Link Report for Thursday 8/18 - AZ Box Score Now Up

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: LHP Jeff Housman at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime; quality starts have been few and far-between for Jeff...

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: First, it's the completion of Wednesday's suspended seven-inning game (Stars up 1-0 in the first), to be followed by the regularly scheduled game, now a seven-inning affair at Chattanooga (Reds), pitchers in both contests TBD, 4:50 PM pre-game, 5:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

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

 

Brevard County: TBD at Jupiter (Marlins), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.jupiterhammerheads.com/

 

West Virginia: RHP Yo Gallardo at home vs. Lakewood (Phillies), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: RHP Tyler Morrison at Idaho Falls (Royals), 8:15 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.ifchukars.com/home/default.asp

 

Arizona: TBD at home vs. the not-so-giant Giants at the Maryvale complex, 7:00 PM local time; never any web audio for Arizona Rookie ball...

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville -- Completion of Suspended Game:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Huntsville -- Regularly Scheduled Game:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Keep fightin', you Manatees!

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 69 56 .552 - 32-30 37-26 L1[/b] Memphis 62 62 .500 6.5 33-31 29-31 L1 Omaha 62 63 .496 7.0 28-31 34-32 W2 Iowa 57 64 .471 10.0 36-27 21-37 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 30 21 .588 - 17-10 13-11 L5 West Tenn 28 23 .549 2.0 14-10 14-13 W2 Tennessee 23 28 .451 7.0 12-12 11-16 W1 [b]Huntsville 20 30 .400 9.5 8-15 12-15 L5[/b] Chattanooga 19 31 .380 10.5 12-17 7-14 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vero Beach 31 20 .608 - 17-10 14-10 L4 Palm Beach 31 22 .585 1.0 14-12 17-10 L1 [b]Brevard County 29 23 .558 2.5 12-14 17-9 W1[/b] St. Lucie 28 24 .538 3.5 12-12 16-12 W1 Daytona 24 27 .471 7.0 15-12 9-15 W3 Jupiter 19 31 .380 11.5 14-13 5-18 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 31 18 .633 - 18-5 13-13 L1 Hickory 27 24 .529 5.0 15-10 12-14 L5 Lexington 27 24 .529 5.0 17-13 10-11 L1 [b]West Virginia 26 24 .520 5.5 14-13 12-11 L3[/b] Lake County 25 24 .510 6.0 14-12 11-12 W5 Lakewood 25 26 .490 7.0 15-12 10-14 W5 Greensboro 23 28 .451 9.0 9-13 14-15 W1 Hagerstown 17 30 .362 13.0 8-12 9-18 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 13 3 .813 - 7-3 6-0 W2[/b] Missoula 8 8 .500 5.0 7-5 1-3 W5 Billings 6 10 .375 7.0 1-3 5-7 L2 Great Falls 6 10 .375 7.0 2-4 4-6 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Athletics 12 6 .667 - 7-2 5-4 W4 AZL Mariners 10 5 .667 0.5 5-3 5-2 L1 AZL Giants 10 6 .625 1.0 4-5 6-1 L1 [b]AZL Brewers 9 6 .600 1.5 3-4 6-2 W1[/b] AZL Rangers 10 8 .556 2.0 6-4 4-4 L1 AZL Royals 8 8 .500 3.0 5-3 3-5 W1 AZL Angels 6 12 .333 6.0 1-3 5-9 L1 AZL Padres 5 11 .313 6.0 2-8 3-3 L3 AZL Cubs 4 12 .250 7.0 2-7 2-5 L1

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Thursday (PDF format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[gregmag]

Manny Parra sighting in Huntsville! Did we know about this?

 

Greg.

[colbyjack]

I was just about to comment on that greg. I thought I was seeing something. Is this an error? I thought he was out until at least instructional league.

 

And Yo is dealing for WV right now.

[Mass Haas]

Canceled: Lakewood (Phillies) at West Virginia, rain

 

West Virginia Site:

 

Charleston, WV ? The West Virginia Power and the Lakewood BlueClaws played three and a half innings of Thursday night?s game at Appalachian Power Park, before the rain came down and prevented the two teams from playing their twentieth and final game of the season.

 

Alcides Escobar drove in a run in the bottom of the second inning on a double and he scored later in the inning on Carlos Corporan?s single. Lakewood cut the lead in half on Brad Harman?s RBI groundout in the top of the third inning. Ryan Braun provided the Power with a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI groundout. The rain came down after the final out was made in the top of the fourth inning.

 

The BlueClaws and Power do not play again this season, therefore the game will not be made up.

 

The Power will begin a four game series with the Kannapolis Intimidators on Friday night at FieldCrest Cannon Stadium in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The Power will throw RHP Mark Rogers (1-7, 4.65) and Kannapolis will counter with RHP Lucas Harrell (6-9, 3.63). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Partial Box (Stats Will Not Count):

Will Lewis plunked on his 24th birthday; nice outing, Yo gallardo, as noted above...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Jupiter (Marlins) 4, Brevard County 2

 

Game Summary from the Hammerheads' Site:

 

JUPITER, FL- Hammerheads starter Paul Mildren (9-3) went 5.2 solid innings, allowing only two runs on four hits as Jupiter beat the Brevard County Manatees 4-2. The game marks the end of the season series between the two teams, with the Hammerheads coming out on top 11-7.

 

The Hammerheads jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from Angel Molina and Patrick Arlis. Arlis had another RBI single in the bottom of the third; giving him three RBI in the last two games. Lee Mitchell hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to cap off the Hammerheads scoring on the night.

 

Mildren retired the first four batters he faced before allowing a solo homer to first baseman Jeff Eure. He then set down the next ten in a row before allowing a two-out single in the fifth.

 

Brevard knocked Mildren from the game in the top of the sixth, after he walked the leadoff batter Steve Sollman and allowed a run on singles to Steve Moss and Adam Heether. Jason Lehl came on to face Eure with runners at the corners and two out in the inning, and got him to pop out to short, ending the final Brevard threat of the evening.

 

Carlos Martinez notched his 19th save, finishing the game with two scoreless innings.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

RHP Eric Thomas' high-A debut very brief, and included two balks...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

[bjamesw22]

Is this an actual Manny Para sighting or was this an error?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 3, Nashville 1

Pretty big holes to fill with Corey and Prince absent...

 

Nashville Box Score:

LHP Jeff Housman limited the damage, but allowed 12 baserunners in 5.2 IP, so the pitching line isn't that pretty at all; David Krynzel with an 8th inning pinch-hit double; Jeff Cirillo 0-for-2...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[jvrocksaz]

I can't believe that Manny is back pitching this soon after surgery... Pleased, excited, maybe even a little concerned... Anyone have actual confirmation that Manny did pitch tonight???

[Mass Haas]

Chattanoogan Photo by Tim Evearitt

Huntsville catcher Jeff Winchester is rolled on his head after a collision at home plate with Junior Ruiz who scored the Lookouts first run, as Chattanooga won Thursday's completion of Wednesday's suspended game, 6-5. Winchester remained in the game. Huntsville came from behind to take the regularly scheduled game, 5-4.

 

http://images.chattanoogan.com/article_images/article_71069_large.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

Link for Corey D. Hart photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1757

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds dropped their second straight game to the Round Rock Express on Thursday evening, falling 3-1 in front of 5,012 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville (69-57) had its lead reduced to six games in the PCL American Conference Northern Division over the Omaha Royals, who leapfrogged Memphis to take over second place in the standings.

 

Neither team scored over the first five innings of action as Sounds starter Jeff Housman and Round Rock starter Carlos Hernandez racked up 10 zeroes on the scoreboard to open the evening.

 

The Express broke through against Housman in the sixth, however, plating three runs for a 3-0 lead. Barry Wesson belted a one-out solo homer to left-center to put the visitors on the board; the blast was his fifth of the season. With two down, shortstop Tommy Whiteman singled and scored when Hernandez followed with an RBI double to center. After Brett Evert relieved Housman, Charles Gipson greeted the right-hander with a first-pitch RBI ground-rule double down the left field line to extend the lead to 3-0.

 

Second baseman Corey Hart (2-for-3) broke up the Express shutout bid in the bottom of the ninth inning, driving in Tony Zuniga with a two-out single to right-center off Scott Strickland.

 

AUDIO: Corey Hart's 9th-Inning Single

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-18.mp3

 

Hernandez (5-7) held the Sounds scoreless and allowed only three hits over his seven innings of work to earn the victory. Housman (5-12) absorbed the loss after surrendering three runs in his 5 2/3 frames. Strickland earned his third save of the season and second in as many nights for Round Rock, allowing one run in his lone inning of work.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Friday evening at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Wes Obermueller (3-0, 1.82) takes the hill for the Sounds to face Round Rock right-hander Brandon Duckworth (7-5, 4.86).

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewers Crosschecker Larry Doughty:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-18.mp3

[Mass Haas]

I can't believe that Manny is back pitching this soon after surgery... Pleased, excited, maybe even a little concerned... Anyone have actual confirmation that Manny did pitch tonight???

 

Silly rabbit, trix are for kids...

 

That's RHP Gerrit Simpson finishing things up for Huntsville in Game One -- actually, Simpson ('doh!) has been spotless since arriving in a trade from Colorado.

 

MILB.com's Huntsville roster site lists both pitchers as # 26, thus the confusion:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;cid=559

[Mass Haas]

Oh, and Brian, rehabbing RHP Khalid Ballouli joined Brett Pollock in the Huntsville booth tonight -- I'm sure you wish that one was archived http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

You were probably watching some silly game down in Houston vs. that Roger guy...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Idaho Falls (Royals) 10, Helena 2

 

Helena Box Score:

Well, the boys played errorless ball, Ryan Marion pitched two scoreless innings, Kenny Holmberg had two hits, and Bryan Opdyke walked twice - there, we listed all the positives...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Chattanooga (Reds) 6, Huntsville 5

 

Final, Game Two: Huntsville 5, Chattanooga 4

 

Huntsville Site:

 

Brandon Gemoll?s two-out, two-strike, two-run single lifted Huntsville to a 5-4 comeback win over Chattanooga in the second game of a doubleheader Thursday night at BellSouth Park. The Stars salvaged the final game of the three-game set to snap a six-game road and overall losing streak and improved to 21-31 in the second half of the season, while the Lookouts dropped to 20-32 in the second half and 23-41 at home. The Stars also ended a three-game losing streak to the Lookouts and lifted their record to 6-7 in the season series.

 

Travis Chick blanked the Stars on four hits through the first five frames in the second game before Gemoll and Enrique Cruz delivered consecutive run-scoring doubles to trim the lead to 4-2. Cruz moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Brad Nelson, who knocked in one run in each of the three games in the series, to make it 4-3.

 

Former Devil Rays and Brewers reliever Travis Phelps, who blanked the Stars over two innings in the first game of the series, took over in the seventh inning to try to close it out and gave up a leadoff single to John Vanden Berg, who was replaced by pinch-runner Nelson Castro, and a one-out single to Tony Gwynn, Jr. that moved Castro to second base. The runners each advanced one base on a Guilder Rodriguez ground out and scored when Gemoll ripped a line drive down the right field line for a base hit to knock in his 49th and 50th runs of the season.

 

Andy Pratt opened on the hill for Huntsville in the home seventh and gave up a leadoff bunt base hit to Norris Hopper and walked D?Angelo Jimenez with one out and Kevin Howard with two outs to load the bases before getting Ryan Hanigan to pop out to Cruz at shortstop to end the game. Pratt earned his second save of the season and of his career and preserved the win for Glenn Woolard, who tossed shutout relief in the sixth inning.

 

Jimenez blasted a three-run home run in the first inning and Chick belted a leadoff long ball in the fifth off of Stars? starter Ty Taubenheim to put the Lookouts on top 4-0. Chick was making his fifth start of the season against the Stars and is now 1-2 with two no-decisions against them.

 

Chattanooga scored three times in the fourth inning in the first game to take the lead for good at 6-5 on a Vinny Rottino throwing error that allowed Brian Peterson to cross the plate, a run-scoring single by Junior Ruiz that tied the game at five and a run-scoring double by Jimenez that pushed Hopper across with the decisive run and chased starter and loser David Bradley from the game. Bradley was charged with six runs on nine hits and a pair of walks and dropped to 5-4 on the season. Gerrit Simpson worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief and has not allowed a run in 10 innings over five outings since joining the Stars.

 

David Shafer opened the fifth inning on the hill for the Lookouts and walked Jeff Winchester and Rodriguez with one out and Gwynn with two down to load the bases before striking out Kennard Bibbs to end the frame. Shafer fell behind 3-0 and then threw three straight strikes and caught Bibbs looking at a called strike three. Bubba Nelson worked two scoreless innings behind Shafer to earn his 11th save of the season and third against Huntsville.

 

The Stars open up a three-game series against Tennessee Friday night with left-hander Josh Habel taking the hill against Smokies? right-hander Tony Pena. Coverage gets underway at 6:00 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Game One Box Score:

No linescore or game log, box score intact; David Bradley pitched on consecutive days after pitching a portion of the first inning Wednesday before the rain came...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Two Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Two Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005081860

 

Power rained out; Salome wins July honor

By Tommy R. Atkinson

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

The West Virginia Power doesn?t have an Angel in the outfield, but it does have one lurking in the No. 5 hole in the batting order.

 

Angel Salome, who has been the designated hitter in most games since getting a call-up from Helena (Mont.) of the rookie Pioneer League about two-and-a-half weeks ago, received his Minor League Player of the Month award from the Milwaukee Brewers? organization before Thursday night?s game against the Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws.

 

The Power?s finale in the four-game series against the BlueClaws at Appalachian Power Park was called after 3 1/2 innings and a one-hour, 36-minute rain delay with West Virginia holding a 3-1 lead. Since the two teams will not meet again during the season, the game will not be made up. The Power has now had two games wiped out this season in this fashion.

 

West Virginia (27-24) embarks on a four-game road trip to the South Atlantic League Southern Division-leading Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators (27-20) beginning with a 7:05 game Friday night (6:05 Central). The Power, which finished the six-game homestand 2-4, trails Northern Division-leading Delmarva (Md.) by six games.

 

From June 21 to July 29 at Helena, Salome carried a .419 batting average with eight home runs, 17 doubles and 50 RBIs while compiling a .474 on-base percentage and a .684 slugging percentage.

 

?I feel good about myself,?? said the 20-year-old New York resident. ?It?s a lot of work. I was working pretty good during Instructional League last year and I improved a lot. Now I see the results.

 

?My first year I didn?t play a lot. I was working on my swing. I think I?ve done a better job. I?m trying to get the same approach every day. Sometimes you get out of timing. I?ve been working on it with the hitting coaches every day.??

 

Since joining the Power on July 30, last year?s fifth-round draft pick is hitting .254 with two homers, five doubles and six RBIs. The 5-foot-7, 190-pound catcher homered in his first game with the Power and followed that up the next game with an 11th-inning game-winning shot.

 

?He?s been swinging the bat pretty good,?? said Power manager Ramon Aviles. ?His average went down a little bit. He got a little too anxious, tried to do a little too much. He?s coming back to be himself.??

 

Aviles said one of the reasons Salome didn?t begin the season with the Power was his catching duties needed more work.

 

?He was a little disappointed in spring training that he didn?t break with our team,?? said the Power manager. ?He worked hard and has improved a lot. He?s a good one. He?s learning. He?s always got the bat.

 

?When you see a right-handed hitter hitting balls out to right field and right center, that means he?s got power. He?s not a dead-pull hitter. He uses the whole field. He has power to all fields. When he makes contact the ball sounds different and it goes a long way.??

 

Power points

 

Agustin Septimo returned to the Power on Thursday, but wasn?t in the lineup. The utility player, who was with the team from April 19 through June 6, spent the past two months in Helena where he hit .314 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 36 games. ... Also Thursday, Power infielder Josh Murray, a second-round draft pick in 2002, was promoted to high-Class A Brevard County. ... Power pitching coach John Curtis, who received a fractured skull after getting hit with a batted ball during batting practice Aug 6. in Greensboro (N.C.), attended Thursday?s game.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=43772

 

Fielder exits Music City, Sounds lose

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

Opposing PCL pitchers won?t have to worry about the unstoppable force otherwise known as Prince Fielder for the foreseeable future. The young slugger was called up by Milwaukee Thursday to replace injured outfielder Brady Clark, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

 

Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said he wouldn?t be surprised if Fielder would stick in the big leagues after this call-up.

 

?[i?m not surprised because], he can do it,? Kremblas said. ?This gives other guys more at-bats.?

 

Fielder was in the midst of an unbelievable streak in which he was hitting .540 over the past two weeks. For the season, Fielder has 28 homers, good for second in the league and six shy of the Sounds? single-season record.

 

This is the second promotion of a major Nashville offensive contributor this week. Milwaukee called up outfielder Corey Hart Sunday. Fielder and Hart have been the Sounds? top two offensive producers this year.

 

Earlier in the week, Kremblas said the loss of Hart, along with relievers Kane Davis and Jose Capellan didn?t bother him in the least.

 

Hart and Fielder are both options to be sent back to Nashville when Clark and Jeff Cirillo, who is currently on a rehab stint in Nashville, recover from their injuries.

 

However with Sept. 1 approaching ? when big league teams can expand their rosters ? the chance remains Hart and Fielder won?t be back in Nashville for the Sounds? run for the PCL crown.

 

?I don?t know,? Kremblas said. ?I don?t have a feel for [whether Hart and Fielder will return]. And we haven?t discussed it.?

 

Milwaukee didn?t make a move to replace Fielder?s roster spot, leaving Nashville one shy of its roster limit.

 

This is Fielder?s second trip to the big leagues. He went 9-for-28 with one homer so far. Fielder went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice RBI for the Brewers against Houston Thursday night.

 

Sounds drop second straight

 

Round Rock starter Carlos Hernandez threw seven shutout innings to lead the Express to a 3-1 victory over Nashville in front of 5,012 fans at Greer Stadium Thursday.

 

It was Nashville?s second straight loss to the Express.

 

After a five-inning pitching duel between Nashville?s Jeff Housman and Hernandez, the Express got on the board in the sixth.

 

Barry Wesson hit a solo home run off Housman. Later in the inning Hernandez helped his own cause with an RBI double, which chased Housman in favor of reliever Brett Evert.

 

?He probably [got] tired, because his mechanics were off,? Kremblas said of Housman, who had five walks. ?The thing tonight is the walks.?

 

The Express added a run when Charles Gibson hit an RBI double off Evert, raising the lead to 3-0.

 

Nashville could not figure out Hernandez, who threw seven shutout innings and allowed just three hits.

 

?He was all right,? Kremblas said. ?We just didn?t swing the bats very good.?

 

In the ninth, the Sounds got on the board when second baseman Corey Hart doubled home Tony Zuniga. The tying run came to the plate in Steve Scarborough, but reliever Scott Strickland got him to line out to right field to end the game.

 

Cirillo begins recovery

 

Cirillo began his rehab stint Thursday. The Brewers third baseman is recovering from a fractured left ring finger, which he broke June 24. For the game, Cirillo went 0-for-2. Cirillo turned a stellar inning-ending double play in the fifth inning before exiting as planned.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Housman, Sounds stumble

Five shutout innings are all for nothing

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Nashville Sounds pitcher Jeff Housman had pitched into the seventh inning just once in his six starts before last night. So after five shutout innings against Round Rock, the end was near.

 

Housman didn't get out of the sixth, giving up four hits ? including a solo home run to Barry Wesson and an RBI double to Express pitcher Carlos Hernandez ? and three runs. That was the only rally for either team in a 3-1 Sounds loss, their second in a row.

 

"I think I got a little tired," Housman said after falling to 1-5 over his last six starts. "One guy hit a good pitch, and I left a couple balls up. It's not like the other five were that good, though. Everything was a struggle. I had to battle through."

 

Over his last seven starts, Housman is 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA.

 

"He probably gets tired because his mechanics are out of whack," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said of the left-hander, who issued five walks. "But he gave up three runs in 5+ innings. That's not bad. The only thing is the walks. If you take those out, that's maybe 20 extra pitches."

 

Nashville avoided its fourth shutout when Corey D. Hart's two-out single in the ninth inning scored Tony Zuniga from second.

 

Since June 1, the Sounds are 15-20 at Greer, 27-11 on the road.

 

Magic number: Nashville's magic number for clinching the PCL American North division title, which was 13 following Oklahoma's 5-4 win over Memphis, stayed at 13. It's now a combination of Sounds wins and Omaha losses, as Omaha moved into second place last night with its win over New Orleans and another Memphis loss to Oklahoma.

 

Short-handed: With the promotion of first baseman Prince Fielder late Wednesday night by the Brewers, Nashville is one short of the 24-player active roster limit ? and may stay that way for a while.

 

"We're pretty thin at Double-A (Huntsville), too," Kremblas said.

 

The Sounds have had four players go to Milwaukee in the last five days after sending just eight non-rehab players to the Brewers over the first 18 weeks of the season.

 

Five up: Milwaukee infielder Jeff Cirillo began a rehab assignment with the Sounds last night, starting at third base and batting third as he recovers from a broken ring finger on his left hand. He went hitless in two at-bats last night before giving way to Chris Barnwell.

 

"I felt OK," he said. "I felt my wrist a couple of times in my first a-bat, but it went better than I thought it was going to be, just from the psychological aspect. I didn't know what it would be like to make contact with the ball the first time I was seeing live pitching. But it was nice to be in the field, playing baseball again."

 

What they said: "We made better pitches, threw better strikes down in the (strike) zone. We threw some offspeed pitches that were close enough that they swung at them. Anytime you do that, you're going to be OK." ? Kremblas, on limiting Round Rock to one HR after giving up seven in the first two games.

 

Still time: Sounds General Manager Glenn Yaeger said yesterday that, from a timing perspective, being in a new stadium to start the 2007 season isn't out of reach.

 

Acknowledging the continuing impasse with Metro government regarding plans for the thermal plant site, Yaeger said, "If we can get something done by the end of the season, we'd be OK."

[Mass Haas]

Nothing on the Arizona Brewers yet...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005081925/

 

Team's spirits bolstered by pitching coach's visit

Michael A. Jones

Charleston Daily Mail Staff

 

The rains may have washed out the final game of the series between the West Virginia Power and Lakewood BlueClaws, but that didn't dampen the spirits in the home clubhouse.

 

Thursday night's game marked the return of Power pitching coach John Curtis after he was struck in the head with a baseball during batting practice recently in Greensboro, N.C. Curtis had experienced stroke-like symptoms, losing feeling in his left arm.

 

While Curtis did not watch the game from the dugout, his presence was felt before the game during batting practice and in pre-game warm-ups.

 

"We were all very happy to see him and see that he's in good spirits," said Manager Ramon Aviles. "All the guys were hugging him. We were happy to see him and I guess that kind of pumped the team up a little."

 

Curtis left the game before it was cancelled in order to drive with his wife back to his home in San Diego to continue rehabilitation on his arm. Before the game, he spoke with most players individually, including starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo.

 

"Just to see him around, walking around, it's a good feeling," Gallardo said. "He's been with (us) almost the whole season, so it's great to see him back.

 

"It's been a while since he was down talking to us. He just told me the same thing he's been telling me all year, just go out there and work hard."

 

Gallardo followed Curtis' orders, striking out six -- four of them looking -- while pitching four solid innings before the rain delay.

 

Aviles said he was pleased with his pitcher's performance.

 

"Gallardo was outstanding," Aviles said. "He had good stuff and he located his pitches well. It's a shame that the rain came. He probably could have had double-figures (in strikeouts)."

 

"It's one of those things you can't control," Gallardo said about the rain. "I go out there and do my job and whatever happens, happens"

 

The game was delayed in the middle of the fourth with West Virginia leading 3-1.

 

The Power had opened a 2-0 lead over the BlueClaws, thanks to a pair of bloop base hits by Alcides Escobar and Carlos Corporan in the second. Both teams scored a run in the third.

 

The umpiring crew called the game at 9:50 p.m., following a 1-hour, 40-minute delay. Because this was the last time the two teams meet this year, the game will not be made-up unless either team is within one game of first place at the end of the season.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Rangers 10, Arizona Brewers 8

No linescore or game log, but box score intact otherwise...

 

Arizona Box Score:

Perseverence rewarded: 25-year-old RHP Josh Alliston (Long Beach State, 21st round, 2002) makes a rehab start for the A-Crew -- Alliston pitched 1/3 of one inning in 2004 and not at all up until today in 2005 -- congrats, Josh on your clean inning! Otherwise pitching struggled; 19-year-old RHP Miguel Parejo hit three batters and threw three wild pitches; Fredy de la Cruz with his 4th HR, an impressive number for Arizona...

 

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