Link Report for Tue. 9/13 -- Let the Finals Begin (Twice)

[JoeHova]

will Nelson Cruz be called up after the playoffs? He sure deserves to be. Rivera does too, but they'd have to dump someone from the 40 man (although, if Cruz came up, Magruder would never have to daarken the Brewers doorstep again...).

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 8, Tacoma (Mariners) 6

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

Link for action photo of Nelson Cruz, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1806

 

Sounds Blast Way To 8-6 Win In Finals Opener

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds blasted five home runs, including two each by outfielder Nelson Cruz and designated hitter Tony Zuniga as well as back-to-back-to-back shots in the fourth inning, as part of a 12-hit barrage en route to an 8-6 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers in the opener of the best-of-five Pacific Coast League Championship Series.

 

The teams combined for eight longballs on the evening as the PCL finals got off to a booming start in Music City.

 

Tacoma jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Abraham Nunez plated Shin-Soo Choo with a sacrifice fly and catcher Wiki Gonzalez followed with his second roundtripper of the postseason, a solo shot to left off Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson.

 

Cruz put the Sounds on the board in the home half of the second when he crushed a Bobby Livingston offering off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left center to cut the Rainiers lead to 2-1. The blast, Cruz?s second of the playoffs, was Nashville?s eighth ?guitar shot? of the season.

 

Nashville grabbed a 4-2 lead in the fourth when Zuniga, Cruz, and catcher Mike Rivera slugged three consecutive homers off Livingston. Zuniga and Cruz?s shots came on back-to-back pitches from the southpaw before Rivera took him the other way for his first tater of the postseason.

 

The Rainiers answered right back with some firepower of their own in the top of the fifth, tying the contest when Justin Leone took Hendrickson deep for a two-run shot to left-center, the infielder?s second homer of the postseason.

 

Zuniga gave the Sounds the lead for good in the bottom of the frame when he left the yard for the second time on the evening, touching Livingston for a two-run shot to left that plated Vinny Rottino for a 6-4 lead.

 

Tacoma center fielder T.J. Bohn greeted Sounds reliever Brett Evert, who opened the season with the Rainiers, by smashing the right-hander?s first pitch of the sixth inning out of the ballpark to make it a 6-5 contest.

 

A two-out Nashville rally in the bottom of the frame netted a pair of runs courtesy of Steve Scarborough?s run-scoring double and a Trent Durrington RBI knock. Tacoma closed out the evening?s scoring with a two-out run of their own, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera?s single that brought home Hunter Brown.

 

Hendrickson (1-0) picked up the victory after allowing four runs, three on homers, over his five innings of work. Livingston (0-1), who entered the contest having given up only nine home runs over 168 innings during the 2005 season, took the loss after serving up five longballs and surrendering six runs on eight hits over his five frames of work.

 

Mike Adams, who allowed a pair of hits before retiring the potential go-ahead run in the person of Brown to end it, earned his first save of the playoffs by working a scoreless ninth.

 

The teams meet again at Greer Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening for the second game of the PCL Championship Series. Lefthander Tommy Phelps (0-1, 2.84) mans the bump for Nashville to face Tacoma righthander Jesse Foppert (1-0, 5.40).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=44372

 

Cruz, Zuniga power Sounds to victory

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

Tonight will be Nashville?s last game at Greer Stadium for 2005. The Sounds are heading out of Music City on a high note.

 

Nashville treated 4,091 fans to an impressive offensive display, blasting five home runs and downing Tacoma 8-6 in Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series. Nashville is now two wins away from the league crown.

 

Nelson Cruz and Tony Zuniga each hit two home runs to lead the charge for Nashville. Five home runs in the game ties a season high for the team.

 

?Obviously I didn?t expect five home runs,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?[Cruz and Zuniga] can hit home runs, we know that.?

 

Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson got off to a stumbling start, surrendering two runs in the first.

 

Cruz cut the lead in half with a guitar-shot home run, which hit the scoreboard in left center.

 

In the fourth inning, the middle of the Sounds batting order teed off on Tacoma starter Bobby Livingston. Zuniga, Cruz and Mike Rivera hit back-to-back-to-back homers. Zuniga and Cruz each hit towering blasts, which jumped out of the park.

 

The homers gave the Sounds a 4-2 lead. It was a lead, however, which didn?t last long.

 

The Rainiers got to Hendrickson again in the fifth, when Justin Leone hit a two-run homer, tying the game at four apiece.

 

Like Cruz, Zuniga had Livingston?s number. He jettisoned a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning. Cruz said he?s faced Livingston throughout his minor league career. Livingston bested Cruz in Class A ball, but the Sounds right fielder won the battle Tuesday.

 

?That?s sweet,? Cruz said of the home runs. ?We tried to get close to the plate [in the batter?s box] to get a good swing.?

 

Hendrickson didn?t have his best stuff. He scattered nine hits over five innings of work, allowing four runs but earned the win thanks to the offense.

 

Tacoma?s offense was as good as Kremblas expected it to be, hammering 15 hits and three homers, which were extremely well-hit, just like the Sounds? long balls.

 

?All the home runs tonight were absolutely crushed,? Tacoma?s T.J. Bohn said. ?They put some good swings on the ball.?

 

Mike Adams worked the ninth to earn the save for Nashville. Tommy Phelps takes the mound tonight for the Sounds.

 

***

Link for additional game photos while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Power surge gives Sounds victory in Game 1

Five HRs help beat Tacoma in opener

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

A game that started out as a slugfest still boiled down to manufacturing runs.

 

The Nashville Sounds were successful enough at both areas to defeat visiting Tacoma 8-6 in the opening game of the Pacific Coast League best-of-five championship series last night.

 

Nashville hit five of the game's eight home runs and grabbed a 6-5 lead behind its power surge, but Steve Scarborough's RBI double and ensuing run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the contest.

 

"You need every run you can get," said Sounds catcher Mike Rivera, who hit the third of consecutive solo homers in the fourth inning, following Tony Zuniga and Nelson Cruz.

 

"They're an aggressive team, a good hitting team, and they showed that. When we scored, they scored, too. They didn't get their heads down. We've got to keep it coming."

 

While enjoying the early 1-0 series lead, the Sounds are aware that Tacoma advanced into the championship series by winning three consecutive games at Sacramento after falling behind 2-0 in the divisional series.

 

"Considering they were down 0-2 and won three straight on the road, this is especially big, since we've got to go to their place for three," said Zuniga, who had a fourth-inning homer and another in the fifth, a two-run shot that put Nashville ahead 6-4.

 

Cruz matched Zuniga's two-homer night, putting Nashville on the scoreboard with a solo shot in the second inning after Tacoma went up 2-0 with Wiki Gonzalez's two-run homer in the first.

 

The fourth-inning flurry gave the Sounds a 4-2 lead, but Tacoma tied the game again on Justin Leone's two-run shot off Nashville starter Ben Hendrickson.

 

"Ben didn't have bad stuff," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "But he threw too many strikes. He got ahead, but the pitches he threw when he was ahead were a little too hittable.

 

"They've got guys that can swing the bat. We just wanted to make sure we didn't walk people in front of the guys that can hit home runs. We only walked two, and only one of those scored."

 

The Rainiers scored in the eighth and put the tying runs on base in the ninth before Mike Adams induced a game-ending ground ball from Hunter Brown.

 

What they said: "That's one of those things that doesn't happen often, but it happened (last night) and we needed it." ? Zuniga, after the Sounds' third five-homer game of the season.

 

Maurice Patton covers the Sounds for The Tennessean. He can be reached at mopatton@tennessean.com.

 

Nashville Box Score:

Michael Garciaparra, a Mariner disappointment prior to this year, spent the year at high-A, and got a AAA assignment for the playoffs -- pinch-runner here...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Tony Zuniga's 1st Homer --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...209-13.mp3

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...9-13-2.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Orem (Angels) 6, Helena 3

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...405_01.txt

 

Owlz fly by Brewers in opener

By IR Staff

 

The old cliche that defense wins championships played out in the first game of the Pioneer League championship series on Tuesday with the Orem Owlz taking a 6-3 win from the Helena Brewers.

 

The Owlz - winners of the South Division second half crown with a 20-18 record - led the Pioneer League with a 4.16 ERA this season and that pitching depth paid off against the Brewers' stout offensive lineup in the opening game.

 

Angel Salome homered to lead off the second inning for a 1-0 Helena lead, but that was the Brewers' only lead of the night.

 

Orem answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run home run by Flint Wipke off Helena starter David Welch.

 

The Owlz added two more in the fourth for a 4-2 lead after Helena had tied it in the third.

 

The Brewers cut their deficit to 4-3 in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Mat Gamel that drove in Kenny Holmberg, but Orem added two runs in the seventh to take the series lead.

 

Helena came into the championship series with a league-best .309 team batting average, but managed just six hits off four Owlz pitchers in the loss.

 

The Brewers got to Orem starter Robert Mosebach for two runs on five hits and a walk in five innings, but only got two hits off three Owlz pitchers over the final four innings.

 

Orem relievers Richard Aldridge and Kevin Lynch combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings and gave up just one hit and walked one while striking out four.

 

Holmberg was the only Brewer to have a multi-hit game while five Owlz had two hits in the game.

 

Welch gave up six hits and four earned runs before being chased from the game after three innings.

 

The two teams will meet Thursday in Helena at 7 p.m. (8:00 Central) with a third game scheduled for Friday at Kindrick Field if necessary.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.heraldextra.com/modul...;sid=64262

 

From the Provo Daily Herald:

 

The biggest problem with Hainley Statia's two-out walk and Dallas Morris' two-out single in the seventh inning for the Helena Brewers was that meant Orem Owlz first baseman Mark Trumbo would get an at-bat with men on base.

 

Trumbo leads the team in home runs and doubles and on Tuesday night he made the Helena Brewers pay by doubling in a pair of runs to help Orem hold off Helena 6-3 and take a 1-0 lead in the opening game of the Pioneer League championship series in Orem.

 

"In that situation, I was just looking for something over the plate," Trumbo said. "It wasn't a bad pitch. It was a fastball that was down, but caught part of the plate. I just went with it to right center and the rest is history."

 

After Statia drew a walk off Helena pitcher Robbie Wooley, the Brewers made a pitching change. But Morris kept the rally going when he greeted Helena reliever Dane Renkert with a sharp single to left.

 

Trumbo then delivered the biggest hit of the game when he doubled in the right-center gap to drive in both runs and give Orem a 6-3 lead.

 

The Owlz continued the inning with walks to Flint Wipke and Brett Martinez, but Renkart fanned Billy Boyer on a 3-2 count to end the inning.

 

The inning was over, and so was the game. Giving Orem closer Kevin Lynch a 3-run cushion is usually a death sentence. Lynch finished off the Brewers by pitching the final two innings of scoreless relief to his 10th save of the year. He struck out two and gave up just one hit to preserve the win.

 

"They had their three best hitters coming up (in the eighth inning) so why not use him then. Why wait 'till the ninth," said Orem manager Tom Kotchman. "You never have enough breathing room with that club, not with their bats."

 

Orem can now repeat as Pioneer League champions if the Owlz can beat Helena on either Thursday or Friday in Helena in the best-of-three series.

 

"We haven't done anything yet," Kotchman added. "It's two out of three. We'll have to bring our long johns and our gloves because it's going to be cold."

 

Orem broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Trumbo led off the inning with a single. Wipke followed with a single and Martinez doubled in a run. Stantrel Smith drove in the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

 

Helena, the North Division champs, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Angel Salome hit a solo home run.

 

Orem answered in the second when Trumbo walked and Flint Wipke continued to swing a hot bat. He hit a two-run homer to right center.

 

Helena answered with a run in the third when Brad Willcutt reached base on an infield single and took second on a ground ball from Michael Brantley. He advanced to third on a fly ball from Darren Ford and scored on a Ryan Crew single.

 

Kenny Holmberg was the only Brewer player to have multiple hits. He had two of Helena's six hits. In addition to Trumbo's 2-for-3 night, Morris, Martinez and Brad Coon all had two hits for Orem to help make a winner out of Orem starter Robert Mosebach, who pitched five innings and gave up four hits and two runs for Orem.

 

Helena Box Score:

Angel Salome again at DH...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_orerok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_orerok_1

 

Photo courtesy Deseret News - Helena Brewers' center fielder Darren Ford watches as Orem shortstop Hainley Statia turns a double play in the fifth inning of game one of the Pineer League Championship series on Tuesday. Helena lost to Orem 6-3.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2005/09/14/sports_top/b01091405_01.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Photos by ERIC PARSONS/THE (NASHVILLE) TENNESSEAN

Nashville shortstop Steve Scarborough, top, bobbles the throw as Tacoma?s Abraham Nuñez steals second base in the fifth inning of the Sounds? victory Tuesday night.

 

http://www.thenewstribune.com/images/unisys-images/20050914-images/SPT0914_RAINIERS_P1.JPG

 

Nashville?s Tony Zuniga connects for his second home run of the game ? this one in the fifth inning.

 

http://www.thenewstribune.com/images/unisys-images/20050914-images/SPT0914_RAINIERS_P2.JPG