Link Report for Games of Thursday, June 29th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Justin Lehr at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 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), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450radio.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD (probably Mark Rogers) at Palm Beach (Cardinals), 5:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.palmbeachcardinals.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Rafael Lluberes at Augusta (Giants), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: TBD (perhaps rehabbing RHP Jesse Harper) at the Rangers' kids, 12:30 PM Central time, 10:30 AM local, never any web audio for the Arizona League

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday'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_pbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_augafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_rngrok_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 Wednesday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 42 36 .538 - 27-15 15-21 L1[/b] Iowa 37 41 .474 5.0 20-19 17-22 W1 Memphis 32 46 .410 10.0 18-23 14-23 W1 Omaha 30 49 .380 12.5 16-19 14-30 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 6 4 .600 - 3-2 3-2 L1 Tennessee 6 4 .600 - 4-1 2-3 W3 Carolina 5 5 .500 1.0 3-2 2-3 L1 West Tenn 5 5 .500 1.0 4-1 1-4 L3 [b]Huntsville 4 6 .400 2.0 2-3 2-3 W1[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 4 1 .800 - 1-0 3-1 W4 Daytona 4 2 .667 0.5 3-2 1-0 W2 Palm Beach 3 3 .500 1.5 1-0 2-3 W1 Vero Beach 3 3 .500 1.5 0-1 3-2 L1 [b]Brevard County 2 3 .400 2.0 2-2 0-1 L2[/b] Jupiter 1 5 .167 3.5 1-4 0-1 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 5 1 .833 - 3-0 2-1 W4 [b]West Virginia 3 3 .500 2.0 3-0 0-3 L3[/b] Greensboro 3 4 .429 2.5 2-2 1-2 L2 Lake County 3 4 .429 2.5 3-1 0-3 L3 Lexington 3 4 .429 2.5 2-2 1-2 W1 Hagerstown 2 3 .400 2.5 2-2 0-1 W1 Delmarva 2 4 .333 3.0 1-0 1-4 L1 Hickory 2 4 .333 3.0 2-4 0-0 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 6 3 .667 - 4-2 2-1 W2 Great Falls 6 3 .667 - 1-1 5-2 W4 Missoula 4 5 .444 2.0 1-2 3-3 L2 [b]Helena 2 7 .222 4.0 2-5 0-2 L6[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 5 1 .833 - 2-1 3-0 W4 AZL Mariners 4 2 .667 1.0 2-1 2-1 L2 AZL Royals 4 2 .667 1.0 2-1 2-1 W2 AZL Padres 3 2 .600 1.5 1-1 2-1 W1 AZL Rangers 3 3 .500 2.0 1-2 2-1 L2 [b]AZL Brewers 2 3 .400 2.5 2-1 0-2 W2[/b] AZL Angels 2 4 .333 3.0 1-3 1-1 L1 AZL Athletics 2 4 .333 3.0 0-2 2-2 L2 AZL Cubs 1 5 .167 4.0 0-3 1-2 W1

[DKM4Boston]

Jeremy Jeffress is your Arizona starter today. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif

[Wally Whitetail]

Was he only supposed to pitch one inning?

[wibadgers23]

Holy walks! Rogers with seven through 4 innings.

[molitor fan]

Ah yes - the King of unhittable filth throwing zeros in the minors.....

 

Somehow that feels just soooo good.

[bork]

The Huntsville offense woke up today. 13 runs. They've gone entire weeks without scoring that many runs.

 

Hopefully, Brad Nelson is starting to come around.

 

And could you imagine a rotation with Rogers and Sarfate? Oponents would be running for cover.

[And That]

Is Mark Rogers good little run overwith?

[homer]

Yeah, I think we can understand why some of us weren't going to get all giggly over 20 innings.

[JoeH33]

Is pitching only one inning (Jeffress) normal for a pitcher's first pro start? Or did something happen.

[jvrocksaz]

I recall attending Mark Rogers first start here in Arizona a few years ago... He pitched only 2 innings... I do believe they are on a strict pitch count... Please remember that these games (in Arizona) are played in late morning/ early afternoon when the tempatures are near 100-105 degrees... The fields are basically high school type fields without much shade...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with All-Star Catcher Mike Rivera:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-29.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 5, Nashville 1

Link for Nelson Cruz photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2028

 

Cruz Homers But Sounds Fall To Memphis, 5-1

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds came up on the short end of a 5-1 decision against the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds on Thursday evening in front of 8,057 fans at Greer Stadium in the finale of a four-game series.

 

With the loss, Nashville (42-37) suffered only its second losing series at home this season after dropping three of four to their division rivals. The Sounds have lost seven of their last 10 games overall.

 

Memphis jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the first inning. Chris Duncan reached on a fielder?s choice grounder then moved to third on a ground-rule double off the bat of Redbirds first baseman Brian Daubach. With John Gall at the plate, Sounds starter Justin Lehr uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Duncan to score the game?s first run.

 

After Gall coaxed a base on balls from Lehr to snap the right-hander?s streak of 30 1/3 consecutive innings without issuing a walk, Memphis scored its second run when Gall broke for second and stayed in a rundown long enough to allow Daubach to reach the plate.

 

The Sounds received a scare in the bottom of the first frame when All-Star outfielder Tony Gwynn singled then crumpled to the ground just past second base after moving up a bag on a Dave Krynzel sacrifice bunt. The 23-year-old, who was tagged out on the play, walked off under his own power and remained in the game. He finished the night with Nashville?s lone two-hit effort (2-for-3), which was his team-leading 29th multiple-hit game of the season.

 

Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce stole second base in the bottom of the second inning, his first swipe in 419 games dating back to August 22, 2002 for Midland. Koonce became the 16th different Nashville player to steal a base this season.

 

All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz provided Nashville with its only run on the evening in the bottom of the fourth when he slugged his team-leading 15th home run, a two-out solo shot to left off Memphis starter Chris Narveson. It was his first longball since June 10.

 

AUDIO: Nelson Cruz's 15th Home Run --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-29.wma

 

The visitors re-extended the lead to two runs in the sixth when center fielder Skip Schumaker, who paced Memphis with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, singled with one out, stole second, and scored on Duncan?s RBI single off Lehr to make it a 3-1 contest.

 

The Sounds missed a chance to strike back in the bottom of the inning after putting the first two runners on base courtesy of a Lehr walk and a Gwynn single. Krynzel fouled out while attempting to lay down a sacrifice, then Memphis All-Star reliever Josh Kinney entered the game to strike out Brent Abernathy and Cruz in order to escape the jam unscathed.

 

Memphis pushed the lead to 5-1 in the eighth on a RBI singles by Schumaker off Mitch Stetter and pinch-hitter Junior Spivey off Joe Winkelsas.

 

Narveson (3-1) picked up the victory after holding the Sounds to one run on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Brian Falkenborg recorded the final four outs of the contest to notch his team-leading 13th save of the year for the Redbirds.

 

Lehr (1-3) worked his longest outing of the season, pitching into the eighth inning, but took the loss for Nashville after allowing four runs on five hits while striking out a season-best six batters.

 

The Sounds continue their homestand on Friday night by welcoming the Round Rock Express (AAA-Astros) to town for the 7 p.m. opener of a four-game series. It will be Faith Night at Greer Stadium. Local Christian group Denver & The Mile High Orchestra will perform a pregame concert and a fireworks show will follow the game.

 

Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez (3-1, 2.62), who threw a complete-game shutout in his last outing on Sunday at Round Rock, will make the start for Nashville in search of his 100th career minor league victory. The Express will counter with right-hander Jason Hirsh (8-2, 2.56).

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50740

 

Sounds? struggles continue

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

If the Nashville Sounds want a chance at a second consecutive Pacific Coast League championship, figuring out a way to beat the Memphis Redbirds is imperative.

 

Nashville plays its cross-state rival 16 times this season, and so far the Sounds have lost three of those meetings, including a 5-1 defeat at Greer Stadium on Thursday. Memphis took three of four from Nashville (42-37) to win the series.

 

The Redbirds (32-46) are not an imminent threat to the first-place Sounds, but the Iowa Cubs are. Nashville?s lead in the PCL Northern Division has dwindled to four games. Complicating matters is Nashville?s strange schedule. Until July 17, the Sounds only play the Redbirds, who they?ve struggled against, and Round Rock, which has the second-best PCL record.

 

?It doesn?t matter who we?re playing,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?With the way we?re playing right now, we?re not going to beat anybody.?

 

Nashville got behind right off the bat, as Memphis got to Sounds starter Justin Lehr for a pair of first-inning runs. The Redbirds added another run in the sixth and two more in the eighth.

 

Sandwiched in between the Memphis scoring was a solo home run from Nashville?s Nelson Cruz, his 15th of the season. It was the only offense the Sounds could muster.

 

?I?ve got to believe the guys who are frustrated are selfish, because they?re frustrated they?re not getting hits,? said Kremblas.

 

Kremblas added he was frustrated his team isn?t doing the little things like having strong at-bats with runners in scoring position, moving over runners or choosing good pitches to hit. Kremblas said he didn?t plan on benching any regular starters or shuffling his lineup yet.

 

Lehr, for his part, was effective. He went seven innings and surrendered only five hits. At one stretch, he retired 13 Redbirds in a row.

 

Koonce ends stolen base dry spell: Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce broke a streak of 419 games without a stolen base when he swiped second in the second inning.

 

The 6-4, 230-pound Koonce then got greedy and was caught stealing on a close play in the fourth inning.

 

All-Star update: As expected, Nashville had four players officially named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, which was announced Thursday. Cruz and fellow outfielder Tony Gwynn will be PCL starters for the game, as will catcher Mike Rivera.

 

Sounds starting pitcher Ben Hendrickson is the fourth Nashville player named to the team. Of the 56 players announced, Hendrickson is also the only PCL team member who has ever played in the Triple A All-Star Game before ? having done so in 2004 as a member of the Indianapolis Indians.

 

The Triple A All-Star Game takes place July 12 in Toledo, Ohio.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Kremblas is angry at Sounds

Lack of power shows up in loss

By JEFF LOCKRIDGE

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Frank Kremblas is fed up with the lack of offense.

 

The Sounds' manager sounded off Thursday night after a 5-1 loss to the Memphis Redbirds before a crowd of 8,057 at Greer Stadium, stating his disgust with the job his hitters are doing.

 

Nashville has scored just 26 runs in its last 12 games and lost seven of 10.

 

Kremblas was more than a little upset.

 

"It's not where I'd like it to be. Guys seem to be a little more focused on themselves instead of what would be good to help the team produce runs, and that will change."

 

The Sounds had eight hits in defeat ? seven singles ? and did nothing with runners in scoring position.

 

The loss eclipsed Nelson Cruz's team-leading 15th home run of the season, a solo blast off Memphis starter Chris Narveson (3-1) in the fourth.

 

"We're in a team slump," Cruz said. "When we get runners in scoring position, we don't get the job done. It's everybody. I can't tell you why."

 

"I've got to believe the guys that are frustrated, for the most part, are guys that are selfish because they're not getting hits," Kremblas said. "I'm frustrated that we don't have good at-bats with runners in scoring position, we don't have fundamental at-bats that move runners over, and we're swinging at pitches that aren't driveable."

 

The Redbirds collected two runs with two outs in the top of the first off Justin Lehr (1-3).

 

Nashville was initially helped when Brian Daubach's liner to right field bounced over the fence, sending baserunner Chris Duncan back to third on the ground-rule double.

 

Duncan scored moments later on a wild pitch. After a walk to John Gall, Daubach crossed when the Sounds got Gall in a rundown but failed to tag him before the run scored.

 

Leading 2-1, the Redbirds added a run in the sixth when Skip Schumaker singled, stole second and came home on Chris Duncan's single. Memphis tacked on two more in the eighth on RBI singles from Schumaker and Junior Spivey.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds lead PCL with four all-stars

By JEFF LOCKRIDGE

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Perhaps the Nashville Sounds were shortchanged last year en route to winning the Pacific Coast League championship.

 

They had just one all-star: Corey Hart.

 

This year the Sounds have more all-stars (4) than any other team in the PCL. The Salt Lake Bees had three chosen to the team Thursday, including PCL batting leading Howie Kendrick (.388).

 

Sounds outfielders Tony Gwynn and Nelson Cruz and catcher Mike Rivera will all be starters. Ben Hendrickson is expected to pitch out of the bullpen.

 

Nearly 900,000 votes were cast by PCL fans, which counted one-third toward the 13 players selected. The league office then elected the other 15.

 

Goose chase chumps: For the second time this week against Memphis, the Sounds allowed a runner to score from third base after picking off a runner at first.

 

In each instance Sounds shortstop Jermaine Clark chased a runner back toward first as the runner from third scored without a throw. Brian Daubach scored the run for the Redbirds in the first inning Thursday before the Sounds could tag John Gall for the third out.

 

Walking papers: Sounds pitcher Justin Lehr ended a streak of 30 1/3 innings without a walk when he issued a free pass to John Gall in the first inning Thursday.

 

Brian Meadows, who went 70 innings without surrendering a walk during the 2002 and '03 seasons, holds the club and PCL record.

 

Old hat for Rivera: Sounds catcher Mike Rivera is set to appear in his fifth all-star game in the minors.

 

Rivera, 29, played in two Florida State League games (1999, 2000), the Eastern League game (2001) and the MLB Futures Game (2001).

 

Experience counts: Sounds pitcher Ben Hendrickson is the only PCL All-Star who has previous Triple-A All-Star Game experience. He started the 2004 game for as a member of the Indianapolis Indians.

 

Pretty pitcher: Miss Tennessee USA 2006 Lauren Grissom was among those to throw out a first pitch Thursday at Greer Stadium. Grissom, a native of Shelbyville, is an art education major at MTSU.

 

R.I.P. with RISP: The Sounds' bats have been dead with runners in scoring position. Coming into Thursday, Nashville had seven hits in its last 61 at-bats (.115) with a runner on second or third base.

 

Speeding bullet: Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce got his first stolen base since 2002 ? a span of 419 games played in the minors and majors ? when he swiped second Thursday. Koonce is the 16th Sounds player to steal a base this season.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 13, West Tenn (Cubs) 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=900

 

Travis and Travis Take Stars to Victory

 

Travis Ezi collected three hits, scored three times and knocked in a pair to back the solid pitching of Jorge De La Rosa and Travis Phelps in Huntsville?s 13-2 win over West Tenn Thursday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars have won two straight games to improve to 5-6 in the second half and pull to within a game of co-North Division leaders Chattanooga and Tennessee, who both lost tonight, while the Diamond Jaxx lost their fourth in a row to fall to 5-6 in the half. Huntsville won consecutive home games for the first time since taking four straight from Mobile April 23 through April 25.

 

Callix Crabbe started the scoring for the Stars by hitting a home run with one out in the first against West Tenn starter Bobby Brownlie. It was his fourth of the year and third in the six games of the home stand. Huntsville tacked on another run in the inning on a single by Lou Palmisano that scored Drew Anderson.

 

The home side added runs in the second inning on a bases loaded single by Brad Nelson and a walk to Ryan Braun with the sacks full. Ezi led off the third inning with a triple and scored on a single by Milko Jaramillo, who knocked in his first run with Huntsville to make it 5-0. Nelson walked with one out in the fourth and scored on a double by Braun to extend the lead to 6-0 and knock Brownlie out of the game. Brownlie was charged with seven runs on 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings and has allowed 10 runs on 19 hits over 7 1/3 frames in two starts at the Joe.

 

Huntsville scored four times in the sixth inning with one hit, four walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch and a Ron Acuna sacrifice fly. The home side tacked on two runs in the eighth and scored in six innings for the first time this season. Every starting position player had at least one hit and scored at least one run in the 13-hit attack that produced a season-high 13 runs. Ezi finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle and drove in his first two runs of the season.

 

De La Rosa tossed four scoreless innings in his first rehab start, striking out one and allowing only a single to Scott Moore in the second inning. Phelps worked five innings, allowing two unearned runs in the seventh inning on four hits to pick up his second win of the year and first since June 4 at Birmingham. The duo did not walk a batter, the fifth time this season the Stars did not issue a walk in a game and helped beat the Diamond Jaxx for only a second time in 11 meetings at the Joe.

 

The series continues on Friday night, as southpaw Steve Hammond gets the starting nod for Huntsville and left-hander J.R. Mathes goes for the Diamond Jaxx. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Brad Nelson on base five times (two hits, three walks)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 7, Palm Beach (Cardinals) 6

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Manatees stave off Cards

 

Kyle Phillips drove in two runs in a five-run first inning and Brevard County held on to defeat Palm Beach, 7-6, on Thursday.

 

The first five batters reached base as the Manatees (3-3) opened the lead on Phillips' two-run single and Brendan Katin's RBI double.

 

Charlie Fermaint added an RBI double -- his only hit of the game -- in the fourth, and Alcides Escobar chipped in with two hits, including a sixth-inning solo homer that turned out to be the game-winning run.

 

Bo Hall (4-2) picked up the victory despite surrendering four runs on four hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. Josh Alliston allowed two hits in the ninth, but retired Matt Shepherd with the bases loaded to earn his sixth save.

 

Amaury Marti led the Palm Beach rally, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and scored twice. Juan Lucena added a hit and an RBI, and Matt Pagnozzi's RBI single in the seventh brought the Cardinals within a run.

 

Nick Webber (3-3) yielded six runs -- four earned -- on six hits, three walks and struck out two for the Cardinals (3-4). --Chip Haunss/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Mark Rogers with three wild pitches in addition to the seven walks in his four innings; Bo Hall with the win despite poor numbers, although two charged runs scored after he left...

 

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

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Watch Rogers wriggle his way into allowing only two runs...

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Augusta (Giants) 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER AVOID SWEEP

 

Thanks to timely hitting and a terrific performance from the Power bullpen, the West Virginia Power avoided a four game sweep at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Augusta on Thursday night with a 5-3 win over the Augusta GreenJackets.

 

For the second night in a row, Mike Bell snapped a scoreless tie with a double. Bell?s bases loaded two-out double cleared the bases in the top of the third inning to give the Power an early 3-0 edge. Augusta scored their first run of the game on David Maroul?s double in the bottom of the third and tied the game an inning later on a two-run triple from Ben Copeland.

 

In the fifth inning West Virginia took the lead on an opposite field single from Ned Yost, scoring Darren Ford to give the Power a 4-3 lead. The Power added an insurance run in the sixth inning. With runners on first and second base, Nate Yoho hit a ground ball to second baseman Eugenio Velez, which Velez couldn?t handle, allowing Tony Festa to score from second base.

 

Patrick Ryan and Dane Renkert combined to throw five scoreless innings out of the bullpen to shut the Augusta offense down and secure the Power victory.

 

Ryan (5-1) tossed four scoreless innings of three hit ball to earn the victory, Renkert (6) pitched a perfect ninth inning to get the save and Dan Griffin (5-5) obtained the loss. The Power are 43-33 overall and 4-3 in the second half after the win and the GreenJackets fell to 44-34 overall and 5-3 in the second half after the loss.

 

The Power will begin a four game series against the Greenville Drive at West End Field in Greenville, South Carolina on Friday night. Greenville will start left hander Ryan Phillips (0-2, 2.13) and the Power will start right hander Will Inman (3-1, 1.66). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Power better defensively as of late; honest to goodness, for the number of times he's just been immense in the middle innings all season, RHP Patrick Ryan is the organization's Unsung Player of the Year thus far; lefty starter Rafael Lluberes isn't a control artist, but his six walks here isn't characteristic of him...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_augafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_augafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 7, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 6

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.missoulian.com/articl...orts01.txt

 

O's drop wild one

By NICK LOCKRIDGE of the Missoulian

 

The school of hard knocks continues to take its toll on the Missoula Osprey.

 

The Helena Brewers tallied nine base knocks in snapping a six-game losing streak with a 7-6 victory over the Osprey in an entertaining Pioneer League game Thursday at Ogren-Allegiance Park.

 

The Brewers entered the ninth inning trailing 3-1, but took advantage of Missoula's shaky bullpen to score six runs on four hits. Helena (3-7) then held off a rally by the Osprey, sending them to a third consecutive loss.

 

Missoula and Helena will play the second of their four-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m (8:05 Central).

 

The Osprey (4-6) had their chances in the bottom half of the ninth. They scored three runs on four hits to draw within one.

 

With the bases loaded, Missoula's Andrew Fie hit a broken-bat grounder up the middle that Helena shortstop David Parker scooped up just behind second base then dove at the bag to end the game.

 

?They put up a six-spot and we tried to come back and try to win the game,? said Osprey Justin Brashear, the runner forced out on the final play. ?We had the winning run on second base to end the game. That's all you really try to do, is put yourself in position to win and play hard the whole way through. We did that, unfortunately they played a little bit better than we did.?

 

The Brewers batted through their lineup in the ninth.

 

Stephen Chapman had the big hit of the inning, a bases-clearing triple to put Helena ahead 7-3. Chapman, who was 6-for-11 in the season-opening series against Missoula, also crushed a solo home run to tie the game 1-1 in the sixth.

 

Also in the ninth, D.J. Neyens had an RBI single and Freddy De La Cruz brought in a run with a fielder's choice RBI.

 

But the real damage was done by the Osprey relievers.

 

Jason Neighborgall's struggles continued. He was credited with a blown save after coming in to start the ninth.

 

Neighborgall (0-1) had two wild pitches, a walk and a hit batter among the six batters he faced in the inning. One of his wild pitches allowed the tying run to score.

 

Jorge Perez relieved Neighborgall and quickly gave up the hits to Neyes and Chapman.

 

?You feel for them, because they work so hard,? Brashear said. ?You see all the work they put in every day, getting here six hours before a game most times. You never wish bad fortune on anyone, especially your guys. I have confidence that our pitchers will be fine. We'll figure out what's going on, we'll get better and we'll win some games.?

 

The wild ninth was precluded by a wild eighth for Missoula. Tied at 1-1, the inning started with back-to-back singles.

 

Gerardo Parra then knocked in both runners with a double to the gap in left, but was later called out on an appeal. Apparently Parra didn't touch first base.

 

Brashear singled to keep the inning going, but a double play ended that Osprey threat.

 

Missoula also threatened in the sixth. Parra, who was 4-for-5, singled with one out and then stole his way to third base. Steve Palazzolo, the Brewers' 6-foot-10 relief pitcher, struck out the next two batters.

 

The later innings overshadowed solid performances by Missoula pitchers Ivan Cedeno and Hector Ambriz.

 

Cedeno pitched five innings of three-hit ball and was in line to get the victory. He allowed just one run and struck out eight.

 

Ambriz looked good in his second start. He gave up just one hit and struck out three batters in his allotted three innings.

 

Helena starter Mike McClendon pitched solid for five innings as well, but Stuart Sutherland (1-0) got the win.

 

?It's just a good baseball game fought between two good teams,? Brashear said. ?Everybody went out and played hard. Gave it everything they had. It's tough to be on the downside of this one, but give ?em this game and just come out and play (Friday).?

 

Brashear drove in the first run of the game on a double in the first. He had a solo homer in Wednesday's loss.

 

Helena Box Score:

We hope to get an update on injured outfielder Zach Clem today; like Bo Hall at Brevard, Stuart Sutherland victimized by his own outing, watches his runners score after leaving, yet gets the win; big-name pitcher Jason Neighborgall has been terribly ineffective throughout his Diamondback career...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

 

Osprey shortstop Matt Oxendine tracks down Helena baserunner David Parker after he got hung up between first and second base during the third inning Thursday evening in Missoula. Parker was tagged out on the play.

Photo by MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian

 

http://www.missoulian.com/content/articles/2006/06/30/sports/sports01.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with Asst. Milwaukee Brewers GM Gord Ash (Select date for June 29th, skip to the 16:30 minute mark):

 

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

 

Reminder -- use the same audio link to listen to the archive; Steve Wendt's call of the six-run 9th begins at the 2 hour, 38 minute mark...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Rangers 3, Arizona Brewers 2

Attendance = 12 for a first-round pro debut -- glamouous, huh?

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score:

Jeremy Jeffress' pro debut -- one inning looks eventful, a bit nervous, perhaps: two K's, two ground ball hits, a walk, a HBP, a wild pich, poor defense behind him; solid pitching efforts follow Jeffress; Anthony Wycklendt with his 2nd Arizona League home run -- remember, those are pretty rare...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_rngrok_1

 

Arizona Brewer Game Log:

Jeffress' first batter faced, Ruddy Yan, is a rehabbing AAA bat; huge out in the 7th when Charlie Iacono was out trying to stretch a single -- it would have been 1st and 3rd, one out...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_rngrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

West Tenn's pitcher sees too many Stars hit

By JOHN FERRY

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, jferry@htimes.com

 

The Huntsville Stars don't mind seeing Bobby Brownlie pitch against them.

 

Two weeks ago, Brownlie allowed Huntsville nine hits and three runs in four innings, and the Stars won easily over West Tenn.

 

On Thursday night, Huntsville caused Brownlie even more grief. The Stars got to him for 10 hits and seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

 

Add to that offense a fine effort by Huntsville left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, on a rehab assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, and it was a fun night for the Stars at Joe Davis Stadium. De La Rosa went the maximum four innings he was allowed and permitted one hit as Huntsville rolled to a 13-2 victory.

 

Right fielder Travis Ezi led Huntsville's 13-hit attack with three hits, including a double and a triple.

 

"We were more relaxed," Ezi said. "We swung the bats, put the ball in play and made things happen."

 

De La Rosa was given a 65-pitch limit in his return from a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. He used but 40 of the pitches, and the only runner for West Tenn was Scott Moore, who got the single in the second.

 

"He threw the ball well," Stars manager Don Money said. "He was up and away a little on their first batter."

 

Money said De La Rosa should pitch again on July 4 when Huntsville visits Birmingham. The manager believes at that time De La Rosa will be allowed 80 to 85 pitches.

 

Callix Crabbe, batting second, began the scoring for Huntsville with a homer over the fence in right. It was his fourth homer of the season and third of the current homestand.

 

The Stars were not through in the first inning. Drew Anderson, Brad Nelson and Lou Palmisano came through with singles, with Anderson scoring for a 2-0 lead.

 

It was the first time in nine home games the Stars scored two or more runs in the first inning. The last time it occurred was June 14 against West Tenn, with Brownlie pitching.

 

In the second, De La Rosa and Steve Moss singled, Crabbe walked, and Nelson's hard grounder went off first baseman Brian Dopirak, scoring De La Rosa. A bases-loaded walk to Ryan Braun upped the margin to 4-0.

 

The fifth Huntsville run came in the third inning. Ezi tripled to right and Milko Jaramillo got him home with a single to center.

 

In the fourth Nelson drew a one-out walk and scored to make it 6-0 when Braun doubled to left center. That drove Brownlie from the mound in favor of Carmen Pignatiello.

 

Ezi got Braun across with a single to make it 7-0.

 

In the sixth, the Stars got just one hit but scored four times. With the bases loaded, Ezi was hit by a pitch and Travis Phelps walked, and the other runs scored on a wild pitch and Ron Acuna's sacrifice fly.

 

West Tenn avoided a shutout by using a Stars error in scoring two unearned runs in the seventh.

 

The Stars finished their scoring with a two-run eighth. Ezi doubled and scored on an infield out, and Jaramillo came across on a wild pitch.

 

Phelps, who took over for De La Rosa in the fifth, pitched the rest of the way and improved to 2-6. Phelps allowed four hits, two unearned runs and struck out three.

 

Brownlie (2-6) took the loss. West Tenn used four pitchers in relief.

 

The teams play the second of their five-game series tonight at 7:05. Steve Hammond (0-0) is scheduled for the Stars against J.R. Mathes (7-4).

 

Both teams are 5-6 for the second half of the season.