Link Report for Games of Wednesday, July 27th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: RHP Gary Glover at home vs. Fresno (Giants), 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

 

Huntsville: RHP Ty Taubenheim at home vs. West Tenn (Cubs), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:00 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. Lakeland (Tigers), 6:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: RHP Yo Gallardo at Lexington (Astros), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at home vs. Billings (Reds), 8:05 PM

 

Audio link:

www.billingsmustangs.com/index.cfm

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Wednesday'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_lexafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 59 45 .567 - 30-23 29-22 W3[/b] Memphis 51 53 .490 8.0 27-26 24-27 L3 Iowa 47 54 .465 10.5 31-25 16-29 L2 Omaha 45 59 .433 14.0 19-28 26-31 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 19 12 .613 - 10-6 9-6 W1 Carolina 18 12 .600 0.5 11-9 7-3 L1 Tennessee 15 17 .469 4.5 7-7 8-10 L2 [b]Huntsville 14 17 .452 5.0 4-8 10-9 L2[/b] Chattanooga 12 20 .375 7.5 5-10 7-10 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 19 12 .613 - 8-6 11-6 W3 Vero Beach 19 12 .613 - 11-6 8-6 W1 Palm Beach 20 13 .606 - 9-6 11-7 L1 [b]Brevard County 18 13 .581 1.0 7-7 11-6 L1[/b] Jupiter 12 18 .400 6.5 10-8 2-10 L2 Daytona 11 20 .355 8.0 6-11 5-9 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 22 9 .710 - 15-1 7-8 W1 Hickory 19 12 .613 3.0 9-7 10-5 L1 Lexington 16 15 .516 6.0 11-7 5-8 W1 [b]West Virginia 15 16 .484 7.0 7-6 8-10 L1[/b] Lakewood 15 17 .469 7.5 9-9 6-8 L1 Lake County 14 17 .452 8.0 7-8 7-9 W1 Greensboro 13 18 .419 9.0 5-8 8-10 W2 Hagerstown 11 19 .367 10.5 4-9 7-10 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 23 11 .676 - 10-5 13-6 L1[/b] Billings 20 14 .588 3.0 11-5 9-9 W1 Great Falls 13 21 .382 10.0 9-10 4-11 W1 Missoula 11 23 .324 12.0 5-13 6-10 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

[Luke7799]

Sounds like a quagmire in Nashville. Krynzel with 2 good at-bats thus far, with a double and I think a K but the K was a 9 or 10 pitch battle with 4 or 5 fouls.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Wednesday:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Suspended: Nashville 1, Fresno (Giants) 0, after three innings

 

Nashville Site Update:

 

NASHVILLE -- Wednesday's game between the Nashville Sounds and Fresno Grizzlies was suspended due to rain at the conclusion of the third inning of play with the home team leading, 1-0.

 

The game will be finished to its nine-inning completion on Thursday and will be followed by the teams' regularly-scheduled contest, which will be a seven-inning affair.

 

Dave Krynzel scored the game's lone run in the top of the first inning when he scored on a double play grounder by outfielder Corey Hart.

 

Due to potential damage to stadium lighting at Greer Stadium that occurred during the storm, Thursday's game time will be determined later Wednesday.

 

Nashville Partial Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Never Outhustled]

Ryan Braun with the gme winning homerun as West Virgina wins 5-4. Braun went 3-4 to push his average up to 314.

[molitor fan]

Braun's transition to the wooden bat is going well, as he has hit a double once every 11 at bats and a home run every 22 at bats....

 

his pop has been retained, though he needs to keep improving his w/k ratio and his error total.

 

A 2007 ETA is still my projection. Maybe Maybin will be signed by then.

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Lexington (Astros) 4

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

BRAUN'S BLAST LIFTS THE POWER IN 5-4 VICTORY

Lexington, KY ? The West Virginia Power and Lexington Legends were tied at 4-4 going into the ninth inning of Wednesday night?s game at Applebee?s Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Ryan Braun began the top of the ninth inning with a solo shot, and Robert Hinton pitched a perfect bottom half of the ninth inning as the Power won the rubber match in the three game series by the final of 5-4.

 

The Power scored four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Freddy Parejo drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly, Josh Brady scored the second run on a passed ball and Hernan Iribarren knocked in the final two with a single.

 

The Legends cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run homer from Francisco Caraballo. Caraballo struck again in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly to bring the Legends within a run. In the bottom of the seventh inning the Legends tied the game on a two-out RBI triple from Drew Sutton. Braun delivered a solo shot in the top of the ninth inning, his third of the season with the Power, to give them the lead for good.

 

Derek DeCarlo (5-3) earned the victory, Hinton (9) earned the save and Ryan Thompson (3-5) obtained the loss. The Power are 16-16 in the second half after the win and the Legends move to 16-16 with the loss.

 

The Power will begin a four game series against the Hickory Crawdads at Appalachian Power Park on Thursday night. The Power will throw LHP Greg Kloosterman (3-14, 4.76) and the Crawdads will counter with RHP Matt Guillory (1-4, 3.22). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Ryan Braun a triple short of the cycle; Josh Brady three walks...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lexafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lexafx_1

[jackellberry]

nice to see Braun hit an important one

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakeland (Tigers) 7, Brevard County 3

This long stretch of home games (14 out of 15) isn't going as planned...

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Carlos Villanueva's night brief and ineffective; the Darwin Soto signing not going as planned; Adam Heether still hot...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Cubs) 8, Huntsville 2

Listless and sinking fast...

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Diamond Jaxx Deal Stars Another Defeat

Ricky Nolasco tossed seven scoreless innings and Casey McGehee knocked in four runs to lead West Tenn past Huntsville 8-2 Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Diamond Jaxx improved to 20-12 in the second half and maintained a half game lead over victorious Carolina in the North Division, while the Stars lost for the seventh time in their last eight games to drop to 14-18 in the second half.

 

Nolasco held the Stars hitless through the first four innings before Enrique Cruz laced a one-hop ground ball that caromed off the chest of shortstop Buck Coats into centerfield for a single. Cruz, however, was promptly picked off at first base for the first out of the frame. Tony Gwynn, Jr.?s bunt base hit in the sixth inning was the only other hit allowed by Nolasco, who did not permit a runner past first base. The right-hander improved to 10-1 on the season with his second win in as many starts against the Stars and increased his league-leading strikeout total to 126 by fanning six.

 

Victor Ramos retired the side in order in the eighth and the Stars finally scored with two outs in the ninth against Jon Searles, who uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Vinny Rottino to cross the plate with the home team?s first run. Ben Van Inderstine then singled home Cruz, who had doubled, with two outs and has knocked in a run in four of his last five starts.

 

McGehee delivered a two-run single in the third inning that gave the Diamond Jaxx a 3-0 lead against Huntsville starter and loser Ty Taubenheim, who then retired the next 11 hitters he faced before ending his night after six innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-2 after allowing three runs on only two hits and a pair of walks.

 

Jerome Gamble took over for Taubenheim in the seventh and was roughed up for a two-run single by Jose Reyes, a two-run double by McGehee and a run-scoring hit by Brandon Sing, who knocked in the visitors first run in the first inning with a sacrifice fly.

 

The series finishes up on Thursday night with southpaw Josh Habel taking the hill for the Stars against Diamond Jaxx right-hander Carlos Marmol. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:50 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Enrique Cruz has made 30 errors, two in this one -- let's see, that's, um, not good; is Brad Nelson falling back to old habits again?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Billings (Reds) 14, Helena 4

Magic number still one with two games to play...

 

Helena Box Score:

29 hits and no walks in this game -- that might be a first; Charlie Fermaint (again!) and Ned Yost with home runs; Angel Salome two singles...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Stars not up to challenge of facing Nolasco

West Tenn ace is impressive in 8-2 victory

By JOHN FERRY

Times Sports Staff jferry@htimes.com

 

It was not a good spot for the Huntsville Stars to be in.

 

Decisive losers to West Tenn the night before at Joe Davis Stadium, the Stars had to tangle with right-hander Ricky Nolasco on Wednesday night.

 

"He's probably the top pitcher in this league," Huntsville right fielder Ben Van Iderstine said. "We knew that."

 

Nolasco, who won his first eight games this season and stood 9-1 going into the middle of a three-game series, pitched seven brilliant innings. He allowed two hits, one a bunt, the other a grounder that was too hot to handle, and his teammates gave him plenty of support.

 

West Tenn coasted to an 8-2 victory.

 

Huntsville fell six games behind the Diamond Jaxx, who lead the Southern League's Northern Division the second half after winning the first half.

 

Nolasco walked three and struck out six before Victor Ramos took over in the eighth. Jon Searles pitched the ninth.

 

Nolasco had a history of throwing fastballs and breaking balls. He was told he needed a third pitch.

 

"I've developed a changeup," he said. "I've noticed a big difference. But it's not all about me, it's as long as the team wins."

 

West Tenn pitching coach Alan Dunn, a former University of Alabama athlete who lives in Huntsville, has confidence in Nolasco.

 

"He commanded his off-speed pitches," Dunn said. "For his game to continue, that's an area he has needed to improve on. He has gone out and attacked the hitters and pitched with confidence."

 

While West Tenn improved to 64-37 overall and 20-12 for the second half, Huntsville fell to 43-58 and 14-18.

 

"We've had a lot of bad luck lately," Van Iderstine said. "We lost some close games in Mobile and Birmingham. We haven't been getting any breaks lately, and we've been flat and kind of tired."

 

Huntsville ended Nolasco's no-hit bid in the fifth with Enrique Cruz's hot shot off the chest of West Tenn shortstop Buck Coats.

 

The Diamond Jaxx broke things open in the seventh with five runs. The big blows were a two-run single by Jose Reyes and a double by Casey McGehee that drove in two. Brandon Sing's single got the final run across.

 

Huntsville's runs came in the ninth.

 

With the team down 8-0, Vinny Rottino doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. Cruz doubled and was singled home by Van Iderstine.

 

Huntsville starter Ty Taubenheim had a solid outing, going six innings. He gave up two hits and two earned runs.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005072751

 

W.Va. Power notebook

By Tommy R. Atkinson

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

The Power will be returning home with hotter than usual bats. In the first two games against Lexington the Power compiled 17 runs and 29 hits.

 

?We?ve been getting a lot of key hits with two outs,?? said Aviles. ?We didn?t hit very good early in the season. In the second half, we?ve been doing much better. The kids have been much more aggressive at the plate and at the same time they?ve been selective.

 

?In the first half I think they were trying too hard. They?ve been staying within themselves and not chasing bad pitches. They?ve been doing a lot of extra things before games to get better. They come early to the ballpark and work hard every day. It?s been paying off for them.??

 

Grant Richardson is the poster child for the offensive turnaround. The first baseman was carrying a paltry .211 batting average in 20 games when he went on the disabled list in May with a sore shoulder. At the All-Star break he was up to .249 and now stands at .287. The 6-1, 210-pound 14th-round draft pick by the Brewers last year also leads the club in home runs (nine) and is third in RBIs (40).

 

?Since he came off the DL, he?s been swinging the bat really well and driving in runs,?? Aviles said. ?He?s not chasing bad pitches like he used to do. He?s concentrating better at the plate. Before he was trying to hit the ball out of the ballpark and pulling everything. Now he?s using the whole field.??

 

Hernan Iribarren and Alcides Escobar have lived up to their All-Star status. Iribarren leads the team in hitting (.310) while Escobar is third (.290). The pair have combined for 29 doubles, 15 triples and 55 stolen bases. Hasan Rasheed is second in batting (.305) and leads in on-base percentage (.402) in 45 games.

 

The increased offense hasn?t been turning into victories as the Power (15-16) continues to hover around the .500 mark.

 

?We?ve made errors in the crucial part of games that have really cost us,?? Aviles said. ?Overall our defense is really good. When we get good defense and good pitching, the guys are hitting enough to where we?re going to win the game.??

 

Game on

 

The Power will begin a four-game series against the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads (19-12) tonight at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Tonight is Buck Night with hot dogs and drinks $1 each. Friday?s game will feature Military Appreciation Night with fireworks after the game. Jessica Lynch will throw out the first pitch.

 

After Hickory, the Asheville (N.C.) Tourists (14-18) roll into town for a four-game set beginning Tuesday.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.kentucky.com/mld/kent...241491.htm

 

Braun's shot in ninth wins it

By Mark Maloney

LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

 

With the Lexington Legends seemingly on the verge of a second straight successful late-inning rally, Ryan Braun went on a Power trip.

 

Braun led off the top of the ninth with a home run, carrying West Virginia to a 5-4 victory last night at Applebee's Park.

 

The Legends rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie, their final run coming in the eighth.

 

Ryan Thompson (3-5), the winner in Tuesday's 9-8 win, came on in relief and got ahead of Braun 0-2.

 

Braun wasted the next pitch by ripping a breaking ball over the left-field bleachers.

 

"He (Thompson) hung it a little bit," Braun said. "I was able to stay back and make hard contact somewhere."

 

The Legends wasted a spot start from Raymar Diaz, and four innings of shutout relief by Garrett Murdy and Chris Blazek.

 

"It was one of those things where he thought he was throwing the right pitch and he obviously didn't execute the pitch," Bogar said of the pitch Thompson threw to Braun. "He wanted to show him a curveball and he just hung it.

 

"I'd prefer that he would have gone with maybe his first- or second-best pitch and not his third-best pitch. But that's the way it goes. It's a learning process."

 

Robert Hinton threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save. Derek DeCarlo (5-3) won with three innings of relief.

 

Diaz gave up four runs, two earned, in the second inning. He went four innings, his longest outing of the year.

 

The Power pooled three hits, two walks, an error, passed ball, wild pitch and sacrifice fly in the inning.

 

Hernan Iribarren's two-out, two-run single was the key blow.

 

Frankie Caraballo's two-run homer in the bottom of the inning halved the deficit.

 

Caraballo's sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 4-3, and Lexington tied it in the eighth.

 

Bryan Triplett walked, was bunted to second by J.R. Towles, then took third on Ryan Reed's fly to right.

 

Drew Sutton tripled to the right-field corner, with thoughts of more. Bogar put up the stop sign.

 

Sutton slipped and was caught in no-man's land, so he broke for home.

 

"I rounded third base and I didn't get going again," Sutton said. "When my momentum's going, I can run pretty well. But once it stops, it takes me a little bit to get it started again.

 

"I thought I had a pretty good chance to make it, but slipped coming back (to third) and slipped a little bit going back to home."

 

He was thrown out by third baseman Braun.

[clancyphile]

Vanden Berg in right with a hit and a walk...

 

Possible utility player (C/1B/OF)?

 

He's walked once every six ABs in Huntsville, and has an OPS of .725.

 

I'm still inclined to rank him above Palmisano and just below Salome - Vandenberg's in AA, and Salome's still in Helena, which is the real difference at this point.

[huntsvillefan]

Vanden Berg in right with a hit and a walk...

 

I didn't make it to last night's game, but I have a gut feeling that whoever makes up the box score got his Bergs confused with his Iderstines.

[gregmag]

Okay, Clancy, I'll bite -- the differences between Vandenberg and Salome start with the fact that Vandenberg couldn't have put up Salome's numbers in little league, pause at the fact that Vandenberg is six years older, and end with the fact that Salome is a prospect and Vandenberg isn't. In addition, Palmisano's increasingly distant flash of glory still places him head-and-shoulders above Vandenberg in the catching prospect sweepstakes; the three-year age difference between them more than makes up for Lou's 50-point OPS deficit one level down the system.

 

In other news, Brad Nelson is in free-fall after a hot start for the second time this year, and Angel Salome has six stolen bases.

 

Greg.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...805_05.txt

 

Brewers still waiting

By JOSH JORDAN - IR Sports Writer

 

The Helena Brewers will have to wait at least one more day to celebrate a first-half Pioneer League title after falling 14-4 to the Billings Mustangs at Kindrick Legion Field Wednesday night.

 

The Brewers (23-12) can clinch the North Division title with a win in either game of a double header against Missoula tonight in Helena. The Osprey fell to 11-24 on the year with a 2-1 loss to Great Falls on Wednesday.

 

Helena can also fall into a tie with Billings with losses in both games of the twin bill and a Mustangs sweep of their double header at home against Great Falls today.

 

"We're just going to follow the same routine we've been following all season," said Helena manager Ed Sedar who has seen his club open the year with seven straight wins and hold first place since the opening day. "Nothing changes, we do the same things to prepare after these last two losses as we do after a seven game winning streak."

 

Helena opened the three-game series three games ahead of the Mustangs in the standings. A 12-0 win Monday pushed the Brewers' lead to four games, but back-to-back losses has brought Billings within two games with two games to play.

 

The Mustangs won Wednesday behind a suddenly potent offense. Billings got hits from each place in the batting order and four Mustangs had three-hit games. The 14 runs and 20 hits tied season-bests for the club.

 

Billings (21-14) jumped to a 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Adam Rosales in the first inning and never trailed.

 

The Brewers kept pace early when Charlie Fermaint ? who's streak of home runs to open games ended at two with a line-drive double off the left field wall ? scored on a single by Angel Salome.

 

Billings scored four runs in the second inning, two of which came thanks to a throwing error by starter Ryan Marion on a come-backer to the mound.

 

Marion left after Billings scored another in the third inning, but Helena answered again.

 

Fermaint blasted his third home run in three games, and 11th of the year, to bring in Mike Bell in the third.

 

Ned Yost followed with a solo home run in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-4, but even the Brewers' offense couldn't keep pace with the Mustangs.

 

Billings cushioned their lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth on an RBI single by Mayker Sandoval that made it 10-4.

 

Salome and Mat Gamel reached base with one out in the bottom of the sixth but the Brewers could not bring them in.

 

Billings put things out of reach with four runs on five hits in the eighth inning.

 

Helena's offense did flash the bat with four players recording multi-hit games.

 

But the Brewers never had more than two hits in an inning and Billings pitchers did not allow a walk in the game.

 

The Brewers have given up 20 runs and allowed 34 hits in the two losses to Billings.

 

"I told the pitchers, and they know, that if we can keep it in a reasonable deficit we always have a chance to come back," said Sedar.

 

Notes ? Salome started a new hitting streak a night after ending his 19-gamer with a pair of hits.

 

Helena Brewers second baseman Kenny Holmberg attempts to snare a high throw to the bag as Billings baserunner Michael DeJesus, right, is safe on the play Wednesday at Kindrick Legion Field.

Jon Ebelt, Independent Record Staff Photographer

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2005/07/28/sports_top/b01072805_05.jpg

[homer]

I really like those Helena uniforms (the regular ones, not the Timothy Leary versions)

[molitor fan]

Anyone else a little surprised and pleased to see Ned Yost jr. having some success early on here.....

 

I realize he was a full term college player, but he was not terribly heralded.

[brewcru1]

Wait a second...doesn't Helena play 38 games in the first half? So don't they have 3 games left in the 1st half?

 

If that's the case, their magic # is 2...

 

Unless I'm missing something here...

[SenatorShriv]

That picture above makes it look as though Salome's cannon may have misfired.

 

I find it difficult to listen to those denying that Angel is having difficulties with the defense so far. I whole heartedly believe all those that say he has the potential to be phenomenal behind the plate. But EVERY indication the box scores, game logs, etc... have given us is that he needs some time to fine tune his skills there.