Link Report for Games of Friday, July 16th

[Never Outhustled]

We may not be geniuses here, but this one seems pretty bloody obvious to me. You talk like theres some kind of hurry to transform Obes into a reliever. Does the big club have some sort of relief shortage I don't know about?Obermuler doesn't need to be a minor league reliever to become ready to fill that role in the majors. He's ready for that now just like Kinney was.

[Never Outhustled]

I wouldn't have a problem trading him if he was to net something valuable in return, but that wasn't the case. Have you forgotten Saul Rivera? He's been outstanding at AA, with an ERA under 1. He could help fix the Indy bullpen at anytime. The Brewers did well dealing Childers, considering Childers forced the trade.

[950opsLHcatcher]

the big club have some sort of relief shortage I don't know about?

 

No, but they are out of room for crap starters like Obermueller. With Hendrickson coming up, the bar has been raised in Milwaukee, and it is no longer acceptable to carry someone like Obie in the rotation. That's a good thing. Plus, with Housman, DLR, Woolard and Ford coming up right behind him, Obie's future is pretty clearly in the pen. He's just not starting material, but he seems to be effective once through the lineup. Just turn him into a reliever already.

[DHonks]

I can't promote moving Obermueller to the pen when Indy's most pressing need is in the rotation. Plus, he was so good there in 2003 for the Crew, that I have to believe he still has a chance at a bright future as a starter

[MassBrew]

Final: Helena 13, Ogden (Dodgers) 5

 

Helena Independent Republic Game Summary:

 

Brewers batter Raptors

By IR Staff

 

OGDEN, Utah ? After weathering a two-hour, two-minute rain delay Friday night, the Helena Brewers rained runs all over the Raptors.

 

Helena racked up 11 runs in the first three innings one night after suffering a 21-3 whipping by Ogden.

 

The game ended just before midnight with a 13-5 win by Helena.

 

The Brewers took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, with RBI hits from Grant Richardson, Charlie Lozada and Clay Blevins.

 

Adam Mannon hit a bases-clearing double in the second inning. Richardson drove in another run in the top of the third.

 

Helena moves to Provo for a four-game series today at 7 p.m. (8:00 Central).

 

Ogden Standard Examiner Game Summary:

 

Raptors bats a no show

After long delay, Helena coasts to easy victory

By JASEN ASAY

Standard-Examiner staff

jasay@standard.net

 

Ogden -- First came the downpour of rain at Lindquist Field Friday evening, then came the onslaught of hits courtesy of the Helena Brewers.

 

After a two-hour rain delay the Ogden Raptors finally took the field against the Brewers, but may have wished they hadn't as the Brewers racked up 13 hits to take an 11-0 lead after three innings. Just before midnight, Helena beat Ogden 13-5 to win the series two games to one.

 

Ogden starter Phil Sobkow had a rough outing before leaving the game with no outs in the second inning after getting nailed with a line-drive ball. Sobkow gave up seven runs from five hits and two walks. While Sobkow struggled at the mound, Helena's Justin Barnes struck out five of the first six batters he faced. Ogden finally got on the board in the fifth when Travis Denker hit a solo home run to cut Helena's lead to 12-1. Ogden then added two more runs in the sixth vs. Helena reliever Josh Wahpepah.

 

Raptor officials wanted to make sure the game got played because if it had been postponed, the only time the teams could play a make-up game would be next week when Ogden travels to Helena for a four-game series. Playing five games in four days would not be favorable to the teams' pitching staffs.

 

With the Raptors opening a four-game series against Missoula tonight at Lindquist Field and Helena traveling to Provo today, playing later into the night didn't bother either of the teams.

 

Helena Box Score:

Adam Mannon on base in five of six plate appearances; Charlie Lozada just turned 19 in June -- if he can play his listed spot of catcher at all, we should be talking him up, as he hit last year as well; Alcides Escobar stole his base with the Brewers up 9-0 -- didn't sit too well with the Raptors...

 GAME DATE: 7/16/04 HEL at OGD HELENA 13 AT OGDEN 5 YTD YTD HELENA AB R H BI AVG OGDEN AB R H BI AVG S.Sollmann 2B 4 2 0 0 .273 E.Marcos CF 5 0 0 0 .356 A.Festa 3B 5 3 3 0 .301 L.May SS 4 1 0 0 .253 G.Richardson 1B 6 4 3 2 .376 B.Dewitt 3B 3 1 1 0 .320 A.Mannon RF 4 1 3 3 .316 D.Bruce 3B 0 1 0 0 .364 C.Lozada DH 4 1 4 2 .364 L.Castillo DH 4 0 0 1 .365 C.De La Cruz PH 0 0 0 0 .150 C.Dunlap 1B 2 0 0 0 .321 C.De La Cruz DH 0 0 0 0 .150 M.Lynch 1B 2 1 2 1 .435 J.Serfass LF 6 1 1 2 .224 D.Batz LF 3 0 0 0 .385 C.Fermaint CF 5 0 1 0 .241 J.Ruggiano RF 2 0 1 0 .347 C.Blevins CAT 5 0 2 2 .256 R.Russ RF 2 0 1 2 .533 A.Escobar SS 4 1 0 0 .231 T.Denker 2B 3 1 1 1 .295 J.Barnes PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Pujols CAT 4 0 2 0 .174 J.Wahpepah PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Sobkow PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Akin PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Garcia PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Klusman PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 43 13 17 11 TOTALS 34 5 8 5 HELENA 5 4 2 0 1 0 0 0 1-13 17 0 OGDEN 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0- 5 8 2 E--L.May, D.Batz. DP--HELENA 1, OGDEN 2. LOB--HELENA 11, OGDEN 6. 2B--G.Richardson (7), A.Mannon 2 (10), C.Fermaint (5), C.Blevins (3), B.Dewitt (7). 3B--R.Russ (1). HR--T.Denker (3). SB--A.Escobar (8 ). HBP--A.Festa, A.Escobar, D.Batz. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HELENA J.Barnes (W,3-0) 5.1 2 2 2 2 9 1 2.81 J.Wahpepah (S,1) 3.2 6 3 3 1 0 0 3.79 OGDEN P.Sobkow (L,0-2) 1.0 5 7 5 2 3 0 5.84 B.Akin 1.2 8 4 3 0 2 0 6.87 J.Garcia 4.1 2 1 1 3 3 0 6.23 J.Klusman 2.0 2 1 0 1 2 0 4.00 HB--J.Wahpepah, B.Akin, J.Garcia. WP--P.Sobkow, B.Akin. PB--K.Pujols 2. SO--S.Sollmann, A.Festa 2, G.Richardson, A.Mannon, J.Serfass, C.Fermaint 3, A.Escobar, E.Marcos 2, L.May 2, B.Dewitt, L.Castillo, D.Batz, K.Pujols 2. BB--S.Sollmann 2, A.Mannon 2, C.De La Cruz 2, L.May, D.Bruce, T.Denker. T--2:55. A--3044

Helena Game Log:

Justin Barnes walked two -- he stinks http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=16907

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis Post-Game Notes:

 

Pawtucket stunned the Indians Friday night, scoring a pair of runs in the ninth inning off Tribe closer Ben Ford to defeat the Tribe, 7-6. Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis smashed a ground ball base hit to left field off Ford, driving in Henri Stanley with what proved to be the game winning run.

Pawtucket?s victory spoiled a great effort from Tribe right fielder Jeff Liefer, who collected three hits, including a mammoth home run in the eighth inning.

 

Indianapolis starter Jorge De La Rosa struck out the first five of six batters he faced, but gave way in the fifth inning to reliever Travis Phelps. De La Rosa allowed three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out eight.

 

Indians manager Cecil Cooper was ejected from the game in the top of the eighth inning after a controversial call at home plate, in which Youkilis slid under the tag of catcher Alex Delgado.

 

Indianapolis (42-49) loses its fourth straight game, while Pawtucket (42-51) wins its second straight. The two teams meet Saturday at 7 p.m. on Indians card set night.

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Times Game Story:

 

Nobody's unlocking Housman anymore

Stars pitcher beats Biscuits for third straight win

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

This isn't the same Huntsville-Montgomery rivalry that saw the Biscuits winning six of seven games.

 

Nor is it the same Jeff Housman who began the season 1-5 for the Stars.

 

The Stars pummeled the Biscuits 9-2 Friday night at Joe Davis Stadium with a 16-hit barrage in front of an announced crowd of 3,862, Huntsville's second win in a row against Montgomery.

 

Jamie Gann and Kade Johnson both had three hits and three RBIs for the Stars. Gann has now hit safely in 11 of his 13 games since arriving in Huntsville; Johnson had a homer, his first since April as he has hit a hot streak, going 7-for-17 in the last five games.

 

But the pummeling was almost unnecessary considering the work of Housman, a 23-year-old lefty from Visalia, Calif. Housman was equal parts scalpel and chain saw, slicing up Montgomery with 10 strikeouts in six innings work, allowing only three hits.

 

It was the third straight victory for Housman, who has allowed only eight hits and two earned runs while striking out 24 batters in his last 18 innings of work.

 

It was a tired Housman, with 103 pitches worth of work, who sat behind a laptop computer Friday night after the game, checking e-mail and catching his breath.

 

His sudden emergence as a strikeout pitcher - more than one K per inning this season after averaging less than half a strikeout per inning in the past - has even caught him somewhat by surprise.

 

"I don't know,'' Housman said. "It's all about my fastball command and my slider is working. And guys are swinging at it.''

 

He is not an overpowering strikeout pitcher. "He mixed it up, kept them off-stride and when he got ahead he either painted a fastball or a less-reachable off-speed pitch they couldn't lay off of,'' said pitching coach Fred Dabney.

 

"He deceives the guys pretty good. They end up swinging at the balls in the dirt,'' added manager Frank Kremblas.

 

As much as anything, Housman noted, "They're playing good (defense) for me and scoring runs. That's making it somewhat easier.''

 

Indeed, the Stars got five runs for him in the second inning of his previous start. This time it was a 3-zip lead in the third against Montgomery starter Jarod Matthews. Rickie Weeks cracked a one-out single, took second on a single by Tony Gwynn Jr., stole third and scored on a passed ball.

 

After Brad Nelson was walked, Gann tripled to left to score Gwynn and Nelson.

 

Chairon Isenia doubled to lead off the Montgomery fourth and scored on a two-out hit by Eric Reece. A throwing error by Huntsville third baseman Chris Barnwell - wide but catchable at first base - permitted the Biscuits to cut the lead to 3-2.

 

Johnson's homer in the fourth made it 4-2, then the sixth brought an avalanche, with 10 Huntsville hitters facing Matthews and reliever Willie Glen.

 

Barnwell doubled and Johnny Raburn singled to chase Matthews. After one out, Johnson singled home a run and Weeks delivered an RBI single. After a pair of walks, one with the bases loaded to Nelson, Gann delivered a two-out single after a pair of walks, giving him three RBIs for the game - and 12 as a Star.

 

A Raburn double and Johnson single completed the scoring in the seventh. Paul Stewart, with two perfect innings of relief and Saul Rivera with a perfect ninth, sewed things up perfectly for Housman.

 

Game three of the series is tonight at 7:05, with a 6:05 game Sunday. Glenn Woolard (2-0), making only his second start for Huntsville, will face Chris Seddon (6-4). Matt Parker, the former Huntsville pitcher, throws for Montgomery on Sunday.

[MassBrew]

High Desert Game Story from the Stockton Record:

 

Ports rally to extend win streak to six

By Rick Brewer

Record Staff Writer

 

STOCKTON -- Consecutive bouncers traveled about 60 feet each, but they might as well have been stinging singles to the outfield for the impact they carried.

 

With the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday, Stockton Ports' first baseman Nate Gold chopped a bouncer back to the pitcher for an RBI. Moments later, left-handed batting catcher Ben Margalski topped one down the line to a drawn-in first baseman for another RBI. Just like that, the Ports had come from two runs down to tie the High Desert Mavericks.

 

The Ports took the lead in the seventh on a run without a hit, and won the opener of three-game weekend series 5-4 at Billy Hebert Field. The victory marked the Ports' season-high sixth in a row.

 

Number nine hitter Cameron Coughlan walked, went to second on a wild pitch, moved up on a fielder's choice and scored on a balk to score the eventual winning run.

 

Stockton then put the ball in the capable right hand of Josh Rupe. The Chesapeake, Va. native tossed four innings of two-hit relief to notch his first victory as a member of the Ports.

 

The streak seemed in jeopardy early as High Desert grabbed a 4-0 lead by the fifth. Leadoff batter Kennard Bibbs walked and scored on Jeff Eure's double down the left-field line in the first. The Mavericks scored two runs on two hits in the fourth.

 

Eure's RBI single in the fifth gave the Mavericks their fourth run.

 

But High Desert starter Bo Hall tired, and the Ports began to time his pitches. Adam Fox singled to lead off the fifth, and scored on Gold's triple to the angle in right-centerfield. Bibbs did a nice job to take the carom and make a play on Gold at third, but the Texas Rangers' 10th-round draft choice in 2002 slid ahead of the tag for his second three-bagger of the season.

 

Gold, Fox and Jeremy Cleveland each had two hits for Stockton, which improved to 13-9 in the California League's second-half standings.

 

Joaquin Arias' first inning single increased his team-leading hitting streak to 13 games.

[MassBrew]

Beloit Daily News Game Story:

 

Lugnuts hammer Beloit

Dopirak rips 2 home runs

By Charlie Corr

Daily News staff writer

 

When the Beloit Snappers' most struggling pitcher mixes with the Midwest League's most powerful hitter, it is like adding salt to a pot of hot water to make it boil faster.

 

The Snappers were certainly cooked by Lansing first baseman Brian Dopirak.

 

Dopirak belted two 2-run home runs off Snappers left-hander Greg Kloosterman and the Lugnuts went on to defeat Beloit 12-1 Friday night at Pohlman Field.

 

``That's a pretty good hitting club on the other side,'' Snappers manager Don Money said. ``They hit the ball out of the ballpark on us. And when that happens, everything else just starts snowballing on you.''

 

The first of Dopirak's home runs set a new Lansing single season record with his 25th of the year in the third inning. His two-run shot gave the Lugnuts a 3-1 advantage, and that would easily hold up for his team's series-opening win.

 

Dopirak then came up in the fifth and hit No. 26, a scorching two-run homer to left field for a 5-1 lead. His four RBIs gave him the league lead at 74.

 

Three batters after Dopirak's second shot, catcher Jake Fox hit a towering homer to left off reliever Tim Dillard, giving Lansing four runs in the fifth inning and a 7-1 lead.

 

Lugnuts starter Robert Ransom (3-1) settled down after the first inning. He allowed only one hit after the first frame and three for the game. He gave up one run and struck out five through six innings of work.

 

``He got in a groove and he was pitching inside and out,'' Money said.

 

Ransom and Co. had plenty of offense to back up the pitching. Lansing tallied 16 hits compared to Beloit's four.

 

Kloosterman's outing was not as demolishing as some of his most recent starts. He had six strikeouts in his 4 1/3 innings of work, giving up five runs (four earned).

 

Early on it looked like Lansing was ready to break out the lumber immediately. Tony McQuade and Dopirak each hit warning track fly balls off Kloosterman (2-6) to Snappers center fielder Steve Moss.

 

Lansing was able to salvage a run in the first. Francisco Salas reached on a catcher's interference call, when Carlos Corporan stuck his glove in the way of Salas' swing on a pitchout attempt.

 

Designated hitter Drew Larsen then followed with an RBI single to right to bring in Chris Walker from second base for the game's first run.

 

Corporan had two errors on the night, throwing a ball into right field in the seventh and allowing Lansing to score one of the inning's two runs for a 10-1 lead.

 

Beloit's lone run came from designated hitter Vinny Rottino. He hit an infield single in the bottom of the first, and Terry Trofholz scored all the way from second base on the play.

 

Money tried to play small ball in the fourth inning, trailing 3-1. Drew Anderson led off with a single and went to second on a passed ball. Rottino sacrificed him over to third. But Adam Heether flew out to second and Manuel Ramirez grounded out to the Lugnuts' first baseman Dopirak.

 

Beloit had an opportunity to add a run in the seventh when Rottino led off the inning with a double. But Heether grounded out and Ramirez struck out, leaving Rottino at third with two outs. After a Steve Moss walk, Lugnuts reliever Yorkin Ferreras got Corporan to hit a lineout to shortstop Carlos Rojas.

 

``We're giving up runs early, and that takes a little pressure off their pitcher,'' Money said. ``When we do get the opportunities to bring a guy in from third base, we're not getting the guys in. We haven't been doing a good job with that all year.''

 

NOTES: Rottino has had his number on Lugnuts pitching this year. After two hits on Friday, he is now batting .389 (7-for-8) against Lansing pitchers. ...Lugnuts leadoff hitter Chris Walker went 4-for-6 with four singles and two runs. ...Brian Montalbo will head to the hill for the Snappers today (7 p.m. start) to face off against Lansing's Justin Jones for the second game of a four-game set.

[MassBrew]

 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (NEW YORK YANKEES) 50 41 .549 TOLEDO MUD HENS (DETROIT) 50 43 .538 1.0 LOUISVILLE BATS (CINCINNATI) 44 49 .473 7.0 [b]INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (MILWAUKEE) 42 49 .462 8.0[/b]

 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 12 8 .600[/b] BIRMINGHAM BARONS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 12 8 .600 WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 10 9 .526 1.5 MONTGOMERY BISCUITS (TAMPA BAY) 7 13 .350 5.0 *MOBILE BAY BEARS (SAN DIEGO) 7 13 .350 5.0

 SOUTH DIVISION W L PCT GB *LANCASTER JETHAWKS (ARIZONA) 13 7 .650 RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (ANAHEIM) 13 8 .619 .5 LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO) 12 9 .571 1.5 INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS (SEATTLE) 10 12 .455 4.0 [b]HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (MILWAUKEE) 7 14 .333 6.5[/b]

 WESTERN DIVISION W L PCT GB *KANE COUNTY COUGARS (OAKLAND) 13 8 .619 CLINTON LUMBER KINGS (TEXAS) 13 8 .619 QUAD CITY RIVER BANDITS (MINNESOTA) 12 9 .571 1.0 BURLINGTON BEES (KANSAS CITY) 11 10 .524 2.0 CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS (ANAHEIM) 10 11 .476 3.0 WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS (SEATTLE) 9 12 .429 4.0 PEORIA CHIEFS (ST.LOUIS) 9 12 .429 4.0 [b]BELOIT SNAPPERS (MILWAUKEE) 9 12 .429 4.0[/b]

 NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]HELENA BREWERS (MILWAUKEE) 16 11 .593[/b] BILLINGS MUSTANGS (CINCINNATI) 13 13 .500 2.5 GREAT FALLS WHITE SOX (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 12 14 .462 3.5 MISSOULA OSPREY (ARIZONA) 11 16 .407 5.0

 W L PCT GB GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO) 13 7 .650 RANGERS (TEXAS) 12 8 .600 1.0 MARINERS (SEATTLE) 12 8 .600 1.0 ROYALS (KANSAS CITY) 11 8 .579 1.5 [b]BREWERS (MILWAUKEE) 11 9 .550 2.0[/b] PADRES (SAN DIEGO) 10 10 .500 3.0 ATHLETICS (OAKLAND) 9 10 .474 3.5 CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 7 13 .350 6.0 ANGELS (ANAHEIM) 4 16 .200 9.0

[deeswan]

As of now, who do we have? Ben Ford? Matt Childers? Dan Reichert?

 

None may be good options right now, but Reichert was darn near unhittable until shortly after the trade of Childers. It seems a bit of bad fortune that Reichert is now showing that he's human and Ford seems to have used all his good innings up in spring training.

[mothershipconnection]

Childers wasn't easily replaced, which is an important consideration, and he was also a successful relief option in case of injury or ineffectiveness. Did we really need Peter Bergeron this badly? Couldn't Chris Magruder have filled that fourth outfield spot just as well?

I agree, you shouldn't let go of depth for free (I consider Bergeron free), otherwise we may as well only have 5 minor league teams since we always have close to a roster's worth of filler.

As Brewers fans we should know that shoulders are made of paper and elbows of cardboard and that our pitchers can all go on the DL at any time. Trading guys for nothing even if they'll only be needed in an emergency is still just pointless.

[MassBrew]

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville update:

 

HOUSPARTY

Following a schizophrenic pattern of bad month - good month, Jeff Housman is having his best month ever, winning all three of his starts, giving up just two earned runs on nine hits in 18 innings for a 1.00 ERA. That naturally is raising questions whether a promotion to Indianapolis will come soon........ Ben Hendrickson has been promoted back up to Milwaukee, and this time, perhaps for good. He'll be starting on Monday, replacing Wes Obermueller in their pitching rotation........ Of course, it leaves a big hole to fill at the Triple-A level and one brewerfan.net poster raised the plausible scenario of Housman going up to Indy, and Manny Parra, who has been pitching well at High Desert, moving up to Huntsville, where he was part of the opening day roster, albeit on the disabled list......... But is Housman ready?

 

Consistency hasn't been the overall hallmark of his season......... Housman was 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in April....... In May, he was 1-1 in six starts with a 1.91 ERA. In June, his success was mixed, with two fine four-inning appearances in relief back-to-back, sandwiched between some awful-to-mediocre games --- the result --- a 5.06 ERA........ His bread-and-butter fastball/slider combination has been effective when he pitches smart. His fastball alone won't get hitters out at a higher level very long, but his slider is very good....... He has a strikeout-walk ratio of 4 and 5:1 month-to-month, but still it raises the question of whether he's ready....... I say wait till next year and start him at Indianapolis. There's a little bit of selfishness on my part for saying this, of course. He's turned into the ace of the rotation with injuries and disappointing seasons dotting the pitching staff this year. His presence is essential to a second-half run.

 

Not that he needed it, good support has helped him a ton....... Tonight was no exception and he now averages nine runs per nine IP. (The rest of the season, he's averaged 5.58 runs per nine IP)........ While Housman was holding Montgomery to just three hits and striking out 10 (his 2nd 10K performance in three starts), the Stars were raining down on Jarod Matthews and Willie Glen........ Matthews was one of two All-Stars this year for this Biscuit team, but was 1-2 against the Stars, although he was holding Huntsville hitters to a .190 average........ With a 95-pitch limit tonight, he used 32 of his final total of 95 to serve the Stars 10 hits and a 4-2 lead....... Rickie Weeks and Tony Gwynn, Jr. started Huntsville off in the 3rd inning with back-to-back singles to centerfield......... After Prince Fielder struck out on the way to wearing the collar tonight a night after one of his best games of the year, a passed ball on a 2-0 pitch to Brad Nelson scored Weeks from second base. Nelson walked on four pitches, then Jamie Gann hit his first triple for the Stars on a 1-0 pitch that fell inside the line, then made its way into Joe D.'s spacious foul terrirtory, rolling all the way to the corner........ Gwynn and Nelson scored to give the Stars a 3-0 lead....... That gives Gann, who had his first three-hit game, 12 RBI in 13 games.

 

Chiaron Isenia spoiled a no-hit bid for Housman in the 4th with a first-pitch double over the head of Chris Barnwell down the line......... The tendency for their batters to swing early this inning continued....... Isenia advanced to third on Frank Moore's grounder to Weeks. Eric Reece dropped a two-out single into left-center, scoring Isenia....... Vince Harrison then hit Housman's first pitch sharply to Barnwell. Barney set and had time to retire the hitter, but his strong throw was off-target, tailing low and away from Prince Fielder, skipping under his glove and speeding toward the Biscuits' bullpen, Barnwell's first error since June 26....... Jamie Gann came up with the ball and fired it home in a try to get Reece, but Gann's throw (and he should have been charged with an error) took Kade Johnson far from the plate. The ball looked like it bounced off the net in front of the near-corner of the Stars dugout. Harrison took third, and the Biscuits came as close as they would get in this game........ After that play, Housman and the bullpen retired 15 of the next 18 hitters, getting a force on Moore in the 6th....... Paul Stewart (2.70, 24 GR) and Saul Rivera (0.93, 8 GR) retired the last nine batters in order throwing a combined 26 pitches and getting 18 strikes.

 

Kade Johnson provided an insurance run in the bottom of the 4th with a home run that vaulted over the Corr Wireless sign in left, his first home run since April 29 vs. Chattanooga. KJ also had his first three-RBI day since the 29th........ Kade is having his best month since April when he hit .340. With a .344 July, his average climbed to .246, his best since the end of May.

 

Ten batters came to the plate in the Stars' 6th inning, Matthews faced Barnwell and Johnny Raburn, both of whom reached --- Barnwell on a 2-1 double to the left field wall off the Air Force sign, and Raburn on a short hit to right........ Willie Glen entered with a 1-0, 0.77 mark against the Stars in three games, two of them starts, 12 strikeouts and 2 walks in 11 2/3 innings and just five hits....... Ozzie Chavez chopped a 2-2 pitch to Fernando Cortez, who came in on the infield grass and fired the ball to the plate. Isenia tagged out the sliding Barnwell...... With runners on first and second, KJ sent a 1-1 pitch over the leaping Frank Moore, who was playing back on the infield. Raburn slid home under the incoming throw of Brian Martin in right........ Rickie Weeks then lined Glen's first pitch into center, scoring Chavez, making it 6-2........ After striking out Gwynn to get the second out, Glen walked Fielder and Nelson...... The 3-0 walk to Nelson forced in the Stars' 7th run, as KJ scored........ Jamie Gann's first pitch swing sent the ball through the hole on the left side of the infield, scoring Weeks, loading the bases again, but the Stars had an 8-2 laugher........ KJ's RBI single brought in Johnny Raburn in the 7th, after Raburn led off with a double to left.

 

Righty Glenn Woolard (2-0, 3.29) will try to improve upon a 3 2/3 inning appearance, July 9, when he starts Saturday, facing Montgomery lefty Chris Seddon (6-4, 3.41)......... Seddon gets the best run support on Montgomery's staff - 4.09 runs/9 IP......... The final game of this home series ends Sunday. Ryan Costello will go against Matt Parker. Then the Stars go on a long 12-game, 12-day road trip that pits them against division rivals Mobile, Birmingham, and West Tennessee before they come home again against the Barons on July 31.

 

Bucky Jacobsen made his major league debut Friday night with the Seattle Mariners. The Ms were crushed by the Indians, 18-6, but Bucky hit a two-out single in the 6th inning to finish 1-for-2, with two walks, scoring twice........ Cliff Lee struck him out swinging in his first at-bat in the 2nd inning.

 

The Stars are now 8-5 in July, hitting .299....... Rickie Weeks' stolen base in the game, his 7th in 14 attempts, was his 1st stolen base in July....... Brad Nelson, now hitting .275, has kept his mark consistently in the .270s since the start of the second half....... Chris Barnwell, after a .299 June, is hitting .295 in July.

 

Up the ladder, at Indianapolis, Dave Krynzel is hitting .333 after 10 games since his rehab in Arizona ended. He's leading Indy hitters with a .307 average.......Corey Hart is hitting .277 with 13 HRs, 51 RBIs, and 21 doubles.