Link Report for Games of Monday, July 3rd

[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 Dennis Sarfate at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: Rehabbing LHP Jorge de la Rosa at home vs. West Tenn (Cubs), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: Rehabbing RHP Tomo Ohka at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.daytonacubs.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Steve Garrison at Greenville (Red Sox), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:45 PM pre-game; 8:00 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: TBD at home vs. the tiny Angels, 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". 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_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_capafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_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 43 39 .524 - 28-18 15-21 W1[/b] Iowa 39 43 .476 4.0 20-19 19-24 L2 Memphis 35 47 .427 8.0 18-23 17-24 W2 Omaha 32 51 .386 11.5 18-20 14-31 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 9 5 .643 - 6-3 3-2 W3 West Tenn 8 6 .571 1.0 4-1 4-5 W3 Tennessee 8 6 .571 1.0 4-1 4-5 L1 Carolina 7 7 .500 2.0 5-4 2-3 W1 [b]Huntsville 5 9 .357 4.0 3-6 2-3 L3[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 8 1 .889 - 5-0 3-1 W8 Daytona 7 2 .778 1.0 3-2 4-0 W5 Palm Beach 5 5 .500 3.5 3-1 2-4 L1 [b]Brevard County 3 5 .375 4.5 2-3 1-2 L2[/b] Vero Beach 3 7 .300 5.5 0-3 3-4 L5 Jupiter 2 8 .200 6.5 2-4 0-4 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 7 4 .636 - 3-1 4-3 L2 Lake County 6 5 .545 1.0 3-1 3-4 W2 Greensboro 6 5 .545 1.0 2-2 4-3 W3 [b]West Virginia 5 5 .500 1.5 3-0 2-5 L1[/b] Hickory 5 6 .455 2.0 4-4 1-2 W1 Delmarva 4 6 .400 2.5 2-2 2-4 L2 Hagerstown 4 6 .400 2.5 4-5 0-1 W2 Lexington 3 8 .273 4.0 2-2 1-6 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 8 5 .615 - 4-2 4-3 L1 Great Falls 8 5 .615 - 3-3 5-2 W1 Missoula 6 7 .462 2.0 3-4 3-3 W2 [b]Helena 4 9 .308 4.0 2-5 2-4 L2[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 8 1 .889 - 3-1 5-0 W7 AZL Mariners 6 3 .667 2.0 3-1 3-2 W2 AZL Padres 5 4 .556 3.0 2-2 3-2 W2 AZL Rangers 5 4 .556 3.0 2-2 3-2 L1 AZL Royals 5 4 .556 3.0 2-3 3-1 L2 AZL Athletics 4 5 .444 4.0 2-2 2-3 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 3 5 .375 4.5 2-2 1-3 L1[/b] AZL Angels 3 6 .333 5.0 2-4 1-2 L1 AZL Cubs 1 8 .111 7.0 0-5 1-3 L3

[DHonks]

are we sure about De La Rosa? Didn't he throw on Thurs? Still, a fairly exciting group tonight

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Angels 12, Arizona Brewers 11

Remember, box score link above -- game log easy to find from there...

 

You'll see Carlos Lee's name in the box score -- we'll have more on that in the transaction thread shortly.

 

Holy cow, the A-Crew scores eight in the bottom of the 9th only to come up one run short!

 

Great to see 2006 2nd round pick Brent Brewer leading off and only a home run shy of the cycle - Brewer's triple was a three-run hit in the 9th; Anthony Wycklendt with three hits; latin pitchers Wily Peralta and Luis Jimenez with major troubles today; young Canadian Mark James still pitching his way around baserunners without allowing a run; as for the game log, it's a mish-mash early and late, with some nice clean play in the middle -- how many of the 16 in attendance stuck around until the end?

[Mass Haas]

Early updates:

 

Nashville: Dennis Sarfate allows seven hits and four runs in his first two innings, the log indicates it wasn't a beatdown, but still, nothing to cheer about

 

Huntsville: JDLR doesn't pay attention to baserunners, regardless of level

 

Brevard: 4.2 very strong innings for Tomo Ohka (one unearned run, no BB's)

 

West Virginia: Lefty Steve Garrison four shutout innings thus far -- my audio choice for the evening

 

Helena: Chris Jean will be your starter tonight

[plowjockey]

JDLR worked 4 innings with 1 hit and no runs last Thursday.

[wibadgers23]

Nice game so far for Irabarren. 3 for 5 with 3 rbi's. By the way, how do you pronounce his last name? I've always wondered.

[And That]

Nice game so far for Irabarren. 3 for 5 with 3 rbi's. By the way, how do you pronounce his last name? I've always wondered.

 

Sort of like "eerie-barren" only with clipped latin r's.

[bthurley19]

Only 3 days of rest might have affected JDLR a bit in his start but still not good. Ohka with a very nice start, hopefully we'll see him in AA in five days. Still very exciting with the big league club with a huge comeback win and with our injured pitchers on track to be back shortly after the all star break.

[And That]

Props tonight to Steve Garrison and Ryan Crew.

 

As many of you know, Garrison was one of my favorite picks from last year's draft due to his amazingly simple and clean lefty delivery. He repeats his delivery better than most college pitchers, and he's finding success because of it as a 19-year-old in A-ball. Every outing is better than the last. I'm not going to proclaim him the next Inman or Gallardo because he frankly doesn't have the stuff of either, but he's a gamer and a smart kid. I promised myself I wouldn't bring up Jaime Moyer, but, you know.

 

Ryan Crew has done nothing but be solid all year. He plays a bunch of different positions (including short) solidly, and he's not an ultra-old college guy - he turns 23 on the last day August. If he can continue to show solid defense and a knack for the strike zone, he may quickly turn himself into a legit utility prospect, ala a much younger and more physically gifted Chris Barnwell.

[Team Canada]

he's a gamer and a smart kid.

 

But is he a fighter and a hard worker?

[And That]

But is he a fighter and a hard worker?

 

He graduated from The Hun School. Take that as you will.

[DHonks]

He graduated from The Hun School. Take that as you will.

 

word has it that he had straight A's in the school's core curriculum, including Destruction, Bood Feuds, and both Raping and Pillaging.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Greenville (Red Sox) 1

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

GARRISON TOSSES GEM IN POWER VICTORY

 

Power lefty Steve Garrison pitched six scoreless innings in Monday night?s game against the Greenville Drive at West End Field in Greenville, South Carolina, and he was backed by five Power runs as the Power went on to beat the Drive 5-1.

 

In the first inning Darren Ford singled and moved to second base on Luis Soto?s error in right field. After advancing to third base on a passed ball, Ford scored on Lorenzo Cain?s sacrifice fly to give the Power a 1-0 edge. Two batters later, Tony Festa blasted his first home run of the season to give the Power a 2-0 lead. West Virginia added to that in the seventh on Angel Salome?s two-run double off the wall in center field. The Power scored their final run of the game in the eighth inning when Ned Yost homered over the mini green monster in left field. The Drive scored their only run of the game in the eighth inning on an RBI triple from Chris Turner.

 

Garrison (3-2) tossed six scoreless innings of five-hit ball and struck out four to earn the victory, while Clay Buccholz (4-3) obtained the loss. The Power are 45-35 overall and 6-5 in the second half after the win and the Drive fell to 43-39 overall and 8-4 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will begin a four game series against the Asheville Tourists at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday evening. The game will be followed by a fireworks show, and a concert featuring Shawn Camp and Keith Bryant. Asheville will start right hander Alan Johnson (7-3, 4.18) and the Power will start left hander Rafael Lluberes (4-3, 3.14). The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM (4:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score and Game Log Link:

Still tinkering with the format here...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_capafx_1

 

Andy Barch provided a great audio call as usual; both Tony Festa's and Ned Yost's HR's were apparently bombs, and Angel Salome's big double would have been out of any other Sally League park. Only Festa's first home run, though? Steve Garrison induced a huge inning-ending double play in the 5th with the bases loaded; second baseman Luis Bernal, in his first game since being promoted from Arizona, was in on a few very key defensive plays. The Power survive the road trip at 3-5, they're back home now, but July remains tough. West Virginia is home for nearly all of August, so if the boys can keep their heads over .500 this month, they'll be in great shape.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 11, Brevard County 7

Despite the final score, Tomo Ohka was A-OK...

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Muyco sparks Cubs win

 

Jake Muyco hit a grand slam and Matt Craig went 3-for-5 with four RBIs as Daytona rallied past visiting Brevard County, 11-7, on Monday.

 

The Cubs (7-2) were down, 5-1, in the sixth inning when Muyco forged a tie with his first homer of the year off reliever Robert Hinton.

 

Down, 7-6, in the eighth, Dayton rallied again as Jaemel Spearman delivered an RBI single and Craig came through with a three-run triple. Spearman went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored.

 

Reliever Tim Layden (4-1) pitched a perfect eighth for the win and Paul Schappert tossed a scoreless ninth.

 

Brendan Katin went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs and Hernan Iribarren added three hits and three RBIs for the Manatees (3-5).

 

Right-hander Tomo Ohka made his first rehab start as he recovers from a partially torn rotator cuff. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing an unearned run on six hits while striking out five for Brevard County.

 

Josh Alliston (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on two hits, three walks and one wild pitch while retiring two batters. -- Michael Echan/MLB.com

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-journalonline.co...070406.htm

 

Cubs rally, top Manatees

By KEN HORNACK

Daytona News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Chances are most of the Daytona Cubs never faced a major-league caliber pitcher like Tomo Ohka until Monday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

And Ohka has probably never seen a bullpen implode like the Brevard County Manatees relievers did over the last three innings.

 

The Cubs rallied from a 5-1 deficit with the help of a grand slam by Jake Muyco and a bases-loaded triple by Matt Craig and defeated the Manatees 11-7 to extend their winning streak to six games. All that damage came after Ohka, who was on an injury rehab assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, had been pulled during the bottom of the fifth.

 

In his first start since suffering a right rotator cuff strain two months ago, the 30-year-old righthander from Japan gave up six hits -- only one of which went for extra bases -- and recorded five strikeouts without allowing a walk.

 

"He had four pitches and command of the strike zone," said Craig, who lined an opposite-field single and reached base on an error in his two at-bats against Ohka. "He changed speeds well."

 

But a change of pitchers brought a change of fortune to the Cubs -- especially Muyco, who had only three hits in 24 at-bats since joining the Cubs until he clubbed a 1-0 pitch from reliever Robert Hinton over the leftfield fence with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth.

 

"If I'm looking for a pitch and I get it and don't miss it, sometimes it'll go out," said Muyco, a catcher who was promoted from Peoria after Jake Fox moved up to the Class AA level. "It's more of a mistake for me because I'm not a big power guy."

 

"He's been working extremely hard in the (batting) cages every day," Craig said. "He's working with Richie (Zisk, the Cubs' hitting coach) and taking lots of swings. And I'm ecstatic for the guy. It finally came through."

 

Hinton, Seabreeze High School graduate Bo Hall and Josh Alliston (0-2) combined to give up 10 runs -- all earned -- on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings. Alliston issued three walks during his two-thirds of an inning and was touched for a triple by Craig after a dribbler up the third-base line by Jemel Spearman brought home pinch-runner Aron Weston to tie the game at 7-7.

 

"In a tie ballgame with a runner on third and less than two out, you just want to find a way to get the runner in from third," Craig said. "And if you get the other two guys in, that's a bonus."

 

The 11 runs almost equalled the number the Cubs had scored in their previous four victories, two of which were by 1-0 scores.

 

"It's good to have our bats win a ballgame," Craig said. "The pitching has been doing great."

 

The Cubs wore yellow NASCAR-themed Nextel Cup jerseys for the first time all season. They will wear them again tonight against the Manatees in the second game of an eight-game homestand.

 

Brevard County Box Score and Game Log Link:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 6, Great Falls (White Sox) 1

Brewers strike out 12 times, but that's negated by key two-out RBI, clean fielding, and sterling pitching...

 

MiLB.com Game Summary:

 

Chapman, Brewers topple Sox

 

Stephen Chapman went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored to lead visiting Helena over Great Falls, 6-1, on Monday.

 

Chapman had an RBI triple in the fourth inning and added run-scoring singles in the fifth and ninth. He boosted his average back to .365 after going 1-for-7 in his previous two games.

 

Chris Jean (1-0) got the win for the Brewers (5-9), allowing one run on five hits while striking out three and walking one in five innings. Jose Romero picked up his first save, striking out two in the ninth.

 

Lee Cruz went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Great Falls.

 

Tyson Corley (0-2) took the loss for the White Sox (8-6), allowing two runs on two hits while striking out one and walking three in one inning. Great Falls used six pitchers.

 

Starter Kyle McCulloch, the Chicago White Sox' # 1 pick in the June draft, went four innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out one and walking one.-- Josh Cooper/MLB.com

 

Helena Box Score and Game Log Link:

Stephen Chapman moved into the # 3 spot in the lineup; J.R. Hopf 0-for-5, four K's; Chris Jean and Mike McClendon just fine; the Jose Romero era begins in Helena begins as advertised -- he comes in with the bases loaded and no one out in the 9th: pop out, strike out, strike out! I have convinced myself Jose Romero is Francisco Liriano in three years http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with Strength and Conditioning Coach Eric McMahon (Select date for July 3nd, skip to the 14:00 minute mark):

 

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

 

Catch Jose Romero's memorable H-Crew debut at the two-hour, 56-minute mark (new fact -- they say the southpaw is actually ambidextrous - seriously!)

Romero's probably much shorter than his listed 6'0" as well, stout, too, according to voice of the H-Crew Steve Wendt...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Cubs) 6, Huntsville 2

Seriously, the Stars would be better off if Tim Dillard was their DH during their his off days...

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=904

 

Moore and Gallagher Lead Jaxx Past Stars

 

Scott Moore hit a home run and knocked in a pair of runs to back the solid pitching of Sean Gallagher in West Tenn?s 6-2 win over Huntsville Monday night in the final game of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Diamond Jaxx won the last four contests to improve to 9-6 in the second half, while the Stars dropped to 5-10 in the second half and fell for a thirteenth time in 15 home meetings with the visitors. Huntsville has won four of its last 28 games at home and dropped to 13-31 at the Joe.

 

The Diamond Jaxx jumped on Jorge De La Rosa for two runs in the first inning on a Brian Doparik ground ball out and a two-out single by Miguel Negron, who has driven in 14 of his 16 runs against the Stars. Chris Walker's two-out single in the third inning pushed the visitors lead to 3-0.

 

Moore led off the fourth inning with a home run, his 14th of the season and fourth against the Stars. Walker delivered another run-scoring single with two outs to make it 5-0 and knock De La Rosa out of the game. The Brewers lefty, who blanked West Tenn on one hit over four frames on Thursday in his first rehab start, allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings to take the loss. Walker would finish with three hits, three stolen bases, two runs batted in and a run scored to celebrate his 26th birthday.

 

Tim Dillard took over for De La Rosa and allowed a run in the sixth on a two-out double by Moore, who has knocked in 16 of his 45 runs against Stars pitching. The Huntsville right-hander blanked the visitors the rest of the way on one hit and retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced in his second appearance in relief.

 

The Stars only two runs came in the fifth against Gallagher when Guilder Rodriguez walked, moved to third on a Dillard single and scored on a Steve Moss fly ball. Dillard advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Callix Crabbe ground out. Gallagher earned his third win in four starts at the double-A level, and second over the Stars, after yielding four hits and walking two. Andy Shipman retired all six hitters he faced on 14 pitches and Federico Baez retired the side in order in the ninth inning with 10 pitches.

 

The Stars open a five-game series Tuesday night in Birmingham with right-hander Travis Phelps taking the hill against Barons? left-hander Ryan Rodriguez. Coverage of the game begins at 5:50 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/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Unfortunately for Huntsville, Diamond Jaxx enjoy their visit

West Tenn leaves with fourth straight victory

By PAUL GATTIS

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, paul.gattis@htimes.com

 

Chris Walker even admitted it.

 

Leaving Huntsville is going to be sad.

 

"I really am," said the West Tenn leadoff hitter as he walked off the field at Joe Davis Stadium for the final time this season.

 

Who can blame him? If he played Don Money's Stars every game, Walker would be in the majors with the Chicago Cubs instead of riding buses in the Southern League with the Diamond Jaxx. He struck again Monday night, going 3-for-5 with a run scored, two RBIs and three stolen bases as the D-Jaxx won their fourth straight with a 6-2 victory before an announced crowd of 6,313.

 

This is how Walker spent the past five days in the Rocket City:

 

In 22 at-bats, Walker had eight hits (a .363 average), scored four runs, knocked in two runs and stole eight bases. And that's in addition to chasing down everything airborne in center field.

 

Just consider this fact: In all games this season excluding those against the Stars, Walker is hitting .270. But in 19 games against the Stars, Walker is hitting .403.

 

"Wow," Walker said with a laugh. "I didn't realize that. I just get really jacked up when I play these guys. I know a lot of them. I talk to Lou (Palmisano, the Stars' catcher) every time I come up to bat. I always talk trash to him."

 

By the time the series ended Monday night, Palmisano perhaps should have just been waving a white flag.

 

Of course, Walker had ample help last night and throughout the series. Scott Moore hit a solo homer - his 14th of the season and his second of the series - and drove in two runs while Carlos Rojas was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

 

And Sean Gallagher (3-1) pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits while the tandem of Andy Shipman and Federico Baez pitched three hitless innings of relief.

 

But Walker is the catalyst who came into the game 10th in the league in hitting, sixth in runs scored and first in stolen bases.

 

"(West Tenn manager) Pat Listach and (hitting coach) Tom Beyers tell me that when I get on base, the game changes," Walker said.

 

The first inning was a classic example. Walker led off the game with a single, stole second and third and scored on a groundout by Brian Dopirak.

 

Walker then singled in runs in his next two at-bats.

 

As for the Stars, the misery continues.

 

Not even Jorge De La Rosa (0-1), a Milwaukee Brewers reliever making a rehab start as he recovers from a finger blister, could help. He gave up seven hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings as the Stars fell behind 6-0 before they scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

 

And both of those runs came when outs were made. Guilder Rodriguez walked and scored when Steve Moss hit a sacrifice fly. And relief pitcher Tim Dillard singled, moved from first to third on a Gallagher wild pitch and scored on a Callix Crabbe groundout.

 

The Stars closed the 10-game homestand with a 3-7 record and lost the last four.

 

For the season, the Stars are 13-31 at home.

 

Who knows? As sad as Walker was to leave town, the Stars may be just as happy.

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Yawn...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Hitting Coach Gary Pettis:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-3.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 6, Nashville 4

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Dennis Sarfate in holiday jersey photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2036

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds took a loss in the finale of their eight-game homestand on Monday evening, falling 6-4 to the Round Rock Express in front of 9,963 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville (43-40) dropped its second consecutive home series and finished with just two wins in eight games on the homestand, the Sounds? first with a losing record this season.

 

Round Rock (52-32) upped its PCL-leading record to a season-best 20 games over .500.

 

Sounds starter Dennis Sarfate (6-5) continued his recent struggles and took his third consecutive loss after giving up six runs (five earned) on 11 hits over four innings of work. The right-hander?s ERA in his last three outings sits at 11.25 (15 ER / 12.0 IP).

 

The Nashville offense also continued its recent struggles, especially in the clutch. Sounds hitters combined for an 0-for-10 night with runners in scoring position, failing to cash in on several scoring opportunities in the late innings.

 

Round Rock plated two runs in each of the first two frames against Sarfate before shortstop Cody Ransom upped the lead to 5-0 in the third with a two-out solo homer to left, his eighth roundtripper of the season.

 

Express third baseman Joe McEwing, who paced Round Rock with a 4-for-5 evening, increased the visitors? lead to 6-0 with an RBI single in the fourth, Sarfate?s final inning of work.

 

Following Sarfate?s departure, a pair of Nashville relievers combined to hold the Express in check, allowing only one hit the rest of the way. Mike Meyers worked three hitless innings with five strikeouts and was followed by Wilton Chavez, who posted two scoreless frames.

 

Sounds third baseman Jermaine Clark (3-for-4, three runs scored) put the home team on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an opposite-field solo homer to right off Express starter Chris Sampson. The blast was the infielder?s second of the year.

 

Clark scored the second Nashville run of the game in the sixth after singling with one out, moving to third on a Graham Koonce double, and scoring on Nelson Cruz?s RBI groundout.

 

AUDIO: Graham Koonce's 2nd 2B Of Night --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%207-3.wma

 

Nashville made it a 6-3 contest in the seventh when Dave Krynzel scored on a groundout from pinch-hitter Mike Rivera.

 

The Sounds put runners on second and third with none out in the eighth against Express reliever Mike Gallo but only plated one run in the frame on their third groundball RBI of the night as Clark raced home on a Brent Abernathy ball to second.

 

Sampson (10-1) became the Pacific Coast League?s second double-digit winner this season by holding the Sounds to two runs on four hits over six innings of work.

 

Roberto Giron worked a scoreless ninth for the Express to pick up his ninth save of the year and second of the series.

 

The Sounds travel across the state to Memphis Monday to begin a three-game series against the division-rival Redbirds at AutoZone Park. Right-hander Justin Lehr (1-3, 3.89) will start the 6:40 p.m. opener for Nashville and face Memphis southpaw Chris Narveson (3-1, 2.57).

 

Nashville Box Score and Game Log Link:

Like the rest of the team, Tony Gwynn slowing down (now at .304); Nelson Cruz with eight outfield errors now...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Round Rock pounds Sarfate, holds on to defeat Nashville

Sounds fail to rally with runners on base

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The struggle continues for Dennis Sarfate.

 

After going 6-1 through his first 14 starts, the Nashville Sounds right-hander lost his third consecutive outing Monday, allowing 11 hits to visiting Round Rock in four innings of an eventual 6-4 defeat.

 

Sarfate's earned run average over his last three starts ballooned to 11.25 (15 earned runs, 12 innings).

 

It wasn't walks that were Sarfate's undoing, as might be expected, considering he went into Monday's play as the Pacific Coast League leader in that category. Sarfate issued just one free pass, giving him 60 for the year, but that runner was erased when he caught a Royce Huffman line drive to start a double play and end the second inning.

 

"He's throwing too many strikes," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said after Sarfate's outing, in which 44 of his 68 pitches were for strikes. "His command is getting better; now he has to learn to command the strike zone.

 

"He's throwing strikes, but they're not necessarily quality strikes. They're not quality pitches. They're up in the zone. He's throwing too good of pitches. But he'll make the adjustment. You're always going to have a couple of blips during the year."

 

Scoring in each of their first four innings, the visiting Express took a 6-0 lead that was just enough of a cushion.

 

The Nashville relief corps allowed just one hit over its five innings, giving the offense a chance to make a game of it. But the Sounds were hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position, scoring on groundouts in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings after Jermaine Clark's solo home run in the fourth.

 

"The bullpen did well, threw up some zeroes while we were trying to make a comeback," Kremblas said. "We had some pretty good at-bats; if we get a couple of two-out hits with runners in scoring position, we're alright. We just couldn't get that hit."

 

The loss concluded Nashville's first losing homestand of the season, as the Sounds won just one game against Round Rock and one against Memphis. Previously, Nashville had won four of five homestands and split one.

 

What they said: "I'm not too concerned. There's always going to be a little funk. We've got to work through it. We've got six games before the all-star break, and we'll see where we're at after that, come back from the break and go from there." ? Kremblas.

 

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

 

PCL selects Cruz for HR contest

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Sounds outfielder Nelson Cruz is one of three players who will represent the Pacific Coast League in next week's home run derby as part of the Triple-A All-Star Game festivities in Toledo, Ohio.

 

"It's kinda cool that they think about you like a power guy," said Cruz, who will be joined by Round Rock outfielder Luke Scott and Portland third baseman Justin Leone on the PCL home run team.

 

Cruz headed into Monday night's game with 15 homers, tied for fifth in the league and trailing league leader Scott by four. Leone took 12 home runs into Monday's play.

 

The host International League will be represented by Durham first baseman Kevin Witt ? who is tied for the minor league lead with 22 homers ? Toledo outfielder Ryan Ludwick (14) and Buffalo third baseman Andy Marte (13).

 

Cruz, who teamed with fellow Dominicans Wily Mo Pena and Willie Otanez to win a home run derby competition in Puerto Rico during winter ball last season, said he doesn't change anything in his approach.

 

"You just try to get the same swings and try to launch a couple of balls," he said.

 

Schedule changes: The Sounds will play a rare six-game series at Oklahoma later this month, with a suspended game to be concluded and a rained-out game to be made up during the July 21-24 set.

 

The first doubleheader is scheduled for the opening day of the series, with the first game a completion of an April 24 game that was suspended in Oklahoma City due to rain. That game, a nine-inning contest, will be followed by a seven-inning game.

 

A twinbill is also set for July 23, with the first game a makeup of a June 18 Greer Stadium rainout. The Sounds will be the official home team for that seven-inning contest, which will be followed by a second seven-inning game in which the RedHawks will be the home team.

 

Familiarity breeds contempt: The same three-man umpiring crew for the series with Round Rock ? Kevin Sweeney, Jason Kiser and Delfin Colon ? will accompany the Sounds to Memphis for this week's series at AutoZone Park.

 

Double threat: Chris Sampson, who started Monday's game for Round Rock, has successfully made the transition from position player to pitcher and overcome a three-year layoff at the same time.

 

Originally drafted by the Astros in the eighth round of the 1999 draft as a shortstop out of Texas Tech, Sampson batted .239 with 21 stolen bases in 53 games for Auburn in the New York-Penn (short-season Class A) League ? then left the game for personal reasons.

 

Returning in 2003 as a pitcher, Sampson was 16-27 with a 3.07 ERA through his first three minor league seasons before winning 9 of his 10 decisions with Round Rock thus far. Additionally, he took a .480 (12-25) batting average into Monday's contest, with a pair of multi-hit games.

[dadofandrew]

After going 6-1 through his first 14 starts, the Nashville Sounds right-hander lost his third consecutive outing Monday, allowing 11 hits to visiting Round Rock in four innings of an eventual 6-4 defeat.

 

I think many of us correctly predicted a "correction", as he had simply been allowing too many baserunners to continue having such a good ERA. Talk about pitching better in pressure situations all you want, eventually, baserunners equals runs.