Link Report Thurs. 6/21 - Final Update: Praise for Jeffress

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu: This audio feast will keep you entertained on a big league-free night...

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Adam Pettyjohn at home vs. Iowa (Cubs), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman and LHP Steve Hammond in a double-dip at Tennessee (Cubs), 4:25 PM pre-game; 4:35 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Steve Garrison at Daytona (Cubs), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime -- first game of the second-half season

 

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

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503

 

West Virginia: RHP Jeremy Jeffress at home vs. Kannapolis (White Sox), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime -- first game of the second-half season

 

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

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

 

Helena: Just-turned 19-year-old RHP Jose Garcia at Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:55 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

 

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

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday'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 Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_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

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Wednesday's action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 42 30 .583 - 25-11 17-19 L1 Iowa 41 30 .577 0.5 22-14 19-16 W2 Omaha 34 38 .472 8.0 24-12 10-26 W1 Memphis 32 41 .438 10.5 18-18 14-23 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 3 0 1.000 - 3-0 0-0 W3 Huntsville 1 1 .500 1.5 0-0 1-1 L1 Tennessee 1 1 .500 1.5 1-1 0-0 W1 Carolina 0 1 .000 2.0 0-0 0-1 L1 West Tenn 0 3 .000 3.0 0-3 0-0 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Daytona 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Jupiter 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Palm Beach 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - St. Lucie 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Vero Beach 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Greensboro 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Hagerstown 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Hickory 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Lake County 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Lakewood 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - Lexington 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - West Virginia 0 0 - - 0-0 0-0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 1 1 .500 - 0-0 1-1 L1 Great Falls 1 1 .500 - 1-1 0-0 W1 Helena 1 1 .500 - 0-0 1-1 L1 Missoula 1 1 .500 - 1-1 0-0 W1

[Mass Haas]

Charleston Daily Mail:

 

Jeremy Jeffress, a 6-0, 175-pound right-hander, will make his fifth start tonight in the first of a four-game series against the Intimidators.

 

The Brewers selected Jeffress with the 16th overall pick last year.

 

The 19-year-old fireballer has a 3-0 record and 1.45 earned run average. He has allowed 14 hits and five runs (three earned) in 18 2/3 innings, striking out 14 batters and walking nine.

 

Power pitching coach John Curtis said the Brewers have ditched their plan to use an 80-40 pitch count for Jeffress.

 

"We scrapped that, because he has thrown the ball so well," Curtis said. "He's going to get stretched out to 100 (pitches) by mid-July."

[Kevbo74]

WOW, from skipping Helena, to 4 inning starts, to 100 pitch counts - in the span of a month? He'll be a Brewer by age 20 at this pace!

I wish I lived in West Virginia, I wanna see this team. And if you didn't start collecting Jeffress's baseball cards yet, you better hurry.. everyone's on to him already!

[tyguy20204]

I love how EVERYONE is in consensus that his delivery is perfectly clean and repeatable.

 

If he gets injured, its no one's fault except for Lady Fortuna.

[bretsky07]

wow, Tennessee's pitcher (Holliman) has a no-hitter going through six against Huntsville, AND he hit a two run home run!

[Team Canada]

...and he get the 7-inning no-no. Oh well, hopefully they were just saving them all for game 2!

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Tennessee (Cubs) 3, Huntsville 0

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1233

 

Holliman No-Hits Stars

 

Mark Holliman tossed a seven inning no-hitter and punctuated his effort with a two-run home run in Tennessee?s 3-0 victory in game one of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Smokies Park. The Smokies have won the last two games of the series to improve to 2-1 in the second half and 38-33 overall, while the Stars were held without a hit for a fourth time in franchise history. Huntsville dropped to 1-2 in the second half and 38-33 overall.

 

Holliman retired the first six batters he faced before walking Adam Heether to open the third inning. Alcides Escobar bounced into a force out at second, moved to second base on a Corey Thurman ground out and was stranded there to end the inning. Escobar was the only Stars? runner to advance to second base, as Holliman retired the last 13 batters he faced and recorded 13 ground ball outs in the game. The Stars have been held to three runs or fewer in each of their last nine games.

 

Huntsville was held hitless by Frank Castillo of Charlotte on July 13, 1990, by Travis Buckley of Chattanooga on June 1, 1996 and by Trevor Hutchinson and Kevin Cave of Carolina on April 14, 2004. All three no-hitters thrown against the Stars took place at Joe Davis Stadium, where the Stars have never thrown a non-hitter. It is also the third time the Stars have been held without a hit in a seven inning contest in the first of a twin bill.

 

Sam Fuld opened the home first with a home run, his second of the season and the sixth lead off long ball allowed by Thurman this season. Holliman belted his second home run of the season with one out in the fifth to close the scoring and mark the third time this year Thurman has allowed two homers in a game.

 

The series continues with game two of the doubleheader on Thursday evening, as southpaw Steve Hammond will take the hill for Huntsville against Smokies? right-hander Matt Avery. Coverage of the game begins at 6:25 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Game One Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

 

Huntsville Game One Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Jeremy Jeffress - nice. Or should we say wow?

 

5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K, ERA now 1.14 in his first 23.2 West Virginia innings.

[wibadgers23]

Lorenzo Cain has been so close to the .300 mark over the past few weeks, but he just can't seem to get over the hump. Jeffress with another nice outing tonight.

[Mass Haas]

Let's see:

 

LHP Adam Pettyjohn cranks a HR for the Sounds and is in line for a win.

 

Stars in danger of being swept.

 

Manatees and Cubs tied 2-2 late -- looks like there's no audio for Brevard tonight, but you can pick up Daytona's feed at the same link. Cole Gillespie with a big outfield assist in this one.

 

So my audio choice was the Power for a late tune-in with West Virginia up 4-0. The amazing Power score five more runs with two outs in the 7th to go up 9-0 before a huge crowd in Charleston for the first game of the second half of the season.

 

The Brewers must really like this very young Jose Garcia out of the Dominican to not only invite him to Helena, but to hand him the Game Two start. Looking forward to switching over to Steve Wendt's call after the Power put this now-blowout to bed.

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: Tennessee (Cubs) 4, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

The Smokies won game two 4-2 behind timely hitting from Issmael Salas and Joe Simokaitis to complete the sweep of the twin bill and improve to 3-1 in the second half and 39-33 overall. The Stars suffered a third straight loss for a fourth time this season to drop to 1-3 in the second half and 38-34 overall. Huntsville has been swept in a doubleheader for the second time in a week after falling in both games at home to Birmingham on Friday night.

 

The Stars jumped on Matt Avery in the first inning in game two for two runs, as Steve Sollmann?s ground ball out scored Michael Brantley and Hernan Iribarren scored on a single by Lou Palmisano. However, the offense was put in neutral and the lead was short-lived, as a fielding error by Guilder Rodriguez on a Jake Fox grounder allowed Jemel Spearman to score and keep the home first inning going. Casey McGehee singled before both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Salas single to give the Smokies a 3-2 lead. Stars? starter Steve Hammond has been scored on in the first inning in nine of his 15 starts, including six of his eight on the road.

 

Tennessee added another run in third on a two-out single by Simokaitis that plated McGehee, as all four Smokies runs came with two outs. Adalberto Mendez tossed scoreless relief in the fourth and fifth innings to earn the win and Jim Henderson blanked the Stars over the last two frames to earn his fifth save. Huntsville has been held to three runs or less in each of the last ten games and to six hits or fewer in 10 of the last 14.

 

The series continues Friday night, as southpaw Lindsay Gulin will take the hill for Huntsville against Smokies? left-hander Donnie Veal. 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 Game Two Box Score:

Big offensive funk right now, and this squad isn't exactly brimming with obvious candidates to break out of it soon...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

 

Huntsville Game Two Game Log:

No chance in the final inning...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

HOLLIMAN NO-HITS STARS

STARS SWEPT FOR 2nd TIME IN A WEEK

In our history, we've been the victim of a no-hitter more than we've done the victimizing....... For the 4th time in our history -- the 3rd time in a double-header, the Stars are on the wrong end of one....... Tennessee Smokies' pitcher Mark Holliman joins Frank Castillo, Travis Buckley, and Trevor Hutchinson and Kevin Cave's combined effort with a no-hitter........ Adam Heether was the only runner to reach base for the Stars. Holliman walked him to lead off the 3rd. The last perfect game in the Southern League was thrown by Chad Gaudin of Orlando in 2003.

 

All the support Holliman needed in this game came when Nate Fuld led off the bottom of the 1st with a home run to right, but Holliman pulled his own weight, smacking a two-run HR to deep left-center field in the 5th, the 9th given up by Corey Thurman this year........ Ironically, Thurman was part of a Stars tandem that came within one out -- hell, within one strike of a no-hit bid by the Stars on May 11....... Thurman has given up more HRs this year (in 41 1/3 innings) than he did all of last year (eight in 140 innings).

 

Holliman pitched eight scoreless innings on two occasions this year, including a two-hitter against the Mississippi Braves, but this was his first complete game........ Holliman is 2nd among Southern League ERA leaders. Still on top is Manny Parra, now at Nashville....... This was the Smokies' first no-hitter since May 27, 2000 when Leo Estrella no-hit Orlando, 3-0.

 

NOTE: Estella eventually pitched for Milwaukee in 2003, and along with Wayne Franklin, netted the Brewers Carlos Villanueva. - Mass

 

As for the Stars, who lost their 2nd double-header in a week, it's an indication of deeper problems, an eight-game slump in which they've won just three games, managed no more than seven hits in any game, and hit just .165....... How much was luck, rather than skill, that it was in the midst of this slump that they won a first half title by the grace of a wild pitch.

 

For a clearer view of this extra-base hit, RBI, and AVG chart, click on the link above:

 

Last 8 games

 XBH RBI Avg. Michael Brantley 1 3 .105 Carlos Corporan 1 2 .263 Ryan Crew 0 0 .143 Alcides Esbocar 0 0 .154 Adam Heether 1 1 .263 Hernan Iribarren 1 0 .095 Brendan Katin 1 1 .100 Steve Moss 4 2 .250 Lou Palmisano 0 1 .222 Steve Sollmann 0 1 .174 Mel Stocker 0 1 .000

Not on the above list is Yohannis Perez and Guilder Rodriguez, who were a combined 0-for-12 in these eight games. Add Mel Stocker, and it's 0-for-21.

 

But that's just baseball, and streaks of all kinds don't last very long as a rule and it seems the Stars were about to prove that in game two........ Against Matt Avery, a middle reliever making only his first start in 27 appearances this year, split between the Smokies and Class A-Daytona (FSL), the Stars got off to a quick 1st inning start....... After walking Michael Brantley on five pitches, Hernan Iribarren drove a double to right, rolling all the way to the warning track, moving Brantley to 3rd.......The Stars then took a 1-0 lead when Brantley scored on Steve Sollmann's grounder to Joseph Simokaitis....... Lou Palmisano then singled up the middle, scoring Iribarren from 2nd to make it 2-0. For Palmisano, it was the 12th time in 20 games on the road that he has driven in a run......... Palmisano is hitting .274 on the road, and .310 with runners in scoring position -- much improved over last year's .217 average on the road and .248 w/RISP........ With two out, Steve Moss sent Avery's first pitch up the middle to move Palmisano up a base, but the rally ended when Rodriguez forced Moss on a grounder to 2nd baseman Gary Cates.

 

The Smokies, however, neutralized the Stars after Steve Hammond got two of his first three hitters out ......... Hammond entered the game with a woeful record this year of giving up 13 1st inning runs in 14 starts....... After a throwing error by Iribarren, leadoff hitter Jemel Spearman went station-to-station on a ground ball and a great play by Alcides Escobar, and a deep fly ball by Tyler Colvin....... Guilder Rodriguez should have gotten Hammond out of the inning, but he muffed a bouncer by Jake Fox that scored Spearman to make it 2-1....... G. Rod, who made just one error in April and May, has made six in his last nine games....... Casey McGehee, with two hits in his last 16 at-bats, then smacked a 2-0 pitch through the middle, moving Fox to 2nd, and prompting a visit from pitching coach Rich Sauveur........ Hammond then lost control of a slider with Issmael Salas at the plate, and now both runners were in scoring position...... Salas then hit a 2-2 pitch past G. Rod into left for a two-run single, putting the Smokies ahead, 3-2......... A ground ball through the hole by the next hitter, Chris Robinson, got Mark DiFelice working in the bullpen, but he was never called into the game........ Joe Simokaitis swung and missed on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning, but it was too late for the Stars, who wasted a one-out double by Steve Sollmann in the 2nd and a balk putting him on 3rd, and a one-out double by Steve Moss in the 6th.......... They also hit into inning-ending double plays in the 3rd and 4th innings.

 

Friday, southpaw Lindsay Gulin tried to put a stop to the Stars' three-game losing streak as he faces lefty Donnie Veal, who Hammond beat in the 2nd game of a double-header back on April 12........ Veal walked seven in four innings in that game, and hasn't walked more than four since April 29. He is 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last four starts.

 

Huntsville fans have yet to see Alcides Escobar, but he has been a sensation in the field, if you've been listening hard to Brett Pollock's play-by-play on this road trip, and you would have to be listening hard if you're trying to pick up the Stars on the radio....... Escobar's reputation at Brevard has won him a spot in the Futures Game, which will be held at AT&T Park in San Francisco on All-Star Sunday....... He'll join former Southern Leaguers Joey Votto and Geovany Soto, and Jacksonville's Chin-Lung Hu on the World Team. Pitching for the USA will be Montgomery's Evan Longoria and pitcher Jeff Niemann and Mobile's Justin Upton..

 

The Arizona League won't start till June 22, but the Pioneer League is underway, and Helena is off to a 2-1 start after beating Missoula Thursday night, 2-1....... 3rd round pick, catcher Jonathan Lucroy is 1-for-8 and 4th rounder, 2nd baseman Eric Farris is 0-for-8. The team average, after just three games, is .167....... The Brewers signed right-hander Donovan Hand, who hails from Lawrence County (Alabama) and graduated from Hatton High School.

 

Former Huntsville Star Prince Fielder is poised to become the first Milwaukee Brewer to be voted to start an All-Star game since 1988. Four other Brewers are among the leaders at their positions, including J.J. Hardy........ Hardy and former Star Bill Hall were joined by Chris Capuano and Jeff Suppan last month as they shot a scene for the CBS soaper, "The Young and the Restless". That scene aired Wednesday.

 

Yohannis Perez, playing in his 2nd game for Brevard County Thursday, doubled and scored in the Manatees' 6-2 win over Daytona, who, like the Manatees, won a playoff berth in the Florida State League........ He is 1-for-8 after two games......... How is Jeff Eure? He was placed on the disabled list last Thursday....... Struggling at the plate with the Royals' Class AA-Wichita (Texas) farm club, he's hitting .209 after 24 games with two HRs and 11 RBIs. He was 4-for-34 in his last nine games....... Is it the end of the line for Cristian Guerrero (Stars' 2002-03)? The Washington Nationals released him. He got as far as Class AAA-Columbus (Int.) this year, but hit just .167, mostly as a pinch-hitter, in six games. For Class AA-Harrisburg (Eastern), he hit .248 in 49 games with seven HRs and 24 RBIs and had three hits in his last 21 at-bats. He was hitting .183 with no one on base....... The Texas Rangers have released former Mobile Bay Bear catcher Nick Trzesniak....... Luis Villareal, who started the season with the Stars and got the win in the Stars opening day 4-3 win over the Braves, has signed with the Philadelphia Phillies........ The Can-Am League web site has an interesting story of how former Stars pitcher Tim Bausher came within a double play of making it to the majors. Bausher is 3-2 with a 4.03 ERA for the Nashua Pride.

 

www.canamleague.com/cgi-b...1180708707

 

Looking at other former Stars in the independent Can-Am League, former Stars pitcher Everett Stull is 1-3, 6.23 in five starts for the Grays and Fernando Rijo has a 6.00 ERA in three appearances for the Susses Skyhawks.

[Mass Haas]

Knoxville News coverage of the no-hitter:

Link, text follows --

 

www.knoxnews.com/kns/smok...20,00.html

 

On the Mark Holliman no-hits the Stars, 3-0

Smokies win doubleheader against Huntsville

By NICK GATES, gates@knews.com

 

SEVIERVILLE - Mark Holliman, who hadn't won a game in more than a month, put all the elements of a pitching masterpiece together Thursday night and became the second Tennessee Smoky to toss a no-hitter at Smokies Park.

Holliman, who missed perfection by one - Huntsville's Adam Heether drew a leadoff walk in the third inning - helped his cause with a two-run home run and Tennessee defeated the Stars 3-0 in the first game of a Southern League doubleheader.

 

The win couldn't have come at a better time for the right-hander from Germantown. Holliman (7-5) was winless since beating Mississippi 6-1 on May 19. He had lost four in a row with one no-decision.

 

"I would agree with you, it's been a long time," he said as he smiled and wiped the perspiration off his face. "It's been a long time since I didn't give up any runs let alone hits."

 

Holliman's no-hitter was his first since the 23-year-old signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2005 after being drafted in the third round out of Ole Miss.

 

"To be honest, I know I didn't in college," he said. "I might have had one in high school. I can't remember."

 

Holliman, who lowered his earned-run average to a league-best 2.49, wasn't overpowering - simply effective. Fifty-one of his 81 pitches were for strikes and he used his fastball to set up his off-speed and breaking pitches.

 

"That was biggest the key," he said.

 

Holliman didn't resemble a pitcher who was fighting himself the past month as his confidence dwindled.

 

"I have been," he admitted. "Me and Dennis (pitching coach Lewallyn) have been working on this the past couple of weeks trying to get back to my old form."

 

The 6-footer, whose fastball barely touched the high 80s, finished strong. He retired the last 14 Stars in order for the first complete game by the Smokies' staff this season.

 

Leo Estrella became the first Smoky to pitch a no-hitter since Smokies Park opened in 2000. Estrella beat Orlando 3-0 on May 27, 2000, in a game shortened to 5 1/2 innings because of rain. Tennessee was affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays that year.

 

The closest the North Division first-half champions Stars came to a hit is a matter of conjecture.

 

Diving left fielder Jorge Cortes snared a sinking liner to rob Huntsville's Michael Brantley of a hit in the first.

 

"That could have been a double," Holliman said.

 

Matt Craig ranged far to his right to glove pitcher Corey Thurman's chopper in the third with a Star on second base and one out. If the ball got past the third baseman, Huntsville likely would've tied the score 1-1.

 

Holliman made an athletic play in the fifth. He scooped Hernan Iribarren's squibber near the first base line and threw off-balance in one motion to first baseman Jake Fox without hitting the Star in the back.

 

"Anytime you see a game like that where there aren't many hits, it's usually because you had good defense," Holliman said. "There were tons of good plays."

 

Sam Fuld provided Holliman with all the offensive support he needed.

 

Fuld drove a 2-2 pitch from Thurman (2-4), a former Toronto Blue Jay, over the right field fence for his second home run.

 

Holliman provided wiggle room in the fifth with one swing.

 

Cortes led off with his 13th double but Carlos Rojas popped out attempting to bunt.

 

Tennessee manager Pat Listach gave Holliman the green light with one out.

 

"I talked to Pat before the inning and he said, 'If you've got runners on, go ahead and swing,' " Holliman said.

 

Holliman, who came into the game hitting .143 (2-for-14) and failed to bunt successfully his first at-bat, crushed Thurman's first pitch. The ball sailed 375 feet to left-center for his second home run this season.

 

Holliman had to face the heart of Huntsville's order - 2-3-4 hitters - in the seventh.

 

The left-handed hitting Brantley tapped out. It was no gimme as Holliman covered first and took the throw from second baseman Gary Cates.

 

Steve Sollmann, the brother of former Smoky Scott Sollmann, struck out swinging for the second time. It was Holliman's third strikeout.

 

That left it up to Brendan Katin.

 

By the time the fans rose to their feet and applauded, the game was over. Huntsville's right fielder rolled out on the first pitch and Holliman made history as the first Cubs Class AA farmhand to pitch a no-hitter for the Smokies.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas & Pitching Coach Stan Kyles:

Futures Game talk...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-21.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 7, Iowa (Cubs) 4

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Joe Dillon photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2402

 

Sounds Continue Hot Stretch, Tame Cubs 7-4

 

NASHVILLE ? Nashville belted a pair of home runs, including pitcher Adam Pettyjohn?s first career longball, in posting a 7-4 victory over the division-rival Iowa Cubs in front of 8,649 fans on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

The win was the seventh in the last eight games for the division-leading Sounds (43-30), who have taken seven of their 10 meetings with the second-place Cubs this season.

 

Pettyjohn (3-1) earned a win for the third straight start by throwing six innings, allowing two runs, and striking out six.

 

The top of the Nashville order did the bulk of the damage at the dish, combining to go 10-for-16 with six runs scored and five RBIs on the evening.

 

Nashville once again struck early when Tony Gwynn led off the bottom of the first by driving Ryan O?Malley?s opening pitch into right field for his first Sounds hit of the 2007 season. Chris Barnwell then followed with a double to deep center that moved Gwynn to third before Laynce Nix added a two-run single that blooped into shallow center.

 

The Sounds have now scored the first run of the game a league-leading 46 times this season and improved their record to 31-15 in those contests.

 

In the bottom of the third inning, Barnwell hit a one-out single to right and then advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on his seventh stolen base of the year. Joe Dillon would follow with a two-out home run over the right field wall for his team-leading 13th longball of the season.

 

AUDIO: Dillon's Team-Leading 13th HR --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-21.mp3

 

Pettyjohn helped his own cause in the bottom of the 5th with his opposite-field shot on a 2-2 pitch, which extended the Nashville advantage to 5-0.

 

Cubs starter Ryan O?Malley (3-7) took the loss after throwing five innings, striking out two, and giving up six earned runs. The Sounds improved to 15-4 against left-handed starters on the season.

 

Iowa (41-31) got on the board by tallying a two-run sixth inning that began with a Micah Hoffpauir solo home run, his 14th of the year and second of the series. Cubs centerfielder Buck Coats then had a two-out single to center before scoring on catcher Geovany Soto?s 17th double of the season. Before Hoffpauir?s homer, Pettyjohn had retired 12 straight Iowa batters and thrown 12 1/3 scoreless innings.

 

Nashville added a run back to the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Dillon doubled off the left-center wall and came around to score on a Mike Rivera RBI single two batters later.

 

Iowa countered by pulling with a pair in the top of the 7th. Sounds reliever Steve Bray began the inning by striking out the first two batters he faced before hitting Ronny Cedeno in the back with an inside pitch. Two pitches later, Eric Patterson hit a 1-0 pitch over the right field wall for his tenth homer of the season, making the score 6-4 in favor of Nashville.

 

The Sounds tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of that frame on a two-out Nix RBI single, which brought the score to its final 7-4.

 

Luther Hackman earned his team-leading 11th save of the year by striking out two in one perfect inning of relief.

 

Nashville?s Gwynn and Barnwell both went 3-for-4 on the night and combined for four runs, and Nix had three RBIs on two singles.

 

The series finale against the Iowa Cubs will be played Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Greer and will be preceded by a concert by local Christian band Denver and the Mile High Orchestra. Nashville?s starter will be R.A. Dickey (5-4, 5.32), who is making his first start since rejoining the rotation. He will face Iowa southpaw J.R. Mathes (6-4, 5.33).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Strikeout machine Grant Balfour keeps cruising in the 'pen...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

Mike Rivera (four steals on the season!) with an eventful 8th inning on the basepaths...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56832

 

Everything comes together for Sounds at Greer

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

The scoreboard was working, the weather was perfect, the $1 beer was flowing and the first-place Nashville Sounds downed Iowa 7-4. Life was good for the 8,649 fans at Greer Stadium on Thirsty Thursday.

 

With the win, the Sounds (43-30) maintained the best record in the Pacific Coast League. Unlike the night before when it was completely out of service, the giant guitar-shaped scoreboard in left field was working. The temperamental 14-year-old scoreboard, a favorite among Sounds fans, was down Wednesday night because of an electrical problem, but it was functional on Thursday.

 

As has been the case for the Sounds during their 14-5 month of June, the win was an all-around team effort.

 

Starting pitcher Adam Pettyjohn led way. Pettyjohn (3-1) was as effective on the mound and in the batter?s box. He went six innings and surrendered just two earned runs, while fanning six.

 

At the plate, Pettyjohn hit his first home run as a professional ? an opposite field blast to right-center. Joe Dillon hit a two-run homer and a double, in addition to scoring two runs, to pace the Sounds offense.

 

The win moved the Sounds 1.5 games ahead of the Cubs in the PCL American North Division.

 

?We got some big hits from Joe with the two-run home run,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?Obviously Pettyjohn?s home run was nice. You?ve got to keep scoring against these guys. They can swing the bat a little bit.?

 

In his second game since being optioned down by Milwaukee, center fielder Tony Gwynn went 3-for-4 with a run. Chris Barnwell (3-for-4, two runs) and Laynce Nix (2-for-4, three RBIs) also had strong days at the plate for Nashville.

 

?I felt better. My baseball brain was working a little bit better today than it was yesterday,? Gwynn said. ?We executed our gameplan well tonight.?

 

Typically reliable Steve Bray hit a batter and gave up a two-run homer in the seventh in relief for the Sounds. Grant Balfour was perfect in the eighth and Luther Hackman was as well in the ninth en route to save No. 11.

 

KREMBLAS TO COACH FUTURES GAME: Sounds manager Frank Kremblas and pitching coach Stan Kyles will be members of the U.S. Team coaching staff for the July 8 Futures Game in San Francisco during All-Star week.

 

The Futures Game features baseball?s top young minor league prospects. Both Kremblas and Kyles have been on the staff before.

 

Major League Baseball was responsible for selecting the rosters and coaching staffs. No Sounds players were selected.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Sounds pitcher helps from plate

Pettyjohn homers in win over Iowa

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Sounds batters hit Iowa hard Thursday night.

 

Heck, even a Sounds pitcher hit Iowa hard.

 

Left-hander Adam Pettyjohn hit his first home run of the year in the fifth inning, and the Sounds rolled to a 7-4 victory over the Cubs in front of 8,649 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

"I hit it well," said Pettyjohn, who joined Yovani Gallardo and Zach Jackson as Sounds pitchers to homer this season. "I just wanted to put a good swing on it and get on base."

 

Much like his teammates did.

 

The Sounds scored two runs in the first inning on a Laynce Nix blooper to right and added two more on Joe Dillon's team-leading 13th home run in the third.

 

"(Ryan O'Malley) got some pitches up for us, and we were able to capitalize on that," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

 

"That's what you're looking for ? pitches up in the zone," Kremblas said. "You just try to put a good swing on it."

 

And let Pettyjohn take care of the rest.

 

Pettyjohn (3-1) allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out six and walking one through six innings. Three hits occurred in the first two innings.

 

"I didn't have great control the first three innings," Pettyjohn said. "The last three innings I actually felt better than the first three."

 

The Sounds now are a game and a half ahead of Iowa in the American Conference's Northern Division in the Pacific Coast League and have the best record in the league. Nashville has won seven of its past eight games. The Sounds have also won 25 of their past 32 games at home.

 

What they said: "I didn't think it had enough to get out. Fortunately, it had enough carry on it and we got another run, which was big at the time." ? Pettyjohn on his solo home run in the fifth inning.

 

***

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

 

Sounds manager picked for All-Star Futures game

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas has been named a coach for the 2007 XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures game. Kremblas, who will coach the U.S. team, also served the same role in the 2003 game at Chicago.

 

"It's a nice honor," Kremblas said.

 

Pitching coach Stan Kyles also has been selected to coach in the game. Kyles coached in last year's game for the U.S. team.

 

The game pits U.S. all-stars against the World team at 11 a.m. July 8. It will be broadcast on ESPN2 from San Francisco's AT&T Park and will feature top prospects. The U.S. team's manager will be Dave Winfield.

 

The 25-man rosters were picked by MLB.com and Baseball America. Each major league organization will be represented by at least one member and the World team will feature players from 11 different countries or territories.

 

Players from all full-season minor leagues were eligible. The Brewers ? Nashville's affiliate ? representative is Alcides Escobar, who recently was promoted to Double-A Huntsville after spending the majority of the season at Single-A Brevard County in Florida. The shortstop will play on the World team.

 

Sounds fans might remember Trent Jewett, who also will coach in the game. Jewett is a former manager of the Sounds and is Nashville's leader in wins (320). Jewett managed the Sounds from 1998 to 2000 and again during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Jewett is currently manager of Triple-A Indianapolis (Pittsburgh Pirates) in the International League. Jewett will coach on the World team at the all-star festivities.

 

Men of steal: The Sounds rank fifth in the Pacific Coast League with 66 stolen bases on the year. The Sounds lost their string of nine consecutive steals in the fifth inning when Tony Gwynn Jr. was thrown out at second. Nashville had been successful in their past nine stolen base attempts. The Sounds have 14 stolen bases in 19 attempts in the past seven games.

 

Shortstop Chris Barnwell was thrown out in the seventh inning. Vinny Rottino, Laynce Nix and Mike Rivera each stole a base during the game.

 

Baseball best: The Brewers' farm system has a 172-112 record this season, the best in all of baseball. Nashville has the most victories for the month of June in the PCL this year, with 14. Nashville has the PCL's best home record at 26-11 and the Sounds have won 25 of their last 32 home games.

 

Good pitching: The Sounds 3.64 ERA is the best in the PCL. The pitching staff is even better in home games, compiling a 2.76 ERA. Through Thursday, Nashville is 20-1 when the starter goes at least six innings. The lone loss came Wednesday night against Iowa.

 

"You just have to battle, and keep the ball down," starting pitcher Adam Pettyjohn said after his winning performance Thursday night.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 6, Daytona (Cubs) 2

 

MiLB.com:

 

Manatees best Cubs

 

Yohannis Perez doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Brevard County defeated Daytona, 6-2, on Thursday.

 

Perez opened the eighth with a double and crossed home plate when Cubs reliever Tim Layden made a throwing error on Darren Ford's sacrifice.

 

Lorenzo Cain doubled and scored on Mat Gamel's triple in the fourth and cracked an RBI double in the sixth for the Manatees (1-0). Ford went 2-for-3 and scored three times.

 

Gamel extended his hitting streak to 19 games and is batting .449 over that period.

 

Brevard County reliever Ben Stanczyk (3-1) yielded one run on a hit and two walks with a strikeout in two innings for the win. Starter Steve Garrison allowed one run on six hits while striking out six and walking one over five frames.

 

Daytona starter Joel Santo (4-4) gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts in seven innings.

 

Jake Muyco and Nate Spears lined RBI singles for the Cubs (0-1). -- Shane Figueroa/MLB.com

 

***

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www.news-journalonline.co...062207.htm

 

Manatees begin 2nd half with win over Cubs

By JERRY SCHAEFFER

Daytona News-Journal Correspondent

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- One pennant is not enough. The Brevard County Manatees want two.

 

They jumped on the Daytona Cubs for three runs in the eighth inning and started the second-half of Florida State League competition with a 6-2 triumph Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

"We had a good first half -- winning it all. Now we just gotta keep going," said Manatee center fielder Darren Ford, who collected two of his club's nine hits and scored three times. "This is a good start to winning it all again -- and that's our team goal. We're not letting up."

 

Winning pitcher Steve Garrison and three relievers limited Daytona bats to eight hits--all singles. The Cubs, who left eight runners stranded, just couldn't get the needed hit.

 

"We are playing well right now," Brevard County manager John Tamargo said. "Like (Thursday night), whenever there was an opportunity for something, we capitalized in some way. Daytona made a couple of errors together, and we cashed in.

 

"Plus, our bullpen was extra sharp, backing up a solid start by Garrison."

 

Daytona, loser of three straight, fueled the three-run eighth for the Manatees by committing two errors, leading to two unearned runs and making the possibility of a Daytona comeback more difficult.

 

"Our defense took us out of it tonight," Daytona manager Jody Davis said. "We set the table for them (the Manatees), and they feasted. You just can't give away outs in this game, especially when the game is on the line."

 

Yohannis Perez started the eighth for Brevard with a double down the right-field line. Tim Layden, who had relieved Daytona starter Joel Santo, threw errantly toward first base a sacrifice bunt off Ford's bat.

 

Lorenzo Cain, who also had two doubles, slapped a fielder's choice grounder which scored Perez, and another fielder's choice off Mat Gamel's bat sent Ford home. With two outs, Gamel, who had tripled in the first run of the game in the fourth, scored on Mike Bell's single to right. That pretty well settled the outcome.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Three double plays turned; you know Lorenzo Cain and Darren Ford are psyched to be reunited...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Ford creating havoc and forcing errors on the basepaths all evening long; groundball demon E.J. Shanks doing his thing in the 9th to end it...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

Daytona News-Journal Photo by Nigel Cook

Brevard County catcher Nestor Corredor tags Daytona's Alberto Garcia out at the plate in the fourth inning Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/Sptcubs1062207.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 9, Kannapolis (White Sox) 0

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER OPEN SECOND HALF WITH SHUTOUT VICTORY

 

Jeremy Jeffress, D.J. Lidyard and Omar Aguilar combined to toss a three-hit shutout on Thursday night at Appalachian Power Park as the West Virginia Power opened up the second half with a 9-0 victory over the Kannapolis Intimidators.

 

The Power plated their first two runs in the first inning. Charlie Fermaint scored on Chris Carter?s fielding error and Brent Brewer scored later in the inning on Taylor Green?s sacrifice fly. Fermaint ripped an RBI single in the second and John Alonso belted a run-scoring base hit in the third.

 

The Power pulled a way with a five-run rally in the seventh inning, scoring all five runs with two outs. Andy Bouchie drove in the first two on a bases loaded single, Kenny Holmberg singled in the next two runs and scored on Fermaint?s double.

 

Jeremy Jeffress (5-1) pitched five scoreless frames of two-hit ball, struck out five, walked two and got the victory while Jose Zazueta (1-7) was tagged with the loss. Lidyard provided three scoreless innings out of the bullpen with four strikeouts and Aguilar tossed a scoreless ninth inning to complete the shutout.

 

The Power improve to 49-20 overall and 1-0 in the second half, and the Intimidators fell to 32-39 overall and 0-1 in the second half with the loss. The shutout was the fourth of the season for the Power. Jeffress hasn?t allowed an earned run since May 29th against Kannapolis. Charlie Fermaint paced the Power with three hits while Kenny Holmberg and John Alonso both chipped in with two.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the Intimidators Friday night. Left hander Brae Wright (5-4, 6.59) will start for the Power and Kannapolis will counter with left hander Justin Edwards (4-4, 3.90). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Charlie Fermaint certainly has responded to his demotion...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Fireballing Omar Aguilar works around his two opening walks in the 9th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

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www.wvgazette.com/section...2007062145

 

Power starts out second half just as hot

By Jim Workman

For The Charleston Gazette

 

Charlie Fermaint stepped right into the West Virginia Power lineup a little over a week ago and immediately started producing.

 

Thursday night he continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs to pace the Power to a 9-0 win over the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators in the first game of the second half of the South Atlantic League season.

 

An announced season-record crowd of 7,458 attended the game at Appalachian Power Park.

 

?I?m seeing the ball real well and hitting it,? Fermaint said. ?I like playing here in front of a good crowd. We?re playing with a lot of confidence.?

 

In just nine games with the Power, the 5-foot-9, 195-pound center fielder is hitting over .360 with 12 RBIs from the leadoff position.

 

The Power (49-20 overall, 1-0 second half) has been red-hot all season ? but especially on Thursday nights. With the victory, West Virginia is 6-0 at home and 12-1 overall on Thursdays in 2007.

 

?We had some nice pitching and good defense,? said Power manager Mike Guerrero. ?And clutch hitting played a big part.?

 

West Virginia plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Chuckie Caufield reached on an error, scoring Fermaint, and Taylor Green popped a sacrifice fly to center to score Brent Brewer.

 

Fermaint ripped an RBI single to center in the second to score Andy Bouchie and increase the Power advantage to 3-0. The Power added another run in the third inning as John Alonso bounced a single into left field that scored Andrew Lafave.

 

West Virginia put the game out of reach by scoring five runs in the seventh inning ? all with two outs. Bouchie stroked a bases-loaded two-run single, Kenny Holmberg blooped a two-run double to center and Fermaint pounded a ground-rule RBI double to left to give the Power a 9-0 advantage.

 

Holmberg went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs, while Alonso went 2-for-5 with a run driven in for the Power. Power pitchers held Kannapolis to just three hits while striking out 11.

 

The Power clinched a playoff spot and set a franchise record for victories during the first half of the season, going 48-20 and winning the Sally League Northern Division by 11 games.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 2, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 1

 

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www.missoulian.com/articl...orts01.txt

 

Brewers take series: Diving grab by Haydel preserves win for Helena

By NICK LOCKRIDGE of the Missoulian

 

It took another spectacular ninth-inning finish to decide the series finale between the Missoula Osprey and the visiting Helena Brewers on Thursday.

 

Helena's Lee Haydel made an over-the-shoulder diving catch in deep centerfield to rob Missoula's Houston Summers of a potential game-winning hit as the Brewers held on to win 2-1 and take two out of three from the Osprey in their season-opening Pioneer League series at Ogren-Allegiance Park.

 

Missoula (1-2) put the tying run in scoring position when Chance Wheeless led of the bottom of the ninth with a double and later moved to third on Derrick Walker's ground out to second base. Following a hit Osprey batter and a strikeout, Summers jumped on a pitch from Helena's Mathew Kretzschmar and sent it over the head of Haydel.

 

Haydel raced after the deep fly ball and made a tough diving stop, crash landing included.

 

?I can appreciate it, but as far as I'm concerned he could have dropped it,? said Walker, who roams Missoula's outfield. ?I like to see good plays, but not by the other team.?

 

After two straight nights with game-winning rallies in the ninth, the Osprey and Brewers did not disappoint in the third time around, producing another one-run thriller. Helena won Tuesday's season opener 4-3 with a two-run rally in the ninth, while Missoula won Wednesday's game 6-5 on a two-out walk-off solo home run by Sean Coughlin.

 

?We had a chance to win every game this series,? said first-year Osprey manager Damon Mashore. ?I have no complaints. It took a diving play to win this game. If he doesn't catch that ball we probably win.?

 

Ariel Urena was the Missoula batter that got hit by Kretzschmar, who earned his second save in as many nights. Eli Rumler pinch ran for Urena, who limped back to the dugout. Rumler would have scored easily had the ball gotten by Haydel.

 

Summers' shot was only the fifth ball to leave the infield all night. The O's finished with just five hits after finishing with 14 and 12 hits, respectively, in the first two games.

 

?As an offense sometimes it's just not there,? Walker said. ?It's a long season, though. We just have to go out there and compete.?

 

Helena starter Jose Garcia cruised through the Missoula lineup, allowing just three hits in seven full innings. Walker, who went 3-for-4, was the only thorn in Garcia's side. All three of Waker's hits came off Garcia, including a solo home run in the seventh to cut the Brewers' lead to 2-1. Garcia coaxed 11 groundouts through six innings and was aided by a pair of double plays in the third and fourth inning.

 

?That guy threw well for them,? Mashore said. ?He spotted up and worked both sides of the plate.?

 

Garcia (1-0) finished with five strikeouts, while Corey Frerichs added three whiffs in a scoreless eighth.

 

The Brewers built a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings. Steffan Wilson hit an RBI grounder past a diving Summers at third base in the later frame and Eric Farris' fielder's choice RBI broke a scoreless tie in the third.

 

Missoula starter Jason Durst allowed just three hits in five innings of work, marking the second straight night an O's starter made it to through the fifth but didn't get the decision.

 

Josh Blake pitched three scoreless innings, with three strikeouts, in relief of Durst and Josh Ellis, Arizona's 11th round draft choice, didn't allow a hit in one inning of work.

 

The Brewers host the Great Falls White Sox this weekend, beginning Friday at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

Helena Box Score:

Well, well, well -- what do the Brewers have in just-turned 19-year-old RHP Jose Garcia? Seven brilliant innings, yikes! Young buck Caleb Gindl on base three times...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

What an amazingly well-played series by both squads considering these kids only met their teammates within the past ten days...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_misrok_1