Link Report for Games of Tuesday, May 23rd

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Jared Fernandez at home vs. Portland (Padres), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Chris Mabeus at home vs. Jacksonville (Dodgers), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Yo Gallardo at Fort Myers (Twins), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

miraclebaseball.com/

 

West Virginia: RHP Ronny Malave at Kannapolis (White Sox), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday'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_ftmafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_kanafx_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 Monday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 25 19 .568 - 14-7 11-12 L1[/b] Iowa 18 24 .429 6.0 9-12 9-12 L1 Omaha 18 25 .419 6.5 11-11 7-14 L2 Memphis 14 28 .333 10.0 10-11 4-17 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 29 16 .644 - 19-6 10-10 W4 West Tenn 26 19 .578 3.0 10-10 16-9 L1 Carolina 22 23 .489 7.0 15-10 7-13 W1 Tennessee 21 24 .467 8.0 12-8 9-16 L1 [b]Huntsville 20 24 .455 8.5 9-10 11-14 L4[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 25 18 .581 - 11-10 14-8 L3 [b]Brevard County 23 20 .535 2.0 10-10 13-10 W5[/b] Daytona 23 21 .523 2.5 15-10 8-11 L1 Palm Beach 22 21 .512 3.0 10-12 12-9 W1 Jupiter 18 26 .409 7.5 8-14 10-12 L5 Vero Beach 17 27 .386 8.5 11-14 6-13 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 26 17 .605 - 17-8 9-9 W1 Delmarva 25 17 .595 0.5 14-9 11-8 W4 Greensboro 24 19 .558 2.0 18-7 6-12 W5 [b]West Virginia 23 19 .548 2.5 13-10 10-9 W1[/b] Lakewood 22 21 .512 4.0 14-9 8-12 L1 Lake County 21 23 .477 5.5 11-10 10-13 L4 Hagerstown 18 25 .419 8.0 9-9 9-16 W1 Hickory 17 24 .415 8.0 8-11 9-13 L1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...006052318/

 

Keeping Appalachian Power Park green is proving difficult

Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

Look around Appalachian Power Park.

 

The evidence is everywhere.

 

Behind the plate and around it, plus the on-deck spots diagonal to it. Around the mound. Halfway up the first- and third-base lines and beside the corresponding bags and coaches' boxes. On the edge of the outfield behind shortstop and second base. Beside the bullpens, particularly the one on the home side.

 

Bare spots that make the field look older than it is.

 

Of course, 59 games in 87 days will do that, especially when that wear and tear is combined with wet weather and cooler-than-normal temperatures.

 

The West Virginia Power has played 24 games at Appalachian Power Park, which opened last year.

 

The University of Charleston and Marshall University played 19 and 12 games there, respectively, including the stadium opener Feb. 25.

 

Greenbrier East High School hosted a doubleheader there. A men's league accounted for the other two games.

 

Coming up are the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission and Big League state championship tournaments.

 

"When you combine our games with all of those other games," Power General Manager Andy Milovich said, "then you are probably pushing the limits of what the field can take and what it can handle."

 

So, how many games are too many?

 

"I don't know that there is a magic number," Milovich said. "If it wasn't such a wet and cold spring and we had gotten done in the fall what we needed to and we were under normal circumstances in the spring, we may be on a field that looks great."

 

Nevertheless, Milovich said the number of non-South Atlantic League games played at Appalachian Power Park will be an issue after the season.

 

"That is a decision the team and the city have to make," Milovich said. "Is it important to have a first-class playing facility that meets Major League standards? Or is it important that everyone who makes a phone call and wants to play on the field gets a chance to play on the field? You saw what it did to Watt Powell Park. We are trying to use as strong of a judgment as we can to get everybody access but to make sure it meets the standards."

 

However, Milovich said the number of games played on the field isn't the only reason the grass looks like it does.

 

Among the other reasons, he said, is the fact that the field wasn't lain until 21 days before the team's season opener last year.

 

"When you build a new stadium, usually the field is one of the first things that goes in," Milovich said.

 

That typically occurs in September, he said. That way, "you have an entire fall for your grass to root," Milovich said. "Then, you have the spring for it to continue to grow and mature and develop your traditional root zone."

 

A traditional root zone typically is 6 to 8 inches, Appalachian Power Park groundskeeper Eric Bailey said.

 

"There are spots here where you have a 2- or 3-inch root zone or even shorter than that," Bailey said.

 

"That is a byproduct of it going down so late," Milovich said. "When you have a shallow root zone, it can't get the food and the nutrients and it doesn't have the strength to withstand the traffic and high volumes of use."

 

Milovich said Bailey and his staff had to take shortcuts to make up for the late start.

 

"At that point, the chemical applications and fertilizers are almost completely nitrogen to cause it to green up as soon as the sun hits it," Milovich said. "You aren't as worried about strong, healthy grass as much as you are green grass.

 

"You are playing on grass that is brand new. So, we put a lot of stress on a field that was young and immature last year. It wasn't ready to take the beating it took."

 

Also, the team had fresh sod applied to areas in the fall, but that occurred later than it had planned.

 

"So, that never really took," Milovich said. "Then, in the spring, with as wet as it has been and as cold as it has been, it really hasn't ever had a chance to grow and it has taken an increased beating because of the moisture and wetness."

 

The wet weather also has taken its toll.

 

"If you leave a tarp on a field like that," Milovich said, "it's going to brown out much easier and quicker and longer than a field that has been in place and is healthy."

 

The stadium design also caused a problem.

 

"Because the clubhouses aren't underneath, all 60 guys are coming out of the clubhouse and following the same path out of the clubhouse," Milovich said. "When you walk around the (home) bullpen, that coincides with the area where the sand depths aren't the depth they are supposed to be.

 

"That has caused some drainage issues for us that will be addressed after the season by Athletic Field Services. That's an area that is constantly wet, doesn't drain the way it should and gets more traffic than any spot in the stadium."

 

West Virginia starts a four-game series in Kannapolis today.

 

With the team on the road, Milovich said Bailey and his staff will focus on making the field healthier and more attractive.

 

West Virginia returns Saturday, when it will begin a four-game homestand against Lakewood.

 

"The field isn't in a position where it isn't going to recover," Milovich said. "We can put it back in the position where it needs to be, but it's going to take a couple of weeks. We have some improvements we are going to make. You are going to see a field that is much healthier than this one right now."

 

"It's recovering now even though it looks spotty in a couple of places," Bailey added.

 

Additional improvements are expected in the next two months, when the team will play only 11 games on its field in June and only 10 games there in July.

 

"It's a learning process for us as far as what this field needs," Milovich said. "We have really beefed up what we are doing, and we have a better handle on what this field needs. That will make a difference as this field grows and matures and strengthens over the course of the year."

 

Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Tom Hindman

Appalachian Power Park?s playing surface is showing the wear of 59 games in 87 days.

 

http://www.dailymail.com/images/0523PowerField.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Nelson Cruz the one mention in this week's BA Hot Prospect Sheet:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...61352.html

[pogokat]

yo with a pretty blah perfromance tonight, but there's been some good hitting in florida lately...gotta hope braun will keep this up, and hit some more homers...

[And That]

Steve Bray finally walked someone.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Portland (Padres) 5, Nashville 4

Details from Sounds site shortly...

 

Nashville Box Score:

Dave Krynzel off -- Brent Abernathy in left field...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

Allan Simpson hit for himself with two out, none on in the 8th, in a one-run game -- wouldn't see that at the major league level...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Kannapolis (White Sox) 6, West Virginia 2

Power lose to a team that was 8-35 and a pitcher who was 0-8...

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Intimidators snap losing streak at Power's expense

 

The Kannapolis Intimidators used a three-run fourth inning to fight off the West Virginia Power and end a five-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Power at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium on Tuesday night.

 

Francisco Hernandez singled into right field with a runner on first base in the bottom of the second inning, and Lorenzo Cain bobbled the ball, allowing Anderson Gomes to score on the play to give Kannapolis the lead. In the fourth inning the Intimidators scored three times on four hits to pull away. Gomes drove in the first run on a triple, Hernandez struck again with a run-scoring double and Brandon Johnson knocked in the last run on a sacrifice fly. Kannapolis went up 5-0 after an RBI single from Daron Roberts in the fifth inning.

 

Back-to-back doubles from Angel Salome and Mat Gamel in the sixth inning produced the first Power run of the game. The Power got on the board in the seventh inning when Michael Brantley scored on a wild pitch. Kannapolis plated their final run of the game on a Brent Matheny RBI triple in the seventh.

 

Ryan Rote (1-8) earned the victory, and Ronny Malave (3-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 23-20 after the loss and the Intimidators improved to 9-35 with the win.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against Kannapolis on Wednesday night. Kannapolis will start right hander Derek Rodriguez (1-4, 4.91) and the Power will counter with right hander Kevin Roberts (2-5, 4.87). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_kanafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_kanafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 11, Fort Myers (Twins) 3

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Freddy Parejo and Carlos Corporan with back-to-back jacks; C.J. Medlin three hits, two of them doubles...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_ftmafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Manatees got a lot of help from the Miracle in this one -- eight walks, four hit batsmen, and costly errors (all three at third base); when Robert Hinton hit a batter with two out out and no one on in the 6th, three Manatees had already been plunked -- purpose pitch? Oh yeah...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_ftmafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Chris Barnwell photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1966

 

Sounds Drop Second Straight To Beavers, 5-4

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds lost their second game in a row to the Portland Beavers, falling 5-4 on Tuesday night at Greer Stadium.

 

Despite the loss, Nashville (25-20) maintains a five-game cushion in the PCL American Conference North Division while Portland (27-18) jumps into first place in the Pacific North for the first time all season, leapfrogging past Salt Lake.

 

The Beavers beat the Sounds to the scoreboard for the second night in a row when Jack Cust scored on a passed ball charged to Sounds catcher Mike Rivera in the top of the first inning.

 

The Sounds struck back in the bottom half of the second as they chalked up a run to tie the game. Nelson Cruz started the inning off with a single but was thrown out at second as he tried to stretch his single into a double. Rivera was the next batter and reached first after he struck out on a wild pitch that the catcher was unable to handle. Rivera advanced to third on a Vinny Rottino ground-rule double and scored on the next play, a Brad Nelson RBI groundout.

 

Cruz and Rottino?s hits in the second extend their current hitting streaks to six games and seven games, respectively, the longest streak of the year for each player.

 

Neither team was able to break the tie until the top of the sixth. Once again, Cust would reach base on a walk and later scored on a two-run home run by Beavers first baseman Jon Knott. The home run was Knott?s 11th of the year, putting him in a two-way tie for the second-most home runs in the PCL with Cruz, and gave the visitors a 3-1 lead.

 

Portland extended the lead to three later in the frame when Justin Leone singled right after the home run and later advanced to third on a Jason Hill double to left. On the same play, Leone scored on a fielding error by Brent Abernathy as he overran the ball.

 

The Beavers? lead was short-lived, however, as the Sounds fought back against the Portland bullpen and knotted the game at four runs apiece. Rottino scored from third on an RBI single off the bat of Chris Barnwell that also moved Brad Nelson to third. Nelson would later score on a Milko Jaramillo fielder?s choice that erased Barnwell at second, making the score 4-3.

 

The Sounds continued to manufacture runs with Jaramillo on second and Tony Gwynn on first. Manager Frank Kremblas called for the double steal that saw both players advance a base to tie the score as Jaramillo crossed home.

 

The Beavers broke the tie for good in the top of the seventh against Sounds reliever Allan Simpson when Dustin Delucchi scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Knott.

 

Portland reliever Cla Meredith (1-0) threw 1 1/3 innings and struck out one on his way to his first win of the season, picking up the victory after blowing a save. Beavers closer Brian Sikorski tossed a perfect ninth to pick up his seventh save of the year.

 

Simpson (1-3) took the loss for the Sounds after surrendering the game-deciding run in his three innings of work.

 

Both Jermaine Clark and Tony Gwynn were able to record stolen bases in the game for Nashville, which moved them into a two-way tie for most stolen bases in the PCL with 14 thefts each.

 

The clubs face off again on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. for game three of the four-game set. The Sounds will give the starting nod to southpaw Zach Jackson (1-2, 2.87), while the Beavers will counter with right-hander Tim Stauffer (2-3, 5.15).

 

AUDIO: Rivera Hangs On For Out At Home --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-23.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Jacksonville (Dodgers) 7, Huntsville 1

Huntsville site summary later on...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

If we just posted the same Huntsville box score on offense all season, would anyone even notice? They all look the same -- hitting coach Sandy Guerrero must be beside himelf; RHP Chris Mabeus didn't exactly inspire the hopefuls for a Friday Milwaukee call-up with his second inning; Stars draw one walk; remember to the beginning of 2005, when we all wondered what Callix Crabbe could bring in trade with Rickie Weeks ahead of him -- so much for that idea; Steve Bray, we still love your 32-to-1 K/BB ratio...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Congrats, Joe Winkelsas, back in the bigs after seven years -- Carlos Villanueva looked sweet! Oh yeah, this game log -- don't bother. Are home fans bringing pillows to these games?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Adam McCalvy, MLB.com:

 

Triple-A infielder Zach Sorensen is targeted to return to action next week, Gord Ash said. Sorensen has been on Nashville's DL since April 19 with right biceps tendinitis.

[Mass Haas]

More good stuff as always from Adam McCalvy of MLB.com:

 

brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...p;c_id=mil

 

Moving on: Justin Lehr has returned home to Phoenix until his fate is decided. The Brewers have 10 days to trade Lehr, release him or pass him through waivers and assign him outright to the Minor Leagues. Because he has no prior outright assignment, Lehr would have no choice but to accept that assignment, Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash said.

 

"If there is Major League interest in him, we don't want to stand in his way, but on the flip side we need all the depth we can get right now," Ash said. "We're scrambling to keep the [Minor League] rosters full. ... The state of pitching around the game is not good, and we're part of that. In fact, we're probably better off than some."

 

In 16 games with Milwaukee, Lehr was 2-1 with a 8.62 ERA. He did not allow an earned run until his sixth appearance of the season, but since then Lehr's ERA was 10.38.

 

"This is a game built around production," said Manager Ned Yost, who admitted he was puzzled by Lehr's drop in production. "You can get here, but you've got to earn your keep to stay here. That's true for all of us. ... He started the season very sharp, and then just kind of tailed off."

 

Should the Brewers hold onto Lehr and send him back to the Minors, he would join the starting rotation, Ash said.

 

"Guys go threw these streaks," Ash said. "When I spoke to him this morning at the hotel he said that this is probably the first time in his career that he agreed with the assignment. So it was not unexpected for him, and he knows what he needs to work on."

 

Damage control: Ash understood that the decision to promote Joe Winkelsas from Double-A Huntsville might not be popular with players at Triple-A Nashville who were passed over. Mike Adams, Jared Fernandez, Jason Kershner, Dennis Sarfate and Allan Simpson were among those considered.

 

"There are going to be some guys in Nashville who are unhappy with this move," said Ash, who spoke to Nashville pitching coach Stan Kyles about that topic on Tuesday morning. "I told him to tell them, 'Don't get down and don't put yourself in a negative position, because our bullpen is far from settled. There will continue to be changes.'"

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=846

 

Cresse Single Handedly Downs Stars

 

Brad Cresse blasted two home runs and knocked in seven runs to back the strong seven inning pitching effort of Justin Orenduff in Jacksonville?s 7-1 win Tuesday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Suns improved to 27-19 but remain a game and a half behind South Division leading Montgomery, which won at Mobile, while the Stars suffered a season-high fifth straight defeat and fell to 20-25.

 

Chris Mabeus, making a fill-in start while waiting to be added to the Milwaukee 25-man roster, gave up a leadoff double to Justin Ruggiano in the second and a base hit to Anthony Raglani that moved Ruggiano to third base. Cresse followed by launching a 2-1 offering over the wall in right-center field for a three-run home run, his first since a walk off shot against Chattanooga on Opening Day. Mabeus took the loss after working three innings and gave up three runs on five hits and a walk.

 

Steve Bray took over in the fourth and Ruggiano was the first batter he faced and the Suns? right fielder lofted a fly ball to left field that looked like it would be caught by Drew Anderson. Instead, he was waved off by center fielder Steve Moss, who did not make the catch, allowing Ruggiano to reach third base with a triple. Raglani was called out on strikes but Cresse singled against a drawn-in infield to score Ruggiano to make it 4-0. Bray then tossed three scoreless frames and matched his longest outing of the year with four innings of work.

 

Orenduff retired the first nine batters he faced before Travis Ezi legged out an infield hit to open the home fourth. He moved to second base on a ground out, to third on a fly ball and scored the home team?s lone run on a wild pitch. The Stars have been held to only one run in each of their last four losses and have scored only four runs in the last 39 frames.

 

Orenduff picked up his third win of the season in his longest performance of the year. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six. Casey Hoorelbeke tossed two scoreless innings to nail down his second save of the year. He allowed one hit and struck out two.

 

Ruggiano led off the ninth with a walk and Raglani followed with a base hit before Cresse slammed another opposite field home run to right field. He had driven in only 10 runs all season before Tuesday night.

 

The series continues Wednesday afternoon, as right-hander Tim Dillard will start for the Stars and be opposed by Suns? right-hander Heath Totten. Coverage of the game begins at 11:50 a.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Medlin, Manatees end Miracle

 

C.J. Medlin had three hits and three RBIs as Brevard Country crushed Fort Myers, 11-3, on Tuesday at Bill Hammond Stadium.

 

Medlin capped the blowout by slapping a three-run double in the top of the ninth. The win extended Brevard County's winning streak to six games.

 

Ryan Braun and Carlos Corporan both had two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Freddy Parejo cranked a two-run homer and Corporan follwed with a blast of his own during a four-run third inning.

 

Brevard County starter Yovani Gallardo (4-3) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on four hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked four, bringing his ERA to 2.52.

 

Starter Josey Mijares (0-4) allowed six runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings for the Miracle (25-20). He struck out four and walked four. The loss snapped Fort Myers' three-game winning streak.

 

Luke Hughes went 3-for-4 in the loss. Matt Tolbert hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth and Alexi Casilla had an RBI single in the third. -- Max Lance/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Cresse in seventh heaven

Suns standout knocks in all 7 of Jacksonville's runs

By SKIP VAUGHN

For The Huntsville Times, skipv@htimes.com

 

A Jacksonville duo helped get the Huntsville Stars' homestand off to a slow start Tuesday night.

 

Pitcher Justin Orenduff held the Stars hitless through the first three innings and catcher Brad Cresse drove in four runs in his first two at-bats. He finished with seven RBIs.

 

The Stars finally scored in the fourth when Travis Ezi beat out an infield hit, advanced to second on a groundout, went to third on a short flyout and scored on a wild pitch. This was Ezi's first home game with the Stars this year.

 

Unfortunately for the home faithful, Jacksonville beat the Stars 7-1 before an announced crowd of 1,311 at Joe Davis Stadium. The Suns improved to 27-19 while Huntsville fell to 20-25 in the Southern League.

 

"You can't win many games with three hits," Stars manager Don Money said after his team was outhit 9-3.

 

Huntsville starter Chris Mabeus (0-1), in his Stars' debut, went three innings with three strikeouts and allowed three runs, five hits and one walk.

 

"He got hurt with a couple of pitches up," Money said.

 

Orenduff (3-2) went seven innings with six strikeouts, two hits, one run, one walk, one wild pitch and hit one batter. Casey Hoorelbeke pitched the final two innings for his second save.

 

Cresse led the Suns' offense with two three-run homers and an RBI single.

 

"I think the biggest thing was I was just getting ahead with my fastball and putting myself in position where I could use my slider," Orenduff said.

 

"I think overall I was just being aggressive, letting them get themselves out."

 

"I don't remember a 7-RBI game since college," Cresse, who played at Louisiana State from 1997 through 2000, said.

 

"The last time I had seven ribbies was probably in college. Lately, I've just been seeing the ball good and just being patient at the plate."

 

Cresse, who has three homers this season, hit a three-run blast off Mabeus in the second and another off Andy Pratt in the ninth. He had an RBI single off Stephen Bray in the fourth.

 

The Stars and Jacksonville will play again today at 12:05 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium. Probable starters are Huntsville's Tim Dillard (2-4, 4.11) and the Suns' Heath Totten (3-2, 3.25).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50019

 

Sounds lose wild one to Portland

By Mark McGee, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

This game had something for almost every baseball fan.

 

Knuckleball pitchers. Submarine pitchers. Two wild pitches on third strikes. A double steal. A pitcher pinch-hitting. Four stolen bases by the Nashville Sounds. Two runners caught stealing. And 21 combined hits, including a home run and five doubles mixed in for good measure.

 

The only things missing at Greer Stadium Tuesday night were a bearded lady and a Sounds victory. For the second game in a row the Sounds fell short against the Portland Beavers, losing 5-4.

 

?There was a lot of activity out there,? said Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas, who prefers his team to be aggressive on the basepaths. ?It?s all about getting runners in scoring position.?

 

Jermaine Clark and Tony Gwynn each have 14 stolen bases, tying them for the Pacific Coast League lead

 

?They both pay attention to what is happening,? said Kremblas. ?They pay attention, and they have enough speed to steal a base. Even if the other team is paying attention to them, even a little bit, they have the speed to beat them.?

 

The series continues tonight at 6 with Nashville left-hander Zach Jackson (1-2, 2.87 ERA) against right-hander Tim Stauffer (2-3, 5.15).

 

Portland opened with a run in the first inning as Jack Cust scored on a passed ball. The Sounds tied the game 1-1 in the second.

 

In the sixth Portland put three runs on the board with a two-run homer to left center by Jon Knott, his 11th of the season. Justin Leone came home when Sounds left fielder Brent Abernathy struggled to get the handle on a double by Jason Hill down the left field line.

 

In the home portion of the sixth the Sounds struck for three runs, including the tying run by pinch-hitter Milko Jaramillo, who stole home as part of a double steal. Gwynn stole second but was cut in a rundown for the final out of the inning.

 

Portland took the lead again in the top of the seventh when Ben Johnson brought Dustin Delucci home with a sacrifice fly to right.

 

?I thought we were more ready to play physically than we were Monday night,? said Kremblas. ?We made a nice little comeback. We had plenty of chances. We just didn?t get the big hits early.?

 

Kyles gets All-Star coaching berth: Sounds pitching coach Stan Kyles has been named to the coaching staff for the PCL in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Toledo, Ohio, July 12.

 

Kyles is in his sixth season in the Milwaukee Brewers organization and second with Nashville. Last year?s pitching staff helped lead the Sounds to the Pacific Coast League Championship. They also set a league and franchise record for strikeouts with 1,117.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.tennessean.com/apps/p...328/SPORTS

 

Sounds a hit away as Portland wins

Nashville strands eight, losing second in a row

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

There's a difference in getting hits and getting the big hit.

 

The Nashville Sounds illustrated that phenomenon Tuesday night.

 

Despite outhitting visiting Portland by one, and despite each offensive starter notching at least one hit, the Sounds dropped a 5-4 decision for their second loss in a row after winning three consecutive over the weekend.

 

"We really couldn't come up with the big hit," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said after his team stranded eight runners ? leaving six in scoring position.

 

"Two-out hits, two-out RBI win games; we didn't get them," Kremblas said.

 

The Sounds left runners at second and third in the second and third innings, and left runners at second in the fourth and seventh. Their only sustained rally came in the sixth, when they came back from a 4-1 deficit on the strength of a Chris Barnwell RBI single to force a 4-4 deadlock.

 

Portland took its third lead of the night in the next half-inning, getting back-to-back one-out hits and a sacrifice fly off reliever Allan Simpson for what turned out to be the game-winning run.

 

After leaving runners at first and second to end the seventh, Nashville was retired in order in the eighth and ninth.

 

"We're not playing badly," Kremblas said. "We're just not playing as well as we can. But when you can not play as well as you're capable of playing, and still have a chance to win, that's pretty good. Our guys are battling."

 

The bottom of the Sounds order ?Nos. 5-9 ? accounted for all four runs, all three RBIs and 5 of the 11 Nashville hits.

 

"We just had a lot of little things that, if they'd gone our way, the game could have gone our way," said Sounds starter Jared Fernandez, a veteran knuckleballer who allowed four runs (two earned) in six innings but struck out five.

 

What they said: "I'm still trying to get my arm strength. Even though I'm a knuckleballer, I've been in relief in the major leagues and I'm still trying to get stretched out." ? Fernandez.

[hscoach]

yo with a pretty blah perfromance tonight, but there's been some good hitting in florida lately...gotta hope braun will keep this up, and hit some more homers...

---------------------------------------------

"If you're out to get the honey, then you don't go killing all the bees."

 

You've Read it, You Can't Un-read It!

 

 

This line from Mark Rogers would have you guys drooling.

[PeaveyFury]

This line from Mark Rogers would have you guys drooling.

 

Very, very true hscoach. It's just that Yo has raised his expectations so high that he can't meet them every single time out there. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[hscoach]

I agree, but I also see a higher potential for Yovani.

Mark Rogers will at best be a relief pitcher. I may be wrong but let's face it is time for results and not excuses.

The Brewers got a steal in the second round with YO.

[molitor fan]

sorry coach, but I have to call you on your statement about Rogers, unless your comment was a joke. And by the way, Rogers line was better than Yo's and I think the views on this board have been quite level-headed about Rogers, if not outright more negative than needed.

 

No need to pick a prospect fight.