarded; details from the Stars' site later on...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Congrats to Chris Errecart, the Pioneer League's Player of the Week:

 

.500 (14-28), 9 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1 SB, .517 OBP, .929 SLG

Errecart has hit safely in eight straight games, during which time his average increased from .229 to .290. The 20-year-old has bashed four home runs over his last 20 at-bats, after hitting just one over his first 104. Errecart homered twice against Ogden on Wednesday, and went 3-for-4 with a homer and four runs scored in Saturday's 16-9 loss against Orem.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=935

 

Lee Powers Stars Past Barons

 

Carlos Lee collected three hits, including a three-run home run that capped a five-run fifth inning rally, as Huntsville beat Birmingham 8-2 Monday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars won their second straight game to improve to 13-18 in the second half, while the Barons slipped to 15-16 and remained three games behind South Division leader Jacksonville, which fell to Montgomery. The Stars now lead the season series nine games to seven.

 

Micah Schnurstein doubled to lead off the third inning, moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a Michael Myers double to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Myers stole third base and scored when Pedro Lopez singled through a drawn-in infield to double the Birmingham advantage.

 

Huntsville tied the game in the bottom half of the inning against Adam Russell, making his third start at the double-A level after going 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 17 starts at high class-A Winston-Salem. With runners at second and third, Callix Crabbe hit a ground ball to first baseman Corey Smith, who charged in, fielded the ball and threw wildly past the plate in an effort to cut down Guilder Rodriguez, who scored along with Steve Moss.

 

Lee singled with one out in the fourth, stole second and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Travis Ezi with two outs. Ron Acuna singled with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to break an 0-for-11 drought and knock in two runs to push the home team?s lead to 5-2 before Lee slammed a 3-2 offering from Russell over the wall in left field for his first home run with the Stars. Lee had spent his entire career in the White Sox organization before being released earlier this season after picking up one hit in seven at-bats with the Barons.

 

Stars? starter Jorge De La Rosa was charged with two runs on six hits over five frames in his sixth and final rehab start. He struck out nine, including the side in the first inning, and finished 3-1 with Huntsville. Gerrit Simpson tossed three scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit, issuing two walks and striking out one. Khalid Ballouli retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth to close the game.

 

The series continues Tuesday night with left-hander Steve Hammond starting for Huntsville against Barons? right-hander Lance Broadway. 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.

[And That]

Cole Gillespie is in the game tonight for Helena in CF, ending his 3-game hiatus from game action. Drew Anderson, however, is still not anywhere to be found in the Huntsville box score.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Billings (Reds) 14, Helena 13

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Mustangs close in on playoff spot with win

By BILL BIGHAUS

Of The Billings Gazette Staff

 

There was two pieces of good news involving the Billings Mustangs on Monday night.

 

Danny Dorn socked a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Mustangs survived a season-high 13 walks in outlasting the Helena Brewers 14-13 and clinching at least a tie for the Pioneer League's Northern Division first-half championship.

 

Earlier in the evening, the Billings City Council, in a 10-1 vote, also approved a resolution seeking voter approval for a $12.5 million bond issue for a new stadium to replace the aging Cobb Field. The bond issue will be on the November ballot.

 

In running their season record to 21-12, the Mustangs pounded out 12 hits - including Dorn's first professional home run. But seven Billings pitchers surrendered the 13 walks - four of them coming with the bases loaded.

 

The Mustangs persevered, however, and now lead second-place Missoula (16-17) by five games with five games remaining on the first-half schedule. Missoula eliminated Great Falls from the race with a 6-5 win in 11 innings over the White Sox on Monday night.

 

Any Billings win or Osprey loss over the next five games will secure the automatic playoff berth for the Mustangs.

 

"It wasn't real pretty at the end," Billings manager Rick Burleson said at the conclusion of Monday's 3 hour, 39 minute marathon.

 

"We did a nice job in certain situations offensively to get the job done tonight to build the lead after we were down 5-0," he added. "And our pitching has been good most of the year, but we walked 13 guys tonight and that's not going to get it done on a nightly basis.

 

"The guys just need to relax, let it go and let their talents take over and not try to force pitches," said Burleson. "They all have the ability or they wouldn't be here. They big thing is a couple guys were aiming the ball a little bit late in that game. You can't do that and be successful."

 

Dorn, who entered the game in the second inning after Maikol Mesa was injured in a collision with Helena first baseman Bill Rowe while beating out an infield hit, helped saved the day with his timely homer.

 

"It was a change-up," said Dorn. "It kind of actually fooled me. I just tried to stay through it. I got a good piece of the bat on it and I was fortunate that it went out."

 

Besides putting Billings ahead for good, Dorn also came away with a neat souvenir - the home-run ball.

 

"It was cool," said Dorn. "A guy in the stands actually yelled down to me and threw me the ball. It's pretty cool that I could have that ball and I'd like to thank that fan."

 

Helena, which entered the game with a four-game losing streak, used a three-run homer by Andy Bouchie and a two-run single by Taylor Green to build a 5-0 cushion in the second inning. The Brewers, in the fifth inning, benefited from three-straight bases-loaded walks to move ahead 8-5.

 

Billings, however, took the lead for keeps, 10-8, in the bottom of the fifth.

 

A sacrifice fly by Logan Parker and Chris Heisey's steal of home - his third of the season - pulled the Mustangs to within 8-7. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Dorn then swatted a 1-0 pitch from reliever Travis Wendte over the right-field fence to give Billings its first lead at 10-8.

 

The Mustangs stretched that advantage to 14-8, but the Brewers refused to go away.

 

Helena used four walks, a throwing error and a passed ball to score four times in the eighth, closing the gap to 14-12.

 

In the ninth, the Brewers took advantage of two walks and a bunt single by Stephen Chapman to quickly fill the bases against Billings reliever Jamie Arneson.

 

After Arneson got Chris Errecart to swing at the first pitch and pop out to catcher Rey Gonzalez, Cole Gillespie singled to center field to score Chuckie Caufield and make it a 14-13 spread.

 

But Bouchie then hit into a 6-4-3 double play to give Billings the crazy win.

 

"It was a wild game," said Dorn. "It just shows that you can never take anything for granted in this game. You get a lead and you have to keep playing every single inning and every single pitch. We were fortunate enough to pull it out at the end with the double-play ball, but it was a little tight there for a little bit."

 

Shortstop Chris Valaika batted 3-for-4 for the victors, while Dorn had a double to go along with his home run.

 

"We did have a nice offensive night," said Burleson. "Our guys dug down deep at the end. We got the big pop up and the double play and we end up coming away with the W. It wasn't pretty, but they got it done."

 

There were 20 walks in the game - 10 of them coming on 3-ball, 2-strike counts.

 

Both teams rapped 12 hits, but the Brewers also committed three errors.

 

"(Hitting coach) Jeff Young coached third tonight," Burleson noted afterward. "He's won three in a row down there. He scored two touchdowns for us. That's what it took to win."

 

NOTES: This is the sixth time this season the Mustangs have won three straight games. They haven't won four consecutive, however. ...The Mustangs and Brewers will continue their three-game set tonight at Cobb Field at 7 p.m.

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log Link:

The three Helena moundsmen all struggled; Andy Bouchie reached four times...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

 

Photo by Stephen Brashear / Billings Gazette Staff

Billings Mustangs base runner Chris Heisey breaks up the double play as Helena Brewers second baseman Taylor Green throws to first during play at Cobb Field Monday.

 

http://www.billingsgazette.net/content/articles/2006/07/25/sports/local/27-mustangs.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Lees clean up, especially for Stars

Huntsville's Carlos outshines brother in 8-2 victory

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

Now that big league pitcher Jorge de la Rosa has completed his rehabilitation stint with the Stars, leaving as the winner in Monday's 8-2 Huntsville victory over Birmingham, he heads to Milwaukee to rejoin the Brewers.

 

As de la Rosa does so, he'll be teamed up with Carlos Lee ... after having been teamed up with Carlos Lee.

 

The Brewers' All-Star outfielder Carlos Lee, who blasted a two-run homer in Milwaukee's romp Monday, was outdone by his brother, also named Carlos, who was employed as Huntsville's DH.

 

Carlos Humberto Lee had a three-run homer, a pair of singles and an uncharacteristic stolen base (nine in six years), scoring twice for Huntsville against the team with which he began the season. It was part of a 10-hit barrage for the Stars - matching their average against Birmingham in their last 11 meetings.

 

By the way, Carlos Noriel Lee, the Brewers' slugger, was also 3-for-3 - but with no stolen bases.

 

"It's hard, because I played with the White Sox (organization) for five years and they released me," Lee said.

 

"I knew his adrenaline would be flowing a little more," said manager Don Money, who was giving Lee only his third start since he joined the team July 12.

 

De la Rosa, who struck out nine in five innings, allowing six hits and a pair of runs in ending his Huntsville career at 3-1, wasn't the only pitcher leaving town.

 

The Barons' Tyler Lumsden was snoozing in his motel room Monday afternoon, the TV tuned to ESPN. He heard the voice of analyst Tim Kurkjian call his name ... or was he dreaming?

 

His first thought, Lumsden would later tell Birmingham broadcaster Curt Bloom, was, "Is there another Tyler Lumsden?"

 

It was no dream. It was a report that Lumsden (9-4, 2.69 ERA in 20 starts), one of best prospects in the White Sox system, had been traded to Kansas City for major league reliever Mike MacDougal, a future-mortgaging move to bolster the Chicago bullpen for the pennant drive. Lumsden was scheduled to pitch Thursday, then the ex-Clemson star was to have met with a group of Clemson alums at a picnic before Friday's game here.

 

After falling behind 2-0, the Stars tied the game in the third. Steve Moss ended an 0-for-15 skid with a one-out double, then he and Guilder Rodriguez scored when Callix Crabbe bounced to first baseman Corey Smith, who threw wildly home.

 

J.C. Boscan singled in Lee in the fourth, then a two-run Ron Acuna double - ending an 0-for-11 streak - and Lee's homer gave Huntsville an 8-2 lead in the fifth.

 

Lee was 1-for-10 coming in, but had been working faithfully with hitting coach Sandy Guerrero to iron out some things.

 

"It was fun," he said. "I hit a home run against my ex-team. It's hard (not playing regularly). I play one or two games a week, but when they put me in the lineup, I'm going to do the best I can."

 

"You get in and do your job, it might mean you get another chance to play tomorrow," said Money.

 

To that end, "Lee, DH," is already penciled in the Huntsville lineup.