Link Report Fri. 7/13 - Wright, Brewer Star in Power Walkoff

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Lindsay Gulin at Chattanooga (Reds), 6:00 PM pre-game; 6:15 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Rafael Lluberes at Sarasota (Reds), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

NOTE: Sorry, no audio for this Brevard County series

 

West Virginia: LHP Brae Wright at home vs. Hickory (Pirates), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Helena: RHP Donovan Hand at Idaho Falls (Royals), 8:00 PM pre-game, 8:15 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Arizona: LHP Mitch Stetter gets in another inning of work in a start vs. the Athletics' kids at home in Maryvale, 10:30 AM local time in Arizona, 12:30 Central; never any audio for Arizona Rookie League games -- Canadian RHP Travis Nevakshonoff will make his pro debut, following Stetter on the mound

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sarafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1

 

Arizona:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

These links will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally they are updated an hour or two prior to gametime, with Nashville's usually earlier:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

 

Nashville excerpt:

 

The Sounds are more than 20 games over .500 for the first time in nine years. The last time Nashville was this far above the break-even point was on September 5, 1999 (80-59); that club?s high point was 28 games over (66-38, July 30).

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Thursday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 56 35 .615 - 30-13 26-22 W5 Iowa 50 41 .549 6.0 29-19 21-22 L1 Omaha 43 49 .467 13.5 28-16 15-33 W3 Memphis 39 53 .424 17.5 21-27 18-26 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 12 10 .545 - 6-6 6-4 L3 Huntsville 11 11 .500 1.0 5-5 6-6 W4 Tennessee 11 11 .500 1.0 8-4 3-7 L1 Carolina 9 13 .409 3.0 5-5 4-8 W1 West Tenn 8 14 .364 4.0 6-6 2-8 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 13 8 .619 - 5-3 8-5 W1 Jupiter 10 10 .500 2.5 5-4 5-6 L1 Palm Beach 10 10 .500 2.5 4-7 6-3 L4 St. Lucie 9 11 .450 3.5 4-7 5-4 W1 Daytona 9 12 .429 4.0 5-6 4-6 W1 Vero Beach 4 16 .200 8.5 2-7 2-9 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakewood 13 7 .650 - 7-2 6-5 W1 Hickory 12 9 .571 1.5 8-5 4-4 W1 Lake County 11 9 .550 2.0 6-5 5-4 L1 West Virginia 11 10 .524 2.5 6-4 5-6 L1 Delmarva 9 11 .450 4.0 4-7 5-4 L1 Lexington 9 12 .429 4.5 8-5 1-7 W1 Hagerstown 7 13 .350 6.0 3-6 4-7 W1 Greensboro 6 15 .286 7.5 4-4 2-11 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 15 8 .652 - 9-3 6-5 W4 Helena 14 9 .609 1.0 5-6 9-3 W1 Billings 9 14 .391 6.0 5-6 4-8 L1 Missoula 9 14 .391 6.0 5-7 4-7 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 13 5 .722 - 11-3 2-2 W1 AZL Mariners 13 5 .722 - 7-2 6-3 L2 AZL Padres 11 6 .647 1.5 5-2 6-4 W1 AZL Cubs 10 8 .556 3.0 5-3 5-5 W4 AZL Giants 9 9 .500 4.0 5-4 4-5 W2 AZL Rangers 7 11 .389 6.0 3-5 4-6 L1 AZL Royals 7 11 .389 6.0 3-5 4-6 L2 AZL Athletics 6 12 .333 7.0 3-5 3-7 W1 AZL Brewers 4 13 .235 8.5 1-8 3-5 L5

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona A's 5, Arizona Brewers 3

 

Arizona Box Score:

Only three hits, coming from the 8 and 9 spots in the order combined; this club seems to be both overmatched and boring; and yes, we're talking about 17-, 18- and 19-year olds's here, but they're facing similar players from other clubs; the thread is long gone, but we've discussed in the past the number of prospects, particularly position players, that later prospered, who saw significant time in Arizona Rookie ball -- it's a miniscule list; wow, I'm king on the run-on sentence lately...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

 

Arizona Game Log:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[scottfossum]

Don't we have a Lefty starter in Helena to complete the set for tonights game.

[Boy Jeenius]

19 yr old Donovan Hand with another real strong start(even though he's a righty)

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewers Director of Amateur Scouting Jack Zduriencik (Part 1 of 2):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-13.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 10, Nashville 5

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Vinny Rottino photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2449

 

Redbirds Double Up Sounds, 10-5

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds? five-game win streak came to an end with a 10-5 loss to the division-rival Memphis Redbirds on Friday night at Greer Stadium in front of a Faith Night crowd of 8,562 fans.

 

Despite the loss, Sounds first baseman Brad Nelson (1-for-3) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games with an opposite-field solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. It was his 12th longball of the season.

 

Nashville (56-36) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Callix Crabbe doubled down the right field line and advanced to third on an error by Memphis rightfielder Joe Mather. Crabbe (2-for-4) scored two batters on a Laynce Nix groundout to first base.

 

Memphis (40-53) tied the game in the top of the second after Jarrett Hoffpauir hit a two-out single up the middle. He moved to third when shortstop Chris Barnwell misplayed a Matt Pagnozzi grounder, allowing Pagnozzi to reach first. Pitcher Mike Parisi followed with a double to deep center that scored Hoffpauir and moved Pagnozzi to third before Sounds starter Zach Jackson worked out of the inning.

 

Nashville retook the lead in the bottom of the third. Charles Thomas started the offense off with a one-out single up the middle and moved to third base after Parisi issued back-to-back walks to Joe Dillon and Brad Nelson. Vinny Rottino followed with a bases-clearing double down the right field line to put the Sounds up 4-1. Rottino extended his hitting streak to eight games with the two-bagger.

 

AUDIO: Rottino's Bases-Loaded Double --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-13.mp3

 

Memphis would rally to score one run in the top of the fourth inning, two runs in the sixth, and one in the seventh to tie the game.

 

In the top of the eighth, Brendan Ryan reached first on a two-out error by Dillon before advancing to second on a Mike McCoy walk. Ryan scored the go-ahead run on a Rick Ankiel (3-for-4) single off Sounds reliever Joe Thatcher before McCoy plated an insurance run on a Tagg Bozied single.

 

Redbirds reliever Matt Ginter (2-4) got the win, throwing two innings of no-hit relief and striking out four.

 

Sounds right-hander Greg Aquino (2-1) took the loss after giving up two unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning.

 

Nashville dropped to 6-4 against Memphis on the year but maintains its six-game division lead over the Iowa Cubs, who took a 6-5 loss against the Omaha Royals.

 

Sounds veteran team leader Andy Abad returned to action for the first time since June 1st after missing nearly six weeks due to a left wrist sprain. He flew out to deep right as a pinch-hitter to end the game, which snapped his hitting streak at 12.

 

The cross-state series continues Saturday night at Greer Stadium when Sounds southpaw Adam Pettyjohn (4-2, 4.17) takes the mound against the Redbirds Mike Smith (8-7, 4.83) at 6:00 p.m.

 

The first 2,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a free Sounds T-shirt compliments of Copley Instruments. All fans are invited to stay after the game to enjoy another spectacular fireworks display presented by Your Select Buick-Pontiac-GMC Dealers.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds fail to overcome mistakes

Have season-high four errors in loss

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessee Staff Writer

 

Committing a season-high four errors Friday night, the Nashville Sounds allowed four unearned runs and saw a five-game winning streak snapped in a 10-5 loss to visiting Memphis.

 

The Redbirds rallied from a three-run fifth-inning deficit, scoring an unearned run in a two-run sixth inning and tying the game in the seventh. In the eighth, a two-out fielding error by third baseman Joe Dillon led to a pair of runs as Memphis broke the game open.

 

"We did our job ? got on the scoreboard early; we just couldn't keep the lead like we usually have," Nashville first baseman Brad Nelson said.

 

Nelson gave the Sounds a 5-2 lead in the fifth with his two-out solo home run, his 12th of the season.

 

"We just made too many errors," Nelson said. "They hung in and came back, got people on and got some timely hits. It was just one of those nights for us, I guess. We hadn't done that in a long time."

 

Along with the errors, four Nashville relievers combined for five walks as the bullpen gave up six runs.

 

"Those games are going to happen," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Ideally, you get them all in the one game, and go on to the next one."

 

Memphis got on the scoreboard following a second-inning fielding error by shortstop Chris Barnwell, then cut the deficit to 5-3 following an errant sixth-inning pickoff attempt by pitcher Tim Dillard. In the ninth, right fielder Charles Thomas bobbled a ball hit by Joe Mather, allowing Mather to score after tripling off the center field wall.

 

Nashville scored five runs for the fifth straight game but allowed 10 runs for just the sixth time in 92 games.

 

Despite the loss, the Sounds maintained their six-game lead over Iowa in the Pacific Coast League's American Northern Division. Iowa lost at Omaha, 6-5.

 

What they said: "Giving up 15 hits, four errors and eight walks, I'd say we did pretty good giving up just 10 runs." ? Kremblas after his team's five-game winning streak was snapped.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

No-decision leaves Jackson in familiar setting

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

It shouldn't have come as a complete shock to Sounds starter Zach Jackson when he took a no-decision in Friday's 10-5 loss to visiting Memphis.

 

Jackson, who entered the game tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with nine victories, had made two earlier starts against the Redbirds ? and didn't get the decision in either outing.

 

On May 23, the left-hander lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) but striking out six in an 8-5 home loss. Three weeks later, he managed 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs (three earned) and again struck out six as the Sounds rallied for a 6-5 road win.

 

Jackson worked 5 2/3 innings Friday and left with a 5-3 lead before Tim Dillard allowed an unearned run in the sixth and a game-tying earned run in the seventh.

 

Too little, too late: The Sounds remain the only PCL team without a victory when trailing heading into the ninth inning. Nashville is 0-26 in such situations.

 

Let's go, Peay: Jack Zduriencik (zurr-EN-sik), director of amateur scouting for the Brewers, is in town for the Sounds' weekend series.

 

Zduriencik earned his master's degree in physical education at Austin Peay, where he coached football and baseball from 1975-77.

 

The Pennsylvania native joined the Brewers in October 1999 after stints with the Dodgers, Pirates and Mets.

 

A baker's dozen: Brad Nelson extended his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games with his two-out solo home run ? his 12th of the year ? in the fifth inning. Nelson is hitting .320 during the streak, which is the Sounds' longest of the season. Andy Abad had a chance to extend his own hitting streak to 13 games but flew out to deep right field in a ninth-inning pinch-hitting appearance. It was the first at-bat for Abad since June 1, as he's been sidelined by a sprained wrist.

 

Three's company: With Vinny Rottino's three-run double in the third inning, the Sounds are batting .380 with the bases loaded.

 

That success is a marked improvement over Nashville's .255 season clip with runners in scoring position.

 

Nashville Box Score:

Dennis Sarfate allowing walks and extra-base hits in the 9th -- he entered with the Sounds down, 7-5...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 5, Chattanooga (Reds) 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1266

 

Katin Carries Stars to Second Straight Comeback Win

 

Brendan Katin?s two-run double capped off a four-run sixth inning rally that led Huntsville to a 5-3 comeback win over Chattanooga Friday night in the middle game of a five-game set at AT&T Field. The Stars matched their longest win streak of the year with a fifth consecutive victory and won for a fifth time in six games to improve to 12-11 in the second half to move into a first place tie with the Lookouts, who fell to 12-11 in the half and 42-51 overall. The Stars have won six of the eight games in Chattanooga and lead the season series 11-8.

 

Chattanooga starter James Avery had blanked the Stars through the first five frames and for a total of 15 straight innings dating back to June 4 over three starts. Stars? starting pitcher Lindsay Gulin started the winning rally with a double to left field and scored when Hernan Iribarren followed with a single. Michael Brantley singled, Steve Sollmann dropped down a sacrifice bunt and Lou Palmisano was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Adam Heether chased home Iribarren with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. Katin then followed with a line drive into the alley in right-center field to clear the bases and give the visitors their first lead of the night. Iribarren?s second home run of the season in the seventh inning accounted for the game?s final run. Avery dropped to 7-9, and 1-2 in four starts against the Stars, after allowing all five runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings.

 

Gulin went six innings, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks to earn his team-high eighth win of the season. He struck out seven and was followed by Jeff Housman, who retired the first five batters he faced before a walk to Drew Anderson and a base hit by Adam Rosales brought Marino Salas into the game. The Stars? closer ended the threat by retiring Jay Garthwaite on a ground ball and set down the side in order in the ninth to earn his 16th save, good for second best in the league.

 

Luis Bolivar?s two-out, two-run home run, his second of the season, staked the Lookouts to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Marland Williams struck out for what appeared to be the second out of the fifth inning but reached on a wild pitch and moved around to third base on two more wild pitches uncorked by Gulin, who became the ninth pitcher in league history to issue five wild pitches in a game. Matt Clement was the last to do it on August 15, 1997 while pitching for Mobile. Mike Griffin?s spinning, cue shot infield hit delivered Williams to make it 3-0 Chattanooga.

 

The series continues Saturday night with southpaw Steve Hammond taking the mound for the Stars against Lookouts? right-hander Johnny Cueto. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

No offensive standout, small contributions add up to a win; Lindsay Gulin has eight wins in 12 Nashville starts -- remember, he began the season in Nashville...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cngaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Sarasota (Reds) 3, Brevard County 2, 11 innings

 

MiLB.com:

 

Holden propels Reds

 

Josh Holden's RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning capped a two-run rally that lifted host Sarasota over Brevard County, 3-2, on Friday.

 

After giving up a run in the top of the inning, the Reds (11-11) rallied off reliever E.J. Shanks (1-1). Tonys Gutierrez, who went 2-for-4, singled to start the 11th and Jeremiah Piepkorn sacrificed.

 

Miguel Perez walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Gerardo Cabrera before pinch-hitter Daniel Dorn delivered an RBI single to center field. Cabrera took third when center fielder Darren Ford misplayed the ball before scoring on Holden's base hit to right.

 

Perez also clubbed a solo homer, his first, in the fifth for Sarasota.

 

Reliever Derrik Lutz (3-3) picked up the win, despite allowing an unearned run on two hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts in two innings. Starter Daryl Thompson allowed one hit and a walk while striking out six over five shutout frames.

 

Chris Errecart slugged a solo homer, his sixth, in the seventh and doubled home Lorenzo Cain in the 11th for the Manatees (13-9). Brevard County's Mat Gamel went 0-for-5, snapping his Florida State League season-high 20-game road hitting streak.

 

Shanks, who had allowed just one run over his previous 10 appearances, surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and a walk while retiring only one batter in the 11th. Starter Rafael Lluberes yielded a run on four hits and six walks while fanning one in six frames. Kevin Roberts and Ben Stanczyk combined to hurl four scoreless frames.

 

The Manatees hold a 4-3 game lead in the season series following the 3-hour, 24- minute thriller in front of 648 fans at Ed Smith Stadium. -- Michael Avallone/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Cole Gillepsie a single and three walks; LHP Rafael Lluberes almost always limts the damage, but his walk rate is troubling -- if he ever gains command, he'll be high on the radar screen...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sarafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Darren Ford picked off second base with one out in the top of the first inning; Lorenzo Cain with an outfield assist at home in the bottom of the inning...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sarafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 3, Hickory (Pirates) 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

HOLMBERG'S SACRIFICE FLY PLATES WINNING RUN

 

West Virginia left a runner stranded at third base in six innings of Friday night?s game but came away with a 3-2 victory as Andrew Lefave scored on Kenny Holmberg?s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the rubber match.

 

Kent Sakamoto drove in his first of two runs on a triple in the top of the second inning to give Hickory an early lead. The Power scored twice in the third inning to take their first lead of the contest. Brent Brewer tripled in the first run of the inning and scored on Lefave?s sacrifice fly. Sakamoto struck again with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.

 

In the ninth inning Lefave reached first base on a one-out walk. Chuckie Caufield?s base hit through the left side of the infield put Lefave on second base and Lefave got to third on Taylor Green?s walk. With the bases loaded, Holmberg hit a fly ball to left field which was taken care of by Jared Keel, but Keel?s throw went up the first base line, allowing Lefave to score.

 

Shawn Ferguson (1-0) retired all four batters he faced through an inning and a third to get the win, and Derrick Moeves (2-2) was tagged with the loss. Power starter Brae Wright allowed a pair of runs on six hits over seven and two thirds.

 

The Power improved to 60-30 overall and 12-10 in the second half, while the Crawdads fell to 39-50 overall and 12-10 in the second half with the loss. Brent Brewer paced the Power with three hits and came a home run away from the cycle. West Virginia is 21-6 in one run games.

 

The Power will begin a three game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers at First Horizon Park on Saturday night. The Power will start right hander Alex Periard (4-1, 2.95) and the Grasshoppers will counter with right hander Kyle Winters (2-1, 5.06). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 Central).

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2007071335

 

Power produces winner in ninth

 

Holmberg?s sacrifice fly downs Hickory 3-2

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff Writer

 

Through most of the late innings, the Power continually threatened but failed to break a tie that had persisted since the fourth.

 

The Power even loaded the bases with none out in the seventh and still stranded the go-ahead run.

 

Such failures in the clutch were highly unbecoming of a team that owns a first-half division championship, leads the league in hitting, brought a 59-30 record into the game and had attracted another big crowd of 6,441 on fireworks night.

 

And when the Power loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, it raised the possibility of more frustration, but Kenny Holmberg scorched a long sacrifice fly to left to score Andrew Lefave for a 3-2 victory over the Hickory Crawdads Friday night at Appalachian Power Park.

 

On a night when the Power made modest use of seven hits, eight walks, two hit batsmen and two Hickory errors, it survived on pitching, particularly the work of left-hander Brae Wright.

 

For Wright, the Power?s opening-night starter on April 5, it was a continuation of the steady transition from college pitcher to professional. Instead of trying to blow fastballs past the hitters as he did at Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, the 23-year-old Wright is throwing four pitches, locating better and adding guile.

 

?He was a rear-back-and-cut-it-loose guy in college,?? said Power pitching coach John Curtis.

 

Wright didn?t pick up the victory Friday night but went 7 2/3 innings, allowed six hits and two runs and did not walk a batter. In the season?s first three months, he posted a 6.00 earned run average but in his last 20 innings has yielded just 16 hits, seven runs and two walks.

 

?He?s a more rounded pitcher now,?? said Curtis. ?He has a grasp of the game that should carry him. He?s getting people out in a way that he didn?t earlier. The difference is he?s a four-pitch pitcher now rather than a one-pitch pitcher.??

 

Mostly, he?s learned to mix up his pitches.

 

?This is a guy who?s worked very hard to change his style of pitching,?? said Curtis. ?We?ve tried to get him to rely more on his natural sinker action of his two-seam fastball, and we?ve made that the centerpiece of his whole approach. And we?ve impressed upon him that he?s got to mix up his pitches.

 

?He can?t throw fastball after fastball and expect to get people out. You have to set up the fastball at times with other pitches. He?s used his slider and changeup, and we?ve worked on a little curveball, too, and that?s given him a pretty impressive repertoire of pitches.??

 

Lefave started the ninth-inning rally by drawing a one-out walk. Chuckie Caufield followed with a single to left and Taylor Green walked to load the bases, setting up Holmberg?s sacrifice fly.

 

The Power scored twice in the third as Martin Maldonado was hit by a pitch and scored on Brent Brewer?s triple. Brewer then came home on Lefave?s sacrifice fly.

 

Shawn Ferguson pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the victory.

 

BRIEFLY: The Power opens a four-game series at Greensboro tonight and will play three games at Lakewood before returning home July 21. ... Before the game, the Power added Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning to its Wall of Fame. Bunning spent half of the 1956 season as a Charleston Senator and is the only former Charleston player voted to the Hall of Fame. ... In the last 11 games, the Power has averaged more than 5,000 fans a game and entered Friday?s game with a 3,931 average, which ranked seventh in the 16-team South Atlantic League. ... The Power is 21-6 in one-run games. ... The Crawdads? Kent Sakamotto homered to center and added an RBI triple off the left-field fence.

 

West Virginia Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

If you wish to listen to Andy "Bull" Barch's call of the 9th inning walkoff rally, be sure you're on the July 13th date, and go to the 2 hour, 33 minute mark:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chip Ellis

Brent Brewer of the West Virginia Power slides safely into third base after hitting a run-scoring triple against Hickory.

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/Power2.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Helena KCAP Audio Pre-Game Interview with OF Mike Goetz of UW-Milwaukee:

Be sure you're on the July 13th archive, then go to the 9:30 minute mark --

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

[Mass Haas]

Final: Idaho Falls (Royals) 5, Helena 4

 

MiLB.com, with additional notes from the Helena Independent Record:

 

Chukars survive Brewers

 

O.D. Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to give Idaho Falls a 5-4 victory over visiting Helena on Friday.

 

Helena is now 14-10 on the season and in second place in the Pioneer League North Division. Idaho Falls is 17-8, the best record in the league. They lead the South Division standings.

 

The Brewers led after four innings when Jonathan Lucroy drove in Lee Haydel with a single in the first. Helena went up 2-0 when David Fonseca hit a grounder to bring in Eric Fryer.

 

The Chukars, however, came back with two-run innings in the sixth and eighth. Devery Van De Keere and Gonzalez scored in the sixth.

 

Nick Van Stratten came in on a single by Joseph Billick in the eighth while Anthony Seratelli took advantage of a double steal.

 

Lucroy, at catcher, was able to throw out Joseph Billick as he tried to steal second base, but Seratelli snuck home to score.

 

Adrian Ortiz smacked a leadoff double in the ninth and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on Gonzalez's fly ball. Ortiz went 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and Devery Van De Keere was 3-for-4 with a walk for the Chukars (18-7).

 

Idaho Falls starter Chris Chavez allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings. Pat Cassa (2-0) recorded the final out in the ninth for the win.

 

Curt Rindal delivered an RBI single and Jordan Swaydan plated a run with a groundout in the ninth for the Brewers (14-11). Steffan Wilson went 2-for-3 with a walk.

 

Helena starter Donovan Hand surrendered two runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six frames. James Etheridge (0-1) retired only two batters, yielding one run on one hit and a walk in the ninth.

 

The Brewers head to Casper, Wyo., to face the 5-18 Rockies at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) Saturday night. -- Steve Conley/MLB.com

 

Helena Box Score:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_idarok_1