Link Report for Games of Friday, September 2nd

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Congratulations to the front office of each of the minor league affiliates, doing what they can in terms of Hurricane Katrina relief funds. While we can't detail each of their efforts specifically here, local fans can contact the front offices or check the team websites (in most cases) should they want additional information.

[Mass Haas]

Great Falls Tribune:

 

On Tuesday, the Helena Brewers (19-11, 43-25) lost their best hitter for a time when Kenny Holmberg, who is hitting .370 with 16 doubles, 11 homers and 48 RBIs, was hit on the thumb by a pitched ball. His hand was bandaged Wednesday, but Holmberg said the thumb isn't broken.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks, Patrick (colbyjack), for filling in so admirably the last few days.

 

Friday's Daily Menu:

 

All starts Central Time; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Tommy Phelps at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: RHP David Bradley at home vs. Chattanooga (Reds), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Ryan Costello at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.daytonacubs.com/

 

West Virginia: RHP Yo Gallardo at Lake County (Indians), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

 

Helena: RHP Tyler Morrison at Missoula (Diamondbacks), 8:00 PM

 

Audio link:

www.missoulaosprey.com/

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 72 68 .514 - 33-35 39-33 W1[/b] Omaha 71 69 .507 1.0 35-37 36-32 W3 Memphis 68 71 .489 3.5 36-32 32-39 L1 Iowa 63 72 .467 6.5 38-29 25-43 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 36 30 .545 - 21-13 15-17 L4 West Tenn 36 30 .545 - 20-12 16-18 L1 [b]Huntsville 29 37 .439 7.0 12-18 17-19 L2[/b] Tennessee 28 38 .424 8.0 15-16 13-22 W2 Chattanooga 24 39 .381 10.5 15-20 9-19 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 38 29 .567 - 18-14 20-15 L2 [b]Brevard County 36 29 .554 1.0 16-17 20-12 W5[/b] Vero Beach 35 29 .547 1.5 19-14 16-15 L5 St. Lucie 35 31 .530 2.5 16-16 19-15 W2 Daytona 32 33 .492 5.0 20-14 12-19 L1 Jupiter 27 37 .422 9.5 19-15 8-22 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 40 25 .615 - 22-9 18-16 L1 Lexington 38 27 .585 2.0 20-15 18-12 W4 [b]West Virginia 32 32 .500 7.5 18-15 14-17 W1[/b] Hickory 31 33 .484 8.5 17-13 14-20 W1 Lake County 31 33 .484 8.5 14-17 17-16 L5 Greensboro 30 35 .462 10.0 13-17 17-18 L1 Lakewood 29 36 .446 11.0 18-19 11-17 L3 Hagerstown 26 37 .413 13.0 13-16 13-21 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 20 11 .645 - 9-7 11-4 W1[/b] Missoula 17 14 .548 3.0 9-6 8-8 W1 Billings 16 15 .516 4.0 9-7 7-8 L1 Great Falls 13 18 .419 7.0 7-8 6-10 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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]

BA's Daily Dish for Friday:

 

With a team average of .311 and no fewer than 13 former or current members of the 2005 roster batting over .300, Helena has poured on the offense against Pioneer League competition this summer. Thursday, shortstop Ryan Crew, the Brewers' 40th-round pick this year from Texas-San Antonio, went 3-for-4 and is hitting .328 with 18 doubles in 192 at-bats.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville outfielder Ben Van Iderstine landed a spot on Canada's World Cup team.

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...ldcup.html

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Nashville Media Notes for Friday (PDF format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Bummer -- I was hoping to listen to the first hour at least:

 

Manatees Site:

 

It has rained all afternoon here in Viera. Tonight's game between the Daytona Cubs and Brevard County Manatees has been cancelled due to extremely wet field conditions. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader at Daytona Beach tomorrow beginning at 5:30 pm. (4:30 Central). Season ticket holders, simply present your season ticket holder card and get in free as the Cubs and Manatees, both mathematically alive for a post-season playoff berth, duke it out in what looks to be a winner-take-all DH.

[And That]

Nashville 5, Round Rock 3, 8th inning

 

Mike Rivera with a 3-run jack, and Brad Nelson and Vinny Rottino add solo shots to pace Nashville over Round Rock in the late innings. Omaha is currently tied with Oklahoma in the 5th.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Round Rock (Astros) 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds used a trio of longballs to score a 5-3 victory over the Round Rock Express in the opener of their regular season-closing four-game homestand on Friday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

With the win, Nashville (73-68) lowered its magic number to three to clinch the PCL American Conference Northern Division. The Sounds currently lead second-place Omaha by one game with three to play.

 

The 5,205 fans on hand to witness the Nashville victory pushed the club over the 400,000 plateau in seasonal attendance for the second straight year and 12th time in the club?s 28-year franchise history. The Sounds are on pace to draw their largest attendance total in 12 years.

 

The visiting Express took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Brooks Conrad led off with a ground-rule double and scored later in the frame on Humberto Quintero?s two-out RBI single.

 

Brad Nelson, who rejoined the Sounds on Thursday in Memphis, belted his seventh Triple-A homer of the year in the bottom of the frame to tie the contest.

 

AUDIO: Brad Nelson's Greer Return A Blast

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%209-2.mp3

 

Round Rock pinch-hitter Brooks Kieschnick put the visitors on top once again in the fifth with a one-out RBI single off Sounds starter Tommy Phelps. The 33-year-old veteran then took the hill for the Express and gave up the lead in the Sounds? half of the inning when third baseman Vinny Rottino slugged his first career Class AAA home run, a two-out solo shot to left-center, to knot the score at 2-2.

 

Nashville catcher Mike Rivera put the Sounds ahead for good an inning later, belting a three-run home run off the neck of the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center against Kieschnick to propel the home team to a 5-2 advantage. The blast was his 16th of the campaign.

 

Express pinch-hitter Wilton Reynolds closed out the evening?s scoring with a homer in his second at-bat of the season for Round Rock, a seventh-inning solo shot off Sounds reliever Jeff Housman, who was making his first appearance in 10 days after being removed from the starting rotation.

 

Phelps (1-0) earned his first victory of the year for Nashville, allowing two runs on eight hits while fanning five over six innings of work. The southpaw?s first-inning strikeout of Conrad established a new single-season Nashville record as it was the club?s 1,081st K, moving ahead of the 2002 Sounds staff?s 1,080 punchout effort.

 

Kieschnick (2-4) took the loss after surrendering four runs, all on homers, in his 1 1/3 frames of work.

 

Jeff Bennett worked a pair of scoreless innings to close out the Nashville victory and picked up his team-leading 12th save of the year.

 

The teams meet in game two of the four-game set at 6:00 p.m. CT Saturday evening at Greer Stadium. Nashville right-hander Mike Meyers (6-4, 5.42) will man the bump and face Express right-hander Brandon Duckworth (8-6, 4.62).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Brad Nelson and Nelson Cruz draw two walks apiece; plucking Mike Rivera from the independent ranks after the trade of Pat Borders was a stroke of genius (and luck)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Players Chat With Righthander Dennis Sarfate:

Good stuff, very well-spoken and thoughtful...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%209-2.mp3

 

Milwaukee Pre-Game Audio with Tony Gwynn, Sr.:

Entertaining conversation with Jim Powell -- lots of talk on Jr. --

 

www.brewersradionetwork.c.../index.asp

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsvile 4, Chattanooga (Reds) 3

The boys are showing some real heart here down the stretch...

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Stars Make Next to Last Home Game a Success

David Bradley worked seven strong innings on the hill and chipped in offensively with two hits and a run scored in Huntsville?s 4-3 win over Chattanooga Friday night in the first of a two-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars won for a seventh time in their last nine games to improve to 30-37 in the second half, while the Lookouts dropped to 24-40 in the second half and 51-82 overall. The Stars squared the season series at seven games apiece.

 

The home side broke up a scoreless game with two runs in the fourth inning off Chattanooga starter and loser Josh Hall, who slipped to 5-6 on the season. Brandon Gemoll?s infield single scored Adam Heether and a fielder?s choice grounder by Nelson Castro brought home Enrique Cruz, who had doubled. The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth when Bradley singled with one out, moved to second base on a Tony Gwynn, Jr. sacrifice bunt and scored on a base hit by Kennard Bibbs.

 

Bradley blanked the Lookouts on one hit and allowed only one runner past first base through the first six innings. D?Angelo Jimenez led off the seventh inning with a home run to trim the lead to 3-1 before Bradley retired the next three hitters. The right-hander then led off in the home seventh inning with a dribbler out in front of the plate and was taken out after injuring his left leg beating the play out for a base hit. Jerome Gamble came in to run for Bradley and moved to third base on a Bibbs single and scored on a fly ball by Heether to make it 4-1.

 

Bradley ended a personal three-game losing and improved to 6-5 on the season after winning for the first time since July 29 over Montgomery. Norris Hopper?s scoring fly ball and a run-scoring ground out by Junior Ruiz against Gerrit Simpson in the eighth trimmed the Stars lead to 4-3. Simpson gave up a leadoff single to Kevin Howard in the ninth inning, retired the next two hitters, walked Bryan Anderson and ended the game by striking out pinch-hitter John Purdom. The Huntsville right-hander earned his first two-inning save and fifth of the season.

 

The series continues Saturnday night with Huntsville right-hander Keith Stamler taking the hill against Lookouts? southpaw Phil Dumatrait . Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:50 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Enrique Cruz, Brandon Gemoll, and Guilder Rodriguez all looking to maintain .300-plus batting averages this weekend...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Although his save was less than clean, Gerrit Simpson's been a factor since his arrival via trade from Colorado's AA squad...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Lake County (Indians) 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER COME BACK TO BEAT THE CAPTAINS

Eastlake, OH ? The West Virginia Power fell behind the Lake County Captains 3-0 early on in Friday night?s ballgame at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio, but erased the deficit, scoring the final five runs of the game to beat the Captains 5-3.

 

The Captains plated three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning. Chris Gimenez was the first to score on Grant Richardson?s errant throw. Marshall Szabo crossed the plate on a passed ball and Wyatt Toregas knocked in the final run of the inning on an RBI single to give the Captains a 3-0 advantage.

 

The Power comeback started in the fifth inning when Richardson hit a solo shot, his tenth home run of the season. In the top of the sixth inning the Power took the lead for good when Angel Salome cleared the bases with a three-run double. The Power added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning on Charlie Fermaint?s solo home run, his fifth of the year, giving the Power a 5-3 lead.

 

Yovani Gallardo (8-3) earned the victory and finishes the season with wins in his final four starts. Robert Hinton (14) earned the save and Chuck Lofgren (5-5) obtained the loss. The Power are 33-32 in the second half after the win and the Captains move to 31-34 with the loss.

 

The Power will continue the final four game series of the season against Lake County at Classic Park on Saturday night. The Power will throw RHP Mark Rogers (1-9, 5.32) and the Captains will counter with LHP Reid Santos (5-8, 4.96). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

What a fantastic season for 2004 2nd rounder Yo Gallardo, one year removed from high school -- 11 groundball outs in this one; Nate Yoho two base hits including a double in his Power debut -- you can have a long Brewer-affiliate career if you're a corner outfielder with a little pop, long a weakness in the system...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

What a wonderful tag-team closer tandem in Robert Hinton and Ben Stanczyk -- despite all the Power struggles at times, there's been ample opportunity for each to shine -- might as well keep them together in high-A next season; no errors but passed ball # 5 (with West Virginia) for Angel Salome...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lcoafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Missoula (Diamondbacks) 6, Helena 5, ten innings

Thirty base hits in this exciting game for those of you who tuned in -- with the exception of a two-run Helena 8th, all the scoring came in one-run intervals; defensive collapse late for the Brewers...

 

Helena Box Score:

Carlos Gallardo has has a tough season, but his two-run base hit with two outs in the top of the 9th gave the H-Crew its only lead -- temporarily, unfortunately; Clay Blevins and Michael Bell reached four times each, Michael Brantley, Ryan Crew, and Ned Yost three times each -- Helena strands 16!

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

Helena nearly lost in the bottom of the 9th, but Blevins held on to Lorenzo Cain's throw for the out at the collision at the plate to send it to extras; Brewers leave the bases loaded in the top of the 10th; both throwing errors (9th, 10th innings) came on attempts at completing double plays...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Stars' Bradley enjoys Lookouts experience

Pitcher allows two hits in seven innings, gets two hits himself

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

Huntsville Stars pitcher David Bradley and the Chattanooga Lookouts had this in common Friday night.

 

They had the same number of hits off each other.

 

Bradley permitted only two hits in seven innings, then had a pair of singles himself that led to Huntsville runs, as the Stars downed the Lookouts 4-3 in front of an announced crowd of 3,312.

 

Enrique Cruz and Brandon Gemoll had three hits apiece, enough to lift both over .300 for the season.

 

The Stars (30-37 this half) end their home season tonight, hosting Chattanooga at 7:15. Huntsville ends the 2005 season at Chattanooga Monday. Keith Stamler pitches for Huntsville tonight, his first start of the season after 22 relief appearances, against Phil Dumatrait (4-12).

 

The Stars nicely shrugged off back-to-back losses at Tennessee to win Friday, giving them seven wins in nine games.

 

Bradley (6-5), who began the season in the nondescript role as middle reliever, became a full-time starter in late June and has won half his starts - pretty fair on a team that has won only 59 of 136 games.

 

He didn't allow a hit until a Junior Ruiz bloop single in the fourth, then lost the shutout when D'Angelo Jimenez homered in the seventh.

 

"He did a great job for us,'' pitching coach Rich Sauveur said. "He goes about his business very quietly. He's had 14 starts and I can only remember one bad start all season. If you can only remember one bad start, that's pretty good.

 

"The kid gives us 100 percent every time out. And he seems to be a good team player. That will not go unnoticed, I promise you, when I send in my reports.''

 

Huntsville took a 2-0 lead in the fourth when Adam Heether singled on a ball nearly snared by a diving Bryan Anderson at first. Cruz doubled, then Gemoll singled - this one nearly shared by diving shortstop Jimenez - to score Heether and Cruz came in on a Nelson Castro grounder. Bradley's first single produced the third run, as he scored on a Kennard Bibbs single. Bradley led off the seventh with a swinging bunt, then came up lame running down to first. Jerome Gamble was inserted as pinch-runner - Bradley was going to be removed for a reliever anyway. He later scored on a Heether sac fly.

 

Chattanooga picked up a pair of runs in the eighth off reliever Gerrit Simpson, who allowed three hits and three walks. He then had to wriggle out of trouble with two aboard in the ninth before collecting his fifth save.

 

"Simpson just got the ball up (in the strike zone),'' said manager Don Money.

 

Bradley's two hits broke an 0-for-13 season for him at the plate. That's pretty much the norm, though, with Stars pitchers batting .122 coming into the game.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds hit three HRs, closer to division title

Defeat Round Rock in opener of final series

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

A power surge helped the Nashville Sounds move closer to their second division title in three years last night.

 

Home runs by Brad Nelson, Vinny Rottino and Mike Rivera spurred the Sounds to a 5-3 win over visiting Round Rock in the first game of a four-game series.

 

The victory trimmed Nashville?s magic number for clinching the Pacific Coast League American North division crown to three games after second-place Omaha beat Oklahoma 5-3 last night.

 

Nelson, called up from Double-A Huntsville on Thursday, hit a solo homer in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1. Rottino followed suit in the fifth to force a 2-2 deadlock, before Rivera?s three-run shot in the sixth made it a 5-2 game.

 

?Things haven?t been going so well the last couple of weeks,? Nelson said after Nashville won for just the fifth time in its last 21 games. ?But it doesn?t matter as long as we can finish strong these last three games.

 

?It?s good to be back here with my teammates, and to be in the playoff hunt adds to the excitement.?

 

The three-run cushion through six innings was enough for Nashville starter Tommy Phelps and relievers Jeff Housman and Jeff Bennett, who combined to scatter nine hits in claiming the Sounds? third win over Round Rock in the last 10 matchups.

 

?The pitchers have been doing the job, keeping us close,? Rivera said. ?We?ve been going through what every team goes through. Unfortunately, we?ve been doing it at the end of the season when we?re in a (pennant) race.

 

?We?ve just got to keep battling. That?s the only way we?re going to come out of it. That?s the main goal, to finish strong.?

 

In recognition: Prior to last night?s game, a moment of silence was observed for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. About 20 displaced Gulf Coast residents that are staying in the Nashville area were in attendance at last night?s game, courtesy of the team.

 

This weekend, the Sounds are collecting items to be distributed to the victims. Items of specific need include dry goods, canned food, bottled water, diapers and baby formula, first aid supplies, blankets, towels and wash clothes and toiletries.

 

In addition, the Sounds will donate 50% of individual ticket sales for tomorrow?s and Monday?s games to the American Red Cross? hurricane relief efforts.

 

Record-setting K: Phelps? first-inning strikeout of Round Rock second baseman Brooks Conrad was the 1,081st by a Sounds pitcher this season, breaking the franchise record set by the 2002 team.

 

Phelps, Housman and Bennett combined for 10 strikeouts on the night, raising the season mark to 1,090.

 

What they said: ?We?ve just got to come back, play good baseball and try to get a win, and hope we can get some help from Oklahoma.? ? Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas. Oklahoma is playing second-place Omaha.