Link Report for Games of Sunday, July 15th

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Single in 10th saves Sounds

Run scores from second on infield hit

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Callix Crabbe scored from second base on a Charles Thomas two-out infield single, giving the Sounds a 2-1, 10-inning victory Sunday night over visiting Memphis.

 

The win was the Sounds' 10th of the year in their final at-bat and their seventh straight win in one-run games.

 

"That's just Frank," Crabbe said, referring to Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas, who was coaching at third base and sent Crabbe on the play. Memphis second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir gloved Thomas' hit a step onto the outfield grass behind the bag, but his throw to the plate short-hopped catcher Brian Esposito. Crabbe slid home without a tag being applied.

 

"He's aggressive, and I've taken an aggressive attitude from him," Crabbe said. "You've got to stay smart, but the aggressive way is the way to win. With their bullpen, as soon as you get an opportunity, you've got to take it."

 

Crabbe's run capped a pitching duel. Sounds starter Mark DiFelice threw six shutout innings in his Sounds debut. DiFelice also extended a personal streak of walk-free innings to 47, having worked his last 41 innings at Class AA Huntsville.

 

Sounds reliever Tim Dillard gave up a seventh-inning run on a two-out walk and back-to-back singles, the last by Redbirds pitcher Randy Keisler in a pinch-hitting appearance.

 

"You'd have liked to have seen (DiFelice) get the win," Kremblas said. "But we hung a breaking ball to a good hitting pitcher. We pitched around some other things, though."

 

At the time of his departure, DiFelice was in position to win the game, courtesy of a Crabbe double to lead off the third inning, a sacrifice bunt by Drew Anderson and an infield groundout RBI by Thomas.

 

Dennis Sarfate, the fifth Sounds pitcher, eventually earned the victory despite a pair of walks in his only inning of work.

 

Nashville kept its seven-game lead over Iowa in the Pacific Coast League American Northern Division. The Sounds have won their last four series and are 15-5 since losing a three-game set at Iowa in mid-June.

 

"We didn't swing the bats that well, but we got three wins," Kremblas said.

 

The team goes on an eight-game road trip beginning at 7 p.m. today against New Orleans and then it's on to Iowa.

 

What they said: "That was our third two-out hit in a row; we couldn't wait on another one. If I'd thought there was no chance he was going to score, I wouldn't have sent him." ? Kremblas on sending Crabbe from second on Thomas' base hit just off the infield behind second base.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville City Paper:

 

Sounds down Redbirds

Aggressive play-calling gives Nashville an edge in win over Memphis

BY NATE RAU, Sports Correspondent

 

Mark DiFelice had a memorable Nashville debut and the aggressive managerial style of Frank Kremblas paid dividends again as the Sounds downed Memphis 2-1 in 10 at Greer Stadium on Sunday.

 

DiFelice threw six shutout innings in his Sounds debut, but had to take a no decision because of Tim Dillard?s blown save in the seventh.

 

The score stayed tied at 1-1 all the way until the bottom of the tenth. That?s when an infield single by Sounds center fielder Charles Thomas plated Callix Crabbe, who was on second base but got waved home without hesitation on a typical Kremblas-style decision.

 

?Never,? Kremblas said when asked if there was any hesitation in sending Crabbe home. ?I think he would have been safe even if [Redbirds catcher Brian Esposito] did catch it.?

 

With the win, first-place Nashville (58-36) took three of four from the Redbirds during the homestand. It was Nashville?s 10th last at-bat win and the eighth at Greer.

 

Thomas picked up his game-winning hit off Memphis reliever Mark Worrell, who has an unconventional sidearmed delivery.

 

?He?s certainly tough to see,? Thomas said. ?I just didn?t want to go down. I wanted to put the ball in play. And I found the hole. [Crabbe] did a great job and Frank sent him. I think that?s part of our success ? that aggressive style.?

 

The exciting game-winning play at the plate was set up by a rock-solid outing by DiFelice, who was promoted last week from Double A Huntsville. DiFelice extended an impressive streak during the start, as he has now gone 47 innings since surrendering a walk.

 

?There?s things in this game you can control and walking guys I absolutely hate,? said DiFelice, who also notched eight strikeouts. ?I?d rather have a guy hit a home run off me than walk a guy, because he didn?t earn it. I gave that to him.?

 

The Thomas-Crabbe connection got the Sounds on the board in the third. That?s when Crabbe doubled and then scored on a ball Thomas hit to first.

 

Dennis Sarfate earned the win by throwing a scoreless inning of work. Sarfate and Grant Balfour both worked out of jams late in the game to keep the score tied.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Ankiel alert: Memphis pitcher-turned-center fielder Rick Ankiel fouled a ball into the seats near the first-base dugout and struck a young spectator, who had to be tended by stadium medical personnel.

 

It marked the second straight game in which a fan was hit by an Ankiel foul ball. During the seventh inning of Saturday's game, a spectator was removed on a stretcher after being hit in the face.

 

Down to the wire: Brad Nelson almost lost his hitting streak, going 0-for-3 before a two-out single in the ninth.

 

Nelson has hit in a career-high 15 straight games, matching Laynce Nix for the longest streak by a Sounds hitter over the past two seasons.

 

Tough stretch: Sounds reliever Tim Dillard picked up his second blown save Sunday in as many appearances. Dillard relieved starter Mark DiFelice in the seventh with a 1-0 lead and issued a two-out walk to Jarrett Hoffpauir before giving up a single to Brian Esposito and a pinch-hit RBI base hit to pitcher Randy Keisler.

 

Dillard allowed a run on a walk and three hits over 1 1/3 relief innings in Friday's 10-5 loss.

 

On this date: Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of Nashville's combined no-hitter against visiting Memphis.

 

Carlos Villanueva, Mike Meyers and Alec Zumwalt teamed for the 2-0 victory.

 

That marked the Sounds' first no-hitter since John Wasdin's perfect game on April 7, 2003.

 

Wasdin was designated for assignment Sunday by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 12 relief appearances with the Pirates, Wasdin was 1-1 with a 5.95 ERA.

 

In absentia: Nashville boasts the Pacific Coast League's top two strikeout pitchers, even though neither of them is on the Sounds' roster.

 

Yovani Gallardo compiled 110 strikeouts before his June 14 callup to Milwaukee. Chris Oxspring, whose contract was recently sold to the LG Twins of the Korean Professional Baseball League, trails Gallardo by four.

 

The leader among current PCL pitchers is Fresno's Matt Kinney with 93.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Greensboro (Marlins) 5, West Virginia 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

WINTERS FREEZES POWER OFFENSE

 

Kyle Winters shut down the Power offense through eight innings on Sunday evening, allowing just a pair of runs on three hits as the Grasshoppers took the second game of the series 5-2, setting up the rubber match on Monday.

 

The ?Hoppers put up three runs in the first inning. James Guerrero and Jake Blackwood ripped RBI doubles and Spike McDougall chipped in with a run-scoring single. West Virginia got on the board in the fifth inning on Kenny Holmberg?s solo home run, his eleventh of the season.

 

The Grasshoppers answered quickly in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer from Scott Cousins. Steve Chapman hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his 14th of the year and second of the series, to pull the Power within three, but that was as close as they could get.

 

Winters (3-1) allowed a pair of runs on three hits and struck out two over eight innings to get the win, Blake Jones (13) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to get the save and Mike Ramlow (4-4) was tagged with the loss after surrendering five runs, three earned on five hits with four strikeouts over five innings.

 

Winters retired 11 batters in a row after issuing a two-out walk to Andrew Lefave in the first inning. West Virginia has five home runs in the first two games of the series. Greensboro third baseman Jake Blackwood had seven assists and two putouts to go along with his RBI double. D.J. Lidyard and Luis Ramirez combined to toss three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, giving the Power seven scoreless frames of relief in the series.

 

The Power fell to 61-31 overall and 13-11 in the second half, while the Grasshoppers improved to 46-48 overall and 8-16 in the second half with the win. There were no Power players with a multi-hit game, Charlie Fermaint was the only one who reached more than once.

 

The Power will finish the three game series against Greensboro at First Horizon Park on Monday afternoon. The Power will start right hander Chris Toneguzzi (3-1, 5.63) and the Grasshoppers will counter with right hander Christhian Martinez (3-2, 3.73). The first pitch is scheduled for 12:30 PM (11:30 AM Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Dunedin (Blue Jays) 3, Brevard County 1, five innings

 

MiLB.com:

 

Patton steers Blue Jays

 

Cory Patton hit a two-run triple as visiting Dunedin edged Brevard County, 3-1, in a rain-shortened five-inning game on Sunday.

 

Former Brewer farmhand Kyle Phillips singled with two outs in the third and Josh Kreuzer followed with a base hit to left field. Eric Nielsen's pop-up fell in the infield for a hit to score Phillips and Patton sent a drive to right for his third triple of the season, giving the Blue Jays (16-8) a 3-0 lead.

 

Dunedin starter Robert Ray (2-1) surrendered a run on four hits and two walks while fanning five for his first complete game of the season.

 

Manatees starter David Welch (5-3) gave up three runs on five hits and five walks with one strikeout in his second career complete game. He lost for the first time since May 27.

 

Yohannis Perez belted an RBI single in the fifth for Brevard County (13-11), which has lost three straight. -- Ryan McConnell/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Dunedin stranded six...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1