Link Report for Games of Saturday, May 31st

[MassBrew]

Daily Menu for Saturday:

Doesn't anyone play a Saturday matinee anymore?

 

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

 

INDIANAPOLIS: LHP Travis Miller vs. Ottawa (Orioles) at home, 7:00 PM

 

HUNTSVILLE: RHP Mike Jones home vs. Mobile (Padres), 7:05 PM

 

HIGH DESERT: Idle, as San Jose's stadium hosts local schoolboy action

 

BELOIT: RHP Luis Pena at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:30 PM

[MassBrew]

Daily Menu Reminder:

 

Beloit audio available Saturday at

 

www.kernels.com/Pages/radio.html

 

Indianapolis Media Notes for Saturday:

First update in a while; some new tidbits here...

 

TONIGHT: The Indians continue an eight-game homestand with the second game of a four-game set with the Ottawa Lynx. The Lynx, in their first year of affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles, are making their only visit to Victory Field in 2003. The teams split a four-game series in Ottawa last week. The Indians dropped the opener 3-2 before the teams alternated 4-0 shutouts. The Tribe then won the finale 6-5.

 

Last year the Indians went 3-4 against the Lynx, at that time the top affiliate of the Montreal Expos. Ottawa won three of the four contests at Victory Field. Since joining the IL in 1998, the Indians are 21-22 against Ottawa.

 

The Indians need to win the remaining games on the homestand to finish .500. The Tribe has their work cut out for them tonight facing LHP Rigo Beltran who ranks second in the IL with a 1.51 ERA and has worked 17.1 scoreless innings. Beltran threw a seven-inning, complete-game shutout against the Tribe last Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader.

 

The Indians are 10-18 in May. Last year, the squad was 12-18 in May.

 

The Indians are 16 games under .500 for the first time since August 8, 1993. The last time the Indians were 17 games under .500 was Aug. 7, 1993.

 

YESTERDAY: Ottawa parlayed a four-run fourth inning into an 8-5 win over the Indians. The teams had traded runs over the first three innings and were tied 2-2 when the Lynx scored four times in the fourth. Jack Cust, Robert Machado and Rob Sasser doubled in the inning. The Indians got home runs from Keith Luuloa and Bill Hall in the losing effort.

 

ON THE MOUND: Lefthander Travis Miller makes his third start and fifth appearance for the Indians since signing as a free agent on May 11. Miller worked a season-high 4.0 innings in his last start, but took the loss after giving up three runs to Rochester. All four of Miller's appearances as an Indian have come at Victory Field.

 

LEAGUE LEADER: RHP David Manning ranks sixth in the IL with a 2.83 ERA. After starting the year with six relief appearances (0-0, 3.27), Manning has made seven starts going 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA.

 

'KOLB' AS ICE: Opponents are hitting a frigid .192 against Tribe reliever Dan Kolb. Kolb has recorded a 1.33 ERA in 19 games allowing four earned runs in 27.0 innings. Kolb has struck out 28 batters in his last 18.1 innings (11 G).

 

LUULOA SHINING IN MAY: Utility man Keith Luuloa has hit safely in 15 of 22 games in May. He leads the team with a .316 average, .658 slugging percentage, .361 on-base percentage and five home runs, and is tied for the team lead with nine doubles. Luuloa is tied for second with 14 RBI and tied for third with 16 runs scored. During the month, Luuloa has seven multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games. He's seen action at first base, second base, third base and designated hitter.

 

ZOCK IT TO 'EM: Pete Zoccolillo has hit safely in six of his last seven games (.286, 6-for-21). He has driven in at least one run in each of his last four games.

 

ON THE BOARD EARLY: The Indians have scored a team-best 37 runs in the first inning. The Tribe has plated a first-inning run in 19 games this season, but is just 8-11 in those games. The first inning is the only inning in which the Indians have outscored their opponents. The Indians have scored just 37 runs over the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and are 2-28 when trailing after six innings.

 

UPCOMING PROBABLES:

Sunday vs. Ottawa - RHP Sean Douglass (5-3, 3.18) vs. RHP Mike Buddie (0-4, 4.35)

Monday vs. Ottawa - RHP Rafael Pina (0-2, 5.11) vs. RHP David Manning (3-2, 2.83)

[Montanabowlegs]

Jeff Housman pitched tonight because of the rainout yesterday. He pitched 7 great shutout innings.

[MassBrew]

Thanks, Montanabowlegs!

 

We'll have final numbers soon enough, but the Jeff Housman story has to be one of the most compelling of the season thus far.

 

If RHP Jon Steitz isn't injured to begin the season, Housman remains in extended spring training.

 

After five fine relief appearances, if starters Calvin Carpenter and Khalid Ballouli don't have their own injury issues, Housman would not have made his sixth start tonight.

 

Housman was, at best, really bad in 16 appearances (five starts) at Ogden last year, posting an 8.07 ERA with a WHIP over 2.00, allowing 55 hits in 32.1 IP.

 

In 35 innings in his junior year at Cal State Fullerton, he allowed 50 hits, walked 15 and struck out 32.

 

In juco ball the prior year, Housman posted a 2.19 ERA and struck out 76, whle walking only 19 in 90.1 innings, throwing four complete games.

 

So his numbers had regressed at the higher levels. But now, he's suddenly a 6'4" lefty with a 1.40 ERA in 52.2 IP and a microscopic WHIP who will only be 22 in August, so he's pitching at an age appropriate level. Let's see what we have after June, July, and August, but every organization needs a guy or two each year to come out of nowhere and add his name to the prospect list. Evidently, last year's 33rd rounder is intent on doing just that.

 

And now we better understand Toby's tag line as of late. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Apparently, Jeff's superstitious about never going to the bathroom during a game. I'm guessing that's only when he's pitching, so these seven-inning starting efforts must be tough for him...

[MassBrew]

Beloit 4, Cedar Rapids (Angels) 0

 

Beloit Site Game Summary and Linescore:

Jeff Housman now has allowed 35 hits and 12 walks in 52.2 IP; several nice offensive contributions detailed here...

 

www.snappersbaseball.com/...me_id=1093

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis 4, Ottawa (Orioles) 0

Nice to be on the good side of a couple of 4-0 victories tonight; that's a top offensive team LHP Travis Miller and the staff shut down there...

 

Indianapolis Box Score:

The Tribe treats nearly 10,000 fans to a near-perfect game; Zocco's been an RBI machine as of late...

 OTTAWA AB R H BI INDIANAPOLIS AB R H BI B Littleton CF 4 0 2 0 M Budzinski CF 2 1 1 0 N Calzado SS 4 0 0 0 B Hall SS 3 1 1 1 J Leon 3B 4 0 1 0 J Rushford 1B 2 1 1 0 J Cust LF 3 0 0 0 M Smith DH 4 0 1 0 R Machado C 4 0 1 0 K Luuloa 3B 3 0 0 0 S Lomasney DH 4 0 0 0 P Zoccolillo RF 4 0 2 3 F Bates RF 3 0 0 0 J Lawrence LF 4 0 0 0 R Sasser 2B 3 0 0 0 C McKay C 3 0 0 0 C Lemonis 1B 3 0 1 0 S Scarborough 2B 2 1 2 0 TOTALS 32 0 5 0 TOTALS 27 4 8 4 OTTAWA 000 000 000 -- 0 INDIANAPOLIS 200 020 00x -- 4 E--B Hall, N Calzado. DP--OTTAWA 2. LOB--OTTAWA 6, INDIANAPOLIS 6. 2B--C Lemonis. SB--J Rushford 1 (1), S Scarborough 1 (2), B Littleton 1 (2). CS--B Hall, S Scarborough, B Littleton. S--M Budzinski. IP H R ER BB SO HR OTTAWA R Beltran (L,3-1) 4 2-3 5 4 4 5 4 0 T Rizzo 2 1-3 3 0 0 0 2 0 D Cubillan 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 INDIANAPOLIS T Miller (W,1-1) 5 4 0 0 1 6 0 J Childers 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 D Kolb 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 HBP--J Rushford by R Beltran. SO--OTT: S Lomasney 3, F Bates 2, J Leon, N Calzado, C Lemonis, J Cust. IND: M Smith 2, M Budzinski, J Lawrence, K Luuloa, C McKay, P Zoccolillo. BB--OTT: J Cust. IND: M Budzinski, J Rushford, K Luuloa, B Hall, S Scarborough. T--2:42. A--9,900.

[MassBrew]

Indy Site Game Summary:

 

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Indians (19-34) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Ottawa Lynx (29-26) at Victory Field on Saturday night. Pete Zoccolillo supplied the necessary offense and three Tribe pitchers combined to limit the Lynx to five hits.

 

Travis Miller (2-1) made his third start for Indianapolis lasting a season-high five innings. Miller allowed only four hits while striking out six Lynx batters before giving way to Jason Childers to start the sixth inning.

 

The Indians bats were alive from the onset, loading the bases with no outs to start the first inning against Lynx starting pitcher Rigo Beltran, who entered Saturday's game having recorded 17.1 consecutive scoreless innings. Beltran (3-1) battled back by striking out Tribe cleanup hitter Mark Smith and third baseman Keith Luuloa, both of whom went down looking, before Zoccolillo ripped a single to right field driving home Mark Budzinski and Bill Hall to give the Tribe a 2-0 lead.

 

The Tribe again touched Beltran (3-1) for runs in the home half of the fifth inning. Hall singled home Steve Scarborough with one out, and after Beltran was removed with two outs and the bases loaded, Zoccolillo greeted reliever Todd Rizzo with a single scoring Jim Rushford with the Indians fourth run of the game.

 

Childers pitched the sixth and seventh innings for Indianapolis allowing one hit while striking out one before giving way to Dan Kolb to start the eighth. Kolb faced only six batters in getting the final six Ottawa outs, striking out two, as the Indians recorded their third shutout win of the season.

 

The Indians and Lynx will continue the four-game series at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon on Bat Day at Victory Field when Mike Buddie (0-4, 4.35) takes the mound for the Indians to face Sean Douglass (5-3, 3.18).

[MassBrew]

Huntsville 5, Mobile (Padres) 4, 11 innings

Huge 4-for-5 night for catcher Mike Kremblas, who was hitting .113 in his prior 53 AB's. He sent the game to extra innings with a two-out base hit, and then won it with an RBI single, driving in Daryl Clark, who worked a one-out walk and advanced on a walk to Richard Paz.

 

Much, much, more from the Huntsville site, the Times, and David Weiser by mid-morning on this 3 hour, 35 minute wild affair in which the Stars overcame four errors to take a two-game division lead.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Stars strike out 13 times but also draw seven walks; big win with David Krynzel and Corey Hart in bench roles only; when you see this box score, you'll understand that this was as close to a one-man show as possible -- perhaps as dominant a solo offensive effort as any Brewer farmhand has enjoyed this season. No doubt that Mike Kremblas has heard some catcalls in Huntsville considering his weak offensive contributions prior to this one, plus the whole Brian Moon / manager's brother soap opera. Hopefully, he's enjoying basking in a little glory this evening...

 MOBILE AB R H BI HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI T Donovan CF 6 0 1 1 R Knox CF 5 0 0 0 J Gautreau 2B 6 0 1 0 N Varner RF 5 0 0 0 R Washington C 4 0 2 0 J HARDY SS 3 1 1 0 Y Haad C 1 0 0 0 B Gemoll 1B 5 0 0 0 J Knott RF 3 1 0 0 R Gripp 3B 3 1 1 0 D Bravo 1B 3 1 0 0 C Barnwell PR 1 1 0 0 K Greene SS 5 0 0 0 D Clark LF 3 2 0 0 B Scales 3B 5 2 3 0 R Paz 2B 3 0 0 1 V Faison LF 4 0 2 0 M Kremblas C 5 0 4 4 D McAdoo P 3 0 1 2 M Jones P 1 0 0 0 A Webb P 1 0 0 0 C Cosbey PH 1 0 0 0 M Bumstead P 1 0 0 0 K Ray P 0 0 0 0 B Baker P 0 0 0 0 C Hart PH 1 0 0 0 B Adams P 0 0 0 0 D Krynzel PH 1 0 1 0 M Adams P 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 42 4 10 3 TOTALS 37 5 7 5 MOBILE 000 013 000 00-- 4 HUNTSVILLE 000 000 301 01-- 5 1 OUT WHEN WINNING RUN SCORED E--M Kremblas, R Gripp, J HARDY, M Jones. DP--HUNTSVILLE 1. LOB--MOBILE 10, HUNTSVILLE 8. CS--M Kremblas. S--D Bravo. IP H R ER BB SO HR MOBILE D McAdoo 6 2-3 3 2 2 1 9 0 A Webb 1 1-3 1 1 1 3 1 0 M Bumstead 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 B Baker (L,1-5) 1-3 1 1 1 2 1 0 HUNTSVILLE M Jones 6 7 4 2 3 6 0 K Ray 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 B Adams 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 M Adams (W,2-3) 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 WP--D McAdoo, B Baker. SO--MOB: V Faison 2, K Greene 2, D Bravo, J Gautreau, J Knott, M Bumstead, D McAdoo. HUN: B Gemoll 3, N Varner 3, R Paz, D Clark, C Barnwell, C Cosbey, C Hart, M Kremblas, R Knox. BB--MOB: J Knott 2, D Bravo, V Faison. HUN: R Paz 2, D Clark 2, J HARDY 2, R Gripp. T--3:32. A--3,219.

Nice to see the scoreless performances out of Kenny Ray and Brian Adams -- with a shorthanded staff, their middle relief efforts will be key down this first-half stretch...

[MassBrew]

Beloit Box Score:

Still can't get over the fact that the Kernels' RF's name is B.J. Weed - MassBrew...

 YTD YTD CEDAR RAPIDS AB R H BI AVG BELOIT AB R H BI AVG R.Melgarejo CF 4 0 0 0 .213 K.Bibbs CF 5 1 1 1 .266 Q.Cosby LF 4 0 2 0 .223 C.Terni SS 2 0 0 0 .259 A.Callaspo 2B 4 0 1 0 .325 J.Eure 3B 4 0 0 0 .245 J.Abruzzo CAT 4 0 1 0 .258 P.Fielder 1B 2 0 1 1 .289 E.Aybar SS 4 0 1 0 .315 T.Hinton DH 4 0 0 0 .167 C.Maher DH 3 0 0 0 .247 J.VandenBrg CAT 3 1 0 0 .248 M.Brown 3B 4 0 1 0 .205 M.Mendez RF 3 0 0 0 .241 J.Mathis 1B 3 0 0 0 .259 N.Carter LF 3 2 1 0 .133 A.Dvorsky PH 1 0 0 0 .242 C.Crabbe 2B 3 0 3 2 .207 B.Weed RF 4 0 2 0 .314 J.Housman PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Rodriguez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Trytten PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Morban PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Gabriel PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Marquez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 35 0 8 0 TOTALS 29 4 6 4 CEDAR RAPIDS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0 8 2 BELOIT 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 X- 4 6 2 E--B.Weed 2, C.Terni, C.Crabbe. DP--CEDAR RAPIDS 0, BELOIT 1. LOB-- CEDAR RAPIDS 9, BELOIT 9. 2B--J.Abruzzo (12), C.Crabbe 2 (13). SH--M.Mendez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA CEDAR RAPIDS R.Rodriguez (L,3-4) 6.0 6 4 3 4 1 0 3.47 C.Morban 1.0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0.00 J.Marquez 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.95 BELOIT J.Housman (W,2-3) 7.0 5 0 0 0 3 0 1.37 R.Trytten 1.0 3 0 0 0 0 0 5.45 J.Gabriel 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4.95 WP--C.Morban, J.Gabriel. BALKS--R.Rodriguez. PB--J.Abruzzo. SO-- J.Abruzzo, J.Mathis 2, K.Bibbs, J.Eure, P.Fielder, T.Hinton. BB-- C.Maher, C.Terni 2, P.Fielder 2, J.VandenBrg, N.Carter, C.Crabbe. T--2:35. A--2110 

[Mike2k33]

I was lucky enough to attend the Beloit game tonight. Jeff Housman, while not overpowering, was very consistant and made the pitches that he had to make. He was at about 89-91 mph most of the night.

 

A couple of interesting defensive plays for the Snappers. Callix Crabbe's error was a tough one. It was a high chopper to the right of the pitchers mound and he had to come in hard and never got a hold of the ball. I doubt he would've thrown the guy out but they gave him the E. Callix had a very nice game at the plate with a couple RBI on a couple hits.

 

Then in the 8th, Ryan Trytten loaded the bases with one out. He got the next guy to hit a short fly ball to center, the man on third tagged up but Kennard Bibbs had to let it drop in. Bibbs threw a lazer to the plate to get the force out. Trytten got the next guy out to preserve the shutout.

 

All in all, a very good all around game for the Snappers.

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Reminder:

 

Mobile and Huntsville will be completing a suspended game from April 26th on Sunday, prior to the regularly scheduled game. Here's the game summary and a reminder as to where things will pick up:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/c...;newsid=46

[950opsLHcatcher]

Props for both DJ Clark and Danny Kolb.

 

Clark has walked 5 times in the last two games, to raise his Huntsville total to 11 in 51 AB, and is already 7th on the team, only 2 behind Corey Hart in almost a quarter of the AB. Going from the Cal League to the Southern League is not an easy task on the bat, so it is nice to see DJ keeping up his walk totals as his bat comes around.

 

Danny Kolb has been unconscious in AAA all season and is yet one more option for a Milwaukee bullpen arm if the current guys are dealt. His WHIP has been around 1 the whole campaign, and he's striking out 11 batters per 9 innings, while walking only 3 per 9. Between Kolb, Foster, and Nance, there are three guys in Indy that could step in to the bullpen for the Brewers and be pretty decent.

 

On the flip side, Noochie Varner with an 0-13 start to his Brewers career, including 8 K's? Ouch.

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis Star Game Story:

Brief quotes from Travis Miller and Pete Zoccolillo...

 

www.indystar.com/print/ar...4-036.html

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...?newsid=84

 

Huntsville Site Press Release on Matt Parker's Award:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...?newsid=85

 

Huntsville Times Game Story:

Looks like Mike Kremblas made some boo-boo's to go along with his clutch hits in a very eventful night...

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...827970.xml

 

News and Notes from Mark McCarter's Weekly Stars' Report:

 

Manager Frank Kremblas isn't fretting too much about what might seem a pitching shortage. The Stars have only 10 pitchers, and only three of the original five starters are healthy. Ben Diggins (shoulder) and Ben Hendrickson (forearm) are both in Arizona at the Brewers' year-round camp. "All our relievers are able to go two or three innings if they need to,'' said Kremblas.

 

...David Krynzel had 21 stolen bases going into Saturday's game and Ryan Knox 18, putting them one-two in the league. No wonder the Stars lead the league in stolen bases with 74 - 26 more than the No. 2 club.

 

...Tough timing in the release of Matt Hammons. On the shelf, but not on the disabled list, since May 12, he was just coming back to health. ... Ex-Star Jeff Deardorff is batting .310 for Minnesota's Double-A New Britain team after beginning the season in Triple-A Rochester, where former teammate Chad Green is hitting .277.

 

...Richard Paz carried a seven-game hitting streak into Saturday night's game. ... After some struggles, reliever Mike Adams has three saves in his last four outings, allowing only one run in four innings.

[MassBrew]

David Weiser's Huntsville Update:

 

ANOTHER UNLIKELY HERO

With Corey Hart and Dave Krynzel getting a day off, it looked like it was time for another unsung hero to rise to the occasion....... Friday night, it was catcher Kade Johnson with his go-ahead 2-run home run to beat Birmingham........ Tonight, it was the Stars other catcher, Mike Krembas's night to shine........ Down 4-0 and bound by Duncan McAdoo to 2 hits through 6 innings, Kremblas delivered a key 2-run single in the 7th inning, the game-tying hit with 2 out in the 9th, and the game-winning hit in the 11th....... Quite a night for someone who came in hitting .147 with 5 RBIs.

 

The first four innings went quickly. Mike Jones and Duncan McAdoo, combined, had allowed only two runners to reach scoring position....... In the 1st inning, Jake Gautreau and Rico Washington hit back-to-back singles. In the bottom half, J.J. Hardy singled and reached 2nd on a wild pitch....... Through four, Jones stayed consistently ahead of hitters, going 3-and-1 only once. Jonesy was able to throw a first pitch strike to the first ten hitters he faced, but of the two pitchers, it was McAdoo who had the upper hand........ At one point, McAdoo, facing albeit a tamer Stars lineup without Hart and Krynzel, retired 15 of 16 batters and allowed only four balls out of the infield. Kremblas hit an infield single in the 3rd, but he was erased trying to steal, being caught red-handed in a one-man rundown with McAdoo, who chased him back to first.

 

Mike Jones gave in first....... In the 5th inning, between a pair of strikeouts, Jones allowed Bobby Scales and Vince Faison to reach on a single and an error. Scales then scored on a single to right by Todd Donovan....... With one out in the 6th, Jonesy went full on Jon Knott and Danny Bravo, then walked them both. It looked like he would escape this inning after getting Khalid Greene to pop up a ball beyond the infield dirt to Chris Barnwell, but it wasn't to be. J.J. Hardy came in on a soft grounder hit by Bobby Scales, but threw the ball away for a two-base error that scored Knott....... 2-0........ With runners in scoring position, Vince Faison was intentionally walked to get to McAdoo, whom Jones had already struck out twice....... Instead, he dumped a single into shallow right, scoring Bravo and Scales....... Jonesy finished the inning, but he was done after 104 pitches, the first time I believe any starter this year has gone beyond 95 pitches.

 

But I've seen this time and time again. When they're down, the Stars' spirits never are....... Even thought the Stars came in with a 1-15 record when trailing after six innings, they never quit. McAdoo was one out away from getting out of the 7th after fanning Noochie Varner and Brandon Gemoll, the Stars' principal strikeout victims tonight, but J.J. worked a full count into a walk and was waiting on first when Ryan Gripp, batting .216, singled to center, sending Hardy to third....... Bay Bear manager Craig Colbert said, "McAdoo pitched one of the best games anyone has thrown for us this year, " yet he chose this moment to go to Alan Webb (1-2, 3.82). Webb, averaging a walk for every appearance for Mobile, threw three straight balls to Daryl Clark, then walked him on 3-and-1. Then with the bases loaded, he walked Richard Paz, probably still miffed after a called third strike in the 5th inning on what looked very much like an outside pitch. That forced in Hardy, and the Stars were on the scoreboard........

 

But who could have figured Mike Kremblas would have this kind of night? Kremblas singled to right-center, the ball falling in between three Bay Bears........ The Kremblas brothers had been taking a lot of heat from fans angry at the release of Brian Moon in mid-April for Mike's signing...... This game removed all of that heat, if not for the moment.

 

The Stars got five scoreless innings of relief from Ken Ray, Brian Adams, and Mike Adams........ That lowered the bullpen ERA in May to 3.57....... Brian gave up 2-out singles to Scales and Faison in the 8th, but the southpaw, who had given up 12 runs in his previous three appearances covering 5 1/3 innings, got reliever Mike Bumstead to hit into a force play at seconde. After that, Adams and Adams retired 9 of 11 Bay Bear hitters, as the Stars forced the game into extra innings on --- you knew it --- a 2-out RBI single up the middle by Kremblas that scored pinch-runner Chris Barnwell. (Ryan Gripp had walked to lead off the 9th. Barnwell went to second on a double-play ball by Richard Paz that was fumbled by Jake Gautreau.)

 

What looked in the beginning to be a two-hour game, had already gone well past the three-hour point in the bottom of the 11th....... After Dagwood struck out Barnwell on a 3-2 pitch, he walked Clark and Paz. Realizing Kremblas was having his night, Colbert went to the bullpen to pull out right-hander Brad Baker (1-4, 5.63). His wild pitch sent Clark to third....... Kremblas, on a 1-1 pitch, drove in Clark on a single to right to win the game....... That marked the first time this season the Stars had won after trailing after eight innings........ For Mobile, it was the 2nd time in a week they had lost the lead and the game in 11 innings. They are now 0-6 in extra-inning games this season.

 

Mobile and Huntsville will play a double-header of sorts on Sunday. They will complete their postponed game from April 26th, which sits as a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning. Although they are playing at the Joe, the Stars will bat as the visiting team, with a 1-2 count on Brandon Gemoll, the bases empty, and two out. Twenty minutes after the conclusion of that game, the scheduled game begins.......

 

The Stars have only ten pitchers and two of the original five members of the rotation are rehabbing in Arizona. "All our relievers are able to go two or three innings if they need to," says manager Frank Kremblas. Sunday, one of them, Matt Parker (3-1, 1.96) will start against Mobile lefty Cory Stewart (4-3, 2.93).

 

Who will be the unlikely hero on Sunday? A hopeful candidate is Noochie Varner, who left Class AA - Erie (East.) with a .303 average, but is starting out his career with the Stars 0-for-13 with 8 strikeouts, and has been going down each time early in the count. 1-and-2 is as far as he got tonight before striking out in the 7th. It remains to be seen if he'll be in the lineup....... Varner turned in a pair of very nice defensive plays Saturday night, one on the very first batter in the game, Todd Donovan, as he ran back to the wall in right to make an over-the-shoulder catch........ Bernie Brewer made his first Huntsville appearance before a relatively small crowd for a Saturday night game, doing not much more than what Homer usually does, save for signing autographs on the inside concourse.

[MassBrew]

Daily Press Weekly High Desert Notes Column:

It's a little different this week, a detailed discussion of the California League All-Star selection process. It's speculated that OF Jason Belcher and RH closer Bobby Bystrowski will be named as back-ups to represent the Mavericks...

 

www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...496,68251,