Link Report for Games of Saturday, June 14th

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-record.com/apps/...1021/GTCOM

 

Losing Grasshoppers pack in crowds

By Rob Daniels

Greensboro News-Record Staff Writer

 

GREENSBORO -- In case you needed more proof, Saturday night at First Horizon Park again demonstrated that in minor league baseball, a team's attendance is to its record as a lemur is to an avocado.

 

Sporting the South Atlantic League's worst second-half record, the Grasshoppers continued a remarkable month at the gate in a 7-2 loss to the West Virginia Power.

 

A throng of 8,079 showed up, helping the franchise cement its league lead in attendance and stay on course toward an interesting distinction. If they keep going at this rate, they'll become the first minor league franchise to increase attendance in each of the first three years in a new stadium.

 

(I believe the Power are on pace to do the same -- Mass Haas)

 

In five dates this month, the Hoppers (7-16 second half, 45-48) have attracted more fans than four Florida State League teams have drawn all season.

 

The Hoppers have topped the 8,000 mark in four of five opportunities, including a gathering of 9,309 on July 4 that was bigger than nine major league games have amassed this season.

 

Only the Midwest League's Dayton Dragons, who have sold out nearly every home game in their existence, top Greensboro among the 60 full-season teams in Class A baseball.

 

Surpassing the 427,890 attendance total from 2006 looked statistically improbable back in April, but it has proven possible. Now averaging 6,637 fans a night, the Grasshoppers are on track to break the mark with three home games to spare.

 

As for Saturday's game, Stephen Chapman's two-run home run in the fifth inning put the Power on top 3-2, and Taylor Green added a clinching three-run shot off the scoreboard in right-center in the eighth.

 

The Power's Andrew Lefave, who ranks among the top 10 hitters in all the minors, went 3-for-5 and raised his average to .349, and the Power did what it normally does.

 

West Virginia's average of 6.4 runs a game is good for third among the minors' 120 full-season teams, trailing only a pair of absurd California League outfits, the Lancaster JetHawks and the Lake Elsinore Storm.

 

On May 18, by the way, the Storm defeated the JetHawks 30-0.

 

"That's a team that really knows what it's doing - pitching, defense, hitting," said Hoppers manager Edwin Rodriguez. The Power improved its overall record to 61-30 (13-10 in the second half).

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com:

 

Tyson tames Rockies

 

Nicholas Tyson pitched five solid innings in his first professional start as visiting Helena edged Casper, 3-2, on Saturday.

 

Tyson ( (1-0), a 2006 32nd-round draft pick by Milwaukee who signed as a draft-and-follow in 2007, allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.25. The 19-year-old right-hander had a 2.45 ERA in five relief appearances.

 

Curtis Pasma gave up two hits and fanned three in three scoreless frames before Daniel Merklinger yielded a run in the ninth for his first save.

 

Steffan Wilson went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, his first, in the first for the Brewers (15-10).

 

Casper starter Jeff Fischer (0-4) remained winless after surrendering three runs on six hits in six frames, fanning three.

 

Christopher Vasami belted a solo homer, his first, and Orlando Sandoval went 3-for-4 with an RBI double for the Rockies (5-20). -- Marc Jimenez/MLB.com

 

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Link while active, text follows:

 

www.casperstartribune.net...1b798b.txt

 

Rockies' rally falls short in loss to Helena

By ERIC SCHMOLDT

Casper Star-Tribune staff writer

 

Chris Vasami's home run blasted the scoreboard, but Steffan Wilson's shot made the most noise.

 

Wilson's two-run homer in the first inning carried over the left field foul pole and helped lift the Helena Brewers to a 3-2 win over the Casper Rockies Saturday night at Mike Lansing Field.

 

The 2,144 fans had barely settled into their seats before their complaints rang loud.

 

After getting two outs to start the game, Casper starter Jeff Fischer gave up a double to Kurt Crowell before Wilson stepped into the batter's box. The designated hitter pulled an 0-1 pitch down the left field line that left the ballpark above the foul pole.

 

The fans disagreed with the call by home plate umpire Jason Bertschy, and so did Casper manager Tony Diaz, who came out of the dugout to plead his case.

 

"It's one of those calls that I guess could've gone either way," Diaz said. "We didn't get the break, (but) I don't think we've gotten any breaks the whole year, so it didn't surprise me."

 

It was the third straight game the Rockies gave up two runs in the first frame. All three ended in Casper losses.

 

Vasami cut the deficit in half in the bottom half of the second with a laser of his own. His first professional home run sailed to left-center field, crashing into the top portion of the announcement board.

 

"It felt good," Vasami said. "I wish it could've come in a win, but we battled and came up one run short."

 

Fischer was saddled with his fourth loss in what Diaz called his best outing of the season thus far. Helena's Nick Tyson picked up his first win of the year and Dan Merklinger got his first save.

 

Crowell doubled again in the fourth inning and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run after the Rockies put together a ninth-inning rally.

 

Austin Rauch led off with a strikeout, but reached when the third strike bounced to the backstop. David Christensen came on as a pinch runner and moved to second base when Vasami grounded out.

 

That brought up Orlando Sandoval. Already 2-for-3 on the night, he took a 2-2 pitch to right field for an RBI double to make it 3-2.

 

"Sandoval, once again, he's showing me something and I'm going to give him more playing opportunities," Diaz said.

 

The center fielder represented the game-tying run at second base, but the rally ended there.

 

Chad Lembeck struck out looking and Carlos Martinez followed by going down swinging in an at-bat that Diaz said represents his team's current hitting funk.

 

Martinez watched three straight balls to start his at-bat, fouled off the 3-0 pitch and then took two more swings, both at pitches that most likely would have been ball four.

 

"We tried to muster something at the end, but . . . we just struggled offensively," Diaz said. "To put the icing on the cake, Martinez's at-bat right there was pretty much the epitome of the whole game."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds' big first inning holds up for win

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Baseball is a nine-inning game, but the Sounds needed only one to get past visiting Memphis on Saturday night.

 

Joe Dillon doubled with the bases loaded and scored on a wild pitch to key a four-run first inning as the Sounds won 5-2.

 

The victory, in front of a Greer Stadium announced crowd of 9,327, was the sixth in Nashville's last seven outings. The Sounds now have a season-high seven-game lead over Iowa in the Pacific Coast League's American Northern Division.

 

Dillon paced a nine-hit attack for the Sounds; every offensive starter had a hit.

 

"You always want to jump on a guy early," Dillon said of Nashville's early success against Memphis starter Mike Smith (8-8). "It's nice to go out in the first inning and score a few runs."

 

The Sounds answered Nick Stavinoha's second-inning leadoff homer against starter Adam Pettyjohn (5-2) with a run in the bottom of the inning. Pettyjohn reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Drew Anderson's double. That was the extent of the offense for Nashville, which stranded seven runners ? three in scoring position.

 

"We wasted some opportunities," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "We were 0-for-4 with runners at third base and less than two outs."

 

Added Dillon: "We didn't do a very good job of situational hitting. We should have had 10 or 12 runs."

 

Pettyjohn scattered five hits over 5 2/3 innings to win his second straight start.

 

"(After the home run) I just wanted to continue to throw strikes," said Pettyjohn, who had thrown 14 scoreless innings against the Redbirds in two previous career starts.

 

Pettyjohn and relievers Steve Bray and Luther Hackman combined for three walks.

 

The Sounds pitching staff issued eight walks in Friday's 10-5 loss, which stopped a five-game winning streak.

 

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Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Dillon usually provides runs in bases-loaded situations

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Joe Dillon has made the most of his opportunities with the bases loaded this season.

 

In seven such at-bats, the Nashville Sounds veteran infielder has driven in 20 runs.

 

"I'd like to hit every time with the bases loaded," Dillon said after hitting a three-run double in the first inning of Saturday's 5-2 win over visiting Memphis. "That's when you get to drive in runs."

 

Dillon is 6-for-7 with four doubles and a home run with the bags jammed. He's also had a pair of sacrifice flies and a pair of walks.

 

The Sounds are hitting .392 with the bases loaded.

 

Fourteen and counting: Brad Nelson extended his hitting streak to a Nashville season-high 14 games with his ground-rule double in the third inning.

 

The hit cost Nashville a run, as Andy Abad would likely have scored from first base on the play. Abad was eventually stranded at third.

 

Fan injured: A fan was struck in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Memphis center fielder Rick Ankiel during the seventh inning. The fan was removed from the seating area near first base on a stretcher by medical personnel, and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

 

Armed Forces Day set: The Sounds will observe Armed Forces Day tonight, as part of their military appreciation weekend. Prior to Saturday's game, a number of first pitches were thrown by family members of military personnel killed in combat.

 

Tonight, all active military members and their immediate families will be admitted free upon presentation of valid military identification at the Greer Stadium ticket office. Prior to the game, a parachute team from the 101st Airborne unit at Fort Campbell will land on the playing field and some local soldiers will take part in a re-enlistment ceremony.

 

Titan alert: Titans placekicker Rob Bironas was in the Greer Stadium crowd for Saturday's Sounds win.

[LouisEly]

Michael Brantley, while hits much less extra base hits have been hard to come by lately, has 50 BB and 35 K on the season so far.

 

And Drew Anderson, not so long ago looking up at the Mendoza line, has crept up to .256 BA. Still a ways to go with the OPS on the year so far, but moving in the right direction.

 

Hammond has been solid now in his last eight outings... hopefully he's corrected whatever was messed up.

 

Nice to see Goetz with a strong start so far in Helena... perhaps he can get back on the prospect radar.

[TheCrew07]

I don't get the whole arguement that some other posters have made that Brantley is already as developed a hitter as he's going to become. I can see that with a college kid, if he was in the same position as Brantley he'd be 3 years older and in AA and not hitting very much but showing good discipline. Brantley's plate discipline is truly remarkable for a kid as young as he is. I don't have anything to back me up other than a gut feeling, but I think this kid is going to turn it around in the hits department as he gets older and turn into something special at the plate. He won't hit 40 homers in a year, but he'll be a top of the order OBP machine.

 

I'm sure I'm going to jinx him, but I like the kid so much I must talk about him... Brewer hasn't struck out in 2 straight games! It's been a while since he's accomplished that feat so I thought I'd give the young man some props. If he could learn half the discipline of Brantley as he moves up look out National League, we have another all-star SS on the way! Though I must admit, I'm not sure how I would feel as Hardy has been my favorite Brewer for a long time...