Link Report for Games of Sunday, June 4th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Dennis Sarfate on three days' rest at home vs. Albuquerque (Marlins), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Travis Phelps at Birmingham (White Sox), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Josh Wahpepah at home vs. Lakeland (Tigers), 3:00 PM; sorry, no web audio for this series

 

West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at Lake County (Indians), 12:55 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Sunday'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_biraax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_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 Saturday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 32 24 .571 - 20-9 12-15 W4[/b] Iowa 23 31 .426 8.0 12-13 11-18 L4 Omaha 23 33 .411 9.0 16-15 7-18 L1 Memphis 21 34 .382 10.5 11-14 10-20 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 35 22 .614 - 22-10 13-12 W2 West Tenn 33 23 .589 1.5 13-14 20-9 W1 Tennessee 28 29 .491 7.0 18-12 10-17 L1 Carolina 26 31 .456 9.0 15-12 11-19 L5 [b]Huntsville 22 33 .400 12.0 9-19 13-14 W2[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 31 23 .574 - 14-13 17-10 W2 [b]Brevard County 30 24 .556 1.0 16-11 14-13 W4[/b] Daytona 28 27 .509 3.5 17-11 11-16 W1 Palm Beach 27 27 .500 4.0 13-14 14-13 L1 Jupiter 24 30 .444 7.0 11-16 13-14 W1 Vero Beach 22 33 .400 9.5 12-15 10-18 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 33 20 .623 - 19-10 14-10 W2 Delmarva 32 21 .604 1.0 17-11 15-10 W1 [b]West Virginia 30 23 .566 3.0 16-11 14-12 W6[/b] Greensboro 30 24 .556 3.5 20-9 10-15 L1 Lakewood 27 27 .500 6.5 15-11 12-16 L1 Hickory 24 28 .462 8.5 12-11 12-17 W1 Lake County 24 31 .436 10.0 12-16 12-15 L4 Hagerstown 18 35 .340 15.0 9-13 9-22 L10

[Trowekamp]

So judging from how the Nashville players have done this year in AAA and the majors.. how long before the PCL kicks them out to play in their own AAAA league?

[wibadgers23]

Good to see Nashville in 1st and Brevard County and WV right near the top. On a side note, anybody know when Nashville's new stadium will begin being built?

[PeaveyFury]

A four-spot in the first for a suddenly surging Huntsville team.

[plowjockey]

Nashville Stadium to open April 2008.

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs..../605200333

[plowjockey]

Power go on a 7 - 0 run without Inman? Who'da thunk that? 4 straight error free games.

[pogokat]

derek miller is having a very good season...

 

He should be the one called up first to brevard

[plowjockey]

Miller is a bit older than the others too, having been a 5th year senior. It would seem to make sense to promote him as opposed to pushing Inman quicker than a natural pace of a seaon at each level.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site:

 

Manatees-Tigers cancelled

 

Sunday's Florida State League game between the Lakeland Tigers and Brevard County Manatees was cancelled due to rain at Space Coast Stadium.

 

The game will not be made up.

 

Hopefully this won't hurt the Manatees as of first-half end, Thursday June 15th. Brevard fell to 1.5 games back of St. Lucie today, a team they do not play before the All-Star Break.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 7, Lake County (Indians) 3

Fantastic streak not only without their top pitcher, Will Inman, but arguably their team leader and one of their top position players, Kenny Holmberg...

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER SWEEP THE CAPTAINS

 

The West Virginia Power extended their winning streak to seven games, taking a clean sweep in a four-game series against the Lake County Captains with a 7-3 victory at Classic Park on Sunday afternoon.

 

The Captains took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on Matt Fornasiere?s RBI single. The Power tied the game in the top of the second when Nate Yoho reached on a fielder?s choice and knocked in Tony Festa. In the third inning the Captains took their second lead of the game on back to back RBI singles from Nick Petrucci and Fernando Pacheco.

 

The Power scored the final six runs of the game. In the fifth inning they tied it up on an RBI groundout from Lorenzo Cain and a two-out RBI single from Festa. Darren Ford gave the Power the lead on a run-scoring single in the sixth inning. Scotty McKnight, Ford and Cain provided the insurance runs for the Power on back-to-back to back RBI base hits in the eighth inning.

 

Derek Miller (6-1) started and went five innings to earn the victory, Ryan Marion pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen to get the save (1), and Cody Bunkleman (1-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 31-23 after the win and the Captains fell to 24-32 with the loss.

 

The Power will begin a four-game series against the Hagerstown Suns at Appalachian Power Park on Monday night. Hagerstown will start right hander Jason Meyers (1-5, 7.57) and the Power will counter with right hander Matt Kretzschmar (0-2, 8.20). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Nice bullpen-saving outing for Ryan Marion, whose spot on the team looked tenuous at best a couple of weeks ago; hardly Derek Miller's finest outing, but he managed -- Lake County stranded 15 in all...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Nashville 6, Albuquerque (Marlins) 0, after three innings

Reminder -- audio and Gameday available tonight; if Sounds hold on, it'll be an 11-0 weekend for the affiliates...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 12, Birmingham (White Sox) 4

No worries -- Acuna-Ma-Tata! Been waiting a while to use that one...

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=862

 

Acuna Asserts HImself in Stars Win

 

Ron Acuna knocked in six runs, as Huntsville continued its assault on Birmingham pitching by pounding out 16 hits in a 12-4 win Sunday afternoon at the Hoover Met. The Stars matched their season-high with a third straight road win to improve to 23-33 overall and 14-14 away from home, while the Barons slumped to 24-34 overall and 10-18 at home. The Stars have totaled 30 runs in the series after scoring 30 runs during a 13-game losing streak that was suspended before the start of the five-game set.

 

The Stars jumped on Barons? starter Tyler Lumsden for four two-out runs in the first inning on run-scoring singles by Brad Nelson and J.C. Boscan and a two-run triple by Acuna. Lumsden had blanked the Stars on five hits over five innings and allowed only one runner to reach second base at Joe Davis Stadium on April 13.

 

Adam Heether singled in a run in the second inning and Acuna drove in a run with a two-out single in the fourth to push the Stars lead to 6-1. Lumsden was lifted after four frames and suffered his second loss of the season, and first since May 9. The southpaw allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits and a pair of walks. He has been tagged for 14 runs on 20 hits over eight innings in his last two starts.

 

Birmingham scored in the fifth on a two-out single by Micah Schnurstein that cut the lead to 6-2. Stars? starter Travis Phelps was taken out after five innings during which he gave up two runs on seven hits and five walks. The veteran right-hander struck out a season-high five and earned his first win with the Stars.

 

Drew Anderson and Heether walked to open the sixth inning against Brian West, advanced a base on a Nelson fly out and scored on a single by Acuna, who collected three hits for a second time this season. Rusty Tucker took over in the seventh inning and allowed four runs on a two-run double by Anderson, the only hit of the frame, and bases loaded walks to Acuna and Lou Palmisano. Tucker has appeared twice in the series, allowing nine runs, eight earned, on six hits and eight walks, including six on Sunday.

 

Matt Smith tossed scoreless relief in the seventh and eighth innings and was one out away from a third shutout inning when Ricardo Nanita hit a two-run home run, his fifth of the season. The former Barons reliever earned his first save with the Stars and helped preserve the visitors second eight-run win of the series and third of the season.

 

The series continues Monday night with Stars right-hander Carlos Villanueva to the mound against Barons? southpaw Corwin Malone. 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:

Five Stars reached base four times each, and another three times -- wow! Stars scored 12, yet stranded 15 (16 hits, ten walks, and an HBP).

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Certainly the meatiest game log of the Stars' season thus far...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Ron Acuna photo courtesy of PonderPhoto.com via the Stars' site:

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/Acura,%20Ronald%2024t.JPG

[gregmag]

Have our affiliates ever won eleven straight games collectively without a loss? Beccause I'm starting to think some egalitarian deity sapped all the win mojo from Milwaukee and sent it down the system.

 

Sarfate is probably frustrated seeing the rest of his rotation called up ahead of him, but based on how a guy with AAA command like Eveland got his head handed to him, Dennis' walks seem to be a good reason to keep him where he is. Does anybody have thoughts on the likelihood of his taming that part of his game? Because the rest of it looks pretty darn good.

 

No sooner do we dis Steve Moss in another thread than he's on base four times. Tantalizing, talented, frustrating prospect: Dave Krynzel v. 2.0.

 

Greg.

 

Greg.

[hsvstarsfan]

ACUNA LEADS ROUT

Like Clark Kent turning into some vengeful, twisted Superman or the school bookworm who muscled up over a summer to send his major detractor to the hospital, the Stars are taking out all their vented frustration from losing 19 of 22 games and a record 13 straight out on the Stars' biggest bully........ It's too bad we can't delight in this at the Joe...... In beating Birmingham, the Stars won their 3rd straight game for the first time since polishing off Mobile in four games of a five-game series last April 23-25, and in outscoring the Barons 30-10, let everyone know they mean business........ That's as many runs the Stars scored in their 13-game losing streak, and the Stars' .321 average in this series dwarfs the .220 average they were carrying when they lost 19 of 22 and 13 straight last month.

This is especially sweet considering the Stars have really taken it on the chin to Birmingham over the years....... Last year, the Barons won 9 out of 11 from the Stars, including a 19-15 win July 7. And despite winning a share of the Southern League Championship in 2001, the Barons still won 12 of 17 games....... The fledgling Stars won the first six season series from Birmingham starting with their first season, but were humiliated in the 1987 playoff series, losing 15-2, 7-6, and 17-7...... The Stars haven't beaten the Barons in three straight since April 18-20, 2003, when they outscored them 19-8, the biggest three-game rout over this team up till today.

Unlike Friday's team effort when they scored 10 of their 11 runs with 2 out (the largest shortcoming during May's record slump), the Stars today left 15 on base and 7 in scoring position with 2 out, but they didn't waste their opportunities, of which there were plenty, racking up 16 hits and drawing 10 walks, with Ron Acuna driving in six runs, the most since Enrique Cruz last May against Carolina........ In the 1st inning, Richard Nanita let Acuna's liner to left play him and the ball rolled to the wall for a triple to put the Stars in front, 3-0......... Acuna struck out with runners on the corners in the 2nd, but in the 4th, he drove in his 3rd run with a two-out opposite-field single to right, scoring Drew Anderson, and giving the Stars a 6-1 lead........ In the 6th, after reliever Brian West walked Anderson and Heether, Brad Nelson moved them into scoring position for Acuna on a back-hand catch deep in right by Thomas Collaro. Acuna lined a one-strike offering up the middle past a diving Chris Getz. Anderson scored and Heether slid past the sweep tag at home, giving the Stars an 8-2 lead....... Now it was a laugher.

Rusty Tucker, who before Tommy John surgery in 2003 saved 28 games for Mobile. He came on in the 7th, walked six batters, including Acuna with the bases loaded for his 6th RBI.......For Tucker, who was placed on waivers by Mobile's parent club the Padres prior to the start of the season, it looks like the end. He now owns an 8.77 ERA, has allowed a run in 10 of his last 14 games, and walked 27 in 25 2/3 innings.

The Barons' beleaguered pitching staff (oh, I feel so sorry, drip, drip), has issued 29 walks in this series...... They have now lost 8 of their last 10....... Tomorrow, they will send Corwin Malone to the mound against our ace, Carlos Villanueva, who was 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 5 starts in May........ Malone has a long history against the Stars, beginning with a no-decision game on August 26, 2001 when he held the Stars to just one hit over 5 2/3 innings in a game the Stars lost, 9-6. He will be facing the Stars for the 11th time in his career with a record of 3 wins, 2 losses, and a 4.35 ERA. Despite the mediocre stats, the Barons have won 8 of the games he has pitched.

Aside from the help from all the walks, the Stars have punched out 35 hits over the last three games, more than the last five games of May, and nearly everyone has pitched in........ Ron Acuna has 10 hits in his last 20 at bats over his last 5 games........ Drew Anderson, who managed to hit .302 in May, is on a 6-game hitting streak, batting .375, and has driven in 10 runs....... Callix Crabbe, who hit .147 in May, is hitting .368 in his last 7 games........ Jeff Eure is 5-for-12 (.417) in this series, raising his average to .219, the highest it's been since April 19th...... Steve Moss, who hit .198 in May, is 8-for-16 in this series, and has scored 6 runs. That's almost as many as he scored all last month........ The Stars have batted around four times in this series so far.

Elie Alfonzo, who hit .258 as one of six catchers who were used by the Stars in 2002, made his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants, Saturday, and made a game-winner out of his first major league hit -- a 2-run HR off El Duque (Orlando Hernandez) to give the Giants a 6-4 win over the Mets....... Alfonzo is the 159th former Star to graduate to the majors.

The four sac bunts recorded by the Stars in Saturday's 7-3 win was one shy of the club record that goes back to June 10, 1990 against Knoxville..

The Diamond Jaxx released outfielder Adam Greenberg, who was hitting .179 and striking out at a .321 clip.

Tampa Bay 2nd baseman Jorge Cantu was 2-for-18 in his rehab assignment at Montgomery at last report.

The Florida State League announced their All-Stars and among them is Manatee right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who leads the FSL in strikeouts and is sporting a microscopic 2.18 ERA........ Looks like a winner, Stars fans........ Also joining him on the All-Star team is Josh Wahpepah (3-2, 3.02), 3rd baseman Ryan Braun (.299), 2nd baseman Hernan "the Hurricane" Irabarren (.287, 7 doubles), utility player Steve Sollmann (.302), and outfielder Brendan Katin (.287 and a league-leading 20 doubles.)

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 7, Albuquerque (Marlins) 6

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Graham Koonce photo in camouflage jersey, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1988

 

Koonce Blasts Two Homers In 7-6 Sounds Win

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? First baseman Graham Koonce belted a pair of home runs and starter Dennis Sarfate turned in a solid outing on three days? rest to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 7-6 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Nashville (33-24) increased its winning streak to five games, matching its longest this season, and has won six of its last seven games overall. The Sounds? 33 victories tie the club for the most in the Pacific Coast League, along with Albuquerque and Salt Lake.

 

The game marked the Sounds' eighth one-run decision in the club's last nine games; Nashville has won five of those contests.

 

The Sounds struck first, grabbing a 2-0 lead against Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs in the bottom of the first inning. Tony Gwynn led off the frame with a double down the left field line and scored one batter later when Ungs misfired while throwing to first on Kennard Bibbs? sacrifice bunt. After Bibbs stole second and Dave Krynzel walked behind him, Brent Abernathy ripped a one-out single to center to increase the lead to 2-0.

 

Koonce doubled the advantage to 4-0 in the bottom of the third with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right-center off Ungs that scored Krynzel. Koonce, who joined the Sounds on May 31, belted 23 longballs a year ago for Triple-A Indianapolis.

 

AUDIO: Graham Koonce's 1st HR --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-4.wma

 

Catcher Mark Johnson and Chris Barnwell continued the scoring in the third with back-to-back one-out RBI doubles that resulted in a 6-0 Sounds lead.

 

Barnwell paced Nashville with a 3-for-4 evening to extend his hitting streak to six games and push his average to a team-leading .335 on the season, two points ahead of Gwynn?s .333 mark.

 

Koonce turned on the power again in the fourth when he extended the Nashville lead to 7-0 with his second homer of the evening, a solo shot to right off Ungs. He is the fourth different Sounds player to record a two-homer game this season.

 

Former Sound Jason Wood put Albuquerque on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center. The blast, which came off Nashville starter Dennis Sarfate and scored Chris Aguila, was the infielder?s eighth of the year. Wood?s roundtripper was only the second given up by Sarfate this season in 60 1/3 innings.

 

The Isotopes made a game of it in the ninth when Aguila belted a two-out grand slam off Sounds reliever Chris Mabeus to pull Albuquerque within 7-6. The slam was Aguila?s first home run of the season. All four runs were unearned, however, due to a throwing error by Nashville third baseman Vinny Rottino that opened the inning. Mabeus recovered to strike out Wood for the final out of the game to secure the victory.

 

Gwynn notched his team-leading 24th multiple-hit effort with a 2-for-4 night. The Sounds? leadoff hitter has compiled seven multi-hit games in his last eight contests (16-for-34, .471).

 

Sarfate (4-2), who started on three days? rest, picked up his team-leading fourth victory of the season with a solid outing, allowing two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings of work. He walked five batters and struck out six in the outing; both totals equal season highs for the right-hander.

 

Ungs (6-5) took the loss after giving up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in his six frames.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. contest on Monday night. Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez (1-1, 3.52) will take the hill on only two days? rest for Nashville to face Isotopes right-hander Jeff Fulchino (2-3, 4.50).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50229

 

Sounds go up early, hang on for win

By Ed Atlas, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

What appeared to be an uneventful evening went down to the wire as Nashville walked a tightrope in the ninth and escaped with a 7-6 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes in a Pacific Coast League game Sunday night at Greer Stadium.

 

The Sounds had a comfortable 7-2 lead before Chris Aguila hammered a two-out grand slam off the guitar in left to make it a one-run game. But reliever Chris Mabeus, who pitched the final two innings, buckled down to strike out Jason Wood to end the game. The Sounds improved to 33-24, maintaining their 8-game lead over Iowa in the PCL?s Northern Division.

 

?I thought we were swinging the bats much better in the early part of the game and fortunately we built a big enough lead,? said Nashville manager Frank Kremblas.

 

The Sounds got a strong effort from starter Dennis Sarfate and some stronger hitting from first baseman Graham Koonce in winning their fifth consecutive game.

 

Pitching on just three days rest, Sarfate looked a little restless when he took the mound, but he held the Isotopes scoreless until giving up a two-run homer to Jason Wood in the sixth.

 

But by then the Sounds had built a 7-0 lead with Koonce leading the way with a pair of home runs, a two-run blast to center in the third and a solo shot an inning later.

 

?I walked a few like I always do but I was able to get out of it,? said Sarfate. ?Anytime you pitch on short rest you have to help your team out because you can?t go to the pen too soon.?

 

Sarfate (4-2) worked 5.2 innings, allowed four hits, walked five and tied his season-high with six strikeouts. The homer was only the second he has surrendered in 60 innings this season.

 

?He has a tendency to get behind in the counts but I thought he did a good job of pitching [last night], not just staying with the fastball,? said Kremblas.

 

Nashville batted around in a four-run, five-hit third. Dave Krynzel led off with an infield single then Koonce, who joined the team on May 31, delivered his first home run of the season, a towering drive just right of center.

 

?I?ve been trying to get comfortable,? said Koonce, who was out of baseball until signing with the Sounds. ?I?ve been working hard on having the same approach, not just every at-bat but every pitch.?

 

Sarfate battled back after the first two batters reached for Albuquerque in the first and second innings. He got Wood to bounce into a double play to end the first then struck out the 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the second.

 

?That?s been my story all year, falling behind and walking guys but as long as I can get the next guy out I?m not too worried about it,? he said.

 

Nashville pounded-out 12 hits, 10 against Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs (6-5). Tony Gwynn (.333) collected his 24th multi-hit game of the season. Brent Abernathy had a pair of singles and Chris Barnwell (3-4, .335) had a double and two singles.

 

Nashville native and Lipscomb graduate Wes Wilkerson pitched the eighth for the Isotopes, allowing two hits and striking out two.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds score early, hold off Isotopes rally

Seven runs in first four innings give Sarfate big cushion

By RYAN CALLAHAN

For The Tennessean

 

Dennis Sarfate didn't mind pitching on short rest.

 

It didn't hurt that the Sounds weren't short on runs.

 

Nashville exploded for seven runs in the first four innings and held off a late rally for a 7-6 win over Albuquerque Sunday night that tied the Sounds for the most wins in the Pacific Coast League.

 

A Greer Stadium crowd of 5,211 watched the Sounds (33-24) surpass the Isotopes (33-25) for the best record in the PCL's American Conference and match their previous season-best winning streak with their fifth consecutive win.

 

"I thought we swung the bats much better in the early part of the game," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Fortunately, we built a big enough lead."

 

Graham Koonce, who joined the Sounds on Wednesday, helped Nashville maintain its eight-game lead over Iowa in the Northern Division standings with home runs in the third and fourth innings.

 

By then, the Sounds had a 7-0 lead, more than enough for Sarfate (4-2) to cruise to his third win in four starts. The right-hander worked out of early trouble and racked up a season-high six strikeouts on the way to his team-high fourth win of the year.

 

"Scoring a run in the first inning or two, that gives you your confidence back," Sarfate said. "It's great when you're not having to pitch from behind, and these guys swung the bats well tonight."

 

Nashville's early cushion almost wasn't enough.

 

Albuquerque cut the lead to one with a two-out grand slam to Chris Aguila in the ninth, but Chris Mabeus struck out former Sound Jason Wood to preserve the win.

 

Sounds right-hander Jared Fernandez (1-1, 3.52 ERA) will go against Jeff Fulchino (2-3, 4.50) in the third game of the four-game series tonight at 7.

 

What they said: "I tip my hat to Graham (Koonce) for hitting two home runs because they came back at the end and we needed seven runs to win it." ?Sarfate

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Released by Yankees, Koonce boosts Sounds

By RYAN CALLAHAN

For The Tennessean

 

After asking for his release from the New York Yankees at the end of spring training, Graham Koonce was content to sit at home, celebrate the birth of his first child and wait ? just in case someone called.

 

Finally, the Nashville Sounds did. On Sunday night, Koonce answered.

 

Things finally returned to normal for Koonce, a former Pacific Coast League MVP who joined Nashville on Wednesday. The 30-year-old first baseman homered in consecutive at-bats in the third and fourth innings, helping the Sounds build a comfortable lead on their way to a 7-6 win over Albuquerque.

 

Koonce's arrival in Nashville marked the beginning of the Sounds' current five-game winning streak. Fittingly, Koonce played a big part in keeping the streak alive Sunday night with his first two homers of the year.

 

"He got a couple of pitches up in the zone and hit them well," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "He's a strong enough guy that, when he hits it well, it's got a chance to get out of the park."

 

His third-inning blast to right-center made it 4-0 and broke the game open in Nashville's four-run third inning. His solo homer to right in the fourth proved to be the winning run after Chris Aguila's ninth-inning grand slam cut the Sounds' lead to one.

 

"We've been working hard on having the same approach, not just every at-bat but every pitch," Koonce said. "It's kind of an in-and-out thing for me, and I'm just working to stay comfortable."

 

Sarfate stays solid: Nashville starter Dennis Sarfate picked up his team-best fourth win on just three days' rest. He allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and tied a season high with six strikeouts.

 

It was the 10th time in 12 starts this year he's held an opponent to three or fewer runs and his third win in four starts.

 

"(Sarfate) did a good job of pitching tonight and not just staying with the fastball," Kremblas said. "(Catcher) Mark Johnson did a good job of making him throw his breaking ball."

 

Albuquerque's sixth-inning home run from former Sound Jason Wood was only the second homer this year off Sarfate in almost 60 innings.

 

Still streaking: Shortstop Chris Barnwell extended his hitting streak to six games with a second-inning single to center off Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs.

 

Barnwell, 11-for-23 during his hitting streak, raised his average to a team-best .335 by going 3-for-4 with an RBI double during the Sounds' four-run third inning.

 

"He's swinging at better pitches, getting some pitches up in the zone," Kremblas said. "He's getting some good swings on them and they're finding some holes."

 

Welcome home: Nashville native Wes Wilkerson, a product of David Lipscomb High School and Lipscomb University, pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Albuquerque.

 

Wilkerson allowed consecutive two-out singles to Nashville's Tony Gwynn and Kennard Bibbs but stranded the runners by striking out Dave Krynzel.

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1