Link Report for Tuesday, August 23rd -- AZ Box Now Up

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All starts Central Time except for Arizona Rookie; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Jeff Housman at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime -- we get that Victor Santos "everything has to go just right" feeling when Jeff's on the mound...

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: RHP Ty Taubenheim at home vs. Mobile (Padres), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

specs.eyecentric.com/pres...opup.shtml

 

Brevard County: RHP Eric Thomas at home vs. Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

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

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: RHP Tyler Morrison at Casper (Rockies), 8:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.casperrockies.com/

 

Arizona: TBD at the pint-sized Padres, 7:00 PM local time; never any web audio for Arizona Rookie ball...

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday'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_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_casrok_1

 

Arizona:

Not updated live, but usually later during the overnight...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 70 60 .538 - 33-34 37-26 L2[/b] Omaha 65 65 .500 5.0 29-33 36-32 L1 Memphis 63 66 .488 6.5 33-31 30-35 L1 Iowa 59 67 .468 9.0 38-28 21-39 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 32 23 .582 - 19-11 13-12 L1 West Tenn 31 25 .554 1.5 17-11 14-14 L1 Tennessee 25 31 .446 7.5 13-14 12-17 W1 [b]Huntsville 23 33 .411 9.5 8-16 15-17 L1[/b] Chattanooga 22 34 .393 10.5 14-18 8-16 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 35 23 .603 - 17-13 18-10 W2 Vero Beach 33 24 .579 1.5 19-12 14-12 L1 [b]Brevard County 31 26 .544 3.5 13-14 18-12 W1[/b] St. Lucie 30 27 .526 4.5 13-13 17-14 W1 Daytona 27 29 .482 7.0 18-13 9-16 L1 Jupiter 22 34 .393 12.0 15-13 7-21 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 35 19 .648 - 20-6 15-13 W3 Lexington 30 25 .545 5.5 18-13 12-12 W2 Lake County 28 26 .519 7.0 14-13 14-13 W3 Hickory 28 27 .509 7.5 16-12 12-15 L2 [b]West Virginia 26 28 .481 9.0 14-13 12-15 L7[/b] Lakewood 26 29 .473 9.5 15-14 11-15 L3 Greensboro 24 32 .429 12.0 10-16 14-16 L3 Hagerstown 20 32 .385 14.0 11-14 9-18 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 15 6 .714 - 7-3 8-3 L2[/b] Missoula 11 10 .524 4.0 7-5 4-5 L1 Billings 9 12 .429 6.0 4-5 5-7 W3 Great Falls 9 12 .429 6.0 5-6 4-6 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Athletics 15 7 .682 - 9-3 6-4 W1 AZL Mariners 13 8 .619 1.5 8-4 5-4 L1 AZL Giants 12 9 .571 2.5 4-6 8-3 L1 AZL Royals 11 9 .550 3.0 6-4 5-5 L1 AZL Rangers 12 10 .545 3.0 7-5 5-5 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 9 11 .450 5.0 3-8 6-3 L5[/b] AZL Cubs 8 13 .381 6.5 4-7 4-6 W3 AZL Angels 8 14 .364 7.0 2-4 6-10 W1 AZL Padres 7 14 .333 7.5 2-9 5-5 L2

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

The Manatees have a big three-game series at home vs. Palm Beach later this week...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Tuesday (PDF format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[ThePurpleStorm]

Braun just got transferred today to AA right?

So, Braun will be playing for the Stars tonight?

[Ando Calrissian]

nope, heether will be in hunstville and braun will be in brevard co.

[ThePurpleStorm]

Wait, BC. Nevermind.

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Vero Beach (Dodgers) 7, Brevard County 0, bottom of the 2nd at Space Coast

The "feel-good" return of RHP Eric Thomas has hit some speedbumps lately -- big ones; Ryan Braun not in the starting lineup...

 

In progress: West Virginia 2, Lake County (Indians) 1, after three innings

Yo Gallardo on so far -- no earned runs; Matt Gamel not in the starting lineup

 

In Nashville: Vinny Rottino is in the starting lineup, the "other" Corey Hart also starting in CF tonight, and Chris Barnwell at first base

 

In Huntsville: No Adam Heether, let's go Ty Taubenheim, flash some of that Florida State League dominance!

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Trivia tonight:

 

Before becoming "Manny" the Manatee, Brevard County's mascot was known by another first name. Hold off if you think you know -- answer in the AM...

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Lake County (Indians) 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Power snap seven-game skid

Charleston, WV ? The West Virginia Power went into Tuesday night?s game against the Lake County Captains searching for their first win since August 13th. The Power received a few clutch hits and a great pitching performance from Yovani Gallardo to beat the Lake County Captains 5-2, snapping their seven-game losing streak.

 

The Captains scored first on an RBI single from Chris De La Cruz in the top of the second inning. Will Lewis delivered the first of three clutch hits for the Power on a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the third inning to give the Power a 2-1 lead. Hasan Rasheed contributed with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning making it 3-1 Power.

 

Marshall Szabo scored on a passed ball in the fifth inning to pull Lake County within a run. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Carlos Corporan blasted his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot to give the Power a 5-2 advantage.

 

Gallardo (6-3) earned the victory, Ben Stanczyk (8) earned the save and Chuck Lofgren (5-4) obtained the loss. The Power are 27-28 in the second half with the win and the Captains move to 28-27 after the loss.

 

The Power will end the brief two-game series with Lake County at Appalachian Power Park on Wednesday night. The Power will throw RHP Mark Rogers (1-8, 5.49) and the Captains will counter with LHP Reid Santos (4-7, 5.18). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Matt Gamel strikes out in a pinch-hit appearance in his low-A debut; awesome pitching, clean defense (including Angel Salome behind the dish, although Carlos Corporan took over in the eighth), nice way to break the losing skid...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[colbyjack]

...awesome pitching, clean defense (including Angel Salome behind the dish, although Carlos Corporan took over in the eighth), nice way to break the losing skid...

 

I don't want to nitpick, since it is very nice to see the Power snap that skid, but Salome did have two passed balls on the evening.

 

Another great outing by Yo. Let's send some love Mark Rogers way for that start we've all been looking for.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks Colby -- nitpicking's always fair, since I'm half-asleep when putting together these comments -- passed balls are kind of tucked deep in the box scores.

 

Regardless, Ramon Aviles saw fit to go to a "defensive" catcher with a one-run lead in the 8th. Look for Carlos Corporan to catch Rogers tomorrow, as Power announcer Andy Barch indicated that the team has tried to pair him with Mark Rogers as much as possible.

 

And I know I've mentioned this previously, but shortly after the 2004 draft I had the opportunity to discuss Angel Salome with another organization's area scout, and the comment was simply that Salome "couldn't catch the ball". You would think that could be an easily correctable skill, but we're seeing some proof that it's otherwise.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Vero Beach (Dodgers) 9, Brevard County 8

Nice try on the comeback, but a loss is a loss, and this one stings...

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Manatees draw eight walks and only issue one freebie -- normally, there's your guaranteed win right there; RHP Kenny Durost has salvaged his season; LHP Joe Thatcher a nice little undrafted find thus far; Josh Brady now 7-for-81 with two walks while with the Manatees...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Killer bases-loaded GIDP in the Manatee 5th, but it all comes back to those first two innings...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mike2k33]

Brevard County's mascot was known by another first name. Hold off if you think you know -- answer in the AM...

 

 

Why did they change it? The old name was classic.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Game Summary (Dodgers' Site):

 

The Vero Beach Dodgers jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held on for a 9-8 victory at Brevard County Tuesday night. Matt Kemp and Chin-lung Hu each tallied three hits while Anthony Raglani slugged his 19th home run of the season. Chuck Tiffany earned his team-leading 11th win of the year with five solid innings. The rubber match of the series is Wednesday night at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central) at Space Coast Stadium.

 

Vero got off to a quick start. Hu singled to center with one out in the first inning, stole second and scored on Kemp's first hit. Raglani followed with a towering rainbow blast to right field, making it 3-0. The offense continued to roll in the second inning.

 

A.J. Ellis drew a leadoff walk and Travis Denker doubled him home. One out later, Xavier Paul doubled to center, making it 5-0. That knocked Brevard County starter Eric Thomas out of the game, but the Dodgers kept at it against reliever Forrest Martin. Hu singled in Paul, then Cory Dunlap rapped a base hit to center to score Hu.

 

The Dodgers seemed in control with a 7-0 lead. However, the Manatees were quick to retalliate. In the bottom of the second, Lou Palmisano reached after a line drive knocked down Tiffany. The ball hit him on the left shoulder and he stayed in the game. Yet he walked Jeff Eure and Wandel Campana doubled in Palmisano. Ozzie Chavez then singled in two more runs. After one of Tiffany's five strikeouts, Travis Ezi walked and Steve Sollman reached on a fielder's choice. Steve Moss singled in Chavez, while Sollman scored on an error that would have ended the inning.

 

With the Dodgers lead down to two runs, Vero gained some breathing room in the fourth. Xavier Paul was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Hu then bounced a ball to Eure at third for an infield hit and the throw to first base went wild. Manatees first baseman Josh Brady then tried to throw out Hu at second, but the throw sailed into center for the second error of the play and scored Paul in the process. Cory Dunlap then grounded out to third to bring home Hu and put the Dodgers ahead 9-5.

 

The Manatees loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Tiffany coaxed Campana into an inning-ending double play. In the 7th, though, Brevard again loaded the bases and this time would capitalize. Eure drew a bases-loaded walk from Casey Hoorelbeke to bring in one run. Campana singled in another and Chavez hit into a fielder's choice to make it a one-run game.

 

Brevard County put a runner at second with one out in the 8th when Dodgers closer Mark Alexander entered the game. He immediately struck out Moss and Drew Anderson to end the threat. Alexander pitched around a ninth-inning single from Eure to close out the Vero Beach victory - just their second in the last ten games. The win also improved the Dodgers to 6-7 against Brevard County this year.

[CC Badger]

Let's send some love Mark Rogers way for that start we've all been looking for.

 

Agreed, Mark has a ton of potential, hopefully he can quiet some of his critics with a strong outing tomorrow and gain some momentum and confidence for the rest of this season and springboard into next.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mobile (Padres) 7, Huntsville 4

TP: (Gemoll-Castro-Winchester-Gemoll).

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Seventh Inning Surge Sends Mobile Past Stars

Corey Smith delivered a two-run single to put Mobile ahead to stay in the midst of a five-run seventh inning rally that lifted Mobile to a 7-4 win over Huntsville Tuesday night in the second game of a four-game series at Joe Davis Stadium. The BayBears won for a sixth time in their last eight games to improve to 26-32 in the second half, while the Stars fell for a twelfth time in their last 16 home games to drop to 23-34 in the second half and 26-35 on home soil. Mobile has won four of the last five games in Huntsville and seven of the last eight between the two teams to draw within 11-10 in the season series.

 

Joe Gerber led off the seventh inning with a solo home run just over the right field wall to pull the visitors to within 4-3. It was the second long ball of the night for Mobile and the fourth allowed by Huntsville starter Ty Taubenheim in his last two starts. Luke Carlin came through with a one-out, pinch-hit single and advanced to second base on a single by Kennard Jones that chased Taubenheim from the game. Brian Wolfe took over and yielded a single to Luis Cruz which was overrun in right field by Kennard Bibbs, allowing Carlin to score to tie the game, Jones to advance to third and Cruz to move to second base. Jeff Duncan was intentionally walked to load the bases and Smith lined a 1-2 offering from Wolfe into center field to plate Jones and Cruz, who ran through a stop sign at third base. Steve Baker completed the rally with a two-out single to score Duncan.

 

Paul Abraham tossed shutout relief behind starter and winner Jared Wells in the seventh and eighth innings before giving way to Dale Thayer, the Mobile closer. Adam Heether opened the home ninth with a pinch-hit single in his first double-A at-bat and moved to second base on a Brandon Gemoll single with two outs before Brad Nelson flied out to end the game. Thayer earned his league-best 25th save, his second in as many nights and his sixth against the Stars.

 

Duncan led off the fourth inning with a single before Smith and George Kottaras walked to load the bases with nobody out. Baker hit a bouncing ball back to the mound that Taubenheim fielded and threw to the plate for the force on Duncan and catcher Jeff Winchester threw to first to double up Baker for what seemed to be a rally-killing double play. However, Smith rounded the bag too far at third base and Gemoll threw from across the diamond at first to Nelson Castro, who tagged out Smith diving back to the bag to complete the second triple play in Stars history.

 

Wells gave up two runs in the first inning and another pair in the fifth to fall behind 4-2. The right-hander picked up his second double-A win after yielding four runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings. He has lasted at least six innings in five of his six starts for Mobile. Taubenheim suffered the loss to drop to 1-5 after permitting five runs on a season-high nine hits over 6 1/3 frames. He has lasted at least six innings in seven of his nine starts with Huntsville.

 

The series continues Wednesday night with left-hander Josh Habel starting for the Stars against BayBears? right-hander Brian Whitatker. 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:

Pretty safe to say Adam Heether will get the start on Wednesday; Brandon Gemoll's .295 is pretty for the Southern League, but will his lack of walks and first-base power get him back to AAA in 2006? Ty Taubenheim has thrown 157.2 innings this year -- his previous high was 92.1 last season...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-23.mp3

[huntsvillefan]

Highlight of the Stars game (from a Stars perspective) was a triple play reported in the game log as

 

Steve Baker grounds into a triple play, first baseman Brandon Gemoll to third baseman Nelson Castro to catcher Jeff Winchester to first baseman Brandon Gemoll. Jeff Duncan out at home. Corey Smith out at 3rd.

 

Interesting, but 100% inaccurate.

Bases were loaded as stated. Ty fielded a sharply hit ball (much to his own surprize) and was alert enough to throw it home for the force there. Winchester at Catcher then threw to first making the out there. So far a nice, but fairly routine double play. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that Brandon at first threw the ball back to Ty, who was busy trying to control his laughter (honestly) at the fact that he had fielded the ball. Everyone was joining in, when someone (Brandon I think) pointed to 3B where the runner was taking a short stroll down the 3B line. Ty threw to Castro who tagged him out.

It may have been just Brandon throwing straight to Castro instead of returning it to Ty, but my recollection is a 1-2-3-1-5 Triple. It may have been a 1-2-3-5, but it certainly wasn't anything like what the log describes. Its not the first time that I've found an error in it ( Vandenberg in RF springs to mind), but you'd think they might take care to get something as rare as a triple play right! It also does rather ruin one's confidence in the rest of their reporting. I really like the info and layout of their boxscores a lot, but if the information is untrustworthy, it negates all the nice touches.

I've rather trashed the Stars' D recently, so I feel obliged to report there were web gems by TGJ and Callix as well as the triple.

 

EDIT Brett Pollock's authorized version came in as I was typing this, and I'm sure he is right and that it was the 1-2-3-5. I was so busy watching the ongoing laughter on the field, that I nearly didn't notice the third part of the triple. I do distinctly recall that someone shouted and pointed at the guy who had literally walked a little way down the line. I think he possibly had some intention of trying to sneak home amid the hilarity.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 8, Nashville 6

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds closed out their eight-game homestand on a down note on Tuesday evening, falling 8-6 to the Oklahoma RedHawks in the finale of a four-game series at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville (70-61) had its lead in the PCL American Conference Northern Division reduced to four games over Omaha, its smallest margin since July 18. The Sounds, who have dropped nine of their last 11 contests, finished 2-6 for the second consecutive homestand at Greer Stadium.

 

Leadoff hitter Trent Durrington ? who went 3-for-5 and added two outfield assists on the evening ? put the Sounds up 1-0 with a leadoff homer off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning. The blast, his fifth, came off Oklahoma starter A.J. Murray.

 

AUDIO: Trent Durrington Leadoff Homer

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-23.mp3

 

Catcher Julio Mosquera doubled the lead in the second with a solo shot to right-center off Murray. The tater was his fourth of the year and first at Greer Stadium.

 

Left-hander Tommy Phelps made a spot start for Nashville as he stretches out his arm and tossed three scoreless innings, allowing two hits while fanning three.

 

RedHawks first baseman Chris Richard put the visitors in the lead with one swing of the bat against scheduled starter Jeff Housman in the top of the fourth when he roped a three-run homer down the right field line. Manny Alexander followed with a roundtripper of his own, lining a 3-2 offering out to left for a 4-2 Oklahoma lead. Housman was pulled after only one inning of work; he surrendered four runs on four hits, including a pair of homers.

 

Nashville shortstop Steve Scarborough continued the longball barrage in the bottom of the fifth when he re-staked the Sounds to a 5-4 lead with a one-out, three-run homer to left off Murray. Chris Barnwell, who singled, and Ryan Knox, who doubled, scored on the blast, Scarborough?s 11th of the season.

 

The Sounds added a run in the sixth against RedHawks reliever Matt Roney when Vinny Rottino, who opened the frame with a single to left for his first Class AAA hit, scored on Durrington?s two-out, bases-loaded RBI infield single.

 

Oklahoma second baseman Ian Kinsler greeted Sounds reliever Mike Adams with a game-tying two-run single to knot the score at 7-7 in the top of the seventh. Adams relieved Alec Zumwalt, who had allowed a Jason Conti single and issued a walk to Rashad Eldridge to open the frame.

 

The RedHawks took the lead later in the seventh when Kinsler scored from second while Jason Botts, who had walked, was caught in a rundown between first and second base and was eventually caught stealing after the run had scored.

 

Oklahoma added an insurance run in the ninth against Jeff Bennett on Esteban German?s two-out single.

 

Roney (4-0) picked up the victory after allowing one run and striking out two in his lone inning of work. Adams (3-4) took the loss after suffering his third blown save of the season and allowing the go-ahead run in his 1 1/3 frames of action. Jose Veras worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to pick up his 20th save of the year and extend his RedHawks single-season record.

 

The Sounds begin a nine-game road trip on Wednesday evening in Round Rock, Texas, where they?ll take on the Express in the 7:05 p.m. CT opener of a five-game series. Right-hander Wes Obermueller (3-0, 2.52) takes the mound for Nashville to square off against Round Rock right-hander Brandon Duckworth (7-5, 4.84).

 

Nashville Box Score:

None of the five pitchers following Tommy Phelps did their job; Jeff Housman's season hits a new low -- they can't possibly trot him back out for additional starts, can they? What a horrible lost season for Mike Adams -- who figured? Nelson Cruz 0-for-5, three K's; so easy to root for Steve Scarborough...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 7, Casper (Rockies) 1

 

Helena Box Score:

Home run for Michael Bell, but this one's all about RHP Tyler Morrison and LHP Brandon Parillo; 19-year-old Parillo has been just fine or better in each of his 14 appearances this season -- he coaxed seven ground balls (no fly balls) in his three innings...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_casrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_casrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds can't catch break, but don't help themselves

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

After playing through three calls that went against them last night, the Nashville Sounds were unable to overcome their own shortcomings in an 8-6 loss to Oklahoma.

 

The game-winning run scored on a seventh-inning pickoff play gone awry. Julio Mosquera's throw to second set off a series of throws that eventually caught Jason Botts going from first to second, but not before Ian Kinsler scored from second.

 

The Sounds had their fourth consecutive losing series at Greer Stadium and fifth in their last six tries. Their magic number for clinching the PCL American North division title remained at 10.

 

"We're throwing away a pretty good season up to now, because we're mentally weak," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said after the loss, which dropped the team to 16-24 at home since June 1. "Things happened during the game that, in my opinion, people didn't give their best effort. And not one person ? I could probably pick out quite a few."

 

Nashville took a 1-0 lead on Trent Durrington's first-inning leadoff home run, but may have missed an opportunity for more runs when Nelson Cruz's bloop into right field was called foul by Angel Campos.

 

With the Sounds ahead 2-0 ? following Mosquera's second-inning homer ? Chris Richard's drive near the right-field foul pole was ruled fair by Ramon Armendariz for a three-run go-ahead homer.

 

In the fourth, the Sounds' Vinny Rottino ? making his Class AAA debut ? hit a bouncer down the third base line and was called out at first by Armendariz to end the inning.

 

The Sounds may have caught a break when Ryan Knox was ruled safe at second stretching a base hit into a double in the fifth inning. The next batter, Steve Scarborough, hammered a three-run homer to give Nashville a 5-4 lead.

 

Movin' on up: Rottino, a Southern League all-star this season and the Brewers' 2004 Minor League Player of the Year, was reassigned from Double-A Huntsville to the Sounds prior to yesterday's game.

 

Rottino, a 25-year-old Racine, Wisc., native, was hitting .296 with six home runs and 52 RBIs along with 20 doubles and six triples for the Stars. He singled in the sixth for his first Triple-A base hit.

 

With his arrival, the Sounds' roster is at the maximum 24 active players.

 

Leading the way: Durrington's home run to lead off the first was the fourth game-opening homer of the year for the Sounds. Dave Krynzel hit a pair earlier in the season and Knox hit one as well.

 

A different first: Mosquera's solo homer in the second was the veteran catcher's fourth of the season but his first at Greer Stadium.

 

K's for days: With nine strikeouts in Monday's loss, Nashville's pitching staff went over the 1,000 mark for the fourth straight season. With five strikeouts last night, the Sounds have 1,013, trailing only Sacramento (1,044) in the PCL.

 

The Sounds are on pace for 1,117 strikeouts, which would surpass the franchise record of 1,080 set in 2002.

 

What they said: "When you as a team don't play hard, are selfish, crybabies, pouters, I'm not going to waste my energy fighting for you if you're not going to fight for our team." ? Kremblas, who questioned three calls by the umpiring crew but avoided being ejected.

 

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

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=43869

 

Sounds fall to RedHawks

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

The Nashville Sounds are staggering to the finish line in their race for the PCL American Northern Division title.

 

The team lost for the sixth time in its last seven games Tuesday, falling 8-6 to Oklahoma before 3,206 fans at Greer Stadium. The Sounds now lead the division by just four games over Omaha.

 

After the game, Sounds manager Frank Kremblas blasted his team for being ?selfish? and ?crybabies? and criticized their effort.

 

?I think things happened during the game that in my opinion, guys didn?t give their best effort,? Kremblas said. He wouldn?t specify which players or which instances players didn?t give their best effort.

 

Nashville lost the game on an unusual play for the second time this week. Oklahoma scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, when Ian Kinsler took home while teammate Jason Botts was caught in a run-down between first and second on a stolen-base attempt.

 

Oklahoma (71-59) added an insurance run in the ninth.

 

Nashville (70-61) got home runs from Trent Durrington, Julio Mosquera and Steve Scarborough in the losing effort. Pitcher Tommy Phelps was given another controlled start, after sitting out roughly a month with nagging injuries. Phelps fared well again, throwing three shutout innings before giving way to Jeff Housman, who was scheduled to start.

 

Housman erased Phelps? strong work immediately, surrendering a three-run homer to Chris Richard. The ball hooked around the right field foul pole and was initially ruled foul. After a conference, the umpiring crew changed the call and ruled it a homer.

 

Manny Alexander followed with a solo shot. Housman was removed after the homer, having allowed four earned runs in an inning of work.

 

Next, Nashville heads to Texas for a five-game series with a strong Round Rock club. As the team enters the home stretch, Kremblas said his team is wasting its season.

 

?We?re throwing away a pretty good season, because we?re mentally weak,? Kremblas said. ?The only thing I can think of is guys are too selfish to play hard for the team.?

 

Cirillo out of lineup again

 

Milwaukee third baseman Jeff Cirillo, who was in Nashville through the homestand rehabbing, was out of the lineup for the second straight night. Kremblas said Cirillo?s injured left ring finger is improving.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Stars get triple play,little else

Mobile's five-run outburst in seventh beats Huntsville

By SKIP VAUGHN

For The Times skipv@htimes.com

 

Welcome to the Huntsville Stars, Mr. Heether.

 

Infielder Adam Heether was promoted to the Stars on Tuesday from Single-A Brevard County where he batted .305 with six homers and 54 RBIs. He replaced infielder Vinny Rottino, who was called up to Triple-A Nashville.

 

Heether saw the Stars record a defensive triple play but lose to the Mobile BayBears 7-4 before an announced crowd of 1,205 at Joe Davis Stadium. Mobile out-hit the Stars 15-10.

 

Heether pinch-hit in the ninth and singled to right off BayBears closer Dale Thayer, who earned his 25th save.

 

"We took a 2-1 lead, then they tied it," Stars manager Don Money said. "We had an opportunity to get more but we didn't. But then in the (Mobile five-run) seventh inning we couldn't stop the bleeding."

 

Mobile's Luis Cruz greeted Stars starter Ty Taubenheim with his second homer in the first for a 1-0 lead.

 

The Stars (23-34 in the second half) took a 2-1 lead in their half against Mobile starter Jared Wells. Tony Gwynn Jr. got a leadoff single, advanced to second on Callix Crabbe's sacrifice bunt and scored on Brandon Gemoll's double. Gemoll scored on Enrique Cruz's two-out hit.

 

The BayBears loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but were denied with a rare 1-2-3-5 triple play. Steve Baker grounded to Taubenheim who threw to catcher Jeff Winchester who threw to first baseman Gemoll who threw to third baseman Nelson Castro.

 

"That helped us out of a big situation at the time," Money said.

 

Mobile (26-32) tied the score 2-all in the fifth, but the Stars retook a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Gemoll delivered his second run-scoring double of the game and Castro added a sacrifice fly RBI.

 

Mobile went up 7-4 with five runs in the seventh, including Joe Gerber's 14th homer.

 

Taubenheim (1-5) went 6 1/3 innings.