Link Report for 4/18: One Ugly Day for Entire Organization

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:00 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_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at Montgomery (Devil Rays), 10:20 AM pre-game, 10:35 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Mark Rogers at Palm Beach (Cardinals), 5:35 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

Hopefully working this week from Palm Beach!

www.palmbeachcardinals.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at Hagerstown (Mets), 5:35 PM

 

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_monaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_pbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Omaha 8 4 .667 - 5-3 3-1 W2 Iowa 7 5 .583 1.0 5-3 2-2 W1 [b]Nashville 7 5 .583 1.0 4-0 3-5 W4[/b] Memphis 1 11 .083 7.0 1-3 0-8 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 8 3 .727 - 1-0 7-3 W1 Chattanooga 8 4 .667 0.5 4-1 4-3 W1 [b]Huntsville 7 5 .583 1.5 2-3 5-2 W4[/b] Carolina 5 7 .417 3.5 1-1 4-6 L1 Tennessee 4 8 .333 4.5 2-3 2-5 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 10 1 .909 - 5-1 5-0 W5[/b] St. Lucie 9 2 .818 1.0 4-1 5-1 W4 Palm Beach 6 5 .545 4.0 1-2 5-3 L2 Jupiter 4 7 .364 6.0 3-5 1-2 L4 Daytona 2 9 .182 8.0 1-7 1-2 L1 Vero Beach 2 9 .182 8.0 2-1 0-8 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 8 3 .727 - 6-2 2-1 L1 Delmarva 7 3 .700 0.5 2-1 5-2 L1 Greensboro 7 4 .636 1.0 5-3 2-1 W1 Lake County 6 5 .545 2.0 2-2 4-3 L2 Hagerstown 5 6 .455 3.0 3-0 2-6 W2 [b]West Virginia 5 6 .455 3.0 2-5 3-1 W1[/b] Hickory 4 7 .364 4.0 2-5 2-2 L1 Lakewood 1 9 .100 6.5 1-2 0-7 W1

[homer]

I really hope Rogers can get more K's than BBs today. Also, will be fun to see what Zach Jack does on the mound.

[DHonks]

wow, Huntsville already in action, and against the Fall Leaguers. The top three in the order were on my squad. Elliot Johnson was the always rare "signed as an undrafted free agent out of high school". So he's beat some amazing odds in getting to AA

[Mass Haas]

Final: Montgomery (Devil Rays) 6, Huntsville 1

Details from the Stars' site later on...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Those batting averages will hurt your eyes; Callix Crabbe three walks...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

After loading the bases with no one out, Corey Thurman strikes out two, but Kennard Bibbs' three-run error in right-field won't get the Stars out of the inning -- about as big as an error can get right there...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Notice the summary conflicts with the box score and game log, and indicates Drew Anderson made the critical outfield error in the 2nd inning...

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=788

 

Johnson's Jacks Lead Biscuits Past Stars

 

Elliot Johnson hit two solo home runs and Jim Magrane tossed six strong innings as Montgomery ended a five-game losing streak with a 6-1 win over Huntsville Tuesday morning and afternoon at Riverwalk Stadium. The Biscuits improved to 7-6 and maintain at least a share of the top spot in the South Division, while the Stars dropped to 7-6 and saw their four-game overall win streak and three-game road win string halted. The Biscuits earned just their second win in the last nine meetings with the Stars dating back to the start of last season.

 

Drew Anderson walked with two outs in the first inning, moved to second base on a Greg Sain single and scored on a base hit by Adam Heether, marking the third straight game in which the Stars had scored first. Corey Thurman, who had allowed only a bunt single and no runs in his first 10 innings, took the hill for the Stars and saw his third pitch of the day hit over the wall in right-center field for a home run by Johnson to tie the game.

 

Thurman walked Gabriel Martinez and Matthew Maniscalco and yielded a single to Jeremy Owens to load the bases in the home second inning with nobody out before fanning Mark Schleicher and Johnson to give himself a chance to get out of the inning with the game still tied. Jason Pridie then lined a 1-0 pitch to left field to Anderson, who started in, backed up and had the ball hit off his glove for an error that allowed all three runners to score and give the Biscuits their first lead of the series.

 

Magrane worked around a leadoff double by Kennard Bibbs in the third and stranded two runners in the fifth and left after yielding the visitors lone run on five hits. He struck out six, one in each inning, and walked two to grab his second win of the season. Thurman retired the last 10 hitters he faced and departed after six innings, allowing five hits, walking three and fanning four. The Stars have lost all three of his starts and have been outscored 14-3 in the process.

 

Huntsville loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning but Brian Henderson got Anderson to fly out to end the threat. Juan Salas issued two walks to load the bases in the ninth but induced Anderson to bounce into a game-ending double play. The Stars left fielder is hitless in seven tries with the sacks full.

 

The Stars will send southpaw Jeff Housman to the mound on Wednesday morning for the fourth game of the series against Biscuits? left-hander Chuck Tiffany. Coverage of the game begins at 10:20 a.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[gregmag]

Somewhat lost in the general malaise of the Huntsville "offense" is that Steve Moss has been just terrible so far. Of course it's limited action, but I'm keeping a close eye on the upper-level CFs this year. Cruz continues to rake, Krynzel looks like somebody may have flipped his switch, and Gwynn has shown flashes of power. All but Cruz have something to prove this year, so Moss needs to get it going.

 

Greg.

[Katuluu]

Ye of little faith.

 

Moss has never been one to start out fast, even last year he struggled for the first month and a half before finally clicking. And with the way all of Huntsville is struggling, it seems a little picky to focus just on how poorly Moss has performed. Of course, I'm absurdly biased, so take my defense with a grain of salt. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Press Notes:

 

EVERT MAKES SPOT START: Right-hander Brett Evert makes a spot start for the Sounds tonight in place of left-hander Zach Jackson, who is being withheld from action in a precautionary measure after a line drive off the bat of Augie Ojeda struck his pitching hand during the third inning of his last outing on Thursday at Iowa. Jackson suffered bruising and is expected to make his next scheduled start on Sunday in Oklahoma. Evert, who was the winning pitcher in the Sounds? PCL title-clinching victory last September 16 at Tacoma, spent the second half of the 2005 season with Nashville and made two starts, going 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA (5 ER / 9.0 IP). He matched his single-game career high with 11 strikeouts in his final start of 2005 on September 5 against Round Rock.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

BISCUITS SNAP STARS' 4-GAME WIN STREAK

I took a little road trip to Riverwalk Stadium, Monday. About a 190-mile drive....... The directions off the interstate seemed simple. You get off Exit 172, turn off on the map what seems to be a left off the exit, proceed on Herron, and then when it turns to Bibb, you look for Coosa and turn left....... Well, you really don't make a true left turn in the conventional sense. You can turn left, but you're better off staying in the center lane, which gets you at the same place. Where I made my mistake is overshooting Coosa because the street sign is hard to pick up. So I tried again, after getting half-assed directions from one of the locals who didn't know the streets, and in true Southern fashion, directed me using generalities (roads without numbers, streets without names, buildings without names, constant generic references to here, there, and everywhere. Thanksalot!)....... As it turns out, the left is just one street past Commerce. One more light, and you can get free parking if you're early enough.

 

I've been to every Southern League park in the league except for the distant Baseball Grounds in Jacksonville and Trustmark Park in Mississippi, which I plan on seeing in August. Riverview Stadium beats everything I've seen from inside. The railroad motif is all around -- in the architecture beyond the outfield, where a fan pavilion rests in front of what looks like a pick-up station to the skyboxes behind the plate, which jut out so fans there can see the game from the outdoors. And if that doesn't make you train-lovers feel at home, the real things roll by just outside the left field fence several times during a game, so close, a good 420-foot home run can hit one of the cars.......

 

The park is definitely fan friendly. I could walk just a few steps out of my seat to get a drink and a delicious Italian sausage without missing a pitch, and be back before the hitter's retired. A wrap around allows fans to lean on a railing in the outfield, if by chance someone like Callix Crabbe chooses to hit a home run in your direction, which is what happened in the 1st inning, when he parked one in front of the flagpole in right field where two fans were stationed........ The seating is low-angled. Unless you're in one of the skyboxes, you don't get a bird's eye view of the action........ The dimensions are quirky, one of the charming features of all retro ballparks. 333 straight to the right field line, 375 to RCF, 400 to dead center, 395 to LCF where there's a little nook, and an easy 314 to left, where Greg Sain skied his two-run HR just inside the foul pole in the 1st inning Monday night, to give the Stars a 3-0 lead. It's the 2nd shortest left field distance in the league. (Pringles Park is 310 to left)....... Every employee there was helpful and friendly........ Was someone from brewerfan.net there? Someone wearing an old powder-blue Brewers road jersey smiled walking in the opposite direction, and seeing my Stars cap, shouted "Go Brewers!". I know one of our boosters, Jimmy Jones, was there as well.

 

Moving on to Tuesday...... A near-capacity crowd showed up for a 10:35 a.m. game, one of two Grand Slam School Kids days on the Biscuits schedule.... The Stars will have one next Monday when they entertain the Bay Bears and another on May 11 vs. the Biscuits. These games drew big crowds in the past. Of course, the vast majority were brought over on school buses rather than pickup trucks and "economy" vans....... One of three scheduled last year brought in nearly 6,000 in attendance.

 

In his two previous starts, all Corey Thurman allowed were two bunt singles in ten innings. Could Thurman continue his magic spell and take the yeast out of the Biscuits? Well, it didn't take long to answer that........... On his third pitch in the bottom of the 1st, leadoff hitter Elliot Johnson (a .368 hitter leading off) yanked a pitch to the berm in right to get them on the scoreboard, but only after the Stars opened the 1st with a run themselves........ Then, the Biscuits scored three runs in a 31-pitch 2nd inning by Thurman when with two out, Kennard Bibbs misjudged a deep fly ball, possibly losing it in the morning sun. The ball ripped by Jason Pridie hit off the high wall in left, clearing the bases, and giving Montgomery a 4-1 lead........ It was an all-or-nothing day it seemed for Johnson, who struck out in his two times after that first homer, then in the 7th, he hit a ball deep to right to make it 5-1. All Bibbs could do is look over his head and watch it go into a parking area. It was a blast........ Johnson is now on a seven-game hitting streak, averaging .323 in his last seven games.

 

The Stars for the second straight night, scored in the first, after Bibbs grounded out and Crabbe struck out swinging. After Drew Anderson walked for his 6th time in 12 games, Sain's single to center moved him 2nd........ Adam Heether then singled in Anderson for the Stars' only run.

 

But the day was disappointing for Huntsville at the plate, and particularly for Anderson........ A leadoff double by Bibbs off the wall in the top of the 3rd went for naught....... Anderson hit into a force with two on and two out in the 5th, flied out to left with the bases loaded in the 7th, and hit into a game-ending double play in the 9th........ The Stars left a total of 11, and Anderson (.174, 1, 6) left three in scoring position with two out, including a game-ending double play with the bases loaded. He's now left a team-leading 11 w/RISP and two out and is 0-for-7 in bases-loaded situations, even though he's driven in a run, and 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position.

 

After 47 pitches in the first two innings, Thurman gave up a stand-up double to Michael Coleman to open the bottom half of the 3rd inning. With one out, Gabby Martinez walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but Matt Maniscalco hit into a double play right to Adam Heether, who made a nice backhand dig to start the twin killing...... Corey lasted six innings, leaving the Stars in a 4-1 hole, but only one of those runs was earned, so still winless, his ERA after three games is just 0.56 -- still among the league leaders in a season so far dominated by stellar pitching (Tennessee's 4.08 ERA is the worst in the league!).

 

The Biscuits snapped a five-game losing streak in ending the Stars' four-game win streak....... The Stars' last six games have all come in under 2:30........ The Stars are still, like most of the league, struggling at the plate, hitting .217 after 12 games. Eight of the ten teams in the league are hitting under .250 and Montgomery, the league-leader, is hitting just .259.

 

Kennard Bibbs had his first two-hit game of the year, raising his average to .185, after a 3-for-23 start to the season......Steve Moss is in an 0-for-13 slump going back to April 14...... Callix Crabbe is the team's batting leader at .293. The team is slugging just .324....... Twelve games into the season, the Stars have had just one game with 10 or more hits. The deepest any Stars team has gone with just one 10+ day was back in 2000 when they had 14 hits on Opening Day and then fewer than 10 for the next 12 games.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Hagerstown (Mets) 4, West Virginia 3

Awful ninth inning loss as the Suns score three to win it -- more bad defense, this time Ned Yost and Mat Gamel -- ugh!

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Dominant outings by LHP Derek Miller, who really needs to get to high-A, and RHP Wilfrido Laureano are wasted; Kenny Holmberg on base three times and adds a sacrifice fly...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Another pickoff attempt by Angel Salome goes awry in the 2nd; check out the Power baserunning in the 6th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hagafx_1

[Team Canada]

Adding to the already brilliant night, Rogers gets shelled again.

 

3IP 6H 4R 1BB 5K 1HR

[brewmann04]

This Mark Rodgers looks like a major project

[Katuluu]

I don't know if I would call 5 singles and one home run getting shelled. The defense didn't help him out either. It's not a good outing by any means, but it isn't a disaster either. It's kind of a typical, muddled, Mark Rogers start.

[Team Canada]

You're probably right, but it's getting a little too typical.

[DHonks]

geez, you guys are rough. True, I do generally support the guys who produce results, but I never gave up on Neugy and Gold when many others did because of control issues.

 

Rogers' night is impressive. He walked only 1 in 3 IP, struck out a whopping 5. And it's a step in the right direction. Now in the next outing, let's hope he goes 4 innings, 2 or fewer runs, and only 1 or 2 BB. Let's give him a few starts to find some rythym. I'm betting his line at the end of the year will look mighty impressive

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Miller strikes out eight in loss to Hagerstown

 

Derek Miller threw five strong innings for the Power, striking out eight batters and left the game with a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Suns took advantage of two costly Power errors and went on to win by the final of 4-3.

 

Mat Gamel ripped an RBI double in the top of the first inning to give the Power a 1-0 lead. In the top of the fifth inning the Power scored twice to go up 3-0 on Angel Salome?s RBI single and Kenny Holmberg?s sacrifice fly.

 

Hagerstown plated their first run in the bottom of the fifth inning on Jose Castro?s RBI single. In the bottom of the ninth inning Jonel Pacheco reached base after Ned Yost dropped a pop up at first base. Three batters later Fernando Martinez drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-2 game. During the next at bat Jose Castro hit a ground ball to third baseman Gamel who committed a throwing error that allowed the tying run to score. Leivi Ventura followed Castro with the game-winning RBI single to win the game for the Suns.

 

Kevin Tomasiewicz (2-0) earned the victory, and Dane Renkert (1-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 5-7 after the loss and the Suns improved to 6-6 with the win.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Suns at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, Maryland on Wednesday afternoon. Left hander Rafael Lluberes (1-1, 6.00) will start for the Power and the Suns will counter with right hander Jeff Landing (0-1, 0.90). The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM (12:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

With LHP Rafael Lluberes taking the mound for the start today, you hope Will Inman is fine. This is normally his spot, and the Power even had the day off Monday for an extra day between starts.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Palm Beach (Cardinals) 6, Brevard County 5, 10 innings

 

Brevard County Site Game Notes:

 

Cards squeak past Manatees

 

Tyler Greene raced home on a wild pitch in the 10th inning, giving the Cardinals a 6-5 victory over the Manatees on Tuesday.

 

Greene drew a leadoff walk in the 10th off reliever Ben Stanczyk (2-1), then advanced to second on a bunt, took third on a passed ball and scored the decisive run on the wild pitch.

 

Relievers Matthew Scherer, Dennis Dove and Mike Sillman combined on five scoreless innings, with Sillman (1-0) striking out one in a perfect 10th for the win. Palm Beach starter Mark Michael was roughed up for five runs on 10 hits in five innings.

 

The Cards benefited from a four-run third. Juan Lucena reached on a fielder's choice and scored two batters later on a single by Terry Evans. Michael Ferris followed with a three-run homer to give Palm Beach a 4-1 lead.

 

The Manatees (10-2) rallied in the fourth and sixth to regain the lead. Steve Sollmann drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, Carlos Corporan reached on a ground-rule double and Hasan Rasheed delivered a two-run single to give Brevard County a 5-4 cushion.

 

Palm Beach (6-6) tied it in the bottom of the inning on Simon Williams' second homer of the season.

 

Brevard County starter Mark Rogers lasted three innings and gave up four runs on six hits. Dave Johnson gave up a run on two hits before Stanczyk struggled with his control.

 

The teams conclude their three-game series at 10:35 a.m. ET (9:35 Central) on Wednesday. -- Marc Jimenez/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Has the real Carlos Corporan decided to play this year -- another catcher to watch, nice; Ryan Braun slumping; lefty Jeremy Lewis still seeking that promotion to AA...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_pbcafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_pbcafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Catcher Mike Rivera:

 

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

[Thunnis]

It will be nice to watch when finally Rogers and his catcher are allowed to control what pitches are being thrown themselves. It must be very difficult to throw what you want in the fall and then again during late winter and early spring,doing well then coming into an enviroment where you have no control over your pitches. But as long as you keep doing what is asked of you the coaching staff apparently is content. Development is a wonderful thing although I'd rather see him cut loose from the sidelines.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Omaha (Royals) 4, Nashville 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1910

 

Sounds Win Streak Ends With 6-2 Loss

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Aaron Guiel belted a pair of home runs to lead the visiting Omaha Royals to a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.

 

The loss snapped Nashville?s four-game winning streak.

 

Royals designated hitter Justin Huber put the visitors on the board in the top of the second with a leadoff home run to left-center off Sounds starter Brett Evert. The blast was his team-leading fifth of the year.

 

Omaha extended the lead to 4-0 with a three-run fourth inning. Guiel opened the fourth with a leadoff homer to right off Evert, his fourth roundtripper of the season. A Chad Allen walk followed by consecutive singles by Paul Phillips and Ricky Bell loaded the bases, at which point Evert was lifted in favor of Jason Kershner. Mike Aviles greeted the southpaw with a bad-hop, two-run single up the middle.

 

Chris Barnwell put the Sounds on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly that brought home Nelson Cruz, who drew a walk to open the frame.

 

The Sounds pulled the score to 4-2 in the fifth on another sacrifice fly, this one by catcher Mike Rivera that scored Jermaine Clark.

 

Rivera had singled in the fourth inning to extend his hitting streak to seven games, matching Clark?s previous effort of the same length for the longest by a Sound this season.

 

Guiel added a pair of insurance runs to the Omaha tally in the top of the ninth when he belted his second home run of the night, a two-out, two-run blast to right off reliever Mitch Stetter. The tater tied Guiel for the Omaha team lead with Huber at five on the year.

 

Howell (3-0) earned the victory after tossing five innings and allowing two runs on five hits. Evert (0-1) took the loss for the Sounds in his spot start. He gave up four runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. Adam Bernero earned his first save of the year by tossing 2 1/3 scoreless frames to close out the contest.

 

Left-hander Kershner turned in a solid relief outing for Nashville, working 3 2/3 scoreless innings behind Evert and striking out two batters while allowing four hits.

 

The clubs continue the series with a 6 p.m. Wednesday meeting. Left-hander Dana Eveland (1-0, 1.50) makes the start for Nashville to face Omaha right-hander Runelvys Hernandez (1-1, 11.00).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Chris Barnwell with a nice start to his season...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1