Link Report Monday 7/17 -- Final Update Posted (Helena)

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu: Plenty of early-evening audio fare before the big boys play on the West Coast!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at Omaha (Royals), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: Idle

 

Brevard County: RHP Mike Jones (so says the Manatee site) at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link (opponent's) -- this game will be archived at this link as well:

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

 

West Virginia: RHP Shawn Ferguson at Lexington (Astros), 5:55 AM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: LHP Zach Braddock at home vs. Ogden (Dodgers), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: Idle

[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". 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_omaaaa_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lexafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_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

[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 51 42 .548 - 32-19 19-23 W4[/b] Iowa 48 45 .516 3.0 25-20 23-25 W8 Memphis 38 55 .409 13.0 20-27 18-28 L4 Omaha 37 57 .394 14.5 22-21 15-36 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 15 10 .600 - 10-5 5-5 W2 Tennessee 13 12 .520 2.0 8-7 5-5 L4 West Tenn 12 13 .480 3.0 7-3 5-10 L5 [b]Huntsville 10 15 .400 5.0 5-10 5-5 L3[/b] Carolina 9 16 .360 6.0 5-5 4-11 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 16 6 .727 - 10-5 6-1 W2 St. Lucie 13 9 .591 3.0 7-4 6-5 L1 Palm Beach 11 13 .458 6.0 5-3 6-10 L2 Jupiter 10 13 .435 6.5 6-9 4-4 W1 [b]Brevard County 9 13 .409 7.0 4-3 5-10 W1[/b] Vero Beach 9 14 .391 7.5 4-8 5-6 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 16 8 .667 - 9-2 7-6 L3 Lake County 14 9 .609 1.5 8-4 6-5 W2 Greensboro 12 11 .522 3.5 7-5 5-6 W3 Hickory 12 12 .500 4.0 6-8 6-4 W7 [b]West Virginia 10 13 .435 5.5 5-4 5-9 W1[/b] Lexington 10 14 .417 6.0 6-4 4-10 L1 Delmarva 7 16 .304 8.5 5-7 2-9 L2 Hagerstown 7 16 .304 8.5 5-12 2-4 L9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 17 7 .708 - 11-3 6-4 W3 Great Falls 13 13 .500 5.0 6-9 7-4 W3 Missoula 10 15 .400 7.5 4-6 6-9 L1 [b]Helena 10 16 .385 8.0 4-7 6-9 L4[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 14 5 .737 - 6-3 8-2 W1 AZL Royals 13 6 .684 1.0 6-3 7-3 W1 AZL Padres 12 8 .600 2.5 4-5 8-3 L3 AZL Mariners 11 9 .550 3.5 6-4 5-5 W2 AZL Angels 10 10 .500 4.5 8-7 2-3 W1 AZL Athletics 9 11 .450 5.5 4-5 5-6 W3 [b]AZL Brewers 8 12 .400 6.5 3-7 5-5 W1[/b] AZL Cubs 6 14 .300 8.5 3-6 3-8 L1 AZL Rangers 6 14 .300 8.5 3-6 3-8 L6

[Mass Haas]

Yo Gallardo named to the all high-A midseason Baseball America All-Star team (covers all high-A, not just the Florida State League):

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...61917.html

[Mass Haas]

From Friday's West Virginia Game Log (8th inning):

 

Mat Gamel hit by pitch.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Tony Festa replaces Mat Gamel.

 

Mat Gamel out of the starting lineup again tonight, his third game missed. Apparently Gamel was beaned, the force was enough to bust his helmet up near the ear flap, which sliced and bruised his ear up pretty good, to the point he can't safely place a helmet on at this time. Plenty of speculation that the HBP ws intentional on the part of the Lakewood pitcher, although you'd always have to question the intention of a head shot like that.

 

In case you've been looking for Mat in the lineup lately...

[Mass Haas]

A certain RHP is # 2 overall in BA's Prospect Hot Sheet this week, and dudes named Yo and Carlos make appearances as well:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...61968.html

[Never Outhustled]

Nice 1st start from Shawn Ferguson for West Virginia tonight, as he pitches 4 scoreless. Fergenson wasn't drafted until the 9th round this year, and signed for just $10,000. What a bargain. He pitched mostly in relief in college, spending time at 3 schools. His story sounds similar to last years steal, Steve Hammond, a 2005 6th round pick who's already in AA after signing for just $30,000 last year. Hammond was also a reliever in college at 2 different schools.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Vero Beach (Dodgers) 7, Brevard County 6

Brutal walk-off loss, as 'Tees surrender three in the 9th; they led, 6-2 going to the bottom of the 8th...

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log Link:

So Derek Miller won't be in the 'Tees rotation? Mike Jones seems to have this three-inning start thing down pat, but that's the nature of the Brevard rotation in 2006; Charlie Fermaint, Hernan Iribarren, and Ryan Crew reach three times apiece; Brendan Katin HR # 10...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-17.mp3

 

Final: Omaha (Royals) 5, Nashville 4

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2063

 

Sounds Open Road Trip With 5-4 Loss In Omaha

 

OMAHA ? The Nashville Sounds opened their road trip on a down note on Monday evening at Rosenblatt Stadium, falling 5-4 to the division-rival Omaha Royals in the opener of a four-game series.

 

Nashville (51-43) had its four-game winning streak snapped with the defeat, which dropped the club to 19-24 in road contests. The Sounds fell to just 5-19 on the year in one-run road games.

 

The Royals grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning against Nashville starter Ben Hendrickson. Justin Huber opened the frame with a double and scored on a Fernando Cortez double two batters later. Matt Tupman followed with an RBI single to double the Omaha advantage to 2-0.

 

Andres Blanco walked and Kerry Robinson singled to load the bases with one out against Hendrickson but the right-hander worked out of the jam without further damage by inducing a pair of popouts to escape the inning.

 

All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz (3-for-4) put the Sounds on the board in the top of the fourth with his second homer in two nights, a one-out solo shot to left off Royals starter Adam Bernero. The blast was his team-leading 18th of the season.

 

AUDIO: Nelson Cruz's 18th Home Run --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-17.mp3

 

Omaha right fielder Shane Costa answered the shot with one of his own, increasing the home club?s lead to 3-1 with a one-out blast to left in the bottom of the fifth off Hendrickson. It was his seventh roundtripper of the year.

 

The Sounds pulled within a run in the eighth when Jermaine Clark scored on a Kennard Bibbs groundout to make the score 3-2, but Nashville left the potential tying run 90 feet from when home when Bibbs was stranded on Dave Krynzel?s inning-ending double play grounder.

 

Justin Huber spotted the Royals a pair of important insurance runs in the bottom of the inning when he belted a two-run homer to right off Hendrickson for his 12th longball of the season. The blast, which chased Hendrickson from the game, increased Omaha?s lead to 5-2.

 

Nashville put together one last rally in the top of the ninth. Cruz opened the inning with a single and moved to second when Graham Koonce reached on catcher?s interference charged to Tupman. Vinny Rottino followed with a nine-pitch at-bat against Omaha reliever Bobby Keppel that culminated in an RBI single up the middle that brought home Cruz. After Chad Moeller?s forceout put runners on the corners with one out, Clark hit a comebacker to Keppel that plated Koonce to make it a 5-4 contest.

 

With Zach Sorensen standing on second as the potential tying run, Ozzie Chavez was retired on a hard liner right at first baseman Mike Coolbaugh to end the ballgame. The Sounds finished just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position on the evening.

 

Krynzel finished 0-for-4 for the Sounds to snap his season-best hitting streak at nine games.

 

Royals reliever Shane Loux (1-4) picked up his first victory of the year with three scoreless innings behind Bernero, who allowed one run on two hits over four frames before being removed due to a pitch count.

 

Keppel earned his first save for Omaha despite allowing three runs in his two innings of work.

 

Hendrickson (7-4) took a loss for the second straight start after allowing season highs of five runs and 11 hits in his 7 1/3 innings of work.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7:05 p.m. meeting on Tuesday evening. Current PCL Pitcher-of-the-Week Jared Fernandez (5-2, 2.28) takes the hill for Nashville to face Omaha right-hander Kyle Middleton (0-2, 3.45).

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Having Hendrickson pitch the 8th seems a bit dubious, after the fact, of course; Nelson Cruz' .879 OPS entering the game will shoot even higher...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_omaaaa_1

[And That]

Steve Bray may well yet be called up this year. He's been amazing since day 1 in AA.

[Mass Haas]

In progress: West Virginia 1, Lexington (Astros) 1, after 15 1/2 innings in Lexington

What incredible pitching -- I tuned in to Andy Barch's call to start the game nearly five hours ago, and while I admit switching to the Brewers' game, this has been incredible to follow, even via game log...

[And That]

Walk-off salami ends the Power game (and not for the good guys) in the 16th.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 6, Ogden (Dodgers) 4

Two hours, five minutes -- just a bit shorter than the Power game tonight...

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log Link:

Cole Gillespie reaches three times, steals two bases; Chris Errecart three singles; Taylor Green's hit streak ends at 17, the high in the Pioneer League this season; odd game, thanks to the Raptor defense, the Brewers scored six runs, yet drove in only one -- actually, when you read the game log, that box is incorrect in that regard; three hitless innings in relief for the 21-year-old righty, Jose Beltre; where's the big closer, Steve Palazzolo, been -- ailing?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Walk-off salami ends the Power game (and not for the good guys) in the 16th.

 

Wow, charge me with that loss -- waited all night to mention the proceedings...

[colbyjack]

Bump up Gillespie. He didn't enter the system with the same fanfare as Braun, but after about the same number of ABs Braun had with Helena a year ago, Gillespie is more than proving that he can handle Pioneer League pitching. The only reason he stays there for the rest of the year is to try and lead the H-Crew to a playoff spot. Otherwise, the WV outfield should not be blocking him.

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewer Minor League Hitting Coordinator Jim Skaalen (Select date for July 17th, it's at the 1:00 minute mark):

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lexington (Astros) 5, West Virginia 1, 16 innings

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Legends outlast Power

 

In the longest game in the history of Applebee?s Park in Lexington, Kentucky, the Legends beat the Power 5-1 on a walkoff grand slam from Mitch Einertson in the bottom of the 16th inning.

 

Lexington took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning on a two-out RBI single from Eli Iorg. Mike Bell answered quickly for the Power with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in the seventh inning to tie the game at 1-1. There was no scoring in the game again until Einertson?s walkoff grand slam in the 16th.

 

The Legends and Power used nine pitchers total. The starting pitchers Shawn Ferguson and Brad James combined to toss ten scoreless innings.

 

Garrett Murdy (5-1) pitched wo scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory, and Dane Renkert (5-4) pitched four scoreless innings of relief before giving up the grand slam to get the loss. The Power are 49-44 overall and 10-14 in the second half after the win while the Legends improved to 55-39 overall and 11-14 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Legends Tuesday night. Right hander Raymar Diaz (8-4, 2.36) will make the start for Lexington and the Power will counter with right hander Matt Kretzschmar (1-4, 6.20). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Kentucky.com notes:

 

The leadoff batter for West Virginia, Darren Ford, was the first batter in five innings last night. Sound bizarre? He also led off six different innings on July 9 when West Virginia visited Applebee's Park.

 

The Big Play

 

It was a foul ball in the fifth inning that came inches away from changing the game. West Virginia's Kenny Holmberg hit a deep shot to left field that appeared to be a home run, but the home-plate umpire ruled it a foul ball. With Michael Brantley on second base, the potential two-run homer would have prevented extra innings.

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log Link:

Unheralded RHP Josh Louis has impressed since joining the Power; some ugly hitting lines, as expected from this outcome...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lexafx_1

[homer]

Quote:

---

Bump up Gillespie.

---

 

I agree. Haven't the Brewers traditionally made several moves in August for stretch runs?

[bork]

Could they be waiting for Helena's first half to end? There are only 11 games left in the half.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...806_02.txt

 

Brewers take advantage of Ogden errors

By TOM STUBER - Independent Record Sports Writer

 

All the Helena Brewers wanted to do was play some small ball, but with the Ogden Raptors playing foul ball it turned into just a plain 'ball' for the Brewers and their fans.

 

The Raptors stunk up Kindrick Legion Field making errors on successive sacrifice bunts in the seventh inning as Helena rallied for four runs en route to a 6-3 win.

 

"The guys did a nice job getting the bunts down," Brewers manager Ed Sedar said from inside a sweltering Helena clubhouse. "Unfortunately for (Ogden) they didn't turn them into outs."

 

Helena, now 11-16, got a leadoff walk by Andy Bouchie and a single by Chris Errecart.

 

"With guys on first and second and down two I just wanted to move them over and bring in some good hitters in that situation," Sedar added.

 

He got way more than he bargained for as the Raptors kept going to third for the lead out.

 

Chuckie Canfield's bunt was fielded by Ogden pitcher Miguel Sanfler, who promptly threw the ball into leftfield foul territory allowing Bouchie to score.

 

The next batter, Carlos De La Cruz, then rolled one to first baseman Eduardo Perez and he threw one even deeper into foul grounds.

 

Two runs scored on Perez's error and Helena was up 4-3. Garry Savas bunted De La Cruz to third and Brad Miller chased him home with a sacrifice fly.

 

"It's always good to win," Sedar said. "We didn't play bad on our road trip. We lost three one-run games and just didn't get the key hits."

 

Helena survived a ninth inning scare when closer Chris Toneguzzi loaded the bases with no outs, then sat down the next three batters.

 

"It wasn't a high energy performance for (Toneguzzi)," Sedar said. "If he continues that way he won't find himself in those spots."

 

Helena scored just one earned run in the game and even that was aided by a poor play by Ogden. Cole Gillespie came home in the eighth when Sanfler uncorked a wild pitch.

 

Helena scored in the fourth on an error by centerfielder Jeremy Brown.

 

The Raptors took the lead in the fifth on Carlos Medero RBI single and a two-run homer by Brown, who made up for his error.

 

The Helena clubhouse was nothing short of abysmal after another hot day in the Capital City.

 

The lack of ventilation had several of the players and coaches reluctant to enter the clubhouse facility.

 

"This is just great, isn't it?" Sedar asked rhetorically.

 

But the win had him cracking a smile.

[JohnBriggs12]

In regards to Gillespie, I never really understood the Brewer philosophy of taking top of the line college players that played against the top college programs and starting them in the Pioneer League, that has guys less than two years removed from high school or just a year removed from junior college.

 

Yeah, I suppose they want them to taste immediate success and get comfortable with wood bats, but really I don't think it develops them to be facing lesser pitching than they often saw in college.