Link Report for Games of Friday, July 7th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at Round Rock (Astros), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:10 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Mike Jones at Jupiter (Marlins), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.jupiterhammerheads.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Dave Welch at home vs. Asheville (Rockies), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: RHP Mike McClendon at home vs. Billings (Reds), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, 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. It's sweet!

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_jupafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_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

 

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Thursday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 46 40 .535 - 28-19 18-21 W3[/b] Iowa 41 45 .477 5.0 22-20 19-25 W1 Memphis 36 50 .419 10.0 18-26 18-24 L3 Omaha 34 53 .391 12.5 19-20 15-33 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 11 7 .611 - 6-4 5-3 L1 Tennessee 11 7 .611 - 6-2 5-5 L1 West Tenn 10 8 .556 1.0 5-3 5-5 W1 Carolina 8 9 .471 2.5 5-5 3-4 W1 [b]Huntsville 7 11 .389 4.0 3-7 4-4 L1[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 10 3 .769 - 6-3 4-0 W1 St. Lucie 10 3 .769 - 5-1 5-2 L1 Palm Beach 6 8 .429 4.5 3-2 3-6 W1 Jupiter 5 9 .357 5.5 4-5 1-4 L1 Vero Beach 5 9 .357 5.5 1-5 4-4 L1 [b]Brevard County 4 8 .333 5.5 2-3 2-5 W1[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 10 5 .667 - 6-1 4-4 L1 Hagerstown 7 7 .500 2.5 5-5 2-2 W2 Lake County 7 7 .500 2.5 4-3 3-4 L1 [b]West Virginia 7 7 .500 2.5 4-2 3-5 L1[/b] Greensboro 7 8 .467 3.0 3-4 4-4 W1 Hickory 5 10 .333 5.0 4-7 1-3 L4 Lexington 5 10 .333 5.0 4-3 1-7 W2 Delmarva 4 9 .308 5.0 2-2 2-7 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 11 5 .688 - 6-2 5-3 W3 Great Falls 8 8 .500 3.0 3-5 5-3 L3 [b]Helena 7 10 .412 4.5 3-6 4-4 L1[/b] Missoula 6 9 .400 4.5 3-4 3-5 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 8 4 .667 - 3-3 5-1 L3 AZL Mariners 8 4 .667 - 4-1 4-3 L1 AZL Royals 8 4 .667 - 3-3 5-1 W3 AZL Padres 7 5 .583 1.0 3-3 4-2 W2 AZL Angels 6 6 .500 2.0 4-4 2-2 W3 [b]AZL Brewers 5 7 .417 3.0 2-4 3-3 W1[/b] AZL Rangers 5 7 .417 3.0 2-3 3-4 L4 AZL Athletics 4 8 .333 4.0 2-3 2-5 L3 AZL Cubs 3 9 .250 5.0 1-6 2-3 L1

[Rob]

Encouraging to see Jones finally starting again. Expectations for him? I would just like to see him pitch the rest of the year without getting hurt. If he does that I think that's a success.

[AzBrew]

Help !!! Anyone know how I can get the Brevard County game? I am not able to get it on the jupiterhammerheads link (365.com) Box scores show the game is going on... Thanks

[plowjockey]

Jones tossing a shutout thru 5. Nice.

[rousieboy]

Can you listen to games on www.live365.com???

[plowjockey]

Nope, can't get the stream from Hammerheads.

[colbyjack]

Ok, laugh away...I mentioned a few weeks ago that Gillespie's presence alone would affecct the way the rest of the Helena lineup got pitched to. So, is it coincidence that Errecart & Rowe hit their first HRs of the season during Gillespie's first game?

 

Ok, a stretch, but I'm serious, I think his inclusion means much better things from here on out for the H-Crew.

 

An interesting note that Gillespie, Rowe, Errecart and Clem were four of the more feared hitters in the Pac-10 this year. If Clem doesn't go on the DL (I just checked the transaction thread to see if I missed something), along with another college (non-Pac-10) outfielder Chuckie Caufield, the team doesn't have enough spots for those four Pac-10 sluggers to play everyday together at the same time. Which makes me wonder if Gillespie might be moving up with a strong month of July (although WV's outfield doesn't seem to have any openings either).

 

As always, it's a good problem to have.

[chowyo123]

I dont know if this is encouraging or what.

 

CS: McEwing (3, 2nd base by Hendrickson/Rottino, V), Rodriguez, M 2 (5, 2nd base by Hendrickson/Rottino, V, 2nd base by Hendrickson/Rottino, V).

 

And yes, Rottino is catching. Maybe Hendrickson is just that quick to the plate?

[Mass Haas]

Catching up from Thursday:

 

Thursday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with outfielder Chuckie Caufield (Select date for July 6th, skip to the 1:00 minute mark):

 

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

 

Friday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with first baseman Bill Rowe, played with the national champs at Oregon State (Select date for July 7th, skip to the 6:00 minute mark):

His last name is pronounced "Rau"...

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 6, Billings (Reds) 5

Walk-off walk!

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...806_01.txt

 

Brewers batter Billings with three homers

By TOM COTTON - Independent Record Sports Editor

 

The Helena Brewers used the long ball Friday night to keep up with the Billings Mustangs, but they won the Pioneer League game with small ball.

 

Helena cracked three home runs Friday, but the biggest at bat of the night was Andy Bouchie?s in the bottom of the ninth. The catcher from Riverside, Calif., drew a bases-loaded walk with no outs to drive home the winning run. He worked the count full and Billings pitcher Luis Moya?s offering went wide, sending home Chuckie Caufield from third. It was the fifth walk issued by Mustangs pitchers in the final two innings.

 

The win was the fourth in the last five games for the resurgent Brewers who now are 8-10 on the season. They are 3 1/2 games behind the North Division leading Mustangs.

 

Helena?s offense which was stagnant in an 8-0 loss on Thursday pounded out 11 hits Friday, including the three round trippers.

 

The Mustangs jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but Helena tied the contest up again in the fourth with back-to-back home runs by Chris Errecart and Bill Rowe.

 

Errecart blasted a pitch by starter Misael DeJesus over the left-field wall to bring home two runs and Rowe followed that up with a solo shot that went to almost the exact same spot at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Rowe, a free agent pick up from College World Series champion Oregon State, has been with the Brewers for three days. He joins former Beaver teammate Cole Gillespie who came to Helena on Friday.

 

Rowe went 1-for-2 in the game and drew two walks in the contest. Gillespie drew a key walk in the ninth inning.

 

?I expect good things from both of them,? said Helena manager Ed Sedar said. ?They are coming back from what is a thrill of a lifetime for them.?

 

After the fourth inning, the Brewers fell behind by a run on two different occasions only to tie the game up each time.

 

In the fifth, Billings third baseman Jason Lowsma rapped an RBI double to put Billings up 4-3, but Helena responded with an RBI single by Bouchie in the bottom of the inning.

 

Billings went back on top again in the sixth with an RBI single by Logan Parker, but Helena knotted the contest up in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run by Stephen Chapman.

 

?We have been preaching to Chapman to go the other way he has been practicing it in BP,? Sedar said. ?It kind of surprised him, but he struck the ball well.?

 

The home run was Chapman?s second of the year.

 

Among all of the offensive fireworks was a stellar performance by Brewers? reliever Christopher Jean.

 

Jean earned his second win of the year by pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out two.

 

?All of his pitches were down in the zone,? said Brewers pitching coach Mark Littell said about Jean, who pitched for Helena last year. ?He changed speed and got off the mound quick.?

 

The two teams will meet again tonight for the final game in a three-game series. Friday?s probable pitchers are Sean Watson for Billings and Zach Braddock for Helena.

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log Link:

Cole Gillespie walks twice and steals a base in his pro debut; Andy Bouchie reaches in all five plate appearances...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Asheville (Rockies) 5, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER RALLY FALLS SHORT

 

The West Virginia Power scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday night?s game against the Asheville Tourists at Appalachian Power Park, but it was not enough to beat the Tourists who won 5-3 and took three of four games in the series.

 

Phil Cuadrado started the scoring in the fifth inning with a solo home run, his sixth of the year. Cuadrado struck again in the seventh inning on an RBI single and he scored later in the seventh on a base hit from Michael Paulk.

 

The Power scored their first run in the bottom of the seventh on Ned Yost?s second triple of the game which plated Mike Bell. In the eighth inning Cole Garner doubled in Dexter Fowler and Garner scored later in the inning on Lorenzo Cain?s error in right field.

 

Down 5-1 going into the ninth inning, the Power took advantage of two Asheville errors and scored twice. Bell began the inning reaching on an errant throw from Jason Van Kooten and scored later in the inning on Paulk?s throwing error. Darren Ford drove in the final run on an RBI single, but was caught trying to steal second base to end the game.

 

Brandon Durden (7-2) earned the victory holding the Power in check allowing only a run on four hits through seven innings, and Dave Welch (2-6) obtained the loss despite allowing only one run on three hits through six solid innings, and Andrew Johnston (10) earned the save. The Power are 46-38 overall and 7-8 in the second half after the loss and the Tourists improved to 46-40 overall and 11-5 in the second half after the win. Attendance for the game was 6,337.

 

The Power will begin a two game series against the Lexington Legends at Applebee?s Park on Saturday night. Lexington will start right hander Raymar Diaz (6-4, 2.61) and the Power will start left hander Steve Garrison (3-2, 3.31). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2006070737

 

Asheville skipper enjoys APP visit

Verbal abuse slides off Mikulik?s back after taking three of four from Power

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

The visiting manager brought some new-found celebrity status to Appalachian Power Park this week.

 

The presence of Asheville?s Joe Mikulik, who gained national exposure for his prolonged and creative on-field tirade at Lexington two weeks ago, added spice to the Power?s four-game series with the Tourists.

 

And as it turns, Mikulik reveled in the frenzied APP atmosphere and even seemed to enjoy the inevitable verbal abuse.

 

?You wish more ballparks were like this,?? said Mikulik, sitting in the visiting manager?s office after the game. ?It?s almost like a college atmosphere. It?s good for baseball.??

 

It helped, of course, that Mikulik?s Tourists clearly outplayed the Power, whipping the home team 5-3 Friday night before a crowd of 6,337 to give them three victories in the four-game series.

 

Much of the abuse came from the area near the Asheville dugout, where Rod ?The Toastman?? Blackstone serves as in-house instigator and, among other things, stirred things up this week by waving a gigantic photograph showing Mikulik berate South Atlantic League umpire Andy Russell.

 

Things are different at Appalachian Power Park, said Mikulik.

 

?There?s no other place in baseball as tough as this place, no doubt about it,?? said the Asheville manager. ?They?ve got a 12-foot poster of me. I?m not going to see that anywhere. And it?s all in good fun, and that?s the way I accept it.??

 

After wrapping up the victory, the Tourist players gathered near Blackstone and regaled him with ?You are toast,?? mimicking the infective he dins into the ears of every opposing player who strikes out.

 

Mikulik, the dean of SAL managers with seven years in the league, told his players in advance that APP would be a tough place to play, especially in the aftermath of his tirade and subsequent fine and suspension.

 

Hurricane, West Virginia native Daniel Carte, making his first visit as a professional to APP, got the message on Tuesday when the Asheville team bus made its way to the ballpark for the first game of the series.

 

?On the bus ride to the field,?? said Carte, ?[Mikulik] got on the intercom on the bus and told us that [blackstone] would be on us all the time and that it was all in good fun and to be professional about it.??

 

Said Mikulik: ?I forewarned the players before we got here to be strong-minded.??

 

Even Carte took some good-natured abuse from the fans, despite his distinction as the hometown boy.

 

?Obviously I had a lot of friends and family here rooting for me,?? said Carte. ?On the other end, I was a little more of a target. There was nothing horrible ? just the usual stuff like ?You stink? and ?Give it up.? ??

 

Asheville lefthander Brandon Durden, who also took some grief, limited the Power to four hits and one run through seven innings to pick up the win. The Power scored two runs in the ninth ? both unearned ? and left the potential tying runs on base when Darren Ford was picked off first to end the game.

 

POWER POINTS: The Power will open a series at Lexington tonight and won?t return to APP until July 15. ... The loss dropped the Power to 7-8 in the second half. ... Asheville?s Phil Cuadrado homered to left in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie and added an RBI single in the seventh. ... The Power entered Friday?s game with an average attendance of 3,883 to rank seventh in the league. ... The Power, which was limited to six hits Friday, entered the game with a league-leading .280 team average.

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log Link:

Rough night for Mat Gamel (0-for-4, four K's); Aussie lefty David Welch picks off two in the third inning; Ned Yost's one-out triple wasted in the 5th; Kyle Pawelczyk pitches well in his Power debut; leadoff double wasted in the Power 8th -- ugh; was it a caught stealing or pick-off to end it? Game log makes no mention of a pick-off -- Darren Ford trying to get into scoring position with two outs, not the worst idea in the world...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Power first baseman Ned Yost (right) takes a pickoff throw as Asheville?s Cole Garner gets back to the bag safely Friday night at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: M.K. McFarland

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 3, Jupiter (Marlins) 0

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Manatees shut down Hammerheads

 

Mike Jones, Ben Stanczyk and Sam Narron combined on a four-hitter as Brevard County blanked Jupiter, 3-0, on Friday at Roger Dean Stadium.

 

Jones allowed a pair of hits, struck out two and walked a pair over four innings before Stanczyk (5-2) yielded two hits and struck out two in two frames.

 

Narron followed with three perfect innings, striking out six, for his first save as the Manatees (5-8) posted their first shutout since June 19.

 

Kyle Phillips' two-run single highlighted a three-run seventh for Brevard County, which has won consecutive games for the first time since reeling off five in a row from May 31-June 5.

 

Gaby Hernandez (9-5) took the loss after surrendering three unearned runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

 

J.T. Restko singled and walked for the Hammerheads (5-10), who have dropped two in a row following a four-game winning streak. -- Michael Echan/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log Link:

Mike Jones' minor league option status forces him to be in Milwaukee to stay in 2008, so this is encouraging -- 2007 will be super-critical; Alcides Escobar was approaching .300 not long ago, now at .257; as indicated above, great efforts by Ben Stanczyk and in particular lefty Sam Narron...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_jupafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 10, Huntsville 5

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=911

 

Seven Run Seventh Sends Stars to Defeat

 

Gustavo Molina?s leadoff home run in the seventh inning triggered a seven-run explosion that carried Birmingham to a 10-5 come from behind win over Huntsville Friday night in the fourth game of a five-game set at the Hoover Met. The Barons, held to three runs in the first three games, improved to 11-8 in the second half and moved into a tie with Montgomery for the top spot in the South Division with their second straight win. The Stars slipped to 7-12 in the second half, 18-26 on the road and 31-57 overall.

 

Stars? starter Corey Thurman tossed five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out four before being replaced by Tim Dillard, who gave up two runs in the sixth inning that cut the Stars lead to 3-2. Thurman threw scoreless baseball for a fifth time this season without earning a win. Jeff Eure?s two-out, run-scoring single off of B.J. LaMura pushed the Stars lead to 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. LaMura earned the win, giving up a run on two hits and two walks in two innings of relief work behind starter Tyler Lumsden.

 

Molina belted Dillard?s second pitch of the frame over the wall in left field for his sixth home run of the year to trim the visitors lead to 4-3. Chris Getz singled with one out before Pedro Lopez hit a ground ball that was fielded by Ryan Braun, who threw past Callix Crabbe at second base into right field to allow Getz to advance to third base and Lopez to second. Ricardo Nanita grounded out to second base to score Getz to tie the game and move Lopez to third base. Corey Smith walked and Cory Aldridge singled to drive in the go-ahead run before Thomas Collaro followed with a single to plate Smith to make it 6-4. Dillard hit Micah Schnurstein to load the bases and was taken out of the game and replaced by Brett Evert, who walked Molina and Michael Myers to force in runs and gave up a single to Getz that drove in Schnurstein with the seventh and final run of the frame. The Stars also gave up seven runs in the seventh inning at home to West Tenn on June 15.

 

Dillard was charged with nine runs, three earned, on seven hits over an inning and two thirds after allowing just three runs over 30 2/3 innings over his last three starts and two outings in relief. He suffered the loss to snap a four-game win streak and has been tagged for 18 runs, 10 earned, on 24 hits over a dozen frames in two starts and tonight?s relief appearance by Birmingham.

 

Edwardo Sierra opened the ninth inning on the hill for Birmingham and gave up back-to-back doubles to Steve Moss and Crabbe that cut the home team?s lead to 10-5. Braun was hit by a pitch and Eure singled to load the bases with one out. Sierra then struck out Drew Anderson on three pitches and fanned Lou Palmisano to end the game and preserve the win for the Barons that squared the season series at seven games apiece.

 

The series wraps up Saturday night with left-hander Jorge De La Rosa making his third rehab start for Huntsville against Barons? left-hander Corwin Malone. 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.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/barons/birming...amp;coll=2

 

Seven-run seventh sparks Barons

SCOTT DUNCAN

Birmingham News staff writer

 

Through the first five innings Friday night, the Birmingham Barons looked like the team that scored just three runs total in the first three games of the five-game series with the Huntsville Stars.

 

But after a Stars' pitching change and help from the Stars' defense, the Barons' offense went from poor to proficient in a 10-5 Southern League victory over the Stars in front of 4,298 at the Hoover Met.

 

Birmingham's offensive production after five innings consisted of two hits - including a routine pop fly that Huntsville center fielder Steve Moss lost in the lights.

 

Huntsville starting pitcher Corey Thurman turned the game over to Tim Dillard at the start of the sixth inning, and Birmingham responded with two runs in the sixth and seven in the seventh.

 

"I think we all just stopped being so passive at the plate," right fielder Cory Aldridge said. "We got some good swings and didn't try to do too much."

 

Aldridge, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, is 7-for-13 with four RBIs through the first four games of the series.

 

"I still don't feel like I'm swinging the bat well," Aldridge said. "I'm not hitting the same amount of home runs that I usually do, but I'm focusing on contributing every time I get up there."

 

With the Stars (7-12) leading 3-0, the Barons (11-8) opened the bottom of the sixth inning with three consecutive singles, including an RBI hit by left fielder Ricardo Nanita. After Corey Smith walked, Aldridge brought home a run on a sacrifice fly to cut the Stars' lead to one run.

 

Huntsville got a run back in the seventh on an RBI single by first baseman Jeff Eure, but a two-run lead was not enough insurance.

 

Catcher Gustavo Molina started the bottom half of the seventh with a solo home run for the Barons. Twelve batters, eight hits, one Huntsville error and six runs later, Birmingham was in control of the game with a 9-4 lead.

 

"The starter was very dominant early on, and he kept us off balance," White Sox minor league hitting coordinator Nick Capra said. "But after the reliever came in, I saw a lot better at-bats and the guys were a little less anxious."

 

Capra, who was the Barons manager from 2000-2001, is filling in for manager Chris Cron, who is taking his three days of vacation time during this series.

 

Dillard, who pitched in the sixth and seventh innings, allowed nine runs, but just three were earned. He picked up the loss, dropping his record to 6-5.

 

B.J. LaMura got the win for the Barons, giving up a run in two innings of relief. LaMura is 5-0.

 

Second baseman Chris Getz was 3-for-5 with an RBI, and shortstop Pedro Lopez was 2-for-5 with two runs scored for the Barons. For Huntsville, Eure was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

 

After dropping the first two games to the Stars, the Barons have strung together back-to-back victories to even the series. With a win tonight against Huntsville, Birmingham can secure its fourth series win since the start of the second half of the season.

 

"An inning like the seventh can do a lot for our confidence, especially after the first few games of this series," Aldridge said. "Hopefully, it will carry over into (today), and we can build some momentum heading into the break."

 

Today's matchup with the Stars is the Barons' last game before the three-day All-Star break. The game is scheduled for 7:05 at the Hoover Met.

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log Link:

His error was huge, but Ryan Braun on base four times as his AA numbers quickly improve; that note about Corey Thurman pitching shutout ball five times without a win, is unfortunately, not surprising; Tim Dillard perhaps just not as comfortable out of the pen -- while Jorge de la Rosa is in Huntsville for an extended stay, is this a juggling act to limit Dillard's innings a bit? Khalid Ballouli also relegated to inconsequential work right now after some encouraging outings earlier...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Pitching Coach Stan Kyles:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-6.wma

 

Friday's Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Utilityman Vinny Rottino:

Interesting, plenty of "catching" talk...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-7.wma

 

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 2, Nashville 1

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Nelson Cruz photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2043

 

Sounds Drop Series Opener To Express, 2-1

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas -- The Nashville Sounds dropped the opener of a three-game series to the Round Rock Express, falling 2-1 on Friday evening at The Dell Diamond in a contest that featured three home runs to account for all the scoring.

 

Nashville (46-41) had its three-game winning streak snapped despite outhitting the Express in the contest, 5-3.

 

Sounds All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead with a solo home run to left in the top of the fourth inning off Express starter Jared Gothreaux, his team-leading 16th longball of the season.

 

AUDIO: Nelson Cruz's 16th Home Run --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-7.wma

 

Round Rock second baseman Brooks Conrad tied things up in the bottom of the frame with a two-out blast to right off Ben Hendrickson, the infielder's 11th roundtripper of the year.

 

The Express took the lead with another two-out tater, this one off the bat of first baseman Royce Huffman against Hendrickson in the bottom of the seventh.

 

Round Rock reliever Jailen Peguero (1-0) earned his first victory of the season with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief behind Gothreaux, who allowed one run on three hits in six innings.

 

Hendrickson (7-3) had his personal four-game winning streak snapped after taking the hard-luck loss in the contest. The Nashville right-hander allowed two runs on only three hits in his seven frames of work. His ERA stands at 1.84 through 13 starts on the season.

 

Express closer Travis Driskill worked a hitless ninth, fanning two batters, to notch his team-leading 12th save of the campaign.

 

The teams continue their series with another 7:05 p.m. matchup on Saturday night. The Sounds send right-hander Dennis Sarfate (6-5, 3.80) takes the hill to face Round Rock right-hander Chris Sampson (10-1, 2.64).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.statesman.com/sports/...press.html

 

Round Rock tops Nashville 2-1

Express batters solve Sounds ace Hendrickson

By William Wilkerson

AMERICAN-STATESMAN CORRESPONDENT

 

ROUND ROCK ? Ben Hendrickson had been a pain in the Express' caboose through his first two starts against Round Rock this season. And after three innings of Friday night's game at Dell Diamond, it looked as though Nashville's all-star right-hander was going to continue his stranglehold on the Express.

 

Hendrickson, who entered with the Pacific Coast League's best ERA at 1.77, had not allowed an earned run over 16 innings against the Express, and he had a perfect game going Friday with two away in the bottom of the fourth inning. Until Brooks Conrad wiped all that away with one swing.

 

Conrad hit his 11th home run of the season to tie the game at 1. Then Royce Huffman delivered the final blow with a solo homer in the seventh to give the Express a 2-1 victory.

 

"Scoring a couple of runs off of him is like scoring eight runs against someone else," Express manager Jackie Moore said.

 

The opening game of this three-game set was just as advertised, as the two teams with the top earned-run averages in the PCL lived up to their billing.

 

Nashville's pitching staff entered with a league-best 3.37 ERA, while the Express' hurlers came in right behind at 3.39.

 

Jared Gothreaux did his best to lower the Express' mark, but Nelson Cruz, who will be participating in the upcoming Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby, ended Gothreaux's flirtation with a no-hitter. He blasted his 16th home run over the left-field wall to make the score 1-0 in the fourth. Before Cruz's homer, Gothreaux had allowed only one base runner, walking Tony Gwynn to lead off the game.

 

"I know he feels better about himself and he should," Moore said of Gothreaux, who allowed three hits in six innings, "because he is getting better with every outing."

 

In the bottom half of the inning, it was the Express' turn to put an end to the no-hit paranoia.

 

Eleven straight Round Rock batters had been retired by Hendrickson before Conrad walked to the plate and came back to touch it with the game tied.

 

Gothreaux, who allowed a total of 13 hits and seven runs against Nashville in his two previous starts against the Sounds, gave up a single to Graham Koonce following Cruz's homer, but retired five straight afterward. He gave up a single to Hendrickson to lead off the sixth, but got out of trouble by inducing a pop fly and a double play to end his outing.

 

"He did a good job against a good pitcher, and went inning to inning with him," Moore said. "He did a heck of a job."

 

Note: On Sunday, two major-leaguers on rehab assignments will take the mound when the Milwaukee Brewers' Ben Sheets starts for Nashville and the Houston Astros' Brandon Backe goes for the Express.

 

"(The fans) have seen Roger (Clemens) and now Backe and Sheets," Moore said. "It doesn't get much better than that. Only in Round Rock."

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Bears repeating from above, Vinny Rottino nails all three baserunners trying to steal against him and Ben Hendrickson...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

[germanking]

What is up with this so far, Errors Braun, R (7)? If he has the tools to be a 3rd baseman, how come in 2+ weeks he has 7 errors already? I'm not going to give up on him, but we need to get some better coaching in the minors so our top prospects dont have to "figure it out" when they reach the big club ala Weeks.

[PrimeTime955]

Quote:

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What is up with this so far, Errors Braun, R (7)? If he has the tools to be a 3rd baseman, how come in 2+ weeks he has 7 errors already? I'm not going to give up on him, but we need to get some better coaching in the minors so our top prospects dont have to "figure it out" when they reach the big club ala Weeks.

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Braun isn't in AA for his glove.