Link Report for Friday 6/24: Now With Arizona Box Score

[Mass Haas]

Final: Albuquerque (Marlins) 9, Nashville 5

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

Sounds Blow Late Lead, Fall To Isotopes 9-5

ALBUQUERQUE ? The Albuquerque Isotopes rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a four-run deficit and post a 9-5 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Friday evening in the finale of a four-game series at Isotopes Park.

 

The loss, Nashville?s fourth in games that they led after the seventh inning (29-4), netted the Isotopes a split of the four-game series.

 

Every Nashville position player recorded a hit in the contest. Sounds outfielder Corey Hart recorded his second straight four-hit game, a 4-for-4 evening that included his team-leading 20th double of the year.

 

The Sounds scored the game?s first run in the top of the second inning when Tony Zuniga led off the frame with a double then later came home on a double-play grounder.

 

Red-hot Nashville second baseman Warren Morris upped the Sounds? lead to 3-0 in the third when he slugged his third home run of the series, a two-run shot to right off Isotopes starter Bryan Corey. Trent Durrington, who extended Nashville?s longest hitting streak of the season to 16 games with a bunt single earlier in the inning, scored on the tater.

 

Audio Link to Warren Morris' HR:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-24.mp3

 

Albuquerque first baseman Todd Sears put the home team on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI single before the Sounds put a pair of two-out runs on the board in the fourth to up the advantage to 5-1. Dave Krynzel plated Julio Mosquera with an RBI triple to center, then scored on a Durrington single.

 

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the eighth, when the Isotopes rallied for eight runs against the Nashville bullpen to take a 9-5 lead. Left-hander Andy Pratt came on in relief of a very effective Gary Glover and retired only one of the five batters he faced.

 

Mike Adams relieved Pratt with the bases loaded and the Sounds clinging to a 5-2 lead and was greeted by a Wilson Delgado RBI fielder?s choice grounder which made it a one-run game. Ryan Jorgensen followed with a two-run, game-tying single, resulting in Adams? second blown save in two opportunities. Pinch-hitter Chris Aguila put the home team in front, 6-5, with an RBI single before Mark Little, who had singled to open the frame, gave Albuquerque some breathing room with a two-out, three-run homer to center off Adams. The roundtripper was the outfielder?s 18th of the year.

 

Isotopes reliever Pat Flury (1-1) was the beneficiary of the late comeback, picking up the victory after hurling a scoreless inning. Adams (0-1) took the loss after surrendering four runs in his two-thirds of an inning.

 

Glover was denied his second victory for Nashville following a solid outing in which he allowed one unearned run on six hits while tallying seven strikeouts over seven innings. The right-hander left with a lead for the second straight outing but took a second straight no-decision due to another blown save by the bullpen.

 

The Sounds continue their road trip on Saturday when they travel to Oklahoma to take on the RedHawks in a four-game series. Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (3-6, 4.54) will start the 7:05 p.m. CT opener for Nashville and face Oklahoma right-hander and Nashville native R.A. Dickey (0-2, 6.67).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Mike Adams drifts a bit further from Milwaukee; Chris Barnwell pinch-hit for a called-up-to-Milwaukee Trent Durrington in the 9th; not sure what more we can say about Corey Hart (the outfielder)...

 YTD YTD NASHVILLE AB R H BI AVG ALBUQUERQUE AB R H BI AVG D.Krynzel CF 5 1 1 1 .268 M.Little CF 5 2 2 3 .278 T.Durrington 1B 3 1 2 1 .288 D.Wathan LF 5 1 1 0 .223 C.Barnwell PH 1 0 1 0 .220 T.Sears 1B 4 1 3 1 .359 W.Morris 2B 4 1 1 2 .366 J.Wood 3B 4 1 1 1 .302 C.Hart RF 4 0 4 0 .301 M.Padgett RF 3 0 0 0 .299 B.Nelson LF 5 0 1 0 .247 W.Delgado 2B 4 1 2 1 .273 T.Zuniga 3B 4 1 1 0 .333 J.Wilson SS 3 1 1 0 .252 S.Scarboroug SS 4 0 2 0 .245 R.Jorgensen CAT 4 1 1 2 .221 J.Mosquera CAT 4 1 1 0 .214 B.Corey PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 G.Glover PIT 2 0 0 0 .333 B.Howard PIT 1 0 0 0 .200 R.Knox PH 1 0 0 0 .229 M.Perisho PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Pratt PIT 0 0 0 0 .333 C.Ashby PH 1 0 0 0 .239 M.Adams PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Flury PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Aguila PH 1 1 1 1 .363 J.Crowell PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 5 14 4 TOTALS 36 9 12 9 NASHVILLE 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0- 5 14 1 ALBUQUERQUE 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 8 X- 9 12 0 E--T.Zuniga. DP--NASHVILLE 0, ALBUQUERQUE 1. LOB--NASHVILLE 9, ALBUQUERQUE 5. 2B--C.Hart (20), B.Nelson (16), T.Zuniga (1), S.Scarboroug (11), T.Sears (4). 3B--D.Krynzel (4). HR--W.Morris (3), M.Little (18). SB--T.Durrington (21), C.Hart (12), J.Wilson (8). CS--T.Durrington, C.Hart. SH--G.Glover. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA NASHVILLE G.Glover 7.0 6 1 0 0 7 0 0.50 A.Pratt 0.1 3 4 4 1 0 0 8.12 M.Adams (L,0-1) 0.2 3 4 4 1 0 1 6.14 ALBUQUERQUE B.Corey 4.0 8 5 5 2 1 1 7.59 B.Howard 2.0 2 0 0 0 2 0 5.24 M.Perisho 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.45 P.Flury (W,1-1) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6.20 J.Crowell 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1.37 WP--A.Pratt. SO--D.Krynzel, W.Morris, B.Nelson, S.Scarboroug, M.Little 2, D.Wathan, M.Padgett, W.Delgado, R.Jorgensen, B.Howard. BB--T.Durrington, W.Morris, C.Hart, M.Padgett, J.Wilson. T--2:42. A--10120

Nashville Game Log:

Gary Glover has had three wonderful, heck, spectacular starts, since joining the Sounds...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_albaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 14, Mobile (Padres) 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Nelson Cruz belted two home runs and drove in five runs to power Huntsville to a 14-3 win over Mobile in the final game of a four-game set Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. The Stars won their third straight game to lift their second half record to 3-1 and into a first place tie with Carolina in the North Division, while the BayBears slipped to 1-3 in the second half and 29-45 overall. The Stars won a third consecutive road game for the first time this year and did so by belting a season-high four home runs and rapping out a season-best eight extra base hits.

 

Vinny Rottino started the power surge with a solo home run in the first inning to left-center field, his second two-out long ball in the first frame in three days. It was Rottino?s fifth home run of the season and his second against Mobile starter and loser Travis Chick. Nelson Cruz then drew a walk and Brandon Gemoll followed with a home run to right field, his third of the year and the third time the Stars had gone deep twice in an inning this season. Stars starter Manny Parra yielded two singles and a walk to load the bases with one out in the home first but worked out of trouble by fanning Corey Smith and Steve Baker.

 

Tony Gwynn, Jr.?s two-out double in the second scored Jeff Winchester to push the Stars? lead to 4-1 and the visitors then tacked on five runs in the third to move out to a 9-1 advantage. Rottino worked a leadoff walk and Nelson Cruz followed with a two-run clout, his 14th of the year. Winchester would knock in a run with an infield hit, Chick would wild pitch home another run and Parra would cap the frame with a run-scoring double, his third extra base hit of the season. Chick suffered his second loss to the Stars in three starts and has been charged with nine runs in each of the defeats.

 

Parra would allow an unearned run in the fourth and a Mike Richardson home run in the fifth and would be taken out after five innings, his shortest outing since going only four in a loss to the BayBears in Mobile on May 11. The left-hander gave up seven hits and issued a season-high three walks, while striking out six and ending three frames with a punchout. Parra won his third consecutive start to square his season record at 5-5.

 

The Stars added two runs in the sixth inning and closed the scoring on a Nelson Cruz two-out, three-run home run, his 15th of the year, in the seventh. The Stars scored 14 runs for a second straight night and a third time this season, also doing so in a 14-13 win over Tennessee on April 28 when Nelson Cruz hit a walk-off home run in the tenth inning, his second long ball of that game. Rottino became the first Stars hitter to score four times in a game this season and finished with three hits for a second straight night.

 

Mike Meyers worked four scoreless frames to earn the save and match Alec Zumwalt for the longest outing by a Stars reliever this season. He allowed five hits and struck out four and has now given up just one run in eight innings of work since joining the Stars.

 

The Stars begin a four-game set with Jacksonville Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium with left-hander Ryan Costello taking the hill against Suns right-hander William Juarez. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:50 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

 YTD YTD HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG MOBILE AB R H BI AVG A.Gwynn CF 5 0 1 1 .293 K.Jones CF 4 0 0 1 .260 K.Bibbs LF 6 1 1 0 .272 B.Burgamy LF 5 0 3 0 .308 V.Rottino 3B 4 4 3 1 .290 R.Merrill SS 5 0 3 0 .246 N.Cruz RF 3 3 2 5 .310 J.Gerber 1B 4 0 0 0 .263 B.Gemoll 1B 5 2 2 2 .251 C.Smith 3B 5 0 0 0 .262 E.Cruz SS 5 2 2 1 .292 S.Baker RF 5 0 2 0 .176 J.Winchester CAT 4 1 3 2 .276 M.Richardson CAT 0 0 0 0 .206 C.Crabbe 2B 5 1 0 0 .230 M.Richardson PIT 5 2 2 1 .206 M.Parra PIT 3 0 1 1 .148 C.Baker 2B 4 1 2 0 .253 M.Meyers PIT 2 0 0 0 .000 T.Chick PIT 0 0 0 0 .077 G.Jones PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 A.Tovar PIT 0 0 0 0 1.000 J.Clements PH 1 0 0 0 .208 P.Abraham PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 C.Breslow PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 L.Carlin CAT 0 0 0 0 .297 TOTALS 42 14 15 13 TOTALS 40 3 12 2 HUNTSVILLE 3 1 5 0 0 2 3 0 0-14 15 2 MOBILE 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0- 3 12 0 E--V.Rottino, M.Parra. DP--HUNTSVILLE 0, MOBILE 0. LOB--HUNTSVILLE 6, MOBILE 14. 2B--A.Gwynn (11), E.Cruz (15), J.Winchester (4), M.Parra (1), B.Burgamy (1), S.Baker (1). HR--V.Rottino (5), N.Cruz 2 (15), B.Gemoll (3), M.Richardson (2). SH--T.Chick. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HUNTSVILLE M.Parra (W,5-5) 5.0 7 3 2 3 6 1 3.41 M.Meyers (S,1) 4.0 5 0 0 0 4 0 0.00 MOBILE T.Chick (L,2-7) 2.1 9 9 9 2 1 3 6.01 G.Jones 1.2 0 0 0 1 2 0 4.09 A.Tovar 1.0 0 0 0 2 1 0 7.45 P.Abraham 2.0 6 5 5 0 0 1 13.50 C.Breslow 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.61 M.Richardson 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 WP--T.Chick 2. PB--M.Richardson. SO--A.Gwynn, K.Bibbs, B.Gemoll, E.Cruz, C.Crabbe, M.Parra 2, M.Meyers, K.Jones, B.Burgamy, J.Gerber 3, C.Smith 3, S.Baker, G.Jones. BB--A.Gwynn, V.Rottino, N.Cruz 2, J.Winchester, K.Jones, J.Gerber, C.Baker. T--2:55. A--4485

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_mobaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lexington (Astros) 8, West Virginia 4

Listened early on, and Mark Rogers was dealing through four innings on his way to his first pro win -- c'mon Mark, you've got to pull it together in the 5th...

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Grant Richardson's been swinging a better bat as of late; All-Star reliever Robert Hinton has had a few poor outings since we began touting him here -- sorry, Robert...

 YTD YTD WEST VIRGINIA AB R H BI AVG LEXINGTON AB R H BI AVG A.Escobar SS 5 1 2 0 .292 J.Ash 2B 3 1 2 0 .324 H.Iribarren 2B 4 1 1 0 .325 C.McGill 2B 0 0 0 0 .194 W.Lewis DH 5 0 2 1 .302 B.Triplett 3B 5 0 0 1 .248 G.Richardson 1B 4 1 2 2 .249 B.Zobrist SS 5 1 3 1 .304 C.Corporan CAT 4 1 1 0 .243 K.Vital DH 5 1 2 0 .187 N.Corredor CAT 0 0 0 0 .212 O.Sheldon 1B 2 1 0 0 .235 J.Brady LF 3 0 1 1 .252 B.Barganier CF 4 1 2 2 .294 J.Murray 3B 4 0 2 0 .201 F.Caraballo RF 3 1 1 1 .272 H.Rasheed CF 4 0 2 0 .293 M.Einertson LF 4 0 1 0 .222 F.Parejo RF 4 0 0 0 .233 R.Clark CAT 1 2 1 2 .276 M.Rogers PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Barthmaier PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Montalbo PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Alvarado PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Hinton PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Diaz PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Stanczyk PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 4 13 4 TOTALS 32 8 12 7 WEST VIRGINIA 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0- 4 13 1 LEXINGTON 0 0 0 0 3 0 5 0 X- 8 12 0 E--C.Corporan. DP--WEST VIRGINIA 1, LEXINGTON 1. LOB--WEST VIRGINIA 8, LEXINGTON 10. 2B--A.Escobar (13), W.Lewis (12), B.Zobrist 2 (16), K.Vital (7). 3B--C.Corporan (2). HR--G.Richardson (5), R.Clark (2). SB--W.Lewis (6), R.Clark (2). CS--M.Einertson. HBP--R.Clark. SF-- J.Brady, B.Barganier. SH--H.Iribarren, F.Caraballo. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA WEST VIRGINIA M.Rogers 4.1 5 3 3 3 2 0 4.67 B.Montalbo (L,1-3) 2.0 4 3 3 3 0 0 6.05 R.Hinton 0.2 2 2 2 1 1 1 3.34 B.Stanczyk 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 2.17 LEXINGTON J.Barthmaier 5.0 9 3 3 0 3 1 2.19 A.Alvarado (W,1-0) 2.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 R.Diaz 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 4.95 HB--M.Rogers. WP--M.Rogers. SO--A.Escobar, H.Iribarren, G.Richardson, C.Corporan, J.Brady 2, K.Vital 2, O.Sheldon, B.Barganier, M.Einertson. BB--J.Ash 2, O.Sheldon 3, R.Clark 2. T--3:07. A--7164

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lexafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 5, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 4

A 4-0 record for the H-Crew on their opening road series, home opener Saturday...

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.missoulian.com/articl...orts01.txt

 

O's still sliding: Missoula remains winless as Helena sweeps series sweep

By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian

 

It'll go down as a gopher ball, the pitch that Missoula's Matt Green threw and Helena's John Alonso hit for a decisive three-run home run in the eighth inning Friday night.

 

It proved the difference in a 5-4 Brewers win and a four-game sweep of the season-opening Pioneer League baseball series at Play Ball Park.

 

But the Osprey were looking at big and even bigger pictures as they fondly bid the Brewers adieu.

 

Green, pointed out manager Hector De La Cruz, is a second-round pick who oozes potential. The Louisiana right-hander was making his professional baseball debut.

 

"Everything's there," said De La Cruz. "We've got to let him pitch. You've got to understand, we like to win but then also we like to develop."

 

Alonso's homer was just the fifth hit of the evening against a heretofore beleaguered Missoula pitching staff. The O's lost the first three games by scores of 16-3, 8-9 in 10 innings and 17-5.

 

Osprey starter Ramon Sanchez displayed a hopped-up fastball and went six full innings. The Brewers, who had 27 hits and 25 runs off Missoula starters in the first three games, got only three and two off Sanchez, a 6-foot-3 right-hander from the Dominican Republic.

 

Southpaw Vince Davis finished the game for Missoula with a perfect final four outs. Shortstop Pedro Ciraco had his third multi-hit game with three singles, and three other O's had doubles as Missoula outhit Helena 12-5.

 

What's more, the Osprey backed up their moundsmen with their first errorless game.

 

"It was the best game of the series," said right fielder Greg Thomson, who had one of the doubles and owns a three-game hitting streak. "We played good defense, got big hits when we had to, and guys swung the bats well. Good pitching, too. We were close."

 

Still it was no cigar again. Helena has won 18 of its last 20 meetings with Osprey teams.

 

Alonso's clout came after Green, from Louisiana-Monroe, walked Mike Bell and Angel Salome with one out. A 19-year-old who hit seven home runs for Polk Community College of Florida this spring, Alonso hit his second in three games for Helena on an 85-mph sinker that didn't sink.

 

Brendan Katin, like Alonso a slugger from Florida, belted a tape-measure solo shot off Sanchez in the fifth inning that didn't miss the Clark Fork River by too far.

 

Missoula trailed 5-3 after Alonso's home run in the top of the eighth. The Osprey chopped one run off the deficit in the bottom of the inning when Josh Terrell singled to left, then escaped a jam between first and second when left fielder Agustin Septimo's throw skipped past two infielders, including Alonso at first base. He was assessed the only error of the game. Terrell scooted all the way to third base, then scored on Bryan Byrne's ground out to second.

 

Rusty Ryal followed with a ground-rule double, but Josh Louis came on to get the final two Missoula batters to pop out. Ciriaco singled with two outs in the ninth, but Thomson stung a grounder that tracked the foul line into Alonso's glove at first. He stepped on the bag to end the game.

 

"It's like I said before, as long as we get our pitchers ready to go, and it's going to take like a week, we're going to be all right," said De La Cruz. "We're going to play good defense, we're going to have a good offense, and pitchers are going to be the difference."

 

Helena's Ronny Malave got the victory, Louis the save.

 

Helena Box Score:

The Osprey scraped together some runs charged to 2002 3rd round pick Eric Thomas in the 3rd inning, but welcome back, Eric -- that first live pitch in nearly three years must have felt great; nice job by the bullpen behind Thomas, including the pro debuts of two 2004 draft-and-follow signings, Derek Miller and Josh Louis...

 YTD YTD HELENA AB R H BI AVG MISSOULA AB R H BI AVG C.Fermaint CF 5 0 1 1 .143 J.Santiago CF 5 1 2 0 .462 M.Bell SS 4 1 0 0 .214 P.Ciriaco SS 5 0 3 0 .421 A.Salome DH 3 1 0 0 .471 G.Thomson RF 5 1 1 1 .294 J.Alonso 1B 3 1 1 3 .545 J.Terrell DH 4 0 2 1 .333 B.Willcutt CAT 4 0 0 0 .235 J.Batten PR 0 0 0 0 .143 M.Gamel 3B 3 0 1 0 .133 J.Batten DH 0 1 0 0 .143 B.Katin RF 4 1 1 1 .250 B.Byrne 1B 3 0 1 1 .231 A.Septimo LF 4 1 1 0 .400 R.Ryal 3B 4 0 1 0 .313 K.Holmberg 2B 3 0 0 0 .500 M.DeCarlo CAT 3 0 0 0 .286 E.Thomas PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 E.Roman PH 1 0 0 0 .333 D.Miller PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Elder CAT 0 0 0 0 .250 R.Malave PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Cruz 2B 4 1 2 0 .300 J.Louis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Tully LF 3 0 0 1 .000 R.Sanchez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Green PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 V.Davis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 33 5 5 5 TOTALS 37 4 12 4 HELENA 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 0- 5 5 1 MISSOULA 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0- 4 12 0 E--J.Alonso. DP--HELENA 0, MISSOULA 0. LOB--HELENA 6, MISSOULA 8. 2B--A.Septimo (3), G.Thomson (1), J.Terrell (1), R.Ryal (3), R.Cruz (1). HR--J.Alonso (2), B.Katin (1). SB--M.Bell (1), M.Gamel (1), J.Terrell (1). CS--T.Tully. HBP--K.Holmberg. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HELENA E.Thomas 2.2 4 3 3 0 1 0 10.13 D.Miller 2.1 4 0 0 1 3 0 0.00 R.Malave (W,1-0) 2.1 3 1 1 1 1 0 3.86 J.Louis (S,1) 1.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 MISSOULA R.Sanchez 6.0 3 2 1 1 8 1 1.50 M.Green (L,0-1) 1.2 2 3 3 3 2 1 16.20 V.Davis 1.1 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.08 HB--R.Sanchez. PB--M.DeCarlo 2. SO--C.Fermaint 3, M.Bell 2, A.Salome, J.Alonso, B.Willcutt, B.Katin 2, A.Septimo, K.Holmberg, J.Terrell, R.Ryal, M.DeCarlo, R.Cruz, T.Tully. BB--M.Bell, A.Salome, J.Alonso, M.Gamel, B.Byrne, T.Tully. T--2:44. A--1662

Helena Game Log:

LF Agustin Septimo with a big outfield assist in the 4th; Josh Louis stranded a key inherited runner in the 8th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Just an FYI of interest, but check out former farmhand Derek Lee's line in this box score as he outdueled rehabbing Kerry Wood:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Also by the way, five more minor leaguers were suspended for performance-enhancing drugs Friday, bringing the total of pro ballplayers to 80, none of them Brewers.

 

Nice job, guys...

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Arizona League Action:

 YESTERDAY'S GAMES ATHLETICS 3, ROYALS 2 W-PENA L-GARRETT GIANTS 4, CUBS 3 W-GORNATI L-PAWELEK SV-THOMSON MARINERS 16, RANGERS 4 W-HUANG L-RASNER SV-SOTO [b]BREWERS AT PADRES GAME NOT REPORTED[/b]

Well, that totally stinks. These box scores may show up eventually, but as we've learned from past years, "Game Not Reported" normally means paperwork wasn't supplied to the league office, in this case most likely by the home team Padres - we blame Laurel Prieb and his west coast MLB office.

 

The kids in Arizona have been playing games against other squads for weeks, with the exception of the newly-drafted high schoolers. It's just that the last two officially counted. Speaking of high school, Arizona League games are basically glorified high school all-star games, except they're played before fewer fans. Still, it'd be nice to get the box scores.

 

There's a chance three box scores will show up on Sunday AM, and if not, we'll try to contact someone with the Brewers.

 

If Jim Powell sneaks in Arizona League results in his "Down on the Farm Report" tonight, he's a better man than I -- have at it, Jim.

 

We really need to move someone to Phoenix and hire them as a Brewerfan Arizona League correspondent. The pay ain't much, but Brian's set up a nice 401K package for us...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.kentucky.com/mld/kent...982940.htm

 

Legends' surge zaps Power

Play at the plate starts Lexington rally

By Mark Maloney

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

 

Home plate at Applebee's Park is a train wreck waiting to happen.

 

Kevin Vital was the train last night, plowing into West Virginia catcher Carlos Corporan to score the key run in the Lexington Legends' 8-4 come-from-behind victory.

 

"I saw him in the line, and I wasn't about to slide," said Vital, who scored from second on Luke Barganier's single to right. "I don't think there's going to be too many times when I slide into home plate if there's a close play.

 

"It reminds me of high school football all over again. I love the contact."

 

Vital, once an all-state linebacker in Louisiana, is 6 feet, 225 pounds. Corporan has size, too -- 6-3, 210.

 

"He was standing still, though," Vital said. "I was coming."

 

Vital not only scored, tying the game at 4, but knocked the ball so far that Ole Sheldon was able to score the go-ahead run behind him. Barganier scampered to second. Frankie Caraballo added an RBI single, then scored on Chris Clark's homer.

 

"I was just trying to see a fastball and get a pitch to hit," said Clark, whose second homer of the series and the season made it 8-4. "They've been coming inside on me kind of frequently. ... I just try to keep my hands inside of it and get the good part of the bat on it."

 

The Legends, 3-1 in the second half, take momentum into tonight's game at Hagerstown, which will double as the first-half Northern Division title tiebreaker.

 

"Especially the way we took the lead -- a nice, aggressive play, the kind that got the team going," Manager Tim Bogar said. "We were doing all right tonight, but that kind of kick-started us and got everybody's juices going. Hopefully that's going to survive the bus trip (this) morning."

 

The home-plate collision came a night after Legends catcher J.R. Towles held on to make the putout on a pair of similar plays, but the Power won that game 9-3.

 

"It was clean, nothing to it," Power Manager Ramon Aviles said of Vital. "The only difference was that our catcher didn't hold on to the ball and their's did."

 

Corporan came out of the game an inning later.

 

"He complained about his wrist a little bit," Aviles said, "but I think he was more scared than anything."

 

Ben Zobrist had three of the Legends' 12 hits, including a pair of doubles.

 

West Virginia led 3-0 through four innings. But the Legends finally solved Mark Rogers and his 98-mph fastball in a three-run fifth inning.

 

Grant Richardson's RBI single in the seventh gave the Power their brief 4-3 lead.

 

The Legends' Kevin Vital collided with Powers's catcher Carlos Corporan, knocking the ball loose, as he scored in the bottom of the 7th inning as the Lexington Legends played the West Virginia Power at Applebee's Park in Lexington.

Charles Bertram/Kentucky.com Staff

 

http://www.kentucky.com/images/kentucky/kentucky/11981/143548157977.jpg

[hsvstarsfan]

Second verse, same as the first

It's not unusual for a team to win (or lose) consecutive games by the same score. It's rather common in low-scoring games. But the Stars have done it twice within a week, and in this case, it's awfully hard to reproduce a 14-3 victory. But they did........ And it was unusual, as well, that the Stars scored in double-figures on consecutive days. That hadn't been done since 1999 when they beat Knoxville, 13-3 and 11-3, June 12-13........ In outscoring the Bay Bears, 35-13, the Stars hit .351 in this series vs. Mobile, their 2nd best offensive effort at the plate in a four-game series this season. (They hit .355 vs. Tennessee, April 28-May 1) ....... The Stars hit four home runs in a game for the first time since April 10 of last year (vs. Montgomery) in another unbelievable repeat rout of Mobile, 14-3.

This first series of the second half was good for some batting marks on this team........ Nelson Cruz hit two HRs, placing him one behind Delmon Young for the HR leadership in the Southern League and tied with him in slugging with a .586 percentage ........ Vinny Rottino became the first Huntsville Star to score four runs this season, and the first since Corey Hart on June 30, 2003. He went 9-for-19 (.474) in the series with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs, raising his average 14 points to .290........ Enrique Cruz ran his hitting streak to 9 games (14-for-37, .37http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif ....... Tony Gwynn, Jr. ended the series 7-for-18 (.389)....... Brandon Gemoll went 6-for-13 (.462), raising his average to .257. Brandon has a .301 June going.

The Stars win three straight, and to no surprise with the three pitchers who have been winning most of the games. We know their names. The fact now is --- this is the third straight time the Stars have won three straight with Dana Eveland, Dennis Sarfate, and Manny Parra as the starters. The triumvirate have accounted now for 16 of the Stars' last 19 wins, going back to May 1......Respectively, they are 3rd, 8th and 11th among Southern League ERA leaders......... David Bradley will start Saturday, even though Brett Pollack's notes on the Stars' official web site says it's Ryan Costello. Trust me. It's Bradley....... Either one will have to show that the Stars are able to win past the third man in the rotation....... The Stars at least get off to a good start in the second half, winning three of four, putting them two games above .500 for the first time since May 3.

The Stars come home now to face Jacksonville (2-2) and welcome the 5 millionth fan in this club's history. Jacksonville recently welcomed their millionth to their new park in their third season at The Baseball Grounds (a name really lacking in imagination). William Juarez (4-0, 3.09) is scheduled to start for Jacksonville...... Ticket manager Gary Ward is expecting a crowd of around 7,000. The Stars need a little more than 5,000 to break the milestone.

The first inning of this game was rather ominous. After Travis Chick got the first two Stars out, Rottino homered to left-center field, his 5th of the season and 2nd HR vs. Chick, Nelson Cruz drew a walk, and Brandon Gemoll, who had, by his own admission a very satisfying round in the cage during BP, pulled a ball 375 ft. boomer to right. This was only the 3rd time all season the Stars had hit 2 HRs in an inning. They did it once against Missisippi this year and once against Tennessee........ After a night in which the Bay Bears mustered only six hits off Sarfate and Evert, they had Parra and Meyers on the ropes all night. Parra loaded the bases in the 1st with one out, but struck out Corey Smith and Steve Baker, swinging....... In three of their last four innings going back to Thursday night, Mobile left the bases loaded......... It was more frustration for Mobile, who had a hit in every inning........ In the 2nd inning, Parra faced runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and escaped by allowing only one run, nevertheless holding onto a 4-1 lead........ In the 4th, he loaded the bases with two out, and despite giving away two outs that inning, one of them on his throwing error, another on Rottino's, got away with just one run. Mobile had left seven runners on through the first four innings, but by this time the Stars had a 9-2 lead....... The Stars had pounced on Travis Chick in the 3rd.

Nelson Cruz hit a 2-run homer with Rottino aboard, then Chick gave up singles to Gemoll, Enrique Cruz, and Jeff Winchester, which yielded a run....... Five batters had come to the plate and Chick hadn't retired a batter until Callix Crabbe hit into a force play retiring Winchester, but it was about to get worse for Chick......... A wild pitch to Manny Parra scored Enrique before Parra doubled to right to score Crabbe and that was all....... Chick, who allowed eight runs the first time he faced Parra on April 20, had allowed 9 runs in 2 1/3 innings........ He's lost all three appearances now against the Stars this year, allowing 24 hits and 3 walks in 11 2/3 innings, and the capper --- a 15.42 ERA....... The way it's going, there's a good chance to make Chick the first 5-game loser in a season for the first time in Stars history. The Stars face Mobile in two more series this season, one July 18-21 and two in August........ Mike Thompson, the SL leader in innings pitched, has also lost three times to the Stars this year.

After the Stars' awesome 12-run inning, Thursday night, I decided to leave this link for those interested in seeing the box score of the 1988 game that set the record for most runs in an inning. A year ago, I ranked this as the 2nd greatest game in the Stars' 20-year history. I discovered the link didn't work, so it's been corrected. Here it is.

www.starsboxscore.com/gre...eback.html

Derek Lee, Friday night, won his pitching debut for the Texas Rangers' top farm club in the PCL, outdueling Kerry Wood, pitching seven scoreless innings for Oklahoma against the Iowa Cubs. The Redhawks got the 3-1 win, but with no support, no decision for The General....... Derek struck out 4 and walked 2, giving up 7 hits......... Are you ready for another Corey Hart? Ask that when you see the Sounds in Nashville. The Milwaukee Brewers have purchased the contract of infielder Corey Hart from the Bridgeport (Ct.) Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League and assigned him to the Sounds to replace recently-released infielder Matt Erickson. He will join the team in Oklahoma City Saturday.........Hart was leading the Atlantic League with a .466 on-base percentage and batted .305 (53-for-174) with one home run and 20 RBIs in 51 games of action, appearing primarily as the club's shortstop (14 errors). He drew a team-best 51 walks and struck out only 33 times....... Prior to this season, Hart batted .239 over seven years in the Kansas City Royals farm system after being selected in the 23rd round of the June 1998 draft. He finished the 2004 season in the Pacific Coast League, playing for Omaha. Thanks to brewerfan.net for the information.

The Stars have placed Matt DeWitt on the disabled list. No word yet on any call-up.

Funny moment at Hank Aaron Stadium....... A new window had just been put in in Brett Pollock's booth there after Gary Jones cracked it Monday, I guess during BP, when Kennard Bibbs comes up to the plate and cracked the new one in the 2nd inning with a foul ball about two feet to his left

[Mass Haas]

The missing Arizona box score from Friday 6/24:

 

Final: Arizona Padres 5, Arizona Brewers 4

The kids from south of the border outnumber the kids from north of the border just a bit on the club http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Arizona Box Score:

Both Jimenez boys in on this one, with Herman moving over to first base; three errors, one unearned run, lose again by one...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

 

Arizona Game Log:

Two Brewers picked off first base...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1