Link Report for Games of Friday, July 2nd

[MassBrew]

High Desert Game Summary from the Giants' Site:

 

The San Jose Giants defeated the High Desert Mavericks 4-0 Friday evening at Municipal Stadium in front of 3,213 fans on a night that featured postgame fireworks.

 

A night after jumping on the Mavericks for ten runs in the first inning, the Giants once again bolted to an early lead by scoring four in the opening inning off High Desert starter David Bradley. The scoring began with a Fred Lewis walk and a Nate Schierholtz single. Angel Chavez then singled to right field to drive in Lewis. The hit was followed by a Carlos Sosa walk to load the bases. With one out the scoring outburst continued with a Brad Vericker two run single. Brian Buscher then followed with a single to score Sosa. The four runs were more than enough for Giants starter Brian Burres who pitched his third consecutive outing without allowing an earned run. Burres allowed six hits and struck out six in seven innings of work.

 

The Giants bullpen was strong in relief as Billy Sadler and James Garcia preserved the shutout. However, the Mavericks threatened to even it up as they loaded the bases in the top of the ninth. Enrique Cruz led off the inning getting hit by a James Garcia pitch which was then followed by a single by Kennard Bibbs. With two outs, Travis Hinton reached on an infield single to load the bases before Garcia struck out John Vanden Berg to end the game.

 

The Giants continue their three game series with High Desert on Saturday, July 3 with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 P.M. (8:30 Central) at San Jose Municipal Stadium. The scheduled starting pitcher for San Jose is right-hander Merkin Valdez (3-1, 3.04) while High Desert is expected to counter with Jesse Harper (1-2, 5.12). Tickets for the game are sold out.

[huntsvillefan]

But if he keeps making moves like this, I might never complain about Reid again.

I really was only joking, still somewhat light headed from the euphoria of watching some excellent baseball, a lot of which was provided by Mr Gann.
I do of course agree with you that Reid's behavior in this whole episode has been ridiculous. The lowest point being Wednesday night, when Knox was sent limping out to the plate. I'm sure that if Jamie Gann was the guy Reid felt he needed, that he was available and eager to come long before Thursday of this week.
As I said I also agree with Schmidty about the nature of the decision. I simply can't see how it was good or thoughtful management not to promote from within. I genuinely have a lot of sympathy for the guys who earned their promotions and had them denied. I also really do wonder what happens to 'good soldier' Knox out of all this. Demoted from Indy to make way for a terrible Reid trade, got injured and now faced with competing with Gann for a Huntsville starting spot. Its hard to imagine that he feels good about all this.
I also hope that Reid has plans for Gann at least until the season end. I'd hate to see him brought here and do well only to be discarded the second a roster spot is needed.
So no - I haven't actually joined the Reid fan club, but despite all my reservations, I am enjoying watching what Gann brings to this team and that is more than his hitting and defense. Its experience and spark as well.

Something off topic about the last two games. Jesse Barfield has been sitting watching his son Josh play. He has signed hundreds of autographs. He has smiled and talked patiently with everyone who has come up to speak to him, especially the little kids. A perfect gentleman and a great ambassador for baseball.

[MassBrew]

Beloit Daily News Game Story:

 

Beloit snaps slump

By Charlie Corr

Daily News staff writer

 

After losing three straight games on the road to Burlington, the Beloit Snappers were certainly happy to be back home, if only for a minute two-game set.

 

And cellar-dwelling Beloit was able to put aside its skid against the Eastern Division-leading Fort Wayne Wizards.

 

Snappers reserve third baseman Wandel Campana came in and hit a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Snappers to a 4-2 victory in Midwest League action Friday night at Pohlman Field.

 

``Campana came up with a key base hit,'' Snappers manager Don Money said. ``He also sac-bunted for a hit. That's a part of his game.''

 

Even though Campana is the newest Snapper, he brings some veteran experience with him, playing for Dayton two years ago.

 

Campana took Adam Heether's place at the hot corner in the fourth inning because Heether felt some discomfort in his lower back. (Answers earlier question -- MB)

 

``He's an older guy that knows how to play,'' Money said. ``He's not going after 15 home runs. He's going to move runners over.''

 

In the sixth inning, the Snappers rallied with two runs. Vinny Rottino hit an RBI single to left to drive in Drew Anderson to tie the game at 2-2. And Campana followed with a run-scoring single to left to bring in Lou Palmisano for a lead the Snappers would never relinquish.

 

The Wizards did not put together much damage, but they scored their runs in the clutch. Fort Wayne scored both runs with two outs.

 

Fort Wayne came up short, however, as Snappers starter Luis Pena and reliever Mitch Stetter shook off some early problems to piece together a well-rounded effort. They held Fort Wayne to six hits.

 

The Wizards looked like they would rally in the seventh, greeting Statter with two, 2-out singles. But left fielder Drew Anderson made a nice sliding catch to rob Brian Wahlbrink of a base hit, stranding both runners and ending the inning.

 

Stetter really beared down after that, striking out the side in the top of the eighth inning and closing out the ballgame with his fourth save of the year.

 

``Stetter's been pitching well for us,'' Money said. ``He picked up four innings against Burlington earlier in the week and didn't give up a run. So he's been pretty solid.''

 

Pena (7-3) was king of the ground ball. He got six rollers destined toward his infielders in the first three innings. Five went to Will Lewis over at second. He finished with four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

 

Beloit added to its lead in the seventh when Lewis battled against Fort Wayne reliever Paul Abraham. Lewis eventually blooped a single to right, and Terry Trofholz scored all the way from first base to to give the squad a 4-2 lead.

 

Wizards starting pitcher Chris Tierny (1-1) suffered his first loss. He went six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, striking out two.

 

With the game tied at 1-1, Fort Wayne scored a go-ahead run with Juan Ciriaco's RBI double in the top of the fifth. His drive was just out reach of Anderson in left. Drew Macias scored all the way from first for the 2-1 lead.

 

The Snappers avoided equaling their longest losing streak of the year. And with today's home game on their itinerary, the Snappers might as well get some momentum going into an eight-game road trip that starts on Sunday.

 

``In Burlington we just seemed to make mistakes over there,'' Money said. ``Couple errors here, a bad play there. But tonight we got the runs in.''

 

NOTES: Left-hander Greg Kloosterman (1-5) will start for Beloit today (7 p.m.), hoping to lower his lofty 10.08 earned run average. Opposing Kloosterman will be Fort Wayne right-hander David Mead (0-0), who will be making just his second start and seventh appearance.

[MassBrew]

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

 

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

I didn't expect this game to last five innings, let alone ten...From the stands, you can see beyond the fence, past the Parkway, Chapman and Monte Sano mountains (to an Arizonan, mesas)........ They were shrouded in dark grey clouds and above that --- even darker clouds --- purplish --- evil harbingers of tornado weather in March and April, but in July, they represented torrents of rain and even hail....... A cold front was coming, and in the 4th, it was finally here, as for the first time, you could finally feel a breeze --- a cool breeze that was whipping the half-mast flag in left field........ Yet not a drop of rain was felt or seen as Mobile tied the game in the top of that inning....... The hope of a barely official ballgame falling the Stars way had vanquished as Ben Johnson lined a ball just over the Yellow Book sign in left field, the first row of billboards. The second sign to the left, next to the ESPN-1450 sign that Greg Sain had curled a home run over in the 2nd inning......... Johnson's homer, following in leadoff walk to Sain on four pitches, tied the game at 4-4.

 

Thunder and lightning continued to crash beyond the stadium as the game progressed....... Fans could actually see the rain fall in the distance, but off to the northwest, there were still patches of white trying to find direction. To me, it symbolized hope of getting this deadlocked game broken and over in the bottom of the inning before it could be called off........ Unbelievably, the drops held off until a few big drops fell during the 7th inning stretch, then in the bottom of the 9th, a brief shower --- not enough, though, to even bother with the tarp...... By the end of the inning, it was done.

 

This ballgame was much like the weather........ Five bombs were hit out of the park tonight (the most among two teams in a game this year) and one triple....... To cap off the night in ironical contrast, the Friday night fireworks show made it.

 

The Stars began banging off an old nemesis, Chris Rojas, in the 2nd inning....... Rojas is the scheduled starter for the Southern League All-Star Game on July 13. This was his 15th appearance vs. the Stars in a history going back to April 2002, and the Stars have slapped him well....... Going back to 2002, Rojas was 2-6 with a 5.43 ERA. This May, he gave up 7 runs in 10 1/3 innings in two starts, yet was not charged with a decision..........

 

The Stars hit for the cycle in the 2nd inning off Rojas, and I can't tell you the last time I saw that --- a leadoff single, grounded to left by Brad Nelson was followed by a home run by Jamie Gann....... Gann, well-rested this time (an 11-hour nap following a day that beats Jack Bauer's -- 36 hours without sleep --- but that's a story I missed telling you after Thursday night) got hold of a 1-0 fastball away and hit it to the opposite field........ Chris Barnwell followed with a blast to left to break the 2-2 tie........ Johnny Raburn then hit the hardest part of the cycle --- a first-pitch triple that rattled the right field corner, evading right fielder Ben Johnson....... As Raburn approached third, Jake the Wonder Dog, one of the Stars promotional draws back for a second straight night, came out to retrieve the bat, as this golden labs are prone to do (at least this one), unaware that the ball was still in play and Raburn might have a chance for an inside-the-park home run....... That wasn't lost on the umpire, of course, who tried to herd Jake out of the way before he could clamp his chops on Raburn's bat, without much success......... Fortunately, Raburn held up at third, avoiding an incident similar to the one involving Barry Bonds son (if I'm not mistaken) during a game........ Joel Alvarado nearly beat out a 1-2 grounder to Rico Washington at third after a momentary problem with the pick-up, but it drove in Raburn to make the score 4-2........ After Ronnie Merrill made a dandy catch of a liner by Matt Ford, Rickie Weeks completed the cycle with a double that went all the way to the Gibson's BBQ sign in left field under the scoreboard....... They're still having problems with the pitch speed display there, by the way, but it's being worked on......... On occasion, you can see a number flash up there, but 39 and 46 don't seem right for a fastball.

 

Jamie Gann, acquired from Bridgeport in the independent Atlantic League, has been an answer to our prayers after a two-game .571 start........ I could almost draw an immediate comparison between Gann's acquisition and Ryan Christenson's on July 9, 1997 at this point........ Christenson came in at a crucial point in the Stars season, when they needed a second half title to get into the playoffs, and hit .364 in his first three games, .433 after seven, and .381 in his first month for the Stars........ Although we never saw him again after August 9, Christenson was a vital part of that Western Division Championship team. In July of that year, the Stars scored a club record 224 runs and were 17-9........ It's a bit early, but the start Gann has after just two games makes you think, and the Stars do need a second half title if they want to make the playoffs....... Gann, a 29-year old veteran once a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, showed off his arm in the 5th throwing out Kennard Jones at first from right field on a bee line to Prince Fielder after Merrill's fly ball.

 

Three walks and three stolen bases (two on a double steal) led to the tie-breaking run for the Stars in the 6th, Johnny Raburn driving in the run on a sacrifice fly to left-center, but Mobile tied the game during a steady shower in the 8th........ Following a one-out walk by Paul Stewart to Jones, Josh Barfield singled past the glove of Barnwell into left. A wild pitch on a 2-1 count to Greg Sain put the runners into scoring position........ Stewart (4-1, 2.62) was in a spot. He was 2-and-2 on Rico Washington and he did not want to go full and have the runners going on 3-and-2 with the Stars trying to protect a one-run lead....... Washington turned on Stew's next pitch and lined it for a hit to right field, scoring Jones easily, but Gann came up with another outfield assist tonight........ He threw a rocket on the money to Alvarado who took a huge hit from Barfield, knocking him in the air backwards, but held on the the ball, holding it in the air for home plate ump John Woods to see.

 

That was a big out, for Stew turned back the Bay Bears in order in the 9th, and John Novinsky did the same in the 10th, enabling the Stars to come back and win in the 10th, their sixth extra-inning victory in nine this year....... Relief pitcher Jack Cassel, who had held the Stars scoreless in five previous appearances for them this year, hit Tony Gwynn on the right elbow with his first pitch. Prince Fielder was intentionally walked for his second straight at-bat and finally, Brad Nelson got a hold of a 2-2 pitch and lined it over the infield in right-center, Gwynn racing around third to score easily for the 6-5 victory.

 

John Novinsky notched his sixth win without a defeat, his first win since May 21...... After a 9-18 June, the worst June in Stars history, the Stars look refreshing, incapable of lying down with their feet in the air, as they had last month --- they have come back in two straight games against Mobile to win with a 24-hit outburst, hitting .290 in this series...... Although the pitching didn't hold together, they showed the kind of fortitude in the end to win games, the kind needed to take them to first place in September......... Rickie Weeks has three doubles in two games, something not seen from his bat since the first two games of the season......... Tony Gwynn is 5-for-13 in this series (.384) with two doubles........ Prince Fielder had his first four-hit game on Thursday....... Brad Nelson's game- winning hit and 2-for-4 day may wake him out of a 4-for-21 slump......... These are the bats the Stars need if they are to hope for a title, and with the addition of Jamie Gann, who's off to a 4-for-7 start, one can only wonder what tomorrow might bring.

 

The Stars hit just .225 in June with a 4.66 ERA, following a .241 April and .242 May...... Their staff ERA in April was 3.61, 3.51 in May........ Chris Barnwell led hitters in June with a .299 average, followed by Ryan Knox (.280) who played in only 13 games, and Johnny Raburn (.277)........ Four hitters finished under the Mendoza line in June --- Joel Alvarado (.095), Ozzie Chavez (.169), Tony Gwynn, Jr. (.198), and Kade Johnson (.195).......... Ryan Knox has been placed on the disabled list by the Stars. To fill the roster spot, Roberto Giron returns from Indianapolis, giving us two closers and a pleasant dilemma for Frank....... Giron was 3-0 with a 2.87 ERA and 2 saves at Indy, but was caught in a numbers game when Ben Ford was outrighted for assignment to Indianapolis by the Brewers. Giron last pitched on June 29 --- a scoreless inning against Buffalo. He is scheduled to arrive Saturday....... He had a 1.42 ERA and eight saves when he was promoted on May 14.