Link Report for Games of Thursday, September 8th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All starts Central Time --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime -- Sounds lead the best-of-five series, 1-0

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Helena: TBD at home vs. Great Falls (White Sox), 8:05 PM Central; sorry, no audio for this series...

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_orhaaa_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 22 15 .595 - 10-8 12-7 L1[/b] Billings 20 17 .541 2.0 11-7 9-10 W3 Missoula 20 17 .541 2.0 12-7 8-10 L3 Great Falls 16 21 .432 6.0 9-10 7-11 W1

Stats and League Leaders, USA Today (or go to MILB.com):

 

www.usatoday.com/sports/b.../index.htm

[H0FFY]

Again, like yesterday, if anyone can post hightlights or inning by inning, I appreciate.

 

Mass, the updates on the boxscores are really often far behind. For example, yesterday I think the Helena score was stuck in the top of the 6th or 7th for about 40 min with the same guy at bat... then suddenly it was the top of the nineth and oddles of scoring had happened. None of it documented on the box score updates...

 

This is what I often find (I sit at work so refresh about every 20 mins) and sometimes three refreshes (45 min or so) can result in no movement in the game.

[brewcru1]

Middle of the 3rd. Oklahoma leads 1-0

[Mass Haas]

Ben has pitched pretty well through three -- the Redhawks' hits have been scratch, and Ben's pitched out of trouble -- leadoff man on in each of the first three innings thus far, he can't keep doing that.

[brewcru1]

Through six, it's tied at 2.

[colbyjack]

Nashville scores a run in the top of the 7th, 3-2 Sounds.

 

I wanted to point out that Ryan Marion started tonight's game for the H-Crew, which should mean that Will Inman is slated to piggy-back tonight, unless Helena is saving him for game one of the playoffs, which may not be a bad idea.

[DKM4Boston]

Neither Stetter nor Adams can retire a batter, 5 runs score, and suddenly Oklahoma is up 7-3.

[H0FFY]

I am forming the opinion that only Bennett down there has a future. We grabbed everyone else already to Milwaukee. Seems we got 2 or 3 relievers out of that mob, but no starters. Should I count the low 3 era Helling. If that guy comes through for a year or two, Doug is a double genius.

[DHonks]

Sure would be nice if Adams, Hendrickson, and Housman regroup next year and return to pre-2005 form

[NlGHTWlNG]

It's hard to give up on Adams. He did so well last year, that his return to form should be expected. Housman, on the other hand, I don't trust. His "dominance"(if I can say that) ended at AA last year, and I can't see him bringing it back, unless it's a mechanical thing.

 

I'll always be in Hendrickson's corner, though.

 

Back on topic. I would have liked to see Prince or Hart sent down for this series...for that matter Magruder. I'm not a big "winning is important" guy, but it would be nice if some semblance of the team stayed intact. Tough loss.

[GoodGod262]

Looks like I am gonna have to hire Dave Krynzel to be my home cooling engine. Does he strikeout looking or swinging more?

 

Enough with the humor it is too bad he can't draw walks.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 7, Nashville 5, best-of-five series tied at 1-1

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

OKLAHOMA CITY ? The Oklahoma RedHawks scored five runs against the Nashville bullpen in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally for a 7-5 victory over the Sounds on Thursday evening at SBC Bricktown Ballpark, evening the best-of-five American Conference Finals at one game apiece.

 

Esteban German ? who paced the Oklahoma offense with a 2-for-3, three-RBI effort ? gave the RedHawks their first lead of the series when he plated Drew Meyer with a two-out RBI single off Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson in the bottom of the first inning.

 

Nashville tied it at 1-1 in the top of the fifth when Trent Durrington delivered his first hit of the postseason, a bases-loaded single up the middle that plated Warren Morris. Julio Mosquera, who broke up Music City native R.A. Dickey?s no-hitter with a single earlier in the frame, was thrown out at the plate by Oklahoma center fielder Ruddy Yan while trying to score a second run on the knock.

 

Morris, who made his career postseason debut in the contest, put the Sounds ahead by a 2-1 count in the sixth with a two-out RBI single to left off Dickey, bringing home Tony Zuniga, who opened the frame with a double.

 

Former Sound Keith McDonald quickly re-tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI single to left off Hendrickson.

 

Dave Krynzel belted Nashville?s first home run of the playoffs in the top of the seventh, a one-out solo shot to right off Dickey, to put the visitors ahead by a 3-2 count.

 

The RedHawks rallied once again in their half of the inning, this time against the Nashville bullpen. The first six batters in the frame reached base safely as neither Mitch Stetter nor Mike Adams could retire a batter as Oklahoma pulled ahead 7-3 with a five-run outburst.

 

Oklahoma loaded the bases as the first three batters reached against Stetter, the third of which ? Chris Richard ? when the hurler mishandled his sacrifice bunt. Adams relieved the southpaw and Jason Botts blooped his first offering into center to tie the game at 3-3. German followed with a two-run double to the wall in left-center, giving the RedHawks a 5-3 lead. Rashad Eldridge followed with a single to right that plated two more and extended the advantage to 7-3. Mike Meyers, slated to start the fifth game of the series for Nashville, was summoned to stop the bleeding and recorded three outs without further damage.

 

Morris pulled the Sounds within a pair in the eighth when he crushed a two-out, two-run homer to left field off Oklahoma reliever Kevin Gryboski. Nelson Cruz, who preceded Morris? at-bat with a single for his first hit of the postseason, scored on the roundtripper.

 

Dickey (1-0), who left the contest on the short end of a 3-2 score, picked up his first victory in three starts against the Sounds this season following the late five-run outburst by the RedHawks offense. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits in his seven frames. Stetter (0-1) failed to retire any of the three batters he faced in the decisive bottom of the seventh and was dealt the loss. Jose Veras closed out the contest for Oklahoma to pick up his first save of the postseason.

 

Hendrickson took a no-decision after leaving with a 3-2 lead. The right-hander tossed his 11th quality start of the season, allowing two runs over his six innings of work.

 

The action shifts to Nashville for the remainder of the best-of-five series. The teams resume competition at 7:00 p.m. CT Friday evening at Greer Stadium in game three.

 

Nashville left-hander Tommy Phelps (1-0, 1.13) takes the hill to face RedHawks right-hander Josh Rupe (6-7, 6.25).

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_orhaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_orhaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Great Falls (White Sox) 6, Helena 1

 

Link while active, text follows --

 

www.helenair.com/articles...905_03.txt

 

White Sox down Brewers

By TOM STUBER - IR Sports Writer

 

The Helena Brewers nearly got skunked in their final regular season game, but their shortstop Michael Bell did however get punked.

 

The Brewers were 6-1 losers to the Great Falls White Sox, but the highlight of the night came midway through the game during one of the Brewers' interactive fan promotions.

 

Borrowing a page from MTV's program, "Punk'd", a pair of contestants threw baseballs through a tire, while Bell's shiny black pickup was wheeled onto the field.

 

The PA announcer told the crowd that the winner of the contest would be driving home in a pickup donated by the Brewers. Winner Ross Johnson played the part well as he lept around the field with arms raised in triumph.

 

Bell, meanwhile, was none too amused.

 

"Yeah, they think we gave it away," Bell said as he shook his head at what he believed to be the foolishness of it all.

 

"They told me they needed to move my truck because it was blocking something, so I gave them the keys. I knew they were just messing with me."

 

Adding insult to injury, Bell was 0-for-4 in a game few will remember.

 

The White Sox pounced on Helena for three runs in the first inning spurred by the base running of Evan Tartaglia, who led off with a walk, then stole second and third before scoring.

 

Tartaglia went to steal two more bases for four on the night. He scored two runs.

 

Great Falls scored two more in the fourth, then Rolando Acosta belted a solo homer in the seventh to cap off the scoring.

 

"We haven't really played to our potential the last 10 games," Bell added. "We need to come out and get after in Billings."

 

The Brewers travel to Billings today to start the Northern Division playoff series. Helena got a boost when Angel Salome, the league MVP, came back for the playoffs on Thursday.

 

"It's good to have some players back," Bell said. "It'll make our bench deeper and give us some role players."

 

Salome, who hit .417 on the season had one hit in four at-bats. He finished the year with eight homers and 50 RBI.

 

The playoffs will come to Helena on Saturday with game two. If necessary, a third and deciding game will be played on Sunday.

 

Helena Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Players Chat With Starting Pitcher Gary Glover:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%209-8.mp3

 

AUDIO: Warren Morris' Two-Run HR:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%209-8.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=44273

 

RedHawks down Sounds, pull even

 

The Nashville Sounds unraveled in the bottom of the seventh inning and dropped Game 2 of the PCL American Playoffs 7-5 to host Oklahoma.

 

The series is now tied 1-1 and will be decided in Music City. The third game of the series is Friday at 7 p.m. at Greer Stadium and Game 4 will take place Saturday at 6 p.m.

 

Nashville held a tenuous 3-2 lead heading into the bottom half of the seventh, but was failed by its bullpen. Lefty Mitch Stetter came in and allowed three runs, two earned, while not retiring a single RedHawk batter. Stetter?s unearned run came as a result of his own fielding error. In addition to that error, Nelson Cruz committed an error in right that allowed a run to score.

 

?We?ll take [the split] but [it?s] not what we were looking for coming in here tonight obviously,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?We messed up really bad in one inning and that was the difference in the game. We gave them a lot of extra chances and they took advantage of them, which is what a good team does.?

 

Stetter left with the bases loaded and was spelled by Mike Adams, who fared no better. Jason Botts and Esteban German each notched RBI hits in the inning off Adams. Before it was over, Adams had also allowed two earned runs.

 

The Sounds had taken the lead in the top half of the inning when center fielder Dave Krynzel hit a solo homer to right field.

 

The loss spoiled a strong pitching effort by Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson, who left with the score tied at two apiece after six innings of work.

 

Warren Morris paced the Sounds offense. He finished with three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the eighth.

 

Nashville native R.A. Dickey scattered six hits for three runs over seven innings for Oklahoma.

 

Nashville will turn to Tommy Phelps for the start Friday. Phelps has pitched well for Nashville, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA over the course of five games, including four starts.