Link Report for Games of Wednesday, June 1st

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Rick Helling at Albuquerque (Marlins), 7:45 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Manny Parra at 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: TBD and TBD at home in a doubleheader vs. Daytona (Cubs), 4:00 PM

 

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

www.daytonacubs.com/

 

UPDATE: VIERA, FL -- Wednesday's doubleheader between the Daytona Cubs and the Brevard County Manatees has been postponed due to heavy rains in the area.

 

The process of making up the games will begin Thursday with a 5:00 doubleheader.

 

West Virginia: RHP Josh Wahpepah at Delmarva (Orioles), 5:35 PM

 

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

www.theshorebirds.com/

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_albaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_msbaax_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Heading into Wednesday's activity:

 AM-NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (ST.LOUIS) 27 24 .529 [b]NASHVILLE SOUNDS (MILWAUKEE) 27 26 .509 1.0[/b] IOWA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 23 29 .442 4.5 OMAHA ROYALS (KANSAS CITY) 22 30 .423 5.5

 NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 36 16 .692 CAROLINA MUDCATS (FLORIDA) 34 17 .667 1.5 TENNESSEE SMOKIES (ARIZONA) 22 30 .423 14.0 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 22 30 .423 14.0[/b] CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS (CINCINNATI) 21 31 .404 15.0

 EAST DIVISION W L PCT GB VERO BEACH DODGERS (LOS ANGELES DODGERS) 30 22 .577 JUPITER HAMMERHEADS (FLORIDA) 27 23 .540 2.0 DAYTONA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 25 22 .532 2.5 PALM BEACH CARDINALS (ST.LOUIS) 24 26 .480 5.0 ST. LUCIE METS (NEW YORK METS) 19 31 .380 10.0 [b]BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES (MILWAUKEE) 19 32 .373 10.5[/b]

 NORTHERN DIVISION W L PCT GB HAGERSTOWN SUNS (NEW YORK METS) 32 19 .627 LEXINGTON LEGENDS (HOUSTON) 31 20 .608 1.0 LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS (CLEVELAND) 29 23 .558 3.5 KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 28 24 .538 4.5 DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (BALTIMORE) 24 28 .462 8.5 HICKORY CRAWDADS (PITTSBURGH) 20 30 .400 11.5 LAKEWOOD BLUECLAWS (PHILADELPHIA) 17 35 .327 15.5 [b]WEST VIRGINIA POWER (MILWAUKEE) 16 36 .308 16.5[/b]

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1600

 

Helling To Start Tonight, No Worse For Wear

by Maurice Patton, Tennessean

 

Five days after making national headlines for his part in a freakish baseball incident, Rick Helling is set to return to the mound tonight when the Nashville Sounds continue their four-game series at Albuquerque.

 

The 34-year-old right-hander had to leave during the seventh inning of a 13-3 win over New Orleans on Friday when a 10-inch shard of wood from the shattered bat of Craig Kuzmic stuck about three inches deep in his left forearm.

 

"You say all the time, 'If you play this game long enough, you see everything,' but that's something I'd never seen or heard of, and no one that I've talked to has ever heard of it," said Helling, who only required seven stitches to close the wound.

 

"I don't think it'll have any effect on me. I may not be able to swing. I haven't tried that. But pitching, I don't think it'll bother me."

 

Pitching coach Stan Kyles said Helling, who improved to 3-2 with Friday's win, has looked fine in his preparation since the occurrence.

 

"Obviously you have a little concern simply because it's his first time out since it happened," Kyles said. "But it's very minimal with him. He's had a good week of work. He threw his side session and he caught balls back at him.

 

"You never know till you know, but he's had a great week, and we fully expect him to go out and do the things he's done and pitch a decent game."

 

With broken bats becoming more common, getting hit by a part of one comes with the territory, Helling said.

 

"Getting hit isn't the strange part," said the 6-foot-3, 241-pounder. "The strange part was it sticking in my arm.

 

"If another one's coming at me, I'll do the same as the last time and try to get out of the way. If not, hopefully it'll hit me on the meaty part of my body and not stick in."

 

Helling, who had his right leg broken by a line drive late in spring training last year, has had his fill of being endangered by flying objects while he's on the mound.

 

"That's two strange occurrences in 16 months," he said. "Hopefully I'm done with that."

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Wednesday (PDF format):

The Sounds are undefeated on Wednesday's -- hope we didn't just jinx them...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Brian the Automator]

Wahpepah looking pretty good so far with 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K

[Katuluu]

Way to jinx him Brian. Hope you're happy. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[NastyTwig]

The PCL is going to be a happier place once Prince and Rickie are gone.

 

Though a good game looking at the stat line, Manny pitched much better than his two earned runs suggest. Struck out three guys in the 4th, and then gave up two runs.

[heresrobin]

Yeah, that was the 6th batter Parra struck out in a row. But when that batter reached first on the strikeout, it almost seemed like he lost a little composure and control. He hit a batter soon after that didn't he? Anyways, like you said, a real good outing for Manny-10 Ks. Nice work.

 

Meanwhile, in Nashville, the announcer claimed that Helling just had to dodge a broken bat at the end of the last inning. Poor guy, he's got to be having some nightmares involving exploding wood and splinters.

 

And Prince is having a pretty brutal day in the field. One error when he fielded a grounder, threw to second base for the force out and pegged the runner right in the back. The second error was on a grounder that went through his legs that cost the Sounds two runs-apparently it was a potential double play ball. And now he has 3 strike outs to go with the two errors. Tough day after his 2 run homer in the 2nd inning.

 

And then, Prince follows up with a run scoring double. That's 12 straight extra base hits for Prince. He says, "Screw singles!"

[Katuluu]

Has anyone not hit a homerun for Nashville? Good grief.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 4, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Shorebirds come from behind to beat the Power

SALISBURY, MD ? The West Virginia Power were up 3-0 at one point during Wednesday night?s game against the Delmarva Shorebirds, but the Shorebirds came back and scored the final four runs of the game to beat the Power by the final of 4-3 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

 

Carlos Corporan?s solo shot in the bottom of the first inning gave the Power an early lead. It was his fifth of the season and it put the Power on top 1-0. Agustin Septimo delivered a two-out, two-run double in the top of the second inning, which gave the Power a 3-0 lead.

 

The Shorebirds tied the game scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth. C.J. Smith and Quincy Ascencion drove in the first two runs on back-to-back RBI doubles and Juan Gutierrez tied the game on an RBI single. Matt Houston drove in the eventual game winner in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI double.

 

Russ Petrick (3-3) earned the victory, David Haehnel earned his 14th save of the season, and Derek DeCarlo (2-2) obtained the loss. The Power fall to 16-37 with the loss and the Shorebirds move to 25-28 with the win.

 

The Power will conclude the four game series against Delmarva on Thursday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-3, 4.04) will throw for the Power and the Shorebirds will counter with LHP Carlos Perez (3-3, 2.73). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM (5:35 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Tough night at the plate and in the field for SS Alcides Escobar...

 YTD YTD WEST VIRGINIA AB R H BI AVG DELMARVA AB R H BI AVG A.Escobar SS 5 0 0 0 .303 J.Duncan LF 4 0 1 0 .282 H.Iribarren 2B 3 0 0 0 .302 J.Zapata 2B 4 0 0 0 .190 C.Corporan CAT 4 1 1 1 .226 A.Rivas CF 3 0 0 0 .277 G.Richardson 1B 3 0 1 0 .243 M.De La Cruz DH 3 1 1 0 .267 J.Brady LF 3 0 1 0 .258 P.Maestrales PR 0 0 0 0 .287 J.Murray 3B 3 0 1 0 .194 P.Maestrales DH 0 1 0 0 .287 F.Parejo CF 4 1 0 0 .236 C.Smith 1B 4 1 2 1 .261 A.Mannon RF 2 1 0 0 .120 Q.Ascencion RF 4 1 2 1 .273 A.Septimo DH 4 0 1 2 .225 M.Houston CAT 4 0 2 1 .295 J.Wahpepah PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Gutierrez 3B 3 0 2 1 .236 D.Decarlo PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Diaz SS 3 0 0 0 .139 K.Hart PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Potter PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Petrick PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Haehnel PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 31 3 5 3 TOTALS 32 4 10 4 WEST VIRGINIA 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 3 5 1 DELMARVA 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 X- 4 10 0 E--A.Escobar. DP--WEST VIRGINIA 1, DELMARVA 0. LOB--WEST VIRGINIA 7, DELMARVA 9. 2B--J.Brady (8), A.Septimo (3), C.Smith (16), Q.Ascencion (11), M.Houston (6). HR--C.Corporan (5). SB--H.Iribarren (18), G.Richardson (3), F.Parejo (11). CS--A.Rivas. HBP--J.Brady, A.Rivas. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA WEST VIRGINIA J.Wahpepah 6.0 7 3 3 2 2 0 3.98 D.Decarlo (L,2-2) 2.0 3 1 1 2 4 0 4.06 DELMARVA K.Hart 6.0 3 3 3 5 6 1 3.92 J.Potter 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 6.92 R.Petrick (W,3-3) 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4.29 D.Haehnel (S,14) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.34 HB--J.Wahpepah, K.Hart. SO--A.Escobar, H.Iribarren, C.Corporan, G.Richardson 2, J.Brady, F.Parejo, A.Mannon, A.Septimo, J.Zapata, A.Rivas, C.Smith, Q.Ascencion, R.Diaz 2. BB--H.Iribarren, G.Richardson, J.Murray, A.Mannon 2, J.Duncan, M.De La Cruz, J.Gutierrez, R.Diaz. T--2:28. A--2557

West Virginia Game Log:

Josh Wahpepah survived three ground ball base hits in the 2nd; with only one out, Power loaded the bases in the 3rd without a base hit, nothing doing...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 2, Huntsville 1

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Stars Offensive Struggles Continue

Mike Porzio worked a solid five innings and the Braves bullpen tossed four scoreless frames in a 2-1 win over Huntsville Wednesday night in the second game of a four-game set at Trustmark Park. Mississippi improved to 26-27 and pulled to within a game of the Southern Division lead, pending the outcome of the second game of a doubleheader between Montgomery and Birmingham. The Stars dropped to 22-31 overall and failed to score more than two runs for the seventh time in eight games against Mississippi.

 

Callix Crabbe opened the game with a double and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt but was left stranded when Vinny Rottino bounced out to Porzio and Nelson Cruz grounded out to first base. Cruz would blast a two-out home run, his 11th of the season, to straightaway center field in the fourth to put the Stars on top 1-0. Cruz hit his second home run against Braves pitching and moved into a seven-way tie for the league lead.

 

Jeff Francoeur struck out for what appeared to be the second out of the fourth inning but reached first base on a wild pitch. Scott Thorman then fanned before Huntsville starter Manny Parra hit Brian McCann and walked Wes Timmons to load the bases with two outs. Jon Schuerholz, 3-for-30 against Stars pitching, singled into center field on the first pitch he saw from Parra to drive in Francoeur and McCann to give the home team a 2-1 edge.

 

Parra worked out of trouble in the seventh by striking out pinch-hitter Carlos Duran and Gregor Blanco with runners at second and third and one out. The Stars southpaw matched a season-high with 10 strikeouts and went seven innings for a third time in four starts. Parra walked one and has issued exactly one free pass in 10 of his 11 starts.

 

Porzio, entering the game with an 8.10 earned run average in 10 innings, allowed the Stars lone run on four hits and fanned four to earn his first win since joining the Braves. He had worked in five games in relief and made one other start prior to Wednesday. Ryan Basner retired all six hitters he faced and Blaine Boyer worked a perfect eighth to turn the game over to Jorge Vasguez, who had worked three scoreless frames against the Stars. Crabbe worked a leadoff walk on four pitches, advanced to second on a Kennard Bibbs sacrifice, reached third on a wild pitch with Nelson Cruz at the plate and two outs and was left stranded when Cruz bounced back to the mound on a check swing for the final out of the game. Vasquez earned his sixth save of the season and preserved the Braves fifth straight win, their longest winning streak of the season.

 

The series continues Thursday night with right-hander Glenn Woolard making the start for the Stars against Braves right-hander Matt Wright, the reigning Southern League Pitcher of the Week. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:50 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Jeff Winchester just about the everyday catcher -- Vinny Rottino at first base in this one, and John Vanden Berg's time behind the plate has been extremely limited...

 YTD YTD HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG MISSISSIPPI AB R H BI AVG C.Crabbe 2B 3 0 1 0 .221 G.Blanco CF 4 0 0 0 .213 K.Bibbs CF 2 0 0 0 .280 O.Joseph LF 4 0 0 0 .235 V.Rottino 1B 4 0 0 0 .275 J.Francoeur RF 4 1 0 0 .264 N.Cruz RF 4 1 1 1 .284 S.Thorman 1B 4 0 2 0 .319 J.Winchester CAT 3 0 1 0 .279 B.McCann CAT 2 1 0 0 .270 T.Zuniga 3B 3 0 0 0 .240 W.Timmons 3B 3 0 1 0 .312 B.Vn Idrstne LF 3 0 1 0 .264 J.Schuerholz 2B 3 0 3 2 .266 E.Cruz SS 3 0 0 0 .276 L.Hernandez SS 2 0 0 0 .204 M.Parra PIT 2 0 0 0 .118 M.Porzio PIT 2 0 0 0 .000 B.Gemoll PH 1 0 0 0 .230 R.Basner PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Dewitt PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Duran PH 1 0 0 0 .000 B.Boyer PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Vasquez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 28 1 4 1 TOTALS 29 2 6 2 HUNTSVILLE 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0- 1 4 0 MISSISSIPPI 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 X- 2 6 0 DP--HUNTSVILLE 1, MISSISSIPPI 1. LOB--HUNTSVILLE 3, MISSISSIPPI 7. 2B--C.Crabbe (9). 3B--S.Thorman (2). HR--N.Cruz (11). SB--J.Francoeur (11), J.Schuerholz (3). HBP--B.McCann. SH--K.Bibbs 2, L.Hernandez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HUNTSVILLE M.Parra (L,2-4) 7.0 5 2 2 1 10 0 3.86 M.Dewitt 1.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 3.42 MISSISSIPPI M.Porzio (W,1-2) 5.0 4 1 1 0 4 1 6.00 R.Basner 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.89 B.Boyer 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 5.58 J.Vasquez (S,7) 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.32 HB--M.Parra. WP--M.Parra, J.Vasquez. SO--K.Bibbs, T.Zuniga, B.Vn Idrstne, E.Cruz, M.Parra 2, B.Gemoll, G.Blanco 2, O.Joseph 2, J.Francoeur 2, S.Thorman, W.Timmons, L.Hernandez, M.Porzio 2, C.Duran. BB--C.Crabbe, B.McCann, W.Timmons. T--2:08. A--3285

Huntsville Game Log:

Two hour, eight minute quickie; that missed opportunity in the first inning proved to be huge...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_msbaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 15, Albuquerque (Marlins) 7

 

Nashville Box Score:

Nine extra base hits for the Sounds, including five HR's; Rickie Weeks on base four times, but with none of the extra base hits -- what a bum; Prince Fielder with two errors, as our posters noted above...

 YTD YTD NASHVILLE AB R H BI AVG ALBUQUERQUE AB R H BI AVG D.Krynzel CF 6 2 2 3 .273 M.Little LF 5 0 0 0 .296 R.Weeks 2B 4 2 3 1 .324 D.Wathan 2B 3 2 2 0 .243 C.Barnwell 2B 0 0 0 0 .259 C.Aguila CF 5 2 3 0 .333 P.Fielder 1B 5 1 2 3 .257 M.Padgett RF 4 0 0 1 .351 K.Orie 3B 4 2 1 2 .310 J.Willingham CAT 4 1 2 1 .322 B.Nelson LF 5 2 2 2 .249 T.Sears 1B 4 0 1 1 .406 C.Hart RF 5 3 2 2 .251 C.Ashby 1B 1 1 1 0 .333 T.Durrington SS 4 0 0 0 .282 J.Wood 3B 3 1 1 3 .286 M.Rivera CAT 5 2 2 1 .269 W.Delgado SS 5 0 0 0 .233 R.Helling PIT 0 0 0 1 .154 J.Fulchino PIT 1 0 0 0 .333 C.Weibl PIT 0 1 0 0 .000 J.Rodriguez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Scarboroug PH 1 0 0 0 .233 M.Colangelo PH 1 0 0 0 .294 J.Bennett PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Corey PIT 2 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 15 14 15 TOTALS 38 7 10 6 NASHVILLE 2 5 2 0 2 2 2 0 0-15 14 2 ALBUQUERQUE 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2- 7 10 1 E--P.Fielder 2, D.Wathan. DP--NASHVILLE 0, ALBUQUERQUE 1. LOB-- NASHVILLE 4, ALBUQUERQUE 10. 2B--P.Fielder (11), B.Nelson (14), C.Hart (13), C.Aguila (2), J.Willingham (8). 3B--M.Rivera (1). HR--D.Krynzel (6), P.Fielder (11), K.Orie (9), B.Nelson (6), C.Hart (4), J.Wood (9). HBP--R.Weeks. SF--R.Helling, M.Padgett. SH--R.Helling. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA NASHVILLE R.Helling (W,4-2) 5.0 5 5 3 4 8 0 4.50 C.Weibl 3.0 3 0 0 1 3 0 5.54 J.Bennett 1.0 2 2 2 0 0 1 4.44 ALBUQUERQUE J.Fulchino (L,4-4) 2.2 7 9 4 2 2 4 5.83 J.Rodriguez 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 5.00 B.Corey 5.0 6 6 6 2 3 1 6.67 HB--J.Fulchino. WP--J.Fulchino. SO--D.Krynzel, P.Fielder 3, C.Hart, T.Durrington, M.Little 2, C.Aguila, M.Padgett, T.Sears, W.Delgado 2, J.Fulchino, M.Colangelo, B.Corey 2. BB--K.Orie, T.Durrington, R.Helling, C.Weibl, D.Wathan 2, J.Willingham, J.Wood 2. T--3:17. A--8236

Nashville Game Log:

We need to see more clean innings from Jeff Bennett...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_albaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with catcher Mike Rivera:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-1.mp3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

Sounds Back On Winning Track With 15-7 Rout

ALBUQUERQUE ? The Nashville Sounds mashed a season-high five home runs en route to a 15-7 rout of the Albuquerque Isotopes on Wednesday evening at Isotopes Park.

 

With the victory, Nashville (28-26) snapped Albuquerque?s six-game winning streak and pulled back into a tie for first place in the PCL American Conference Northern Division with Memphis.

 

The win was the Sounds? fifth in their last six games and improved the club?s record to a perfect 6-0 in Wednesday action this season.

 

Prince Fielder crushed his team-leading 11th roundtripper to pace the Nashville longball brigade. Kevin Orie, Dave Krynzel, Corey Hart, and Brad Nelson also went deep against Isotopes pitching in the victory. Including this evening?s five taters, the Sounds have belted 24 home runs over their last 10 games of action.

 

Nashville scored at least two runs in six of the first seven innings. Every Sounds position player recorded a hit, posted an RBI, and scored a run except shortstop Trent Durrington (0-for-4).

 

Nine of the 14 Sounds hits went for extra bases on the evening, continuing a recent trend for the club.

 

Hart finished 2-for-5 to extend his season-best hitting streak to 10 games, the third double-digit streak by a Nashville player in 2005.

 

Fielder doubled and homered during his 2-for-5 evening to extend his run of consecutive extra-base hits to 12 in a row.

 

Former Sound Jason Wood got into the longball act late in the contest, belting a two-run homer off Jeff Bennett in the bottom of the ninth, his second home run of the series.

 

Nashville starter Rick Helling (4-2) fell short of his fifth consecutive quality start but earned the victory after allowing five runs (three earned) and striking out a season-high eight batters over five innings. With the victory, the veteran pulled into a tie for the team victories lead.

 

Albuquerque starter Jeff Fulchino (4-4) absorbed the loss after getting tagged for nine runs (four earned) on seven hits, including four homers, in just 2 2/3 frames.

 

The team meet again at 8:05 p.m. CT Thursday evening for the third game of the series. Right-hander Justin Lehr (4-4, 6.40) makes the start for Nashville to face Albuquerque right-hander Ben Howard (1-0, 4.88).

 

Audio Link of Corey Hart's Home Run:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-1.mp3

[clancyphile]

Mass Haas

 

Seeing as Prince Fielder hit a bomb and a double... I can live with two errors.

[rotoherb]

Corey Hart since May 1st:

 

.310 BA, .558 SLG, 4 HR, 10 2B, 16 RBI, 7/1 SB/CS

 

I'd call that turning his season around in a hurry....

[Cyanogen5]

I ahve noticed that too roto...I am really pulling for the guy. In a perfect world I would like to see Jenkins traded at some point (Ha, Ha), and Hart given the shot in RF. Doubt it happens, but Hart can play, regardless of what some think. He has hit at every level, and I think he will at the MLB level as well. As for his defense...he is too athletic to not be able to handle the position. I think he just needs time and reps.

[dadofandrew]

Nelson started off hot, Hart cold, and now they are pretty close. Small samples are meaningless.

[Mass Haas]

Catching up on a few posts from Wednesday's games -- kind words about Josh Wahpepah from Delmarva players and staff here:

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.delmarvanow.com/apps/...20322/1006

 

By Jonathan Howard

Special To The Salisbury Daily Times

 

SALISBURY -- Summer is rapidly approaching, and Delmarva is finally heating up after a strangely cool spring.

 

The Shorebirds seem to be heating up as well, and after Wednesday's 4-3 comeback victory against West Virginia, they have now won four straight.

 

But they will have to stay hot without infielder/designated hitter Miguel Delacruz, who injured his leg in the bottom of the eighth inning while sliding into second. He was carried off the field by stretcher and taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center.

 

"We don't know yet," said Shorebirds manager Gary Kendall. "It didn't look too good. It looked a little above the ankle. I don't know whether it's a dislocation or a break."

 

West Virginia jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a Carlos Corporan solo homer in the first inning, and Agustin Septimo's two RBI double in the second.

 

The Shorebirds came back and loaded the bases on singles in the second inning, but shortstop Rafael Diaz grounded to second base for the final out, stranding the runners.

 

Shorebirds' starter Kevin Hart got into trouble in the third inning. With bases loaded and only one out, Hart got West Virginia's Josh Murray to ground to third, allowing third baseman Juan Gutierrez to throw home for the force out. He then struck out Freddy Parejo swinging.

 

Hart harnessed control of his slider and allowed only two more baserunners before being replaced by Josh Potter after six innings.

 

West Virginia starter Josh Wahpepah did not allow a hit for the three following innings. He allowed six baserunners, but Delmarva could not get any across the plate, and only one advanced to second.

 

"(Wahpepah) did a good job changing speeds," Kendall said. "Tonight he had the changeup and the breaking ball working for him, and it took us a while. They pitched him deep into the game, we managed to get a couple of swings on him, then got to the bullpen."

 

Delacruz finally got to Wahpepah in the sixth inning with a hard single to left field. C.J. Smith and Quincy Ascencion then hit back to back doubles, cutting the Power's lead to 3-2. Gutierrez singled to right, scoring Ascencion from second to tie the game, but Gutierrez was tagged out in a rundown when Power right fielder Adam Mannon's throw was cut off.

 

It was Delacruz again who was the catalyst in the eighth, as he drew a walk from Power reliever Derek DeCarlo to start the inning. Ascencion legged out an infield single that was received behind second base by West Virginia shortstop Alcides Escobar. Escobar hurried a throw to second baseman Hernan Iribarren, forcing Delacruz to hurry the awkward slide that produced his injury.

 

As he lay face down in agony, Delacruz had the mindfulness to keep his toes on the bag, for West Virginia attempted to tag him out. It would turn out to be the most vital detail of the game. Pete Maestrales came in to run for Delacruz after the delay, and scored Delmarva's fourth run on Matt Houston's game-winning double.

 

"(Wahpepah) was throwing the ball well," Houston said. "We were battling. Got some guys on base, got to the bullpen, and good things happened."

 

Delacruz was 1-for-2 with a walk, reached base on an error, and scored one run. Smith, Ascencion, and Houston, were each 2-for-4 with an RBI. Gutierrez was 2-for-3 with an RBI and an intentional walk.

 

Hart (4-2) received the win, recording three hits, three earned runs, five walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Potter pitched two scoreless innings; David Haehnel pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save.

 

No West Virginia player recorded more than one hit. Shorebirds pitching held Iribarren (batting .475 against the Shorebirds this season) and Escobar (.359) hitless.

 

Wahpepah (3-3) gave up seven hits, three earned runs, three walks, and struck out two in six innings pitched, taking the loss for the Power.

 

The game also began a Delmarva streak: Two straight errorless games.

 

"I don't want to jinx it," Kendall said. "But we did real well (defensively)."

[Mass Haas]

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

What a difference a pitch makes

Somehow, Jon Schuerholz, 3-for-30 against Stars pitching, was the one batter Manny Parra had to beat tonight...... The hard-luck pitcher he has been lately, of course Schuerholz becomes the one to single-handedly beat the Stars, 2-1, and go a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate........ Manny, in his last four starts, has gone seven innings three times, striking out 10 now twice, yet in those three starts, the Stars have only scored three runs for him. So he winds up with just one win in his last four starts, despite a 1.71 ERA........ Manny walked one and has now issued just one walk in nine of his 10 starts. In his other start, he walked two.

 

Nelson Cruz blasted his 11th home run of the year to straightaway center with two out in the top of the 4th to give the Stars a 1-0 lead. The home run put Nelson in a seven-way tie for the league lead...... Manny struck out Onil Joseph and Jeff Francoeur to start off the bottom of the inning, but Manny's wild pitch on the final strike put Francoeur on........ That would turn out to be a fatal mistake........ Affer Francoeur stole second, Manny struck out Scott Thorman, the Braves' leading hitter, and 12th in the league with a .312 average, with what should have been the third out......... Instead, Parra loaded the bases by hitting Brian McCann with a pitch and walking Wes Timmons...... That set up Schuerholz to single up the middle on the first pitch he saw to drive in Francoeur and McCann....... Luis Hernandez would hit into a force play to end the inning, as a foursome led by former Carolina Mudcat and Birmingham Baron Mike Porzio would blank the Stars on one hit the rest of the way....... Porzio entered the game with an 8.10 ERA, yet scattered four hits in his five innings of work and walked just one.

 

The Stars have now lost 21 of their last 30 games and 12 of their last 15..... They've allowed four runs or less in half of those losses and lost by a run in five of them...... They are now 5-13 in one-run games this season, after going 0-6 in May. They are hitting .235 in their last 15 games....... The Stars have lost six of eight meetings with the Braves this season. In only one of them, have they scored more than a pair of runs, and are hitting just .188 in the season series. They've scored just one run in four of the last five games against them and scored only two runs in that game.

 

The Stars had a chance to score in the 1st inning, leaving Callix Crabbe, playing after a couple of days off, on third with one out after he opened the game with a double to left, but Vinny Rottino and Nelson Cruz both grounded out....... In the 9th, with reliever Jorge Vasquez on the mound, Crabbe walked on four pitches and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kennard Bibbs. He was able to reach third on a wild pitch, but again was stranded when Nelson Cruz grounded out to end the game.

 

Matt Wright, the reigning Southern League Pitcher-of-the-Week will face off against Glenn Woolard, Thursday night. Woolard lost to Wright, 5-0, last April 26 at Trustmark Park.