Link Report Monday 4/10 -- Watch The Sounds Live

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Box Score:

Inauspicious Nashville debut for LHP Justin Thompson; veteran RHP Wilton Chavez followed up nicely, though...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

Former Brewer farmhand Jeff Deardorff with a pinch-hit strikeout; eight hits but only one walk drawn by the Sounds...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

[Paulus88]

I was at the sounds game tonite and it was rpetty obvious that Thompson didn't have he was behind everyone and the grand slam by Pie was a result of a bad pitch sequence (acoording to the pitching coach, who was using it to explain what not to do to Demaria and Stetter). Chavez really kepot the Cubs off balance it seemed but the radar gun was so horribly off it was useless to find out how hard he was throwing.

 

Mike Adams pitched well but only for an inning

 

The sounds bats were mostly stifled by some good pitching, however some things I noticed

 

-The wind was blowing out on Rottino's homer but that ball was still crushed

 

-Nelson Cruz stung the ball early and did some good situational hitting later (sac fly unlike the Brewers today)

 

- Brad Nelson looked lost to me

 

That's all that strikles me now

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, then text --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=779

 

Stars Explode on Offense and Rough Up Braves

 

Jeff Eure?s two-out, three-run double in the third inning put the Stars ahead to stay and sparked a 12-run outburst in Huntsville?s 12-5 win over Mississippi Monday night at Trustmark Park. The Stars took three of five in the season-opening series and have won three of the four series they have played on the road against the Braves.

 

Huntsville starting pitcher Khalid Ballouli gave up three runs on four hits in the first inning in his first outing of the year and started what turned out to be the winning rally with a leadoff single in the third inning. Callix Crabbe drew the first of his three walks before Daniel Curtis struck out Drew Anderson and Steve Moss, who fanned eight times in the series. Adam Heether followed with a base hit to right field to drive in Ballouli and knock in his first run of the season. Ron Acuna walked to keep the inning going and Eure followed by ripping a double into left field to plate all three runners to put the visitors on top, 4-3. Anderson delivered a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning to push the advantage to 6-3. The Stars had squandered nine hits and five walks in Sunday?s 3-1 loss and had left 12 runners on base.

 

Huntsville tacked on two runs in the seventh, three in the eighth and another in the ninth in piling up a season-high in runs and hits, with 17. Every position player had at least one hit and the Stars collected at least one hit in every inning and stranded at least one runner in every frame. Crabbe finished with two hits, two runs scored and two knocked in, while Acuna collected three hits, scored twice and walked two times for a third straight game. The Stars had totaled 24 hits in the first four games and had compiled a .188 team average before Monday?s outburst. ?We swung the bats well tonight. We took advantage of all the walks and some mistakes and got the big hits that we needed. Ballouli settled down nicely after the first inning,? said manager Don Money.

 

Ballouli blanked the Braves over his next three innings of work and finished with four strikeouts and a walk. Matt Yeatman tossed two scoreless frames to record the win in relief and Joe Winkelsas was one out away from recording a save before being lifted with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth. Gerrit Simpson retired Carl Loadenthal on a come-backer with one pitch to end the game.

 

The Stars return home to open up a five-game set Tuesday night with right-hander Carlos Villanueva taking the hill for the home opener against Birmingham left-hander (and former Brewer draft pick -- unsigned) Ray Liotta. 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.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio with RHP Brett Evert:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-10.wma

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link, then text --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1895

 

Sounds Fall Io Iowa, 7-6 In 11 Innings

 

DES MOINES ? Chicago Cubs top prospect Felix Pie, who had already belted a grand slam in the contest, produced a game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead the Iowa Cubs to a 7-6 win over the Nashville Sounds on Monday evening at Principal Park in the opener of a four-game series.

 

All four of the Sounds? losses this season have come when the opponent scores the winning run in its final at-bat. The contest was Nashville?s second extra-inning affair in the club?s first five games.

 

Jamal Strong opened the Iowa eleventh by getting hit by an Allan Simpson pitch. Buck Coats followed with a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled by Sounds catcher Mike Rivera, allowing the second baseman to reach safely.

 

Nashville skipper Frank Kremblas summoned shortstop Chris Barnwell ? who threw 4 2/3 scoreless relief innings for the Sounds in 2005 ? to the mound to face the next I-Cubs hitter, pinch-hitter Augie Ojeda. Ojeda laid down a bunt back to Barnwell but the throw to third was late, loading the bases for Pie. The 21-year-old hammered a ball off the wall in left-center, giving the Cubs their fourth straight victory.

 

David Aardsma (1-0) picked up the victory after working two hitless innings with four strikeouts, while Simpson (0-2) took his second loss of the year after being charged with the game-winning run.

 

The Sounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Vinny Rottino?s first home run of the season, a two-out solo shot off Iowa starter Rich Hill in the top of the first inning.

 

AUDIO: Vinny Rottino's 1st-Inning HR:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-10.wma

 

Nashville doubled the lead in the second when Rivera stole home as part of a double steal against Hill. Barnwell stole second on the play.

 

Pie put the home team ahead in the bottom of the inning with a two-out grand slam off Sounds starter Justin Thompson. The blast, which spotted Iowa a 4-2 lead, was the outfielder?s first of the year and came after a costly walk to Hill, who rallied from a 1-2 count against Thompson to draw the free pass.

 

Ryan Theriot followed Pie?s blast with a single to chase Thompson, who lasted only 1 2/3 innings and surrendered five runs on six hits in his Sounds debut. Cubs third baseman Casey McGehee greeted reliever Wilton Chavez with an RBI double to right to increase the Iowa advantage to 5-2.

 

Following that hit, Chavez settles down and turned in a solid relief outing for the Sounds, working 4 1/3 scoreless frames while allowing only that one hit and striking out five.

 

Iowa pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot greeted Nashville reliever Brett Evert with a solo homer to center in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. The blast, which came on a 3-1 offering, was his first of the season.

 

The Sounds rallied in the eighth, plating a pair of runs against the Iowa bullpen to make it a close game at 6-4. Dave Krynzel opened the frame with a pinch-hit single off Mark Watson and moved to third when Tony Gwynn doubled into the right field corner. Brent Abernathy followed with a routine grounder to third but McGehee?s throw was mishandled by Cubs first baseman Brandon Sing for a two-base error, allowing Krynzel to score.

 

Rottino followed with his second RBI of the contest, plating Gwynn with a sacrifice fly to left-center for the first out of the inning. Cubs closer Roberto Novoa was summoned from the bullpen and struck out Nelson Cruz then popped up Rivera to escape the jam and protect the two-run lead.

 

Nashville rallied again in the ninth, scoring two more runs to tie the contest at 6-6. With one out, Brad Nelson drew a walk and moved to second on a bloop single to right by Enrique Cruz, the infielder?s first hit of the season. Pinch-hitter Jermaine Clark drove home Nelson and moved Cruz to third with an RBI single off the top of the wall in right that was adeptly handled by Iowa rightfielder Michael Restovich.

 

Gwynn ripped a grounder up the first-base line that was gloved by Sing, who stepped on the bag for the second out of the inning. Clark got hung up in a rundown between first and second on the play but avoided the tag long enough for Cruz to score the tying run before Iowa completed the double play.

 

The teams continue their series with a 12:05 p.m. matinee on Tuesday afternoon. Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets will make a rehabilitation start for the Sounds. He is currently on the 15-day D.L. with a right posterior shoulder strain. Iowa will counter with right-hander Jae-Kuk Ryu (0-0, 1.80).

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

MAKES FOR A HAPPY BUS RIDE!

Rubber game of this series........ Khalid Ballouli is making his first appearance since a shoulder strain put him on the disabled list last July 17, and his first start since May 24. His season was marked by inconsistency, going from his debut on April 11 when he held Jacksonville scoreless on one hit to being rattled by Montgomery for 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings on May 13. Facing him is Dan Curtis, who is into his fifth season with the Greenville/Mississippi Braves. Despite that lengthy AA stay, he had faced the Stars only three times logging a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings, and winning all three times (twice in relief)........

 

But starting the game tonight and pitching the first inning was Macay McBride, on a rehab assignment by the Braves. McBrave had been idle for a month, recovering from a strained lower forearm. He's fared better in his past three appearances against the Stars (1.93 ERA, 15 Ks, 14 IP), but had never beaten them.

 

Not such a great start for Ballouli. Seen this before......... The M'Braves managed to get their first five hitters on base. An 11-pitch battle with leadoff hitter Gregor Blanco was won by Blanco when the left-hander connected with a lead-off double to the opposite way........ Martin Prado then hit a slow grounder that kicked off the heel of Ozzie Chavez's glove as he came in on the grass for it. Blanco sped in safely to third......... Yunel Escobar then punched a Ballouli curve ball past Callix Crabbe into center field scoring Blanco........ Ballouli then hit Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the back with a pitch, loading the bases. That brought pitching coach Rich Sauveur out of the dugout....... Finally, after going ahead on Dax Norris 0-and-2, the fifth straight hitter to reach base lined a single to left driving in Prado and Escobar........ Ballouli then retired the next three batters.......... Michael Rosamond struck out swinging, Onil Joseph hit into a force, and Luis Hernandez tapped the ball back to Ballouli who tossed to Eure for the 3rd out.

 

McBride gave up a leadoff single to Callix Crabbe, but retired the next three hitters and that was his night........ Lou Palmisano took the Stars out of a 1st-and-2nd, one out situation against Curtis by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play....... The Stars came into this game with a team batting average of .188. In the 3rd, the Stars battled back with the inning they had been waiting for, and it all happened with two out.

 

Khalid got the inning going with a single to left followed by a walk to Crabbe. Curtis came back to strike out Drew Anderson and Steve Moss, both swinging........ But Adam Heether, 1-for-14 to this point, came through in the clutch with a single to right, scoring Ballouli, and moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd........ Following a walk to Ron Acuna, his 5th pass in three games to load the bases, Jeff Eure, who broke an 0-for-9 drought at the plate with a single in the 2nd, ripped a line drive double on a 2-0 pitch into the left field corner, clearing the bases, giving the Stars a 4-3 lead.

 

This time, the Braves became the ones to leave the runners......... In the 4th, with runners on 2nd and 3rd, Prado hit a comebacker to Ballouli, who caught Dan Curtis leaning the wrong way at 3rd. He threw to Heether, who tagged him, and it killed the inning........ In the 5th, Michael Rosamond hit a two-out double and was stranded....... In the 6th, after the Stars found the clutch magic again in the top of the inning, the Braves got back-to-back singles with two out before Matt Yeatman struck out Escobar to end the inning.

 

Before busting the game open, the Stars got another two-out rally in the top of the 6th off Bryan Digby....... After Chavez flied out and Yeatman struck out with Palmisano on 2nd via a single and wild pitch, Crabbe, ever the patient hitter, walked........ Drew Anderson, 3-for-17 (.176), then cleared the bases with a line drive double to left to make it 6-3......... From there, the Stars turned it into a laugher.

 

Before the game, Anderson prophetically said, "All of a sudden, something will click and we'll start hitting... we're adjusting... once we get settled in, we'll be fine"......... Anderson left five runners in scoring position with two out........ In winning three of the five games of this series, the Stars collected 36 hits and drew 29 walks...... Greg Sain made his first appearance of the season in a pinch-hit role, sending a 1-2 pitch to right for the 2nd out in the Stars' 7th inning.

 

The Braves' top prospect Jarrod Saltamacchia broke an 0-for-13 start to his season by crushing a home run off Joe Winkelsas in the 9th to make it 12-4....... Gerrit Simpson got the job done on one pitch in the 9th getting Carl Loadenthal for the final out, after manager Don Money yanked Winkelsas, who gave up an RBI double to Luis Hernandez.

 

Tomorrow, everyone will get to see the guyzos at the Joe......... Carlos Villanueva will face probably Birmingham's Ray Liotta, who was a 12th round pick by the Brewers in 2001, but didn't sign. Now he's the White Sox' # 1 left-handed pitching prospect (# 8 overall by Baseball America)....... I'm looking forward to providing some better in depth reporting, for I have some vacation time coming tomorrow.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.floridatoday.com/apps...002/sports

 

Unbeaten Manatees ring up another win

Cowbells just part of home opener

BY SCOTT BROWN

FLORIDA TODAY

 

The sights of minor league baseball -- kids wearing baseball gloves in hopes of catching a foul ball and grown-ups acting like kids during various promotions -- returned to the area Monday night.

 

A decidedly unfamiliar sound accompanied the start of another Brevard County Manatees season.

 

Fans waved clanging cowbells as fervently as they cheered the home team, and they had plenty of reason to do both on a wind-blown evening at Space Coast Stadium.

 

The Manatees scored five times in the first inning and cruised to their fifth win in as many games in front of new owner Dr. Tom Winters and an announced crowd of 1,205.

 

Right fielder Freddy Parejo homered, doubled and singled as the Manatees pounded out 14 hits in pounding visiting Palm Beach, 10-3. Brevard County will try to improve to 6-0 today when it again plays host to Palm Beach at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central).

 

"We're just all having fun," said Manatees infielder Steve Sollmann, who had three hits Monday. "Guys are coming up with clutch hits and the pitching staff is doing great."

 

The Manatees sure made a favorable first impression on Winters, who heads the Orlando-based group that bought the Manatees from John Henry during the offseason.

 

Winters, who lives in Winter Park, had to call the group's president, Charlie Baumann, to get directions to Viera.

 

Once he got to the stadium, he didn't have any trouble finding his way.

 

The orthopedic surgeon met the players for the first time and enjoyed watching them from Baumann's office on the fourth floor of Space Coast Stadium.

 

Winters also made his way through the stands, introducing himself to fans and also chatting with them.

 

"This," Winters said. "is going to be fun."

 

The first 500 fans received complimentary cowbells and those (probably to the consternation of the cows that graze not too far away from the stadium) were gone well before Winters tossed out the first ceremonial pitch.

 

Brevard County's bats were the only thing that made more noise than the bells.

 

The Manatees scored eight times before the fourth inning, chasing Palm Beach starting pitcher Mitchell Boggs.

 

The offensive display couldn't have been called an outburst since the Manatees had scored 30 runs in their previous four games -- all wins -- at Daytona.

 

Three of the nine hitters in Brevard's starting lineup entered Monday's game with batting averages of at least .444.

 

"We're a young team and we're making things happen," said outfielder Travis Ezi, who spent most of 2005 with the Manatees. "I think the difference between this year and last year is we have a lot more speed."

 

Brevard County doesn't appear to be lacking for anything right now.

 

Its fast start, manager Ramon Aviles said, can be traced to how the team played and paid attention to detail during spring training.

 

Aviles told his young players that how they performed during exhibition play would carry over to the season.

 

Think they listened to him?

 

Brevard County hasn't beaten teams as much as it has bludgeoned them.

 

After Monday night's win, the Manatees had outscored their opponents 40-15

 

"I'm a strong believer that when you play good it's contagious and when you play bad it's contagious," Sollmann said.

 

Enthusiasm seemed to be contagious as fans steadily streamed through the main gate at Space Coast Stadium. Some happily collected their cowbells and looked for a seat while others first stopped to write down the starting lineups on a scorecard and take part in a timeless baseball tradition.

 

Andre Nunez recently relocated his family from New York City to Viera, and he had only seen Space Coast Stadium from afar.

 

It had just what the former season-ticket holder for both the Yankees and Mets needed: baseball for him and enough diversions, including a play area with inflatable toys, for his 11-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son.

 

"I'm surprised," Nunez said. "I didn't think it was this big. It's a beautiful stadium."

 

One that has a pretty good looking team these days too.

[Mass Haas]

Braun, Jones, Fermaint, Escobar and Sollman featured in this nice photo gallery from Opening Day:

 

www.floridatoday.com/apps...s=Itemnr=1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Power hands Hoppers first loss of season

By Jeff Carlton

Greensboro News & Record Staff Writer

 

GREENSBORO -- Agustin Septimo probably knew the visiting team better than his own Monday night.

 

The Grasshoppers' 21-year-old shortstop certainly had a good feel for how West Virginia Power reliever Wilfrido Laureano would pitch him in a pivotal eighth-inning at-bat.

 

"I focus for him. I know how he pitches," Septimo said. "I said, 'Hey, he's throwing me fastballs,' because I've known him for three years."

 

That's how long the two Dominicans were together in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system before the Florida Marlins selected Septimo in the Rule 5 minor-league draft last winter.

 

Laureano got the better of Septimo this time, enticing a pop-up to shortstop with a high, 3-1 fastball for the final out. The tying runs were stranded in scoring position, and the Grasshoppers fell 2-0 to the Power. It was their first loss after a 4-0 start to the season.

 

Greensboro's four-game sweep of Hagerstown featured outstanding hitting throughout the lineup. The Hoppers posted a collective .345 batting average, and Septimo was a major part of the offensive fun, going 7-for-17 with a triple and a home run.

 

Septimo didn't have the eye-popping series that Gabriel Sanchez (three homers, 10 RBIs) or Andy Jenkins (two homers, 8 RBIs) had, but Greensboro manager Brandon Hyde was happy to have him coming to the plate with Jared Gaston at third base, Matt Kutler at second and two outs.

 

"He's got gap power right now, which shows you that he can leave (the ballpark)," Hyde said of a player who totaled seven home runs in his four years in the Brewers organization. "He comes up aggressively, swings aggressively, gives himself a chance."

 

This time, Hyde said, "he just got underneath one."

 

Earlier, the energetic Septimo showed why the Marlins coveted his glovework at shortstop. He ranged nicely to his right to stab Darren Ford's line drive in the second inning. An inning later, he dove to stop Angel Salome's smash up the middle, quickly picking himself up to get a force at second base.

 

His throw to first skidded by Sanchez, erasing the double-play opportunity. Septimo rushed the throw knowing from their time together that Salome ran very well for a catcher.

 

He now knows how volatile Sanchez's bat can be after seeing his Greensboro teammate smash three game-winning home runs in the past week. When Sanchez came to the plate in the ninth with Jeff Van Houten at first, Septimo was upbeat.

 

"I said, 'One more time, one more time,' " Septimo said. "Everybody was saying, 'Oh, one more.' "

 

Not this time, though. Sanchez struck out, and the Hoppers were shut out on five hits.