Link Report Thu. 4/27 - News items from starsboxscore.com

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Justin Thompson 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 Carlos Villanueva at home vs. Tennessee (Diamondbacks), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Steve Hammond at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

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

 

West Virginia: RHP Kevin Roberts and RHP Robbie Wooley at home in a doubleheader vs. Greensboro (Marlins), 5:05 PM -- each game a seven-inning affair

 

Audio link:

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday'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 Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_2

[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 Wednesday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 12 7 .632 - 7-1 5-6 W1[/b] Omaha 11 8 .579 1.0 7-4 4-4 W1 Iowa 7 12 .368 5.0 5-6 2-6 L7 Memphis 5 14 .263 7.0 4-4 1-10 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 13 7 .650 - 7-3 6-4 W1 [b]Huntsville 12 8 .600 1.0 6-4 6-4 W4[/b] West Tenn 12 8 .600 1.0 3-2 9-6 L1 Tennessee 9 11 .450 4.0 6-4 3-7 W3 Carolina 7 13 .350 6.0 2-3 5-10 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 13 6 .684 - 5-3 8-3 W4 [b]Brevard County 13 7 .650 0.5 5-4 8-3 L4[/b] Palm Beach 12 7 .632 1.0 5-4 7-3 W1 Daytona 8 11 .421 5.0 6-7 2-4 L1 Vero Beach 7 12 .368 6.0 5-3 2-9 W3 Jupiter 5 15 .250 8.5 3-8 2-7 L8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 12 6 .667 - 8-3 4-3 W2 Lake County 12 8 .600 1.0 5-4 7-4 W1 Delmarva 9 8 .529 2.5 4-5 5-3 L3 Greensboro 10 9 .526 2.5 8-3 2-6 L1 Hagerstown 8 10 .444 4.0 6-4 2-6 W1 [b]West Virginia 8 10 .444 4.0 3-5 5-5 W1[/b] Lakewood 7 10 .412 4.5 5-2 2-8 W2 Hickory 6 11 .353 5.5 2-5 4-6 L3

[DHonks]

West Virginia with a chance to get back to .500 today

[mls4]

The Power lose the first game 5-4. They leave the tying and winning runs on base in the 7th.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Pitching Coach Stan Kyles:

RHP Jared Fernandez to piggy-back Justin Thompson's start this evening, then slide into Ben Hendrickson's rotation spot...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-27.wma

[Mass Haas]

Help the Sounds decide:

colbyjack, I know you're a fan of jersey design...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/c...pageId=146

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Nashville 1, New Orleans (Nationals) 0, top of the 4th in New Orleans

Making Nashville my audio choice this evening -- Chuck Valenches just called Nelson Cruz' opposite field home run, his 7th of the season, 2nd most in the Pacific Coast League

[Mass Haas]

5-3 Nashville in the 5th...

 

The incredible Mike Rivera (3-for-3 thus far tonight) now hitting .426 in 47 AB's with a 1.100 OPS (only one walk, but hey, we're not complaining).

 

Did you really listen when we linked to Rivera's pre-game audio chat last week?

 

Chuck Valenches mentions the "bloggers" (insert -- Brewerfan.net posters) who want to see Mike in the big leagues. Here's a re-link in case you want to listen in again --

 

April 18 - Chat with Catcher Mike Rivera:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-18.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 7, Vero Beach (Dodgers) 3

 

Brevard County Box Score:

85 degrees and clear -- so nice before the humid season kicks in, I imagine; quality pitching thoughout, clean defense, too; catcher Nestor Corredor with a first base pickoff -- you see a lot more of those attempts at the minor league level; Brendan Katin with a nice power surge as of late...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Game Summary from the Vero Beach site:

 

Manatees Two-Out Rallies Doom Dodgers

 

04/27/06 - Brevard County used two-out rallies in the 3rd and 4th innings to defeat Vero Beach 7-3 Thursday night at Holman Stadium. Cole Bruce went 3-4 and David Nicholson drove in two runs for the Dodgers who had their season-long three-game winning streak snapped. The rubber match of the series is Friday night at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central) with Burger King giving away Vero Beach Dodger Floppy Hats.

 

Brevard County's first big rally came in the third inning. Nestor Corredor led off with a single and one out later Travis Ezi was hit by a pitch. Following a strikeout by starter Matt Merricks, Steve Sollman singled to make it 1-0. Brendan Katin then lined a home run over the center field fence to open a 4-run lead.

 

The fourth inning went much the same way. Josh Murray was hit by pitch to start the frame and Hasan Rasheed followed with a single. Two outs later, Ezi walked to load the bases and Freddy Parjeo doubled to score all three baserunners.

 

Merricks ended the night charged with seven earned runs in only four innings. Earlier this year he threw seven shutout innings with 12 strikeouts against the Manatees.

 

The Dodgers made two attempts at a comeback. With one out in the third, just after Brevard first took the lead, Chris Westervelt and Jamie Hoffman smacked back-to-back singles. Nicholson the singled home Westervelt and Hoffman scored on a balk to make it 4-2.

 

In the fifth, Bruce led off with a single for his first of three hits. Westervelt walked to advance him to second and a fly out put Bruce at third. Nicholson then popped a sacrifice fly to center, making it 7-3.

 

Ramon Troncoso turned in his best relief outing of the season by holding the Manatees scoreless for four innings. Troncoso allowed just two singles and one walk, while striking out five. Wesley Wright followed with a scorless ninth.

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Greensboro (Marlins) 5, West Virginia 4, scheduled for seven innings

Final-inning rally for the second straight game, but this one falls just short...

 

West Virginia Game One Box Score:

Lorenzo Cain three base hits, including a double; Mat Gamel with his first long ball; the young Latin Power pitchers, Wilfrido Laureano and Ronny Malave (see game two line later) have been very impressive all month...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game One Game Log:

The run allowed in the top of the 7th came back to bite Steve Palazzolo and the Power; double plays killed West Virginia throughout...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 6, New Orleans (Nationals) 3

Sounds are now 13-7; week one slow start long forgotten; Sound site details soon...

 

Nashville Box Score:

Four-inning save for Jared Fernandez, that's a rarity; Mike Rivera on base all five plate appearances; LHP Justin Thompson stretched out to 77 pitches; Dave Krynzel still in pinch-hit mode; Tony Gwynn now 6-for-7 in SB attempts...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: West Virginia 6, Greensboro (Marlins) 2, scheduled for seven innings

Details from Power site shortly...

 

West Virginia Game Two Box Score:

Power the beneficiaries of six unearned runs; RHP Robbie Wooley walked four in four innings, but also induced eight ground balls while minimizing the damage; Mat Gamel stays hot at the plate and cool in the field at third base...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_2

 

West Virginia Game Two Game Log:

Two-out, three-run double by Angel Salome in the 5th the big blow...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_2

[huntsvillefan]

Tough extra innings loss tonight, but 2TO makes a bid to become 3TO by walking in a run as well as hammering his almost standard 2 run homer.

How often does a guy with a .200 average lead the team in OPS?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tennessee (Diamondbacks) 9, Huntsville 6, 11 innings

Details from Stars' site shortly; must have been entertaining, despite the final result...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Shades of Tomo Ohka -- which Carlos Villanueva will you get start-to-start? Stellar relief work from Gerrit Simpson, who has been very good since his acquisition via trade from the Rockies last season, and veteran reliever Joe Winkelsas; Greg Sain's one hit was, you guessed it, a home-run (two-run variety)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

The Stars have only a handful of games left all season in which the DH will be needed -- Don Money's bench guys will see very limited opportunities; Drew Anderson's two-out, two-run double in the 3rd was clutch at the time; Villanueva came oh-so-close to getting out of a bases-loaded no-out jam in the 5th; Andy Pratt's 11th inning was ineffective to say the least; Stars never really threatened after the 5th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for archived Mike Rivera photo while active, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1925

 

Sounds Take Series Opener In New Orleans

 

METAIRIE, La. ? Mike Rivera went 4-for-4 and Nelson Cruz belted his fourth home run in the last three games to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 6-3 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Thursday evening at Zephyr Field in the opener of a four-game series.

 

Nashville (13-7) recorded its sixth win in the last seven games and has won 12 of 15 contests since opening the season with a 1-4 record.

 

Rivera accounted for four of the Sounds? seven hits on the evening, including a pair of doubles, to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. The backstop is batting a team-best .438 in his 12 games this season. The four-hit contest was the first by a Sound this season.

 

Outfielder Tony Gwynn went 0-for-5 to snap the Sounds? longest hit streak of the year at 12 games.

 

The Sounds plated five runs in the top of the third inning against Zephyrs starter Kyle Denney to break a scoreless tie. Cruz opened the scoring with a one-out home run to right, his fourth longball in the last three games and team-leading seventh roundtripper of the season. The outfielder has homered in a Sounds season-best three straight games and extended his hitting streak to six games with the tater.

 

AUDIO: Nelson Cruz's 7th HR Of Year --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-27.wma

 

Rivera and Brent Abernathy followed with singles before Vinny Rottino drew a walk to load the bases. Denney?s inaccuracies continued when he issued a four-pitch walk to Chris Barnwell to force in Rivera for a 2-0 Sounds lead.

 

A pair of consecutive New Orleans throwing errors on force attempts ? by third baseman Brandon Larson and second baseman Bernie Castro ? allowed three additional runs to score in the frame as Nashville matched its best single-inning scoring output of the season.

 

Castro made amends for his error in the bottom of the frame when he put the Z's on the board with a leadoff home run to left off Sounds starter Justin Thompson. The blast was his first of the season.

 

New Orleans cut the lead to 5-3 in the fourth with a pair of runs on a Reginald Fitzpatrick RBI groundout and Mike Vento?s two-out RBI single to center.

 

Rivera concluded his solid evening in the top of the seventh with an RBI double to bring home Cruz and up the Sounds? advantage to 6-3.

 

Thompson (1-0) earned his first win of the season for the Sounds after allowing three runs on six hits over five innings. He recorded no walks or strikeouts in his outing. Denney (0-2) took the loss after surrendering five runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out six in his five frames.

 

Jared Fernandez tossed four scoreless innings of relief for the Sounds to earn his second save of the year. The right-hander has yet to allow a run in 10 2/3 frames since joining Nashville last week.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. contest on Friday. Left-hander Zach Jackson (0-1, 2.81) looks for his first win of the year in his fourth start for Nashville. New Orleans will counter with southpaw Billy Traber (0-0, 2.45).

[JoeHova]

Rivera and Cruz are playing great. Rivera seems to be too good for AAA, despite his lack of walks. I would think that a .280-.300 OBP would be excusable for a catcher who could slug .450-.500. Many catchers put up that horrible of an OBP anyway (I'm looking at Moeller) and don't have anywhere near the power.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=801

 

D'Antona's Deep Drive Downs Stars

 

Jamie D?Antona?s three-run home run in the 11th inning lifted Tennessee past Huntsville 9-6 Thursday night in the opening game of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Smokies won their fourth straight game to improve to 10-11 on the season, while the Stars fell to 12-9 and saw their four-game win streak was brought to a halt.

 

Andy Pratt opened the 11th on the hill for Huntsville and walked leadoff man Alberto Gonzalez and yielded a one-out single to Alex Frazier before fanning Jesus Cota for the second out of the frame. D?Antona then blasted a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in left-center field for his fourth home run of the season and the first allowed by Pratt. All four leadoff batters who have reached base against the Stars? southpaw have come in to score.

 

The Tennessee bullpen limited the home team to just one hit, a Kennard Bibbs single in the ninth on which he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, over the final six innings. Mike Schultz earned his first win with two scoreless frames behind Matt Wilkinson, who also worked two scoreless innings.

 

Greg Sain?s two-run home run off of Smokies? starter Adam Bass, his seventh of the season, got the game tied at six in the fifth inning. Bass, who holds or shares 11 pitching records at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, was making his third career start against his hometown team and his first at ?the Joe? in front of a large contingent of family and friends. The right-hander allowed six runs on eight hits and fanned five in his five frames of work and left with a no-decision. He won once and lost once in two August starts in Tennessee last season against the Stars.

 

Bass stroked a two-out single in the third inning and scored when Danny Richar followed with his first long ball of the year and fourth allowed by Huntsville starter Carlos Villanueva, who gave up six runs on seven hits over five innings and left trailing 6-4. Gerrit Simpson retired all nine hitters he faced and Joe Winkelsas tossed two shutout frames and has now been scored upon in only one of the 10 innings he has worked in.

 

Sain drew a bases loaded walk and Drew Anderson followed with a two-run double in the third inning to give the Stars a 3-2 lead. Tennessee plated four two-out runs in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead, highlighted by Miguel Montero?s two-run single after Villanueva had issued a wild pitch that allowed Jon Zeringue to score to tie the game at four.

 

The series continues Friday night when the Smokies will send right-hander Garrett Mock to the mound against Stars right-hander Tim Dillard. 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.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Rocking the scoreboard

D'Antona's 11th-inning homer lifts Smokies past Huntsville 9-6

By BRAD SHEPARD

Special to The Huntsville Times

 

Tennessee Smokies third baseman Jamie D'Antona made sure pitcher Adam Bass' homecoming wasn't a complete disaster.

 

D'Antona drove an Andy Pratt pitch off the Joe Davis Stadium scoreboard for a three-run, game-winning home run in the 11th inning late Thursday night.

 

The shot gave the Smokies a 9-6 victory over the Huntsville Stars.

 

"Pratt struggled in the 11th, and it was just pitch selection," Stars manager Don Money said. "Too many fastballs."

 

D'Antona's home run also gave Bass one fond memory in an otherwise frustrating return to town.

 

Though the former UAH All-American and Madison Academy standout didn't factor in the decision, he blew a pair of two-run leads early.

 

Bass left after five innings, getting roughed up for eight hits and six earned runs. After a sharp start, he never seemed in command.

 

Stars starter Carlos Villanueva wasn't any better in his five innings.

 

As much as the starters struggled, the relief was brilliant until Pratt's 11th-inning trouble.

 

The glitch by Huntsville didn't affect the Smokies' bullpen finishing what it started as four pitchers combined to allow only one Stars hit over the final six innings.

 

With Bass on the hill early, though, it appeared the Stars (12-9) were primed for their fifth straight comeback win.

 

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Huntsville strung together three hits and three runs. Greg Sain drew a bases-loaded walk, and Drew Anderson added a two-run double to put the Stars ahead by one.

 

A bunt single by Callix Crabbe in the fourth extended the lead to 4-2, but Villanueva couldn't hang on.

 

He surrendered three consecutive singles in the top of the fifth. After nearly wriggling free with two quick outs, he walked in a run and wild-pitched in another. Money said that sequence was a decisive stretch.

 

Tennessee's Miguel Montero completed the nightmare inning for Huntsville with a two-run single to give Tennessee (10-11) a 6-4 lead.

 

Still, the Stars came back with a deep home run from Sain that tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

 

"I know he obviously had a lot of his fans out here, probably just as many rooting for him as they were us," Sain said of Bass. "I'm sure he wanted to pitch well in front of family and friends, but that's not something we consider."

 

When Bass left the game, so did a cluster of fans who cheered his every move.

 

Bass had started his homecoming in hero's fashion, striking out leadoff hitter Crabbe on three pitches on his way to an easy first inning.

 

The momentum even swung over to the offensive side. With two outs in the third inning, Bass kept the frame alive with a single up the middle, setting up Danny Richar's two-run home run to right field that gave the Smokies an early 2-0 lead.

 

Bass's comfort zone at his collegiate home stadium crumbled quickly. But his team left with the victory, nonetheless.

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Doubleheader Summary:

 

Power split the double dip

 

The West Virginia Power and Greensboro Grasshoppers both walked away with victories in Thursday night?s double header at Appalachian Power Park. The Grasshoppers held off a late Power rally to win the first game 5-4 and the Power took advantage of a four run fifth inning to win the second game 6-2.

 

In the first game the Grasshoppers struck first on Gary Roche?s two-out, two-run double in the top of the third inning. Roche crossed the plate later in the inning on Jeff Van Houten?s base hit. The Grasshoppers added to their lead in the fourth inning on Matt Kutler?s RBI single to go up 4-0.

 

In the bottom of the fourth the Power plated their first run of the game when Kenny Holmberg scored after Agustin Septimo?s error. In the sixth inning Mat Gamel hit his first home run of the year, a solo shot that cut the lead to 4-2. The Grasshoppers added a big insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Van Houten reached on a fielder?s choice, bringing in Septimo. The Power scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. Lorenzo Cain drove in Darren Ford on a two-out double. Angel Salome singled into left field during the next at-bat and Matt Kutler bobbled the ball allowing Cain to score. Holmberg recorded the final out with two runners on base.

 

The Grasshoppers scored first in game two on a second inning RBI single from Jared Gaston. Greg Burns ripped a two-out double in the fourth inning, and scored later in the inning on Brad Willcutt?s throwing error. The Power offense peaked in the bottom of the fourth inning. Salome doubled off the wall in right-center field with the bases loaded and two outs, plating three runs and giving the Power the lead. Salome scored during the next at bat on Gamel?s RBI single. The Power cushioned their lead with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Tony Festa singled into center field scoring Nate Yoho in the process. With two outs and runners at the corners, Festa got caught in a run down and was eventually tagged out, but he bought enough time for Mike Bell to score from third base.

 

In game one Chris Volstad (4-0) earned the victory, Blake Jones (5) earned the save and Kevin Roberts (2-2) obtained the loss. In game two Ronny Malave (2-0) earned the victory and Jason Iehl (1-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 9-11 and the Grasshoppers are 11-10 after the split.

 

The Power will continue the home-and-home set with Greensboro on Friday night as the series moves to First Horizon Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. Left hander Derek Miller (0-1, 3.06) gets the start for West Virginia and Greensboro will start left hander Aaron Thompson (0-1, 6.50). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 Central).

[Mass Haas]

All evening action on Friday (except for the big-league Crew), Friday's Link Report will kick off this afternoon.

[litesrn]

While I peruse this board occasionally, what happened with Brevard? Weren't they 13-3 at one time? That roster seems so deep - did they just hit a bad-luck wall?