Link Report for Sun. 4/16 - Final Update Includes Yoho Story

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu: A Blessed and Happy Easter to all who celebrate the holiday today!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Justin Thompson at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 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_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville: RHP Carlos Villanueva at Montgomery (Devil Rays), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

I still say Carlos has it rough pitching after the travel day in each and every series until a rainout or something shakes up the schedule of all five-game series...

 

Brevard County: Idle

 

West Virginia: RHP Kevin Roberts at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 1:05 PM

 

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_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 6 4 .600 - 5-3 1-1 W1 Omaha 6 4 .600 - 5-3 1-1 L1 [b]Nashville 5 5 .500 1.0 2-0 3-5 W2[/b] Memphis 1 9 .100 5.0 1-1 0-8 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 7 3 .700 - 4-1 3-2 W1 West Tenn 7 3 .700 - 0-0 7-3 L1 [b]Huntsville 5 5 .500 2.0 2-3 3-2 W2[/b] Carolina 4 6 .400 3.0 0-0 4-6 L1 Tennessee 3 7 .300 4.0 2-3 1-4 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 9 1 .900 - 5-1 4-0 W4[/b] St. Lucie 8 2 .800 1.0 4-1 4-1 W3 Palm Beach 6 4 .600 3.0 1-1 5-3 L1 Jupiter 4 6 .400 5.0 3-5 1-1 L3 Daytona 2 8 .200 7.0 1-6 1-2 W1 Vero Beach 1 9 .100 8.0 1-1 0-8 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 8 2 .800 - 6-2 2-0 W2 Delmarva 7 3 .700 1.0 2-1 5-2 L1 Greensboro 6 4 .600 2.0 5-3 1-1 L1 Lake County 6 4 .600 2.0 2-1 4-3 L1 Hagerstown 4 6 .400 4.0 3-0 1-6 W1 Hickory 4 6 .400 4.0 2-4 2-2 W1 [b]West Virginia 4 6 .400 4.0 1-5 3-1 L2[/b] Lakewood 1 9 .100 7.0 1-2 0-7 W1

[huntsvillefan]

Pretty pretty numbers from Carlos in a great win. He continues to look like an ace away from Joe Davis. Maybe I'm going to have to travel to one of his away games to see him in his pomp!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, Montgomery (Devil Rays) 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=786

 

Villanueva, Sain Lead Stars to Victory

 

Carlos Villanueva tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings and got the runs he needed on a seventh inning home run by Greg Sain as Huntsville downed Montgomery 4-1 Sunday afternoon in the opener of a five-game set at Riverwalk Stadium. The Stars won their third in a row after a three-game slide to improve to 6-5 overall and 4-2 on the road, while the Biscuits dropped their fourth in a row after a six-game win streak to fall to 6-5.

 

Andy Sonnenstine blanked the Stars on two Callix Crabbe singles through the first six innings before Drew Anderson opened the seventh with a single and Sain followed by walloping an 0-2 curve ball over the wall in left field for his second home run in as many days and his third in the last five games. Sonnenstine left after 6 2/3 innings during which he walked one and struck out ten and ended five of his six full innings with a punch out.

 

Huntsville added two runs in the eighth on a run-scoring single by Crabbe, who finished with three hits and extended his hitting streak to six games, and a fielder?s choice grounder by Drew Anderson that scored Kennard Bibbs.

 

Villanueva bounced back from a rough outing Tuesday, during which he gave up seven runs on nine hits over four innings, to blank the home side on six hits and a walk. The right-hander struck out seven to earn his second win of the season in his second outing in which he was not scored upon. Steve Bray gave up a run in the eighth inning on a fielders? choice grounder that ended a string of 10 2/3 scoreless innings by the Stars bullpen. Joe Winkelsas tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his second save.

 

The Stars will send right-hander Tim Dillard to the mound on Monday night in the second game of the set against Biscuits? right-hander Tony Peguero. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

[Katuluu]

I have to admit, I'm probably overly excited about the lines Krynzel keeps putting up. I really hope he sustains it and limits the extended slumps this year.

[PrimeTime955]

Katuluu I think we are part of the 1% of fans still pulling for the kid. I still think he is our Center Fielder of the future.

[Katuluu]

I think most people are still pulling for him, but they tend to rest their hopes more on Gwynn or Fermaint at this point. I can understand the reasoning, I just don't agree with it yet.

[homer]

I'm pulling for Krynzel, and I think he has more upside than Gwynn, but this is a make or break year for him. I really hope he can put it all together.

[And That]

Kremblas has Mark Johnson stealing bases, he must be trying to prove something... seems like the whole organization is SB-happy this spring. At least Super Dave has finally seemed to figure it out.

 

This starts now:

 

Free Callix Crabbe.

 

Free Steve Sollmann.

 

Free Ken Holmberg.

 

Free Joe Thatcher.

[huntsvillefan]

Kremblas has Mark Johnson stealing bases

 

I well remember the day he sent Brad Nelson to steal home and that was before he went on the Atkins plan.

In 2004 he promised Prince 10 stolen bases and got him 11 (8 last year under him in AAA).

It is his way of perpetuating his self image of being a crazy genius.

But he did deliver a AAA championship to Nashville. I'm not sure it does any real harm and it may even do some good. HIs players all love him and that must say something.

On a personal level, I always found Frank's teams too much about Frank and not enough about the players. It felt like he always had to be strutting his stuff as the master tactician rather than just letting the guys play.

But Prince, Rickie, Corey & JJ all spent a fair bit of time under his management and they haven't turned out too badly.

You pays your money & you takes your choice - but in Frank's case I'm actually pretty happy with Money.

[DHonks]

I have to admit, I'm probably overly excited about the lines Krynzel keeps putting up. I really hope he sustains it and limits the extended slumps this year.

 

Katuluu, I've always been a huge fan of Krynzel. My critiques have centered on seeing him utilize about 4 different stances each time I saw him. Sometimes in a more traditional speed stance with a crouch, others more upright like Counsell.

 

I'm really excited about him this year, especially his stolen base success rate. However, I think we need to remember that at this time last year everyone was jumping on the Krynzel bandwagon after a strong spring training and an outstanding month of April. If he's still around .300 or better on June 1st, then I'll be getting all giddy. I'm a fan of Gwynn too. Heck, I like Brady. But there would be the possibility that in 2007 we could move Clark and give his salary to someone else.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

ANOTHER WIN ... AND A NEW RECORD

These five-game series have plenty of debating points, good and bad, but one point is now begining to emerge -- its effect on the No. 1 man, usually the ace, of the rotation. He's the one who has to be ready on the bus ride. He's the one who faces new lineups right away, and sometimes, he's the one who gets the less rest......... Carlos Villanueva isn't using it as some kind of excuse, nor should any other pitcher. They're at a disadvantage, not seeing new hitters, then having to remember their strengths and weaknesses at the plate the next time they face them, but they are usually the aces, the top prospects whose talent and abilities are likely a bit above the rest of the rotation........ Outside of being roughed up by Birmingham, Villanueva hasn't been scored upon in 12 innings, giving up eight hits and striking out 12, so his 4.02 ERA after today's game is deceiving.

 

But if Villanueva was impressive today, his opponent Andrew Sonnanstine gave Stars fans real concern, turning this first game into the classic pitchers' duel....... Sonnanstine, ranked 20th by Baseball America among the Devil Rays' top prospects, last year became only the 3rd pitcher ever to win 14 games in Tampa's minor league organization, joining Scott Autry and Chris Seddon...... Sonnanstine led the D'Rays' minor league chain last year in wins, ERA, and strikeouts -- pitching's triple crown. It will be interesting to see him pitch at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

Villanueva and Sonnanstine battled each other for six quick innings....... Only Callix Crabbe had any success at the plate, delivering a line drive single over the head of 2nd baseman Elliot Johnson in the 1st and a bloop hit to right in the 4th that followed a sensational catch in right field by Jeremy Owens. But between those moments, Sonnanstine struck out Drew Anderson in the 1st, Adam Heether and Lou Palmisano in the 2nd, Steve Moss and Ozzie Chavez in the 3rd, and Greg Sain in the 4th, keeping the Stars from mounting anything serious........

 

Villanueva gave up a gift double to Michael Coleman in the 2nd inning, but the Stars, whose defense has shown marked improvement especially in the infield this year, cut Coleman down trying to score on a bouncer to third by Ryan Christenson. Heether, fielding it backhanded on two hops, threw across the infield to Eure to get the batter. Eure then hurriedly made a throw to third as Coleman was breaking, but the throw got past Chavez covering the bag. Chavez took the ball in foul territory beyond the Biscuits' dugout and threw it to Palmisano, who tagged Coleman at the plate....... Villanueva gave up a single and a walk in the 4th, but struck out Gabriel Martinez, the Southern League batting leader, to end the inning. Villanueva continued to show no trouble through the 5th and 6th innings, but Sonnanstine was having no problems either as the game swiftly proceeded.

 

Then the Stars, into the 7th inning, a leadoff single paid off........ Drew Anderson opened the inning with a base hit to center on a 2-2 pitch from Sonnanstine. Greg Sain waved through a curve ball, which had been working well for him all day, then tried to hold up on a fast ball, but found himself behind 0-and-2. After fouling one off, Sain jerked a curve ball deep to left field for a two-run homer, his 3rd of the year, the Stars' 6th......... Stephen Bray came on in the 7th for Villanueva and with Chiaron Isenia, who appeared in this year's World Baseball Classic for The Netherlands, on base with a hit, Bray struck out Matthew Maniscalco and Jeremy Owens swinging. With a 4-0 lead, Bray dug himself out of trouble, giving up just a run, and Joe Winkelsas closed the door in the 9th, despite an error by Callix Crabbe that put the leadoff hitter on base.

 

The error by Crabbe was only the 5th made by the Stars this season....... The Stars set a new club record for fewest errors by committing just four after their first ten games, smashing the record of seven that was set in 1995 and tied last year. ...... After ten games, the Stars bullpen has a 3.05 ERA and a 5.29 SO-BB ratio...... The Stars have scored more runs in the 3rd inning (10) than any other inning, but they have also allowed more runs in the 3rd.......... The middle of the order after ten games was hitting only .205, but thanks mostly to Greg Sain, had more RBIs than the upper or lower third of the order........

 

Was informed at the welcome banquet for the Stars last Sunday that John Vanden Berg decided to quit baseball, rather than accept an assignment to Clearwater in the high-A Florida State League. Vanden Berg's catching counterpart last year, Jeff Winchester, apparently let go by the Cubs' organization, did accept an assignment to Clearwater after being assigned by the Phillies...... As of the moment, he's hitting .235 in six games.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.montgomeryadvertiser....70331/1002

 

Huntsville slugger haunts Biscuits

By A. Stacy Long

Montgomery Advertiser

 

Greg Sain has a new organization and a new team within the Southern League.

 

He still chomps on Biscuits.

 

Sain continued his gorging on Montgomery pitching Sunday, cracking a two-run home run in the seventh inning that sparked the Huntsville Stars to a 4-1 win at Riverwalk Stadium.

 

Sain, who played for the Mobile BayBears the last two years, has nine home runs in 29 career games against the Biscuits.

 

"Players always seem to do better against one team or another," Montgomery manager Charlie Montoyo said. "Maybe he likes the Biscuits."

 

Sain does.

 

He has a .298 average with 16 runs scored and 21 RBIs with Montgomery in the other dugout. At Riverwalk Stadium, he has eight extra-base hits in 14 games.

 

"I must say I do feel comfortable in this ballpark," Sain said. "There's a great batter's eye (background) and I can see the ball real well. Somehow, I lock in."

 

Sain's two-run shot Sunday broke up a scoreless game and spoiled a nice start by Montgomery's Andy Sonnanstine.

 

Sonnanstine (1-1) struck out the two batters after Sain before being relieved. He finished with 10 strikeouts, walked one and allowed four hits.

 

"One bad pitch and that was the ballgame," Montgomery left fielder Michael Coleman said. "He battled his (butt) off. The guy just guessed right, I guess."

 

Sain's home run came on an 0-2 pitch that he was expecting. Sain suspected Sonnanstine would throw a slider.

 

Sonnanstine did and didn't put it in a perfect location. It soon landed over the left-field wall.

 

"The location could have been just a little better," Sonnanstine said. "I didn't hang it, but it wasn't exactly where I wanted it, and he put a good swing on it."

 

Sain, nor his teammates, had done much against Sonnanstine.

 

Sain grounded to third and was called out on strikes in his first two at-bats. Until the home run, the Stars had yet to successfully reach second base.

 

"Their pitcher had a good breaking ball all day," Sain said. "I think some fatigue may have set in on the (home run) pitch because he left it over the plate."

 

The home run by Sain was his second in two days and gives him three this season.

 

"That's why we picked him up this year," Stars manager Don Money said. "We needed some pop."

 

Sain has only two other hits and has a .208 average entering today.

 

"Hopefully, I can mix in some other hits," Sain said. "I love home runs, but I want to be more consistent and strike out less."

 

Huntsville starter Carlos Villanueva matched Sonnanstine -- except for the home run.

 

Villanueva (2-1) worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, a reversal from his last outing.

 

On Sunday, he gave up six hits, walked one and struck out seven. Last week, Birmingham totaled seven runs and nine hits in four innings against Villanueva.

 

Villanueva threw five shutout innings in the season opener.

 

"We told him he needed to pick up his intensity a little bit," Money said. "He came out and did that. He's had two good outings and one not so good."

[Mass Haas]

The Montgomery link in the prior post includes a Lou Palmisano home plate collision photo. Some web pages don't allow for the image link to be copied elsewhere.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 4, Lexington (Astros) 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Power score twice in the eighth to beat Lexington

 

The West Virginia Power entered the eighth inning of Sunday afternoon?s game against the Lexington Legends at Appalachian Power Park down 3-2. The Power scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Legends 4-3 and avoided the sweep.

 

The Power scored first in the bottom of the first inning when Mat Gamel reached on a fielder?s choice which allowed Darren Ford to cross the plate. Lexington answered quickly in the top of the second inning on Mike Thompson?s sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.

 

The Power took their second lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on Ford?s RBI single. Lexington again answered right back to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning when Ryan Reed reached on Kenny Holmberg?s error which allowed Eli Iorg to score. Lexington took their only lead of the game in the top of the eighth inning on Koby Clemens?s two out RBI single.

 

In the bottom of the eighth Ryan Crew tied the game with an RBI double, and two batters later Nate Yoho drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly.

 

Ronny Malave (1-0) earned the victory, Joe Thatcher (2) earned the save and Jamie Gant (0-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 5-6 after the win and the Legends fall to 8-3 with the loss.

 

The Power will begin a four game series against the Hagerstown Suns at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, Maryland on Tuesday night. Left hander Derek Miller (0-0, 1.80) will start for the Power. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM (5:35 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Darren Ford a much-needed three-hit game...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-16.wma

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Oklahoma (Rangers) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Dave Krynzel photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Win Third Straight Over Oklahoma, 5-2

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? The Nashville Sounds won their third straight game on Sunday afternoon at Greer Stadium, posting a 5-2 victory over the Oklahoma RedHawks.

 

The win was the Sounds? fifth in their last six games and gave the club its first winning record of the season at 6-5.

 

The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning using a pair of extra-base hits against Oklahoma starter Robinson Tejeda. With one out, Dave Krynzel laced a triple to the wall in right-center then scored on Nelson Cruz?s two-out RBI double to right. The two-bagger was Cruz?s PCL-leading eighth extra-base hit of the year and Nashville?s 25th league-leading double of the campaign.

 

Nashville doubled the lead to 2-0 in the second when Brent Abernathy drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a groundout, stole third, and scored on a Chris Barnwell sacrifice fly to left.

 

Sounds starter Justin Thompson turned in a solid outing, allowing one hit over four scoreless innings, before being removed due to a pitch count limitation. The left-hander threw 43 pitches, 31 for strikes, and took a no-decision.

 

Krynzel legged out his second triple in the bottom of the fifth to tie the Nashville single-game record for three-baggers. He is the tenth player in franchise history to record two triples in a game and the first since Rich Thompson accomplished the feat on July 19, 2004.

 

RedHawks outfielder Will Smith made it a 2-1 contest in the sixth with a leadoff solo homer to left off Sounds reliever Wilton Chavez. The blast was his second longball of the year.

 

Former Sound Adam Hyzdu knotted the contest at 2-2 in the top of the seventh with a one-out solo homer to center off Chavez, his first roundtripper of the season.

 

The Sounds pulled back ahead in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of a pair of Oklahoma errors to plate three runs, two of the unearned variety, against the RedHawks bullpen.

 

Brad Nelson led off with a single, was sacrificed to second, and moved to third on a Barnwell single. With Tony Gwynn at the plate, Barnwell broke for second and the throw eventually came home and beat Nelson to the plate but Oklahoma catcher Jamie Burke dropped the ball to allow the run to score, giving Nashville a 3-2 lead. Gwynn followed with an RBI double to right to bring in Barnwell. Gwynn scored the game?s final run later in the frame on a throwing error on Oklahoma second baseman Ruddy Yan on a ball hit by Vinny Rottino.

 

Chavez (1-0) earned his first victory of the year by working the final five frames, allowing two runs on four hits. Ron Mahay (0-1) took the loss for Oklahoma after being touched for three runs (one earned) in his two-thirds of an inning.

 

Second baseman Jermaine Clark has his team-best seven-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 afternoon.

 

The Sounds and RedHawks wrap up their series on Monday evening with a 6 p.m. finale. Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (1-0, 0.00) ? who has yet to allow a run in 11 innings pitched this season ? makes the start for Nashville. Oklahoma will counter with southpaw John Rheinecker (0-1, 9.31).

 

AUDIO: Brad Nelson Defensive Stop At 1B --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-16.wma

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Defense, base running key to Sounds victory

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

On a day when the gusty Greer Stadium wind blew strongly towards centerfield, the Nashville Sounds stayed true to their winning formula for the 2006 season, securing a 5-2 Sunday matinee win over Oklahoma thanks to its defense, base running and pitching.

 

Nashville (6-5) got four strong innings from starter Justin Thompson, who currently is being held to a strict pitch count. Thompson went four innings and gave up just one hit, while walking none on 43 pitches

 

Thompson was spelled by Wilton Chavez, who also threw well. Chavez picked up the victory, going five innings and allowing just two runs ? both of which came on RedHawk solo homers.

 

?[Thompson] threw well,? Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. ?He mixed it up, threw strikes, made them put it in play.?

 

The Sounds supported the solid pitching of Thompson and Chavez with outstanding defense, which already has become one of this team?s calling cards this young season. Infielders Vinny Rotino and Brad Nelson both made sensational extra base-saving grabs in the third inning.

 

Additionally, Nashville turned its Pacific Coast League best 18th double play of the season in the fifth inning, behind a run-saving play from shortstop Chris Barnwell.

 

?You can see the plays the [infielders are] making right now, they?re making them look normal,? Sounds left fielder Dave Krynzel said. ?But they?re not normal.?

 

Nashville found its way to five runs without hitting a single homerun. Instead, the Sounds were terrors on the base paths as they swiped four bases. Another aggressive base running play led to the Sounds? go-ahead run in the seventh inning.

 

With runners on the corners, Barnwell tried to steal second base. When he did, Nelson headed for home plate. Oklahoma tried to down Nelson at the plate, but catcher Jamie Burke dropped the ball and Nashville took the lead.

 

?We were aggressive on the base paths once again,? Kremblas said. ?We got lucky on the play at home plate.?

 

Krynzel tied a team record with two triples in the afternoon, although only one led to a Sounds run. Krynzel was the only Nashville player to collect more than one hit. Last year?s Sounds lineup featured an impressive collection of power hitters, but this year?s team prides itself on plate patience and timely hitting.

 

?The whole team right now is one big clique,? Krynzel said. ?Everyone is working together and everyone?s staying positive. The veterans are coming in and having good at-bat after good at-bat. Success or failure doesn?t matter, just keeping the same approach. We?re kind of no-holds-barred right now.?

 

After grabbing a 2-0 lead, Chavez gave up a solo homer to Will Smith in the sixth inning and Adam Hyzdu in the seventh, which tied the score.

 

Nashville answered in its half of the seventh, taking the lead on the Nelson play at the plate. Tony Gwynn Jr. followed that with an RBI double. Gwynn scored later in the inning on a throwing error by Oklahoma second baseman Ruddy Yan.

 

While the Sounds have become a small ball team offensively, right fielder Nelson Cruz is still supplying the team with power in the middle of the lineup. Cruz hit his PCL-leading eighth extra base hit, an RBI double in the first.

 

Nashville concludes its series with Oklahoma today, with ace Ben Hendrickson taking the hill.

[Mass Haas]

Sounds focus on defense

Get above .500 thanks to infield

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Following a flurry of hits in their first two home games of the season, offense gave way to defense for the Nashville Sounds yesterday against Oklahoma.

 

Sounds starter Justin Thompson faced one over the minimum in his four innings due to some stellar plays behind him, and reliever Wilton Chavez avoided trouble with one of the team's PCL-leading double plays. That helped Nashville (6-5) break .500 for the first time with a 5-2 victory in front of a crowd of 3,153.

 

"We knew we didn't have as much power as we had last year; we knew we had to do it with pitching, baserunning, defense," said first baseman Brad Nelson, whose diving stop contributed to a one-two-three third inning for Thompson. "We proved it. The pitchers did a good job, and it helps them relax if we make the plays we're supposed to make."

 

Just prior to Nelson's stop, third baseman Vinny Rottino made a diving stab and throw for an out to help Thompson get deeper into the contest than he did in his first outing.

 

"He was much more efficient this time," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said of Thompson, who has had four surgical procedures on his left (throwing) shoulder and is on a 40-pitch limit. "He really labored in his 1-2/3 innings (on April 10). But this time, he mixed it up, threw strikes and made them put it in play."

 

Thompson threw 43 pitches before yielding to Chavez, who got a sliding catch from right fielder Nelson Cruz to open the fifth. Chavez then got out of a first-and-third, one-out situation with a double play, Nashville's 18th of the season, before giving up solo homers in the sixth and seventh innings .

 

After getting 37 hits in its previous two games, Nashville got three of its seven hits in the seventh, scoring three runs, and Chavez allowed just one runner in Oklahoma's last two at-bats.

 

"Our pitchers are doing great," said Dave Krynzel, who had two triples. "They're giving up a couple of hits, then shutting the next guy down. The middle infield is making fabulous plays; our defensive positioning has really gone well. Our scouting reports have been on right now."

 

Salute: Sundays at Greer Stadium have been designated as Tennessee National Guard Sunday, with the Sounds set to wear camouflage jerseys in tribute. At the conclusion of the season, the game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the families of those who have been called up for active duty.

 

Smokin' hot: Over their last five games, the Sounds are hitting .356 (64-180). That included 37 hits in the first two home games, following a 12-hit performance on Wednesday at Iowa and eight on Thursday.

 

Yesterday's 7-for-30 effort slowed the Sounds' roll, as they were hitting .380 (57-150) in four games prior to that.

 

Doubled over: Nelson Cruz's first-inning RBI double did more than just give the Sounds a 1-0 lead.

 

It was his sixth double, which leads the Pacific Coast League, as well as his league-leading eighth extra-base hit.

 

Tony Gwynn added a run-scoring double in the seventh, raising the Sounds' total to a PCL-leading 26 and tying him with Cruz for the team lead in RBIs with nine.

 

Triple-double: Krynzel's first-inning triple was so nice, the Sounds outfielder did it twice ? and both were to the almost exact same spot, into the right-centerfield gap.

 

Krynzel became the 10th Nashville player to hit two triples in the same game and the first since outfielder Rich Thompson on July 19, 2004. Krynzel had seven triples last year for the Sounds.

 

Streak snapped: Nashville infielder Jermaine Clark had his hitting streak stopped at seven games. Clark, who leads with Sounds with a .394 average, went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.

 

What they said: "We're just having fun. There's a good feeling all around. There's a lot of talk about staying positive. The positives are everywhere, and the negatives aren't even there." ? Krynzel.

[Mass Haas]

No minor league matinees Monday, look for Monday's Link Report to kick off this afternoon.

[Mass Haas]

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www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/200604178/

 

West Virginia Power avoids sweep with late rally

Jack Bogaczyk

Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor

 

To use an Easter analogy, the West Virginia Power spent most of Sunday afternoon searching and searching at Appalachian Power Park, before finally finding the eggs.

 

After wasting numerous opportunities earlier in the South Atlantic League game, the Power rallied with a two-run bottom of the eighth for a 4-3 victory over Lexington, salvaging the finale of a three-game set.

 

"The key point to me was after Lexington had taken the lead, we battled and came out successful," Power Manager Mike Guerrero said.

 

"We're a young team in this league, and we're learning, and winning a game like this is important."

 

In the first six innings, the Charleston club had a 2-2 tie, but had struck out five times and hit into a double play with runners in scoring position.

 

"It's part of the game; it's going to happen," Guerrero said.

 

"What matters is we got it done. We're getting the hang of this."

 

Nate Yoho's deep sacrifice fly to left-center produced the winning run, after a clutch Ryan Crew double had tied the score. West Virginia's comeback followed the Legends' lead-taking top of the eighth, when Koby Clemens' two-out single to right produced a lead for Lexington (8-3).

 

Guerrero could have pulled Yoho for a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded, avoiding a lefty-lefty matchup, after Lexington Manager Jack Lind had gone to southpaw Scott Sarver out of the bullpen.

 

"I didn't even consider it," Guerrero said.

 

"Yoho has been swinging the bat well. He had the key at-bat in the game there."

 

Batting eighth in the order for the Power (5-6), the right-fielder seemed as unlikely a game-decider as how he got into the Milwaukee farm system early last July as a free agent signee.

 

That was only after his senior season at home-state Iowa, a fourth tryout camp where Brewers Midwest scouting supervisor Harvey Kuenn Jr. liked him, and a tip from Power investor Tim Wilcox of Charleston.

 

Wilcox formerly worked with Yoho's uncle, Frank, in the oil and gas business in the capital city.

 

"I think they first met on a golf course," Nate Yoho said Sunday.

 

Frank Yoho, who works for Piedmont Gas in North Carolina, mentioned to Wilcox that his nephew had gone undrafted after a college career that included a second team All-Big Ten junior season with the Hawkeyes.

 

Wilcox buttonholed Brewer player development chief Reid Nichols about the former Iowa star early last season.

 

Kuenn checked out Yoho at a camp in Beloit, Wis.

 

Now, Yoho -- batting .292 for the Power -- plays for a club in which Wilcox is an investor.

 

"I just wanted an opportunity," said Yoho, who batted .298 in the Arizona Rookie League last summer before finishing with a four-game Power advancement.

 

"Harvey said he was sending me a plane ticket on July 7. I was gone to Arizona the next morning."

 

Among the top four in the West Virginia batting order, Darren Ford, Lorenzo Cain and Mat Gamel were a combined 7-for-10, but the Power had little to show for it until Gamel drew a one-out walk in the eighth.

 

Kenny Holmberg singled to left before the double by Crew, who's batting a solid .278 and has only two errors at short.

 

After Lexington walked Ned Yost intentionally to load the bases, Yoho went deep enough.

 

Power newcomer Joe Thatcher pitched the ninth for his first save, and Ronny Malave (1-0) got the win despite allowing that eighth-inning Legend run -- the first the Venezuelan right-hander has permitted in 8 2/3 innings this season.

 

POWER PLUGS: Sunday's game was the 101st between the neighboring SAL franchises since Lexington joined the league in 2001. The Power/Alley Cats are 44-57 against Lexington ... After an off day today, West Virginia heads on a seven-game road swing to Hagerstown (four games) and Lexington ... The Easter attendance was only 1,494, the smallest crowd for the Power this season ... The Power had 12 hits from a lineup in which only catcher Angel Salome (0-for-4) didn't reach base ... Leadoff man Ford, who came into the game with one hit in his last 14 at-bats, went 3-for-4.