Link Report for Friday 6/23: Baby Brewers Go 'Live'

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: Your Link Report officially provides 50% more nourishment than it did just a week ago!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

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

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Steve Bray at Mobile (Padres), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

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

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.palmbeachcardinals.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Rafael Lluberes at home vs. Kannapolis (White Sox), 6:55 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: RHP Shawn Ferguson at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 8:05 PM

 

Audio (click on "Listen Live"):

www.helenabrewers.net/html2/index.php

 

Arizona: 17-year-old RHP Wily Peralta is the Opening Day choice at home in Maryvale vs. the Athletics' young-uns, 12:30 PM Central time, 10:30 AM local, never any web audio for the Arizona League

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. It's sweet!

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_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 Thursday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 40 32 .556 - 26-13 14-19 W1[/b] Iowa 34 38 .472 6.0 19-17 15-21 W2 Memphis 28 44 .389 12.0 16-22 12-22 W2 Omaha 28 45 .384 12.5 16-19 12-26 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 3 1 .750 - 3-1 0-0 W3 West Tenn 3 1 .750 - 3-1 0-0 W2 Tennessee 2 2 .500 1.0 0-0 2-2 L1 Carolina 1 3 .250 2.0 0-0 1-3 L3 [b]Huntsville 1 3 .250 2.0 0-0 1-3 L2[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1[/b] Daytona 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1 Jupiter 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1 Palm Beach 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1 St. Lucie 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1 Vero Beach 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 1 0 1.000 - 0-0 1-0 W1 [b]West Virginia 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1[/b] Delmarva 0 0 - 0.5 0-0 0-0 - Lake County 0 0 - 0.5 0-0 0-0 - Greensboro 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 Hagerstown 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 Hickory 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 Lexington 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 2 1 .667 - 0-0 2-1 W2 [b]Helena 2 1 .667 - 2-1 0-0 W1[/b] Billings 1 2 .333 1.0 1-2 0-0 L2 Missoula 1 2 .333 1.0 0-0 1-2 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 1 0 1.000 - 0-0 1-0 W1 AZL Giants 1 0 1.000 - 0-0 1-0 W1 AZL Mariners 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1 AZL Rangers 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 0 0 - 0.5 0-0 0-0 -[/b] AZL Athletics 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 AZL Cubs 0 1 .000 1.0 0-1 0-0 L1 AZL Padres 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1 AZL Royals 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1

[Mass Haas]

Very nice -- unlike past years, the Arizona box score and game log is updating live -- 100 degrees in Arizona today!

 

By the way, we haven't fully reviewed and profiled the Arizona roster yet, nor finalized our Player Index (it's close, tonight for sure), but here's an accurate roster from MiLB.com:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;cid=406

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Athletics 6, Arizona Brewers 5

Everything we remember about the Arizona League -- plenty of high BB and K totals, HBP's, WP's, errors, SB attempts, it'll all be here this summer. We did a study a couple of years ago and discovered that about one in every 20 Arizona Brewer Rookie players had even made it to high-A ball since 2001. Except for your top high school draft picks (Mark Rogers, Jeremy Jeffress, Brent Brewer), most of the rookies who don't debut in Helena have longer odds of advancing than those that do. But as Lorenzo Cain (league MVP) proved last year -- and Hernan Iribarren the year prior -- potential contributors do see significant time here occasionally.

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score:

Just turned 20-year-old LHP Jose Romero, the kid who compiled off-the-chart numbers during a Venezuelan Summer League stint in 2005, with two scoreless innings (two HBP's); Canadian RHP Mark James (14th round, '05), still just 18, probably topped any of his 2005 outings with today's effort; Anderson de la Rosa has been primarily an outfielder -- he sneaks into the catcher mix here, apparently; undrafted free agent Anthony Wycklendt with a tough pro debut (four K's, 1 BB); where's our attendance figure (usually less than 20)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

 

Arizona Brewer Game Log:

With likley less than 20 folks in the stands, it'd still be a cool job to hang out in a (hopefully) air-conditioned press box and plug in the Rookie League game log data for MiLB.com..

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

In progress: West Virginia 9, Kannapolis (White Sox) 2, bottom of the 6th in Charleston

This team rules...

 

West Virginia Power designated hitter Brad Willcutt left the game due to an injured leg (hit by pitch).

 

Ironically, Tony Festa, who pinch-ran for Willcutt, was hit by a pitch in his subequent at-bat (he's OK).

 

Should Willcutt hit the 7-day DL, ther's no shortage of catchers in Helena...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 17, Kannapolis (White Sox) 2

 

West Virginia Box Score:

21 hits, no errors, fun night; Michael Brantley drives in five from the leadoff spot; a night to pad the numbers all around -- we'll let you digest the numbers...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Nice for RHP Josh Louis in a wrap-up 9th inning to escape a bases-loaded jam...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Palm Beach (Cardinals) 8, Brevard County 5, 11 innings

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Closer Josh Alliston has been very solid, but can't hold a one-run 9th inning lead tonight; Carlos Corporan four hits, Hernan Iribarren three...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

LHP Jeremy Lewis with a bail-out of Josh Wahpepah in the 6th; Kyle Phillips' 8th inning HR looked like a game-winner for a bit...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER OFFENSE EXPLODES WITH 17 RUNS

 

On Thursday night the Power pitching staff stole the spotlight, but on Friday night it was the Power offense that shined, scoring 17 runs on 21 hits, matching their single game season high for runs scored in a 17-2 victory over Kannapolis at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The Power took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lorenzo Cain scored on Mike Bell?s sacrifice fly and Ned Yost drove in Angel Salome on a single. Kannapolis scored their only two runs in the top of the second inning. Adam Ricks doubled in a run and he scored later in the inning on Salvador Sanchez?s single to tie the game.

 

The Power scored four times in the fourth inning to take the lead. Michael Brantley knocked in his first of five runs with a single to put the Power on top. Cain knocked in the next run on a groundout and Nate Yoho and Michael Brantley both scored on wild pitches to complete the four-run frame.

 

In the fifth inning Brantley drove in two more runs on a double and he scored during the next at bat on Cain?s single. In the sixth inning Brantley knocked in a pair on a single to give him five RBI on the night and Kenny Holmberg drove a run in with a double. The Power scored two times in the seventh inning on Yost?s RBI triple and Yost scored later in the inning on Javier Castillo?s error. The Power offense continued their dominance in the eighth inning where they scored three more times. Salome brought in two runs on a single and Holmberg knocked Salome in with a base hit.

 

Brantley and Cain both recorded four hits, and Brantley knocked in five runs. Salome, Mat Gamel and Yost all had three hits, and the Power had seven players with multi-hit games.

 

Rafael Lluberes (4-3) allowed two runs on five hits through five innings to earn the victory and Clayton Richard (3-3) obtained the loss. The Power are 41-30 overall and 2-0 in the second half after the win and the Intimidators fell to 20-52 overall and 0-2 in the second half after the loss. Attendance for the game was 4,044.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Intimidators on Saturday night. Kannapolis will start right hander Daniel Cortes (1-7, 4.86) and the Power will start right hander Will Inman (3-1, 1.80). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Infielder Brent Abernathy:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-23.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 4, Nashville 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Dennis Sarfate photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2018

 

Sounds Fall Short Against Express, 4-3

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas ? The Nashville Sounds came up short in another close road contest on Friday evening at The Dell Diamond, falling 4-3 to the host Round Rock Express in the third game of a five-game series.

 

With the loss, Nashville (40-33) dropped to just 2-15 on the year in one-run road decisions and lost by one run for the ninth time in their last 10 defeats away from Greer Stadium.

 

The Sounds grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Round Rock starter Chris Sampson. Dave Krynzel put the visitors on the board when he plated Tony Gwynn with a sacrifice fly. Brent Abernathy brought home the frame?s second run with a two-out RBI single to right.

 

Round Rock evened the score in the third by touching Sounds starter Dennis Sarfate for a pair of home runs. Cody Ransom opened the frame with his sixth longball of the season, a blast to left, before Mike Rodriguez knotted the contest at 2-2 with a one-out solo jack to right, his fourth roundtripper. The two longballs in the inning matched the total number of homers allowed by Sarfate in his first 14 starts (73.2 IP).

 

Nashville retook a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Jermaine Clark?s sacrifice fly to center that scored Graham Koonce, who leveled Express catcher Humberto Quintero to reach the plate.

 

AUDIO: Koonce Runs Over Express Catcher --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-23.wma

 

The seesaw battle continued in the fifth as the Express claimed their first lead of the night at 4-3 with a pair of runs courtesy of a one-out Joe McEwing single that brought home Charlton Jimerson and Ransom. Sarfate worked out of a bases-loaded jam later in the frame by striking out Royce Huffman to avoid further damage.

 

The Sounds failed to capitalize on its best scoring opportunity of the night when they left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning. Gwynn, who led Nashville with a 3-for-4 evening, and Kennard Bibbs opened the frame with consecutive singles off Express reliever Brandon Puffer before being sacrificed to second and third by Krynzel. After Koonce was intentionally walked to fill the bases with just one out, Puffer induced a foul pop-up from Abernathy and struck out Clark to escape the jam without damage and uphold the one-run lead.

 

Shortstop Ozzie Chavez went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his career Triple-A debut for the Sounds.

 

Sampson (8-1) picked up the win after allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits over five innings in his first start since returning from Houston. Travis Driskill earned his ninth save with a scoreless ninth inning.

 

Sarfate (6-3) allowed more than three runs for only the third time in his 15 starts this season and took the loss, snapping his personal four-start winning streak. He surrendered four scores on five hits in five frames of action, walking three batters while striking out six.

 

The teams meet again on Saturday evening at 7:05 p.m. Nashville right-hander Justin Lehr (1-2, 4.20) will take the hill to face Round Rock right-hander Jason Hirsh (8-2, 2.79).

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 8, Mobile (Padres) 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link for Drew Anderson photo, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=890

 

Bray Solid in Second Start in Stars' Victory

 

Steve Bray tossed five scoreless innings and Drew Anderson knocked in three runs to lead Huntsville past Mobile 8-1 Friday night in the final game of a five-game set at Hank Aaron Stadium. The Stars won two times in the first series of the second half and have taken six out of 10 from the BayBears, who fell into a three-way tie for the top spot in the South Division with victorious Birmingham and Jacksonville.

 

Ron Acuna led off the second inning with a bad-hop double to right field and scored from third on a two-out single by J.C. Boscan, who knocked in his fifth run of the season to give the visitors the early lead. Brad Nelson opened the fourth inning with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and came plateward on a two-out single by Guilder Rodriguez. The throw from left fielder Vincent Sinisi beat Nelson to the plate but the burly first baseman collided with catcher George Kottaras and knocked the ball loose to score to make it 2-0 Huntsville. Rodriguez took second base on the throw to the plate and scored on a base hit by Bray, who knocked in his first run of the year with his first hit. Steve Moss and Callix Crabbe singled to load the bases and chase Mobile starter Jose Oyervidez from the game. Drew Anderson greeted Dirk Hayhurst with a two-run single to left to score Bray and Moss to make it 5-0 and complete the rally that featured a season-high six-hit inning. Kottaras was charged with an error on the play at the plate that made all four runs unearned to the mark of Oyervidez, who suffered his sixth loss of the year.

 

Bray gave up two singles in the fourth inning and worked out of trouble by retiring Brett Dowdy on a fly ball to end the frame and retired Sinisi on a ground out to end the fifth after a two-out triple by Juan Ciriaco. He struck out a season-high six, walked one and allowed four hits to pick up his first win since May 13 at Tennessee. It was the second start of Bray?s professional career.

 

Moss singled home a run and Anderson knocked in another in the sixth with a fielder?s choice grounder and Acuna scored on a wild pitch, after his second double of the game, in the ninth to complete the scoring for Huntsville, which collected 13 hits for a second straight game. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee?s number one draft choice last year, went hitless in five at-bats in his first start at the double-A level.

 

The Stars return home Saturday to open a five-game series with Chattanooga, winners of the first half North Division title. Right-hander Corey Thurman will take the hill for Huntsville against Lookouts? right-hander Josh Hall. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Hey, we were giving you Steve Bray updates long before it was "trendy", as Doug Melvin mentioned that Bray was on the prospect radar in his chat Thursday -- Bray now with a 55-to-7 K/BB ratio in 59.1 innings...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

 

Steve Bray Photo:

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/Bray,%20Stephen%2036t.JPG

[Mass Haas]

Final: Missoula (Diamondbacks) 6, Helena 2

 

Helena Box Score:

Brewers commit four errors and Brewer pitchers walk ten - ugh; Shawn Ferguson only allows one hit in four innings, so his five walks didn't hurt him; Carlos de la Cruz 0-for-5, and plays the unusual CF-1B defensive combo; undrafted J.R. Hopf may prove to see much more time at first base rather than catcher, 3-for-3 tonight, then pinch-hit for -- make time and opportunites for all the kids...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

Two H-Brewers out at home plate in the very first inning; bases loaded, one out in the 5th -- no dice; D-Back once highly-regarded prospect Jason Neighborgall still very wild, 23 wild pitches in 2005, I believe; Jose Beltre failed to cover home when a wild pitch slipped away in the 9th -- the type of error that won't show up in the box score...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Photo from Tuesday's game of second baseman Taylor Green:

by Travis Brower, Helena Assistant General Manager --

 

http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals/uploads/courtenay/.DIR288/front_process_CMYK_060623.jpg

[DHonks]

so did someone in West Virgina put Helena Brewers jerseys in the lockers? That's how they hit last year!

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section.../200606241

 

Power clicks in 17-2 romp

By Rick Ryan

Chaleston Gazette Assistant Sports Editor

 

Kannapolis was in a giving mood Friday night, and the Power was sure in the mood to take.

 

Michael Brantley and Lorenzo Cain each ripped four hits and the Power took advantage of some spotty defense by the Intimidators to rack up a 17-2 South Atlantic League victory in front of 4,044 fans at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Everything seemed to go right for West Virginia, which starts out the season?s second half 2-0. The Power stroked 21 hits, committed no errors and turned four double plays.

 

Left-hander Rafael Lluberes (4-3) worked five innings, allowing five hits and two runs to pick up the win. Between the third and eighth, Power pitchers faced just two batters over the minimum.

 

Power manager Mike Guerrero couldn?t find anything to harp about afterward.

 

?When they play bad, you have to let them know,?? he said, ?but when they do good things, you also want to emphasize the positive. You want them to make a habit of good things happening. Good things happened for us today ? situational hitting, great baserunning, good defense. We just played a great game.??

 

Brantley, who was moved from the No. 9 spot in the batting order into the leadoff position moments before the game when Darren Ford became sidelined with an infection, went 4-for-6, scored three times and drove in five runs. He came into the game with just 16 RBIs.

 

?No matter who?s in the lineup or not, everybody?s important,?? Guerrero said. ?That?s [the mindset] we try to create. You never know when you have to contribute. Just be ready when you?re up there.??

 

Three other Power hitters turned in three hits each ? all-stars Angel Salome and Mat Gamel, as well as Ned Yost. In all, seven different players had multiple hits.

 

That production, combined with the prospect of a postgame fireworks display and an appearance by Myron Noodleman ? billed as the reigning Clown Prince of Baseball ? had the crowd buzzing all night.

 

But the Intimidators, who sank to 20-52 overall, certainly chipped in their share. They committed only three errors, but it seemed like more:

 

- Starter Clayton Richard (3-3) helped break the game open in the bottom of the fourth by walking and hitting the first two Power batters. They both scored to break a 2-all tie and the Power added two more in the inning when Richard threw back-to-back wild pitches to plate runs.

 

- Kannapolis center fielder Paulo Orlando ignited the Power?s three-run sixth when he flat-out dropped a high fly by Mike Bell for a two-base error to lead off the inning.

 

- The next batter, Yost, lofted a fly between second baseman Brandon Johnson and right fielder Salvador Sanchez that should have been caught, but dropped for a double.

 

- The very next batter, Kenny Holmberg, drove the ball to the fence in right. Sanchez looked to have a bead on the ball, but grew tentative when nearing the fence and the ball again plopped in for another double.

 

- In the seventh, Yost smoked an RBI triple to the gap in left center and was awarded home when the relay from shortstop Javier Castillo sailed into the Kannapolis dugout.

 

- The following batter, Holmberg, skied a foul pop behind the plate that catcher Kris Walker bobbled and dropped for an error. Holmberg promptly drew a base on balls.

 

About the only sour note for the Power came in the fourth when designated hitter Brad Willcutt was struck on the left leg by a Richard pitch and had to leave. Guerrero said Willcutt suffered a contusion, but isn?t expected to miss much time.

 

The highlights for Kannapolis were RBI hits in the second by Adam Ricks and Sanchez that temporarily tied the game at 2.

 

The two teams square off tonight in the third game of their four-game set at 7:05 (6:05 Central). Guerrero would like to keep the good vibes going in the second half.

 

?Every time you start the first half or the second half and you can have a good start, the confidence just grows,?? he said. ?Whatever good things you?ve done in the first half can carry over, and they know what they?re working to achieve is on the way.??

 

Kannapolis pitcher Rafael Flores (30) couldn?t catch the ball and tag the bag at the same time, so Power hitter Nate Yoho (24) was safe at first Friday night.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Kenny Kemp

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/P1SAFE.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Barthelemy bails out Cards

 

Ryan Barthelemy hit a game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning and scored in a four-run 11th as visiting Palm Beach beat Brevard County, 9-5, on Friday.

 

Barthelemy, who hit a solo homer in the first, forged a 4-4 tie with a two-out single off Josh Alliston in the ninth. He reached on second baseman Hernan Iribarren's error in the 11th, moved to second on Matt Dryer's go-ahead RBI single and scored on a base hit by Joe Mather as the Cardinals (1-1) took a 6-4 lead.

 

Michael Ferris delivered an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch to cap the four-run inning as the Cardinals pounded out 18 hits.

 

Matthew Scherer (7-4) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to pick the win and Mike Sillman worked out of a jam in the 11th to notch his 16th save.

 

Dave Johnson (5-4) took the loss after surrendering four runs -- one earned -- on six hits over two innings.

 

Carlos Corporan went 4-for-5, Iribarren had three hits and Kyle Phillips homered for Brevard County (1-1), which has lost five of its last seven.-- Carl Dispoto/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...406_01.txt

 

Brewers end first series in four-way tie for first

By JEFF WINDMUELLER - IR Sports Writer

 

As the Helena Brewers and Missoula Osprey remained scoreless heading into the sixth inning, Brewers manager Ed Sedar knew the winner would be the team that made the least mistakes.

 

Unfortunately for Helena, they made two big ones that cost them the game.

 

The Osprey brought in four runs in the eighth inning off of two errors and defeated the Brewers 6-2, ending their four-game opening series 2-2 Friday.

 

The lost drops Helena into a four-way tie for first place in the Pioneer League standings.

 

The Brewers held a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the eighth when Missoula?s Matt Oxendine cranked a hit off Chris Toneguzzi to centerfield. As runners advanced to second and third, Carlos De La Cruz fielded the ball and threw home but the throw was up the first-base line and it sent catcher D.J. Neyens scrambling toward the backstop.

 

The error allowed Jose Dijol to come in for the tying run and runners to advance to second and third.

 

Toneguzzi intentionally walked Connor Janes to load the bases and hopefully force a double play but the plan backfired.

 

Sean Smith cracked another hit to centerfield. This time De La Cruz was under the ball and looked as though he had the catch, but the ball flew a few inches over his glove and rolled to the wall.

 

The second error allowed all three runners to score as Smith made it to third.

 

The Brewers would finally stop the bleeding when Tyler Jones popped a bunt toward Helena shortstop David Parker. Parker completed the double play when he beat Smith back to third.

 

The Osprey?s final two runs came in the ninth innning off a sacrifice fly and wild pitch that let a runner come home.

 

The Brewers made a number of changes in the lineup before Friday?s game following the injury of Stepen Chapman, who started the first three games and leads the team with a .545 average.

 

?(De La Cruz) is a utility guy and he?ll be out there again,? Sedar said of De La Cruz who is listed as an infielder and played first base in Thursday?s win against Missoula. ?It?s his first time in a while in the outfield, but with Chapman nursing a sore hamstring I really don?t have much options. I had four catchers in the lineup today.?

 

Note: This team is really waiting on outfielder Cole Gillespie, the third round pick out of Oregon State -- be sure to watch the College World Series this weekend. Until his arrival, the roster isn't constructed position-wise very well -- which Ed Sedar pretty much acknowledges in his quote here -- unless the organization is looking to nurture the most defensively diverse group of catchers in history. -- Mass Haas (Jim)

 

The date of Chapman?s return is still unknown.

 

The Brewers were the first to take an advantage on some mistakes when they scored their first run in the sixth inning.

 

The Osprey?s Jason Neighborgall came into the sixth and walked Chris Errecart on four straight pitches. Then while pitching to Fredy De La Cruz, Neighborgall was called for a balk, sending Errecart to second. One wild pitch later Errecart made it to third, and a second wild pitch sent the Brewer home.

 

The second Brewer run came in the bottom of the eighth when Zach Clem hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield allowing Andy Bouchie to score.

 

?This game we had our chances to do some damage early,? Sedar said. ?Things just didn?t go in our favor tonight.?

 

In both the fifth and sixth innings the Brewers had bases loaded with only one out but couldn?t bring in a runner.

 

?There weren?t many well-hit balls when we got in those situations tonight. Maybe (the players) needed to be more selective or find a way to put better wood on the ball,? Sedar said.

 

The Brewers left a number of Osprey players on base as well. Their pitchers were constantly behind in the count as they issued eight walks, not including the one intentional pass.

 

The Brewers will hit the road for the first time this season, as they head to Billings today at 7:05 p.m.

[hsvstarsfan]

PAYBACK, BUT STARS STILL LOSE SERIES

Let's hope for more of this, but the Stars swung the bats pretty well again this night....... Although the Stars hit just .224 in this series, they had more than 10 hits in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

This was the first time the Stars have beaten Jose Oyervidez in five meetings going back to last year. Oyervidez had come into the game with a 2-0 record and 3.38 ERA against the Stars. Last year, he dominated them, winning 2 of 3 times with a 1.42 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 19 innings....... Walks get him into trouble a lot of times. He led the SL in walks last year and was 4th in the league coming in, but of all things, it was a bombardment of eight hits by the Stars that sent him to his earliest exit ever against the Stars, and his 2nd earliest of the season.

The Stars got the jump in the 2nd inning....... Ron Acuna, a .211 hitter when leading off this year, led off the 2nd with a bad-hop double grounded past 2nd baseman O'Riordan to right. After Brad Nelson grounded out moving Acuna to 3rd, Ryan Braun had his first chance as a starter to knock in a run, but struck out swinging....... J.C. Boscan, 1-for-7 with 2 out and runners in scoring position, came through in the clutch and singled up the middle on a 2-0 pitch to enable the Stars to cash in on the leadoff double........ Boscan has driven in just five runs this season, but the Stars are 5-0 when he does.

The Stars lead became more comfortable in the 4th inning, getting all four of their runs that inning with two out........ The Stars seem to have a liking for the 4th inning this year. They've have eight 4-run 4th innings this year and scored more times in the 4th than any other inning this year........ For the record, they've also scored twice in the 6th eight times this year and they've had six 2-run 7th innings.

But back to the game........Brad Nelson ended an 0-for-14 drought with a line drive back through the middle past the outstretched glove of Oyervidez to lead off the 4th. With an 0-2 count on Ryan Braun, Oyervidez threw a ball into the dirt to enable Nelson to get to 2nd, but Braun, who would wear the golden sombrero in this game, bounced a one-hopper to 3rd baseman Brett Dowdy for the 1st out and J.C. Boscan flied out to center......... But six men would come to the plate before Mobile was able to get out of the inning.

Guilder Rodriguez sent a line drive over a leaping Dowdy down the left field line and Nelson slid home, as Kottaras dropped the throw from left fielder Vince Sinisi, otherwise Rodriguez would've had his first RBI for the Stars......... Starter Stephen Bray helped himself out with a line drive hit to right to score GRod, who had gone to 2nd on Sinisi's throw to get Nelson, and it was 3-0........ Steve Moss belted a 3-1 pitch that landed on the first hop right on the seam where the infield dirt and outfield grass meet and skipped into center field, sending Bray to 2nd....... Moss continues to be hot during this streak of 28 losses in 34 games, hitting .294. He finished the Mobile series 7-for-20 (.350)....... A single up the middle by Callix Crabbe loaded the bases and drove Oyervidez from the game. Dirk Hayhurst, who was promoted from Lake Elsinore at the start of this series came in and was greeted by Drew Anderson, who delivered the big hit of the inning -- a looping fly ball to left on an 0-2 pitch that Sinisi unsuccessfully tried to make a sliding catch on. With the sacks full, Anderson is hitting .267 with 10 of his 30 RBIs for the season........ Ron Acuna struck out swinging to end the inning....... Matt Smith, who is now coming in with large leads to go 2 or 3 innings, gave up 4 hits and was burdened with an error by GRod in the 6th, but after opening with two straight singles, Stephen Smitherman hit into a 4-6-3 double play, and Smith was able to escape with only one run against him........ Smith stayed in in the 7th to give up another hit and have the misfortune of have another runner on base by way of the Braun's first error, but Russ Rohlicek and Brett Evert retired the Bay Bears in order in the 8th and 9th........ Bray making his 2nd start, pitched five scoreless innings and became the 2nd Huntsville pitcher this season to win five games after Tim Dillard.

Saturday, the Stars send Corey Thurman to the mound as they come home amid threatening weather to play host to the Lookouts for the first time this season........ Bell South Park is where the Stars began their hideous 14-game losing streak. The Stars were swept after winning the opener of that series, 8-3 on May 17........ Josh Hall, who the Stars didn't see in that series, will start for Chattanooga.

Ron Acuna is 9-for-29 (.310) in his last eight games. He has driven in 17 runs during "the slump", 2nd to Drew Anderson's 19....... Anderson was 3-for-19 (.15http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif during the series, but drove in 4 runs....... After a .154 May, Callix Crabbe is hitting .279 this month........ Travis Ezi had a hit in back-to-back games for the first time since the Jacksonville series, May 23-25...... Adam Heether has not seen any action with the Brevard County Manatees since going down. They've been going with Ryan Crew, who was hitting .280 at West Virginia when he was promoted to Brevard.