Link Report for Games of Monday, June 6th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu: Once the Crew is up 12-0 on Randy and the Yanks after an inning or two, feel free to slide over to some minor league audio...

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Rick Helling at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: LHP Manny Parra at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

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

 

Brevard County: First, the completion of Sunday's suspended extra-inning game, then TBD at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 5:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.live365.com/cgi-bin/m...2747300015

 

West Virginia: RHP Josh Wahpepah at Lakewood (Phillies), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's -- right side of web page link):

www.blueclaws.com/

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Monday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Heading into Monday's activity:

 AM-NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]NASHVILLE SOUNDS (MILWAUKEE) 30 28 .517[/b] MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (ST.LOUIS) 29 28 .509 .5 OMAHA ROYALS (KANSAS CITY) 25 33 .431 5.0 IOWA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 24 34 .414 6.0

 NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB CAROLINA MUDCATS (FLORIDA) 38 18 .679 WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 38 19 .667 .5 TENNESSEE SMOKIES (ARIZONA) 23 34 .404 15.5 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 23 34 .404 15.5[/b] CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS (CINCINNATI) 22 35 .386 16.5

 EAST DIVISION W L PCT GB VERO BEACH DODGERS (LOS ANGELES DODGERS) 31 22 .585 JUPITER HAMMERHEADS (FLORIDA) 29 25 .537 2.5 DAYTONA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 26 25 .510 4.0 PALM BEACH CARDINALS (ST.LOUIS) 26 29 .473 6.0 [b]BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES (MILWAUKEE) 22 33 .400 10.0[/b] ST. LUCIE METS (NEW YORK METS) 20 32 .385 10.5

 NORTHERN DIVISION W L PCT GB HAGERSTOWN SUNS (NEW YORK METS) 34 21 .618 LEXINGTON LEGENDS (HOUSTON) 34 22 .607 .5 LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS (CLEVELAND) 32 25 .561 3.0 KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 29 28 .509 6.0 DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (BALTIMORE) 25 32 .439 10.0 HICKORY CRAWDADS (PITTSBURGH) 21 33 .389 12.5 LAKEWOOD BLUECLAWS (PHILADELPHIA) 19 38 .333 16.0 [b]WEST VIRGINIA POWER (MILWAUKEE) 19 38 .333 16.0[/b]

[Mass Haas]

Congratulations go out to the Southern League's Pitcher of the Week!

 

Southern League Press Release:

 

Huntsville starter Dana Eveland gave up zero earned runs in two starts last week on his way to being named the BC Powder Pitcher of the Week.

 

In the Stars? 8-2 victory over Tennessee May 30, Eveland pitched seven innings, allowing only one hit in picking up his fourth win of the season. In his next start on June 4 against Mississippi, Eveland improved his record to 5-4 on the season, allowing three hits in six innings while striking out six in Huntsville?s 8-1 win.

 

Eveland is currently tied for fifth in the Southern League with a 2.94 ERA and tied for second with 70.1 innings pitched this season. The lefty was selected by the Brewers in the 16th round of the 2002 draft and signed as a draft-and-follow on May 26, 2003. Baseball America rates Eveland the 12th best prospect in the Brewers? organization.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Audio Clip -- Plays of the Week:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-5.mp3

 

The lone positive sound bite from Sunday's 4-0 defeat:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-5.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final, completion of suspended game: Jupiter (Marlins) 3, Brevard County 2, ten innings

RHP Bo Hall gives up a home run in the top of the 10th to lose it; Manatees go rather quietly (one walk) in the bottom half of the inning to end it...

 

Brevard County Game One Box Score:

 YTD YTD JUPITER AB R H BI AVG BREVARD COUNTY AB R H BI AVG J.Campusano SS 4 0 2 0 .250 T.Ezi LF 4 0 0 0 .253 A.De Aza LF 4 0 1 0 .282 S.Sollmann 2B 3 0 0 0 .232 A.Molina RF 5 0 1 0 .282 D.Anderson RF 5 1 1 0 .286 R.Abercrombi CF 5 0 0 0 .290 C.Medlin DH 5 1 1 0 .309 J.Figueroa 1B 4 0 0 0 .327 A.Heether 3B 5 0 1 1 .289 R.Bear DH 4 1 2 0 .301 S.Moss CF 4 0 1 1 .272 K.Randel 2B 3 1 1 2 .238 L.Palmisano CAT 4 0 0 0 .254 P.Arlis CAT 4 1 1 1 .204 J.Eure 1B 3 0 1 0 .219 M.Brock 3B 4 0 0 0 .175 O.Chavez SS 3 0 1 0 .239 A.Bostick PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Dillard PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 V.DLosSantos PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Wolfe PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Hoff PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Hall PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Martinez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 3 8 3 TOTALS 36 2 6 2 JUPITER 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1- 3 8 3 BREVARD COUNTY 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0- 2 6 0 E--M.Brock 2, A.Bostick. DP--JUPITER 0, BREVARD COUNTY 0. LOB-- JUPITER 7, BREVARD COUNTY 9. 2B--A.De Aza (8), C.Medlin (4), A.Heether (7). HR--K.Randel (6), P.Arlis (3). SB--J.Campusano (5), S.Sollmann (8), D.Anderson (6). CS--R.Bear. HBP--J.Campusano, J.Eure. SH--S.Sollmann, O.Chavez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA JUPITER A.Bostick 6.0 4 2 1 1 10 0 3.08 V.DLosSantos 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 B.Hoff (W,1-0) 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 C.Martinez (S,6) 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.00 BREVARD COUNTY T.Dillard 8.0 6 2 2 2 6 1 2.83 B.Wolfe 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 B.Hall (L,0-1) 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 4.37 HB--A.Bostick, B.Hall. WP--T.Dillard. SO--A.De Aza, A.Molina, R.Abercrombi 2, J.Figueroa, K.Randel, M.Brock 2, T.Ezi 2, S.Sollmann 2, D.Anderson, C.Medlin 3, A.Heether, S.Moss, L.Palmisano, J.Eure 2. BB--A.De Aza, K.Randel, T.Ezi, S.Sollmann. T--2:50. A--2020

Brevard County Game One Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[colbyjack]

This may sound crazy, but with the way Parra has been pitching recently, I'm really tempted to tune into the Stars game this evening in lieu of the Brewer broadcast. I guess I can always stay tuned into the game reports.

 

Anyway, the new BA came out today, and there is a nice note on Ryan Anderson, the Little Unit, under their Indy ball coverage:

 

Quote:

---

Ryan Anderson, once one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, will attempt to get his career back on track in the Brewers system, thanks in part to a short detour through the Golden League.

 

The Brewers purchased Anderson's contract from the Surprise Falcons, where Anderson had worked a single inning in an exhibition game. When he showed off a 93 mph fastball and a solid breaking ball, he was quickly signed.

 

Anderson struck out two batters in a perfect inning of work for high Class A Brevard County in his first appearance with his new club. It was his first official appearance since he threw two innings against Salt Lake on Sept. 4, 2000, while pitching for the Mariners in Triple-A.

 

The 25-year-old lefthander was on the cusp of a promotion to the majors when he went down with a torn labrum during spring training in 2001. He spent the next four seasons on the disabled list, enduring three labrum surgeries.

 

Anderson was released by the Mariners this spring, but the Falcons quickly signed him, giving him a second chance that resulted in his return to affiliated ball.

---

[DHonks]

wow, way to go Power. It's about time a Brewers' affiliate hangs a crooked number in the late innings. I'm sick of us giving those up

[jvrocksaz]

Is that the JP Howell from U of Texas pitching against Nashville tonight??? Talk about flying up through the system with great numbers at each stop... Wow...

[Mass Haas]

Final, regularly scheduled game: Jupiter (Marlins) 5, Brevard County 3, ten innings

 

Brevard County Site Game Blurb:

I refuse to call this a "summary" -- we want to be friends, B.C. management, but check out what's going on elsewhere -- not a single player mentioned below, how is that possible?

 

TWO TENTH INNING HOMERS PROPEL HAMMERHEADS OVER MANATEES

VIERA, FL ? After seeing the end of the game yesterday suspended the Hammerheads wasted little time in finishing what they started as a tenth inning home run in game one and game two saw Jupiter take two games in just eleven innings of action.

 

The game that was resumed from yesterday?s rain took little time to finish as a solo shot took out the Manatees in just 19 minutes. Game two was more of the same for the Hammerheads and the Manatees.

 

The Manatees went ahead in the first before Jupiter would put up three runs of their own in the sixth to lead 3-1. The Manatees came back to tie up at three runs apiece in the eighth before falling once again in extra frames with the help of the longball.

 

The ?Tees wrap up their three game set with the Hammerheads on Tuesday with another 7:00 game (6:00 PM Central) before taking to the road against the St Lucie Mets.

 

Brevard County Game Two Box Score:

Most important aspect here -- Ty Taubenheim keeps rolling; Manatees bullpen a shambles...

 YTD YTD JUPITER AB R H BI AVG BREVARD COUNTY AB R H BI AVG A.De Aza LF 5 1 2 0 .285 O.Chavez SS 4 0 0 0 .234 L.Mitchell 3B 4 0 0 0 .245 D.Anderson LF 4 1 1 1 .285 A.Molina RF 5 2 1 0 .280 A.Heether 3B 3 1 1 1 .291 R.Abercrombi CF 5 2 2 2 .293 C.Medlin CAT 4 0 1 1 .306 J.Figueroa DH 5 0 2 1 .333 S.Moss CF 3 0 1 0 .273 R.Bear 1B 5 0 2 0 .303 L.Palmisano DH 4 0 0 0 .249 K.Randel 2B 3 0 0 0 .234 J.Eure 1B 4 0 0 0 .215 T.Arnerich CAT 2 0 0 1 .226 W.Campana 2B 4 0 1 0 .252 M.Brock SS 4 0 0 0 .169 R.Deevers RF 4 1 1 0 .178 J.Vargas PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Taubenheim PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Tillman PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Durost PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Martinez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 N.Slack PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Lewis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 38 5 9 4 TOTALS 34 3 6 3 JUPITER 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2- 5 9 0 BREVARD COUNTY 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0- 3 6 0 DP--JUPITER 1, BREVARD COUNTY 2. LOB--JUPITER 7, BREVARD COUNTY 4. 2B--A.De Aza (9), R.Bear (9), C.Medlin (5). 3B--D.Anderson (4). HR--R.Abercrombi (12). SB--A.De Aza 2 (20), R.Bear (11). CS--S.Moss. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA JUPITER J.Vargas 7.2 4 3 3 3 7 0 2.64 D.Tillman (W,2-1) 1.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.80 C.Martinez (S,7) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.86 BREVARD COUNTY T.Taubenheim 5.0 3 0 0 0 5 0 2.33 K.Durost 1.0 3 3 3 2 2 0 8.22 N.Slack 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 9.00 J.Lewis (L,1-5) 3.0 2 2 2 1 3 1 5.59 WP--K.Durost. SO--L.Mitchell 3, A.Molina 2, J.Figueroa 2, R.Bear 2, K.Randel 2, O.Chavez, D.Anderson, C.Medlin, J.Eure 2, R.Deevers 3. BB--L.Mitchell, K.Randel, T.Arnerich 2, O.Chavez, A.Heether, S.Moss. T--2:44. A--1254

Brevard County Game Two Game Log:

Lou Palmisano seems to be a long ways away from his Pioneer League MVP days of 2003...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Game suspended, West Virginia 7, Lakewood (Phillies) 7, after 10 and 1/2 innings in Lakewood

 

Update from the BlueClaws' Site:

 

Lakewood, NJ - The Lakewood BlueClaws (18-37) and the West Virginia Power (18-37), Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, had their game suspended because of heavy rain and lightning. The game was in the bottom of the 11th inning with both teams tied at 7-7.

 

The BlueClaws and the Power will resume the game in West Virginia on Saturday, June 11th or Sunday, June 12th.

 

Lakewood took a 7-2 lead into the eighth inning but the Power plated five runs on three hits to tie the game 7-7. Reliever Jake Tompkins started the eighth and could only get one out in the inning as the Power batted around. With the bases loaded and one out Grant Richardson drew a walk to plate a run. Then an RBI base hit by Carlos Corporan made the score 7-3 and chased Tompkins out of the game.

 

Jacob Barrack relieved Tompkins but did not fair much better allowing a bases-loaded walk to the first batter he faced allowing a run to score. Josh Murray then connected for a two-run base hit to tie the game at 7-7. Tompkins line for the inning was five runs on one hit while walking one in just 1/3 of an inning.

 

Lakewood trailed 1-0 entering the sixth but plated seven runs on five hits to take a 7-1 lead. Ryan Frith started off the inning with a double then moved to third on a base hit from Jesus Merchan. Mike Dzurrilla then connected for an RBI double to tie the game and following an intentional pass to Sam Orr, Doug Gredvig was hit by a pitch to put Lakewood up 2-1.

 

Greg Isaacson then followed up with a two-run double. The BlueClaws got another run on a throwing error from Agustin Septimo allowing Gredvig to score from third and Lakewood had a 7-1 lead.

 

Derek Griffith started the game for Lakewood and got the no decision. Griffith allowed two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three over the course of seven innings.

 

West Virginia Box Score:

SS Alcides Escobar still out -- we need an injury update; big game at the plate, but the 15th error for Josh Murray -- the Power's infield play is atrocious...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

It's only fitting these two squads are still tied...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 7, Huntsville 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Braves Big Inning Downs Stars, Again

Anthony Lerew tossed a complete-game two-hitter to pitch Mississippi past the Stars 7-1 Monday in the third game of a four-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Braves won for the ninth time in their last 10 games to improve to 30-28 and remained one game behind front-running Jacksonville in the South Division, while the Stars slumped to 23-35 and lost for the 13th time in their last 16 games at home. The Braves have also taken nine of the last 10 with the Stars to move out to a 10-3 lead in the season series.

 

John Schuerholz broke up a scoreless game with a two-out, two-run home run to left field off of Huntsville starter Manny Parra, who had not yielded a long ball since May 11 at Mobile. It was Schuerholz?s second in as many days and turned to be the second decisive two-out, two-run hit that he has delivered in the last two games against Parra.

 

Enrique Cruz blasted a two-out home run, his seventh of the season, to left-center field for the Stars in the home fifth to slice the lead to 2-1. Huntsville did not pick up a hit the rest of the way and did not get a runner past first base over the last four frames.

 

The Braves broke the game open in the seventh with five runs against Parra and Brett Evert, the former Braves farmhand who joined the Stars earlier in the day. Luis Hernandez singled to open the inning and moved to second base with one out after a walk to Gregor Blanco that spelled the end of the night for Parra, who has gone at least six innings in each of his last five turns. Onil Joseph greeted Evert with a single to center field to score Hernandez and Tony Gwynn, Jr. overran the ball, allowing Blanco to score and Joseph to reach third base. Jeff Francoeur then drilled the next pitch from Evert over the wall in left-center for a two-run home run, his ninth of the season and third against Huntsville. Brian McCann finished the rally with a two-out single to score Wes Timmons, who had doubled. The five-run rally was the second for the Braves in as many days, as they totaled five in the ninth in Sunday?s comeback win, and the fifth time the Stars had allowed as many runs in an inning this year.

 

Lerew threw 101 pitches in spinning the first complete game in Mississipi Braves history and defeated the Stars for a third time in three starts. The right-hander allowed two hits and walked three and has now held Huntsville to two runs, on solo homers, and eight hits over 22 innings in his three outings. Lerew struck out only two and has fanned 16 in his three starts against the Stars, who were held to one run for the sixth time in 12 starts during the time that Parra has actually been on the hill. Huntsville?s Nelson Cruz went hitless in four at-bats and lost a nine-game hitting streak, equaling the longest for a Stars batter this season.

 

The series concludes Tuesday afternoon with right-hander Glenn Woolard taking the hill for the Stars against Braves right-hander Matt Wright. Coverage of the game gets underway at 11:50 a.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Where do you look for positives with this club? Not only is this a bad club right now, it's a boring bad club; Tony Gwynn three walks and a sacrifice...

 YTD YTD MISSISSIPPI AB R H BI AVG HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG G.Blanco CF 4 1 1 0 .215 K.Bibbs LF 4 0 1 0 .283 O.Joseph LF 5 1 1 1 .242 A.Gwynn CF 0 0 0 0 .290 J.Francoeur RF 5 1 1 2 .266 N.Cruz RF 4 0 0 0 .292 S.Thorman 1B 5 0 0 0 .317 V.Rottino CAT 4 0 0 0 .272 W.Timmons 3B 5 1 1 0 .310 B.Gemoll 1B 3 0 0 0 .220 B.McCann CAT 3 1 2 1 .265 T.Zuniga 3B 3 0 0 0 .248 J.Schuerholz 2B 4 1 1 2 .271 E.Cruz SS 3 1 1 1 .278 L.Hernandez SS 4 1 3 0 .216 G.Rodriguez 2B 3 0 0 0 .208 A.Lerew PIT 4 0 1 0 .300 M.Parra PIT 2 0 0 0 .105 B.Evert PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Vn Idrstne PH 1 0 0 0 .271 D.Bradley PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 7 11 6 TOTALS 27 1 2 1 MISSISSIPPI 0 0 0 2 0 0 5 0 0- 7 11 0 HUNTSVILLE 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0- 1 2 2 E--A.Gwynn, G.Rodriguez. DP--MISSISSIPPI 0, HUNTSVILLE 0. LOB-- MISSISSIPPI 7, HUNTSVILLE 3. 2B--W.Timmons (15). 3B--A.Lerew (1). HR--J.Francoeur (8), J.Schuerholz (3), E.Cruz (7). CS--A.Gwynn. SH--A.Gwynn. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA MISSISSIPPI A.Lerew (W,5-2) 9.0 2 1 1 3 2 1 4.18 HUNTSVILLE M.Parra (L,2-5) 6.1 6 4 4 2 6 1 4.03 B.Evert 1.2 5 3 3 0 1 1 16.20 D.Bradley 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1.51 WP--M.Parra 2. PB--V.Rottino. SO--G.Blanco, O.Joseph, J.Francoeur 2, S.Thorman 3, B.McCann, A.Lerew, G.Rodriguez, M.Parra. BB--G.Blanco, B.McCann, A.Gwynn 3. T--2:19. A--1455

Huntsville Game Log:

Brett Evert could have saved Manny's final line a bit, but Evert allowed both inherited runners to score in his Stars' debut...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Monday:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

By the way, did you listen to the "Plays of the Week" link from earlier in the thread? It's "the Simpsons" version!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Omaha (Royals) 9, Nashville 5

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds dropped their third consecutive game on Monday evening at Greer Stadium, falling 9-5 to the visiting Omaha Royals in the third game of a four-game series.

 

Despite the loss, Nashville (30-29) retains its half-game lead over Memphis in the PCL American Conference Northern Division.

 

The Sounds scored first, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second against Omaha left-hander J.P. Howell, who made his career Triple-A debut in the contest. With one out in the inning, Brad Nelson singled, Corey Hart walked, and Mike Rivera reached on a fielder?s choice error by Royals third baseman Justin Gemoll. Ryan Knox followed with an RBI walk to drive in Nelson with the game?s first run before Steve Scarborough upped the advantage to 3-0 with a two-run single to center.

 

Omaha responded quickly, taking a 5-3 lead with five runs against Sounds starter Rick Helling in the top of the third. Paul Phillips opened the frame by reaching on a throwing error by Sounds second baseman Rickie Weeks. Alejandro Prieto (triple) and former Sound Adrian Brown (double) followed with consecutive RBI extra-base hits to make it a 3-2 score. Designated hitter Ken Harvey then delivered a two-run single that put the visitors ahead to stay. Three of Omaha?s five runs in the inning were unearned following a pair of Nashville errors.

 

The Royals tacked on another run in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead courtesy of Gemoll?s two-out RBI single to right that brought in Hocking, who turned in a 4-for-4 effort in the contest.

 

Hocking struck again for Omaha in the top of the sixth, driving a two-out, two-run single to right to increase the lead to 8-3.

 

Nashville got two runs back in the sixth, both in unearned fashion against Omaha reliever Justin Huisman. With one out, Royals left fielder Chad Santos dropped a Scarborough fly ball, allowing Rivera to score. After Huisman struck out Weeks with the bases loaded for the second out, Prince Fielder drew a walk to make it an 8-5 affair. Kevin Orie flew out to end the threat.

 

Hocking contributed his third RBI of the evening with a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth against Sounds reliever Mike Adams to re-up the Omaha lead to four at 9-5.

 

Hart finished 2-for-3 for the Sounds and is batting .442 (19-for-43) over his last 10 games.

 

Howell (1-0) earned his first career Class AAA victory after allowing five runs (two earned) in his 5 1/3 innings of work. Helling (4-3) was tagged with the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on nine hits over six frames.

 

The teams wrap up the series with a noon finale on Tuesday afternoon at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Justin Lehr (5-4, 5.63) takes the hill for the Sounds to face Omaha southpaw Chris George (3-3, 5.97).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Rickie Weeks is probably placing a lot of pressure on himself defensively right now; veterans Durrington and Orie have really slowed their early paces...

 YTD YTD OMAHA AB R H BI AVG NASHVILLE AB R H BI AVG A.Brown CF 3 2 1 1 .258 T.Durrington 3B 4 0 0 0 .259 D.Hocking 2B 4 2 4 3 .313 R.Weeks 2B 4 0 0 0 .321 A.Guiel RF 4 1 0 0 .275 P.Fielder 1B 4 0 1 1 .257 K.Harvey DH 5 0 1 1 .362 K.Orie DH 4 0 0 0 .303 C.Santos LF 4 0 1 0 .262 B.Nelson LF 5 1 1 0 .249 J.Gemoll 3B 4 0 1 1 .314 C.Hart RF 3 1 2 0 .271 C.Pickering 1B 4 0 0 0 .157 M.Rivera CAT 4 2 1 0 .243 P.Phillips CAT 4 3 2 0 .244 R.Knox CF 3 1 1 1 .226 A.Prieto SS 4 1 2 1 .279 S.Scarboroug SS 3 0 2 3 .250 J.Howell PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Helling PIT 0 0 0 0 .154 J.Huisman PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Adams PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Ramirez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Davis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 36 9 12 7 TOTALS 34 5 8 5 OMAHA 0 0 5 0 1 2 0 1 0- 9 12 3 NASHVILLE 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0- 5 8 4 E--C.Santos, J.Gemoll, C.Pickering, R.Weeks, P.Fielder, C.Hart, S.Scarboroug. DP--OMAHA 0, NASHVILLE 2. LOB--OMAHA 6, NASHVILLE 9. 2B--A.Brown (10), C.Santos (12), P.Phillips (9), P.Fielder (13), C.Hart (14), R.Knox (6). 3B--A.Prieto (1). SB--A.Brown (17). CS-- C.Hart 2, S.Scarboroug. HBP--A.Guiel. SF--D.Hocking, S.Scarboroug. SH--A.Brown. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA OMAHA J.Howell (W,1-0) 5.1 7 5 3 4 2 0 5.06 J.Huisman 2.2 1 0 0 2 4 0 3.43 S.Ramirez 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.60 NASHVILLE R.Helling (L,4-3) 6.0 9 8 5 3 4 0 4.74 M.Adams 2.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 1.50 K.Davis 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.76 HB--R.Helling. WP--R.Helling. SO--A.Guiel, K.Harvey, J.Gemoll, C.Pickering 2, A.Prieto, R.Weeks 2, B.Nelson 2, M.Rivera 2, S.Scarboroug. BB--A.Brown, C.Santos, J.Gemoll, T.Durrington, R.Weeks, P.Fielder, K.Orie, C.Hart, R.Knox. T--3:02. A--2939

Nashville Game Log:

Four errors, 0-for-3 in SB attempts -- ugh...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[hsvstarsfan]

Ex-Brave Gets 7th Inning Scalping

The season is not yet half over, and yet a palpable, pervasive mood of pessimism and negativity has been blanketing the stands for weeks....... There are swirling rumors that 1) this team will not be here next year or 2) this team will drop in classification to Class A, meaning a logical drop to the Sally League where it will replace Columbus, which has never drawn well, either in Class AA or Class A. The Catfish, currently the farm club of the Los Angeles Dodgers, are playing in ancient Golden Park, which was built in 1951....... Between innings treats like the base race with Homer don't liven up the crowd like it used to. The Dizzy Bat race is gone and there have been no fresh stunts, other than a lame contest where a fan standing in the outfield, gets to catch a ball propelled from a jet gun and takes a swing for the fences from a tee planted in left field......... Absentee owner Miles Prentice still has not signed a lease with the city for Joe Davis Stadium, after meeting already with Mayor Loretta Spencer, and from this, the buzzing has not stopped......... There is also another reason for all the bad vibes. Everyone knows Carolina and West Tennessee had this race locked up early, but this team is doing horribly....... They're not being blown out by huge margins (a 10-1 loss on May 31 has been the most lopsided defeat), but it seems like every day the bullpen is blowing leads, being blown out by a big inning or losing by one or two runs...... Let's look at the losing string a little closer.

The Stars have now lost 25 of their last 35 games, hitting .232 in their losses..... The Stars had leads in 12 of those losses, 9 of them in the middle innings and two of them lost in the late innings by 5-run innings....... Eleven of those 25 losses were by more than three runs and 7 of them by just one run.

The defense has not been a major contributor in the losses, but the 44 committed in May is the most for that month since 1993. That's up from 18 in April, which was a record-tying low.

The bullpen went from 7-5 with 8 saves and a respectable 3.47 ERA in April, south with an 0-7 record with 4 saves and 4.54 ERA in May and since May 1, 0-8 with a 5.44 ERA....... The Stars, short two players on the roster now with the injury to Alec Zumwalt after he was hit on the wrist by Blaine Boyer's first pitch, Sunday, picked up some stopgap help for the bullpen today when former Greenville Brave Brett Evert was promoted from Brevard County...... Evert was claimed on waivers by the Mariners, August 27, 2004 and was picked up by the Brewers on waivers on May 12........ He was the Braves' 4th best minor league prospect in 2002, but still packs a sharp fastball....... His former team knew what to do with it though.

The 6'6" righty who was 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in seven games for the Manatees, came in after Manny Parra left the game in the 7th inning after throwing 105 pitches, 61 for strikes (58%)....... In his last four losses counting tonight and going back to May 11, Parra has had all of three runs of support over 24 1/3 innings........ Enrique Cruz, who was 3-for-9 with an RBI in Parra's previous three losses, provided the offense, smacking a home run high off the scoreboard in left-center field about 375' away. The Stars only other hit was a soft bunt single down the 3rd base line, straight as an arrow, by leadoff hitter Kennard Bibbs in the 1st inning. He got as far as 3rd on a sac bunt by Tony Gwynn and a hard ground ball to the right side by Nelson Cruz, but Vinny Rottino, now 0-for-16 in Parra's last four losses, lined out to 3rd baseman Wes Timmons to end the first

Coming in for Parra with runners on 1st and 2nd and one out in the 7th, Evert gave up a single to center by Onil Joseph, but Tony Gwynn, coming in hard, overran the ball, allowing Luis Hernandez and Gregor Blanco, both Parra's responsibility, to score. Joseph wound up on third....... Then on Evert's first pitch to Jeff Francoeur, the Braves' top minor league prospect hit his 3rd home run off Stars pitching this season over the top wall in left-center, making it 6-1...... While Scott Thorman flied out to right-center for the 2nd out, he hit the ball hard, sending Tony Gwynn, Jr. in front of the track, calling off Nelson Cruz...... Wes Timmons, a .405 hitter off Stars' pitching, continued the rally with a double off the left field wall, his club-leading 7th off the Stars this season and Decatur native Brian McCann finished the five-run inning with a single to center, scoring Timmons to make it 7-1....... Up till then, it was a close game, even though Enrique's 5th inning home run would be the last hit the Stars would get...... Gwynn was the only baserunner after that, walking twice........ Gwynn, with a strikeout/walk ratio of 38:39, has drawn 13 walks in his last 10 games. Tony now has an on-base pct. of .402, a huge improvement over last year's .318.

Parra looked good over his 6 1/3 innings. His curve was sharp and moving well and he continues to force grounders, which if you can't strike 'em out, is what you want as a pitcher. Over his last three starts, Parra has gotten 38 ground outs and struck out 19. He's allowed more than one walk in just two of his seven starts, and in both those cases, he allowed just two...... But Lerew, leaning more on sliders and sinkers since his fastball doesn't top more than 90 or 91, was also forcing a lot of grounders --- 13 ground outs in all, most of them to the right side. Lerew cane in with a 2-0 record and 0.69 ERA vs. the Stars and pitched the first complete game against the Stars this season.

The M'Braves are now two games above .500 after going 7-16 in April....... The Stars are now 10 games below .500. They haven't been 10 games below .500 since June 1, 2002.

Tomorrow is the last Businessman's Special of the year, starting at noon. Glenn Woolard will face Matt Wright, who beat Woolard twice already --- 5-0, back on April 26 and just four days ago at Trustmark Park, 5-3. Wright has a 2.19 ERA vs. the Stars and has held hitters to a .255 average......... Woolard is 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA vs. Mississippi and has been bopped around by Brave hitters for a .394 average...... Don't forget, anything can happen in this game, so hold your bets........ Saturday will be NASCAR day at the Joe. The Stars will wear unis with a NASCAR motif --- checker tops rising from the bottom and angling diagonally up to the middle of the shirt. They, as well as all the other wacky uniforms the Stars have worn, will be auctioned off during the game.

Dana Eveland was named BC Powder Pitcher-of-the-Week for May 30-June 5...... Eveland gamve up zero earned runs in his last two starts, pitching seven innings vs. the Smokies, allowing just one hit in picking up his 4th win of the season, May 30, then allowed just three hits in six innings vs. the Braves on June 4 in the Stars' 8-1 win, just their 2nd in their last 11 games...... Eveland, at the start of the day Monday, was tied for 5th among SL ERA leaders with a 2.94 mark, and tied for 2nd with 70 1/3 innings pitched. Eveland is the 12th best prospect in the Brewers organization, according to Baseball America........ Eveland's a pretty good bowler, too. He scored a 208 game at PlaMor Lanes in a well-attended Bowling Party held by the Booster Club, Sunday. 14 or 15 players attended after none showed up the previous year and they all had a great time.... Even Stars announcers Brett Pollock and Bryan Neece showed up as well as several of the Stars' office interns...... After not having picked up a bowling ball in two years, I rolled a 118 and was improving on that in the second game when the lane stopped returning my ball and several others, resulting in a mass strike of our own.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Schuerholz a sure thing when Braves meet Stars

Son of big club's GM hurts home team in 7-1 win

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

Give credit to John Schuerholz for building the Atlanta Braves.

 

Give credit to Jonathan Schuerholz for destroying the Huntsville Stars.

 

Schuerholz, the son of the Atlanta Braves' vice president, blasted a two-run homer to help ignite the Mississippi Braves' 7-1 victory over the Stars (23-35), their sixth win in seven games in a week's time against Huntsville.

 

Schuerholz had a pinch-hit homer Sunday afternoon to propel Mississippi's comeback win, part of his six-game hit streak against the Stars. After an 0-for-5 night last Tuesday, when the Stars and Braves began this little eight-game tryst that ends today (12:05 start), Schuerholz has gone eight-for-18 with three runs scored, seven RBIs and two homers.

 

"A blind squirrel,'' Schuerholz said, "finds a nut every now and again.''

 

A passel of blind squirrels with bats is pretty much how the Huntsville hitters seemed against Braves' pitcher Anthony Lerew, who pitched a complete-game two-hitter.

 

The Stars' only hits were a leadoff bunt by Kennard Bibbs and a fifth-inning Enrique Cruz home run.

 

Lerew wasn't overpowering, but was uncannily efficient. He only struck out two, but he worked quickly, kept his defense on its toes and was never in a jam.

 

Lerew has been as devastating to Huntsville as Schuerholz. In three starts against the Stars this season, he has allowed only eight hits and one run in 22 innings, striking out 16. (With his triple Monday, Lerew has actually gotten half as many hits - four - against Stars pitching as he has given up to Huntsville hitters.)

 

In this particular masterpiece, though, he was like an artist painting a mural from a shaky scaffold.

 

"I wasn't really comfortable on the mound, but I think it's a good thing I wasn't,'' said Lerew. "I had to stay focused. I couldn't find my landing spot. I had to keep digging up the mound. There's a hole out there and I kept falling in a hole.''

 

Huntsville added a new player Monday familiar to both sides, a man who had been joined by Schuerholz at the occasional dinner and who was an acquaintance of Lerew.

 

Brett Evert, a 6-foot-6 right-hander who was once among Atlanta's top pitching prospects, has joined the club. He had been with the Seattle organization until earlier this season and Milwaukee picked him after his release.

 

Alec Zumwalt, the Stars' reliever and himself once an Atlanta farmhand, will likely go on the disabled list. He has a broken hand, suffered when hit while attempting to bunt Sunday.

 

Evert entered in the seventh with one out and two aboard and, quickly, the game fell apart. Starter Manny Parra (2-5) was lifted after a single and a walk. Onil Joseph singled on a 1-0 Evert pitch and when the ball skittered under the glove of center fielder Tony Gwynn Jr., two runs scored and Joseph wound up on third.

 

Jeff Francoeuer, the Braves' top prospect, homered on the next pitch, a shot that threatened passing traffic on the parkway. After an out, Scott Thorman doubled to deep left and scored on a Brian McCann single. A 2-1 nailbiter had turned into the 7-1 romp.

 

That 2-1 lead that had been provided by Schuerholz.

 

He hadn't been known, you suggest, as a power hitter. Mostly because, as he said, "I'm not. Before this year, I only had one career home run. And I'm still not going to consider myself a power hitter.''

 

Could have fooled the Stars.

[ja002h]

Schuerholz, the son of the Atlanta Braves' vice president,

 

I always wondered that when I saw that name.

 

 

The game was in the bottom of the 11th inning with both teams tied at 7-7.

 

Really, *both* teams were tied? Can you ever have just *one* team tied 7-7?

[Mass Haas]

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www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=41989

 

Mistakes doom Sounds again

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

The Nashville Sounds strengthened their grip on the Pacific Coast League lead for errors, committing a season-worst four for the second straight night. The sloppy defensive effort, coupled with a sub-par pitching performance from starter Rick Helling, combined to see the Sounds drop their third-straight game to visiting Omaha, 9-5, in from 2,939 at Greer Stadium. The Royals go for the sweep today at noon.

 

The Sounds lead the Pacific Coast League in errors with 77, 18 more than any other PCL team.

 

?[The most frustrating aspect of the loss] has to be the errors,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?Those are not tough errors. Those are plays that have got to be made.?

 

Helling allowed eight runs, five earned, in the loss. He made a curtain call for all the wrong reasons between the sixth and seventh innings. After being removed, Helling came to the steps of the dugout to argue balls and strikes with home plate umpire Todd Tichenor.

 

The encore came after a frustrating night in which Helling?s defense did him no favors. Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart each committed costly errors during a five-run third inning for the Royals.

 

Weeks? throwing error is his third in the past two games. Shortstop Steve Scarborough also committed his third error in two days.

 

?[scarborough] is just as mad as anyone else, and I?m sure Rickie is too,? Kremblas said.

 

Twenty-two year old J.P. Howell did the job on the mound for Omaha, picking up the win in 5.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs in his first ever Triple-A start.

 

Nashville had its chances to put more runs on the scoreboard, but left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings.

 

***

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www.tennessean.com/apps/p...328/SPORTS

 

Durrington's versatility proving key for Sounds

Utility man has played five positions this year

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Trent Durrington ? coming soon to a position near you.

 

After seeing time at third base, shortstop, second base and first base for the Nashville Sounds this season, the Australian native made his first outfield start Sunday night.

 

And with yesterday's transaction that saw catcher Julio Mosquera go to Milwaukee, Durrington is the Sounds' backup backstop behind Mike Rivera.

 

"It's really not a problem," Durrington said prior to Nashville's 9-5 loss to visiting Omaha last night.

 

"I've caught the last three years, and quite a bit three years ago. It's one of my preferred positions, really. I look forward to the opportunity. I love catching."

 

Spending most of his 12-year career in the Angels' organization as an infielder/outfielder, Durrington went back to the Class AA level in 2002 to learn to catch ? thus adding to his versatility. It paid off over the next two seasons. He got back to the majors in both '03 and '04 after a two-year absence.

 

Although he hasn't caught in an official game this year, Durrington did get some time behind the plate in the Sounds' preseason exhibition against Belmont. He has also caught some in the bullpen.

 

"He's caught some guys down there on his day off, that sort of thing," said Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas, also a utilityman during his minor league playing career.

 

"The difference (between he and I) is that I was drafted as a catcher, and I'd always catch down in the 'pen just to stay fresh. Also, he pretty much plays every day. It'd be less trying on him if he didn't play every day and he was able to get down there just for practice."

 

Durrington tries to get a little work at all the spots to stay sharp ? but that's a lot of spots.

 

"I try to get some ground balls and some fly balls at every position, catch in the bullpen or catch a side session," he said. "But come game time, it's the same preparation, the same approach at every position."

 

Tough days for Weeks: Second baseman Rickie Weeks made his third error in two games last night when his throw on a third-inning grounder by Omaha catcher Paul Phillips pulled Prince Fielder off first base and opened a five-run rally.

 

In Sunday's loss, Weeks bobbled a Phillips grounder in the fourth inning as he was attempting to start a double play, then threw wide of first on a Denny Hocking grounder in the ninth.

 

"I'd say he probably learned that you should probably just go to first on that one," Kremblas said of the first Sunday error. "The other one, he tried to throw on the run and probably didn't need to; he didn't set himself.

 

"Those are things he's got to figure out. I think that's why they want him down here ? to learn those things."

 

It's not just Weeks that has struggled defensively for the Sounds. Shortstop Steve Scarborough also committed a pair of miscues Sunday. Right fielder Corey Hart also had a bobbled ball in last night's five-run third inning, while Fielder muffed a fifth-inning pickoff attempt by Rick Helling and Scarborough misplayed a ninth-inning grounder.

 

Game at a glance

 

?Losing pitcher: Rick Helling (4-3).

 

?Big stick: Corey Hart, 2-for-3.

 

?How they lost: For the second consecutive night the Sounds had trouble defensively. Four errors led to three unearned runs in a five-run third inning. However, Nashville didn't do much with the sticks, either. The Sounds stranded eight baserunners ? including leaving the bases loaded in the fifth.

 

?What they said: "Those are plays that have got to be made. We've got to turn outs into outs. I'm not picking on Rickie; he didn't try to make an error. He just didn't make the play." ? Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas on an error by infielder Rickie Weeks, after his team committed four errors for the second night in a row, including one by Rickie Weeks - his third in two games.

 

?Today's pitchers: Sounds ? RHP Justin Lehr (5-4, 5.63 ERA). Royals ? LHP Chris George (3-3, 5.97).

[DiscoStu]

Is that the JP Howell from U of Texas pitching against Nashville tonight??? Talk about flying up through the system with great numbers at each stop... Wow...

 

The amazing thing is that he started in the "hitter friendly" High Desert and Cal League and posted a 3-1 record in eight games with a 1.98 ERA. It looks like he had no problem with the friendly confines...