Link Report for Games of Tuesday, June 20th

[DHonks]

I heard a word, then the guy clicked off, and then a woman's recorded voice came on telling me that the streaming audio is unavailable

[Mass Haas]

Through seven in Mobile and well, let's get as many folks listening in as possible.

 

By the way, let's not forget that Tim Dillard's last start was seven innings of two-hit shutout ball -- he's dialing in, nice.

 

There's a big thunderstorm heading my way. If my PC blows up so I can listen to Brett on the Stars' broadcast, hopefully it will be worth it http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif .

[PrimetimeHater]

D'oh...the second I tune in he gives up his first hit.

[PeaveyFury]

Leadoff batter reaches in the 8th on a single. Nice game so far Tim.

[DHonks]

I blame myself. I decided to listen in, and it didn't take long for the no-no to disappear

[homer]

Can someone clarify something for me? The Brewers have had the last two players of the year in the Pioneer League right? Salome and Cain? Hernan was player of the year in the AZ league, correct?

[DHonks]

Palmisano was also a Pioneer League MVP.

Cain was Arizona League MVP

[brewmann04]

I have to think Palmisano is now Corporal LOU

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 3, Mobile (Padres) 0

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link for Tim Dillard photo, text follows:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=885

 

Dillard Deals Stars a Shutout Victory

 

Tim Dillard threw no-hit baseball for seven innings and tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout, as Huntsville ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Mobile Tuesday night in the second of a five-game set at Hank Aaron Stadium. The Stars squared their second half record at 1-1 and finished off their fourth shutout win of the season, while the BayBears dipped to 1-1 in the second half and 28-43 overall. The Stars won for only the fourth time in their last 16 games away from home and for just the second time when scoring less than four runs, with both of those wins over the BayBears.

 

Dillard retired the first 10 batters he faced before walking Vincent Sinisi with one out in the fourth inning. He then set down the next 11 hitters in a row and faced only one over the minimum through seven frames. Michael Johnson broke up the no-hit bid with a line drive single to center field on the first pitch of the eighth inning, his fourth hit of the series. Brett Dowdy singled to center with two outs and pinch-hitter Stephen Smitherman singled off the glove of a diving third baseman Adam Heether to load the bases before Dillard retired Juan Ciriaco on a called third strike to end the home team?s only scoring threat of the night. The right-hander fanned Sinisi and George Kottaras to open the ninth before getting Joey Gomes to ground out to end the game and finish off the Stars second individual nine-inning, complete-game shutout of the season.

 

Dillard matched a season-high with seven strikeouts to earn his fifth win of the season and fourth on the road. He has tossed 16 consecutive scoreless innings over his last two starts and has held Mobile to one run in 14 frames in two meetings.

 

Callix Crabbe and Steve Moss led off the game with singles and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Anderson before Brad Nelson struck out for the second out of the inning. Lou Palmisano hit a ground ball to the shortstop Ciriaco, who made a one-hop throw past Johnson at first base that allowed both runners to score to give the Stars a 2-0 lead against Mike Ekstrom, making his double-A debut.

 

Dillard doubled with two outs in the fifth, stayed when Crabbe walked and scored on a base hit by Steve Moss, who knocked in his 15th run. Dillard is 7-for-20 as a batter with two doubles, a home run and five batted in. Ekstrom allowed three runs, only one earned, on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts and was followed by Geoff Jones and Bubba Nelson, who combined to toss three innings of scoreless relief.

 

The series continues Wednesday morning with right-hander Travis Phelps getting the starting assignment for the Stars against BayBears left-hander Roger Deago. Coverage of the game begins at 11:20 a.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Scoring one earned run hardly an offensive explosion, but the Stars will take it for a win...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

 

Pretty cool how the ball seems to be floating in this additional Tim Dillard photo, courtesy of PonderPhoto.com via the Stars' site:

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/dillardt.JPG

[Mass Haas]

Final: St. Lucie (Mets) 2, Brevard County 0

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Devaney divine for St. Lucie

 

Mike Devaney took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and tossed a complete-game shutout as St. Lucie blanked Brevard County, 2-0, on Tuesday.

 

Devaney lost the no-hitter with one out in the eighth when Hernan Iribarren grounded a 2-0 two-seam fastball into left field for a single.

 

"It was a 2-0 count, so he got a good pitch to hit," the right-hander said. "The last thing I wanted to do there was walk him."

 

The 23-year-old allowed two hits, struck out 10 and walked two to extend his scoreless streak to 25 innings. Devaney says his success goes back to Saturday's All-Star Game when he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning for the East team.

 

"The one inning I threw at the All-Star Game felt really good and it just carried over into tonight," Devaney said. "I knew after the first inning I had good stuff."

 

Devaney attributed a lot of the success during his scoreless streak to a changeup he developed, but went away from it on Tuesday.

 

"My curve was working so well I just wanted to stay with what was working," he said. "It had a really good bite to it."

 

St. Lucie's Caleb Stewart snapped a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth with his first home run of the season.

 

"That really took the pressure off me," Devaney said as he helped the Mets (39-30) stop their six-game losing streak.

 

Devaney, who lowered his ERA to 1.61, said the insurance run the Mets added in the sixth on Enrique Cruz's RBI single "was even bigger, it allowed me to throw strikes. I could give up a solo home run and we would still have the lead."

 

This is not the first time the 23-year-old flirted with a no-no. In his sophomore year at Concordia College in Oregon, he tossed a no-hitter against the University of British Columbia and its pitcher that night, Colorado Rockies starter Jeff Francis.

 

That experience kept him relaxed during the fifth when he realized he had a chance to make history.

 

"I tried not to think about it, but it is difficult to ignore it," Devaney said. "I just tried to stay relaxed and focused and continue doing what I was doing the inning before."

 

Steve Hammond (6-5) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked one over 5 2/3 innings for Brevard County (35-30). Luis Pena kept the Manatees in the game with 2 1/3 hitless innings. -- Chip Haunss/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 4, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 2

 

Helena Box Score:

Eight groundball outs in five effective innings for 19-year-old Roque Mercedes; nice work out of the pen, but it was tight in the 7th, 8th, and 9th with men on base and in scoring position; 20-year-old Fredy de la Cruz was 5th in the Arizona League last summer with five HR's, hit # 1 tonight...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

Stephen Chapman with a first inning triple; Chris Errecart's two-out, two-run double in the 5th the key hit of the game...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[molitor fan]

Nice to see that the Italian law firm of Palalazzolo, Parillo, and Tonneguzzi got together for some nice relief work to stamp down the game.

 

Seriously, one has to hope Helena has some decent Italian restaurants in it for these guys sakes, don't you?

[hsvstarsfan]

Dillard hitting .350...can he still catch? Just kidding...or am I? Any thoughts Clancy?

 

Funny you should say that, but I spoke to his grandparents earlier in the season before Dillard's first home appearance, and they told me he did catch in his school days --- and they bragged about how he could hit then.

[Mass Haas]

Diehards will remember that when the Brewers first drafted Tim Dillard in 2001 in the 15th round, it was as a catcher (pg. 217, Brewers' 2002 media guide), and then again in 2002's draft as a catcher, 34th round - pg. 221, Brewers' 2003 media guide).

 

He was converted to full-time pitcher at extended spring training in 2003.

 

So if he was really fast, he could be his own battery-mate.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/mobiler...amp;coll=3

 

Dillard throws 3-hit shutout

By NEAL McCREADY

Mobile Register Sports Reporter

 

Tim Dillard's bid for a no-hitter was broken up by Mobile first baseman Michael Johnson in the eighth inning Tuesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium, but the BayBears never truly solved Huntsville's big right-hander.

 

Dillard (5-4) went the distance for Huntsville, giving up three hits in the eighth inning but very little else in the Stars' 3-0 win in front of an announced crowd of 2,412.

 

"I wasn't really thinking about (a no-hitter)," said Dillard, who walked just one BayBear while striking out seven. "I was just thinking, 'If we hold them to less than three runs, we win the game.' Nobody really said anything. They talked about it after the eighth inning, when I gave up three hits. They were encouraging. They didn't really talk about that. I talked to them because the defense was incredible tonight."

 

After Johnson's single to lead off the eighth, Luis Cruz and Drew Macias flew out. Brett Dowdy followed with a two-out single to center field and Stephen Smitherman added a pinch-hit infield single to load the bases. But Dillard struck out Mobile shortstop Juan Ciriaco to end the threat, then retired the BayBears in order in the ninth.

 

"In a situation like that where you're down two or three runs late, you just try to get the tying and winning runs to the plate and we did," Mobile manager Gary Jones said. "He just came back and made a nice 2-2 pitch to Ciriaco out and away. You have to give him credit."

 

Dillard's father, Steve Dillard, played college baseball at Ole Miss before spending his major league career with the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.

 

Dillard, a 6-foot-4, 213-pounder from Saltillo, Miss., signed with Ole Miss after two standout seasons at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College but never made it to Oxford. Instead, he signed with Milwaukee and has spent the past three seasons working his way through the Brewers' farm system.

 

"It wouldn't have been so much about baseball (at Ole Miss)," Dillard said. "It would have been about education. I don't really regret it because I like where I am right now, but at the same time I'd like to have a degree. That would be nice."

 

Dillard, 22, entered Tuesday's game with a 3.67 ERA and opponents were hitting .279 against him.

 

The BayBears, however, couldn't figure him out.

 

"I like to get first-pitch strikes," Dillard said. "I like to get them to swing the bat because I know I have a great defense behind me and they proved it (Tuesday). They prove it night after night. I know they can play. I just let them hit it, just not a great pitch. I want them to get it off the handle of the bat and we'll make plays."

 

"He threw a sinker, and he was just running the ball in on right-handers and jamming them," Jones said. "He threw the change-up on left-handers early. He did a nice job."

 

Huntsville got Dillard all the offensive support he needed in the first inning when the Stars spoiled Mike Ekstrom's Double-A debut with two quick unearned runs. Callix Crabbe and Steve Moss led off with back-to-back singles and then advanced a base each on Drew Anderson's sacrifice bunt. Ekstrom rallied to strike out Brad Nelson, and then got Lou Palmisano to hit a ground ball to BayBears shortstop Ciriaco.

 

However, Ciriaco's throw was too low for Johnson to dig out of the dirt, and both Crabbe and Moss scored.

 

Dillard gave himself some insurance in the fifth when he doubled down the right-field line with two outs and scored on Moss' single to left field after Crabbe drew a walk.

 

The BayBears and Stars meet again this morning at 11:35. Mobile will send left-hander Roger Deago (5-3) to the mound opposite Huntsville right-hander Travis Phelps (1-4).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...106_03.txt

 

Brewers win opener

By TOM COTTON - Helena Independent Record Sports Editor

 

For the fourth consecutive year, the Brewers won their season opener, downing the Missoula Osprey 4-2 in front of 1,280 fans at Kindrick-Legion Field.

 

This contest proved to be a little closer than last season?s season opener ? a 16-3 win by the Brewers over the Osprey ? as Helena rallied to take the lead in the fifth when they pushed three runs across.

 

Missoula broke open a 1-1 game in the fourth with an RBI single by Ricardo Cruz.

 

However, that advantage would last until the bottom of the fifth inning.

 

Missoula starter Jordan Norberto had retired 11 straight batters until Fredy De La Cruz stepped to the plate. De La Cruz, who hit five home runs in the Arizona League last season, launched a majestic solo shot over the left-field fence.

 

That would tie the game at two and the Brewers would take the lead for good four batters later. Chris Errecart smacked a ball that rattled around in the left-field corner of Kindrick Legion Field.

 

The shot drove home Stephen Chapman, who had reached thanks to a walk, and Taylor Green. Missoula manager Hector De la Cruz, however, took issue with Green?s run saying the hit went into the ?dead-ball? area of the stadium behind the Osprey clubhouse. De La Cruz argued that Green should have been sent back to third on the play. Home plate umpire Anthony Johnson, however, let the two runs stand and the Brewers led 4-2.

 

?That was a big two-out hit by Errecart,? said Helena manager Ed Sedar. ?That is the kind of team we have to be, getting big two-out hits and we have enough players in our lineup to do that.?

 

Helena?s three run outburst in the fifth, however, was the majority of the offensive fireworks of the game.

 

Both pitching staffs showed midseason form in the season opener. Helena?s pitchers struck out nine Missoula batters and gave up just one extra-base hit. Missoula?s were nearly as sharp as Helena was able to string together only six hits in the game.

 

Brewer right hander Roque Mercedes got the win in the contest, yielding two earned runs and striking out four.

 

Helena pitching coach Mark Littell said Mercedes did a good job keeping the ball down in the strike zone and changing speeds.

 

The Brewers utilized three relief pitchers during the contest. Steve Palazzolo and Brandon Parillo gave up two hits in three innings and Chris Toneguzzi notched his first professional save. Toneguzzi, a 13th-round draft pick from Purdue, worked his way out of a jam in the ninth. With runners on first and second with two outs, he struck out Matt Oxendine to end the game.

 

?It was a learning lesson for him (Toneguzzi) in how to mix in the breaking ball,? Littell said.

 

The two teams will meet again today at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) with Mike McClendon scheduled to start for Helena and Anthony Barnette set to go for Missoula.

 

Jon Ebelt Helena Independent Record Staff Photographer - Missoula?s Matthew Oxendine, right, is called out at second base as Helena?s Brad Miller holds up the ball after making the tag during the Brewers? home opener Tuesday.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2006/06/21/sports_top/b01062106_03.jpg

[hsvstarsfan]

NO JUNE SWOON FOR DILLARD

The Milwaukee Brewers made Chris Barnwell a major leaguer tonight........ His contract was purchased by the Brewers from Nashville (since he wasn't on Milwaukee's 40-man roster). To make room, the Brewers optioned pitcher Joe Winkelsas to Nashville....... I got the news thanks to Brett Pollock's broadcast of tonight's game in Mobile, and immediately switched to the big league game on DirectTV, surprised to find the Brewers started Rick Helling tonight, rather than Carlos Villanueva...... Wearing #12, Barnwell entered the game defensively in the 6th inning and nearly dropped a single in front of Curtis Granderson in center in the 7th, but went 0-for-2 in his major league debut........ Barnwell, a former 2003 Rocky award winner, becomes the 160th former Huntsville Star to graduate to the majors.

Villanueva, who was scheduled to start for the Brewers according to the paper, wound up taking over from Helling early and pitching 6 2/3 innings, giving up just 3 hits. He also gave up three runs, but the damage had been done already, as the Tigers won, 10-0........ Don't understand why manager Ned Yost didn't start Villy, who pitched 6 against the Reds and held them scoreless.

Without Villanueva, the Stars have not had to look far for an ace to take over a pitching staff that has had a tough job holding opponents since the Stars refuse to get on base and drive in runs...... Corey Thurman has a better ERA, but Tim Dillard gets better support (3.9 runs per start to Thurman's 1.67), so sorry Corey, but Tim's the man ....... In a stretch of losing 26 of those 30 games, Dillard has won two of them, the rest going to Travis Phelps and Thurman..... So thanks to the rare run support, which seems generous, Dillard is now the first 5-game winner on the Stars' staff, and tonight, he joined Villanueva as the only starter to throw a complete game shutout.

You can't beat Villanueva's one-hitter unless you throw a no-hitter, but Dillard nearly did it tonight...... With the restrained enthusiasm of Brett Pollock tonight, you'd hardly know it, but Mobile didn't get a hit until the 8th...... Through the first 7 innings, Dilly had allowed only a walk to Vince Sinisi in the 4th. Steve Moss made a nice backhand grab of Sinisi's slicing line drive, leading off in the 7th inning to preserve the no-hitter, but Michael Johnson lined Dillard's first pitch through the middle for a single in the 8th to spoil it....... . Drew Anderson then made a nice backhand catch to retire Luis Cruz for the 1st out, and Drew Macias flied out easily to Moss for the 2nd out, but Dillard found the 3rd harder to come by....... Brett Dowdy sent Johnson to 2nd with a line drive single in front of Moss. then former Chattanooga Lookout Steve Smitherman loaded the bases with a line drive to Adam Heether, who knocked the ball down, but could not make a play........ Dillard was in trouble of surrendering a 3-0 lead. No one was in the pen this time to muck this up. Dillard had to get out of his own mess........ With a count of 2-2 on Juan Ciriaco, Dillard froze him on a pitch inside for called strike three to end the threat......... Dillard struck out two more hitters in the 9th on the way to the Stars' 5th victory in 31 games......... Dillard has pitched 45 2/3 innings during this slump, tops on the staff, and gone 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA.

The Stars scored all they would need in the 1st inning....... Callix Crabbe and Steve Moss led off with a pair of singles........ Moss put an end to an 0-for-15 slump with a single to left........ Drew Anderson's sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position but after Brad Nelson struck out, it looked as if Lou Palmisano's sharp grounder to Ciriaco would help put a sudden end to the Stars' chances....... Ciriaco caught the ball on the short hop, but his snap throw to 1st base was low and sent Michael Johnson to his knees trying to backhand the throw. The ball skipped away and both runners scored......... Palmisano was given 2nd base and went to third with Heether at bat on a passed ball by George Kottaras, but Heether popped out to end the inning........ Palmisano and Heether are respectively hitting .185 and .191 in the Stars' last 31 games......... The Stars scored their 3rd run in the 5th courtesy of a 2-out double by Dillard and Moss's 2nd single to left........ Dillard is hitting .350 in 20 at-bats. He's the best hitting pitcher since Chris Saenz hit .357 in 28 at-bats two years ago.

Wednesday's game is an 11:20 am start with Travis Phelps (1-4) going against Roger Deago (5-3)........ Phelps owns a 5.76 ERA during the Stars' prolonged slump, which hopefully will reverse itself, but momentum with this team is like ice cream on a hot sidewalk........Deago is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA in his last three starts.

Mat Gamel gave the North All-Stars timely hitting in Tuesday night's South Atlantic League All-Star game in Eastlake, Ohio........ Gamel had two hits, scored twice, and drove in a run as the North beat the South, 4-0. The West Virginia 3rd baseman picked up the MVP honors in that game.

The Helena Brewers opened up their 2006 season in the Pioneer League, Tuesday night, with a 4-2 win over Missoula. 5th-round draft choice Chris Errecart's 2-run, 2-out double was the key hit for Helena.