Link Report for Sunday, July 31st -- AZ Box Now Available

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: RHP Wes Obermueller at home vs. Sacramento (A's), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: RHP Glenn Woolard at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

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

 

Brevard County: TBD at home vs. Tampa (Yankees), 12:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: RHP Josh Wahpepah at home vs. Hickory (Pirates), 1:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: Idle

 

Arizona: TBD at the Athletics' complex, 7:00 PM local time; never any web audio for Arizona Rookie ball...

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Sunday'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

 

Arizona:

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

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_athrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 59 49 .546 - 30-27 29-22 L4[/b] Memphis 54 54 .500 5.0 30-27 24-27 W1 Iowa 48 57 .457 9.5 31-25 17-32 W1 Omaha 48 60 .444 11.0 19-28 29-32 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 21 12 .636 - 12-9 9-3 W3 West Tenn 21 14 .600 1.0 10-8 11-6 L2 [b]Huntsville 16 19 .457 6.0 6-10 10-9 W2[/b] Tennessee 16 19 .457 6.0 7-7 9-12 L2 Chattanooga 12 23 .343 10.0 5-12 7-11 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vero Beach 22 13 .629 - 13-7 9-6 W2 St. Lucie 21 14 .600 1.0 10-8 11-6 W1 Palm Beach 22 15 .595 1.0 11-8 11-7 L1 [b]Brevard County 20 15 .571 2.0 9-9 11-6 W1[/b] Jupiter 13 21 .382 8.5 10-8 3-13 W1 Daytona 13 22 .371 9.0 7-11 6-11 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 24 10 .706 - 15-1 9-9 W2 Hickory 21 14 .600 3.5 10-7 11-7 L2 Lexington 19 16 .543 5.5 11-8 8-8 W3 [b]West Virginia 18 17 .514 6.5 9-7 9-10 W2[/b] Lakewood 18 18 .500 7.0 12-10 6-8 W2 Lake County 15 20 .429 9.5 8-10 7-10 L2 Greensboro 14 21 .400 10.5 5-9 9-12 L2 Hagerstown 11 21 .344 12.0 4-9 7-12 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1 [b]Helena 1 0 1.000 - 1-0 0-0 W1[/b] Great Falls 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1 Missoula 0 1 .000 1.0 0-0 0-1 L1

Arizona League Standings:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;lid=121

 

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

SL series format going to five games

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

Its geography stretched to grueling distances - 839-mile bus rides for teams headed from Zebulon, N.C. to Pearl, Miss. - the Southern League is implementing a dramatic scheduling change for 2006.

 

The league has adopted a five-game format for its series, up from the three- and four-game series that now take place between clubs.

 

Southern League president Don Mincher championed the idea, primarily to help clubs financially.

 

It is expected to reduce travel costs by some 25 percent, he said.

 

For instance, Huntsville should reduce its overnight stays from 67 to 59 and its travel miles will be reduced from 10,279 to 7,630.

 

Additionally, he said, this will eliminate teams playing back-to-back series - for instance, the Stars and Mississippi played eight consecutive games against each other, home and road - and will permit off days after the longest travel days.

 

"The big thing,'' Mincher said, "it's getting us closer to our ambition and goal of having a balanced schedule. It's not there, but it's close.''

 

With the current schedule, and the five-team North and South divisions, there is some almost illogical unbalance. For instance, Carolina and Chattanooga - 491 bus miles apart - play each other 37 times this season out of 144 games.

 

"I think this will work out very well,'' Mincher said. "It's completely unique. The more you look at it, the more you like it.

 

"The only negative thing is it creates a longer homestand and fans could get worn out by the end of it.''

 

The schedule was designed by Charlie Blaney, a retired official from the Dodgers system who produces schedules for other leagues.

[germanking]

Sweet, a runner gunned down by the ever so dangerous Salome. I predict his D is going to be a ton better in WV, no rationale behind it, just a gut feeling.

[Anders34]

Salome with the walk-off HR!!! Go Power!!!

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 8, Hickory (Pirates) 6, 11 innings

Two games in low-A, two HR's for Angel -- if an Angel hits it, is it a "fly-off" home run?

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER WIN ON SALOME'S HOMER

Charleston, WV ? On Friday night Ryan Braun hit a walkoff two-run homer to beat the Hickory Crawdads, and on Sunday afternoon, the Power did it again as Angel Salome hit a walkoff two-run homer in the bottom of the eleventh inning to beat the Hickory Crawdads 8-6 at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Mike Hofius hit a solo shot in the top of the second inning to give the Crawdads a 1-0 lead. Josh Brady tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second on an RBI single, and Charlie Fermaint gave the Power the lead on a three-run double. Alcides Escobar began the bottom of the third inning with his second home run of the year, a solo shot to give the Power a 5-1 lead.

 

In the top of the sixth inning the Crawdads scored five times to take their second lead of the game. Mike Cockrell knocked in the first run of the inning on an RBI single and Dan Schwartzbauer tied the game two batters later on a three-run double. Schwartzbauer scored later in the inning on an RBI single from Jermel Lomack to give the Crawdads a 6-5 lead. The Power tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning on Salome?s RBI single. The game remained tied at 6-6 until Salome struck again in the bottom of the eleventh inning.

 

Justin Barnes (7-1) pitched five scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory, and Felipe Garcia (3-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 19-17 in the second half after the win and the Crawdads move to 21-15 with the loss.

 

The Power are off on Monday but will begin a four game series against the Asheville Tourists at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday night. The starting pitchers have not been announced. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Two outs when Angel won it; this is the second time Justin Barnes has gone deep, deep, deep into extra innings with an incredible staff-saving performance this month -- wow; J.J. Hardy's defense is appreciated more and more when you see SS error counts off-the-charts at the lower levels; four Power double plays turned; Josh Wahpepah's line looks fine to me -- perhpas the pitch count was up, but that'd be unusual with no walks...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Kudos for Ryan Braun, keeping the 11th inning going with a single; looks like a failed double steal attempt in the Power 8th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Tampa (Yankees) 9, Brevard County 5

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Streaky Steve Moss quiet as of late; lefty Ryan Costello's had his share of brief, ineffective starts the last couple of months -- faces ten batters in this one; should've just sent Brendan Katin directly to the Manatees -- Robby Deevers OPS about to fall below .400, 169 AB's, three walks -- painfully still getting AB's....

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Hey, 6:00 PM Central -- Sounds and Stars about to begin -- no excuse for you not tuning in to one or the other while doing your evening browsing...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Sunday (PDF format):

Mike Meyers to start Monday's game...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[igor67]

Angel's making it hard to be cautious. All of a sudden the Power is the place to watch. They look like the Cards of the league plenty of mashers and more than respectable pitching. And Huntsville with a snowman in thes econd tonight!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 11, Montgomery (Devil Rays) 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Second Inning Surge Sends Stars to Sweep

Nelson Castro collected three hits and drove in three runs to pace a season-high 20-hit attack in Huntsville?s 11-3 win over Montgomery Sunday night to complete a three-game series sweep at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars improved to 17-19 in the second half and finished the season series with five wins in six games, while the Biscuits dropped their fourth game in a row to fall to 15-21 in the second half. Huntsville had been swept in a three-game set by West Tenn and outscored 25-7 before turning the tables and outscoring the Biscuits 22-6 to pull off their first series sweep since June 10-11 at home over Chattanooga.

 

Wes Bankston?s leadoff home run in the second inning cleared all three tiers of signage in left field and put the visitors ahead 1-0 and gave Montgomery its first lead of the series, However, the lead would not last long, as Huntsville plated eight runs on 10 hits in the home half of the inning.

 

Callix Crabbe singled in the first run of the inning to tie the game before Tony Gwynn, Jr. singled home a pair of runs to put the home team ahead to stay at 3-1. Castro followed with a single to score Guilder Rodriguez, who became the fifth Stars hitter to collect four hits in a game, to make it 4-1 in front of Vinny Rottino?s strike out for the second out of the inning. Brandon Gemoll, Enrique Cruz, Ben Van Iderstine and Jeff Winchester all followed with run-scoring hits to cap off the Stars second highest scoring inning of the season. Winchester?s ground rule double was the only extra-base hit of the frame.

 

Van Iderstine smacked a leadoff home run in the fourth, his second of the year and his second in as many nights, and Castro finished the scoring in the sixth with a two-run double. Every Stars hitter had at least one hit and Rottino was the only batter who did not score at least once. Seven of the nine hitters drove in at least one run.

 

Glenn Woolard earned his fifth win of the season with seven solid innings of work during which he allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk. The right-hander struck out five and lasted seven frames for a third time in his last five starts. Brian Wolfe closed out the win with two scoreless innings, his third two-inning stint without allowing a run since joining the team.

 

The Stars open a three-game series Tuesday night against West Tenn with right-hander Ty Taubenheim throwing for the Stars against Diamond Jaxx right-hander Ricky Nolasco. 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:

Thirteen ground ball outs for Glenn Woolard...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[ThePurpleStorm]

It's fun to see all of these young guys play like this. This is really exciting. Too bad Prince had another bad game, but atleast Nelson mashed again.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Sacramento (A's) 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary;

 

Link for Nelson Cruz photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1721

 

NASHVILLE ? Tony Zuniga and Corey Hart both homered as the Nashville Sounds snapped their four-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Sacramento River Cats on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium in the second game of a four-game set.

 

With the win, Nashville (60-49) extended its lead back to six games over Memphis in the PCL American Conference Northern Division.

 

The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Dave Krynzel and Warren Morris opened the frame with walks before Sacramento starter Juan Cruz fanned Corey Hart and Prince Fielder consecutively for the first two outs of the frame. Former River Cat Nelson Cruz, who led Nashville with a 3-for-4 evening, followed with a double to right-center off the shin of Juan Cruz to plate Krynzel with the game?s first run.

 

Krynzel doubled the lead with his bat in the second, driving in Chris Barnwell, who had tripled, with a one-out RBI single to increase the Nashville lead to 2-0.

 

Third baseman Tony Zuniga belted his sixth home run of the year and second in as many nights to up the advantage to 3-0 in the fourth, driving a 3-1 Juan Cruz offering off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center.

 

Audio Link of Tony Zuniga's Guitar Shot:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-31.mp3

 

Sacramento jumped on the board in the fifth when Charles Thomas ripped a two-out RBI double to right to score Bobby Smith, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a 3-for-3 effort.

 

All-Star Corey Hart made it a 5-1 game in the bottom of the frame when he crushed his 13th home run of the season, a one-out two-run shot to center off Juan Cruz. Warren Morris, who had singled, scored on the blast.

 

The River Cats threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with one out against Nashville starter Wes Obermueller. However, the right-hander fanned Brant Colamarino and reliever Kane Davis came on to induce an inning-ending groundout from Shawn Garrett to escape the jam.

 

Sacramento got a run back in the eighth against Sounds reliever Jose Capellan on Smith?s two-out RBI double into the left field corner, which plated Andrew Beattie. Smith came up lame while rounding first and was lifted for a pinch-runner after suffering an apparent hamstring injury.

 

Obermueller (1-0) picked up his first Triple-A victory of the season after holding Sacramento to one run on five hits and matching a season high with six strikeouts in his 5 2/3 innings of work. Juan Cruz (3-1) suffered his first loss with the River Cats after allowing a season-high five runs (four earned) on seven hits in five frames.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Monday evening at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Mike Meyers (4-3, 4.60) will make his second start of the season for the Sounds and face Sacramento right-hander Mike Ziegler (4-3, 5.08).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Prince 0-for-4, three K's...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[huntsvillefan]

I try not to comment on character too much, but if Montgomery prospect Elijah Dukes comes to a ball park near you, feel free to give him a hard time.

He got himself tossed tonight by continuing to argue a called third strike from the dugout after the next guy up had actually received a couple of pitches.

Fair enough , everyone loses it sometimes, but the self indulgent brat then proceeded to trash the visitors locker room. So violent were his excesses, that you could hear the sounds of smashing glass and breaking wood from the boxseats all along the first base side.

The guys who look after those lockers have taken a lot of pride in making them as neat and comfortable as possible, putting a lot of their own spare time into making extra stuff for them. I don't know if the Stars will invoice Montgomery for the damage (I suspect not), but even if they do, the mess will still have to be cleaned up by some lowly paid, hard working, guys, who won't get one cent extra. Meanwhile Mr Big Time Ball Player Dukes struts off leaving his mess behind him.

There are lots of admirable young men in the ranks of minor league ball, but after tonight, I'd need a lot of convincing that Elijah Dukes is one of them.

If anyone knows of a similar web site to this for Devil Ray fans, could they let me know. I'd like to post this on their site, so they know just what kind of guy their prospect is.

 

EDIT Dukes did well at high Single-A Lancaster to finish the season after sitting out a month for anger-management intervention.

Just found this, so I guess interested Tampa bay fans already know. Though it does sound like they need to improve their anger management course.

[Mass Haas]

From Friday's Baseball America:

 

The Elijah Dukes enigma continues at Double-A Montgomery. While Biscuits manager Charlie Montoya said, ?I haven?t had any problems,? Dukes continues to make as much news for his temperament and makeup as for his talent.

 

First, the Devil Rays? toolsy outfielder declined his spot in the Southern League all-star game when he wasn?t selected as a starter. "I'm not a backup," Dukes told the Montgomery Advertiser. "If I'm not selected to begin with, I'm not going. If I didn't earn it, I don't see why I should go."

 

Then Dukes missed a weekend series against West Tenn to attend to personal business back in his hometown, Tampa. It was no surprise, then, that while Dukes oozes tools, no manager in the league gave him the nod in any category in BA?s Best Tools survey, though he got some support for Best Throwing Arm.

 

?Elijah has as much talent as anyone in this league,? went the refrain, and one manager elaborated. ?He?s a little high-strung, though. If he learns to have a better temperament?just not being negative?he?s got a chance to be a star.?

 

The manager added that the Devil Rays? decision to have Delmon Young room with Dukes on the road raised eyebrows around the league. ?Delmon?s a real good kid, but that?s not the vibe you got when he was running with Elijah.? the manager said. ?It rubbed off a little bit.?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005073121

 

Power 8, Hickory 6: More heroism from Helena

 

The infusion of talent from rookie-level ball continues to spark the West Virginia Power, who got an 11th-inning home run from Angel Salome to beat the Hickory Crawdads 8-6 at Appalachian Power Park.

 

A crowd of 3,255 attended on Appalachian Power Employee Day.

 

It was the second game-ending home run in three days for the Power (19-17 second half) and fourth of the season, as the Power took three in the four-game series. Ryan Braun, another incoming player from the Milwaukee Brewers? rookie team in Helena, Mont., struck Friday night.

 

West Virginia won despite losing a 5-1 lead when Hickory (21-14) scored five runs in the top of the sixth. Salome tied the game at 6 with a solid single in the bottom of the seventh.

 

Justin Barnes stifled the Crawdads for five innings to improve to 7-1. He replaced Kevin Roberts, who in his Class A debut surrendered the five-spot with the help of an Alcides Escobar error. Four of those runs were unearned.

 

Salome, who has two homers in two games, arrived from Helena before Saturday?s game along with Roberts, Charlie Fermaint and Brendan Katin. Fermaint continued his hot hitting out of the leadoff spot, smacking a three-run double in the second to break a 1-1 tie. Fermaint is 5-for-10 in two games.

 

Escobar hit a solo homer to left to make it 5-1, a score that stood until Roberts? second inning in relief of starter Josh Wahpepah. Roberts hurt himself by walking two of the first three batters to start the sixth.

 

Mike Cockrell singled up the middle to make it 5-2. Hyung Cho hit a grounder to Escobar at short, but the ball slipped away when Escobar tried to throw to first.

 

Dan Schwartzbauer made the Power pay with a three-run double, made possible when right fielder Hasan Rasheed got himself turned around on the fly ball. Schwartzbauer took third on the throw home, then scored on a Jermel Lomack single to give Hickory a 6-5 lead.

 

Hernan Iribarren singled to start the seventh, moved to second on a groundout and scored on Salome?s two-out single.

 

The Power missed an opportunity to take the lead in the eighth.

 

Josh Brady doubled and went to third on a Fermaint single. Reliever Felipe Garcia threw a wild pitch, but catcher Neil Walker hustled to the backstop and threw to Garcia at home plate to nab Brady.

 

Garcia (3-2) got the first two Power batters out in the 11th before Braun singled and Salome settled the issue.

 

Mike Hofius homered in the second to start the Hickory scoring.

 

Charleston Gazette photos by Kenny Kemp

Hickory Crawdads pitcher Felipe Garcia tags out West Virginia Power?s Josh Brady, who tried to score on a wild pitch to the backstop in the eighth inning Sunday. Ducking in the foreground is Power batter Alcides Escobar.

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/POUT1.jpg

 

The Power?s Brendan Katin slides into second as Hickory?s Dan Schwartzbauer can?t handle an errant force-play throw on a ground ball by Grant Richardson in the sixth inning.

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/PWILD1.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Stars pound out 20 hits vs. Biscuits

Ten of Huntsville's hits come during 8-run 2nd inning

By SKIP VAUGHN

For The Times skipv@htimes.com

 

Sunday was a fun day for the Huntsville Stars.

 

The Stars beat the Montgomery Biscuits 11-3 before an announced crowd of 2,033 at Joe Davis Stadium and swept the three-game series.

 

"Swinging the bats early (in the game)," Huntsville manager Don Money said of the key to the win. "(We) got 10 hits, eight runs in the second inning. That makes it much easier on the pitcher.

 

"We played good solid defense and (the) pitching went along with it. When you get all three you usually win."

 

With Glenn Woolard picking up the win, Huntsville (17-19 in the second half) outhit the Biscuits 20-9 and played errorfree defense.

 

Guilder Rodriguez had four hits and Tony Gwynn Jr. and Nelson Castro added three apiece. Brandon Gemoll, Enrique Cruz, Ben Van Iderstine and Jeff Winchester had two hits each.

 

"It was a good night, can't complain," Gwynn said. "We put those eight runs up in the second inning and that was all she wrote from there."

 

"I concentrate on the game, try to make the team win," Rodriguez said through Castro, his Spanish interpreter. "(I) just concentrate on the game, see the ball and hit it."

 

"I feel good because we're winning," Castro said.

 

Wes Bankston put Montgomery ahead 1-0 in the second with his 10th homer, a towering drive to left off Stars starter Woolard (5-9).

 

Woolard went seven innings and allowed three earned runs, eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

 

"Obviously I'll take the result but I thought I made a few mistakes," the right-hander said. "Overall I think I did pretty good."

 

The Stars erupted for eight runs and chased Montgomery's Chris Flinn (3-5) in the bottom of the second. Gwynn had a two-run single while RBI hits came from Castro, Gemoll, Callix Crabbe, Cruz, Van Iderstine and Winchester.

 

Van Iderstine hit his second homer - and second in two days - off reliever Scott Autrey in the fourth. It was a towering drive over the left field fence.

 

"I just feel comfortable at the plate right now," Van Iderstine said."

 

The Biscuits (15-21) made it 9-2 in the fifth on Elliot Johnson's RBI hit. They added another run in the sixth on Shawn Riggans' double, scoring Bankston from first.

 

Castro's two-run double off reliever Brian Lockwood in the sixth upped the lead to 11-3.

 

The Stars travel to West Tenn for a three-game series beginning Tuesday in Jackson, Tenn. "We were five games under (.500) after being swept by West Tenn (at home July 26-28)," Money said. "West Tenn's got a pretty good ballclub."

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

 

Manatees Rally Late Falls Short

Settle For 2-2 Series Split With Yanks

 

The Manatees staged a late comeback Sunday against the Tampa Yankees, but fell short in a 9-5 loss.

 

After being down 4-0, the Manatees scored all their runs from the fifth inning on. The Manatees made it interesting in the ninth. After an Ozzie Chavez walk to start the inning, Steve Sollmann would single to put runners on first and second. A close play at first on a ground out by Robby Deevers would advance the runners to second and third with one out. An RBI single by Travis Ezi would plate Chavez and chase Yankees reliever Heath Castle from the ballgame. With runners on first and third, Yankees closer Paul Thorpe came on and recorded the final two outs to end the Manatees threat. Ezi wound up going 2-5 with three RBI's.

 

Manatees starter Ryan Costello never got into a rhythm, giving up four runs on four hits in an inning and two-thirds before being removed for reliever Ken Durost. Durost found things equally difficult in giving up three runs in three innings. Manatees pitchers again were torched by Yankees leadoff hitter Justin Christian, who went 3-3 with four RBI's and two walks. Yankees third baseman Josh Hollingsworth would add a home run and two RBI's in a 1-3 performance.

 

With the Dodgers loss to Lakeland on Sunday, the Manatees remain two games out of first place in the East Division. The Manatees are off Monday before heading west for a four game series against the Sarasota Reds on Tuesday.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds end a four-game slump

Hart, Zuniga hit HRs off former Brave Cruz

By JOSH THURMAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds got their bats going against a hot pitcher and ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Sacramento River Cats last night in front of a crowd of 4,785 at Greer Stadium.

 

Nashville increased its division lead over Memphis, who lost 6-2 to Fresno, to six games.

 

Outfielder Corey Hart and Tony Zuniga both homered, and Nelson Cruz had three hits against former Atlanta Braves pitcher Juan Cruz.

 

Juan Cruz, who started the season with Oakland after being sent to the A's in the Tim Hudson deal, gave up all five runs, four of them earned. It was the first time he had surrendered more than two runs in any of his seven previous starts.

 

The Sounds, however, were not concerned with how tough of a pitcher they were facing.

 

"We were just trying to win," said Nelson Cruz, who went 3-for-4. "We lost four straight, so it doesn't matter who's pitching."

 

Hart's two-run homer to center with one out in the fifth gave the Sounds a 5-1 lead.

 

Nashville continued to hit the ball hard off Juan Cruz, but drives from the bats of Prince Fielder and Zuniga were caught by Sacramento outfielders to end the rally.

 

Wes Obermueller (1-0) pitched well in earning his first victory for Nashville.

 

In his second game since joining the Sounds from Milwaukee on July 22, the right-hander scattered seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, walked two and allowed one earned run.

 

Obermueller was able to evade trouble with six strikeouts and was helped by two pickoff plays in the second inning.

 

Obermueller caught Sacramento's Bobby Smith leaning at first base in the second inning.

 

"I'll take outs anyway I can get them," Obermueller said. "I hadn't picked off first base in a while. I had been working on some variations and it was nice to have it work out."

 

Brant Colamarino followed the first pickoff with a ground-rule double that bounced over the fence in right.

 

Colamarino then danced too far off second base when catcher Julio Mosquero knocked down a pitch in the dirt.

 

Mosquero threw to shortstop Chris Barnwell to get the second out of the inning.

 

What they said: "They're in first place and it's a nice test to see how you play against another first-place team. They're a good team." ? Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas on Sacramento, currently leading the PCL Pacific Southern division.

 

Today's starters: Nashville ? RHP Mike Meyers (4-3, 4.60); Sacramento RHP Mike Iegler (4-3, 5.08).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=43277

 

Sounds snap losing skid

By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com

 

The sluggish Nashville Sounds awoke from their slumber Sunday. The Sounds had been playing like a team desperate for a break ? it?s been 18 days since they had a day off. But the Sounds (60-49) shrugged off their four-game losing streak, downing Sacramento 5-1 in front of 4,785 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

The win bumped Nashville?s lead in the PCL American North Division up to 6.5 games with a little more than a month remaining in the regular season. The Sounds have two more games before they finally get an off day Wednesday.

 

?We?re a little tired,? Sounds center fielder Dave Krynzel said. ?We?re in the middle of waking up, going to the ballpark and not a lot of downtime. The end of the season is coming up and a playoff run. Everything is going good right now.

 

?We definitely could use the day off.?

 

Corey Hart and Tony Zuniga both turned in starring roles, again, as each contributed a home run to the Nashville cause.

 

Hart?s came in the fifth inning. The two-run shot is No. 13 on the year. Nashville pushed across five runs against Sacramento starter Juan Cruz, who entered the game 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA.

 

?He had one of the better changeup?s I?d seen all year,? Krynzel said. ?Either he didn?t have all his stuff or he did, but we came out ahead against him.?

 

In the first inning, Nelson Cruz plated Krynzel on a smash line drive, which ricocheted off Juan Cruz and into the outfield.

 

Krynzel struck again in the bottom of the second, when he lined a single to right center, scoring Chris Barnwell, who had tripled.

 

In the fourth inning, Zuniga launched a solo homer, which hit the scoreboard in left center.

 

Sounds starter Wes Obermueller (1-0) clamped down the Sacramento offense. He allowed just one run, while striking out six in 5.2 innings. In the sixth, Obermueller and reliever Kane Davis teamed to thwart a River Cat scoring threat. The bases were loaded with one out when Obermueller fanned clean-up hitter Brant Colamarino. Davis then ended the inning by coaxing Shawn Garrett to ground out to second base.

 

Cruz went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Sounds. Krynzel was 2-for-3, his second multi-hit game in a row.

[Mass Haas]

The Arizona Brewers at Arizona Athletics box score is still "unreported" as of post time here this morning.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Rangers 10, Arizona Brewers 9, 13 innings

Love those night games -- 84 degrees after the rain day!

 

Arizona Box Score:

Obviously a lot to digest with a score like that, but it's still tough to identify any real breakthroughs or disasters to discuss -- guys have good games, guys have bad games, and the A-Crew trudges along...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_athrok_1

 

No Game Log Available At This Time...