Link Report for Games of Sunday, April 11th

[MassBrew]

To all those who celebrate it, a Happy and Blessed Easter!

 

Here's your Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change; pre-game audio begins approx. 15 minutes prior to game time listed...

 

INDIANAPOLIS: LHP Jorge de la Rosa at Richmond (Braves), 1:00 PM

 

Audio link:

www.newstalk1430.com/

 

IMPORTANT TIP: For me, the audio link off of the Indy newstalk1430 page wouldn't work until I had turned off my pop-up blocker for that site -- keep that in mind...

 

Backup audio link (Richmond feed):

oursportscentral.com/services/netcasts/

 

HUNTSVILE: RHP Mike Jones at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays), 2:05 PM; wow, it's nice to see Jonesey's name in the pitching line...

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

HIGH DESERT: RHP Bo Hall at Lancaster (Diamondbacks), 4:00 PM

 

Audio link:

www.hdmavs.com/listen_live.htm

 

BELOIT: IDLE

[MassBrew]

As is the case with most folks today, I imagine, I won't be visiting the Link Report until late this evening.

 

Fans listening in, please feel free to comment here, or, those who wish to link updates from this afternoon's action, use the following link:

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...ate=041104

 

You simply click on the side bar to the left to navigate the International, Southern, and California League sites for today.

 

Thanks!

[Dogger192003]

In Huntsville today, cold wet weather along with Biscuit pitching, has stoned the offense so far, only two hits. Gwynn, Jr. scored the only run so far for Huntsville. He has one hit, a walk and stolen base. Knox has the rbi. Jones gave up 5 runs, not too sharp today, but it's early.

[batman]

Final: Richmond (Braves) 4, Indianapolis 3

 

Not great, but good for De La Rosa. Double and a walk for J.J. Two doubles and a walk for Nunnally.

 

Game Story:

Richmond, VA (Sports Network) - Richmond came back from a three run deficit to beat Indianapolis 4-3 in International League action.

 

Down 3-0, Richmond answered back with one in the fourth and one in the fifth to close the gap to one run. In the bottom of the seventh Joe DePastino singled home Pete Orr to tie the score. Damon Hollins followed with a sacfrice fly to take the lead.

 

DePastino finished the game 4-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Jorge Velandia finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Braves.

 

Indianapolis' Joe Nunnally provided the offense today by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two doubles and one RBI.

 

Richmond's Buddy Hernandez (1-1) got his first win of the season by pitching two innings and not surrendering a run. Matt Whiteside pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

 

Indianapolis' Matt Parker (0-1) pitched 3.2 innigs of relief and gave up three runs, none earned, on seven hits to pick up his first loss of the season.

 

Box Score:

 GAME DATE: 4/11/04 IND at RMD INDIANAPOLIS 3 AT RICHMOND 4 YTD YTD INDIANAPOLIS AB R H BI AVG RICHMOND AB R H BI AVG L.Figueroa LF 1 0 0 0 .000 P.Orr 3B 4 1 1 0 .222 L.Figueroa CF 4 0 0 0 .000 J.Velandia SS 4 2 2 0 .231 J.Hardy SS 4 1 1 0 .105 R.Branyan LF 2 0 1 0 .444 J.Nunnally LF 3 2 2 1 .500 J.Depastino CAT 4 1 4 2 .750 D.Krynzel CF 0 0 0 0 .083 D.Hollins RF 3 0 0 1 .143 C.Coste CAT 4 0 0 0 .222 L.Evans 1B 3 0 0 0 .125 J.Liefer 1B 4 0 1 1 .333 N.Green 2B 4 0 2 0 .231 C.Hart RF 3 0 1 1 .500 R.Langerhans CF 3 0 1 1 .091 S.Sheldon 3B 4 0 0 0 .182 B.Hernandez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Scarbrough 2B 4 0 2 0 .286 W.Betemit PH 1 0 0 0 .000 M.Childers PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Whiteside PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.De La Rosa PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 R.Aguilar PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 M.Parker PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 R.Jackson PH 1 0 0 0 .143 M.Erickson 2B 1 0 0 0 .067 R.Glynn PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Thomas CF 2 0 0 0 .250 TOTALS 34 3 7 3 TOTALS 32 4 11 4 INDIANAPOLIS 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0- 3 7 0 RICHMOND 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 X- 4 11 1 E--L.Evans. DP--INDIANAPOLIS 2, RICHMOND 0. LOB--INDIANAPOLIS 8, RICHMOND 8. 2B--J.Hardy (1), J.Nunnally 2 (2), S.Scarbrough (1). CS--N.Green. SF--D.Hollins. SH--J.De La Rosa. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA INDIANAPOLIS J.De La Rosa 3.1 3 1 1 2 4 0 2.70 M.Parker (L,0-1) 3.2 7 3 3 1 3 0 7.36 M.Childers 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 RICHMOND R.Aguilar 4.0 7 3 3 0 4 0 6.75 R.Glynn 2.0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0.00 B.Hernandez (W,1-1) 2.0 0 0 0 2 2 0 4.50 M.Whiteside (S,2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 WP--M.Parker 2, R.Glynn. SO--L.Figueroa, J.Hardy, J.Nunnally, C.Coste 2, C.Hart, S.Sheldon 3, S.Scarbrough, J.De La Rosa, M.Parker, P.Orr 2, R.Branyan, L.Evans, R.Langerhans 2, W.Betemit, R.Jackson. BB--J.Hardy, J.Nunnally, C.Hart, R.Branyan 2, L.Evans. T--2:44. A--2267

Game Log:

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=14047

[batman]

Final: Montgomery (Devil Rays) 9, Huntsville 7

 

Oh-for-two so far... not good. Brad Nelson is my hero again, though.

 

Game Story:

Huntsville, AL (Sports Network) - B.J. Upton went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI to lead the Montgomery Biscuits over Huntsville 9-7. Huntsville committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs in the top of the ninth, helping Montgomery take the final game of the series.

 

Carlos Hines (1-0) got the win for Montgomery. Hines threw three innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out one.

 

Mike Jones (0-1) took the loss for Huntsville. Jones allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings of work. Brad Nelson, Brandon Gemoll, and Alex Delgado all homered in the loss for Huntsville.

 

Huntsville will host Carolina tomorrow night at 8:05 ET, while Montgomery will travel to Birmingham.

 

HuntsvilleStars.com Game Story:

Despite three more Stars homers, the Biscuits secured their first-ever win on Easter Sunday at Joe Davis Stadium. The Biscuits (1-3) banged out 11 hits and knocked off Huntsville, 9-7, for the first Montgomery professional baseball victory in 24 years. The Stars (3-1) have now homered nine times in their first four games.

 

Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Huntsville mounted a threat against reliever Carlos Hines. Brad Nelson singled on the infield and Chris Barnwell?s ground ball forced out Nelson at second. Brandon Gemoll followed with a first-pitch, two-run homerun to right, his first of the season. In the eighth, Enrique Cruz doubled to right, took second on Johnny Raburn?s sacrifice bunt and scored on Ryan Knox?s second sacrifice fly of the game, trimming the Biscuits? lead to 5-4.

 

Two Stars errors helped Montgomery score four runs, three unearned, in a fateful ninth-inning rally. Pitcher Brian Adams? throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and Cruz?s misplay of a chopper hit by Brian Martin brought Huntsville?s season error total to 12 in four games. Huntsville?s miscues finally caught up with them Sunday.

 

In the home ninth, the Stars? bats continued to smoke. With one down, Brad Nelson launched a solo bomb to dead-center, his second homer in as many days, doubling his homer output over 39 games in Huntsville last season. One out later, Gemoll singled to right for his first multi-hit game this year, and Alex Delgado launched a two-run shot to right, his first of the season.

 

The ninth-inning fireworks ended there, as Josh Parker fanned Cruz to seal the game. Hines (1-0) notched the win in relief, giving up two runs on three hits with no walks and one strikeout in three innings. Mike Jones (0-1) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on eight hits and two walks while fanning one over four innings.

 

Huntsville resumes play Monday night in a rematch of the 2003 Southern League Championship Series. The Carolina Mudcats (2-2), defending league champs, visit Joe Davis stadium for a three-game series. In the opener, Stars righty Chris Saenz makes his 2004 debut against Mudcats right-hander Peter Bauer, also making his first start of the year. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

 

Box Score:

 GAME DATE: 4/11/04 MTG at HVL MONTGOMERY 9 AT HUNTSVILLE 7 YTD YTD MONTGOMERY AB R H BI AVG HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG J.Gathright CF 4 2 1 0 .400 A.Gwynn CF 2 1 1 0 .250 B.Upton DH 5 0 3 3 .400 J.Raburn RF 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Velazquez 1B 5 1 1 1 .294 R.Knox CF 0 0 0 1 .364 J.Salas 3B 5 1 1 0 .294 R.Knox RF 2 0 0 1 .364 B.Martin RF 5 0 0 0 .071 P.Fielder 1B 4 0 0 0 .143 A.Clark LF 5 0 0 0 .000 R.Weeks 2B 4 0 0 0 .375 F.Cortez 2B 3 1 0 0 .077 B.Nelson LF 4 1 2 1 .444 I.Franco CAT 4 1 4 0 .364 C.Barnwell 3B 3 1 0 0 .071 R.Cancel PR 0 1 0 0 .167 B.Gemoll DH 4 2 2 2 .273 R.Cancel CAT 0 0 0 0 .167 A.Delgado CAT 4 1 1 2 .143 N.Perez SS 3 2 1 1 .250 E.Cruz SS 4 1 2 0 .417 W.Glen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Jones PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Hines PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Stewart PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Coose PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Adams PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Pruett PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Novinsky PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Parker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 9 11 5 TOTALS 31 7 8 7 MONTGOMERY 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 4- 9 11 0 HUNTSVILLE 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 3- 7 8 3 E--E.Cruz, M.Jones, B.Adams. DP--MONTGOMERY 0, HUNTSVILLE 1. LOB-- MONTGOMERY 6, HUNTSVILLE 2. 2B--B.Upton (2), J.Salas (2), I.Franco (1), E.Cruz (1). HR--B.Nelson (2), B.Gemoll (1), A.Delgado (1). SB-- F.Cortez (1), A.Gwynn (4). CS--E.Cruz. SF--R.Knox 2. SH--N.Perez, J.Raburn. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA MONTGOMERY W.Glen 4.0 1 1 1 2 2 0 2.25 C.Hines (W,1-0) 3.0 3 2 2 0 1 1 3.60 A.Coose 0.2 1 1 1 0 0 0 16.20 J.Pruett 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 J.Parker 1.0 3 3 3 0 1 2 16.20 HUNTSVILLE M.Jones (L,0-1) 4.0 8 5 5 2 1 0 11.25 P.Stewart 2.0 1 0 0 0 4 0 6.00 B.Adams 2.1 1 2 1 0 1 0 2.70 J.Novinsky 0.2 1 2 0 0 1 0 0.00 WP--W.Glen, J.Novinsky 2. SO--J.Gathright, J.Salas, B.Martin, A.Clark 2, F.Cortez, N.Perez, A.Gwynn, P.Fielder, C.Barnwell, E.Cruz 2. BB-- J.Gathright, F.Cortez, A.Gwynn, C.Barnwell. T--2:45. A--791

Game Log:

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=11951

[lend d money]

Bill, I am a little confused. The box score shows all of Parker's runs being earned. Can you help me out?

[batman]

Bill, I am a little confused. The box score shows all of Parker's runs being earned. Can you help me out?

 

I think they really were earned... reading the game log, there were a couple wild pitches and strange plays (in terms of how many bases runners advanced), though, so I'm not sure.

 

~Bill

[batman]

Final: High Desert 8, Lancaster (Diamondbacks) 2

 

High Desert salvages a victory for the organization with an excellent win. Froilan Villanueva went yard at the Hanger and Nick Neugebauer is pitching tomorrow. How sweet is that?

 

High Desert Box Score:

 GAME DATE: 4/11/04 HD at LNC HIGH DESERT 8 AT LANCASTER 2 YTD YTD HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG LANCASTER AB R H BI AVG P.Rasmusen DH 4 1 1 0 .200 J.Ball RF 5 0 1 0 .400 C.Crabbe 2B 3 1 0 0 .385 K.De renne 2B 5 0 2 1 .267 J.Eure 3B 4 1 3 1 .375 C.Jackson LF 4 0 1 0 .333 D.Boyd LF 3 1 1 0 .375 J.D'Antona 3B 4 0 0 0 .313 S.Candelaria RF 4 1 2 2 .375 D.Tosca DH 2 0 0 0 .500 J.Frost 1B 4 1 0 0 .000 P.Avlas CAT 4 0 2 0 .700 T.Frost 1B 0 0 0 0 .364 M.Santana 1B 3 1 1 0 .313 C.Morris CF 3 1 1 1 .267 B.Simon CF 4 0 1 0 .250 K.Bibbs CF 0 0 0 0 .200 A.Haley SS 4 1 2 1 .500 O.Chavez SS 4 0 1 1 .313 K.Whatley PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 F.Villanueva CAT 4 1 1 2 .250 J.Wechsler PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Hall PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.McMachen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Ballouli PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 N.Slack PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 33 8 10 7 TOTALS 35 2 10 2 HIGH DESERT 0 2 1 0 0 2 2 1 0- 8 10 0 LANCASTER 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- 2 10 3 E--C.Jackson, P.Avlas, K.Whatley. DP--HIGH DESERT 1, LANCASTER 2. LOB--HIGH DESERT 4, LANCASTER 10. 2B--J.Eure (1), S.Candelaria 2 (2). 3B--K.De renne (1). HR--F.Villanueva (1). SB--J.Eure (1), C.Morris 2 (3), C.Jackson (1). CS--O.Chavez, D.Tosca. HBP--P.Rasmusen, D.Boyd. SH--C.Crabbe. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HIGH DESERT B.Hall 4.0 5 1 1 3 4 0 2.25 K.Ballouli (W,1-1) 4.0 3 0 0 1 2 0 6.00 N.Slack 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 LANCASTER K.Whatley (L,0-1) 5.1 7 5 3 2 5 1 5.06 J.Wechsler 1.2 2 2 1 0 1 0 5.40 C.McMachen 2.0 1 1 1 1 2 0 4.50 HB--K.Whatley, C.McMachen. SO--P.Rasmusen, C.Crabbe, D.Boyd, J.Frost 2, C.Morris, O.Chavez, F.Villanueva, J.Ball 3, C.Jackson, D.Tosca, P.Avlas, M.Santana. BB--C.Crabbe, J.Eure, C.Morris, C.Jackson, D.Tosca 2, M.Santana. T--2:38. A--1182

High Desert Game Log:

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=19008

[MassBrew]

Does anybody have additional information about Jorge de la Rosa's outing today?

 

Reviewing the Indy game log, there is no logical reason for him to be removed at 3.1 IP, unless he was on an extremely tight pitch count. If that was the case, why send him out to begin the 4th? Also, Matt Parker was initially scheduled to start Monday's game, and he was the pitcher brought in to replace de la Rosa.

 

Just hoping the young lefty is OK...

 

It appears that, at least for now, both the Indy and High Desert sites have chosen to forego the post-game online summary, normally written by a member of the announcing staff. These would usually provide answers to questions like mine here. Hopefully Tribe and Maverick management will reconsider http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif . (And thanks to Huntsville's staff -- Robert Portnoy, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong -- for continuing the practice of the post-game summary.)

 

By the way, if Sports Network produces game logs when the Arizona League kicks in (usual attendance - 20), let's just say I will be duly impressed!

[MassBrew]

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

 

3 HRs, BUT NO DEFENSE

A post-game Easter Egg Hunt was supposed to draw a nice crowd this Sunday, but Mother Nature showed no respect. It was a cold, blustery, wet afternoon at the Joe. For the very few who came anyway, there was nowhere to run from the wind and the rain. Joe Davis Stadium doesn't have much of an overhang to protect the customers, and where it protects the most, on the first base side, the wind was blowing the mist in on them. About the best place, and I use that in relative terms, was the very top row against the concrete on the third base side, which is where I finally settled after two previous moves. Most everyone with an umbrella settled for the lower concourse seats. I just sat and watched them from above, like a true observer of life, wondering why anyone would want to be there.

 

After four games, two generalities about this team emerge....... Good home run power. No infield defense....... Baseball being what it is, over 140 games in this league, these things can change, but let's take it one at a time.......

 

Nine home runs in four games is a good sign of an offense that can erupt at any time and dig you out of any kind of hole that you don't find yourself too deep in...... That's good. In fact, that's better than the 1985 and 1997 teams, two of the best offensive teams ever. The Stars today broke the club record of seven set by those teams in their first four games....... And even better, they're dispersed pretty evenly on the team........ Brad Nelson and Prince Fielder, your two best home run hitters on paper, have two apiece. Kade Johnson, Enrique Cruz, Ryan Knox, Brandon Gemoll, and Alex Delgado have one each....... The power is up and down the lineup.

 

But with 12 errors in 4 games, you know you have a problem....... The Stars could have won this game in the 9th when it rallied for three runs, and been off to a 4-0 start....... The breakdown: not one error has been by an outfielder, two have been by the pitcher, and one by the catcher. The left side of the infield has half of them........ The outbreak of errors early in the season is history repeating itself when early last year, the Stars set a record for committing 21 errors after just 10 games. It's easy to see that record is being threatened........

 

Ryan Knox said after the game, "We shoulda beat them."....... No, not with that kind of defense. As manager Frank Kremblas said to them before the game, "It's going to catch up with you."......... It doesn't matter how many runs you score, if you're going to win, you have to have pitching and defense. The 1997 team lacked the pitching (until they got help late in the season). This team's defense, particularly its infield defense, is keeping it from being a truly great team....... In the four game series against Montgomery, the Stars allowed 23 runs, only 13 of which were earned.

 

The 0-3 Biscuits may have been a little more motivated, too........ As I mentioned last night, manager Charlie Montoyo let his team have it in a lengthy tirade in the clubhouse. Unlike the three previous games, the Biscuits were able to take greater advantage of the mistakes the Stars made, especially in the 9th inning inning.

 

Montgomery had a slim 5-4 lead going into the 9th....... Brian Adams started it out by giving up a double that hit off the Gibson's BBQ sign under the scoreboard in left-centerfield to Iker Franco. Nestor Perez laid a bunt down to get pinch-runner Robinson Cancel to third, but Adams' throw to Prince Fielder sailed over his head and toward the tarp, scoring Cancel to make it 6-4........ Ground balls to Rickie Weeks moved Perez to second, then to third. John Novinsky had come in to get the second out on right-hander B.J. Upton and he was one out away from getting out of the inning, but Jose Velazquez pulled Novinsky's 2-0 pitch through the hole on the right side to score Perez and it was 7-4........ Novinsky had the next batter, Juan Salas 1-and-2, then uncorked a wild pitch which Salas swung at for strike three. The ball went to the backstop and Salas made first easily and Velazquez moved up........ Another wild pitch from Novinsky moved the runners to second and third, then came the BIG error....... Chris Martin hit a 2-2 grounder to Enrique Cruz. This is what high school and even Little League infielders are taught in Defense 101. GET IN FRONT OF THE BALL!........ Cruz tried to field the one-hop grounder with his glove down and thigh-high away from his body. He badly misjudged the bounce and the ball, without touching his glove, bounded into left field. Velazquez and Salas scored what proved to be the go-ahead and winning runs....... My thoughts instantly flashed back to J.J. Hardy, one of the most consistent and picture-book shortstops I'd ever seen play for the Stars. Boy, I miss him.

 

The Stars struck back against Josh Parker, who pitched a clean 2/3 of an inning on Friday....... With one out, Brad Nelson cracked a home run deep to center field that hit the top of the wall just to the left of the 405 mark and bounced back on to the field. Another out later, Brandon Gemoll singled through the right side of the infield and minor league vet Alex Delgado, who manager Frank Kremblas later jokingly called "the strongest man on earth", lined a home run over the 2nd wall out in left field to make it 9-7......... The two-run error by Cruz was the last word........ Parker struck out Cruz with an 0-2 fastball to end the game.

 

Montgomery took a 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning when B.J. Upton doubled in Joey Gathright, who moved from 1st to 3rd on a pickoff throw that Mike Jones threw away, similar almost to Novinsky's in the 9th......... In the 4th, Upton drove in two more on a bloop single over the head of Fielder. Prince tried to make a desparate over-the-shoulder catch in the grass, but it would have been tough even for Gemoll, who led Southern League 1st basemen in fielding last year. That made it 5-1, Montgomery, or as the locals say, Montgumry.

 

Iker Franco was the 3rd player in this series to have a four-hit game....... Ryan Knox tied a club record by getting two sacrifice flies in this game, and now has three on the season after just four games...... He has a long way to get to the season record of 15 set by Jason Wood in 1994....... The last Huntsville Star to get two sac flies in one game was Chris Hart on April 25, 1994,and before him, Marteese Robinson on June 27, 1990...... Knox now has seven sac flies in his career with the Huntsville Stars, one away from making the top 20 leaderboard.

 

The Stars send Chris Saenz to the hill Monday to start a three-game series against Carolina. Former Tennessee Smokie pitcher, Peter Bauer will start for the Mudcats who have started the season 2-2, after losing to Mobile in a double-header, Saturday. Then Matt Ford faces Trevor Hutchinson, MVP of the Southern League Championship Series last year, on Tuesday. Both starters are 1-0.

 

Derek Lee, in his first start for his new team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, lost 4-1 to New Britain. Derek gave up 2 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings and struck out 2. He did not walk anyone. Lack of run support follows him to The Granite State......Jim Rushford went 3-for-4 and drove in 3 runs to help Scranton beat Ottawa, 9-6, in International League play. Lou Colllier homered for Scranton, the Phillies top farm club.

[igor67]

Well Enrique's defense is a bit disappointing, but it's nice to see that he has some life in that stick. Does Brad feel compelled to outslug Prince? Man wouldn't that be fun to watch. Last year Hart was responsible for a lot of early errors, but did manage to get better, if Enrique and Weeks can duplicate that sort of improvement I think everyone will be quite pleased.

[MassBrew]

Daily Press High Desert Game Story:

Quotes galore, as usual...

 

www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...770,90732,

[lend d money]

I have to admit that I forgot about the infield defense when stating the Stars wouldn't win 100 games this year. But, boy, it is so good to see Nelson back to hitting for power. If we can get him and Krynzel to levels of expected performance, we will really have something. SOMEDAY, at the major league level, our future will be so bright, we'll have to wear shades(was that ZZ Top?).

[thevaccinator27]

was that ZZ Top?

 

Timbuk3

[bork]

Quote:

---

SOMEDAY, at the major league level, our future will be so bright, we'll have to wear shades

---

 

Well we know that Corey Hart will be wearing his sun glasses at night.

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Times Game Story:

 

Stars chill out in series finale

Visiting Biscuits hand Huntsville first loss in cool, steady drizzle

By JENNIFER SEIGER

For The Times jseiger@excite.com

 

It was the kind of outing from which both nightmares and dreams are made.

 

For Montgomery Biscuits designated hitter B.J. Upton and catcher Iker Franco, it was a productive afternoon. For Huntsville Stars right-handed pitcher Mike Jones and his defense, it was the kind of day they'd rather forget, or at least put behind them.

 

In any case, the end result was a 9-7 victory for the Biscuits on an overcast, soggy Easter Sunday before an announced crowd of 791 that braved the inclement weather at Joe Davis Stadium. More important for Montgomery, it was the first-year team's first win of the season in four tries against the Stars (3-1).

 

"I think it's real important for us to get the first win under our belts," Upton said. "We came up a little short the first three nights."

 

During a game that was marked by slightly chilly conditions, a bit of drizzle and gray skies, Upton and Franco shined for the Biscuits (1-3).

 

Upton was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs while Franco was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a double of his own.

 

"We just came up to the plate with a different game plan, swinging a little bit more," Upton said.

 

Of the Biscuits' four runs in the top of the ninth inning, three were unearned. Two runs scored on an error to short and another baserunner reached on an errant throw from the mound to help set up Huntsville's demise, although the Stars tried to make a game of it in the bottom of the inning to almost succeed in pulling off a comeback. Montgomery first baseman Jose Velazquez scored the eventual game-winning run on the error to short.

 

Then, in the bottom of the inning, Huntsville got a solo homer from left fielder Brad Nelson - his second in as many days - and a two-run shot from catcher Alex Delgado to close to gap, but Enrique Cruz struck out to end the Stars' rally.

 

"We hit some balls there good in the ninth," Stars manager Frank Kremblas said. "When you're down five in the ninth, it's hard to come back."

 

Jones, meanwhile, had a rough first start of the season in only his second outing since sustaining an elbow strain June 28, 2003. He took the loss, permitting eight hits, five runs - all earned - and two walks while striking out one batter.

 

Right-hander Carlos Hines, who entered the game in the fifth, picked up the win for the Biscuits. He struck out one while allowing three hits and two earned runs in three innings.

 

Brandon Gemoll, Nelson and Cruz each finished with two hits for Huntsville. Gemoll homered in the seventh and finished with two RBIs. Ryan Knox added two RBIs on a pair of sacrifice flies.

[lend d money]

I wonder if the Pirates are still glad they took Bullington over Upton. My goodness, the Devil Rays are going to be at least competitive in the not too distant future. Like us, they are stocked with young position players and just need the pitching. Fortunately for us, we don't have evil empires in our division.