Link Report 7/24 - Thank you, Sounds; Organization 1-for-7

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu: Go get 'em, Rick Helling -- we'd love to deal you off for a prospect...

 

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

 

Nashville: RHP Rick Helling at Omaha (Royals), 1:15 PM pre-game; 1:35 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Dennis Sarfate at Birmingham (White Sox), 5:45 PM pre-game, 6:00 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), 12:00 PM; no audio for this series -- wonder why Luis Pena, Saturday's listed starter, didn't pitch...

 

West Virginia: LHP Greg Kloosterman at home vs. Lakewood (Phillies), 1:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at Orem (Angels), 5:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's, scroll to bottom left-hand side of linked page):

www.oremowlz.com/

 

Arizona: TBD at the Giants' complex, 10:30 AM 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_omaaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_orerok_1

 

Arizona:

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

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 56 45 .554 - 29-23 27-22 L1[/b] Memphis 51 50 .505 5.0 27-23 24-27 W1 Iowa 46 52 .469 8.5 31-25 15-27 L3 Omaha 45 56 .446 11.0 19-26 26-30 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 18 11 .621 - 10-6 8-5 W2 Carolina 16 11 .593 1.0 9-8 7-3 L1 [b]Huntsville 14 15 .483 4.0 4-7 10-8 W1[/b] Tennessee 14 15 .483 4.0 6-7 8-8 L1 Chattanooga 11 18 .379 7.0 5-10 6-8 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 17 11 .607 - 6-5 11-6 L1[/b] Vero Beach 17 11 .607 - 11-6 6-5 W2 Palm Beach 18 12 .600 - 7-5 11-7 W1 St. Lucie 16 12 .571 1.0 5-6 11-6 L2 Jupiter 11 16 .407 5.5 10-8 1-8 L1 Daytona 10 18 .357 7.0 5-9 5-9 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 20 8 .714 - 14-1 6-7 W1 Hickory 18 10 .643 2.0 8-5 10-5 L1 Lexington 15 13 .536 5.0 10-5 5-8 L1 [b]West Virginia 14 14 .500 6.0 7-5 7-9 L1[/b] Lakewood 13 16 .448 7.5 8-8 5-8 W1 Lake County 12 16 .429 8.0 7-8 5-8 W2 Greensboro 11 17 .393 9.0 3-7 8-10 W1 Hagerstown 10 17 .370 9.5 3-8 7-9 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 22 9 .710 - 9-4 13-5 W1[/b] Billings 19 12 .613 3.0 11-5 8-7 L2 Great Falls 11 20 .355 11.0 8-10 3-10 L1 Missoula 10 21 .323 12.0 4-12 6-9 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

[Kraft4a3]

Just posted my report of last nights game in the 23rd's gamelink. I will be at most of the game trying to brave the 100+ heat here in Omaha.

 

Have given up on the pictures.

[bullox]

Prince with a first inning slam today...

[DHonks]

just wondering if we know if Yost is planned as a minor league catcher or 1st baseman? I thought we'd read he wasn't 100% back from wrist surgery yet, so I'm under the assumption he'll catch next year.

 

also, anything on Kade Johnson?

[Wytlaf]

Triple by Ford and Double by Crew and the Helena Crew takes the lead in the top of 11.

 

Seth

[Kraft4a3]

Got to Rosenblatt late and missed Prince's Grand Slam. They pitched around him a lot the rest of the day until the ninth.

 

Zuniga hit a monster shot to Left.

 

They tossed lefties up there most of the day which really had Krynzel off balance. Krynzel still must be hurting because he is not running to hard.

 

Barnwell had a nice day at the plate. Rapped one around the foul pole in left for a dinger and had solid contact on numerous occasions.

 

Now mind you this is only three games, but Hart and Cruz imo, could not step in and produce nearly enough to warrant moving Lee or Jenkins in a trade. I would classify Hart has a good mistake hitter.

 

I just base this on their approach and quality of their at bats. They each had their moments, but looked over-matched when presented with good breaking stuff. Especially from righties. The box scores may say different. I wish the AAA team was closer to Milwaukee to be able to check these guys out more often.

 

Well there we, go my 3 games in hot Omaha.

 

Prince is the real deal. Takes a nice approach. Took his walks for the most part and when given anything to hit he put a good swing on it. Wouldn't say anyone else is near the level he was. Prince is ready even though his average doesn't say so right now. I think we all knew that already.

 

I hope and assume that Krynzel was still ailing from his foot injury.

 

The other thing that was promising was that Omaha starts a bunch of guys 29 to 35 years old. Guys like Chris Truby, Denny Hocking, and others who have seen the majors. I the young sounds team showed they were clearly a better team. Hopefully, the can take the series with a win tomorrow.

[brewmann04]

helena losses in 13

[DHonks]

...but Inman with a stellar outing. I may have to join his fanclub

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Sunday (PDF format):

Steve Scarborough hot...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio with Infielder Corey D. Hart:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-23.mp3

 

Nashville Audio Plays of the Week:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-24.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 12, Omaha (Royals) 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

OMAHA ? Prince Fielder slugged his second grand slam of the season and Mike Rivera belted a pair of roundtrippers to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 12-3 rout of the Omaha Royals on a blazing Sunday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium, where the game time temperature was 97 degrees with a heat index well into triple digits.

 

With the victory, Nashville (57-45) extended its lead over Memphis to six games in the PCL American Conference Northern Division and improved to a season-best 12 games over .500.

 

Nashville starter Rick Helling (9-3) pulled into a tie for the Pacific Coast League with his ninth victory, which he earned by hurling his team-best tenth quality start. The veteran allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out seven over six innings of work.

 

The Sounds, who improved to 18-6 in day games, scored in seven of their nine innings and had five different players post multiple-hit efforts on the afternoon, led by Chris Barnwell (3-for-5), who ripped his second homer of the year, and Rivera (3-for-5), who posted three RBIs and has crushed four home runs in his last four games of action.

 

Another offensive highlight for Nashville was red-hot shortstop Steve Scarborough, who turned in a 2-for-5 outing to continue his recent hot streak at the plate. The infielder is batting .379 (11-for-29) over his last eight games.

 

Fielder gave the Sounds an early lead with his first-inning slam, which was the young slugger?s team-leading 20th jack of the year, as Nashville jumped out to a 7-2 lead through the first three innings of play.

 

Rivera, who registered the Sounds? ninth two-homer game of the season, smacked solo shots in the third and eighth frames, and Barnwell mashed his second tater of the year in the second, a solo shot off George.

 

George has given up 24 home runs in his 22 games this season, which is now tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with Tucson's Chris Michalak. Since striking out a career high eleven batters in a 2-1 loss to the Iowa Cubs on July 2nd, George is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA over his last four starts. He has yielded 30 hits, including six home runs, in 16-and-two-thirds innings over that span. He fell to 0-6 at Rosenblatt this year.

 

Audio Link to the 1st Of Two Mike Rivera HRs:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-24.mp3

 

George (6-7) took the loss after surrendering a season-high nine runs on nine hits over his six innings of work.

 

Kane Davis worked two scoreless frames of relief for Nashville, fanning a pair of batters, before giving way to Jose Capellan, who allowed one run on Calvin Pickering?s two-out RBI single while working the bottom of the ninth for the Sounds.

 

The teams wrap up the four-game set with a 12:05 p.m. matinee on Monday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium, where the game-time temperature is expected to push triple digits. Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (4-7, 4.46) takes the mound for the Sounds to face Omaha right-hander Shawn Camp (3-6, 3.86), who pitched for Nashville during the 2002 & 2003 campaigns.

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.omaha.com/index.php?u...id=1467386

 

Prince does the Royals no favors

BY CRAIG SESKER

Omaha WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

 

He is mature, poised and polished.

 

And strong, powerful and immensely talented.

 

He's only 21, but anybody who questioned whether Prince Fielder was a bona fide big-league prospect when the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the first round three years ago isn't saying much right now.

 

The left-handed hitting Fielder sat on a 1-1 pitch from Omaha's Chris George and belted a towering grand slam in the first inning to spark Nashville to a 12-3 Pacific Coast League baseball win over Omaha.

 

"I was just looking for a pitch I could drive or get in the air to get the guy in from third," Fielder said. "I just tried to stay patient and not do too much. He threw me a slider and I was able to make solid contact."

 

Omaha (45-57) lost for the fourth time in five games before 2,130 fans on a steamy Sunday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium. First-place Nashville (57-45) has won two of the first three games in the series.

 

The drive by the stocky 6-foot, 260-pound Fielder caromed off the top row of bleachers in right-center field and eventually bounced out of the stadium. Fielder's 20th homer of the season put his team up 4-0 before an out was recorded. He has 62 RBIs.

 

"Prince obviously has a lot of potential," Nashville manager Frank Kremblas said. "He's becoming more relaxed and comfortable at the plate. That allows his potential to come out a little bit more."

 

George sandwiched walks to Dave Krynzel and Corey Hart around a single by Corey D. Hart to load the bases for Fielder with the game barely underway.

 

Fielder, son of former major league all-star Cecil Fielder, then connected for the second time in as many days. He launched a homer to almost the exact same spot on Saturday.

 

Fielder rejoined the Sounds recently after a three-week stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. He batted .328 with one homer and six RBIs in 13 games after reaching the majors for the first time. He was used as a designated hitter in interleague play and as a pinch hitter.

 

"It was a great experience," said Fielder, who hit a ball out of Tiger Stadium with a wood bat at age 12. "I did all right up there, so that really helped my confidence. It was fun and hopefully I can make it back. If I keep working, that should take care of itself."

 

Fielder hit his second grand slam of the season for Nashville.

 

"Prince is learning very quickly and he seems to get better every day," said Nashville catcher Mike Rivera, who hit two solo homers Sunday. "He's a great prospect. It's fun to watch him hit."

 

Nashville starter Rick Helling (9-3), a former 20-game winner in the majors who won two World Series rings with the Florida Marlins, earned the victory. He allowed two runs in six innings. He struck out seven. He had been 0-2 against Omaha.

 

"We didn't help him much defensively on a couple ground balls and with losing a couple balls in the sun," Kremblas said. "But he's a veteran guy and he was able to pitch around that. He did a very nice job."

 

George (6-7) allowed nine runs in six innings, including three home runs.

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_omaaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_omaaaa_1

 

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/724jlpf.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 11, Huntsville 5

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Big Inning Carries Barons to Win Over Stars

Casey Rogowski and Tommy Nicholson knocked in three runs and Kris Honel worked six solid innings in Birmingham?s 11-5 win over Huntsville Sunday night in the final game of a three-game set at the Hoover Met. The Barons took two out of three to improve to 17-9 in the second half and push their lead over Jacksonville to three games in the South Division after the Suns lost to Carolina, while the Stars slipped to 14-16 in the second half. The Stars completed their seven-game road trip with two wins and slumped to 2-5 against the Barons.

 

The Stars loaded the bases in the seventh inning on singles by Nelson Castro and Jeff Winchester and a walk to Guilder Rodriguez that also spelled the end of the night for the Barons starter Honel. Birmingham manager Razor Shines called on left-hander Corwin Malone to face lefty-swinging Tony Gwynn, Jr., who chased home Castro with a sacrifice fly to trim the home side?s lead to 4-3. Callix Crabbe singled to load the bases again before Malone struck out Brandon Gemoll, hitless in his first 12 at-bats in the series, for the second out. Brad Nelson hit a ground ball that was gloved by a sliding second baseman Tommy Nicholson moving to his left on the outfield grass and his throw to first retired the Huntsville left fielder for the final out of the frame. Nicholson, originally drafted and signed by the White Sox, was let go in spring training and played in the Rockies organization before being released and resigned by Chicago. He was playing in his first game this season with the Barons.

 

A sacrifice fly in the home seventh by Nicholson, the Barons second of the game and fourth in the last two nights, that scored Ryan Sweeney pushed the home team?s lead to 5-3. B.J. LaMura opened the eighth inning on the hill for the Barons and issued a leadoff walk to Enrqiue Cruz and a one-out free pass to Castro before being taken out of the game after falling behind Winchester 2-0. Ryan Meaux, the winner in Friday?s game, took over and got Winchester to pop up his first pitch to Rogowski at first for the second out and Rodriguez to pop up to Rogowski two pitches later.

 

Birmingham then blew the game open with six runs on four hits, two walks, two hit batters and an error in the home eighth. It was the third time the Stars have yielded six runs in a frame this season, all in the eighth inning, and a second time the Barons have plated six runs in an inning against Huntsville. The Stars tallied twice on four hits in the ninth against Meaux, who recorded his third save of the year.

 

Honel, who had allowed eight runs on nine hits to the Stars on July 7, earned his second win of the season and first since April 18 after allowing three runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out two and lasted six frames for a third time on the season. Dennis Sarfate suffered the loss for the Stars and dropped to 7-7 on the year after allowing four runs, only one earned, on a season-high eight hits and four walks. The right-hander is winless since June 23 and has been on the wrong end of the decision in each of his last four turns.

 

The Stars are off Monday and begin a six-game home stand on Tuesday night against West Tenn. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:45 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Rough finish for RHP Alec Zumwalt, not aided by LHP Andy Pratt (three inherited runners scored); is Callix Crabbe finally heating up?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakeland (Tigers) 15, Brevard County 5

 

Brevard County Site Game Summary:

Is "looked sharp" for real, below?

 

MANATEES MAULED BY TIGERS

The Brevard County Manatees were unable to cool off the hot bats of the Lakeland Tigers on Sunday, succumbing 15-5 on an even hotter afternoon.

 

The Tigers cranked out nineteen hits against Manatees pitching in a lopsided battle between two of the first place teams in the Florida State League. Manatees starting pitcher Forrest Martin looked sharp, but ultimately was unable to figure out the Tigers' offense. He was removed in the fourth after surrendering twelve hits and seven runs. Relievers Bo Hall (3.0IP, 3ER) and Nick Slack (1.2IP, 5R, 4ER) both proved to be ineffective in holding down the top ranked offense in the FSL. Tigers hitters were paced by DH Derek Nicholson, who went 4-5 with three RBI's. Brent Clevlen and Garth McKinney both added three run homers to cap off the afternoon.

 

The Manatees offense managed to keep the game close through the seventh inning, narrowing the gap against Lakeland to 8-5. The Manatees got on the board in the second after a Lou Palmisano triple scored Adam Heether. An RBI ground out by Heether in the fourth, and a three run home run by C.J Medlin in the sixth would be the only other runs scored by the Manatees. Palmisano continued his hot hitting by going 3-4 with an RBI, only a HR short of hitting for the cycle.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakewood (Phillies) 8, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

LAKEWOOD WINS THE RUBBER MATCH

Charleston, WV ? The West Virginia Power and Lakewood BlueClaws split the first four games of their five game series, but the BlueClaws walked away with an 8-3 victory in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The BlueClaws scored the first run of the game on Brad Harman?s solo home run in the top of the first inning. The Power scored twice in the bottom of the second to take their only lead of the game. Josh Murray tied the game on an RBI single and Josh Brady scored the second run of the inning when Alcides Escobar reached on an error committed by third baseman Sam Orr.

 

Lakewood took the lead for good on a three-run homer from Ryan Frith in the top of the fourth inning. It remained a 4-2 game until Lakewood plated three more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Mike Dzurilla reached on an error committed by Brady, allowing Derek Brant to score the first run of the inning. Jason Jaramillo knocked in the second run on an RBI single and Frith walked with the bases loaded to bring in the final run of the inning. The BlueClaws went up 8-2 in the top of the eighth inning after Sam Orr?s RBI double. The Power scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth on Freddy Parejo?s RBI single but it was too little and too late.

 

Maximo De La Cruz (6-8) earned the victory, and Greg Kloosterman (3-14) obtained the loss. The Power are 14-15 in the second half after the loss and the BlueClaws move to 14-16 with the win.

 

The Power will begin a three game series against the Lexington Legends at Applebee?s Park on Monday night. The Power will throw LHP Steve Hammond (2-0, 2.08) and the Legends have not announced their starter. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Apathy setting in within the West Virginia media -- to start the season, no home game was played without a first-hand report -- now, that's often the norm -- losing will do that...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

The Power?s Hernan Iribarren (left) barely beats the tag of Lakewood first baseman Doug Gredvig in Sunday?s game at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Kenny Kemp

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Final: Orem (Angels) 5, Helena 4, 13 innings

You simply can't lose games when you out-hit the opponent 18-7 (but you can lose games when you load the bases with no outs in the 13th and don't score)...

 

Orem Site Game Summary:

 

The Orem Owlz fought through rain, fatigue, and the best team in the league to win Sunday night with an amazing homerun from Dallas Morris in the bottom of the thirteenth inning to finish off their homestand against The Helena Brewers.

 

The first Sunday game in franchise history had it all; including extra innings, a scary rain shower that delayed the game for 40 minutes, three Owlz homeruns, and a bench-clearing celebration when Dallas Morris ended it all with one swing of the bat.

 

The Owlz started off the second inning with Mark Trumbo hitting a monster shot to right field. In the fifth they added to their lead when Josh Cowles reached first on a single and Billy Boyer hit a homerun of his own.

 

With all the homeruns and bad weather it might have been hard to notice the way The Owlz worked their way out of jams. Helena left an amazing 17 runners on base, thanks to Owlz pitchers? 10 Ks.

 

But of course it was the finale that made all the difference and put smiles on all the Owlz fans? faces. With one out in the bottom of the thirteenth Dallas Morris, who had gone 0-4 up to that point, made things right with an amazing shot over the leftfield wall.

 

The Owlz record is now 17 and 16 as they head to Casper and Ogden for a six game road trip.

 

Helena Independent Record Game Notes:

 

Brewers lose after 13 innings

 

After 13 long fought innings, the Helena Brewers took a 5-4 loss to the Orem Owlz Sunday on the road.

 

Dallas Morris of Orem hit a solo home run to left field with one out in the bottom of the 13th inning to end the game for the Owlz win. The homer was just one of Orem's three in the game.

 

The Brewers started with a lead in the first inning and by the ninth, the two teams were tied at three runs a piece and remained errorless through the entire game.

 

The Brewers' Angel Salome added another double in the first to bring his total on the season to 15.

 

Orem's Mark Trumbo homered to right field in the second to bring the score to 1-1.

 

Salome would double again in the top of the fifth, but the Brewers would not be able to get a needed run.

 

The Owlz came back from a one run deficit in the fifth after Billy Boyer homered to left field for a two-run home run.

 

In the eighth, Helena's Charlie Fermaint scored off of a wild pitch to force extra-innings at 3-3.

 

Helena pitcher Will Inman replaced Luis Bernal in the eighth and had five strikeouts during his three innings of play.

 

Darren Ford of Helena hit a line drive triple in the 11th inning to right fielder Anderson Rosario. Ford has three triples on the season.

 

The loss brings only a three game difference between Helena and league foe Billings for first place in the Northern Divison standings.

 

Billings is on a three game losing streak after losing to Casper 5-2 Sunday.

 

Helena will try to add more comfort room to their divison lead as they begin a three game series against Billings tonight.

 

The Brewers will have six home games this week as the end of the first half of the season nears.

 

The first pitch against the Mustangs is set for 7:05 p.m. (8:05 Central) at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Helena Box Score:

5-for-7 day for SS Ryan Crew...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_orerok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_orerok_1

[Mass Haas]

Provo, Utah is a pretty unique place:

 

Link while active, text follows --

 

www.harktheherald.com/mod...mp;thold=0

 

Owlz are the only game in town - playing on Sundays

 

A professional sports game has not been played on Sunday in Utah County since the semi-pro Provo Timps played ball about 50 years ago.

 

But today (Sunday), the Orem Owlz, a rookie baseball league affiliate of the American League's Anaheim Angels, break with that tradition when they face the Helena Brewers at Utah Valley State College.

 

The team's management insists that the insular life of Utah County is not coming to an end. As usual at Owlz games, alcohol won't be sold. And Michael Moore is not throwing out the first pitch.

 

"Don't worry," Owlz co-general manager Ryan Pace said. "We know a lot of fans might choose to do their typical routines of going to church. But we're still going to maintain a family atmosphere. It's not going to become a Playboy pool party or anything."

 

Traditionally, teams play at 1 p.m. on Sundays across the country. The Owlz will start at 4 p.m. today, so that fans may attend religious services before hoarding the hot dogs. Season-ticket holders who don't want to attend Sunday games can exchange their tickets for other nights.

 

Management remains unsure exactly what sort of reaction today's game will get, though it expects attendance to decline. The question is how much.

 

The Owlz, in their first year at Utah Valley State College after spending the previous four years playing at BYU, are averaging about 2,000 fans through 18 home games. A crowd of half that might be expected today, co-manager Zachary Fraser said. Maybe less. One-quarter of the usual attendance -- 500 -- wouldn't be a shocker.

 

(Attendance was 1,063.)

 

Selling baseball is a little different in Utah County, even before factoring in Sunday play, he said. With Sunday now added to the mix, the team needed to adjust its marketing. Instead of the beer-lovers generally found at baseball games across America, the Owlz are chasing Latinos.

 

It's no secret the team wants Hispanics at the park. Beto's, a local Mexican restaurant, received 600 tickets to distribute free. During Sunday games, announcements will be heard in English and Spanish.

 

Sunday play at minor league parks in Salt Lake City and Ogden is common, and crowds tend to skew toward the adult age bracket, as though fans are looking for respite from a passel of kids. The spectator experience frequently involves soaking up the sun and ignoring the ball. Beer and PG-13 jokes flow more freely at Utah's other venues.

 

The Owlz, by contrast, are hoping to establish a higher tone at UVSC as they continue to promote baseball as a family activity. "We're treating it as an experiment," Pace said. "We're just as curious as a lot of other people. Zach and I are LDS, and we think some are going to take advantage of a Sunday game. It's a way of life in a lot of places. But we just don't know."

 

The Owlz were able to avoid the Sunday experiment before they changed their name and switched ballparks. In past years they were the Provo Angels, and they played at LDS Church-owned BYU, which forbids Sunday athletic events in its facilities, even events that don't involve its own teams.

 

The rules changed this year when the Owlz moved to a stadium on a state college campus, where there is a separation of church and baseball. Before the move, Fraser said, the team's management and owner Jeff Katofsky had expressed concerns about Sunday play to league officials. The team worried about possible negative reaction in the community and the impact it might have on gate receipts.

 

The league's other owners and its commissioner responded that no team would always have Sunday off, regardless of locale, because it complicates scheduling. With the move to Orem, the BYU excuse evaporated.

 

Owlz field manager Tom Kotchman is indifferent about the extra day. Interviewed last week, he was unaware that his team would be playing today and that it had two other home games on Sundays, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4.

 

"It probably matters more to the Pioneer League than it does to us," said Kotchman, who has spent the last five summers in Utah. "The tough thing was the league planning the entire schedule around one team. It helps other teams' travel schedules, but it doesn't matter much to us. We'll play no matter what."

 

Whether local baseball fans show that same resolve will soon be seen.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Giants 11, Arizona Brewers 1

It's official -- organization 0-for-7 on Sunday...

 

Weather: 100 degrees, partly cloudy.

Wind: 3 mph, Varies.

T: 2:21.

Att: 13.

 

Arizona Box Score:

SS Harold Mejia's "Will he walk this season?" watch continues -- zero walks, 95 AB's...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

 

Arizona Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_giarok_1

[Wytlaf]

Mass.... Nashville won, but otherwise yea, quite a few tough losses.

 

Seth

 

*edit* nevermind, I see you added the record in the subject, my bad.

[Mass Haas]

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

Just to show how balanced this game is....... Kris Honel, the White Sox' 11th best prospect and once their best pitching prospect, has struggled all year long. He comes in 1-5 with a 6.53 ERA. Against the Stars July 7 in that wild 19-15 spectacle, he gave up eight runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings........ Against Dennis Sarfate, who inherited the role of ace after Dana Eveland's promotion, it seemed like a mismatch........ But Honel was actually coming off a fine performance July 19 vs. Jacksonville, in which he gave up just two hits in six innings, although the Barons lost 2-1 after he left........

 

Which pitcher was the Stars going to face? That answer was misleading at the start when Tony Gwynn, Jr. was hit near the elbow by Honel's 2-2 pitch, sending him to his knees in pain........ Gwynn, a .282 hitter in his last seven games, was okay though........ Callix Crabbe lined a single past 2nd baseman Tommy Nicholson up the middle for a hit that would lead to the Stars' first run and a 1-0 lead, for when the next hitter, Brandon Gemoll, hit into a double play, Gwynn was able to move to third. (The Stars hit into three inning-ending double plays Saturday night.)....... Brad Nelson then snapped a 1-for-21 slump by lining a 2-2 curve into right field scoring Gwynn....... Enrique Cruz followed with a line drive single that fell in front of right fielder Ryan Sweeney, but Ben Van Iderstine flied out to leave the runners stranded........ The Stars stranded 11 in this game and have left 61 runners on base on this seven-game road trip. 19 of the last 35 they left on were in scoring position.

 

The 1-0 lead was the last the Stars would have in this game....... The Barons scored two unearned runs in the 2nd inning after Cruz's throwing error tied the game. The Stars allowed five unearned runs in this game, the most allowed this season, and the most since June 19........ The difference would at least kept this game within reach, but such that it is........ In games in which the Stars made three or more errors this year, their record is 3-10 (.231)....... Their record isn't much better when they made one or two. It's 22-36 - a .373 pct.

 

The Stars stayed in this game as late as the 7th inning when they were behind by a run, 4-3, but the opportunity was there for a greater inning........ The Stars loaded the bases on a single over the head of Nicholson by Nelson Castro, who went 5-for-13 in the Birmingham series, a bunt base hit by Jeff Winchester and a walk to Guilder Rodriguez....... That chases Honel. In comes Corwin Malone, a familiar nemesis from the 2002 season when the Stars were 9-14 against the Barons....... Junior's fly ball to Darren Blakely sent in Castro to pull the Stars within one run and Crabbe lined a single on a 1-0 pitch to right to load the bases again, but Malone struck out Gemoll, hitless in 11 trips in the series, on a change-up, and Nelson grounded out to end the inning....... The Barons added another run in the bottom half and finished off the Stars with a six-run 8th off Alec Zumwalt......... That made Kris Honel a winner for the first time since April 18th.

 

The Stars are now two games under .500 after losing their 7th game of their last 10....... They hit .215 on the road trip........ Nelson Castro, Callix Crabbe, and Enrique Cruz hit .294, .304, and .300 respectively in the series, Brandon Gemoll hit just .250 and Tony Gwynn, Jr. .265, but together they drove in five runs apiece. But Brad Nelson, Vinny Rottino, Ben Van Iderstine,and Jeff Winchester combined to go 15-for-100 on the trip........ Dennis Sarfate lost his 4th straight game and has not won in his last five starts, although he has an ERA of 4.04......... Though Rottino has hit just .202 in July, he's drawn nine walks, more than any previous month....... Gwynn, Jr. is hitting .205 in July, but has hit .286 in his last nine games....... Enrique Cruz has only one RBI in his last 12 games and only two extra-base hits for the month........ The Stars now have just three home runs on the road in their last 14 games.

 

The Stars take Monday off before they return back to the Joe to face the first place Diamond Jaxx, against whom they're 4-6 this year. Renyel Pinto is scheduled to start the series for WT.

 

Mobile pitcher Travis Chick was one of the two minor league pitchers the Padres sent to Cincinnati to get Joe Randa (a former Southern League 3rd baseman with Memphis)........ Chick, the Padres' top pitching prospect, strugged with the Bay Bears, going 2-9 with a 5.27 ERA in 19 starts. In four starts against the Huntsville Stars this season, he was 1-2 with a 9.64 ERA, but we'll have a chance to pick his tree some more when the Lookouts come into the Joe, August 16-19 and then again at the end of the season in a road-home series.

 

After a hot .341 start with Helena, Ryan Braun, the Brewers' # 1 draft pick this year, is hitting .267 with two HRs and 10 RBIs (his Rookie League numbers) for Class A - West Virginia (SAL)........ 3rd round pick (the Brewers did not pick in the 2nd round) Will Inman is 2-0 with a 5.73 ERA in five appearances with Helena, and 3rd baseman Matt Gamel is pounding the ball at a .318 clip with seven doubles for Helena........ The Helena Brewers, stocked with this year's draft picks, are atop the Pioneer League's Northern division with a 22-10 record.

 

Looking at the progress of some former Stars, Jeff Deardorff is hitting .242 with 14 HRs and 36 RBIs in 76 games for Tampa Bay's top farm club in Durham (Int'l.)....... Derek Lee is 1-1 with a 4.25 ERA in six PCL starts for the Oklahoma Redhawks. He got his win in a complete game three-hitter over New Orleans, July 20. On the Redhawks' website is a fan poll asking who is the team's most unsung hero. D. Lee is one of four choices. Derek leads the balloting with 59% of the vote....... The Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League 10 days ago re-signed outfielder Jamie Gann, who flopped with the Montgomery Biscuits.........

 

For years I wanted to see the Stars' history come alive at Joe Davis Stadium, and it looks like Stars' Promotions Director Matt Price has taken steps....... The outfield wall in left field is now adorned with three stars commemmorating each of Huntsville's three Southern League Championships. Clearly seen from the concourse behind home plate are the years of each (1985, 1994, and 2001) written boldly in the middle of each Star........ After more than 20 years of history, Matt also wants to start retiring some uniform numbers and marking them at the stadium. Right now, only Jose Canseco's number, # 44, has ever been retired by the Stars. It was retired, June 4, 1987 and resides in a case at the Stars' front office at Joe Davis Stadium. No decision was made, but some well-known names were tossed, such as Mark McGwire (# 25 I believe), Scott Brosius (now Bibbs' # 14), and Walt Weiss (Jeff WInchester's # 21)........

 

There was also some talk at lunch with Mr. Bryan Neece and Mr. Price over next year's bobbleheads with the idea of a fan vote to give bobblehead status to a stadium employee, past or present, or a fan. One player I suggested was Jared Mathis........ An idea was also brought up to frame each Huntsville Star that has made it to the majors. It would have to have a huge frame, because there are, counting Dana Eveland, 152 since Charlie O'Brien became the first in 1985........ The Mobile Bay Bears just had their 60th former player, pitcher Clay Hensley, go up to the majors last night. Hensley is the 5th to go up this year.

 

More from David Weiser:

 

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