Link Report for Games of Saturday, August 11th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Saturday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Mark DiFelice at home vs. Albuquerque (Marlins), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: RHP Mike McClendon at Fort Myers (Twins), 5:50 pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

http://miraclebaseball.com/

 

NOTE: This link is for the Miracle's broadcast team.

 

West Virginia: RHP Jeremy Jeffress at home vs. Savannah (Mets), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

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

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

 

Helena: RHP Chad Robinson at Orem (Angels), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

 

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

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

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Saturday'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:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_albaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_biraax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_breafa_ftmafa_1&did=t503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_savafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_helrok_orerok_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 Friday's action:

Arizona League 2nd Half Standings:

Arizona Rookie is 11-28 overall...

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...;period=h2

 

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 71 48 .597 - 37-18 34-30 L2 Iowa 66 54 .550 5.5 39-25 27-29 W2 Omaha 60 60 .500 11.5 38-21 22-39 W1 Memphis 48 72 .400 23.5 26-35 22-37 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 30 18 .625 - 15-8 15-10 L1 Chattanooga 27 21 .563 3.0 14-11 13-10 L1 Tennessee 25 23 .521 5.0 18-10 7-13 W1 Carolina 23 25 .479 7.0 14-11 9-14 W1 West Tenn 19 29 .396 11.0 9-16 10-13 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 25 20 .556 - 15-9 10-11 L3 St. Lucie 22 23 .489 3.0 9-13 13-10 W1 Jupiter 20 24 .455 4.5 11-10 9-14 W1 Palm Beach 21 26 .447 5.0 11-15 10-11 W1 Daytona 20 28 .417 6.5 10-16 10-12 W2 Vero Beach 11 33 .250 13.5 6-16 5-17 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hickory 31 17 .646 - 18-9 13-8 W5 Lakewood 25 21 .543 5.0 13-10 12-11 W3 Delmarva 23 24 .489 7.5 9-15 14-9 W1 Lake County 22 24 .478 8.0 10-14 12-10 L2 Greensboro 22 26 .458 9.0 14-8 8-18 L1 Lexington 21 27 .438 10.0 14-11 7-16 W2 West Virginia 21 27 .438 10.0 12-10 9-17 W1 Hagerstown 14 33 .298 16.5 9-15 5-18 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 8 3 .727 - 4-0 4-3 W2 Billings 6 5 .545 2.0 3-2 3-3 L1 Missoula 5 6 .455 3.0 4-2 1-4 L2 Helena 4 7 .364 4.0 2-5 2-2 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

[Mass Haas]

Darren Ford and his .313 Florida State League OBP hitting 5th tonight for Brevard.

 

Lorenzo Cain and his .342 Florida State League SLG batting leadoff.

 

It's the old switcheroo, which basically means both have disappointed in their previously assigned roles. Notice I didn't say failed, just disappointed.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville down 1-0 mid-game, cover your eyes here:

 

Nashville Bottom 4th

• - Drew Anderson walks.
• - Brad Nelson singles on a ground ball to right fielder Reggie Abercrombie. Drew Anderson to 2nd.
• - Vinny Rottino singles on a bunt ground ball to catcher Jason Phillips. Drew Anderson to 3rd. Brad Nelson to 2nd.
• - Charles Thomas called out on strikes.
• - Chris Barnwell called out on strikes.
• - Ozzie Chavez called out on strikes.

[Mass Haas]

Two of the wilder game logs of the season in the Power and Manatee games tonight, both tight affairs currently in the mid-innings.

 

Bad first inning for Chad Robinson in Helena.

 

The Sounds were Obermueller'd tonight -- details later.

[Mass Haas]

Man, it is so much easier to slide on over to this forum and post the updates after a victory like that by the Crew!

 

A wonderful late-night second wind on the East Coast here for yours truly.

 

All your updates shortly. Just remember, before he was your Milwaukee stud, Ryan Braun was your Link Report stud. http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/happy.gif

[Kevbo74]

Mass Haas wrote:

 

All your updates shortly. Just remember, before he was your Milwaukee stud, Ryan Braun was your Link Report stud. http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/happy.gif

We will never forget the Ryan Braun Watch.

I stopped listening to WV after 4. I'm hoping Jeffress was pulled due solely to pitch count.... if so, I like his improvements.

 

Last time Jeffress walked more than 3 was July 17 (6 BB in 6.2 IP)

since then:

7/22 - 3

7/27 - 3

8/1 - 0

8/6 - 2

8/11 - 0

in those 5 games,

25.1 IP, 20 H. 12 ER, 8 BB, 28 K, ERA 4.30

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Brewer Minor League Pitching Coordinator Jim Rooney (Part 2 of 2):

http://www.nashvillesounds.com/audio/2007/Interview%208-11.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Albuquerque (Marlins) 3, Nashville 1

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Mark DiFelice photo, text follows --

 

http://www.nashvillesounds.com/news/news.asp?newsId=2501

 

NASHVILLE - Former Sounds hurler Wes Obermueller worked 8 2/3 strong innings to lead the Albuquerque Isotopes to a 3-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday evening in front of 8,759 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

Obermueller (1-1), who pitched for Nashville during the club's PCL championship campaign in 2005, notched his first PCL win of the year. He allowed one unearned run on seven hits over his 8 2/3 innings while striking out nine batters.

 

Nashville pitchers allowed only three hits and struck out 16 batters in the losing effort. The Sounds (71-49) out-hit the opposition for the third straight game but have dropped all three contests.

 

Middle Tennessee State University product Brett Carroll scored two of the three Isotopes runs, including one on his 14th home run of the season.

 

Sounds starter Mark DiFelice (2-1) matched a career high with 11 strikeouts and surrendered only two hits over seven innings but took a hard-luck loss, his first in six PCL outings this season. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.78 with the effort.

 

The Isotopes manufactured a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning against DiFelice. Eric Reed led off with a double to right, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a John Gall sacrifice fly.

 

Obermueller worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning to nix Nashville's best scoring opportunity of the evening. After Drew Anderson led off with a walk, Brad Nelson and Vinny Rottino followed with singles to fill the bags. Obermueller caught three straight Sounds batters looking at strike three - Charles Thomas, Chris Barnwell, and Ozzie Chavez - to escape the jam unscathed.

 

Albuquerque used a Jason Phillips sacrifice fly to double its lead to 2-0 in the fifth. Carroll scored unearned on the play after reaching to open the frame when centerfielder Gabe Gross dropped his fly ball.

 

Carroll increased the visitors' lead to 3-0 in the top of the seventh when he belted a 1-1 DiFelice offering off the scoreboard in left-center. The one-out solo homer was his 14th of the season.

 

Nashville broke up Obermueller's shutout bid in the bottom of the ninth after Thomas drew a one-out walk and Barnwell singled. Chavez followed with a sacrifice fly to left to make it a 3-1 contest.

 

Roy Corcoran took over on the Albuquerque hill and retired pinch-hitter Andy Abad, the potential tying run, on a flyout to notch his 11th save of the year and second in two nights.

 

Gross (2-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 10 games for Nashville with a fifth-inning single. Anderson had his season-best 12-game hitting streak halted with an 0-for-3 evening for the Sounds.

 

The teams continue the series with another 6 p.m. meeting on Sunday evening. Right-hander Seth McClung (1-0, 0.00) will make his second start of the year for the Sounds to face Isotopes right-hander Nic Ungs (4-4, 5.40).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Reliever Marino Salas' most recent three outings -- 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 13 K's; Gabe Gross with a 1.082 OPS in 18 AAA games...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_albaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_11_albaaa_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 8, Savannah (Mets) 6

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER WIN 8-6 SLUGFEST

 

The West Virginia Power and Savannah Sand Gnats combined to score 14 runs on 17 hits on Saturday night at Appalachian Power Park and the Power came away with an 8-6 victory to take the final game of the series.

 

Jonathan Sanchez hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give the Sand Gnats an early edge. The Power answered quickly in the bottom of the first as Taylor Green tied the game with a two-run single. Green struck again in the third inning with an RBI single. Savannah took their second lead of the game in the fourth inning. Leivi Ventura doubled in the first run of the inning and Elvis Cruz knocked in the second on a sacrifice fly.

 

Brent Brewer's two-run single in the fourth inning put the Power ahead 5-4. The Sand Gnats tied the game in the fifth inning when Hector Pellot scored on Jeremy Jeffress's error. Andy Bouchie ripped a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give West Virginia the lead for good. The Sand Gnats scored their final run in the sixth inning on Cruz's second sac fly and in the eighth inning the Power added an insurance run when Matt LaPorta walked with the bases loaded.

 

Jose Romero (4-0) got the win, allowing a run on a hit over two innings of relief. Donovan Hand (1) got the save and retired all eight batters he faced while Waner Mateo (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power improved to 70-46 overall and 22-26 in the second half, while the Sand Gnats fell to 35-82 overall and 15-32 in the second half with the loss. Brewer, Green and Bouchie all had two hits apiece. Green went 8-for-13 with three runs and three RBI in the series.

 

The Power will begin a four game series with the Charleston Riverdogs at Appalachian Power Park on Sunday night. The Power will start right hander Shawn Ferguson (2-1, 3.05) and the Riverdogs will counter with right hander John Axford (0-2, 3.04). The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM (4:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Jeremy Jeffress with fielding miscues on consecutive plays in the 5th; Taylor Green has been enormously fun to follow all season, what an unexpected joy; Brent Brewer now 37-for-44 in SB attempts; Andy Bouchie sorely needed a big game like tonight's...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_savafx_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Runs were scored in nine different hal-innings by the two clubs, but never more than two runs in an inning...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_11_savafx_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Painful end to the 8th inning in Fort Myers, Manatees still down late:

 

Brevard County Top 8th

• - Mat Gamel singles on a ground ball to center fielder Dustin Martin.
• - Cole Gillespie singles on a line drive to center fielder Dustin Martin. Mat Gamel to 3rd.
• - Pitcher Change: Eduardo Morlan replaces David Shinskie.
• - Darren Ford singles on a fly ball to shortstop Steven Tolleson, deflected by left fielder Juan Portes. Mat Gamel scores. Cole Gillespie to 2nd.
• - Michael Bell singles on a line drive to right fielder Dwayne White. Cole Gillespie to 3rd. Darren Ford to 2nd.
• - J. R. Hopf strikes out swinging.
• - Ned Yost strikes out swinging.
• - Anderson De La Rosa strikes out swinging.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Observations from WV....Jeffress just appears to be tiring from the long season...at times he looked brilliant, at times he looked, well....tired. LaPorta just flat didn't get ANYTHING to hit tonite.....mostly didn't even get anything to swing at....3 BB's....He came up with the bases juiced and I got all excited, only to take about a 9 or 10 pitch walk. I can't wait to see that guy get in a groove. Moving Caufield to leadoff and Fermaint, to well, not leadoff has been a move I've been waiting for for a while also....I think we'll see more good things out of Chuckie!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Fort Myers (Twins) 7, Brevard County 6

Brevard County Box Score:

Ouch -- Mike McClendon has allowed 48 hits and 16 walks over his last six starts, totalling only 29 1/3 IP; Mat Gamel with a triple, on base three times; Anderson De La Rosa, just turned 23, remains a bit intriguing...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_breafa_ftmafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

These game logs are just chock full tonight, sometimes painful -- baserunners everywhere...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_11_breafa_ftmafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 6, Huntsville 4

Birmingham scores a single run in six different innings, again making for an entertaining, if disappointing, game log; Huntsville site with details soon...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Reliever E.J. Shanks' submarine pitching style fooled them all at low- and high-A, but not at this level; Hernan Iribarren still hot, 2-for-3 with a sac fly; Guilder Rodriguez not your prototypical first baseman...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_biraax_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_11_biraax_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Bottom of the 6th in Orem, H-Crew getting spanked, 7-2...

[Mass Haas]

How could the Stars lose on Don Money Wobbler night?

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/images/news/Money%20Wobbler.jpg

 

Is that a commentary on Don's waist band, his post-game beverages, or both? http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

 

Forget bobbles, wobblers is where it's at...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=1316

 

Barons Beat Stars for a Second Straight Night

Kyle McCulloch worked six solid innings and Birmingham posted runs in six different frames en route to a 6-4 win over Huntsville Saturday night in the fourth of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars dropped their second straight game to fall to 30-19 in the second half, but they were able to maintain their three-game lead over Chattanooga, which fell at Montgomery, in the North Division, while the Barons improved to 22-27 in the second half and 54-65 overall.

 

David Cook continued his Roy Hobbs impersonation with a solo home run in the first inning to give the Barons the early lead. He wound up reaching base in all five plate appearances and has hit seven long balls, knocked in 15 and scored in all nine games in his first stint at the double-A level. The Barons loaded the bases with one out in the second before Stars' starter Steve Hammond fanned Cole Armstrong and Adam Shabala to work out of trouble. The visitors added a run in the third to take a 2-0 lead.

 

The Stars took the lead with three runs in the home third on a throwing error by the catcher Armstrong on a Mel Stocker sacrifice bunt attempt, a run-scoring single by Alcides Escobar, who was thrown out trying to stretch into a double, and a sacrifice fly by Hernan Iribarren, who had his 14th multiple hit game in his last 18 starts.

 

Birmingham tied the game in the sixth on a two-out single by Getz that knocked Hammond out of the contest. Robert Hinton took over and walked Cook to load the bases before Shawn Garrett popped up to end the inning. The Stars loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame but McCulloch worked out of trouble by striking out Steve Moss and getting Carlos Corporan to foul out. The former Texas Longhorn yielded three runs, one earned on four hits over six innings in his second double-A start. He fanned three and walked two to grab his first win with the Barons and hiseighth of the season.

 

The visitors took the lead for good against Hinton in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Ricardo Nanita and made it 5-3 in the eighth against E.J. Shanks on a two-out RBI hit by Victor Mercedes. The Stars scored in the home eighth against Adam Russell but the Barons added an insurance run in the ninth on a run-scoring double by Adam Shabala, who has knocked in a run in three straight games. Oneli Perez retired the Stars in order in the home ninth to earn a save for a second straight night and for the 14th time this season.

 

The series wraps up Sunday evening with left-hander Sam Narron taking the hill for Huntsville against Barons' southpaw Gio Gonzalez. Coverage of the game begins at 5:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Orem (Angels) 10, Helena 2

Owlz own Brewers

By Helena Independent Record Staff

OREM, Utah - The Helena Brewers got off to a bad start Saturday, and things didn't get any better.

Helena fell to the Orem Owlz 10-2 thanks to a shaky start by Chad Robinson, three errors and anemic hitting.

In the bottom of the first, Gordon Gronkowski walked to load the bases with one out. Hector Estrella singled to left to bring in Rian Kiniry and Jay Brossman. Later, Anel De Los Santos hit his eighth double to drive in Gronkowski and Estrella.

In the top of the second, Anthony Wycklendt singled with two out to bring up Zach McAngus, who, after a passed ball, singled to score Wycklendt.

In the bottom of the second, Trevor Pippin walked to lead off the inning, but was put out on a fielder's choice. Andrew Romine singled to left, bringing Pippin to third. After Romine stole second base, Gronkowski hit his 17th double to right, driving in Romine and Pippin.

That chased Robinson out of the inning, who moved to 0-3 on the year after allowing six runs on four hits and four walks. Casey Baron came on to finish the inning.

In Helena's half of the third, Mike Goetz reached to lead off the inning when he was hit by a pitch. After an out, Goetz stole second and was driven in on a Jonathan Lucroy single. A double play ended the inning, and the last real Brewer threat.

The Owlz weren't done, though.

Jeremy Moore singled to lead off the bottom of the third, followed by a fielding error by David Fonseca. With two runners in scoring position, Pippin reacheds on a fielder's choice that allowed Jeremy Moore to score.

In the bottom of the sixth, Kiniry reached on another error by Fonseca. Romine grounded into a fielder's choice, then stole second.

With Brossman batting, Romine stole his eighth base of the year.

Brossman then reached on a catcher interference call, followed by another walk by Gronkowski to load the bases.

Estrella doubled to left to empty the bases.

The Owlz were paced by starter Robert Fish, who gave up two runs on four hits and one walk.

The Brewers have lost seven of their last nine games. They fell to five games back of the Great Falls White Sox in the second half standings. Helena travels to Ogden, Utah, today to play at 4:05 PM (5:05 Central).

 

Helena Box Score:

Caleb Gindl 2-for-4...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_11_helrok_orerok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_11_helrok_orerok_1

[Mass Haas]

Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio with Pro Scouting Director and Asst. to the GM Dick Groch...

Be sure you're on the archive of August 11th and go to the 6:00 minute mark...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/multimedia/audio.jsp

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070812/SPORTS0401/708120388/1328/SPORTS

 

Sounds fall to Isotopes in a pitchers' duel

DiFelice has 11 K's, allows two hits in loss

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Mark DiFelice kept his momentum on the mound going, but the Sounds couldn't muster up any power on the way to a 3-1 loss Saturday to Albuquerque.

 

DiFelice (2-1) picked up his first loss with Nashville despite tying a career-high with 11 strikeouts. He gave up two hits over seven innings, but the Sounds failed to capitalize on their six hits.

 

The loss came before a Greer Stadium crowd of 8,759. The Sounds avoided a shutout when Ozzie Chavez's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning scored Charles Thomas.

 

Albuquerque claimed its second consecutive win over Nashville by scoring two runs off sacrifice flies in the fourth and fifth innings before former Middle Tennessee State star Brett Carroll homered off the scoreboard in the seventh.

 

"It's good to get a home run like that because it gets the stress off your shoulders,'' said Carroll, who is from Knoxville and has 14 homers this season. "All your family and friends who are here to see you play expect big things from you.

 

"I got a hanging curveball up in the zone. (DiFelice) is good - he knows how to pitch."

 

DiFelice pitched well, but the Isotopes took advantage of his few mistakes, according to Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas.

 

"Unfortunately, when he made mistakes they had guys in scoring position,'' Kremblas said. "And they did a good job of capitalizing on them."

 

Marino Salas replaced DiFelice in the seventh inning and recorded five strikeouts, giving the Sounds a total of 16, which was just one shy of their season-high.

 

Albuquerque right-hander Wes Obermueller (1-1), a former Sound, struck out nine in 8 2/3 innings.

 

For the second consecutive night Nashville threatened to rally late but came up short. Nashville had runners on second and third with one out but got just one run.

 

What they said: "We had a chance. In that one inning (fourth) we had bases loaded, nobody out, and we weren't able to get anybody in. That's always frustrating.'' - Kremblas.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.al.com/stars/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/1186910249276390.xml&coll=1

 

Barons' 6-4 victory evens series vs. Stars

Birmingham claims second straight win

By CARLTON RICE

For The Huntsville Times

 

After the Birmingham Barons broke Huntsville's eight-game winning streak on Friday, the Stars were hoping to begin a new streak. That new streak will have to wait.

 

The Barons scored early and eventually came from behind to beat the Stars 6-4 at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

"I think our pitch execution wasn't good tonight," said Stars manager Don Money. "They were just up in the zone and just weren't there tonight. They had 14 hits but we still had a chance to win that game."

 

Birmingham (22-27, 54-65) scored first in the top half of the first inning when the Barons newcomer David Cook blasted a two-out home run to give Birmingham a 1-0 lead. Cook scored again in the third on Shawn Garrett's RBI double.

 

Huntsville (30-19, 67-50) surged ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the third with runs from Carlos Corporan, Guilder Rodriguez and Mel Stocker.

 

The Barons tied it at 3-all in the top of the sixth inning when Chris Getz's RBI single scored Michael Myers. Birmingham went ahead for good in the seventh when Ricardo Nanita's RBI double scored Cory Alridge, who led off the inning with a double.

 

Birmingham increased its lead to 5-3 in the eighth. The Stars closed to within one run at 5-4 in the bottom of the inning.

 

Birmingham got an insurance run in top of the ninth to seal the win. The Stars' loss evened this series at 2-2.

 

Kyle McCulloch (1-0) picked up the win. Robert Hinton (2-3) took the loss.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.al.com/sports/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/1186910110276390.xml&coll=1

 

Huntsville connection fueling Brewers lineup

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

HOUSTON - A day or so before the season began, there was a light-bulb-over-the-head moment. There was a new playground for kids at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars would be populated with, baseball wise, a passel of kids.

 

So, off to the swing sets for a photo op with Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy and David Krynzel. Kids being kids, they began to swing. Higher and faster and higher and ... crack!

 

A wooden beam broke. The players broke up.

 

Five years later, two of those players, Hart and Hardy, are part of the nucleus of another baseball team where kids are still being kids - "we go back to the hotel and play video games," admitted Hart - where new superstars are emerging and where a pennant could be in the future.

 

The Milwaukee Brewers are heavily populated with former Huntsville Stars players and built with the foundation of their farm system. "It's like the old Braves," Hart said. "It makes the transition that much easier, with so many familiar faces."

 

They have been in first place in the National League Central much of the season, despite a nosedive during July that has enabled the surging Cubs to catch up.

 

Maybe the Brewers will still win the division. Maybe it'll be next year. Whatever the case, "We're in this for the long run," Hart said Friday night, having just delivered the game-winning RBI in the 11th inning.

 

The headlines are going to first baseman Prince Fielder, the National League home run leader with physique and homer distance that are positively Ruthian, and third baseman Ryan Braun. The former played for the Stars in 2004. The latter was in Huntsville this time a year ago, one of the spark plugs to Huntsville's run to the division title. Braun has a .665 slugging percentage - 57 points better than the career number posted by Barry Bonds.

 

It's less math and more chemistry, though.

 

"It's fun to be going through this with everyone," Hardy said. "We kinda went through the same thing in the minor leagues. We've all known each other for so long and we've always been such good friends. To be here doing this together, I don't think it happens with a lot of organizations."

 

"It's just awesome being with these guys. It's more gratifying playing together like this," Hart said. "It makes it easier doing your job with close friends."