Link Report for Wednesday 8/17 -- AZ Box Score Now Up

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

More of Wednesday's Daily Menu later, but here's a heads up:

 

Central time; pitcher subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 11:40 AM pre-game, 12:00 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Past Member]

Congrats to Carlos Villanueva on his much deserved promotion to Huntsville. Can't wait for him to pitch there.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Wednesday (PDF format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Now that we've got you kick-started, here's the rest of Wednesday's lineup:

 

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

 

Huntsville: First, it's the completion of Tuesday's suspended nine-inning game (Stars clinging to a tenuous 3-1 third-inning lead, RHP Brian Wolfe will pick up today), to be followed by the regularly scheduled game, now a seven-inning affair (RHP David Bradley) at Chattanooga (Reds), 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: LHP Ryan Costello at Jupiter (Marlins), 6:05 PM; Florida's 2004 first round pick Taylor Tankersley (0-0) will be making his Hammerheads debut -- he recently faced Brewer farmhands now at West Virginia...

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.jupiterhammerheads.com/

 

West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at home vs. Lakewood (Phillies), 6:05 PM; Miller (University of Vermont, but a New Hampshire native) joins Maine's Mark Rogers as part of the unusual northern New England rotation connection...

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: Idle

 

Arizona: TBD at the Angels' complex vs. the rookie Halo's, 7:00 PM local time; never any web audio for Arizona Rookie ball...

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

 

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

 

Arizona:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_angrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 69 55 .556 - 32-29 37-26 W1[/b] Memphis 62 61 .504 6.5 33-31 29-30 W4 Omaha 61 63 .492 8.0 28-31 33-32 W1 Iowa 57 63 .475 10.0 36-27 21-36 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 30 20 .600 - 17-10 13-10 L4 West Tenn 27 23 .540 3.0 13-10 14-13 W1 Tennessee 22 28 .440 8.0 12-12 10-16 L1 [b]Huntsville 20 29 .408 9.5 8-15 12-14 L4[/b] Chattanooga 18 31 .367 11.5 11-17 7-14 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vero Beach 31 19 .620 - 17-10 14-9 L3 Palm Beach 31 21 .596 1.0 14-12 17-9 W3 [b]Brevard County 28 23 .549 3.5 12-14 16-9 L2[/b] St. Lucie 27 24 .529 4.5 11-12 16-12 L1 Daytona 23 27 .460 8.0 14-12 9-15 W2 Jupiter 19 30 .388 11.5 14-12 5-18 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 30 17 .638 - 17-4 13-13 L1 Hickory 27 23 .540 4.5 15-10 12-13 L4 Lexington 27 23 .540 4.5 17-12 10-11 W1 [b]West Virginia 26 23 .531 5.0 14-12 12-11 L2[/b] Lake County 24 24 .500 6.5 13-12 11-12 W4 Lakewood 24 26 .480 7.5 15-12 9-14 W4 Greensboro 22 28 .440 9.5 9-13 13-15 L1 Hagerstown 16 30 .348 13.5 7-12 9-18 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Mariners 10 5 .667 - 5-3 5-2 L1 AZL Athletics 11 6 .647 - 7-2 4-4 W3 AZL Giants 9 5 .643 0.5 3-4 6-1 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 8 6 .571 1.5 3-4 5-2 L1[/b] AZL Rangers 9 7 .563 1.5 6-3 3-4 W1 AZL Royals 7 8 .467 3.0 5-3 2-5 L1 AZL Angels 6 11 .353 5.0 1-2 5-9 W1 AZL Padres 5 10 .333 5.0 2-7 3-3 L2 AZL Cubs 4 11 .267 6.0 2-7 2-4 W1

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

 

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

[dixieflatline]

Sounds lose 9-4. Prince goes 2 for 4 with a double and another home run. Yawn.

[pogokat]

Is Prince somewhere in the running for Minor League Player of the Year???

 

I know he was mentioned alot in 2003...seems to me like there should be some buzz about this...

[homer]

I think Brandon Wood might be the front runner at this point. There are guys in PCL with better numbers than Fielder (Linden for example) but I'm not sure if they'd rate as high as Prince in terms of ceiling. Is that taken into consideration?

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio: Coaches Chat with Pitching Coach Stan Kyles (Part 2 of 2)

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-17.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 9, Nashville 4

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

Link for David Krynzel photo, text follows --

 

Round Rock Evens Series With 9-4 Win

 

NASHVILLE ? Round Rock hammered out four home runs, including a pair by left fielder Luke Scott, in posting a 9-4 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium.

 

With the loss, Nashville (69-56) had its lead temporarily reduced to six games in the PCL American Conference Northern Division, pending the result of second-place Memphis? game in Oklahoma later this evening.

 

Twelve of the 13 runs scored in the game came courtesy of the longball as the teams combined for six on the afternoon.

 

Nashville took the first lead of the game on Dave Krynzel?s two-out, two-run homer to right-center off Express starter Brian Tollberg in the bottom of the third inning. The longball was his tenth of the season, making him the seventh different Sound to post a double-digit homer total this season (one shy of the franchise record set in 2004).

 

AUDIO: Dave Krynzel's 10th HR Of 2005

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-17.mp3

 

The Express broke out the lumber in the fourth and fifth after being held scoreless by Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson over the first three frames. With one out in the fourth, Scott doubled then scored on Mike Coolbaugh?s team-leading 27th home run of the season, which tied the contest at 2-2.

 

Round Rock jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the fifth. Shortstop Tommy Whiteman led off with a solo shot to right-center, his fourth roundtripper of the year, to propel the visitors into the lead. Scott, who went 3-for-5 with five RBIs on the afternoon, tacked on two more with a two-out, two-run blast to right off Hendrickson.

 

Prince Fielder (2-for-4) slugged his team-leading 28th tater to lead off the bottom of the sixth and pulled Nashville within a pair of runs at 5-3. With the blast, Fielder -- who is hitting a superb .540 (27-for-50) over his last 13 games -- moved into second among PCL sluggers this season and into a tie with Chad Hermansen for the 7th-best single-season longball total in the Sounds? 28-year franchise history.

 

Round Rock iced the contest with a four-run ninth against Nashville reliever Mike Adams, highlighted by Scott?s second homer of the afternoon ? a two-out, three-run shot to right.

 

The four home runs surrendered by Nashville pitchers matched the most allowed this season.

 

A pair of season-best hitting streaks came to a close for the Sounds: Trent Durrington went 0-for-4 to snap Nashville?s longest hitting streak of the year at 17 games while catcher Julio Mosquera was held hitless in four at-bats as his seven-game streak went to the wayside.

 

Tollberg (4-1) picked up the victory by limiting the Sounds to three runs on six hits while striking out seven over seven innings. Hendrickson (6-10) took the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in his five frames.

 

Scott Strickland, who entered the game protecting a 5-3 lead in the eighth, earned his second save for the Express by allowing one run over the final two innings.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium. Left-hander Jeff Housman (5-11, 6.30) takes the mound for Nashville to face Round Rock southpaw Carlos Hernandez (4-7, 6.20).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Mike Adams struggles remain puzzling -- this sure hasn't been the season he (or anyone else) could have predicted for him...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final, completion of Tuesday's suspended game: Chattanooga (Reds) 15, Huntsville 4

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

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Veteran infielder Nelson Castro pitched the 8th in this lost cause -- the Stars will need David Bradley to eat innings in the nightcap; reliever Brian Wolfe allowed three inherited runners to score in the 3rd, then allowed an additional four to score behind those -- could have been worse, Keith Stamler stranded three runners to end that hideous frame; shades of High Desert -- this team is a train wreck...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

[gregmag]

A: "The stars lost fifteen to four."

 

B: "Okay, I believe that."

 

A: "Four Huntsville pitchers gave up more than three runs each."

 

B: "Wow. Amazing, but plausible."

 

A: "Jerome Gamble pitched in the game."

 

B: "Well of course he did."

 

A: "He pitched two scoreless innings."

 

B: "Oh come on. Quit yanking my chain."

 

A: "Also, Enrique Cruz walked twice."

 

B: "Go away."

[Mass Haas]

In progress, Brevard County 5, Jupiter (Marlins) 5, top of the 10th in Jupiter

LH closer Jeremy Lewis just coughed up a three-run furball in the 9th, blowing the lead and the win for Ryan Costello -- ugh; gotta admit I had the write-up all set for a final report....

 

Speedster Travis Ezi with 11 triples, that's pretty impressive -- that'd be one in this game, 11 on the season; top three in the order (Sollman, Moss, Anderson) have reached base nine times thus far...

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Lakewood (Phillies) 6, West Virginia 6, top of the 10th at the "App"

The Power score a run in the bottom of the 9th to send it to extra innings -- if not for watching the Crew while listening to Bob & Jim, there are two cliiffhangers worth tuning in to here with the Manatees and Power...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakewood (Phillies) 7, West Virginia 6, ten innings

Robert Hinton's wild pitch allows the winning run to score (or is that the losing run in this case?); Power had the tying run on second base with one out in the bottom of the 10th, but not to be...

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Power pitching hasn't been stellar lately - can't be losing these home games, faint playoff hopes fading; Ryan Braun two doubles, three RBI; nice relief stint from UCLA's Dave Johnson....

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 6, Jupiter (Marlins) 5, eleven innings

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Adam Heether's single the game-winner, driving in Travis Ezi. who reached on a bunt single to open the 11th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Suspended, regularly scheduled game: Huntsville 1, Chattanooga (Reds) 0, rain, bottom of the first in Chattanooga

Well, this is confusing -- this was scheduled for seven, but now does it go nine before tomorrow's game? No matter what, it's making for too much typing by the Link Reporter; Vinny Rottino singled in Tony Gwynn, Jr., for the Stars' run...

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

MONI RUINS POWER COMEBACK

Charleston, WV ? With two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning of Wednesday night?s game between the Power and the Lakewood BlueClaws, Carlos Corporan hit a fly ball down the line in left field with Angel Salome at second base, representing the tying run in a 7-6 game. It looked like the ball was going to drop and tie the game, but Timi Moni made an outstanding diving catch to seal the deal for the BlueClaws.

 

Mike Dzurilla hit an RBI double in the first inning and later scored on an RBI single from Sam Orr to provide Lakewood with an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second the Power tied the game at 2-2. Will Lewis knocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and one out, Hasan Rasheed hit a ground ball to first baseman Dzurilla who threw to the plate, but the ball was dropped by catcher Jason Jaramillo, allowing Salome to score. The Power took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single from Lewis.

 

In the top of the fourth inning Lakewood scored four times to regain the lead. Sean Gamble smacked an RBI single, he scored later in the inning on a ground ball hit by Greg Golson and Brad Harman knocked in the final two runs of the inning with his eleventh homer of the season. Ryan Braun smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull the Power within a run. The score remained 6-5 until Braun delivered again. In the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, Braun hit an RBI double to send the game into extra innings.

 

In the top of the tenth inning, Harman hit a double, he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to give Lakewood the lead for good.

 

Joe Bisenius (6-2) earned the victory, Cory Deuitt (5) earned the save and Robert Hinton (3-4) obtained the loss. The Power are 26-24 in the second half after the loss and the BlueClaws move to 25-26 with the win.

 

The Power will conclude the series with the Lakewood BlueClaws on Thursday night at Appalachian Power Park. The Power will throw RHP Yovani Gallardo (5-3, 3.17) and Lakewood will counter with right-handed pitcher C.J. Woodrow (0-0, 3.71). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site:

 

Stephen Smitherman?s grand slam highlighted a seven-run third inning rally and put Chattanooga ahead to stay in a 15-4 win over Huntsville Wednesday evening in the first game of a three-game series at BellSouth Park. The game was completed after being suspended following a rain delay of an hour and 20 minutes on Tuesday night. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader, Wednesday?s regularly scheduled game, shortened to seven innings, was suspended with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. The teams will pick up the suspended game on Thursday and play it to a seven inning conclusion and follow with the regularly scheduled game, which will also be seven innings.

 

Huntsville starter Glenn Woolard had allowed singles to Norris Hopper and Junior Ruiz and walked D?Angelo Jimenez in the home third Tuesday night before the game was suspended. Brian Wolfe opened the inning on the hill for Huntsville when play resumed and Smitherman blasted his second pitch over the wall in left field for a his tenth home run of the season to put the home team ahead to stay at 5-3. Ryan Hanigan scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-3 and Hopper capped the uprising with a two-out, two-run single, his second hit of the frame. Keith Stamler replaced Wolfe after Ruiz had singled and Jimenez had walked to re-load the bases and fanned Smitherman to end the inning.

 

Woolard suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits and two walks over two-plus innings of work. The right-hander dropped to 5-10 on the season, while the Stars lost for a tenth time in their last 11 games to fall to 20-30 in the second half and 49-70 overall.

 

John Vanden Berg greeted Jason Andrew, the Lookouts? new pitcher, with a leadoff home run in the fourth to trim the lead to 8-4. It was his second long ball of the season and first since May 14 at Montgomery. Stamler and Tony Gwynn, Jr. followed with singles and both runners advanced one base on a Kennard Bibbs ground ball out. Vinny Rottino then hit a fly ball to center field that was caught by Hopper and his one-hop throw to the plate was taken by the catcher Ryan Hanigan, who turned to his right to tag out Stamler, going in standing up, to complete the double play to end the inning.

 

Andrew then retired the next nine hitters he faced to earn his third win of the season and second in as many appearances. The right-hander struck out four and did not walk a batter over four frames before Travis Phelps tossed two scoreless frames to complete the game for Chattanooga, which has won four of its last five games to improve to 19-31 in the second half.

 

Hanigan belted a two-run home run in the fourth inning and the Lookouts added four runs in the eighth off of Stars? infielder Nelson Castro to complete the scoring. Hopper finished with four hits and four runs batted in, Ruiz reached base in all six plate appearances with five hits and a walk and scored three times and Hanigan missed hitting for the cycle by a triple. Kevin Howard was the only Lookouts? starter without a hit and every starter scored at least once in an 18-hit attack.

 

Coverage of the twin bill on Thursday gets underway at 4:50 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Game Summary (Hammerheads Site):

 

Adam Heether hit an RBI single in the top of the 11th that proved to be the game winner, as the Brevard County Manatees beat the Hammerheads 6-5 in 11 innings.

 

Landon Stockman (1-3) got the win for Brevard, pitching the 10th inning and escaping a bases loaded jam. Blake Jones (1-1) took the loss after allowing the game-winning run in the top of the 11th.

 

Wednesday night?s game featured some of everything. For starters, Marlins 2004 first round pick Taylor Tankersley made his Hammerheads debut and was very solid, tossing six innings, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out six. At one point, Tankersley retired ten in a row.

 

The Hammerheads found themselves down 5-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th and facing Brevard closer Jeremy Lewis. Kevin Randel walked to start the inning. Following back-to-back strikeouts of Angel Molina and John Lindsey, Ryan Bear hit an infield single to short, and Lee Mitchell followed with a two-RBI double to left. With Mitchell in scoring position, manager Tim Cossins opted to go with Patrick Arlis to pinch-hit for Greg Brown. Arlis hit a bloop single to right, scoring Mitchell and knotting the game at 5.

 

Derek Tillman pitched a scoreless 10th for Jupiter, escaping from a jam that was highlighted by a fielder?s choice put out at the plate with Jeff Eure at third and one out. Todd Brock threw home to Arlis, who held on to the ball despite a minor collision.

 

In the bottom of the 10th, the Hammerheads loaded the bases with one out against Stockman. Juan Figueroa, brought in to pinch hit for Lindsey, struck out looking on a controversial 3-2 pitch. The next batter, Bear, went down swinging to end the inning.

 

In the bottom of the 11th, with Jupiter down 6-5, Jose Campusano (who had come in to pinch run in the 9th for Mitchell) led off with a drag bunt down the first base line. Brevard first baseman Josh Brady reached out for the tag, but umpire Grant Menke called Campusano safe at first. Upon further review, the hit was overturned and Campusano was called out at first. A fracas ensued between the Hammerheads coaching staff and the umpiring crew, resulting in the ejections of Cossins and catcher Greg Brown (who was on the bench at the time). Hitting coach Paul Sanagorski and pitching coach Reid Cornelius also argued, but remained in the game.

 

The Hammerheads and Manatees will finish their wild season series Thursday night at Roger Dean Stadium.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=43724

 

Sounds rocked by Express

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

When Sounds fans leave Greer Stadium these days, they seem to be asking themselves two questions. First, did the team win? Secondly, did Prince Fielder hit a homer?

 

The answers Wednesday afternoon to those questions were no and yes, as Round Rock downed Nashville 9-4 in front of 2,881 fans.

 

Fielder did hit another homer ? No. 28 on the season ? as he continues to close in on the team?s single season mark of 34.

 

In the third inning, Dave Krynzel hit his 10th homer of the year, a two run shot that plated Trent Durrington. Krynzel?s shot gave the Sounds a 2-0 lead, which didn?t last long.

 

Round Rock followed with a two-run shot by Mike Coolbaugh off Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson to tie the game in the fourth.

 

The Express took the lead in the fifth, when Tommy Whiteman broke things open with a solo home run. Later in the inning, Luke Scott launched a two-run homer to right field.

 

The three home runs are the most Hendrickson (6-10) has allowed in a game this season.

 

?There?s an old saying, ?Home runs are thrown,?? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?[Hendrickson?s] command wasn?t very good today.?

 

After registering just three hits over six innings off Express starter Brian Tollberg, the Sounds offense came alive in the seventh. Fielder continued his torrid pace in the inning, when he destroyed a Tollberg offering over the wall in right center. Fielder has hit safely in 12 of his past 13 games. He went 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the day.

 

After back-to-back singles following Fielder?s shot, Tollberg got out of the jam when he fanned Julio Mosquera and got Chris Barnwell to ground into an inning-ending double play.

 

Round Rock added some insurance in the ninth when the team scored four runs off reliever Mike Adams.

 

In the Sounds? half of the inning, Nelson Cruz was drilled between the shoulder blades by Round Rock pitcher Scott Strickland. Benches started to clear before cooler heads prevailed. Cruz had been hit in a similar spot the night before. He threw the bat down in anger and started towards first before getting in a shouting match with Strickland who came off the mound.

 

?[Cruz] got hit by the pitch and was upset, because he?s been hit quite a few times lately,? Kremblas said.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Homers twice as nice for Round Rock in win

Sounds get two dingers, but visitors hit four out

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

It was another day of home run derby for the Nashville Sounds and visiting Round Rock yesterday, as the two teams combined for six homers.

 

Unfortunately for the Sounds, their pitchers gave up four of them in a 9-4 loss.

 

"There's an old saying: 'Home runs are thrown,' " Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said. "They've got some guys that can hit it, but they're hitting pitches they should hit. Our pitch selection, our pitch sequence was horrible."

 

Leading 2-0 on a Dave Krynzel homer, the Sounds fell behind on a barrage of Express homers in the fourth and fifth innings off Nashville starter Ben Hendrickson. Mike Coolbaugh, Tommy Whiteman and Luke Scott did the damage in taking a 5-2 lead.

 

"Ben didn't have good command," Kremblas said of Hendrickson, whose three homers allowed were a season high. "His change-up was OK, but he was a little off."

 

The Sounds cut the deficit to 5-3 in the seventh on Prince Fielder's 27th homer of the season ? tying him with Chad Hermansen (1998) for the seventh-best single-season effort in franchise history ? but squandered a two-on, no-out situation with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play.

 

Scott then struck again, with a three-run shot off Mike Adams in the ninth for his second homer of the game and his third of the series, extending the margin to 9-3.

 

Tempers flared in the bottom of the ninth when Nelson Cruz was hit in the left shoulder blade by a Scott Strickland pitch.

 

It was nearly identical to where Cruz was hit in Tuesday night's game. After Cruz slammed his bat to the ground and headed toward first base, Strickland came off the mound toward him. Players from both teams came out of the dugouts, but order was quickly restored.

 

"He's been hit quite a few times lately (four times in his last 11 games, seven in 42 games overall)," Kremblas said. "If a guy gets hit and keeps getting hit, he's going to get upset. For the pitcher to walk toward him and jaw, that's normal ? but if the guy's mad, just leave him alone. Then one of their coaches said something to Nelson when he had no reason to say anything to my player and call him a name."

 

It was the second consecutive game in which Nashville had been outhomered by the Express. The Sounds accounted for two of five homers in Tuesday's 7-5 victory.

 

Closing in: Krynzel's third-inning home run was his 10th of the season. He is the seventh different Sounds hitter to reach the double-digit plateau, one short of the franchise-record eight achieved last season.

 

The super seven of '04 were Chris Truby (25), Luke Allen and current Round Rock first baseman Carlos Rivera (17 each), J.R. House (15), Tony Alvarez (14), Andy Abad (12), and Ruben Mateo and Terry Shumpert (11 each).

 

This year, Krynzel joins Fielder (28), Corey Hart (17), Mike Rivera (14), Kevin Orie and Rickie Weeks (12 each) and Steve Scarborough (10).

 

Cruz, Tony Zuniga and Warren Morris each have seven homers since joining the Sounds, although Cruz and Zuniga have hit 10 or more for the season. Zuniga had three at Double-A Huntsville before coming up on June 18, while Cruz had 16 for the Stars.

 

Making moves: Sound relief pitcher Clint Weibl came off the disabled list yesterday. He was sidelined after sustaining a contusion on his right (pitching) hand when struck by a line drive on July 30. His activation brings the Nashville active roster to the 24-player limit.

 

Weibl relieved Hendrickson to open the sixth inning yesterday and worked three shutout innings.

 

Meanwhile, the Sounds are expected to have Milwaukee infielder Jeff Cirillo in uniform for tonight's game. Cirillo, who will be on a rehab assignment, has been on the DL since he suffered a fractured left ring finger when he was struck by a pitch from former Nashville pitcher Matt Guerrier during a Brewers-Twins game on June 24.

 

Streak stopped: Trent Durrington went 0-for-4 to end his hitting streak at 17 games. It was the longest streak for a Sounds hitter since Adam Hyzdu had a 26-game effort in the 2001 season.

 

What they said: "I thought our effort was (lacking). It didn't seem like we were there, physically or mentally. Physically is their fault; mentally is my fault. Hopefully we'll see a different team (tonight)." ? Kremblas.

 

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=43725

 

Sounds' roster changes, wins stay same

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

Lose third baseman Kevin Orie, add Tony Zuniga. Lose catcher Pat Borders, add Mike Rivera. Lose starting pitchers Justin Lehr and Rick Helling, have Wes Obermueller and Gary Glover fill in admirably.

 

No matter who the Sounds have lost this season, the production has remained the same and the team has remained atop its division.

 

In order to continue their run for the Pacific Coast League championship, the Nashville Sounds will have to replace three of their most-productive players who were called up to Milwaukee over the weekend.

 

The holes left by the departure of Corey Hart, Kane Davis and Jose Capellan will not be easy to fill. But Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said he isn?t concerned about having to replace his All-Star outfielder and his two most-dominant relievers.

 

?It doesn?t bother me one bit,? Kremblas said. ?Lets me know I?m doing my job. I?m happy for them.?

 

Among the players who will be needed to replace the production lost by Hart?s call-up is Trent Durrington, who is in his second stint with the Sounds. Durrington has been excellent at Triple-A this year, hitting .294 with 21 stolen bases for Nashville.

 

In Milwaukee, Durrington played sparingly, going 3-for-10 over 23 games.

 

Durrington can play all the infield spots and has started his last two games in left field.

 

?If anything can help [Durrington] with coming down, it?s that he gets to play more,? Kremblas said.

 

Capellan and Davis were lights out for the Sounds. Davis was 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA. Capellan, initially used as a starter, posted a 1.44 ERA in 24 games out of the pen.

 

Prince about to become a King

 

Time is running out for Sounds fans to get a glimpse of star slugger Prince Fielder. There may not be a better time to catch the highly-touted prospect than now, because Fielder is on an unprecedented tear.

 

Over his last 50 at-bats, Fielder has 27 hits and 18 RBI. Fielder is second in the PCL with 28 homers and has a chance to set the Sounds single-season mark of 34.

 

Kremblas said the way Fielder?s hitting reminds him of another power hitting lefty with a lightning-quick swing.

 

?Can you say Barry Bonds?? Kremblas said. ?Maybe it?s too much, but I?ve told him that before. In terms of swing, they?re the same.?

 

Fielder said he?s never been dialed-in like this.

 

?I can?t explain it,? Fielder said. ?I?m just looking for a good pitch to hit and I guess I haven?t missed a lot of them.?

 

Fielder?s domination means there isn?t much left for him to accomplish at the Triple-A level and it?s likely just a matter of time before he?s permanently a big leaguer.

 

Asked if he would prefer to get a September call-up to Milwaukee or play out the PCL pennant chase with his Sounds teammates, Fielder said it was a tough question to answer.

 

?Everyone wants to be in the big leagues,? Fielder said. ?I?m happy here. If I?m [in Nashville] I?m just trying to do whatever I can to help us win. It doesn?t matter to me.?

 

Base hits

 

Milwaukee third baseman Jeff Cirillo begins a rehab stint today with Nashville. Cirillo will be used in a limited role at third as he recovers from a broken bone in his hand. ? Reliever Clint Weibl was activated from the disabled list Wednesday.Weibl has only pitched once since injuring his finger July 27. ? Major League umpire Paul Runge is in Nashville on a rehab stint. Runge, who had been out all season with a head injury, will spend the next week or so in Music City to regain his form.

[Mass Haas]

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BlueClaws edge Power in 10

By Jay Srinivasan

For the Charleston Gazette

 

The Lakewood BlueClaws dug deep into their reserves to beat a resilient West Virginia Power Wednesday night.

 

Bradley Harman slammed a two-run homer and left fielder Timi Moni came up with a superlative fielding effort to lead the BlueClaws to a 7-6 victory in front of 2,519 paid fans at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Tied 6-all after nine innings, Harman led off the 10th with a double to left and moved to third on a fielder?s choice. Power closer Robert Hinton, who had pitched shutout ball in the eighth and ninth innings, then threw a wild pitch, allowing Harman to score.

 

In the bottom of the 10th, the Power threatened to catch up again. Angel Salome walked. Two outs later, Carlos Corporan lined a drive to left and watched in frustration as Moni lunged full-length to take a stunning one-handed catch inches off the ground.

 

An irate Power manager Ramon Aviles blamed home plate umpire Clint Lawson for the loss.

 

?Harman was struck out. He didn?t call the pitch for strike three and [Harman] wound up hitting a double and later scored on a wild pitch,? said Aviles. ?[Lawson] won the game for them. It?s a shame that you have to lose a game by the decision of an umpire instead of the guys playing the game.?

 

Lakewood manager P.J. Forbes took a cautious approach to the disputed call.

 

?It?s part of the game,? said Forbes. ?It worked out for us. It didn?t work out for them. It?s unfortunate. You feel the game hinges on one pitch, but that?s how it is.?

 

The Power tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the ninth. After Charlie Fermaint reached on a fielder?s choice, Ryan Braun walloped a double to center to score Fermaint. Grant Richardson then grounded out to finish the inning.

 

Earlier, the BlueClaws took a 6-3 lead in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs off starter Derek Miller. Sam Orr doubled and scored on Sean Gamble?s single to center. Josh Mader and Greg Golson then hit consecutive singles to make it 4-3. Harman followed with a huge two-run blast to left-center, sending the ball soaring over the scoreboard.

 

?Derek probably didn?t pay enough attention to what [Greg] Kloosterman did [Tuesday] and tried to live on the outer half,? said the Power pitching coach Jim Rooney. ?He just needed to pitch inside a little bit more effectively, but he struggled on that side of the plate tonight.?

 

West Virginia cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth. Corporan and Hasan Rasheed hit singles and Braun laced a two-run double to left to make it 6-5.

 

Lakewood reliever Joseph Bisenius (6-2) got the win after allowing a solitary hit for one earned run, while striking out two and walking one in two innings. For the Power, Hinton (3-4) took the loss after yielding one earned run in three innings.

 

West Virginia concludes its home series against the BlueClaws tonight. The Power will throw right-hander Yovani Gallardo (5-3, 3.17) and Lakewood will counter with righty C.J. Woodrow (0-0, 3.71). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 (6:05 Central).

 

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West Virginia Power notebook

Power: ?We put pressure on ourselves?

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

As part of the baseball development process, West Virginia Power players gather with their manager and coaches after each game for a team meeting.

 

They review the good and bad and try to learn from the experience in a nightly postgame ritual mandated by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Power?s parent organization.

 

In the season?s early weeks, as the Power suffered through a 5-25 start, manager Ramon Aviles sometimes would look at his players and ask for their thoughts on the miserable won-lost record.

 

Their responses reflected the game?s mental aspect ? and the perceived expectations of the Appalachian Power Park crowds.

 

?The feedback I got from asking questions to the guys,?? said Aviles, ?is that they didn?t want to mess up because of all the fans. They wanted to do well for them. But I said you can?t put that extra pressure on yourself. They have to learn that this is part of their development. They have to relax. The more they play, the more relaxed they?re going to be.??

 

Pitcher Justin Barnes remembers the season?s early weeks and admits the team did not play up to its capabilities.

 

?Any time you?re that far down or any time you?re having that much trouble,?? said Barnes, ?you?re definitely going to press too hard. In the first half, we were just trying to avoid losing. We were in a new city, a new environment. We obviously wanted to make people happy.??

 

Somewhere along the way, the Power players began to heed their manager?s message. After the 5-25 start, they played .500 ball (20-20) for the remainder of the first half for a 25-45 record and built a bit of momentum and confidence for the second half.

 

Entering Wednesday?s game against Lakewood, the Power was 26-23 in the second half and within sight of Delmarva, the Northern Division leader. The Power will play host to Delmarva in a four-game series Aug. 29-Sept. 1, and the season ends Sept. 5.

 

?We have a chance to win the thing,?? Aviles said before Tuesday?s 12-4 loss to Lakewood. ?We talk about it all the time.??

 

Fans? reward

 

The Power?s second-half turnaround fulfills the most important aspect of Class A baseball development ? improvement.

 

The turnaround, said Aviles, also has rewarded the fans for their loyalty and raucous support. And though the big crowds may have contributed to on-the-field jitters in the season?s first month, they?ve made the victories a bit more satisfying in recent months.

 

?From the bottom of my heart, I thank them,?? said Aviles. ?They really made my job easier. It made it easier for me to motivate the players. I kept telling them, ?Hey, look at all these fans. It doesn?t matter whether you win or lose. They come here and pull for you.? ?

 

Aviles, who arrives at Appalachian Power Park at 12:30 p.m. each day for 7:05 p.m. games, said the crowds, which have averaged close to 3,600 a game, also have made his job more enjoyable. The new ballpark and his team?s improved play have helped, too.

 

He encourages his players to sign autographs and to thank the fans for their support.

 

?They?ve been outstanding all year,?? he said of the fans. ?The first half was rough, but they never turned their backs on us. Every day, they gave us the backing and support we needed. We?re really happy that we?re playing good baseball for them.??

 

Power points

 

Right-handed pitcher Eric Thomas was promoted to high-Class A Brevard County and right-hander Dane Renkert was brought up from Helena to take his place.

 

Thomas, a 2002 third-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, went 0-1 with a save and a 3.44 ERA in seven games for the Power. He struck out 15 and walked six in 18 1/3 innings.

 

Renkert, picked in the 29th round of the draft in June from Washington State University, went 2-1 with a save and a 2.81 ERA in 14 games with Helena. Renkert had 34 strikeouts and 11 walks in 25 2/3 innings at Helena.

 

Right-hander Mark Rogers, the Brewers? No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft and the Power?s opening-day pitcher this year, is 1-7 with a 4.65 earned run average but pitched well in last week?s 4-2 victory over Lexington, said Aviles. After a shaky first inning, he blanked the Legends through the next four innings but did not figure in the decision. Rogers? problem has been control ? he?s walked 53 in 81 1/3 innings. ?He would get behind [in the count] and have to give in to the hitter,?? said the manager. ?But we?re talking about a 19-year-old pitcher with a lot of potential. When he becomes more consistent with his control, he?s going to be a Major League pitcher.??

 

Pitching coach John Curtis, who was hit in the head by a batted ball during batting practice Aug. 6 in Greensboro, is expected to attend tonight?s game, although he won?t return to work this season. Since suffering the injury, he has remained in Greensboro undergoing rehabilitation. His forearm is still numb from the injury.

 

Power?s Carlos Corporan (25) slides back to second base as Lakewood?s Josh Mader eyes the bouncing throw from left field Wednesday night at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Kenny Kemp

 

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