Link Report for Games of Thursday, July 15th

[gregmag]

Do we have any updates, maybe from on-the-scene observers, about Matt Ford's health? I assume he's still on a pitch count and working off the rust; are we optimistic?

 

Sollman appears to have left the Helena game after one AB. Anybody know if there's any reason for concern?

 

Greg.

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Times Game Story:

 

Fielder stifled no more

Stars first baseman drives in all four runs in win over Biscuits

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

Careful. Don't speak too soon.

 

To quote from the Montgomery Biscuits' pregame media notes:

 

"PRINCE STIFLED: Montgomery has done surprisingly well in holding Huntsville's Prince Fielder to a .179 batting average in 15 games this season.''

 

That's like bragging about going five years without a speeding ticket, then finding flashing blue lights in your mirror two minutes later. That's talking about your good health, the night before you get mugged by a 24-hour virus.

 

Stifled?

 

Stuff it.

 

Fielder merely went 3-for-3 and drove in all four runs on Thursday in the Stars' 4-2 victory over Montgomery, a win that enabled Huntsville to maintain a first-place tie with Birmingham in the Southern League West.

 

Fielder merely raising his batting average against the Biscuits by 41 points. He knew he had been, ahem, stifled by the Biscuits, but thought it was even worse.

 

Asked if he knew his average against Montgomery, Fielder said, "Probably about .062.''

 

After a busy travel week, Fielder seemed no worse for the wear. The Southern League's two-day All-Star break was no break at all for him.

 

He flew to Houston Saturday and started Sunday for the U.S. team in the annual Futures Game, featuring baseball's top prospects. He flew to Chattanooga Monday, where he was the starting designated hitter for the West team in the Southern League All-Star team Tuesday.

 

Fielder was 1-for-3 in the Futures Game, 1-for-2 in the SL All-Star Game with a two-run homer - and 3-for-3 against the Biscuits Thursday.

 

In between, "I slept all day (on Wednesday),'' he said.

 

According to Stars manager Frank Kremblas, it wasn't so much a matter of who, but when. It was all about timing.

 

Kremblas was well aware of Fielder's floundering against the Biscuits.

 

"But I knew it wouldn't matter. And here's why,'' Kremblas said.

 

"He's struggling for the first time in his life in Double-A and he has to learn how to deal with it.

 

"And what would happen,'' Kremblas continued, "or what kind of event could happen to make him realize he's good?

 

"How about,'' he said, answering his own question, "to get a hit in the Futures Game. And a home run in the (Southern League) All-Star Game. So now he feels like, 'Hey, OK. I can play. These guys are good, but I'm good, too.'''

 

"It gives you a lot of confidence to play against the other Futures guys,'' Fielder said. "Those guys are supposedly the best guys in the minor leagues and to do well against them and have a good All-Star Game gives you confidence.''

 

Rickie Weeks, also a participant in the Futures Game, added three hits in the Stars' 11-hit barrage against Biscuits pitching, scoring twice.

 

The Biscuits collected nine hits, but it was still a fairly pleasing pitching performance in the eyes of Kremblas and pitching coach Fred Dabney.

 

The Biscuits touched starter Matt Ford for two runs in the second on three consecutive hits and a sacrifice fly, but Ford's final inning of work was one of his best of the season.

 

Brian Adams collected the win with two innings of two-hit relief, and then reliever Fernando Rijo and Roberto Giron carried the game to the ninth, where John Novinsky nailed down his 11th save with a scoreless inning.

 

The Biscuits (7-12 in the second half and 13-30 on the road this season) have another shot at Fielder and the Stars (11-8) tonight as Jarod Matthews (2-6) faces Huntsville left-hander Jeff Housman (3-5).

 

The Stars will have their fingers crossed for good news for more pitchers than simply Housman today.

 

Mike Jones and Chris Saenz, both on the disabled list and both highly regarded prospects, flew to Milwaukee today to be examined by Brewers team physicians.

 

Jones has an ailing shoulder and Saenz a forearm injury.

[MassBrew]

Beloit Daily News Game Story:

 

Bomb squad

Four homers top Snappers

By Jim Franz

Sports Editor

 

Just as gum on your shoes is inevitable on kids' day at Pohlman Field, so apparently is a rough day for the Beloit Snappers' pitching staff.

 

Back on May 13, the Snappers lost a forgettable weekday double-header to Cedar Rapids, 16-0 and 6-0, with 2,000 schoolchildren in attendance.

 

The stands were full of youngsters again Thursday afternoon, from area YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs and all sorts of other summer youth groups and, you guessed it, it was open season on Snapper pitchers.

 

Only this time Beloit kept it interesting against Fort Wayne, with Vinny Rottino's three-run homer in the ninth inning closing the Snappers within the final margin of 11-9.

 

Beloit manager Don Money wasn't willing to slap on a PG-13 rating to keep the kids away.

 

``It's not the kids, it's our pitch selection,'' Money said.

 

Starter Ken Durost sailed through the first two innings and retired nine of the first ten Wizards, although the only player to reach was Chris Miller on a line-drive solo home run.

 

The Snappers took a brief 3-1 lead in the third inning, but the ``back-breaker,'' according to Money, followed. It was a five-run fourth inning that featured only one hit, a Texas Leaguer by Fernando Valenzuela Jr.

 

Durost hit the first batter, walked the next and loaded the bases on Valenzuela's single. When he walked George Kottaras to force in a run, Money had seen enough. He summoned Dan Grybash from the bullpen.

 

The right-hander didn't have a whole lot better luck than Durost. He hit Brett Bonvechio to tie the game at 3-3, then walked Drew Macias to give the Wizards the lead.

 

``We threw a lot of pitches in the inning and not many were over the plate,'' Money said.

 

Chris Miller grounded out for another RBI and Juan Ciriaco then grounded to first baseman Manuel Ramirez. He elected to throw home, only catcher Carlos Corporan never made an attempt at a tag on Bonvechio sliding in.

 

``I don't think he knew the situation,'' said Money, a kind way of saying he forgot it wasn't a force play.

 

Corporan is seeing steady action with starter Lou Palmisano having left the team temporarily. Money said Palmisano returned to his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., ``for personal reasons,'' and is likely to be out of action another week.

 

The Snappers will obviously miss his .301 batting average.

 

``Yeah, we miss his bat, but other guys are going to step forward and pick us up,'' Rottino said. ``It was just one of those days today. Pitching has been keeping us in games for the most part all year. Today they just gave up a few too many runs.''

 

Grybash gave up three more runs in the fifth, two coming on Bonvechio's first of two home runs.

 

The Wizards threatened in the seventh against reliever Simon Beresford, but had two baserunners thrown out at the plate on relay throws by second baseman Guilder Rodriguez.

 

``We run the bases aggressively,'' Fort Wayne manager Randy Ready, an ex-Milwaukee Brewer, said. ``I'm not going to second-guess that. I think both had the chance to score.''

 

Ready was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing when Miller was called out at third base for leaving early on a flyout by Peter Ciofrone.

 

``I don't think anyone really knew what was going on on that play except Miller and Ready,'' Ready said with a chuckle.

 

Beloit had made it 9-6 by then, scoring three times and chasing starter Dirk Hayhurst (8-2) in the sixth inning. Adam Heether, Ramirez and Steve Moss hit consecutive singles for one run. Corporan drove in another with a groundout and Rodriguez plated the third with a fielder's choice.

 

Beresford, the recipient of the earlier stellar defense, got a double play to help him in the ninth, but the Wizards' Jordan Pickens sandwiched solo home runs around it.

 

``Beloit has some offense,'' Ready said. ``We were lucky to have the insurance runs with what Rottino did in the ninth.''

 

Rodriguez reached on an error and Drew Anderson collected a one-out single before Rottino's blast, his 10th of the season.

 

``He hung a changeup and I hit it pretty good,'' Rottino said. ``If we don't give up the two homers, we're tied 9-9.''

 

``We had our opportunities,'' Money said. ``Nine (runs) just wasn't enough. I'll take nine tomorrow and take my chances.''

 

NOTES: Rottino finished 2-for-5 with a runs scored and five runs batted in. Ramirez was 3-for-5 and Anderson 2-for-4. ...Beloit will host Lansing at 7 p.m. today with Greg Kloosterman on the mound.