Link Report for Games of Sunday, April 30th

[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 at New Orleans (Nationals), 1:40 PM pre-game, 2:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Game Day Feature from MILB.com:

Please note that GameDay links will not become active until approximately 1-2 hours before game time

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

 

Huntsville: RHP Matt Yeatman at home vs. Tennessee (Diamondbacks), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Josh Wahpepah at St. Lucie (Mets), 12:00 PM; sorry, no web audio for this series

 

West Virginia: TBD at Greensboro (Marlins), 3:50 PM pre-game, 4:00 gametime; the Greensboro media hints it could be RHP Ryan Marion, a native of the Greensboro area...

 

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_nozaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_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 15 7 .682 - 7-1 8-6 W4[/b] Omaha 12 9 .571 2.5 8-5 4-4 L1 Iowa 8 13 .381 6.5 6-7 2-6 W1 Memphis 6 15 .286 8.5 4-4 2-11 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 15 9 .625 - 7-3 8-6 W1 [b]Huntsville 13 10 .565 1.5 7-6 6-4 L1[/b] West Tenn 13 10 .565 1.5 4-4 9-6 L1 Tennessee 11 12 .478 3.5 6-4 5-8 W1 Carolina 9 15 .375 6.0 4-5 5-10 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 15 7 .682 - 7-4 8-3 W4 [b]Brevard County 15 8 .652 0.5 5-4 10-4 W1[/b] St. Lucie 13 9 .591 2.0 5-6 8-3 L3 Daytona 9 13 .409 6.0 6-7 3-6 W1 Vero Beach 8 14 .364 7.0 6-5 2-9 L1 Jupiter 7 16 .304 8.5 3-9 4-7 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lake County 14 9 .609 - 6-5 8-4 W2 Lexington 14 9 .609 - 10-4 4-5 W2 Delmarva 11 9 .550 1.5 4-5 7-4 W1 [b]West Virginia 11 11 .500 2.5 4-6 7-5 W3[/b] Greensboro 11 12 .478 3.0 8-5 3-7 L3 Hagerstown 9 12 .429 4.0 6-5 3-7 L2 Hickory 9 13 .409 4.5 4-5 5-8 L2 Lakewood 8 12 .400 4.5 6-4 2-8 L1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Covering the bases

Through Friday's action

Paul Gattis, Huntsville Times

 

The settlement reached Friday between minor league baseball and the umpires union was welcomed news to Southern League president Don Mincher. The strike has put a strain on leagues to find replacement umpires from the high school and college ranks and has occasionally led to some awkward moments in the first month of the season.

 

Mincher praised the replacement umps but was also happy to know that professional minor league baseball would soon have its professional umpires back on the field. "I want to say we're very happy to have this thing come to a conclusion," Mincher said Saturday.

 

"Without the regular umpires, it was somewhat of a strain. But we made it fine with our umpires. They did a good job for us and throughout the minor league system. But I'm happy this is over and done with. But our replacement situation was a lot better than I anticipated. I have nothing but good things to say (about the replacement umpires) and I feel very positive about it."

 

Mincher tempered his excitement over getting the regular umps back by pointing to the vote Monday by the umpires on the agreement. But Mincher said he expected the new deal to pass. If the agreement is approved by the union membership as expected, Mincher said he hoped to have the umps back on the field as soon as May 8.

 

Speaking of replacement umpires, one umpire in the International League may well be glad to get away from the pros. Durham's Delmon Young, who played for the Montgomery Biscuits last year and is one of the top prospects in baseball, flipped his bat at the umpire, striking him in the chest, after being called out on strikes and then ejected from the game. He has been suspended indefinitely by the International League. Young also had an incident last year with Southern League ump Jeff Latter, bumping Latter after getting called out on strikes. Young was suspended three games.

 

Meanwhile, the Stars are happy just the way things are going right now. The Stars have won five of their last six and entered Saturday night's game against Tennessee just one-half game behind first-place Chattanooga. A key to the hot streak has been the effective work from the bullpen. In 26 1/3 innings pitched over the past six games, the bullpen has allowed just five runs, 18 hits and four walks while striking out 17 in compiling a 2-1 record with one save.

 

The Stars offense, meanwhile, has scored more runs (92) than any team in the Southern League despite a .232 team batting average that is eighth. Stars hitters have also struck out just 144 times in the first 22 games, the fewest strikeouts in the league.

 

And how about a shout out to the Stars of yesteryear? Or maybe just two years ago? With four former Stars in the starting lineup, the Brewers last week swept a three-game series from the Atlanta Braves for the first time in team history. And former Star Ben Sheets got the win in the series finale.

 

Around the league

 

Mobile may be tied for last place in the South Division but the BayBears are developing two bona fide pitching prospects. Cesar Carrillo, who pitched seven shutout innings against the Stars eight days ago, is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA. And Jared Wells pitched five no-hit innings on Friday as the BayBears beat the Mississippi Braves 3-0. Wells is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA. ... The Southern League, a month into the season, has definitely been pitching-dominated so far. West Tenn leads the league in hitting with a mediocre .251 team batting average. Meanwhile, seven of the 10 teams in the league have an ERA of less than 3.50. Carolina leads the way with an obnoxiously low 2.86 ERA. The Stars ERA is 3.38. ... Micah Hoffpauir of West Tenn is the most recent hitter of the week in the league while Montgomery's Jim Magrane was the top pitcher. Magrane beat the Stars on April 18, allowing one run in six innings.

 

Brewings

 

Triple-A Nashville Sounds (14-7, first place in Pacific Coast League American Division): Former Star Dave Krynzel is hitting .361 in 14 games.

 

Single-A Brevard County Manatees (14-8, second place in Florida State League East Division): 2B Steve Sollman is leading the team with a .361 batting average.

 

Single-A West Virginia Power (10-11, fifth place in South Atlantic League Northern Division): P Derek Miller has 29 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched and compiled a 2.74 ERA.

 

On deck

 

The Stars play Tennessee tonight and Monday before playing a five-game set at West Tenn. The Stars return home next Sunday against Montgomery.

[pogokat]

I will be at the Hoppers/Power game today...hopefully there will be some runs scored, as outside of holmber, salome, and cain, the power offense has been anemic...

[DHonks]

Good to see Miguel Montero doing well. For those of you who remember seeing his name, I rated the top catchers from the two fall league squads I've worked with. The one getting all the press is Jarrod Saltalamacchia, however, the ones I consider the best overall, including character, are Miguel Montero, Mike Napoli, Jeremy Brown, Kurt Suzuki, then Saltalamacchia, Carlos Ruiz, and finally John Baker. Napoli might have the best offense, but he's a bit weaker defensively. I still believe Brown will have a long career as a backup and AAAA catcher due to his character and production when he plays, not his build

[hsvstarsfan]

The Stars and Smokies were rained out Sunday afternoon and will play a doubleheader Monday evening at 6:05 pm.

[tyguy20204]

Wahpepah another solid start. Groundball machine.

 

Gotta be impressed by him and Gallardo to start the season. Very exciting Brevard team to follow.

[wibadgers23]

Yeah, no kidding. Wahpepah has only given up 3 runs in 28 innings pitched. Doesnt seem like the most overpowering pitcher considering his SO:BB ratio, but difficult to hit nonetheless.

[And That]

Wahpepah is the second coming of Tim Dillard for the Manatees. Both very good sinkerballers. If he and Gallardo keep this up, the Brewers will have a hard time not promoting them to AA.

[DHonks]

also good to see Rasheed having a good season so far. He's one of the OBP guys who had my intrigued in '04. Unlike Richardson, Festa, etc, he seems to be doing alright in full season ball

[pogokat]

Tonights Power game was pretty uninteresting:

 

Darren Ford's HR was barely gone...but i think he has more power than he's shown sofar

 

Agustin Septimo is good...he's a great defender and a very developed hitter with power...too abd the brewers gave him away for NOTHING

[Mass Haas]

Final: Greensboro (Marlins) 4, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Ford hits first homer in Power loss

 

Power outfielder Darren Ford hit his first home run of the season, a two-run blast in the top of the fifth inning of Sunday?s game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, but it was not enough as the Grasshoppers ended West Virginia?s three game winning streak with a 4-3 victory.

 

In the bottom of the third inning the Grasshoppers scored three times to take an early lead. Jonathan Fulton scored the first run on a wild pitch and Jeff Van Houten knocked in the next two on a two-out single to center field. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Grasshoppers took a 4-0 lead when Andy Jenkins crossed the plate after Mike Bell?s error.

 

Ford hit his two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead in half. In the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out, Bell reached on a fielder?s choice and Mat Gamel scored to bring the Power within a run. In the top of the ninth inning Greensboro closer Blake Jones struck out the side to seal the deal.

 

Avi Rasowsky (1-0) earned the victory, Blake Jones earned the save (6) and Matt Kretzschmar (0-1) took the loss. The Power are 11-12 after the loss and the Grasshoppers improved to 12-12 with the win.

 

The Power will have Monday off, then begin a six-game series against the Lexington Legends at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday night. Lexington will start right hander Sean Walker (2-1, 3.52) and West Virginia will counter with right hander Robbie Wooley (0-1, 4.15). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

***

Hoppers get boost when they need it

By Jeff Carlton

Greensboro News-Record Staff Writer

 

GREENSBORO -- The Grasshoppers needed an offensive lift. They got it, with some help.

 

Closer Blake Jones needed a confidence boost. He got it, with nobody's help.

 

The Grasshoppers mustered their first significant rally of the three-game series against the Power and, after Jones mowed down the final three hitters to preserve a 4-3 victory, they left First Horizon Park with something they really needed.

 

A day off.

 

"It's nice to have a win before an off day," manager Brandon Hyde said, "but I think these guys really need it. It's been kind of a grueling first 24 games."

 

The Hoppers (12-12) had scored a total of three runs in the three previous games against the Power. Right-hander Matt Kretzschmar retired the first six hitters he faced Sunday before Greensboro ended its scoreless streak at 16 innings.

 

Jonathan Fulton and Greg Burns coaxed walks to start the third inning. James Guerrero then dropped a perfect drag bunt -- which he called himself -- to load the bases.

 

It looked like Kretzschmar might pitch his way out of it unharmed. Agustin Septimo popped up and Trent D'Antonio struck out. But his first pitch to Jeff Van Houten scooted to the backstop, allowing Fulton to score.

 

"It's a break we haven't been getting, and it was a huge break for us," Hyde said. "Then Van Houten, with the big single up the middle, picked us up."

 

Two runs scored, making it 3-0. The Hoppers, homerless in the series, scraped together another run in the fourth.

 

Darren Ford played long ball against Avi Rasowsky in the fifth, cutting the Hoppers' lead to 4-2, in an otherwise excellent first start for the lefty.

 

Greensboro's lead was 4-3 when Jones took the mound in the ninth, still looking to put Wednesday's blown save behind him. West Virginia started a five-run rally against Alexis Sosa and finished it against Jones to win that one, 7-6.

 

"It was a sick feeling, a bad feeling you don't want to experience very often in your career," Jones said. "But it happens, and you've just got to come back and rebound."

 

And so he did Sunday. He struck out all three hitters he faced, getting ahead and putting them away with split-fingered fastballs for his sixth save.

 

West Virginia Box Score:

RHP Matt Kretzschmar's first West Virginia appearance, and LHP Brandon Parillo's first since coming off the DL; Ned Yost really struggling...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Ryan Crew's strikeout in the 4th hurt; bases loaded, one out in the 6th -- only one run from that rally; tow gift errors to lead off the 8th and nothing comes from that -- all in all, a frustrating game...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: St. Lucie (Mets) 4, Brevard County 3

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Mets rally past Manatees

 

Ambiorix Concepcion's single in the bottom of the ninth inning rallied St. Lucie to a comeback 4-3 win over Brevard County on Sunday.

 

After relieving Robert Hinton (2-2) in the ninth, the Manatees' Jeremy Lewis allowed the tying run to score on Corey Coles' single. He struck out Jose Coronado swinging, but Concepcion singled to drive in Ryan Coultas with the winning run.

 

Concepcion, who went 2-for-4, started the rally for the Mets (14-9) in the eighth with a double. Jesus Flores homered and St. Lucie pulled within a run, 3-2.

 

Ryan Braun homered in the first to give Brevard County (15-9) the early lead, and teammates Hasan Rasheed and Freddy Parejo each went 2-for-4.

 

Manatees starter Josh Wahpepah tossed six scoreless innings of three-hit ball. He walked three and struck out five. Hinton was charged with the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Lewis faced three batters and was charged with his third blown save.

 

Travis Hope (1-0) picked up his first win with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Hope allowed one hit, walked one and struck out two. Blake Eager started for St. Lucie, scattering three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

 

The teams finish their three-game series at 7 p.m. ET on Monday at Tradition Field. -- Jeannine Rippa/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

1st and 2nd, one out in the 9th -- not the easiest of save chances for Jeremy Lewis...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Hitting Coach Gary Pettis:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-30.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 12, New Orleans (Nationals) 4

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link while active, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1929

 

Sounds Sweep Away Zephyrs With 12-4 Rout

 

METAIRIE, La. ? Outfielder Corey Hart belted two home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 12-4 victory and four-game series sweep of the New Orleans Zephyrs on Sunday afternoon at Zephyr Field.

 

Nashville (16-7) picked up its season-best fifth straight victory and finished off its second four-game sweep of the year to complete a successful 6-1 road trip.

 

The Sounds, who hold a 3 ½-game lead in the PCL American Conference Northern Division, recorded their ninth win in the last 10 games and have won 15 of 18 contests since opening the season with a 1-4 record.

 

Hart (3-for-5), who has three home runs in the last two games, tallied a Sounds season-high five RBIs in the contest and was joined by shortstop Chris Barnwell in belting a longball in each of the last two games.

 

In addition to Hart and Barnwell, Sounds catcher Mike Rivera (1-for-3) went deep for his fourth tater of the year to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, matching New Orleans? Larry Broadway for the longest streak in the Pacific Coast League this season. The backstop is hitting .462 (24-for-52) during his 13-game streak.

 

The Sounds? 12 runs marked a season high and Nashville batters have homered in a season-best six straight games.

 

Hart got things started for the surging Sounds with a two-out solo homer to left off Zephyrs starter Andrew Good in the top of the first inning. The blast was his second of the year and second in two days.

 

The visitors upped their lead to 4-0 in the second with three consecutive two-out hits. Barnwell ? who finished with a 2-for-2, three-RBI afternoon and scored three runs ? singled to drive in Brad Nelson then came around to score when Sounds starter Dennis Sarfate helped his own cause with an RBI single. Tony Gwynn completed the inning?s scoring when he broke out of an 0-for-11 slump with a run-scoring double, his seventh two-bagger of the season.

 

After New Orleans jumped on the board with a pair of third-inning runs on Broadway?s two-run single, the Nashville offense got back to work in the fourth and extended the lead to 6-2 on Barnwell?s two-run homer to left that brought in Vinny Rottino, who had tripled one batter earlier to break a personal 0-for-15 funk.

 

Rivera belted his two-run roundtripper off Good in the top of the fifth to make it an 8-2 Nashville lead.

 

Hart, who has hit safely in a season-best five straight games for Nashville, slugged his grand slam with two outs in the top of the sixth off Z?s reliever Chris Thompson to give the Sounds a double-digit advantage at 12-2. Barnwell, Gwynn, and Jermaine Clark scored on the blast.

 

AUDIO: Corey Hart's Grand Slam --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-30.wma

 

New Orleans sent catcher Russ Cleveland to the hill to make his professional pitching debut in the ninth inning and he worked a scoreless frame, allowing only a Hart single among his three batters faced.

 

The Zephyrs finished off the afternoon?s scoring in the ninth with a pair of runs against reliever Mike Meyers, the first scores allowed by the Nashville bullpen in 18 innings.

 

Reliever Jason Kershner (3-0) earned his team-leading third win for Nashville after striking out five batters over three scoreless frames behind Sarfate. The left-hander has not allowed a run in his last 11 1/3 innings of work.

 

Sarfate took a no-decision in his start for Nashville, lasting only three innings. He walked four batters and struck out two and threw only 44 of 81 pitches for strikes while allowing a pair of runs.

 

Good (0-2) didn?t live up to his name in taking the loss for New Orleans. The right-hander surrendered eight runs (six earned) on eight hits, including three homers, in his five innings of work.

 

The Sounds return to Greer Stadium on Monday to begin their second homestand of the season with the 6 p.m. opener of a four-game series against the division-rival Iowa Cubs. Right-hander Jared Fernandez (1-0, 0.00) ? who has tossed 10 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for Nashville since being optioned from Milwaukee ? makes his first start of the season. Iowa will counter with left-hander Les Walrond (2-1, 2.57).

 

What they said: Hart on his three homers in the last two games: "I only had three plate appearances in the big leagues, so it took me a while to get comfortable at the plate again. When you're playing every day instead of pinch-hitting it's a different mindset."

 

Nashville Box Score:

Just Corey being Corey; honestly, Chris Barnwell would have to be the PCL All-Star shortstop after one month, what a nice little story there...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Update:

 

Stars Washed Out On Sunday

 

The game between the Huntsville Stars and Tennessee Smokies scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. has been rained out. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader, featuring two seven inning games, on Monday that will begin at 6:05 p.m.

 

The Stars will send right-handers Matt Yeatman and Khalid Ballouli to the mound in the twin bill and the Smokies will counter with right-handers Ross Ohlendorf and Micah Owings. Coverage of the doubleheader will get underway at 5:50 p.m. and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 and via the internet at www.huntsvilestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

No matinees today, Monday's Link Report will kick off this afternoon.