Link Report for Sat 6/24: Power Walk-off Again on Yost Slam

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Justin Lehr at Round Rock (Astros), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at home vs. Chattanooga (Reds), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Mike Jones at home vs. Palm Beach (Cardinals), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.palmbeachcardinals.com/

 

West Virginia: RHP Will Inman at home vs. Kannapolis (White Sox), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: LHP Brandon Parillo at Billings (Reds), 8:05 PM

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: TBD at the Padres-in-training, 12:30 PM Central time, 10:30 AM local, never any web audio for the Arizona League

[Mass Haas]

Follow Saturday'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_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_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 Friday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 40 33 .548 - 26-13 14-20 L1[/b] Iowa 34 39 .466 6.0 19-18 15-21 L1 Memphis 29 44 .397 11.0 17-22 12-22 W3 Omaha 29 45 .392 11.5 16-19 13-26 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 4 1 .800 - 4-1 0-0 W3 Chattanooga 3 2 .600 1.0 3-2 0-0 L1 Carolina 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 W1 [b]Huntsville 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 W1[/b] Tennessee 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2 [b]Brevard County 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 L1[/b] Jupiter 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 L1 Palm Beach 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 W1 St. Lucie 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 W1 Vero Beach 0 2 .000 2.0 0-0 0-2 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]West Virginia 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2[/b] Lake County 1 0 1.000 0.5 1-0 0-0 W1 Hagerstown 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 W1 Lakewood 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 L1 Delmarva 0 1 .000 1.5 0-0 0-1 L1 Greensboro 0 1 .000 1.5 0-1 0-0 L1 Hickory 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 Lexington 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 2 2 .500 - 2-2 0-0 W1 Great Falls 2 2 .500 - 0-0 2-2 L1 [b]Helena 2 2 .500 - 2-2 0-0 L1[/b] Missoula 2 2 .500 - 0-0 2-2 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Mariners 2 0 1.000 - 1-0 1-0 W2 AZL Rangers 2 0 1.000 - 1-0 1-0 W2 AZL Angels 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 L1 AZL Athletics 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 W1 AZL Giants 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 L1 AZL Royals 1 1 .500 1.0 1-0 0-1 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 0 1 .000 1.5 0-1 0-0 L1[/b] AZL Padres 0 1 .000 1.5 0-0 0-1 L1 AZL Cubs 0 2 .000 2.0 0-1 0-1 L2

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2006062334

 

Inman back on mound for Power tonight

By Nick Scala

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

After the West Virginia Power ended spring training and started the South Atlantic League season, pitcher Will Inman was in, man, some kind of groove.

 

In six starts and three relief appearances, the 19-year-old right-hander sparkled. While other Power pitchers struggled with slow starts, Inman put up a 3-1 record and a 1.80 earned run average. Perhaps more impressive was his strikeouts-to-walks ratio, a superb 43-5 in 35 innings.

 

The run ended in early May, though, when Inman went down with a strained pitching shoulder and bicep tendonitis. He?s back with the team after a long stint on the disabled list, and now it?ll be like spring training, Part II, for Inman.

 

?You take a month off throwing, it?s like starting all over again,? Inman said. ?It?s like being at spring training again.?

 

That means shorter outings as he rebuilds arm strength, and the first opportunity comes tonight against Kannapolis at Appalachian Power Park. Power pitching coach John Curtis said Inman will be limited to about 45 pitches or three innings.

 

?We?re gonna bring him along slowly,? Curtis said. ?The first two times out we?ll keep a close eye on him and increase him 10 to 15 pitches over the next few starts until he gets back to full strength.?

 

Inman?s anxious to get back out on the mound.

 

?The main thing is to just get out there and throw and make sure everything?s in rhythm and I?m healthy again,? the hurler said. ?We want to see how the arm reacts. Until you get in a game with adrenaline going, you don?t know how it?s gonna react.?

 

Curtis said there were some issues with Inman?s delivery that contributed to the arm injury.

 

?He pitched more than he ever has in his life, and he?s still growing into his arm,? Curtis said. ?This was maybe a warning that something was off-kilter in his delivery. We?ve addressed it and hope he can work the rest of the season without interruption.?

 

Inman, whose best pitches are a precise fastball, a hard curve and a change-up, will have a slightly different look to his delivery tonight against the Intimidators.

 

?We tried to get a little shorter with my arm when I throw the ball,? he said. ?I?ll try to stay a little more compact with a tight shoulder turn to keep everything more solid.?

 

Curtis is glad to have Inman rejoining a pitching staff that has improved overall since the early stages of the season.

 

?He?s a bona fide all-star in this league if he gets enough work under his belt,? Curtis said. ?He pitched beautifully before he got hurt.

 

?There?s a lot of natural ability there, and hopefully he brings it back.?

[DHonks]

wow, exciting to see Inman, Parillo, and TBD pitching. Although I was kind of hoping they'd keep Jones in the pen for the rest of the year, but I'm keeping an eye on that one optimistically.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Padres 6, Arizona Brewers 2

Attendance: 24. Considering these kids played in front of larger crowds for their jayvee high school games, welcome to the Arizona Summer League, boys -- culture shock after the joy of signing that first pro contract; infielder Lenny Leclercq (11th round, 2004) is entering year three of the no-atmosphere, high-heat league -- that's got to be discouraging; Nova Scotia's Craig Langille (7th round, 2004) had a statistically ugly 2005 -- 80 hits allowed and only 20 strikeouts in 50 Arizona League innings -- he stranded five in two scoreless innings today; RHP Yonny Chaya (one scoreless IP) just turned 17 and he's listed at 6'5", 193...

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score:

LF Charlie Iacono (stolen base) a true speedburner; Isaac Palencia, listed as a catcher, played first base today -- he was 28-for-70 (.400, six walks) last season in this league - Palencia reaches three times in this game; 2006 2nd rounder Brent Brewer looking for that first pro hit after two games -- sorry about sample sizing you, Brent...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

 

Arizona Brewer Game Log:

Jovanny Felix caught stealing home in the 1st -- what?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

[tyguy20204]

Does anyone know what kind of stuff Jones has these days? Does he still have the electric fastball?

[TheCrew07]

Inman with a clean 3 innings, nice first start off of the disabled list. Apparently the mechanics change wasn't that big of a deal for him.

[Will Inman Fan]

Inman is ready to break some records!!!! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[DKM4Boston]

Ned Yost hits the walkoff grand slam for the Power.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Kannapolis (White Sox) 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

YOST WALKS OFF IN POWER WIN

 

The West Virginia Power were held to only two hits through the first eight innings of Saturday night?s game against the Kannapolis Intimidators at Appalachian Power Park. Down 2-0 after eight and a half, the Power scored five times in the bottom of the ninth inning and won 5-2 on Ned Yost?s walk off grand slam.

 

It was a scoreless game until Adam Ricks blasted a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning to give Kannapolis their first lead of the series.

 

In the bottom of the ninth inning the Power offense caught fire. The first four batters singled off of first year pitcher Matt Long, and Mat Gamel?s base hit drove in Lorenzo Cain to cut the lead in half. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yost hit the first pitch he saw from Long over the wall in right center field to win the game for the Power.

 

The grand slam was the third of the year for West Virginia and it marked the seventh time that they have won in their final at-bat this season, and it marked the second time that they?ve won in their final at-bat in the last three nights.

 

Patrick Ryan (4-1) pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory and Long (0-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 42-30 overall and 3-0 in the second half after the win and the Intimidators fell to 20-53 overall and 0-3 in the second half after the loss. Attendance for the game was 3,834.

 

The Power will finish the four game series against the Intimidators on Sunday afternoon. Kannapolis will start left hander Noe Rodriguez (0-5, 3.65) and the Power will start right hander Matt Kretzschmar (1-2, 6.32). The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PM (3:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Only two runners reach in Will Inman's three innings; Michael Brantley and Ned Yost reach three times each; I wonder if someone from the clubhouse whispers to Ned during the Brewer game that his son hits the walk-off granny...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Will Inman says, "OK, I hit the first batter -- here's your double-play grounder"; the first out recorded in the 9th inning was on a play at the plate with no one out -- that sure seems like a dreadful call by the third base coach (manager Mike Guerrero?), but Ned Yost bails out everyone...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 4, Palm Beach (Cardinals) 3

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Sharp efforts by Mike Jones, Sam Narron, and Bo Hall, with Hall holding on for a clutch three-inning save; the three pitchers combine to walk only one while striking out ten; Charlie Fermaint a solo shot in the 5th; Alcides Escobar toying with Florida State League pitchers as of late...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Bo Hall strikes out the side in the 9th, all swinging, the final one coming with the tying run in scoring position...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Nashville 2, Round Rock (Astros) 2, bottom of the 9th in Round Rock

Graham Koonce hits a go-ahead HR in the top of the 9th, but Alec Zumwalt surrenders a gopher ball of his own and blows the save in the bottom half...

[Mass Haas]

* sigh * Always tough to motivate for Link Report updates moments after a frustrating Milwaukee loss...

 

Final: Chattanooga (Reds) 4, Huntsville 3

Details from Huntsville site shortly...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Stars bang out 13 hits and draw three walks, but strand ten; Travis Phelps, not Corey Thurman, your starter; Tim Dillard actually pitches the 9th to get an inning in on his work day, given the release of Stars' relievers Russ Rohlicek and Matt Smith earlier in the day; Ryan Braun gets his first two AA hits, but his AA error count now matches that as well...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Steve Moss out at home in the 1st with only one out -- Don Money on the send? Braun's 3rd inning error cost the team two runs; Ron Acuna with an outfield assist for the good guys in the 8th; Stars go quietly in the 9th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=892

 

Stars Struggles at Home Continue

 

Anderson Machado hit a home run and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and Josh Hall worked into and out of trouble during his six innings in Chattanooga?s 4-3 win over Huntsville Saturday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Lookouts improved to 4-2 in the second half and have won five straight over the Stars, who dropped to 2-4 in the second half and 10-25 at home. Huntsville has dropped 18 of its last 19 games at home since a May 7 win over Montgomery.

 

Machado belted a two-out, two-run long ball in the second inning to give the Lookouts a 2-0 lead. The Stars got a run back in the home half when Lou Palmisano doubled and scored when Ryan Braun followed with a double, his first hit and run batted in at the double-A level. He was Milwaukee?s first round draft choice in 2005.

 

Javier Colina reached first base on a one-out fielding error by Braun in third, moved to third base on a Joey Votto double and scored on an Aaron Herr ground out. Votto advanced to third on the ground ball out and scored on a wild pitch by Stars? starter Travis Phelps, working on two days rest. Phelps went six innings, allowing six hits, striking out five and did not issue a walk for the first time in nine outings but suffered his sixth loss of the season.

 

Callix Crabbe hit a solo home run in the third with two outs to trim the visitors? lead to 4-2. It was his second of the season and first since April 17 at Montgomery. The Stars strung together back-to-back two out singles but Palmisano struck out to end the frame. Hall allowed a pair of runs on 10 hits, and struck out six, to earn his third win of the season. Huntsville collected 13 hits for a third straight game but left 10 runners on base.

 

Brock Till took over in the seventh inning and gave up a two-out single to Drew Anderson that plated Ron Acuna to trim the Lookouts lead to 4-3. Brad Nelson walked to load the bases but Palmisano fanned to end the frame. Till worked a scoreless eighth and Jon Coutlangus retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth to earn his fifth save.

 

The series continues Sunday evening with Stars? left-hander Steve Hammond making his double-A debut against Lookouts southpaw Tyler Pelland. Coverage of the game begins at 5:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Obviously, we wish the Helena boys well, but on the surface, with a roster made up so many late round draft-and-follows, undrafted free agents, late round 2006 selections, and the odd combination of players playing out of their natural position on most nights, this squad lacks the obvious "wow factor" of the past two Helena seasons -- at least so far...

 

Final: Billings (Reds) 9, Helena 1

 

Helena Box Score:

All three phases of the game failed the H-Crew tonight; SS Brad Miller with a game to forget (three errors); left fielder Zach Clem leaves the game after making a catch to end the first inning -- this squad may now be down to two "regular" outfielders, Stephen Chapman and Chris Errecart; LHP Brandon Parillo with a less-than-sparkling starting effort...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

[And That]

Three things about Helena:

 

1) Steve Chapman is going to dominate this league.

 

2) Where is Sanduan Dubose? He should be in Helena now, with no offense to Fredy de la Cruz, who is a solid prospect. For that matter, where is Adam Mannon?

 

3) Helena will have better pitching in the second half as the DFEs and Jeffries arrive in full force. Braddock and Ramlow will take over the rotation. Mercedes will also be a solid presence. They'll get into the playoffs in the second half.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 3, Nashville 2, 11 inings

Sounds lose yet another one-run game on the road, as Joe Winkelsas hands the Express a walk-off walk -- do teams do the jumping up and down bit at home plate on those? Details from Sounds site later...

 

Nashville Box Score:

David Krynzel (.241) 0-for-5 with four K's -- this is year seven in the system, Dave, year seven -- to be fair, lots of first-round picks flame out long before that, though; Nelson Cruz in a long hitless streak over four games; Kennard Bibbs ejected in the 8th after getting called out on strikes -- seeing the 143-pound Bibbs get angry would be quite the show; Sounds batters K 15 times; Justin Lehr deserved much better -- it really is a wonder he went unclaimed when outrighted, he can pitch...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

Joe McEwing singles on a fly ball to right fielder Nelson Cruz. Wade Robinson out at 3rd, right fielder Nelson Cruz to third baseman Jermaine Clark. Mike Rodriguez to 2nd.

 

Incredible gun of a throw by Nelson Cruz in the 10th -- first and second, one out -- base hit falls in, in right field, because the runner at second had to wait to see if the ball would drop in, Cruz was able to fire to third for a force out -- does the official scorer rule that a single? Game log says yes...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Adam Mannon is in Arizona, or so we're told -- we haven't been informed of an injury.

 

Sanduan Dubose would look sweet in the middle of the Helena lineup, even though he was a 35th round pick. MiLB.com lists him on neither rookie roster at the moment, we'll see what we can find out.

 

Those were two of the names that were pending info when I indicated yesterday our Player Index was 99% up-to-date .

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for new Graham Koonce photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2019

 

Sounds Blow Late Lead, Fall 3-2 In 11 Innings

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas ? Another road game, another one-run loss.

 

It seemed to be status quo for the Sounds on Saturday evening at The Dell Diamond as Cody Ransom drew a game-winning, bases-loaded walk from Joe Winkelsas with one out in the bottom of the eleventh inning to give the Round Rock Express a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Nashville.

 

Nashville (40-34) suffered its 11th loss after the opponent scored the game-winner in its final turn at the plate and has dropped three of the first four games in the current series. Round Rock improved its record to a league-best 46-29.

 

Sixteen of Nashville?s 21 road losses have come in one-run nail-biters (including 10 of the last 11 defeats away from Greer Stadium) and the Sounds have also held the lead at one point in 16 of their road losses. Both were the case on Saturday.

 

The Express loaded the bags against Winkelsas in the eleventh as Luke Scott singled, Royce Huffman was hit by a pitch, and, after the runners were sacrificed up a base, Humberto Quintero was hit by a pitch. Ransom followed by drawing his game-winning walk on a full count to propel Round Rock to victory.

 

The defeat stung even worse for Nashville because the club was unable to protect a one-run ninth-inning lead provided by a Graham Koonce homer in the top of that inning.

 

AUDIO: Graham Koonce's 9th-Inning HR --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-24.wma

 

The Sounds grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second against Express starter Jason Hirsh. With one out and runners on first and second, Jermaine Clark dropped a bunt single up the third-base line and the runners advanced an extra base on a throwing error by Round Rock third baseman Joe McEwing, allowing Koonce to score the game?s first run.

 

McEwing made amends for his gaff in the bottom of the sixth inning when he knotted the contest at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Ransom.

 

Neither team scored again until the ninth when Koonce belted a two-out solo homer to center off Roberto Giron in the top of the ninth inning. The blast, Koonce?s sixth of the season, gave the visitors a short-lived 2-1 lead.

 

Round Rock first baseman Royce Huffman answered Koonce?s blast with one of his own in the bottom of the frame, swatting a one-out dinger to left off Alec Zumwalt that re-tied the game at 2-2 and sent the game to extra frames. Zumwalt suffered his first blown save in six opportunities for the Sounds this season.

 

Sounds right fielder Nelson Cruz made an outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the tenth to keep the game tied. With runners on first and second and only one out, McEwing dropped what looked like a single in front of Cruz in right but the strong-armed outfielder unleashed a strike to third base that forced Wade Robinson for the second out of the inning. Winkelsas retired the final batter on a flyout to escape the jam.

 

Express reliever Mike Gallo (1-0) picked up his first win of the year after working a hitless inning. WInkelsas (1-1) took the loss after allowing the game-winning run to score.

 

Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision despite a pair of strong outings.

 

Sounds starter Justin Lehr hurled his best outing of the season but did not factor in the decision. The right-hander held the Express to one run on four hits while striking out five over seven frames, matching his season highs for innings and punchouts.

 

Hirsch allowed only one unearned run on three hits while striking out a season-best 12 batters over his eight innings of action.

 

The teams wrap up the five-game set with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Sunday evening. Right-hander Jared Fernandez (2-1, 3.04) will man the bump for the Sounds. Round Rock will counter with right-hander Chris Baker (8-2, 2.31).

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Team effort on mound for Manatees

 

Three pitchers combined on a seven-hitter and Charlie Fermaint homered as as Brevard County topped visiting Palm Beach, 4-3, on Saturday.

 

The Manatees held a 2-1 lead with one out in the fifth when Fermaint sent a shot over the left-field fence for his fourth homer.

 

Matt Dryer hit his 10th homer in the top of the sixth, but Freddy Parejo lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to restore Brevard County's two-run lead.

 

Reliever Sam Narron (2-1) gave up one run on two hits and struck out two over three innings to get the win for the Manatees (2-1). Bo Hall also went three innings and picked up his first save. He allowed one run on three hits and fanned five.

 

Michael Ferris hit his sixth homer with two outs in the seventh and scored twice for the Cardinals (1-2). He also hit a two-out double off starter Mike Jones in the second before scoring on Matt Pagnozzi's single.

 

Palm Beach starter Jaime Garcia (0-1) was reached for four runs on nine hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four in his first start since being promoted from Class A Quad Cities. -- Peter Spadora/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2006062439

 

Walk-off grand slam

Yost connects with two out in bottom of 9th to win it for Power

By Tommy R. Atkinson

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

A good night turned into a great one for the West Virginia Power Saturday.

 

Ned Yost belted a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-2 victory against the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators and Power pitcher Will Inman pitched well in his first start since May.

 

A paid crowd of 3,834 attended the South Atlantic League game on an overcast evening at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The Power entered the ninth in a 2-0 hole after Adam Ricks? two-run home run in the sixth gave Kannapolis (0-3) the lead.

 

The Power?s Michael Brantley beat out an infield single he dribbled just past the pitcher?s mound on the third base side to lead off the ninth. Lorenzo Cain followed with a single to center field to put runners at first and second with none out.

 

Angel Salome singled to right field, but it was hit sharp enough that Kannapolis? Salvador Sanchez gunned down the speedy Brantley at the plate for the first out. Mat Gamel?s one-out single to right scored Cain to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

 

Mike Bell flew out for the second out and Tony Festa coaxed a full-count walk to load the bases. Yost didn?t waste any time, smashing the first pitch he saw from Kannapolis reliever Matt Long over the right-center-field wall for the victory.

 

?I was hoping I was going to get a chance to get up,?? said Yost, who singled and walked in three plate appearances before the ninth. ?I don?t think I?ve been in a situation like that all year.

 

?I wanted my turn. [Long] just walked the bases loaded. I figured I?d get a fastball first pitch and if it was around the plate I was going to swing as hard as I could. I did and luckily I made contact.??

 

Inman suffered a strained pitching shoulder and bicep tendinitis in early May and was just activated off the disabled list Saturday. A third-round draft pick of the Brewers last year, Inman compiled a 3-1 record and a 1.80 earned run average in six starts and three relief appearances before the injury.

 

The 19-year-old right-hander was limited to three innings Saturday but continued to shine. The Dry Fork, Va., resident shut out the Intimidators on 33 pitches, surrendering only a single in his last inning.

 

Inman hit the first batter he saw with his first pitch, but a double play erased the threat and he only faced one batter over the minimum of nine the rest of the way.

 

?I really wasn?t expecting him to be that sharp,?? said Power pitching coach John Curtis. ?I expected a little unfamiliarity with the delivery.

 

?We?re trying to limit some of his arm swing in his delivery and take a little pressure off that shoulder. I thought he pitched very well. I thought he looked terrific. He had good velocity on the ball. The location is going to come, but I was very pleased.??

 

Curtis said Inman?s next start will be similar in duration to Saturday?s and in his next four or five starts will ?piggyback?? with another pitcher.

 

?It?ll probably be a 10-to-15-pitch progression from there to get him back to where he was before the injury,?? Curtis said. ?He should be well on his own by the end.??

 

Power reliever Patrick Ryan (4-1) earned the win with three innings of three-hit shutout ball. Reliever Kevin Roberts, who allowed the two-run homer in the sixth, fanned five of his first seven batters before encountering trouble.

 

Kannapolis starter Daniel Cortes, who entered play with a 2-7 mark and 4.86 ERA, held the Power to two singles in seven innings a night after the Intimidators pitching staff was tagged for 17 runs on 21 hits.

 

The Power, which is in first place in the Northern Division, has opened the second half with three straight wins.

 

?We wanted to start the second half with a bang and get some wins and play hard,?? said Yost, whose father is the Milwaukee Brewers manager of the same name. ?So far we?ve done that. It feels real good. It?s awesome.??

 

Power points

 

Brent Metheny, a former Moorefield High School three-sport star, is on Kannapolis? disabled list. The Intimidators are a White Sox affiliate. ... Ricks continued his hot hitting against the Power with a 2-for-4 performance, including the two-run homer. The former Miami (Fla.) standout entered Saturday hitting .450 against the Power. ... The finale of the four-game series will begin at 4:05 PM today (3:05 Central) and is part of Christian Family Night. Following the game, Sanctus Real will perform a concert. ... The Power will embark on an eight-game road trip Monday.

 

Power second baseman Mike Bell (right) tags out Kannapolis? Paulo Orlando, completing a double play after Orlando ventured too far off the bag after a putout was made at first base in the first inning Saturday night at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chris Dorst

 

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Mustangs pitchers shut down Helena, 9-1

By GREG RACHAC

Of The Billings Gazette Staff

 

Saturday night marked Anthony Gressick's first professional start.

 

The Billings Mustangs' rookie never looked uncomfortable.

 

Gressick threw five strong innings, rendering three hits and no runs while striking out three as the Mustangs cruised to a 9-1 win over the Helena Brewers at Cobb Field.

 

Gressick, drafted this year by the Cincinnati Reds out of Ohio University, was unshakeable against the Brewers, much to the delight of his manager, Rick Burleson.

 

"He was good from the outset and finished very well," Burleson said. "He did everything we asked. He located the ball down in the zone and threw strikes. You can't ask for much more than that from a guy in his first start."

 

Burleson and the Mustangs' coaching staff had Gressick pegged for a 55-pitch outing, if he could get there.

 

Gressick threw exactly 55 pitches, then gave way to a bullpen that was just as effective.

 

Dane Mason and James Morris combined to toss the final four innings of the game, giving up just two hits and the team's only walk.

 

Helena pushed a run across in the top of the sixth inning against Mason when leadoff hitter Stephen Chapman delivered a sacrifice fly to score Jordan Swaydan.

 

He almost didn't score, as centerfielder Drew Stubbs, the Reds' first-round draft choice in '06, nearly threw Swaydan out at the plate after gathering the fly ball.

 

But that was all the Brewers could muster.

 

"Our pitchers did an amazing job," said Mustangs third baseman Jason Louwsma. "Everybody did their job tonight. We played together as a team."

 

On the flipside, the Mustangs' offense could not be stopped, especially from the fifth spot in the batting order on down.

 

Louwsma, the No. 5 hitter, delivered a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs. The sixth man in the lineup, Angel Colon, added three hits and three RBIs.

 

Chris Heisey, Tony Esquer and Maikol Mesa -- the 7-8-9 men -- combined to add three hits and drove in a pair of runs to add to Billings' onslaught.

 

"Basically from the beginning, we made the plays," Louwsma said. "We got guys on and got them into scoring position. We were able to build a pretty comfortable lead."

 

It started early.

 

After the Mustangs got a run in the first inning, the team put three more on the board in the third, led by Colon's two-RBI single and followed by Esquer's run-scoring groundout.

 

They'd get three more runs in the sixth as Louwsma, Colon and Heisey each delivered RBI hits.

 

On three separate occasions, Billings had the bases loaded. Despite scoring nine runs, it could have been worse for Helena -- the Mustangs stranded 11 runners on base.

 

"If we can get the bottom half of the order contributing like we did tonight, we'll put up some runs," Burleson said. "Tonight, we had 22 base runners, and scored eight of nine runners from third base with less than two outs. So we're happy about that."

 

The Mustangs and Brewers will tangle again today at 4:00 PM (5:00 Central) in the final game of the Mustangs' season-opening homestand.

 

After today's game, Billings will embark on a seven-game road swing through Missoula and Great Falls.

 

While the season is still young, Burleson's early impressions of his team is an optimistic one.

 

"Until you see the whole league, you don't really know where you stand," he said. "But I like our guys and I think we have a good group. We just have to come to the ballpark every day with the attitude that we're going to get better. At this level that's what it's all about."

 

NOTES: Helena left fielder Zach Clem left the game after the first inning when he collided with shortstop Brad Miller while making a catch off the bat of Heisey. Carlos De La Cruz replaced Clem.