Link Report Fri. 4/28 - Rogers Shines; Holmberg Exits (Leg)

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at New Orleans (Nationals), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 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 Tim Dillard at home vs. Tennessee (Diamondbacks), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Mark Rogers at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at Greensboro (Marlins), 5:00 PM

 

Audio link:

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday'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_vbdafa_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 Thursday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 13 7 .650 - 7-1 6-6 W2[/b] Omaha 12 8 .600 1.0 8-4 4-4 W2 Iowa 7 13 .350 6.0 5-7 2-6 L8 Memphis 6 14 .300 7.0 4-4 2-10 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 13 8 .619 - 7-3 6-5 L1 [b]Huntsville 12 9 .571 1.0 6-5 6-4 L1[/b] West Tenn 12 9 .571 1.0 3-3 9-6 L2 Tennessee 10 11 .476 3.0 6-4 4-7 W4 Carolina 8 13 .381 5.0 3-3 5-10 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 14 7 .667 - 5-4 9-3 W1[/b] Palm Beach 13 7 .650 0.5 6-4 7-3 W2 St. Lucie 13 7 .650 0.5 5-4 8-3 L1 Daytona 8 12 .400 5.5 6-7 2-5 L2 Vero Beach 7 13 .350 6.5 5-4 2-9 L1 Jupiter 6 15 .286 8.0 3-8 3-7 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 12 8 .600 - 8-3 4-5 L2 Lake County 12 9 .571 0.5 5-5 7-4 L1 Delmarva 10 8 .556 1.0 4-5 6-3 W1 Greensboro 11 10 .524 1.5 8-3 3-7 L1 Hagerstown 9 10 .474 2.5 6-4 3-6 W2 [b]West Virginia 9 11 .450 3.0 4-6 5-5 W1[/b] Hickory 8 11 .421 3.5 4-5 4-6 W2 Lakewood 7 11 .389 4.0 5-3 2-8 L1

[chowyo123]

Wow, 4.1 innings by Rogers, no runs. So far so good. Hopefully I dont jinx him, but if so, I'm sorry. Anyways, Hopefully he can continue to improve. 8 SO, 1 BB and 2 hits so far.

[DHonks]

I've been careful not to jinx Rogers, but I would expect he's done now. 5 innings, 9 k's (all swinging), 1 BB, and 2 hits. Great job kid. These last few starts have been much better, with this the best.

 

 

that's 21:3 K:BB in his last 3 outings covering 12.1 IP

[molitor fan]

Great start by Rogers, but I just want everyone to note the start by Dave Johnson this year - really nice work by him so far.

[heresrobin]

Funny, I was refraining from posting as well as I didn't want to jinx him either. Wow, what a refreshing and dominating start for Rogers. Definitely dulls the pain of the Brewers loss.

 

Molitor Fan, I got to be honest, I wasn't really aware of Dave Johnson, but he has been pretty solid. Big guy with a consistently good K:BB ratio.

 

Speaking of more good performances so far tonight, check out Lorenzo Cain's line so far:

 

3-3, 1 HR, 2 SBs

[Brian the Automator]

WOW on Mark Rogers. Is this the night he finally harnessed his stuff?

[brewmann04]

maybe he can bulid on this start

[brewmann04]

Rasheed and Cain are looking good so far love the of depth we have.

Also Bray lookes like a solid pickup for us

[JoeHova]

I see Nelson Cruz played in CF today. Does anyone know how many times he's done that and/or how he's looked doing it? I really hope he can be the CF of the future.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Vero Beach (Dodgers) 3, Brevard County 2

 

Brevard County Game Summary from the Vero Beach site:

 

Walkoff Walk Lifts Dodgers Past Manatees

 

04/28/06 - Blake DeWitt drew a bases-loaded walk on a full count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Vero Beach Dodgers a 3-2 win over the Brevard County Manatees Friday night at Holman Stadium.

 

The Dodgers win was especially dramatic, given that the team trailed 2-0 for the majority of the game. Brevard County got the better of an early pitcher's duel when Vero starter Chris Malone lost his control in the 3rd. After Hernan Iribarren reached on a fielder's choice, Malone hit the next two batters to load the bases. Hasan Rasheed singled in one run and a wild pitch brought in another.

 

Meanwhile the Manatees hurlers were dominant. Starter Mark Rogers, listed as the # 2 prospect in the Brewers organization, threw five shutout frames. He allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out a season-high nine. He left with the lead and in line for his first win of the season.

 

Reliever David Johnson initially kept the momentum. He retired his first five batters which, combined with the last 11 Rogers faced, gave Brevard a streak of 16 consecutive hitters retired (nine by strikeout). But with one out in the 8th, Johnson threw away a ball hit by Jamie Hoffman. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, DeWitt hit a dribbler down the first base line and beat it out for a single to score the Dodgers first run.

 

Jeremy Lewis came in to bail out the Manatees in the 8th, but he could not nail it down in the ninth. Xavier Paul and Cole Bruce hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Then Chris Westervelt chopped a ball toward third base. It was thrown away by third basman Carlos de la Cruz to score the tying run. Two outs later, Brevard intentionally walked Jimmy Rohan to set up the lefty-lefty matchup between Lewis and DeWitt. The 3-2 pitch from Lewis missed inside to give the Dodgers the 3-2 win.

 

With the victory, the Dodgers have now won six of their last 10 games and have not lost a series since Brevard County swept them April 13-15. That was also the last time Vero Beach lost back-to-back games.

 

Kyle Wilson (1-1) pitched the top of the ninth, striking out two, to pick up the win.

 

Lewis (0-1) took the loss, surrendering two unearned runs on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings.

 

Rasheed had three hits for the Manatees (14-8), who have lost five of six.

 

Brevard County meets St. Lucie at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central) on Saturday.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Day off for Ryan Braun, but his replacement's (de la Cruz's) error in the 9th proved costly; no walks drawn by the 'Tees...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Steve Sollman thrown out at home in the 1st -- Brendan Katin out at home in the 7th, Katin's more painful, one out at the time...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 2, Greensboro (Marlins) 1

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Cain shines in Power victory

 

Lorenzo Cain recorded three hits in Friday night?s game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers at First Horizon Park, including a solo home run which boosted the Power in a 2-1 victory over the Grasshoppers.

 

Cain?s home run was a solo shot in the top of the first inning, which was also his first of the season. Cain led off the top of the fourth inning with a base hit. He then stole second base and third base before scoring on Mat Gamel?s RBI single.

 

In the bottom of the fourth inning the Grasshoppers' Gabby Sanchez doubled down the right field line scoring James Guerrero in the process to make it a 2-1 ball game. Power starter Derek Miller left the game in the sixth inning and made way for Dane Renkert who was lights out coming out of the bullpen. The Grasshoppers never made it past second base after the fourth inning.

 

Miller (1-1) pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up a run on four hits, struck out five and earned the victory. Renkert tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the save (1) and Aaron Thompson (0-2) took the loss. The Power are 10-11 after the victory and the Grasshoppers fell to 11-11 after the loss.

 

The Power will continue the series with the Grasshoppers on Saturday night in Greensboro, North Carolina. Left hander Rafael Lluberes (1-1, 4.63) gets the start for West Virginia and Greensboro will start right hander Ryan Tucker (0-2, 5.40). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Pitching, fielding, and Lorenzo Cain; over 7300 in attendance...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Clutch pitching by Derek Miller to end the 4th; Angel Salome grounded into a double play to end the 8th with the bases loaded -- fortunately the insurance runs weren't needed...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-record.com/apps/...EWSREC0205

 

Power pitchers slam door on Hopper hitters

By Jeff Carlton

Greensboro News-Record Staff Writer

 

GREENSBORO -- Many in the crowd of 7,337 came expecting fireworks Friday night.

 

They quickly realized they'd have to wait until after the game as West Virginia left-hander Derek Miller did exactly what he's done before to the often explosive Grasshoppers' lineup.

 

He wet their fuse.

 

Miller, a 47th-round draft pick, outworked one of Greensboro's first-rounders and got shut-down relief from Dane Renkert in the Power's 2-1 victory at First Horizon Park.

 

"He just works both sides of the plate, changes speeds a lot and throws all his pitches for strikes," Hoppers outfielder Kris Harvey said of Miller. "It's just tough to look in a certain area for a certain pitch. He just keeps you off-balance."

 

It's not like Greensboro (11-11) didn't know what was coming. Miller struck out eight in five innings in West Virginia's 5-3, 12-inning victory here two weeks earlier.

 

Harvey homered against Miller in that game, and the Clemson alum from Catawba singled twice Friday.

 

Greensboro's other two hits were James Guerrero's bloop single to right field and Gaby Sanchez's opposite-field double that drove in Guerrero to tie the game at 1 in the fourth.

 

Miller, who beat Greensboro once last season, didn't allow another run. He fanned five.

 

"He's got a really good feel for pitching," Hoppers pitching coach Steve Foster said. "To me, for a guy who's not overpowering, he's a competitor."

 

Foster's 19-year-old pupil, Aaron Thompson, put together his best outing in five starts but fell to 0-2. Thompson struck out seven in six innings, allowing just four hits.

 

Power outfielder Lorenzo Cain had three of those hits. Cain homered in the first inning. Then he manufactured a run in the fourth when he singled, stole second and third against the lefty's high leg kick, then trotted home on Mat Gamel's single for a 2-1 lead.

 

Renkert assured Thompson a tough-luck defeat by pitching 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief.

 

"He threw strikes and he threw more fastballs," Foster said of Thompson, "and I thought that was the key for him. He spotted the fastball really well tonight."

 

The other good news for the Hoppers? They can't see Miller again until August.

[Mass Haas]

Hopefully this isn't serious, from the West Virginia top of the 7th:

 

Kenny Holmberg grounds out, shortstop James Guerrero to first baseman Gaby Sanchez.

West Virginia Power second baseman Kenny Holmberg left the game due to an injured leg.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, Tennessee (Diamondbacks) 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=802

 

Bray and Bibbs Push Stars into Top Spot

 

Steve Bray tossed four scoreless innings in relief and Kennard Bibbs came through with a clutch two-run, pinch hit double in Huntsville?s 4-2 comeback win over Tennessee in front of the largest crowd of the year, 7,096, Friday night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars won for a fifth time in six games, all come-from-behind victories, to improve to 13-9 and move into a three-way tie for first place in the Southern League North Division with Chattanooga and West Tenn.

 

Ron Acuna walked with one out in the fourth, moved to second base on a single by Jeff Eure and to third when J.C. Boscan walked to load the bases. Bibbs came on to bat for starter Tim Dillard, who had thrown 80 pitches in four frames, and chopped the first pitch he saw from Smokies? starter Garrett Mock down the right field line to score Acuna and Eure to give the Stars a 3-2 lead. Boscan was thrown out at the plate on the play with Bibbs advancing to third base after driving in his first two runs of the year. Callix Crabbe then singled to center field to score Bibbs to finish the scoring for the evening and drive in his 13th run of the year. Crabbe has knocked in a run in four straight games and is second on the team in RBIs.

 

Dillard worked three scoreless frames before walking Miguel Montero to open the fourth. Alex Frazier followed by launching his first home run of the season to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Bray took over in the fifth and retired the first six hitters he faced and allowed only one hit to pick up his second win. He struck out four in his longest outing of the year and has not walked a batter in 16 1/3 innings this season. Alec Zumwalt worked a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two, to record his fourth save of the season.

 

Crabbe walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on an Ozzie Chavez ground out and scored on a base hit by Greg Sain, who knocked in his 20th run of the season, to give the home team the lead in the first inning. Mock wound up walking seven in six innings and suffered his fourth loss of the year and third in as many starts. He fanned six, allowed four hits and threw 101 pitches. The Stars drew nine walks in the game, matching their season-high set on April 10 at Mississippi.

 

The series continues Saturday night when the Smokies will send right-hander Steven Jackson to the mound against Stars right-hander Corey Thurman. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Stars' Bibbs plays big

Outfielder's two-run double helps beat Smokies

By BRAD SHEPARD

Special to The Huntsville Times

 

Generously listed at 5-feet-9 and 149 pounds, Kennard Bibbs can't be considered large by anyone's standards.

 

But he came up big for the Huntsville Stars on Friday night.

 

The outfielder delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double that skipped over Tennessee Smokies' first baseman Jamie D'Antona's head to send the Stars to a 4-2 win in front of 7,096 fans at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

The Stars (13-9) and West Tenn are a half-game behind Chattanooga in the Southern League's North division.

 

Bibbs' high-hopping hit gave Huntsville a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. A single by Callix Crabbe scored him, and the Stars' bullpen preserved the lead the rest of the way.

 

"I was just looking for a fastball, and he threw me a first-pitch fastball," Bibbs said. "I got lucky with the bounce. We just got timely hits, and the bullpen closed it out for us."

 

Indeed, Huntsville reliever Stephen Bray's performance was every bit as important as Bibbs' fortunate double. Bray relieved Tim Dillard to start the fifth and provided four innings of one-hit work to get the win.

 

With the bullpen pitching six innings Thursday night and normal reliever Matt Yeatman scheduled to start Sunday, Bray's appearance was "big time," according to Stars manager Don Money.

 

"I just went out there with the agenda to keep the score the way it was," Bray said. "We've got very good chemistry with this team, and we'll win a lot of games this way."

 

Alec Zumwalt closed out the victory for his fourth save.

 

Tennessee (10-12) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with Alex Frazier's two-run home run, but the Stars immediately answered.

 

Two walks sandwiched Jeff Eure's single in the bottom of the fourth loaded the bases. That's when Money called on Bibbs, who pounded a Garrett Mock delivery into the ground and toward the right-field corner.

 

Mock had a nasty breaking ball and a fastball that consistently reached the low 90s, but he couldn't dodge the trouble he encountered. Most of it was self-inflicted as he walked seven Stars in six innings.

 

"Sometimes when you get a lot of walks, you don't get a lot of hits because you lay off pitches," Money said. "We only got five hits, but you take five hits and seven walks, and that's 12 baserunners. We'll take it."

 

The Stars gave the largest crowd to see them this season something to cheer about in the first inning.

 

Early-season catalyst Greg Sain ripped an RBI single to score Crabbe and give Huntsville a 1-0 lead, but Ron Acuna grounded into a double play to end the threat.

 

The Stars are scheduled to pitch Corey Thurman (1-1, 0.42 ERA) tonight at 7:05 against Steven Jackson (0-2, 2.84) and the Smokies.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Steve Bray making the Brewers look smart (minor league Rule 5 pick); Callix Crabbe's RBI production from the leadoff spot impressive; Jeff Eure walked three times and reached all four appearances -- the team's patience continues to be evident; rare error (Eure's first while at third base) for this amazing defensive squad thus far...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Justin Thompson:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-28.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 6, New Orleans (Nationals) 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1927

 

Sounds Win Third In A Row With Late Rally

 

METAIRIE, La. ? The Nashville Sounds scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to post a 6-3 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Friday evening at Zephyr Field in the second game of a four-game series.

 

Mark Johnson, who went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, drew a one-out bases-loaded walk from Zephyrs reliever Travis Hughes in the top of the eighth inning to force home Corey Hart and break a 3-3 tie. Kevin Gryboski relieved Hughes and promptly issued a four-pitch walk to Sounds pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn to increase the lead to 5-3. The final run scored when Vinny Rottino scored from third on a Jermaine Clark lineout to short.

 

The Sounds had initially loaded the bases in the eighth when Hart doubled, Mike Rivera was intentionally walked, and Rottino drew a walk.

 

Nashville (14-7) recorded its seventh win in the last eight games and has won 13 of 16 contests since opening the season with a 1-4 record.

 

The red-hot Rivera (2-for-3) put the Sounds on the board in the top of the first inning with a two-out, three-run homer off Zephyrs starter Billy Traber. The blast, his third of the year, extended Rivera?s hitting streak to 12 games, matching Gwynn for the longest by a Sound this season. Brent Abernathy (single) and Nelson Cruz (walk) scored on the roundtripper.

 

AUDIO: Mike Rivera Three-Run HR --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-28.wma

 

New Orleans pulled back to within 3-2 with single runs in the first and second innings courtesy of Mike Vento and Bernie Castro RBI singles.

 

The Sounds missed out on a big scoring opportunity in the top of the third after placing runners on second and third with no outs. Nelson Cruz flew out before Rivera popped up to catcher and Chris Barnwell, who was on third, was doubled up on the play as he tried to advance home.

 

Vento tied the contest for New Orleans in the bottom of the third with a leadoff solo homer to left off Sounds starter Zach Jackson, his fourth longball of the year.

 

Johnson extended his season-best hitting streak to four games for Nashville with his 2-for-3 evening that included a pair of doubles.

 

Brett Evert (1-1) picked up the victory after tossing two scoreless innings. Hughes (0-3) took the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) in only one-third of an inning pitched. Allan Simpson recorded the final six outs to earn his second save of the year for the Sounds.

 

Jackson took a no-decision after allowing three runs on six hits over five innings during his 96-pitch outing. He remains winless despite a 3.43 ERA for Nashville through his first four starts.

 

The teams continue the series with a 6:00 PM Central contest on Saturday evening in the Big Easy. Left-hander Dana Eveland (1-0, 1.06) makes the start for the Sounds to face New Orleans right-hander Anastacio Martinez (0-1, 7.45).

 

What they said: Rivera (about his home run): "He threw me a fastball in. He doesn't throw that hard so he couldn't blow it by me. So I got it good."

 

Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas on the settlement of the minor league umpires' strike: "Finally."

 

Nashville Box Score:

OK, this Mike Rivera thing (OPS 1.227) is a bit much, don't you think? He started for Brad Nelson at first base. Finally, a Nelson Cruz CF sighting, as noted above; Zach Jackson only ten K's in 21.0 innings...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

Allan Simpson rescued an ineffective Mitch Stetter in the 8th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

[Athens Badger]

MR's K:BB rate has been phenonal the last couple starts, but he's been hit up pretty hard since then too. I hope he can improve much from them. I still consider him the top Brewer Pitching prospent in th minor leagues. And I think Yo Gallardo is a TOTAL STUD! We might have a couple of aces here.