Link Report for Games of Saturday, July 24th

[MassBrew]

Thanks for the overnight updates, guys!

 

HOFFY, I'm sure the affiliate announcers get a kick that you're listening to them from "down under" the next day!

[MassBrew]

Final: Ogden (Dodgers) 6, Helena 3

Playoff spot slipping away...

 

Helena Box Score:

Done in by the long ball; nine walks drawn, special mention to catcher Clay Blevins with four free passes; Alcides Escobar 4-for-4 at age 17 -- hey Doug, remember Robin Yount's debut? See you in Milwaukee next year, Alcides http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 GAME DATE: 7/24/04 OGD at HEL OGDEN 6 AT HELENA 3 YTD YTD OGDEN AB R H BI AVG HELENA AB R H BI AVG B.Carter 2B 3 1 0 0 .373 G.Acosta DH 5 0 0 0 .244 D.Nicholson SS 5 0 1 0 .245 S.Sollmann 2B 3 0 2 0 .291 B.Dewitt 3B 4 0 0 1 .273 A.Festa 3B 5 0 0 0 .331 L.Castillo DH 0 0 0 0 .315 G.Richardson 1B 5 1 2 0 .372 C.Westervelt DH 3 2 1 1 .397 A.Mannon RF 3 1 1 1 .283 C.Dunlap 1B 4 2 3 3 .340 C.Blevins CAT 1 0 0 0 .259 D.Batz LF 3 0 0 0 .367 C.Fermaint CF 3 0 0 0 .259 J.Ruggiano CF 4 1 1 1 .317 D.Bates LF 5 1 2 0 .329 H.Arias RF 4 0 1 0 .250 A.Escobar SS 4 0 4 2 .308 K.Pujols CAT 4 0 1 0 .200 J.Baker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Pratt PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Hinton PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Akin PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Klusman PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Alexander PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 34 6 8 6 TOTALS 34 3 11 3 OGDEN 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0- 6 8 2 HELENA 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0- 3 11 0 E--J.Ruggiano, H.Arias. DP--OGDEN 4, HELENA 1. LOB--OGDEN 5, HELENA 14. 2B--D.Nicholson (2), A.Mannon (14), D.Bates (4), A.Escobar (4). HR--C.Westervelt (9), C.Dunlap 2 (4), J.Ruggiano (4). SB--G.Acosta (5), G.Richardson (2), A.Mannon (4), A.Escobar (11). HBP--C.Fermaint. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA OGDEN J.Pratt (W,2-3) 5.0 8 3 3 5 2 0 9.36 B.Akin 2.0 2 0 0 2 1 0 6.33 J.Klusman 1.2 1 0 0 2 0 0 4.50 M.Alexander (S,6) 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.80 HELENA J.Baker 3.2 4 3 3 2 1 2 4.62 R.Hinton (L,2-3) 5.1 4 3 3 2 4 2 3.62 HB--J.Klusman. WP--J.Pratt. PB--K.Pujols. SO--B.Carter, D.Nicholson, B.Dewitt 2, H.Arias, G.Acosta, A.Mannon, C.Fermaint. BB--B.Carter 2, C.Westervelt, D.Batz, S.Sollmann 2, A.Mannon 2, C.Blevins 4, C.Fermaint. T--2:44. A--979

Helena Game Log:

It looked good in the 8th until a big double play; tying run was at the plate in the 9th, too -- 14 stranded for the game -- ugh...

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=16572

[MassBrew]

 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB TOLEDO MUD HENS (DETROIT) 55 47 .539 COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (NEW YORK YANKEES) 52 47 .525 1.5 LOUISVILLE BATS (CINCINNATI) 47 54 .465 7.5 [b]INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (MILWAUKEE) 43 58 .426 11.5[/b]

 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 16 12 .571[/b] BIRMINGHAM BARONS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 16 12 .571 WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 13 14 .481 2.5 MONTGOMERY BISCUITS (TAMPA BAY) 11 17 .393 5.0 *MOBILE BAY BEARS (SAN DIEGO) 11 17 .393 5.0

 SOUTH DIVISION W L PCT GB *LANCASTER JETHAWKS (ARIZONA) 17 11 .607 RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (ANAHEIM) 16 12 .571 1.0 LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO) 16 12 .571 1.0 INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS (SEATTLE) 15 14 .517 2.5 [b]HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (MILWAUKEE) 10 19 .345 7.5[/b]

 WESTERN DIVISION W L PCT GB *KANE COUNTY COUGARS (OAKLAND) 20 9 .690 CLINTON LUMBER KINGS (TEXAS) 17 12 .586 3.0 QUAD CITY RIVER BANDITS (MINNESOTA) 16 13 .552 4.0 [b]BELOIT SNAPPERS (MILWAUKEE) 15 14 .517 5.0[/b] CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS (ANAHEIM) 14 15 .483 6.0 BURLINGTON BEES (KANSAS CITY) 14 15 .483 6.0 PEORIA CHIEFS (ST.LOUIS) 13 16 .448 7.0 WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS (SEATTLE) 12 17 .414 8.0

 NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB BILLINGS MUSTANGS (CINCINNATI) 19 15 .559 [b]HELENA BREWERS (MILWAUKEE) 19 16 .543 .5[/b] GREAT FALLS WHITE SOX (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 16 18 .471 3.0 MISSOULA OSPREY (ARIZONA) 14 21 .400 5.5

 W L PCT GB GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO) 18 9 .667 ROYALS (KANSAS CITY) 16 11 .593 2.0 MARINERS (SEATTLE) 16 11 .593 2.0 RANGERS (TEXAS) 15 12 .556 3.0 [b]BREWERS (MILWAUKEE) 14 12 .538 3.5[/b] ATHLETICS (OAKLAND) 14 13 .519 4.0 PADRES (SAN DIEGO) 11 15 .423 6.5 CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 11 16 .407 7.0 ANGELS (ANAHEIM) 5 21 .192 12.5

[MassBrew]

Note that Beloit isn't really chasing Kane County, the first-half winner, in the standings -- if Kane County wins the second half as well, then second place locks up a playoff spot...

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis Post-Game Notes:

 

GAME SUMMARY:

 

Game (1):

 

Richmond (56-43) sent the Tribe (42-58) to its 13th consecutive defeat Saturday afternoon, 10-5. It was the third straight setback in the four-game series.

 

Richmond?s James Jurries hit his second homer of the series off Tribe starter Matt Childers (3-4) to give the Braves a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

 

Indianapolis rallied for four runs in the third, highlighted by Corey Hart?s RBI double and Chris Coste?s two-run single. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the frame with two runs, keyed by a DeWayne Wise triple.

 

Richmond took the lead in the fourth. The Braves loaded the bases off Childers, then the Tribe pitcher walked Luis Lopez to force in the home team?s fifth run. Richmond added another run in the inning on Pete Orr?s fielder?s choice to go ahead, 6-4.

 

Damon Hollins smacked his second double of the day off Childers driving in Mike Hessman, who also had doubled to lead off the Richmond fifth. Indianapolis cut the Braves margin to 7-5 in the sixth on Dave Krynzel?s run scoring single. That?s as close as it got for the Tribe as the Braves scored four times off reliever Ben Ford in the sixth to put away the game.

 

Richmond?s Matt Whiteside was credited with his 25th save of the year.

 

Game (2):

 

GAME SUMMARY:

 

Indianapolis battled back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Braves, 5-3, and break a 13 game losing streak.

 

Bill McCarthy?s three-run homer off Tribe starter Travis Phelps (7-4) in the first inning, gave Richmond a boost early in the contest. But Phelps did not allow a Braves run in the next five innings.

 

Meantime, the Tribe scored its first run in the third on a Corey Hart single. Then, Indianapolis erupted for three runs in the fifth behind Jeff Liefer?s two-run double and Luis Figueroa?s RBI single. Liefer added an insurance run in the sixth with his 14th home run of the season.

 

Ben Ford earned his third save of the season for the Tribe (43-58), which had not win since a home victory on July 9 against Ottawa.

 

QUOTE:

 

Travis Phelps, Tribe winning pitcher:

 

?It feels great to win tonight,? said Phelps. ?We?ve been playing hard and things just have not gone our way. This evening, our guys came back and rallied around me. I knew coming into the game that if I held them to three runs, we could win. That was my game plan. I recovered after a slow start, that?s for sure. I got under control and did what I had to do to win the game. It?s a good feeling to know that this streak is over.?

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

The Stars lost a tough one Saturday night, but they might have found another ace. After struggling through four July starts, Dennis Sarfate rediscovered the form he flashed periodically through the season?s first three months. On a stiflingly hot, humid night at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Sarfate threw 107 gutsy pitches in Huntsville?s 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Barons. The Stars (16-12, 48-50) dropped into a first-place tie with Birmingham (16-12, 51-46) in the Southern League West second-half standings.

 

Huntsville scored the game?s first run and Sarfate made it stand up till the seventh. Rickie Weeks led off the contest with a triple and scored on Tony Gwynn Jr.?s groundout to short. Staked to a 1-0 lead, Sarfate tossed four scoreless frames, then he survived a perilous fifth-inning jam. On two singles and a walk, the Barons loaded the bases with one out. Sarfate responded with two clutch strikeouts, fanning Ruddy Yan and Brian Anderson to preserve the lead.

 

?Sarfate did an outstanding job of attacking the strike zone,? Stars pitching coach Fred Dabney said. ?The key was he trusted his stuff to get people out. He didn?t try to do too much, and when you trust your stuff, it?s easier to repeat your delivery and your stuff is even better.?

 

Sarfate pitched a perfect sixth before Birmingham threatened again in the seventh. With one out, former Star Richard Paz walked and Chris Stewart singled up the middle. Gwynn charged in on Stewart?s base hit and overran the ball for an error, sending Paz to third and Stewart to second. Michael Spidale lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center, scoring Paz with the tying run. Sarfate left the game after 6 2/3 innings, permitting one unearned run on six singles, three walks and one hit batter while fanning six.

 

With one out in the 10th, Stars reliever Jason Shelley plunked Anderson with a 1-2 pitch. After a wild pitch advanced Anderson to second, Nate Murphy received an intentional walk. One out later, Scott Bikowski lined Shelley?s 0-2 fastball into right-center for a single that plated Anderson with the winning run.

 

Brian McNichol (5-1) picked up the victory, tossing two perfect innings of relief, fanning one. Shelley (2-4) suffered the loss, surrendering one run on one hit, one walk and one hit batter while recording two outs in the 10th. Barons starter Jim Bullard tossed seven outstanding innings, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Bullard retired 16 straight batters from the first through the sixth.

 

Stars lefty Matt Ford (1-3, 4.68) meets Barons lefty Heath Phillips (7-8, 4.20) in game three of the series Sunday evening at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Game time is 6:00 p.m. and the FPH Financial Services Pre-game Show starts at 5:45 p.m. Stars baseball can be heard on ESPN 1450 and at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[MassBrew]

Beloit Game Summary from the Timber Rattlers' Site:

 

The Beloit Snappers scored six times in the sixth inning to pull away from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on their way to a 10-2 win Saturday night. Beloit starting pitcher Greg Moreira allowed four hits in six innings for his eighth win.

 

Beloit (53-46 overall, 15-14 second half) got on the board in the top of the first inning on back-to-back doubles by Terry Trofholz and Drew Anderson.

 

Wisconsin (43-55, 12-17) answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Mike Nesbit and Nick Orlandos reached to start the inning. Adam Jones dropped a sacrifice bunt, the throw to first was low, and couldn't be handled. Nesbit scored from second to tie the game.

 

The Snappers rallied for a run with two out in the fourth. Adam Heether tripled. Steve Moss struck out, but the ball got away allowing Heether to score and Moss to reach first.

 

In the fifth, Vinny Rottino drove in a run with a two-out single. Then, the Snappers put up six runs in the top of the sixth, all after there were two outs and no runners on base. Josh Murray doubled. A wild pitch sent him to third. Guilder Rodriguez walked. Trofholz singled in Murray. Anderson reached on an error that allowed Rodriguez to score. Rottino reached on an error that allowed Trofholz to score. Heether singled in Anderson. Moss greeted reliever Kenly Chang with a two-run double for a 9-1 Beloit lead.

 

Eric Blakeley homered in the bottom of the inning for the Rattlers. It was his third home run of the year.

 

The Snappers added a run in the ninth to make the score 10-2.

 

Game two of the series is Sunday afternoon. Tom Oldham (6-5, 2.82 ERA) will start for Wisconsin. Ken Durost (5-5, 3.55 ERA) is scheduled to start for Beloit. Game time is 1:05pm.

[MassBrew]

Helena Independent Republic Game Story:

 

Too many ducks on the pond

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor

 

The Helena Brewers left too many men on base and saw too much of Corey Dunlap Saturday night.

 

The Brewers dropped the final game of a four-game set with Ogden 6-3 in front of 979 at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

The loss was the third in the series for Helena and dropped them to second in the Pioneer League Northern Division standings with three games to go in the first half. Billings took over the division lead with a 5-4 win over Idaho Falls.

 

Dunlap, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound, first baseman for the Raptors was a big reason for the Ogden win. He went 3-for-4 at the plate with two of those hits being home runs. The Contra Costa, (Calif.) Junior College product has hit four home runs this season, three have come at Kindrick-Legion Field.

 

Both home runs Saturday went to right field as he cracked changeups each time.

 

"I was trying to be smooth and hit the ball up the middle," Dunlap said.

 

His first home run was a solo shot in the second and gave Ogden an early 1-0 lead.

 

He hit another in the fifth, a two-run blast that gave the Raptors a lead they would never relinquish.

 

Helena, however, had its chances in the game.

 

The Brewers tied in the game in the fourth when Dallas Bates scored on a groundball by Gilberto Acosta. Bates had reached earlier in the inning, by smacking a double.

 

That would close out the scoring for the Brewers, but they had runners at third base in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings.

 

In the contest, Helena stranded 14 runners, while Ogden left five men on base.

 

The Brewers had the bases loaded in the eighth before Tony Festa grounded in to a double play in the inning.

 

The Raptors turned four double plays in the game.

 

Ogden also hit four home runs in the contest. Justin Ruggiano hit a solo home run in the fourth and Chris Westervelt hit another in the eighth.

 

"Its a good group," Dunlap said. "When we come to the park we know we are going to be successful."

 

Helena saw some production from the bottom of its lineup. Alcides Escobar, the Brewers No. 9 hitter, went 4-for-4.

 

Steve Sollman went 2-for-3. Catcher Clay Blevins was 0-for-1, but drew four walks in the game.

 

The Brewers will close out the first half of the season with a three-game home stand against Provo starting today.

 

The Angels and Brewers split a four-game series the first time the two teams met this season in mid-July.

 

Provo currently holds a one-half game lead over Idaho Falls in the Southern Division standings.

 

Billings will end the first-half with a three game set in Casper.

 

First pitch tonight for the Helena-Provo game will be at 5:05 p.m. (6:05 Central).

 

Ogden Raptors catcher Kengshill Pujols, left, drops the ball while diving forward attempting to tag out the Helena Brewers' Grant Richardson in third inning action at Kindrick Legion Field on Saturday. The score by Richardson tied the game at 2.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2004/07/25/sports_top/b01072504_01.jpg

[igor67]

Certainly fun to see the snappers scoring some runs. A reasonably productive Steve Moss seems to be making a big difference in consistency for them. Clay Blevins nice OBP, but hasn't shown any power yet in his first 60 PAs. in a similar vein Alciedes Escobar flashing a healthy batting average and acceptable eye, but no power. Not exactly a surprise for a skinny SS from Latin America at age 17. He is striking out quite a bit, but not at red flag levels. He could end up being very exciting. For those not counting at home Hart was on base 5 for 8 in yesterday's DH. Krynzel only played the one game. Despite the injury you'd have to think that with the impression he has made before a really strong showing the rest of the way could go a long way to putting him on the Brewers roster in the spring. And I think we can reasonably expect to see him and Hart getting some September ABs hopefully producing more than dramatic foul balls http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[MassBrew]

Daily Press High Desert Game Story:

 

Mavericks' bats silent in loss to Inland Empire

H.D.'s Harper pitches well despite illness

By TIM HARAN/Staff Writer

 

ADELANTO ? The Mavericks weren't sure how long an ailing Jesse Harper could go.

 

The powerful right-hander suffered from flu-like symptoms on Saturday night but still managed to pitch five solid innings, allowing just two runs on six hits. He struck out six.

 

But High Desert (10-19) couldn't muster much run support for Harper, falling to Inland Empire 4-1 at Mavericks Stadium.

 

"He went out and battled and pitched a good game," High Desert manager Mel Queen said. "Two days ago we sent him home from the ballpark. Today he was a little bit better, but we weren't sure what we were going to get until he warmed up."

 

Despite their struggles at the plate, the Mavs could have taken a lead into the ninth, had a called home run several innings earlier not been switched to a long foul.

 

With runners on the corners and two outs in the fourth, High Desert third baseman Troy Farnsworth ripped a drive over the fence in the vicinity of the left field foul pole. The shot was initially ruled a three-run homer by plate umpire Bo Morris and would have given the Mavs a 3-2 edge.

 

But after consultation, the ball was deemed to have hooked foul. The runners, who had already rounded the bases and were in the dugout, returned to the field. Farnsworth stepped back into the batter's box and ultimately struck out to end the inning.

 

"It was way foul," Queen said. "I was standing there watching it waiting for it to hit one of those cars that were about 20 feet foul."

 

It became the game's turning point.

 

"It's deflating, especially to Troy," said High Desert reliever Eric Henderson, who was sitting in the bullpen at the time and also thought the ball to be foul. "To go around, get that jack and sit down and have to go up there and get a new approach with a strike on you."

 

Nevertheless, the Mavs' Kennard Bibbs started a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth with an infield single. He stole second and was driven in by Callix Crabbe to cut the deficit in half. A single by Ben Van Iderstine, who went 3-for-4, put runners on the corners, but High Desert couldn't capitalize.

 

For the 66ers, T.A. Fulmer (6-6) allowed one runs in six innings to pick up the win and improve his record to 2-1 against the Mavs.

 

Inland Empire (15-14) took advantage of the sole walk Harper (3-3) issued and scored a run in the third inning on Juan Gonzalez's line drive to right field. In the next frame, the 66ers' Brian Lentz lifted an RBI double to shallow right, scoring Carlos Arroyo.

 

The 66ers added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth. The Mavs tallied a pair of singles off Inland Empire's Miguel Martinez in the bottom of the ninth before Darwin Soto came in and recorded three quick outs.

 

Henderson, expecting to get an early call on Saturday, allowed two runs ? neither was earned ? on just two hits in 3 1-3 innings of relief.

 

"With Jesse being a little bit sick, I was prepared to even start the game," he said. "I knew I was going to go a little bit longer."

 

NOTES: Though High Desert had lost 11 straight games earlier this season, it wasn't the longest losing streak within the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. The Indianapolis Indians, the Brewers Triple-A affiliate, snapped a 13-game skid Saturday with a victory against Richmond in the second game of a doubleheader. ... After winning three straight for the first time all year, the Mavs have now lost four in a row.

[MassBrew]

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

 

DUEL

Dennis Sarfate was down but not out. That became apparent after Robert Portnoy came by to talk to him before the game, somewhat delicately. Despite struggles with his control (6.54 walks per 9 IP since June) a 5.32 ERA and only one win in that same period, he still believed in himself........ "You're going to be interviewing me tomorrow," he prophesized to the voice of the Stars.

 

That's confidence. And Sarf, who pitched well but lost in his only game against the Barons this year, backed it up........ He battled one of the Stars toughest opponents -- 3rd year Baron Jim Bullard.

 

Bullard's similar to Ryan Costello. Not overpowering. 87-88 mph. Moves the ball around a bit, keeps the ball low, and has good control, but he doesn't fool most other teams and has never been on the White Sox radar......... But he's been awfully tough against the Stars --- 2-2 with a 1.53 ERA vs. the Stars in 2002-03 and 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA this year........ He was true to form in this game, too, retiring 17 straight hitters after Brad Nelson singled in the first........ But Sarf had the upper hand and he had Rickie Weeks to thank.

 

Weeks, a .190 hitter vs. Birmingham, wasted no time in the 1st, tagging a 1-2 pitch to the alleyway in left-center field. He had a double easily, but with his speed, turned it into his 3rd triple of the year........ Tony Gwynn, Jr.dribbled a 2-1 pitch to shortstop Richard Paz. Paz conceded the run, but he would have had a tough time getting Weeks anyway......... After a walk to Prince Fielder on five pitches, Nelson hit a bullet back to the box into center, sending Fielder to second........ But just as it looked as like the Stars would luck out and have a big night against Bullard, they were stopped cold........ Bullard retired the next 17 Huntsville hitters in a row.

 

It was Sarfate's lead, though, not Bullard's....... Most of the season, Sarfate tried to be too fine with the plate and that resulted in a lot of walks. He attacked the plate tonight, and the results were good....... He showed more confidence in his slider to get hitters out, mixing it with his 95 mph gas........ Sarfate faced a few jams, leaving a couple of runners on in the 1st and two more in the 3rd, but nothing as tough as the 5th when he loaded the bases.

 

After getting slumping Rob Sasser to pop out, former Stars 2nd baseman Paz hit a soft line drive to center field for a single. A typical at-bat for Paz. He went full before he found his pitch........ Chris Stewart then walked on five pitches and Michael Spidale (.220 coming in vs. the Stars) hit a first pitch liner to Knox to fill them up with just one out........ But Ruddy Yan, on 1-and-2, came up empty swinging at a 95 mph fastball and Brian Anderson, after fouling off a 1-0 pitch by a foot, struck out on a breaking ball in the dirt. Anderson swung and was tagged out by Joel Alvarado to end the threat.

 

The rivalry got heated with two out in the top of the 6th, when Bullard, with good control all night, after retiring 16 straight batters to this point, inexplicably hit Prince Fielder on the top of the helmet with his first pitch......... Fielder went down and warnings were issued to both dugouts by home plate ump Brian Kennedy........ Birmingham manager Razor Shines came out of the dugout, then Ryan Knox, hot under the collar, came out, restrained by manager Frank Kremblas and pitching coach Fred Dabney........ Roberts wasted no time in ejecting Knox, which only fueled Ryan's temper........ Knox began throwing the pine tar rag toward home plate, then the protective gear he wears on his elbow.........

 

That's the second time this year Fielder's been plunked on the helmet. The other time resulted in a brawl at Joe Davis Stadium vs. Mobile which led to a three-day suspension ......... If some of you fans remember, Prince, very upset, pointed his bat at Chris Rojas. Rojas baited him.He was restrained by catcher Nick Trznesiak, giving Rojas the opportunity to take a lick at Fielder, Fielder in turn, getting in some licks at Rojas........ Fielder, trying to channel his anger by taking second base, was foiled trying to steal.........

 

In the 10th inning, Jason Shelley hit Brian Anderson on the shoulder with a 1-2 fast ball that went about 89 mph, but Shelley was not tossed from the game, despite Roberts' earlier admonition. Perhaps Roberts cut Huntsville a break since their bullpen possibilites were close to empty.

 

Sarfate was nearing 110 pitches as he neared the end of the rope in the 7th inning, but he was still throwing 95-96 mph........ Paz was on first with one out when Barons catcher Chris Stewart singled over the bag into center..... Chavez and Weeks both lunged at it, then Gwynn overran the ball for an error. No shot at getting Stewart or Paz as they advanced to second........ Sarf's 1-2 fastball to Spidale was plastered to right-center. Gwynn came over into the alley to make the catch, but Paz easilty scored to tie the game. That was the end of Sarfate's night. After 107 pitches, it was a heartbreaking was to end one of his best starts of the year....... Brian Adams came in to retire Ruddy Yan on an 0-1 pitch.

 

The Stars were blanked by B.J. LaMura and Brian McNichol from the 8th to the 10th inning........ Brian Anderson, who as previously mentioned was hit in the shoulder by a Jason Shelley pitch, scored the winning run for the Barons with two out on a single to right center on an 0-2 pitch to Scott Bikowski........ The win put the Barons in a tie again for first place in the West with the Stars.

 

Dennis Sarfate got his ERA under 5.00 for the first time in six starts. It was his longest outing since June 18, which had been at Hoover Met........ Brian Adams, who came in to relieve, has allowed just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings in his last five appearances....... Brad Nelson hit a dubious milestone when he struck out in the 4th. It was his 100th strikeout of the season. Nelson's average has not wavered beyond or below the .270s since the start of the second half of the season........ Sunday, Matt Ford (1-3, 4.68) will meet lefty Heath Phillips (7-8, 4.20), Phillips is 1-2 with a 6.97 ERA in three starts against the Stars this season.

 

Ben Diggins was scheduled to start an Arizona League game, Saturday, but was pulled before throwing a pitch. Reason unknown.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Wasn't there complaints about Sarfate a week ago or thereabouts? The kid's got a 4.75 ERA, I can live with that.

 

5500 in Apple-ton. That's a first class organization. While it would have very little effect, it'd sure be nice to have our low A affiliate in the best low A city in Wisconsin.

[DuWayne Steurer]

This coming from the guy who says it's "silly" to be concerned about where our affiliates are, and whether or not they even win a game.

[huntsvillefan]

******on would appear to be 9th in average attendance in the Mid-West league. How does that make it such a wonderful organization?

Their attendance couldn't be that low because they're playing 40% ball could it?

[Al the Thinking Man]

It sure is a nice park, obviously the best in WI. I've heard many say it's as nice as many AA parks.

 

And, no, it makes no difference if our minor league teams win, as long as they develop players. None. The mere fact anyone questions it makes me curious as to what the thought process is...prospects need to play and develop. Winning in the minors, blah.

[huntsvillefan]

The wonder of what passes as argument and evidence in Al's world!

 

obviously the best in WI. I've heard many say it's as nice as many AA parks.

 

Now were these the same many you heard say Rickie would be up to stay in September, or a different but equally well informed many?

[DuWayne Steurer]

Al, I want to ask a question, and I hope you'll take the time to answer it.

 

Myself, Lend, Madbad, and our Huntsville fans have all WHOLEHEARTEDLY agreed that player development is 100% more important than winning in the minors. Why do you take issue with those people who enjoy minor league games caring if they win or not? Like I said, they've all stated that knowing the overriding point of the games is player development, they still root for the team. You don't think it's important, or in your own words it's "silly" to care if a team wins or not, but why do you insist on finding fault with someone else wanting a win, even AFTER they acknowledge the fact that development is the whole point of the game?

 

Can't it just be "diffrent strokes for diffrent folks" and leave it at that?

 

I hope you don't take this post as insulting, I'd just like to understand what your own thought process is on the subject, considering that everyone you debate this with has conceded the importance of development over winning.

[FVBrewerFan]

Living in Apple-ton, I can tell you winning has very little to do with attendance. Weather plays a bigger factor than anything else. Let's remember it was rainy and cool for most of the 1st half of the season. In fact, it is still unseasonably cool many nights in July.

 

Weather and promotions draw people to Fox Cities Stadium, just like most minor league teams I would imagine.