Link Report for Monday 9/5 -- Stars and Power Lose Finales

Our thanks to Brett Pollock and Bryan Neece in Huntsville and Andy "Bull" Barch in West Virginia, and their technical staffs, for the coverage they provided in 2005. It was a great and welcome surprise to have the Power add web broadcasts to our Daily Menu's.

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

Follow Monday's action as it happens:

Nashville:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Huntsville:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

West Virginia:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

Helena:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 75 68 .524 - 36-35 39-33 W4[/b] Omaha 72 71 .503 3.0 35-37 37-34 L2 Memphis 70 72 .493 4.5 38-33 32-39 L1 Iowa 64 74 .464 8.5 39-31 25-43 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 38 31 .551 - 22-13 16-18 W2 Carolina 36 30 .545 0.5 21-13 15-17 L4 [b]Huntsville 31 38 .449 7.0 14-18 17-20 L1[/b] Tennessee 30 39 .435 8.0 17-17 13-22 L1 Chattanooga 25 41 .379 11.5 16-20 9-21 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 39 31 .557 - 18-16 21-15 L2 Vero Beach 37 30 .552 0.5 21-14 16-16 W2 [b]Brevard County 37 31 .544 1.0 16-17 21-14 W1[/b] St. Lucie 36 33 .522 2.5 17-16 19-17 L2 Daytona 34 34 .500 4.0 22-15 12-19 L1 Jupiter 29 38 .433 8.5 19-16 10-22 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 42 26 .618 - 22-9 20-17 W2 Lexington 39 29 .574 3.0 20-15 19-14 L1 [b]West Virginia 35 32 .522 6.5 18-15 17-17 W4[/b] Hickory 32 35 .478 9.5 18-14 14-21 W1 Lake County 31 36 .463 10.5 14-20 17-16 L8 Greensboro 31 37 .456 11.0 14-19 17-18 L2 Lakewood 30 38 .441 12.0 19-21 11-17 L2 Hagerstown 28 38 .424 13.0 15-17 13-21 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 20 14 .588 - 9-7 11-7 L3[/b] Missoula 20 14 .588 - 12-6 8-8 W4 Billings 17 17 .500 3.0 9-7 8-10 L1 Great Falls 15 19 .441 5.0 9-9 6-10 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 18 10 .643 - 8-6 10-4 L1 AZL Athletics 17 11 .607 1.0 10-5 7-6 L1 AZL Mariners 17 11 .607 1.0 10-5 7-6 L3 AZL Rangers 15 13 .536 3.0 8-7 7-6 W1 AZL Royals 15 13 .536 3.0 9-6 6-7 W3 AZL Padres 14 14 .500 4.0 6-9 8-5 W7 [b]AZL Brewers 11 17 .393 7.0 4-10 7-7 L4[/b] AZL Angels 10 18 .357 8.0 3-6 7-12 L1 AZL Cubs 9 19 .321 9.0 4-10 5-9 W1

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

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

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

From Sunday's Huntsville Game:

In what may have been the most unusual play of the entire season, Chattanooga's Norris Hopper was thrown out at the plate in the fifth while attempting to steal home during an intentional walk. It wasn't close.

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 4, Nashville 0

Sounds to face longtime Brewer farmhand Derek Lee in opening playoff game...

Nashville Site Game Summary:

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds closed out their 2005 regular season on the short end of a 4-0 loss to the Round Rock Express on Monday afternoon at Greer Stadium in a game that featured several Music City players turning in solid performances in non-traditional positions.

With the loss, Nashville (75-69) missed a chance at a series sweep of the Express but wrapped up their regular season with four victories in their final five contests.

Nashville pitchers Jeff Housman and Alec Zumwalt played six innings in the outfield, while position players Ryan Knox, Corey D. Hart, and Steve Scarborough combined for three scoreless innings from the mound. Scarborough, the Sounds' everyday shortstop, also played an inning in center field and made two difficult running catches while Knox was on the hill.

Express catcher Humberto Quintero belted a two-run homer to left-center off Nashville starter Brett Evert to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The tater was his eighth of the season.

Round Rock second baseman Brooks Conrad increased the lead to 3-0 in the third when he homered for the second straight night. His solo shot to right-center off Evert was his 21st longball of the year.

Wilton Reynolds singled home Charlton Jimerson with two outs in the top of the fourth to extend the Round Rock advantage to 4-0.

Express starter Peter Bauer (1-0) earned the victory in his first outing for the club, holding the Sounds scoreless on six hits over seven innings. Evert (2-2) matched his career high with 11 strikeouts over his six innings but took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits.

The Sounds begin the 2005 Pacific Coast League playoffs on Wednesday evening in Oklahoma City, when they?ll take on the Oklahoma RedHawks in the 7:05 p.m. CT opener of a best-of-five American Conference Finals.

Right-hander Gary Glover (6-4, 3.03) starts Wednesday?s opener for Nashville and will face Oklahoma southpaw Derek Lee (5-2, 3.86).

Nashville Box Score:

Vinny Rottino once again handled catching chores cleanly...

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Nashville Game Log:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

Final: Chattanooga (Reds) 13, Huntsville 5

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Rick Bell clubbed two home runs, including a grand slam to cap a six-run sixth inning, as Chattanooga pounded out a 13-5 win over Huntsville in the final game of the 2005 season Monday afternoon at BellSouth Park. The Lookouts won the final two games of the campaign to finish the second half at 25-41 and the season at 53-83, while the Stars completed the second half at 31-39 and wound up 60-79 overall. The Stars finished with their fewest amount of wins since a 59 victory season in 1988 and dropped the season series to the Lookouts nine games to eight.

The Lookouts jumped on Stars? starting pitcher Carlos Villanueva for three runs in the first inning and another trio in the third to move out to a 6-0 lead. The Stars trimmed the lead to 6-2 in the fourth on a two-run double by John Vanden Berg that scored Nelson Castro and Callix Crabbe, who had both been walked by Chattanooga starter Travis Chick.

Villanueva was taken out after five innings of work during which he gave up seven runs on 11 hits, including Bell?s first home run of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning. Josh Habel took over in the sixth and yielded a run-scoring single to D?Angelo Jimenez and a sacrifice fly by Kevin Howard that pushed the home team?s lead to 9-2. Bell then launched his grand slam two batters later over all three tiers of signage in left field, just to the left of the scoreboard, to extend the advantage to 13-2. Bell had collected just one hit in 20 at-bats against Huntsville pitching before his two long balls, his first two of the season with Chattanooga.

Chick lasted six innings and allowed two runs on six hits and three walks to pick up his fourth win of the year and second in as many starts. The right-hander fanned five and wound up with two wins, two losses and two no-decisions in six starts against Huntsville. Chick had gone winless from May 16 until his last outing on August 28.

The Stars managed two runs in the eighth inning on a bases loaded walk to John Vanden Berg by pitcher Jeff Bruksch and a run-scoring single by pitcher Jerome Gamble, who collected his first hit and first run batted in of the season. The right-hander tossed two scoreless frames and finished the year going 16 2/3 straight innings, over eight outings, without giving up a run.

Huntsville Box Score:

Tony Gwynn on base three times and steals three as well; Kennard Bibbs ejected in the 5th...

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

Huntsville Game Log:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

Mass Haas · September 5, 2005

Final: Lake County (Indians) 2, West Virginia 1

West Virgina Site Game Summary:

Power fall in season finale

Eastlake, OH ? The West Virginia Power had a four game winning streak snapped in Monday afternoon?s ball game on a twelfth inning RBI single from Fernando Pacheco as they fell 2-1 to the Lake County Captains at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio.

The Power plated their only run of the game on Angel Salome?s RBI single in the top of the third inning. Salome reached base in five of his six trips to the plate. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Matt Whitney hit a solo homer for the Lake County Captains to push the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the twelfth inning, Chris Jimenez hit a leadoff triple and he scored later in the inning when Fernando Pacheco hit the game winning single.

Brandon Rickert (7-1) earned the victory and Ben Stanczyk (5-4) obtained the loss. The Power finish the second half with a record of 35-33 after the loss and the Captains finish the second half at 32-36 with the win. The Power finish the season with an overall record of 60-78.

West Virginia Box Score:

Don't be surprised if Angel Salome or others suddenly re-appear on the Helena roster; that one-out away HR allowed by Robert Hinton spoiled an otherwise fine effort by him, Derek Miller and Dane Renkert -- Renkert only allowed one unearned run in 14.1 IP during his West Virginia stay...

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

West Virginia Game Log:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

Mass Haas · September 6, 2005

Final: Helena 4, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 2

Link while active, text follows:

www.helenair.com/articles...605_03.txt

Brewers back on top

By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian

It was a message from the Michaels: No, the Helena Brewers won't go quietly.

Michael Brantley and Michael Bell delivered the key hits in a three-run eighth inning Monday night, and the Brewers beat Missoula 4-2 to disappoint a hefty Labor Day crowd of 2,116 at Play Ball Park.

The Brewers salvaged one win in their four-game trip to Missoula, and continued to gear up for the Pioneer League playoffs later this week.

Four Helena pitchers cooled off the O's and snapped Missoula's four-game winning streak, offsetting a sparkling start by Anthony Cupps and another error-free night for the home team.

Now the chase is on.

The Osprey, 20-15 in the second half, climb on the bus Tuesday morning for Billings one game out of the Northern Division lead. They'll play their last three games in the Magic City - unless they win one more than Helena (21-14) does in its home series with Great Falls.

The Brewers, first-half champions and winners of their first 10 games in the second half, will open the best-of-three Northern Division playoffs Friday night at Missoula if the Osprey can catch them, or in Billings if they can't.

"We're not out of this thing. We're hopefully going to go get two from Billings and see what happens," said Missoula pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.

Brantley, Helena's left-handed left fielder and the second hitter in the lineup, was one of three Brewers with two hits. He doubled in the only run the Brewers got off Cupps in the top of the first inning.

Brantley is the son of former Mariners outfielder Mickey Brantley, currently the Toronto hitting coach. He started the eighth-inning rally with an impressive at-bat. With the count full against Osprey set-up man Eddie Baeza, Brantley fouled two pitches back, then hit a slow bouncer to the right side.

Osprey first baseman Bryan Byrne started for it, then changed his mind. Second baseman Ricardo Cruz, perhaps confused about Byrne's intentions, waited on the ball and was too late to even venture a throw against the speedy Brantley.

"Speed put pressure on the defense. Those kids can run. When they put the ball in play anything can happen," Missoula manager Hector De La Cruz said.

What might have been the second out for a team that played almost flawless defense all series long led to the O's undoing. With two outs, Ned Yost and Bell hit back-to-back doubles. Bell's, a screamer up the middle, drove in the third and fourth runs.

Stottlemyre's concerns over his pitchers' tired arms were allayed by Cupps, but borne out later by Baeza.

After a shaky first inning, Cupps found his rhythm and finished strong in a stint of 6 2-3 innings, his second-longest of the season. In his longest he pitched seven scoreless innings at Helena on July 29.

The 6-foot-5 Cupps gave up five hits, walked one and struck out a season-high seven.

"Cupps was outstanding tonight," said Stottlemyre. "He got better each inning, his breaking ball got better. He reached down, dug deep and pitched a heck of game for us."

But Cupps was well over his pitch count when the O's went to their bullpen with two outs and one on in the seventh inning. Baeza, who owns the best ERA on the squad, came in to try to hold the one-run lead. He struck out Scotty McKnight to end the seventh, but ran into fatal problems in the eighth.

"The league's hitting .193 off Eddie. He's been great for us all year," Stottlemyre said. "You saw tonight, he's down to 87-88 (mph). He's been 91-93 in the past."

Helena starter Matt Kretzschmar gave up both Missoula runs but kept the Osprey from exploding in the first five innings. Relievers Brandon Parillo, Rafael Lluberes and Patrick Ryan permitted just two hits in the final four innings to blank the O's the rest of the way. Lluberes (4-4) got the win. Ryan earned his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Missoula scored single runs in the second inning on Mike DeCarlo's RBI double, and in the fifth when Pedro Ciriaco led off with a stand-up triple. Rusty Ryal's slow hopper to third scored Ciriaco.

Unlike the past several games, the home team missed out on crucial opportunities. Cruz, on first when DeCarlo doubled in the second inning, tried to score and seemed to have it made. But catcher Brad Willcutt had his foot in the way and Cruz never touched the plate.

In the bottom of the seventh, just before Helena's breakthrough inning, Missoula loaded the bases. But Will Crouch fouled out to end the threat.

DeCarlo added a single in the seventh to finish with a two-hit night.

The Brewers will take the field tonight at 7:05 p.m. (8:05 Central) vs. Great Falls.

Helena Box Score:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

Helena Game Log:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

Mass Haas · September 6, 2005

Link while active, text follows:

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

Sounds play around, end season with loss

Position players take on reliever roles for finale

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

Despite some impressive pitching performances, the Nashville Sounds head into postseason play on a bit of a downturn, losing their regular-season finale to visiting Round Rock 4-0.

Starting pitcher Brett Evert struck out 11 in six innings ? matching Jeff Housman for the most strikeouts by a Nashville starter this season ? but allowed a pair of home runs and all four runs.

Relieving Evert were position players Ryan Knox, Corey Hart and Steve Scarborough, who combined for three scoreless innings.

"They all threw well," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

With the efforts of the relievers, Nashville position players have made 10 relief appearances this season and allowed runs in only one of those.

"I was a little worried about Knox," Kremblas said. "We'd seen Scarborough before, and we knew he and Hart were going to throw enough around the plate to get some strikes. But I'd caught with Ryan before. I'd seen him throw enough on flat ground to be concerned."

Knox issued a leadoff walk before getting a pair of outs on running catches by Scarborough ? who moved from shortstop to center field ? and flagging down a comebacker for the final out.

"I think I had the element of surprise with my velocity," said Knox, who didn't think he threw more than 80 mph in his professional pitching debut.

Even with the scoreless inning, Knox doesn't plan a return to the mound.

"I've had trouble throughout my career just playing catch," he said. "To be able to hit a target, throw strikes and get people out with people watching was a huge obstacle. But I'm absolutely done. I even told (pitching coach) Stan Kyles, if I ask, don't let me."

The motley crew of relievers allowed the Sounds offense to make a game of it in the ninth. Nashville loaded the bases against Taylor Buchholz, who relieved Spring Hill resident Peter Bauer an inning earlier.

Hart and Vinny Rottino singled to open the inning, and after a Brad Nelson strikeout, Alec Zumwalt ? a reliever who played right field most of the game ? drew a walk to load the bases. However, Housman, who entered the game in left field, struck out and Chris Barnwell lined out to end the game.

"We were a little short on the bench," acting manager and infielder Trent Durrington said in explaining why Housman was not lifted for a pinch-hitter.

The Sounds had a four-game winning streak snapped. With the shutout ? their seventh of the year ? the Sounds fell a run short of setting a franchise record. This year's team matched the 1980 club with 738 runs scored.

"We finished strong, and it gives us some confidence winning four of our last five," Hart said.

Final numbers: Yesterday's announced attendance of 5,054 gives the Sounds a season total of 419,412 ? the highest since the 1993 team drew 438,745 and surpassing last year's 405,536. For the year, the Sounds averaged 6,080 per game.

Helping hand: Donating 50 percent of individual ticket sales from the last two games and conducting collections throughout the series, the Sounds will donate $9,344.24 to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

In a hurry: Played in an hour, 58 minutes, yesterday's game was the quickest nine-inning contest of the season for the Sounds.

What they said: "I'd like to have scored at least one run. I tried to get (third base coach Durrington) to let me steal home, but he wouldn't let me." ? Hart, who reached third base in the ninth inning.

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

***

Link while active, text follows:

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=44148

Sounds have some fun in final loss

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

It took the Nashville Sounds 143 games to clinch the PCL American Northern Division title. When they finally did Sunday night, the team was intent on making No. 144 as enjoyable as possible. So, the Sounds had some fun Monday afternoon against the visiting Round Rock Express at Greer Stadium.

There were pitchers playing in the outfield. There were infielders taking turns pitching. A third baseman was managing. In the end, the players got through the game quickly and injury-free. On a remotely relevant side note, the Express won the game 4-0 in front of 5,054 fans. The game was played in one hour and fifty-eight minutes.

The Sounds now turn their attention to the Oklahoma RedHawks, the team?s opponent in the playoffs, which begin Wednesday.

?After the huge skid we had when we lost some key players, it?s been miserable trying to clinch this thing,? center fielder Ryan Knox said. Knox also got to pitch an inning for the Sounds. ?It was a big sigh of relief.?

Knox wasn?t the only position player who got to pitch. Infielders Corey D. Hart and Steve Scarborough also got to throw in relief of Brett Evert and none of the three allowed a run.

?I think I stunned them with my lack of velocity,? Knox said. ?I?ve been begging to pitch for a long time. Since we clinched last night, [manager Frank Kremblas] promised me an inning. I could tell [Kremblas and pitching coach Stan Kyles] were pretty reluctant to give it to me, but they couldn?t go back on their word. It?s all good, I have a better ERA than Scarborough.?

Third baseman Trent Durrington filled in for Kremblas as the pseudo-manager. In addition to his pitching changes, Durrington inserted pitchers Jeff Housman and Alec Zumwalt into the outfield.

?I wasn?t the manager, I got to just sit back and watch,? Kremblas said.

Link Report for Monday 9/5 -- Stars and Power Lose Finales

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