Link Report for Thursday 5/25 - No Excuses, Give Audio A Try

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Sounds hand Brazelton a setback

Hendrickson outduels former MTSU star

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

While all eyes were on Dewon Brazelton, Ben Hendrickson probably sneaked up on many of the 5,080 Greer Stadium fans at Thursday's Nashville Sounds game.

 

Brazelton, the former Tullahoma High and MTSU pitching star, had his bid to return to the major leagues stalled, at the very least, with a 3 2/3 inning, five-run effort in Portland's 5-0 loss to the Sounds.

 

"It obviously wasn't the fairy tale," Brazelton said of his performance. "But I felt good about it. They're a good team; they beat me. I was proud of the way I pitched and proud to be in Nashville. It wasn't the way I wanted, but that's life."

 

Meanwhile, Hendrickson ? in his first start since rejoining Nashville after a disappointing stint with the Milwaukee Brewers ? threw 4+ innings of no-hit ball before David Matranga hit a double in the fifth.

 

Hendrickson, who allowed just one hit over seven innings, and reliever Chris Demaria combined for the shutout, giving Nashville back-to-back mound gems for the first time since June 2003.

 

Trouble struck for Brazelton on a second-inning Brad Nelson RBI double. Nelson later scored on a Tony Gwynn sacrifice fly. Nashville added three more runs in the third inning, two on a Nelson Cruz homer.

 

"I tip my hat to them," Brazelton said. "You don't want to get embarrassed in front of your home crowd. But it doesn't always happen like that. There were a bunch of people here I hadn't seen in a long time; I'm happy about that."

 

All in all, it was fun. I just wish we'd won the game."

 

What they said: "Brad's swinging the bat much better. That first ball he hit was one of the hardest balls I've seen him hit." ? Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas on Nelson.

 

***

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

 

Reliever Demaria back again

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Chris Demaria, who began the season with the Nashville Sounds before going to Milwaukee on April 18, rejoined the Sounds prior to Thursday night's game.

 

Acquired in an offseason trade with the Royals, Demaria went 0-1 with a 5.93 earned run average (nine earned runs, 13 2/3 innings) in 10 relief appearances for the Brewers.

 

In two innings of relief Thursday night, Demaria allowed one hit with a strikeout.

 

He was replaced on the Milwaukee roster by Chris Mabeus, who picked up a save in his only Sounds appearance on May 19 after being claimed on waivers by the Brewers. In a May 23 start for Double-A Huntsville, he allowed three runs in three innings and took the loss.

 

Also set to arrive from Milwaukee is Justin Lehr, who will join the team for the Iowa series and start Saturday in Des Moines. Lehr was designated for assignment earlier this week, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Nashville by the Brewers.

 

In 16 relief appearances with Milwaukee, Lehr went 2-1 with an 8.61 ERA. With the Sounds last season, he was 7-7 with a save and a 3.99 ERA in 27 games (11 starts), then went 1-1, 3.89 in 23 games out of the bullpen for the Brewers.

 

To clear a spot on the Sounds roster for Lehr, reliever Brett Evert was reassigned to Huntsville. Evert was 1-1 with a 6.55 ERA in 13 appearances (one start) for Nashville. Demaria will fill the roster spot vacated when Corey Thurman was returned to Huntsville following Wednesday night's game.

 

Two for two: Portland Manager Craig Colbert was ejected during the fourth inning of Thursday night's game after Dustin Delucchi was ruled to have fouled off a Hendrickson pitch when he was hit on the right hand on a bunt attempt.

 

It was the second time in as many nights a Beaver staffer has left early. Hitting coach Bill Castro was tossed from Wednesday's contest following a Ben Johnson strikeout to lead off the ninth inning.

 

The back-to-back ejections were the third and fourth of the season at Greer Stadium. Previously, Omaha Manager Mike Jirschele and Iowa infielder Brandon Sing were thrown out of games.

 

The only Sounds ejection this year came at Las Vegas, when infielder Chris Barnwell was tossed on May 14.

 

Out of bounds: Three fans came onto the playing surface toward the end of Thursday's game, with two apprehended by stadium security. According to Ken Thomas, director of stadium operations, the two that were caught have been banned from attending future Sounds games.

 

"They don't realize how much trouble they're in until our state troopers (who provide off-duty security) step in," Thomas said.

 

"It's pretty rare. We had a couple run onto the field last year, but that's about it."

 

Spreading the wealth: Alec Zumwalt became the fifth different Nashville reliever to record a save when he retired Portland in order in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 1-0 win.

 

Previously, saves have gone to Jared Fernandez and Allan Simpson (three each) and Mike Adams and Jason Kershner (two each). As a team, the Sounds have converted 11 of 17 save opportunities.

 

Zumwalt, who had five saves in as many opportunities with Huntsville before joining the Sounds on May 11, has a 2.35 ERA in five games with Nashville. Between the Sounds and the Stars last year, he was 2-2 with four saves and a 4.25 ERA in 37 relief outings.

 

Cruz-in': With his fourth home run in his last six games, Sounds outfielder Nelson Cruz moved back into a tie atop the Pacific Coast League in that category. Cruz and Albuquerque's Scott Seabol each have 12 longballs on the year.

 

Cruz now has 39 RBIs to lead the league in that category as well, moving ahead of Portland's Justin Leone by one.

 

Speaking of leaders: Nashville's Jermaine Clark and Tony Gwynn went into Thursday's play tied for the league lead in stolen bases ? along with Oklahoma's Freddy Guzman ? with 14 each.

[Mass Haas]

Nice to see West Virginia's LHP David Welch listed as Friday's starter, considering we read this last week:

 

West Virginia used five pitchers Wednesday after starter David Welch had to leave after two scoreless innings. The 6-4, 200-pound left-hander strained his hip or groin when he fielded a ball from the third batter of the first inning.

 

Power pitching coach John Curtis said Welch tried to stick it out, but was in too much pain. Curtis said the team would wait until today to see how Welch feels before making a decision about the disabled list. Welch was putting together a pretty good outing, allowing just two singles.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Stumbling Stars' streak at 7

Huntsville lacks offense in loss to Jacksonville

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

Travis Phelps was drafted in the 89th round in 1996. Eventually, he fought his way to the majors - the lowest-drafted player ever to make it to the big leagues.

 

Something for the tombstone?

 

"I hope," he said, "I'm remembered for more than that whenever I die.''

 

All that seems easy compared to being a starting pitcher for Huntsville these days, where the Stars have now dropped seven in a row after Thursday's 5-2 loss to Jacksonville. The Stars offense, which collected 14 hits Wednesday, was up to its old tricks Thursday night at Joe Davis Stadium, with only two hits through six innings, finishing with seven.

 

The Stars and Suns meet again tonight at 7:05. Saturday's game will be at 2:05, not 7:05 as published elsewhere.

 

The Huntsville pitching staff got a boost Thursday with the return of Corey Thurman from Triple-A Nashville. Thurman was 1-4 to begin the season here, but had a 2.53 ERA. Chris Mabeus, sent here only temporarily, moved up to Milwaukee.

 

Phelps allowed five hits in seven innings Thursday, and has yielded just 12 hits and five earned runs in his 16 innings of work. Yet he is 0-2 with one no-decision because the Stars have scored only three runs during his time on the mound.

 

"It's a struggle. If it's not pitching, it's the hitting. If we're hitting and playing good defense, we're not pitching well,'' Phelps said. "It's been everything. It's not been one thing. We haven't gotten everything put together in one game.''

 

Fueling him in this comeback is something simple: "The love of the game," he said.

 

"I'd kick myself every day if I didn't play,'' he continued. "As long as I can play and not put my wife under too much stress paying the bills, I'll keep playing.

 

"Being here after going to independent ball, I have a little different outlook on baseball. It means a little more to me than it did before. Sometimes you get taking things for granted. I was on a downward spiral last year. Getting released and going to independent ball was a reality check. I know what I'm looking for now. I know where I want to be.''

 

The Suns nicked him for a run in the first on a line-scraping RBI double by Andy LaRoche, but Huntsville tied the game in its half when Travis Ezi walked, moved around on a hit batsman and double play and scored on a wild pitch from Suns starter Joel Hanrahan.

 

Jacksonville essentially won the game with two out in the eighth as Stars reliever Andy Pratt walked A.J. Zapp and hit Tony Abreu. Anthony Ragiani and Brad Cresse hit near-identical smashes down the third base line, producing a pair of runs.

 

The Stars rallied with four singles against Jacksonville reliever Carlos Alvarez, the final one an RBI looper to center by Drew Anderson. But after Adam Heether had a near-miss three-run double on a ball a foot foul to deep left, he hit sharply into a 6-4-3 double play that ended the inning.

 

When Guilder Rodriguez bobbled a sure-fire double play ball in the ninth, the Suns capitalized for two more runs - and the cozy win.