Link Report for Wed. 6/14 -- Manatees, Power Evening Audio

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 11:40 AM pre-game, 12:00 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Tim Dillard at home vs. West Tenn (Cubs), 11:50 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's) --

 

voiceoftherepublic.com/live.asx

 

West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at Hagerstown (Mets), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

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

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_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 Tuesday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 35 30 .538 - 22-12 13-18 L1[/b] Iowa 28 36 .438 6.5 14-16 14-20 W1 Omaha 26 39 .400 9.0 16-19 10-20 W1 Memphis 24 40 .375 10.5 12-18 12-22 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 40 25 .615 - 24-11 16-14 L1 West Tenn 39 26 .600 1.0 18-17 21-9 W3 Tennessee 31 34 .477 9.0 18-12 13-22 L1 Carolina 30 36 .455 10.5 19-16 11-20 L2 [b]Huntsville 23 41 .359 16.5 9-20 14-21 L8[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 38 27 .585 - 20-14 18-13 L3 [b]Brevard County 34 27 .557 2.0 18-13 16-14 W1[/b] Palm Beach 35 30 .538 3.0 20-14 15-16 W6 Daytona 32 33 .492 6.0 20-12 12-21 L1 Jupiter 29 35 .453 8.5 13-17 16-18 W1 Vero Beach 23 40 .365 14.0 13-17 10-23 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 41 23 .641 - 24-12 17-11 W5 Delmarva 36 27 .571 4.5 19-15 17-12 W1 W[b]est Virginia 36 28 .563 5.0 19-12 17-16 W2[/b] Lakewood 33 31 .516 8.0 18-13 15-18 L1 Greensboro 33 32 .508 8.5 21-11 12-21 L1 Hickory 30 34 .469 11.0 16-15 14-19 L1 Lake County 27 38 .415 14.5 13-21 14-17 L3 Hagerstown 25 40 .385 16.5 13-14 12-26 L2

[homer]

Wow! Huntsville scored runs!

[brewmann04]

seems like the brewers have Gwynn as their future Cf as Krynzel seems to be playing the corner spots.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 12, West Tenn (Cubs) 0

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link for Jeff Eure photo, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=877

 

Stars Smash Diamond Jaxx

 

Tim Dillard, Matt Smith and Gerrit Simpson combined on a two-hit shutout and Jeff Eure and Brad Nelson provided the power with home runs, as the Stars took out five and a half weeks of frustration with a 12-0 blanking of West Tenn Wednesday afternoon in the second of a six-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars stopped a franchise-record 13-game losing streak at home and won for the first time in nine games to improve to 24-41, while the Diamond Jaxx dropped to 39-27 and fell a game and a half behind North Division leading Chattanooga, which plays later tonight. The Stars? last win at home had come on May 7 over Montgomery and they had totaled only 26 runs over the prior 13 games on home soil.

 

Ron Acuna doubled home the first run of the game against Bobby Brownlie in the first inning and then came in to score, with Brad Nelson, on a double by Eure, who drove in a season-high four runs. Brownlie was taken out after four innings, allowing nine hits and striking out two and suffering his fourth loss of the season.

 

Paul Schappert took over in the fifth inning and walked leadoff man Lou Palmisano before Eure blasted a two-run home run, his fifth of the season and first at home since April 23, to make it 5-0 Stars. He finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and collected three hits in a game for a second time this season. Every Stars? position player had at least one hit and shortstop Ozzie Chavez was the only one not to score.

 

Huntsville broke the game open with six runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Acuna and a three-run home run by Nelson, his first since rejoining the team on May 31. Nelson finished with two doubles and the long ball and became the first Stars? hitter to accumulate three extra-base hits in a game this season. The Stars matched a season-high with the 12 runs and equaled a season?s-best with 17 hits in their most lopsided win of the season.

 

Dillard overcame a bumpy beginning, issuing a season-high four walks in the first three frames and wound up going seven scoreless innings to match his longest outing of the year. He allowed two singles, struck out four and earned his first win at home to square his record at 4-4. Smith and Simpson each retired the three hitters they faced to preserve the Stars? third shutout win of the season.

 

The series continues on Thursday evening with right-hander Travis Phelps taking the hill for Huntsville in the completion of the June 1 suspended game against Diamond Jaxx right-hander Juan Mateo. The regularly scheduled game will feature Stars? right-hander Steve Bray against West Tenn southpaw Chris Shaver. 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.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Callix Crabbe on base four times...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Tim Dillard photo courtesy of PonderPhoto.com via the Stars' site:

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 2, Brevard County 1

Manatee playoff hopes dealt a blow...

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Steve Hammond pitched out of trouble all night, but you can't pitch around long balls, even solo shots...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Too bad Charlie Fermaint's 5th inning triple came with two out; best chance for the 'Tees came (and went) in the 7th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Omaha (Royals) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Ben Hendrickson photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2003

 

Hendrickson, Sounds Defeat Royals 5-2

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds continued their mid-week magic on Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium, recording a 5-2 victory over the division-rival Omaha Royals in front of 5,151 fans.

 

The win improved Nashville?s Wednesday record to a perfect 7-0 on the season and avenged a 5-2 loss to the Royals the previous night.

 

The Royals jumped out to an early lead for the second game in a row. With one out, Chris Clapinski singled off Nashville starter Ben Hendrickson and advanced to second two batters later on an Aaron Guiel walk. With runners at first and second and two outs, Justin Huber singled to first baseman Graham Koonce on a sharp liner that was ruled trapped against the dirt. As Koonce turned to the umpire to dispute the ruling, Guiel rounded third and recorded the Royals? first run of the game.

 

Nashville struck right back in the bottom of the first. Tony Gwynn started the Sounds offense off early with a leadoff triple that went off the top of Huber?s glove in left. Gwynn then scored on a passed ball during the next at-bat as catcher Jared Price allowed a Brian Boehringer pitch to reach the backstop. The unearned run knotted the game up at one.

 

The Sounds? offense kept rolling in the fourth. Nelson Cruz started the frame off with a line-drive single to left then stole his 14th base of the season. Omaha catcher Jared Price threw the ball into center field, allowing Cruz to advance to third. Koonce followed with an RBI groundout to short that gave the Sounds the lead for good at 2-1.

 

The Sounds tacked on another run in the fifth inning. With two outs, Gwynn recorded his team-leading 26th multi-hit game of the year with a single to right field. After moving up a base on a throwing error by Boehringer on a pickoff attempt, Gwynn scored on the following play on a RBI double off the bat of Dave Krynzel.

 

The Royals attempted to climb back into the game in the top half of the seventh. Clapinski, who went 3-for-5 in the game after opening the season with 21 hitless at-bats, hit a one-out double into left field and advanced to third on a passed ball after a Mitch Stetter pitch went off the end of Mike Rivera?s catcher?s mitt. Clapinski crossed home on a Huber groundout to pull the visitors within 3-2.

 

Nashville plated a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to increase the lead to its final 5-2. Krynzel led the inning off with a walk and scored two batters later on a Cruz RBI double. Cruz scored the Sounds? fifth run off the game on a Koonce double to left one batter later. Koonce?s two-bagger marked the fourth extra-base hit for the Sounds in the game.

 

Hendrickson (4-2) earned his fourth win of the season after logging his fourth quality start in his last five PCL outings. The right-hander allowed one run on eight hits over six innings of work.

 

The Sounds put their bullpen to work during the last three innings. Stetter, Mike Meyers, and Alec Zumwalt all threw one inning apiece and combined to allow one run on two hits. Zumwalt was credited with his fourth save of the season after working a scoreless ninth that included a stellar double play turned by Brent Abernathy and Barnwell.

 

AUDIO: 9th-Inning Double Play --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-14.wma

 

The loss went to Boehringer (0-3), who remained winless on the year after logging five innings and giving up three runs on five Nashville hits.

 

The Sounds and the Royals play the finale of their four-game series on Thursday night at Greer.The first pitch is slated for 7 p.m. Right-hander Rick Helling (0-0, 7.20) will make his second rehab start with the Sounds and southpaw J.P. Howell (3-2, 5.34) will get the nod for the Royals.

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 6, Hagerstown (Mets) 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER FAN 13 SUNS IN VICTORY

 

Derek Miller, Dane Renkert and Joe Thatcher combined to strike out 13 Hagerstown Suns in a 6-2 Power victory on Wednesday night at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, Maryland.

 

The Power jumped on top in the first inning on an RBI single from Angel Salome who scored later in the inning on Ned Yost?s groundout. The Suns cut the lead in half on a Nick Evans RBI triple in bottom of the first. Hagerstown tied the game on a run-scoring single in the bottom of the second.

 

The Power scored three times in the fifth inning to pull away. Salome reached on a fielder?s choice to bring in the first run, Mat Gamel drove in the second run on a double and Tony Festa extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-out RBI single to complete the three-run frame. The Power added an insurance run on Lorenzo Cain?s single in the ninth inning.

 

Miller (7-1) struck out eight over five innings to earn the victory, Thatcher (10) struck out four over two innings to earn the save, and Ryan Meyers (1-6) obtained the loss. The Power are 37-28 after the win and the Suns fell to 25-41 with the loss.

 

The 13 strikeouts are the second most this year for West Virginia, as they struck out 15 in a 12-inning game against Greensboro back on April 12. Derek Miller?s seven wins are second most in the league.

 

The Power will finish the four game series against the Suns Thursday night. Hagerstown will start right hander Jeff Landing (2-9, 4.64) and the Power will counter with left hander Dave Welch (2-3, 3.15). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Note -- This must mean that Dave Welch will officially come off the DL on Thursday (back spasms). Good news, we should see a correponding move Thursday as well -- Jim (Mass Haas)

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Dane Renkert and Joe Thatcher are having Robert Hinton / Ben Stanczyk-type years (circa 2005) as Power closers -- West Virginia's back end of the pen has been awesome since the Brewer affiliation began; Darren Ford with two more walks -- if he continues to improve as he has just since April, watch out...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Angel Salome picked off third base (ugh) in the 5th; dropped pop foul by Lorenzo Cain -- so young, and apparently so raw in right field (six errors)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50446

 

Royals flushed by Sounds

Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper

 

A lineup of the usual suspects turned in trademark performances Wednesday to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 5-2 matinee victory over Omaha at Greer Stadium.

 

At the top of the batting order, Tony Gwynn and Dave Krynzel did their jobs, collecting a combined three hits, three runs and an RBI. While Gwynn and Krynzel came through in the 1-2 spots in the lineup, reaching base in four of eight plate appearances, Nelson Cruz delivered in the cleanup spot. Cruz went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.

 

?When we play like we did today where I?m getting on base and [Krynzel is] getting on base, we?re going to usually cause some havoc,? Gwynn said.

 

Ben Hendrickson picked up his fourth win of the season, battling through six innings in which he spread out eight hits and yielded just one run. Hendrickson (4-2) notched his third win and had his fifth straight solid start since being sent down from Milwaukee last month. After giving up a run in the first and allowing five baserunners combined in the second and third, Hendrickson settled down.

 

?I don?t think I woke up until about the fourth inning,? Hendrickson said. ?I was tired, my arm felt tight. Any time you can go out there and not have your best stuff and still go six innings and give up one run, you?ve got to feel good about it.?

 

The Sounds (36-30) got another strong game from their bullpen as Mitch Stetter, Mike Meyers and Alec Zumwalt threw three innings, giving up just one unearned run. Zumwalt recorded his fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

[Mass Haas]

Link for Brent Abernathy photo, text follows:

 

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

 

Royals errors pave way for Sounds to win easily

By JEFF LOCKRIDGE

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds were shopping for extra bases. The Royals were giving them away.

 

Nashville profited from a passed ball and pair of Omaha throwing errors in the early innings and added two insurance runs in the eighth to win 5-2 in a Wednesday matinee before an announced crowd of 5,151 at Greer Stadium.

 

"That's less work for us to do," said centerfielder Tony Gwynn, who had his 26th multi-hit game (2-for-4). "If they're going to give us bases, we have to take it."

 

The Sounds are 7-0 on Wednesdays. They conclude a four-game series with Omaha at 7 tonight.

 

Ben Hendrickson (4-2) scattered eight hits over six innings to get the win. Alec Zumwalt worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

 

Hendrickson allowed just one run by working out of jams in the first three innings, stranding four Royals in scoring position.

 

"I gave up a couple of hits in each of those innings and always had runners on," said Hendrickson (2.21 ERA). "I was battling. I couldn't get loose. It was my first day game in a long time."

 

Gwynn turned a leadoff triple into a run when Omaha catcher Jared Price let a pitch get away in the first inning, tying it at 1-1.

 

Nelson Cruz got a run in the fourth. He singled, stole second, took third on Price's overthrow and scored on a Graham Koonce groundout.

 

Gwynn scored on Dave Krynzel's double in the fifth after a throwing error by Brian Boehringer (0-3) put him on second. n

 

"We gave one away, too, but if we take advantage of those bases ? which we did ? it's nice," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "I thought we had better energy, and our focus was better today."

 

Cruz and Koonce had RBI doubles in the eighth off reliever Luke Hudson. Krynzel stole a base in the eighth to give the Sounds 112 for the season, tops in the PCL.

 

What they said: "Ben did a good job of working around his own struggles and some of our defensive shortcomings."

 

***

Link for new Ben Hendrickson photo while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Pitchers provide a Triple-A treat

By JEFF LOCKRIDGE

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

What do Mark Prior, Bartolo Colon, A.J. Burnett, John Patterson and Roger Clemens have in common?

 

In addition to being dominant right-handed power pitchers and marquee major-league names, they are all taking the mound in Triple-A ballparks.

 

The first four made rehab starts earlier this week. Clemens, who will pitch for Round Rock when it hosts New Orleans Friday, is building his stamina en route to joining the Houston Astros after deciding against retirement.

 

Prior struck out 10 batters in the Iowa Cubs' 2-1 win over New Orleans Tuesday and could rejoin Chicago soon.

 

Burnett, who is in his first year with the Blue Jays, tossed five

no-hit innings and struck out seven in Syracuse's 9-3 win over Columbus Monday. He could rejoin the Toronto rotation June 22 in Atlanta.

 

Patterson, the Washington Nationals' ace, allowed one earned run in 4-2/3 innings for New Orleans Monday.

 

Colon, the Los Angeles Angels' 2005 AL Cy Young winner, was touched for six earned runs in seven innings in his start for Salt Lake City Monday.

 

Night off: After a day game, many of the Sounds enjoy dinner out and an evening in front of the TV.

 

"I usually take my girl out to eat and just relax," Tony Gwynn said. "She likes Carrabba's and Macaroni Grill; I like Outback Steakhouse just because it's close to my home."

 

Streak snapped: Omaha infielder Chris Clapinski snapped an 0-for-21 drought since coming off the disabled list by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored Wednesday against the Sounds.

 

By the numbers: The Sounds improved to 8-6 in day games and 15-3 in games in which they allow two runs or less. The Sounds took the season series lead over Omaha 6-5.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

Stars hoping hits like these keep on coming

Huntsville ends drought at home with 12-0 win over Diamond Jaxx

By STEVE CAMPBELL

Huntsville Times

 

Could the Huntsville Stars' run of bad luck be over?

 

Instead of changing clothes in a silent, musty clubhouse Wednesday, music blared. Players laughed.

 

For allowing no runs and two hits in seven innings Wednesday, teammates gave starting pitcher Tim Dillard the ultimate token of appreciation: a face full of shaving cream, all for the cameras to see.

 

The Stars' offense looked nothing like their last-place rank in the Southern League, cranking out 12 runs and 17 hits in their 12-0 win against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx before 1,597 at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

"If you get hot, your whole team gets hot," Dillard said. "We've lost a few (games), but now I think we've turned over a new leaf."

 

The win kept the Stars (24-41) from losing their 14th straight at home.

 

This Saturday marks the end of the season's first half. After that, all team records go back to 0-0.

 

"We were trying to get the fundamentals down and just get back to baseball," Dillard said. "We're playing well now, our team's excited, and we're looking forward to the next half."

 

Stars third baseman Jeff Eure went 3-for-5 at the plate, including a two-run home run in the fifth inning that expanded the Huntsville lead to 5-0. Like Dillard, he said the team's lousy first half has been draining, but the second half brings a much-welcomed fresh start.

 

"Obviously, when you're in a slide like we are, it wears on you a little bit, and you'd be lying if you said it didn't," Eure said. "Hopefully, we can get some momentum in these last couple of games and carry it right through the second half of the season."

 

Scoring first, like they did Wednesday, wouldn't be a bad way for the Stars to kick off second-half play.

 

Four line drives by Callix Crabbe, Ron Acuna, Brad Nelson and Eure in the first inning drove in three runs.

 

West Tenn never responded. Diamond Jaxx starter Bobby Brownlie was replaced by Paul Schappert after allowing three runs in four innings.

 

The Stars broke the game open with six runs in the seventh inning. Acuna roped a two-run single while defensive lapses in the infield saddled Schappert with five unearned runs in addition to homers surrendered to Eure and Nelson. Every Huntsville position player got a hit and all but shortstop Ozzie Chavez scored. The Stars' hit and run totals matched season highs.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

DILLARD WINS A DILLY

Miguel Negron swung at Gerrit Simpson's first pitch and slapped it to Ozzie Chavez, who positioned himself well to make an easy throw to Brad Nelson for the final out....... They celebrated in the middle of the infield as if they had just won the first half and for the Stars and the fans, it made sense. It had been a long time coming........ The Stars hadn't won a home game in over a month, snapping a 13-game losing streak at Joe Davis Stadium (It was May 7 when they beat Montgomery, 4-1)....... Inside the clubhouse, Tim Dillard was the recipient of a shaving cream pie delivered so enthusiastically that it got up in his nose.

 

Despite the rough start, Dillard pitched his best game of the season, going seven innings for only the second time, and giving up just two hits. he threw 93 pitches, 58 for strikes (62.3%). All four of his walks came in the first three innings as he struggled to find his control, and it looked as if the Stars' early 3-0 lead would be too fragile.

 

DILLARD'S PITCH COUNT

1st inning 12 strikes 20 pitches

2nd inning 7 strikes 19 pitches

3rd inning 9 strikes 17 pitches

 

Dillard didn't give up his first hit until the 4th inning on what should have been a throwing error charged to Callix Crabbe. Negron hit a hard grounder to Crabbe, who dove over to the edge of the grass close to the bag at second base, then threw across his body to Nelson instead of just conceding the hit........ The throw, however, was high, and it bounced off the netting in front of the Diamond Jaxx dugout to Nelson, who threw to Chavez, who tagged Negron for the first out of the inning........ Pat Listach, WT manager came out to argue with 1st base ump Rusty Barrett, arguing that Negron should have been given 2nd on the throw, but Don Rizzardi, the official scorer, gave him a hit on what, I admit, was a tough play....... The two Dons, Money and Rizzardi, kept me busy with the WhiteOut today........ Don Money had Drew Anderson originally inserted in the lineup at left, then went with Ron Acuna at the last moment and moved Travis Ezi to left. Rizzardi also gave a hit to Steve Moss in the 5th on what I thought was a throwing error from the line at 3rd base by Scott Moore.

 

The Diamond Jaxx' only other hit came with one out in the 6th when Nic Jackson lined a single to left........ The combined two-hitter was the first for the Stars since July 20, 2003 when Jeff Housman, making his Stars debut, and Matt Parker did it to the Diamond Jaxx, 10-0....... Eerie.

 

Speaking of eerie, there was a jaw-dropping moment in the 1st inning when Nic Jackson let go of his bat on a 3-1 pitch. The bat sailed over the Diamond Jaxx dugout and into the 2nd row of seats, which were fortunately unoccupied, like most of the seats in this ballpark are...... I've seen bats go into the crowd before here, but this one had to have come close to a record.

 

Other than Dillard, three players really stood out....... Leading the Stars' 17-hit attack were Acuna, Nelson, and Jeff Eure........ Acuna put the stopper on an 0-for-11 slump with the first of three doubles in the 1st inning that scored Crabbe with the Stars' first run. In the 7th, he hit a hard grounder through the infield into left, driving in Ezi and Moss with two out, to give the Stars an 8-0 lead........ With Crabbe on 2nd and Acuna on 1st, Nelson delivered his 3rd hit of the game, a home run into a brisk north wind, which is very pleasurable in June as opposed to April, over the first wall in right, not more than 10 feet from being foul.........

 

Acuna also made a nice chase to the Stars' empty bullpen area in left on a foul ball by Brian Dopirak for the 2nd out of the 9th. It's very rare I see a foul chased down that far for an out in Joe Davis' spacious foul grounds. Most players give up on it when it gets down there, but Acuna, who has some speed, made an effort and made the catch, which brings up a good point made by West Tenn's radio guy, Ron Potesta. His argument is that the Joe's vast foul territory has kept hits away from the Stars (and opponents. It works both ways) and suppressed batting averages....... It's a good argument and a valid one. I have seen too many players with good credentials in High-A come to Huntsville and flop, or at the very least, come in with disappointing batting marks. I could cite many examples ranging from Steve Cox to Drew Anderson, but that's for another day.

 

Nelson's double followed Acuna's double in the 1st, but Ron did not score because it looked as if Miguel Negron would come up with a sliding catch. Fortunately for the Stars, the ball popped out of his glove....... Eure came within a triple of becoming the first Stars player in history to hit for the cycle, the last to come within a triple since Ben Van Iderstine, June 3 of last year. His double to the wall in right field with two out made it 3-0. He singled, again with two out, in the 3rd, and homered to left near the foul line against the wind, scoring Lou Palmisano ahead of him in the 5th to make it a 5-0 ballgame. But needing a triple, he hit into an inning-ending double play in the 6th and reached on a throwing error in the 7th.

 

The Stars will get a 1-0 jump on the D'Jaxx tomorrow when the first game of a double-header starts at 6 pm. It's the completion of a June 1st game that was suspended by a downpour two batters after Jeff Housman had singled in the only run........ Travis Phelps will take over for Housman when the Diamond Jaxx go to bat in the 3rd with the 1-2-3 hitters scheduled to bat, Chris Walker, Eric Patterson, and Richard Lewis........ Lewis was impressive on the mound for WT in the bottom of the 8th, throwing 15 pitches, nine for strikes in retiring the Stars in order........ Right-hander Juan Mateo will replace Southern League ERA leader Randy Wells, who will probably go up to Iowa when the 2nd half begins, as WT's pitcher........ Trailing Wells in the SL ERA race is Corey Thurman, who has the only ERA under 2.00 in the SL among eligible leaders......... In the 2nd game, the Stars will send Steve Bray (4-2, 3.04) in his first start for Huntsville against WT southpaw Chris Shaver. Bray has given up just two runs in 10 innings of relief in four appearances this month.

 

Carlos Villanueva was strong in his first starting assignment for the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday afternoon, even though the Brewers lost in 11 innings, 3-0 to the Reds on Adam Dunn's 458-foot home run....... Villanueva struck out five in six scoreless innings. Prince Fielder missed making it a 1-0 victory for Milwaukee with a blast in the 7th inning that missed going out by a foot at the 404' sign. Fielder instead was stranded on 2nd after a double.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.herald-mail.com/?modu...ormat=html

 

Suns blow chances in 6-2 loss

by BOB PARASILITI

bobp@herald-mail.com

 

The Hagerstown Suns have been forced to realize the errors of their ways.

 

On Wednesday, the reality of it all was the Suns' errors leading to extra Power chances - and three unearned runs - and missed offensive opportunities costing Hagerstown runs.

 

Reality bites. And it's sinking its teeth into the Suns as a shaky fifth inning led to three West Virginia runs - two unearned - to pace the Power to a 6-2 victory.

 

The Suns (25-41) fell deeper into last place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division with a third straight loss. The most telling numbers thus far might be Hagerstown's 108 errors in 66 games - including three last night - while the offense is hitting just .210 and .180 after two outs with runners in scoring position - a situation where the Suns were 0-for-5 on Wednesday.

 

The saving grace is the first half ends on Sunday and Hagerstown will get the chance to reload for the second half at 0-0, starting on June 22.

 

West Virginia broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth, beginning with Darren Ford's leadoff double off Suns starter Ryan Meyers. He took third on Lorenzo Cain's single and scored when shortstop Jonathan Schemmel misplayed Angel Salome's grounder for an RBI. It opened the door for Mat Gamel's RBI double and Tony Festa's run-scoring single to take a 5-2 lead.

 

Meyers left after 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks.

 

Meyers helped stake West Virginia to a 2-0 lead in the first with an errant pickoff throw.

 

Meyers walked Ford to open the game and advanced him to third when his pickoff attempt got past first baseman Nick Evans. Salome picked up the RBI with a single to left before taking third on Gamel's single off of Meyers' leg and into left field.

 

Ned Yost grounded to short to score Salome.

 

Hagerstown got a run back off West Virginia starter and winner Derek Miller (7-1) when Hector Pellot drew a one-out walk and stole second. Nick Evans lined a shot at Cain in right field, who slipped and fell, giving Evans a two-out RBI triple. Evans was stranded at third as the Suns moved to within one at 2-1 after one inning.

 

Schemmel put the Suns back in business in the second with a one-out double down the right-field line. He took third on Drew Butera's single and scored on Elvis Cruz's hit to tie it.

 

Joe Holden advanced runners to second and third with two outs on a sacrifice bunt, but Pellot struck out to end the rally.

 

Jim Wladyka relieved Meyers and threw 3 2/3 innings of strong relief to give the Suns a chance to get back into the game.

 

But Hagerstown couldn't crack Miller after the second inning, striking out eight tim es over five innings.

 

The Suns left runners stranded in the fourth and eighth innings. In the eighth, Leivi Ventura reached base on a strikeout and wild pitch, and took third on Evans' double. But Jonathan Sanchez fouled out and Jonel Pacheco struck out to end the threat.

 

The only hit Wladyka allowed came back to haunt him in the ninth. Ryan Crew hit a leadoff double before Wladyka was pulled with one out. Crew took third on an errant pickoff try by Butera from behind the plate and scored on Cain's single off German Marte for the third unearned run allowed by the Suns.

 

Hagerstown's Hector Pellot slides safely into second base as West Virginia's Mike Bell is late with the tag during the first inning of Wednesday night's South Atlantic League game at Municipal Stadium. (Photo credit: by Ric Dugan / Herald-Mail Staff Photographer)

 

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