Link Report for Sat. 6/17: Stars' First Half Mercifully Over

[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's Justin Lehr and Jared Fernandez in a doubleheader at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Gerrit Simpson at home vs. West Tenn (Cubs), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime; the Stars are still a pitcher short since the call-up of Carlos Villanueva; Thursday's doubleheader didn't help matters...

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: Idle (All-Star Game Saturday, see All-Star Coverage in the 2006 Manatees Thread)

 

West Virginia: LHP Steve Garrison at home vs. Hickory (Pirates), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

[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 Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_2

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_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 38 30 .559 - 25-12 13-18 W3[/b] Iowa 30 37 .448 7.5 15-16 15-21 W2 Omaha 26 42 .382 12.0 16-19 10-23 L3 Memphis 25 42 .373 12.5 13-20 12-22 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 43 25 .632 - 24-11 19-14 W3 West Tenn 42 27 .609 1.5 18-17 24-10 W2 Carolina 32 37 .464 11.5 19-16 13-21 W2 Tennessee 31 37 .456 12.0 18-15 13-22 L4 [b]Huntsville 24 44 .353 19.0 10-23 14-21 L2[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 38 29 .567 - 20-14 18-15 L5 Palm Beach 37 30 .552 1.0 20-14 17-16 W8 [b]Brevard County 34 29 .540 2.0 18-15 16-14 L2[/b] Daytona 34 33 .507 4.0 20-12 14-21 W2 Jupiter 29 37 .439 8.5 13-19 16-18 L2 Vero Beach 25 40 .385 12.0 15-17 10-23 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 42 25 .627 - 24-12 18-13 L1 [b]West Virginia 38 29 .567 4.0 20-12 18-17 W1[/b] Delmarva 37 29 .561 4.5 19-17 18-12 W1 Lakewood 36 31 .537 6.0 19-13 17-18 W3 Greensboro 36 32 .529 6.5 22-11 14-21 W3 Hickory 32 35 .478 10.0 18-15 14-20 L1 Lake County 28 40 .412 14.5 14-22 14-18 L2 Hagerstown 26 42 .382 16.5 14-16 12-26 L1

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Nashville 3, Oklahoma (Rangers) 1

Details from Sounds site later...

 

Nashville Game One Box Score:

Jared Fernandez with a complete-game seven-inning effort in a battle of two knuckleballers; 12 groundouts against Fernandez, a bit unusual for a knuckleballer; Zach Sorensen with his first HR...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game One Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[plowjockey]

Garrison touched for 2 in the first and settles down for his 2nd win. Ford starting to strike out in bunches again after he almost got his avg. up to .300.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Cubs) 6, Huntsville 4

Matt Smith, who has been consistently, um, let's just say very not good since his arrival from the Cardinals organization by trade earlier this season, surrenders a three-run home run in the 9th -- ugh...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Details from the Stars' site later; Khalid Ballouli with four hitless innings of relief...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Matt Yeatman greeted by five consecutive base hits in the 4th; Jeff Housman the pinch-hit choice in the Stars' 4th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 10, Hickory (Pirates) 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER SURGE IN THE THIRD

 

The West Virginia Power sent 12 batters to the plate, scored seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the third inning of Saturday night?s game against the Hickory Crawdads at Appalachian Power Park and beat the Crawdads by the final score of 10-2.

 

The Crawdads scored first for the second night in a row, scoring their only runs of the game on a two-run homer from Andrew McCutchen in the first inning.

 

In the third inning the Power offense blew up for seven runs on seven hits. Lorenzo Cain tied the game hitting his second double of the game to bring in Nate Yoho and Scotty McKnight, tying the game at 2-2. The Power took the lead moments later when Angel Salome knocked Cain in on an RBI single. Tony Festa drove in the next run on a sacrifice fly and Yoho drove in two runs on his second single of the inning. Scotty McKnight knocked in the final run of the inning on his second base hit in the seven-run frame.

 

Ned Yost chipped in with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning and Salome drove in the final run on a double in the bottom of the eighth.

 

The Power bullpen provided four perfect innings of relief. Wil Laureano and Joe Thatcher combined to pitch four perfect innings and did not allow a single Crawdad batter to reach base in the final four innings.

 

Steve Garrison (2-1) allowed two runs on six hits to earn the victory, and Blair Johnson (1-3) obtained the loss. The Power are 39-29 after the win and the Crawdads fell to 32-36 with loss. Attendance for the game was 3,594.

 

The Power will finish the three game series as well as the first half against the Crawdads Sunday evening. Hickory will start right hander Todd Redmond (5-4, 2.94) and the Power will counter with left hander Rafael Lluberes (3-3, 3.18). The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM (4:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Ten games over .500, nice job, kids -- fun team, fun first half; Scotty McKnight's box score average doesn't reflect his time spent at Brevard, where he scuffled; these effective performances from young lefty Steve Garrison are gravy -- few targeted him beyond Helena this summer...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

While Nate Yoho singled twice in the big seven-run 4th, Darren Ford struck out twice in the same inning...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Nothing profound revealed, but certainly two good listens:

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewers Director of Amateur Scouting Jack Zduriencik:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...6-17-1.wma

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin:

Sixteen minutes worth...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...6-17-2.wma

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Oklahoma (Rangers) 2, Nashville 2, after eight innings (was scheduled for seven)

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=881

 

Moore's Mashes Homer to Keep Jaxx' Hopes Alive

 

Scott Moore slammed a three-run home run in the top half of the ninth inning to lift West Tenn to a 6-4 comeback win over Huntsville Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium to keep their first half playoff hopes alive. The Diamond Jaxx closed the first half at 43-27 and moved to within a half game of division leader Chattanooga, which lost to Tennessee and closes the first half tomorrow against the Smokies. The Stars finished the first half with a 24-45 mark and dropped 24 of their last 29 games. Huntsville fell to 10-24 at home and wound up losing 17 of their last 18 games on home soil after a May 7 win over Montgomery.

 

Khalid Ballouli tossed four scoreless, hitless innings in relief for the Stars to preserve a lead of 4-3 and was replaced on the hill by Matt Smith for the ninth inning. Brian Dopirak opened the inning with a single on the first pitch, Miguel Negron doubled off the wall in right field on the next pitch to push Dopirak to third and Moore drove the next pitch over both tiers of signage in right-center field for the game-winning long ball, his 11th of the season and second of the series. Clay Rapada retired the Stars in the ninth to earn his 21st save and second of the series, while Rocky Cherry earned his second win of the set by retiring all six hitters he faced.

 

Nic Jackson?s leadoff home run in the fourth and a run-scoring double in the inning by Negron staked the visitors to a 3-0 lead. Huntsville scored four times in the home fourth to grab the lead, marking the first time in 12 starts that Randy Wells had allowed more than two runs in an outing and more than one earned run. Ron Acuna singled home the first run, Drew Anderson doubled in two to tie the game and Ozzie Chavez singled home Anderson to give the home side the lead. Wells set down the last seven hitters he faced and lasted six innings, giving up six hits to match a season-high, walking two to match a season-high and striking out five.

 

The Stars open the second half of the season at Mobile on Monday night with right-hander Corey Thurman taking the hill against BayBears southpaw Sean Thompson. 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.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 9, Nashville 2, ten innings

 

Nashville Game Two Box Score:

Chris Mabeus did Mike Meyers no favors in terms of inherited runners in a disastrous 10th inning; now off the 40-man roster, you wonder how long Mabeus will be between big league performances -- for his sake, he hopes to not be one-and-done in the bigs; Mike Rivera HR # 9 -- remember that when Chad Moeller catches Sunday; Nelson Cruz plays center field in this one...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_2

 

Nashville Game Two Game Log:

Wasted chances for the Sounds in the 7th and 8th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_2

[DHonks]

good to see Garrison keeping it up. He seems to be throwing alright, and is doing so at a level higher than most of us expected

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Doubleheader Summary:

Link for Jared Fernandez photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2007

 

Sounds Split Twinbill With RedHawks

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds split a doubleheader with the Oklahoma RedHawks in front of 9,116 fans on Saturday evening at Greer Stadium, winning the opener by a 3-1 count before falling 9-2 in 10 innings in the nightcap.

 

Nashville (39-31) prevailed in the evening?s first contest despite finishing 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

 

The Sounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opener with a pair of runs off Music City native R.A. Dickey in the bottom of the second inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Jermaine Clark grounded into an RBI forceout that erased Mark Johnson at second but plated Nelson Cruz with the game?s first run. During the following at-bat, Dickey uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Graham Koonce to score from third for a 2-0 Nashville lead.

 

Oklahoma plated a run in the fourth when Drew Meyer scored on an RBI groundout by former Sound Adam Hyzdu, which reduced the Sounds? lead to 2-1.

 

Nashville second baseman Zach Sorensen belted his first home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning, a leadoff solo shot off Dickey, to put the home team on top by two.

 

Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez (2-1) worked all seven innings of the opener to earn the victory with his first complete game of the year. He held Oklahoma to one run on five hits to pick up his first win since mid-April.

 

Dickey (2-5) took the loss and fell to 3-11 lifetime against the Sounds after allowing three runs on five hits over five innings.

 

The nightcap loss, which snapped a four-game winning streak, marked Nashville?s sixth extra-inning game of the year. With the 9-2, 10-inning win, Oklahoma improved to 5-0 in extra-inning contests this season.

 

The RedHawks broke a 2-2 tie with a seven-run outburst against the Sounds bullpen in the top of the tenth inning, equaling the biggest single-frame scoring output permitted by Nashville this season.

 

Former Sound Adrian Brown led off the top of the tenth with a single to left, was sacrificed to second, and scored the go-ahead on a Joaquin Arias single to left off Mike Meyers.

 

Oklahoma later added six runs with two outs beginning with a Jason Hart two-run single against Chris Mabeus, who replaced Meyers on the hill. After a bases-loaded walk issued to Nick Trzesniak, Brown recorded his second knock of the frame to up the visitors? advantage to 7-2. Drew Meyer wrapped up the evening?s scoring with a two-run double to the gap in right-center, a play that concluded with Brown being thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

 

Brent Abernathy gave Nashville a 1-0 lead in the nightcap with a one-out RBI single off RedHawks starter Kevin Walker in the bottom of the first inning. The knock, which scored Jermaine Clark, snapped a season-high 16 at-bat hitless stretch for the veteran infielder.

 

Catcher Mike Rivera doubled the Sounds? advantage to 2-0 in the second when he slugged his ninth home run of the year, a leadoff solo shot to left off Walker.

 

RedHawks center fielder Laynce Nix tied the contest at 2-2 in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer to right-center off Nashville starter Justin Lehr. The blast was Nix?s eighth of the year.

 

The offenses remained silent over the next five innings before the RedHawks? game-winning outburst in the tenth.

 

Oklahoma reliever Erasmo Ramirez (4-0) picked up the victory after tossing three scoreless innings to finish the game for the visitors. Meyers (2-4) took the loss after allowing four runs in his 1 2/3 frames of work.

 

Neither starter factored in the decision in the nightcap as Lehr allowed two runs in five innings and Walker gave up two runs (one earned) in three innings during his spot start for Oklahoma.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 6 p.m. finale on Sunday evening. Left-hander Dana Eveland (3-2, 1.93) will man the bump for the Sounds to face Oklahoma southpaw and former Brewers farmhand Derek Lee (2-3, 4.08).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....002/SPORTS

 

Dickey doesn't receive welcome mat at Greer

Sounds give ex-Vol loss in a rare start

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Chris Slayden of Antioch, clutching the photo album he uses to store his collection of autographs, didn't even ask R.A. Dickey for his signature when Dickey strolled next to the dugout at Greer Stadium before Saturday's game.

 

Dickey, activated by Oklahoma on Saturday, had that look before picking up a 3-1 loss to the Sounds in the first game of a doubleheader.

 

Slayden, who relishes autographs from big leaguers, knew not to bother the former MBA and Tennessee right hander.

 

"R.A. was in a zone, getting ready to pitch a big ballgame,'' Slayden said. "He'll get to the fans later. That's very understandable. I didn't even try when he walked by.''

 

It was indeed a momentous game for Dickey. Not only is he recovering from a strained right shoulder, he is trying to hone his knuckleball. He was optioned by the Texas Rangers to Oklahoma on April 7 after giving up six homers against Detroit.

 

Dickey was not available for comment after the doubleheader. He left the park immediately after the second game to spend time with his family.

 

Dickey had been on the DL for all but two days since May 18 and made his first start since May 25.

 

Dickey showed some rust in the second. He hit Nelson Cruz with a pitch, allowed an infield single to Graham Koonce, and then hit Mark Johnson with another pitch.

 

Cruz scored on Jermaine Clark's groundout, and Koonce scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 cushion.

 

"He hadn't been out there in a while so that's understandable. But the way he threw the ball, taking away hitting a couple of guys, I thought he threw the ball real well,'' Oklahoma Manager Mike Boulanger said.

 

Dickey (2-5) allowed five hits, three earned runs, had one strikeout and no walks. His career record against the Sounds is 3-11.

 

"He came off the DL and he changed his style just a little bit,'' Boulanger said. "He went to the hard knuckleball a little bit more. That's kind of what he did last year for us when he was here and he won like 10 games in a row.

 

Dickey had about 25 friends and family in the crowd of 9,116. Sam Bartholomew, whose son Will played football at MBA and UT, said Dickey visited his house recently and his spirits were high.

 

"He's recovering from back injuries and shoulder injuries and the knuckleball is not an easy pitch to learn,'' Bartholomew said. "He's still a work in progress and I think he's doing better."

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Red Hawks save best for last

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Oklahoma's Drew Meyer hit an RBI single to left field to score Adrian Brown with the tiebreaking run as the RedHawks won 9-2 in 10 innings over the Nashville Sounds in the second game of a doubleheader at Greer Stadium on Saturday night.

 

Nashville won the first game 3-1, beating ex-MBA pitcher R.A. Dickey.

 

The seven Oklahoma runs in the final inning tied the most the Sounds have given up in a single inning this year. It was the Sounds' sixth extra innings game this year.

 

Meyer's hit, which dropped in front of right fielder Nelson Cruz, scored Brown from second in the top of the 10th inning.

 

The game lasted three hours, 29 minutes. Most of the crowd of 9,116 had left by the end and when a fireworks show began.

 

The Sounds missed an opportunity to win in the eighth. After loading the bases when Oklahoma intentionally walked Cruz with two outs, Dave Krynzel grounded out.

 

Stealing the show: The Sounds' Jermaine Clark stole second base and advanced to third on an error by catcher Nick Trzesniak in the first inning of the second game, then scored on a single by Brent Abernathy. It was Clark's 20th steal in 23 attempts this season. He is second in the PCL in steals.

 

The Sounds lead the league in steals and are on pace to set a team record, set in 1981 at 205.

 

Rolling: Saturday's 3-1 win in the first game of the doubleheader marked the Sounds' sixth victory in their last seven games.

 

It was Nashville's fourth consecutive win. The Sounds' last loss came Wednesday against Omaha 5-2. The Sounds have eight wins in nine games this season against Oklahoma. They improved their record at Greer Stadium to 26-12.

 

Riding Rivera: The Sounds are 8-0 when Mike Rivera hits a home run. Rivera hit a home run in the second inning, his ninth of the season, of the first game.

 

Only one: Last night's doubleheader is the only one on the Sounds' schedule this season.

 

Rare matchup: The first game pitted Sounds knuckleballer Jared Fernandez against Dickey, another knuckleballer. It is rare for two knuckleball pitchers to start against each other. The win was Fernandez' first in six starts.

 

Closing in: Abernathy got the 998th hit of his minor league career in the first inning of Saturday's second game with an RBI single ?his first hit in 17 at-bats.

 

Picking and grinning: Sounds pitcher Justin Lehr picked off Jason Hart in the first inning of the second game. It was Lehr's fourth pickoff, which leads the team.

 

Father's Day gift: All fathers who attend today's 6 p.m. game at Greer Stadium against Oklahoma will receive a voucher for a free TiVo box. That is a $225 value, but recipients must sign up for service.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

THREE PITCHES

After Drew Anderson grounded out to 2nd baseman Eric Patterson on the edge of the grass for the 3rd and final out of the ballgame, after the West Tenn players lined up and glad-handed each other on the field, and even after most of the fans had left their seats and departed, several players were left leaning against the railing on the top step of the dugout, staring out at the field........ What exactly was running through their heads no one knows. After Friday night's 7-3 loss, the players, I'm told, had a screamfest in the locker room, closed to Don Money and Rich Sauveur, at times shouting at each other for a losing streak unprecedented in Stars history (25 losses in 29 games). It wasn't pretty, I'm told........ It looks like it did some good, but what the players and 3,600 fans had seen tonight, was incredulous, and yet not surprising at the same time. One player after the game tossed it off as part of the "hard luck", that has manifested itself like a virus since early May.

 

Hard luck or no, the Stars had just put to rest the worst 1st half and only the 5th sub-30 win half in their 22-year history (24-45) ....... Speaking to Stars fans, I have seen worse, but I'll touch on that later. My first reaction wasn't "hard luck" or "Thank God It's Over". It was anger.

 

Khalid Ballouli was holding the Diamond Jaxx, the best-hitting team in the league, hitless for four innings. Then in the 9th, manager Don Money goes to the pen and puts in the pitcher with the worst ERA on the team....... OK, throw all statistics aside. I realize there was no one else to go to in the bullpen, except for Russ Rohlicek, who has been ineffective lately (6.11 ERA since May 12), but under the circumstances, and with Sunday an off-day, it's just a stupid move on Don Money's part to go with Matt Smith. Even in his one and only save of the year, Smith gave up two runs on a home run, and got the save only by pitching three innings in a 12-4 blowout over Birmingham on June 4........ If you want to rationalize this in any way, perhaps we were the victim of a dictated pitch count handed down by Milwaukee. But Khalid threw only 47 pitches in four innings, 30 for strikes (63.9%) and I think he had a lot more left in him. After all, Khalid pitched eight scoreless innings vs. Tennessee on May 1, allowing only four hits! How can you tell me he's done after 47 pitches!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!!! On FIVE DAYS REST!!!!

 

MONEY lost this game, not the players in the field, or even Matt Smith....... DON MONEY!....... I think this is the last year for Don Money in Huntsville, I sincerely think so.

 

Money put himself in this bind from the very start by starting Gerrit Simpson, who had pitched Wednesday, instead of Travis Phelps, but I'll cut him some slack if Phelps was unavailable because of some arm tightness or something. Phelps hadn't appeared in a game since June 9....... Simpson, who has been very effective all season, even posting a 2.76 ERA in May, was limited to three innings in his first start as a Huntsville Star. He made one start for Class AA - Tulsa (Texas) last year before the Brewers acquired him and was a member of the starting rotation at Class A-Visalia (cal.) in 2003, but even if Don wanted him to go longer, he couldn't have. He threw one inning for the Stars Wednesday and again Friday.

 

The Stars gave out bluish catchers' mitts to the small fry entering the turnstiles, many little leaguers among them......... It was the league's ERA leader, Randy Wells for the Diamond Jaxx tonight. Wells (4-2, 1.12), who is not among the Cubs' top 30 prospects, had held Huntsville hitters to a .111 average in his previous two starts, yet had not won either....... He was holding the Stars to just two hits --- leadoff singles in the 1st and 2nd inning, and had a 3-0 lead, when the Stars broke loose and took the lead in the 4th.

 

Jeff Eure, coming into the game hitting .364 in June, hit Wells' first pitch hard up the middle for a single. Brad Nelson then drew a walk on six pitches and Lou Palmisano moved them over into scoring position with a nicely-executed bunt, deadened on the 3rd base side near the line......... Ron Acuna then popped a 1-0 pitch behind 2nd baseman Eric Patterson. As he went back on it, Miguel Negron came in on it quickly, but in all the confusion over who was going to go for it, it dropped in for a hit, scoring Eure......... With runners on 1st and 2nd (Nelson stayed put on Acuna's single), Drew Anderson, a disappointing .169 hitter all season with runners in scoring position, tattooed Wells' first pitch, sending it high into the left field corner for a two-run double....... Anderson then scored the go-ahead run on a single down the right field line by Ozzie Chavez, who was thrown out at 2nd base, thinking Negron was going to go home with the throw......... With no one on base, Don Money sent Jeff Housman, 1-for-10 as a hitter, in to pinch-hit for Matt Yeatman, who had given up five straight hits in the 4th, and was saved by a double play to end the inning.

 

After that, no one got a hit and it stayed that way until the 9th...... Wells and Rocky Cherry held the Stars hitless for four innings, while Khalid Ballouli did the same for Huntsville, while walking Patterson in the 5th on four pitches. The Stars were three outs away from closing the 1st half on a good note with a 4-3 victory and spoiling any chance the Diamond Jaxx had of taking the first half title from Chattanooga, who had already lost to the Smokies, 6-3....... Money called upon Matt Smith and three pitches later, the Stars were behind, 6-4........ Brian Dopirak lofted a single to right just out of the reach of Ron Acuna, Negron lined a double off the wall in right, and Scott Moore, the Diamond Jaxx' leading home run hitter, crushed a pitch high, long, and far --- at least 420' away deep to right-center field...... Nic Jackson similarly hit a pitch off Yeatman in the 4th, but Moore's was even further.

 

Smith had no trouble with Tony Richie or Carlos Rojas, both of whom grounded out to the left side, or Brandon Sing, who fanned on four pitches....... Ron Acuna lined a single to right with two out in the 9th after Brad Nelson and Lou Palmisano were easy strikeout victims, but the spirit had been broken out of the Stars on three pitches......... The Stars ended the season losing 25 of their last 29 ballgames and 23 of 33 at home.

 

The Stars, Friday night, broke out new navy blue uniforms, thinking that would do any good, I guess........ The numbers on back are red and outlined in white. Very easy to see. The front has the Stars logo on the right breast as you face them and they are button-down unis. Nice-looking wear........ Corey Thurman, the SL's 2nd leading hurler behind Wells in ERA, will face Mobile's Sean Thompson (1-6, 4.15) at Hank Aaron Stadium when the 2nd half begins, as I mentioned, Monday....... It will be a fresh start for everyone and a chance for the Stars to get a jump against the doormats of the Southern Division......... Needless to say, the Diamond Jaxx with the 9th inning victory, finish in a tie for 1st place in the Northern Division with Chattanooga. The playoff spot will be decided when they meet, July 4th.

 

David Pember, who won 10 games for the Stars in 2002, has now made Huntsville his home....... His shoulder never came back to life so he called it quits. Don't know what he's doing now, but when I find out, I'll let everyone know. '02, in fact, was his last season in the pros, but he made it to Milwaukee that year, appearing in four games....... He pitched a couple of times in the spring of '03 for the Brewers, giving up three runs, two earned, in three innings.

 

The Florida State League All-Star game was played Saturday night, with the Eastern All-Stars falling to the West, 7-3....... Yovani Gallardo, who could possibly be called up to the Stars when the 2nd half gets underway at Mobile, Monday, pitched a scoreless 2nd inning, as did Josh Wahpepah in the 3rd....... At the plate, Brendan Katin struck out four times in four at-bats and Ryan Braun also went 0-for-4. Charlie Fermaint and Hernan Irabarren both singled and scored, however, and Fermaint walked twice....... Steve Sollmann, brother of former Huntsville Star Scott Sollmann (Stars' 99), was 0-for-2.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2006061744

 

7-run inning carries Power to romp

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

It?s been the Power?s recent custom to spread the offensive wealth, to find production in random areas of the batting order.

 

Such balance normally translates into success, and so it did again Saturday night at Appalachian Power Park.

 

In the Power?s 10-2 drubbing of the Hickory Crawdads, it was the No. 8 hitter in the lineup, Nate Yoho, who emerged as perhaps the evening?s most productive player.

 

Yoho led off the third with a single and, later in the same inning, delivered a two-run single to cap a seven-run uprising that essentially wrapped things up, giving the Power its 16th victory in the last 21 games. A crowd of 3,594 attended.

 

Yoho?s 2-for-3 night boosted his average to a modest .241, lowest in a batting order comprised of good ? but thus far not great ?hitters.

 

?I think I?m at the bottom in hitting on the team, and I?m hitting .240-something,?? said Yoho. ?That?s not good for me, but it?s good to be lowest on the team. We don?t have anybody hitting outstanding on the team, but we?ve been consistent. Everybody?s picking each other up.??

 

The No. 9 hitter, Scotty McKnight, contributed to the balance by adding two hits, two runs and an RBI.

 

The Power totaled just 10 hits on the night but seven of them came in the third inning, highlighted by Lorenzo Cain?s two-run double and Yoho?s two-run single. Angel Salome and McKnight produced RBI singles and Tony Festa had a sacrifice fly.

 

In Friday?s and Saturday?s games against the Crawdads, the Power combined for 23 runs in 16 innings.

 

?They?re getting big hits when they need it,?? said Hickory manager Jeff Branson. ?They get guys on base, and they?ve got guys at the plate ready to swing the bat. And we?re not making good enough pitches to get ?em out.??

 

The Power (39-29) enters today?s final game of the first half trailing division-leading Lexington by four games and, considering the team?s strong play in the last three weeks, might carry a bit of momentum into the second half.

 

The Power took a South Atlantic League-leading .280 batting average into Saturday?s game, as well as a league-leading .325 home mark. The team?s 335 runs ranked fourth in the 16-team league.

 

?We might have a night off where we don?t put up four or five runs,?? said Yoho, ?but our pitching always keeps us in the game.??

 

Steve Garrison, who was making his fifth start with the Power, pitched five innings to pick up the win. Wilfrido Laureano followed with three perfect innings and Joe Thatcher pitched a perfect ninth.

 

The Power added two runs in the fourth on Ned Yost?s two-run single and another run in the eighth on Salome?s RBI double.

 

BRIEFLY: The Power and Crawdads conclude the season?s first half with a 5:05 game (4:05 Central) tonight. A three-day all-star breaks follows. ... Power attendance is more than 200 per game ahead of last year?s pace. At this point last year, the club averaged 3,611 a game; it?s currently averaging 3,820. ... Second baseman Kenny Holmberg, who has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain, is expected to return in the second half. In 25 games this season, he?s hitting. 289 with four homers. ... Branson was an infielder for the Cincinnati Reds from 1992 through ?97 as part of a nine-year major-league career.

[Southern Leaguer]

Money put himself in this bind from the very start by starting Gerrit Simpson, who had pitched Wednesday, instead of Travis Phelps, but I'll cut him some slack if Phelps was unavailable because of some arm tightness or something. Phelps hadn't appeared in a game since June 9

 

I'm not nit-picking and I know David has seen (endured?) waaay more of the Stars' games this year than me but I was there Thursday night (June 15) and I'm pretty sure Phelps pitched 4 innings in the completion of the suspended game with West Tenn.