Link Report for Games of Tuesday, June 5th

[wibadgers23]

I just can't get over how well Darren Ford is playing right now. I don't know how well his defense is, but he seems to have the whole package - just needs to cut down on the strikeouts.

[pogokat]

ford's defense is excellent

[TheCrew07]

Does anyone know much about Corredor? He hit well enough last year, but this year he just doesn't seem to be able to get it going. I never paid much attention because Salome was my primary focus at the position. I was bouncing the web and didn't locate a valuable scouting report. Though I guess now that I'm looking at the stats he's already 3/4 of the way to his AB total from last year so it was a pretty small sample.

 

edit. Speaking of Salome, he hasn't played in 2 days... boohiss.

[pogokat]

Nestor is an organizational soldier...at current pace, he'll be 30 by the time he reaches AAA...

 

i've seen him play a few times...he catches and throws ok, but hits like henry blanco...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2007060537

 

From top to bottom

Magic number to clinch playoff berth down to four

By Tommy R. Atkinson

Charleston Gazette Staff Writer

 

Taylor Green sure doesn?t hit like the weakest link in the batting order.

 

The West Virginia Power third baseman, hitting from his customary No. 9 and final spot in the lineup, doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning Tuesday night to lead his team to a come-from-behind 8-6 victory over the Greensboro (N.C.) Grasshoppers. A paid crowd of 5,627 attended the South Atlantic League game at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The Northern Division-leading Power (39-16) reduced its magic number to four over second-place Greensboro (31-27), which trails by 9 1/2 games. Any combination of Power wins and Greensboro losses totaling four will lock up the first-half division title and a playoff spot. Last year the Power missed out on the postseason, finishing second in each half.

 

Andrew Lefave?s two-out, two-run bouncing single between first and second base knotted the game at 6-all for the Power in the bottom of the seventh inning, capping a five-run outburst in which all the runs were scored with two outs. Green, who finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored, doubled in the first run to start the rally.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, the Power?s Stephen Chapman led off by grounding out then Kenny Holmberg coaxed a full-count walk. Green followed by lining the first pitch he saw over the left fielder?s head to give the Power the lead for good at 7-6.

 

?Once you have a little momentum going it just keeps rolling,?? said Green. ?One hit and another and everybody wants to get in on it. The dugout started getting into it a lot more and you could just feel that energy. It was lots of fun.??

 

Leadoff hitter Darren Ford gave the Power some cushion with a single, driving in Green, for an 8-6 edge. Power reliever E.J. Shanks earned his ninth save, giving up just a single in the top of the ninth. Jose Romero (2-0) picked up the win for the Power in relief with a perfect eighth inning.

 

The No. 9 spot in the batting order is generally reserved for a team?s lightest hitter, but don?t tell that to Green, a 25th-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005.

 

Entering Tuesday?s play, the 21-year-old was hitting .352 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Green has only struck out 19 times in 128 at-bats and owns a .617 slugging percentage and a .420 on-base percentage.

 

?I don?t mind hitting there,?? said Green. ?It?s just the way it is. I?ll keep doing it as long as it?s helping the team. [Opposing pitchers] don?t really pitch me like a nine batter anymore.??

 

In his last 10 games, Green is carrying a .459 batting average.

 

?I don?t know that he deserves to be in the nine hole, but he?s definitely the best nine hole [hitter] in the league,?? said Power hitting coach Corey Hart. ?He?s like a three- or four-hole hitter in the nine hole. It?s tough on the other teams.

 

?It wears down pitchers a lot. Now the opposing pitcher doesn?t have time to breathe out there with the lineup we put out there. He?s a great little hitter. He makes good contact [and] doesn?t strike out much. When someone makes a mistake he makes them pay for it. It gives us confidence through the whole lineup.??

 

Ford finished 2-for-5 with a triple and a pair of RBIs and Andy Bouchie smacked a solo homer for the Power. Holmberg went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored hitting from the No. 8 spot in the batting order.

 

Greensboro jumped out to a 6-1 lead after 6 1/2 innings as Jacob Blackwood drove in all of the runs with a pair of two-run homers and a two-run triple.

 

The Power will take on Greensboro at 10:35 AM today (9:35 Central) in the finale of the two-game homestand and the fourth and final Grand Slam School Day. The Power will begin a seven-game road trip Thursday with stops at Lexington (Ky.) and Hickory (N.C.).

 

Power points

 

The Power?s Chuckie Caufield was named the South Atlantic League offensive player of the week Tuesday. Caufield, a 39th round draft pick by the Brewers in 2006, went 11-for-26 with seven runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBIs from May 29 through Sunday. Caufield leads the league in hits (73), is seventh in batting average (.330) and tops the Power with 44 RBIs. ... Power catcher Anderson DeLarosa was activated from the disabled list and promoted to advanced Class A Brevard County.

 

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Lawrence Pierce

Power shortstop Brent Brewer is about to retire Greensboro?s John Raynor on an attempted steal.

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56520

 

Oxspring Soundly takes care of Tucson

By Nate Rau, Sports Correspondent

 

The increasingly-sturdy Chris Oxspring turned in another outstanding performance Tuesday, throwing six scoreless innings as the Nashville Sounds downed Tucson 5-0 in a matinee in front of 3,687 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

Oxspring has now thrown 16-straight scoreless frames, spanning three starts. He also lowered his ERA to 2.60 on the season and recorded eight strikeouts, which moves him to second in the Pacific Coast League with 64 on the year. Teammate Yovani Gallardo is first with 95.

 

Oxspring, who signed with the Brewers organization as a non-roster spring training invitee, has been lights-out of late. Coming to the Sounds after spending last year playing in Japan, the 30-year-old Oxspring improved his record to 5-3 on the season.

 

His emergence gives the Brewers another reliable option if pitching help is needed from Music City.

 

?I felt good again,? said Oxspring, who especially relied on his swooping breaking ball against the Sidewinders. ?The results speak for themselves. I don?t think I?m doing anything differently, just being more consistent. Luckily they haven?t found the good part of the bat.

 

?I guess it was tough to see the curveball early on. As long as guys can?t see it, you?ve got to keep throwing it.?

 

The Sounds offense was a mixed-bag with most everybody chipping in. Brad Nelson led the way with a 2-for-3 day that included a solo homer in the third.

 

The Sounds also scored by way of a wild pitch (Chris Barnwell in the fourth) and two sacrifice flies (by Jose Macias in the fifth and Vinny Rottino in the sixth). Mike Rivera added an RBI single in the sixth as well.

 

?That?s what?s going to happen when you win; guys are going to step up,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said of the team?s group effort.

 

The victory capped another successful stint for the Sounds at Greer. Nashville (33-26) went 6-1 this homestand and has won all but two series at home this year.

 

?When we go out on the road this time we?ve got to try to win a couple series and get back to [how we were playing during] our first road trip of the year,? Kremblas said.

 

The Sounds have today off and then travel to Omaha for a series beginning Thursday.

 

Abad update: Sounds first baseman Andy Abad, who has debatably been the team?s top offensive weapon this year, remains out with a sprained wrist. Abad hurt the wrist on Friday and was put on the seven-day disabled list. He was replaced by Drew Anderson, who was promoted from Double A Huntsville.

 

Abad, who is hitting .345 and has a team-best 12-game hitting streak, is eligible to return during the team?s upcoming road trip. Kremblas said he wasn?t sure how soon Abad would return, but said he expected it would be soon.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds pitcher strikes quickly against Tucson

Oxspring records eight K's in win

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Sounds pitcher Chris Oxspring struck out the side to begin Tuesday's game, setting the tone for what would be the team's third shutout victory of the season.

 

A crowd of 3,687 saw the Australian strike out eight in six shutout innings in Nashville's 5-0 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders at Greer Stadium.

 

In improving to 5-3 on the season, Oxspring allowed just two hits and two walks.

 

"He was able to throw more than one pitch for a strike, kept them off balance," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

 

Leftfielder Brad Nelson hit his seventh home run of the season in the second inning to give the Sounds a lead they would not relinquish.

 

Strikeouts adding up

 

Oxspring's eight strikeouts moved him to second in the Pacific Coast League with 64. Including his past two starts, the right-handed Oxspring has now pitched 16 consecutive scoreless innings.

 

"The results are pretty awesome," Oxspring said. "I'd love to go out and put those numbers up every time."

 

The Sounds added a run in the fourth inning to make it 2-0, with Tucson pitcher D.J. Carrasco's wild pitch allowing Nashville's Chris Barnwell to score. Jose Macias made it 3-0 in the fifth, bunting home Vinny Rottino from third.

 

"Any time you can score from third without a hit, that's great," Kremblas said. "You're not always going to get hits to drive guys in. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't."

 

Nashville scored two more runs in the sixth. First baseman Mike Rivera hit a single, knocking in from second Ozzie Chavez, and Rivera later scored on a Rottino sacrifice fly.

 

Relief pitchers Steve Bray, Greg Aquino and Grant Balfour allowed just two hits through three innings to end the game.

 

The Sounds have now won 20 of their last 26 home games.

 

What they said: "It's just one of those things. Like hitters go on hot streaks or cold streaks, it's the same with pitchers." ? Oxspring.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Early HR continues run of PCL success

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Brad Nelson's second-inning home run gave Nashville the first run of the game for a PCL-leading 38th time. The Sounds are third in the PCL with 62 home runs this season.

 

League-leading Memphis has hit 66 home runs this season. Nashville has hit a home run in 21 of its past 25 games.

 

Streaking: Catcher Vinny Rottino's single in the second inning extended his hitting streak to 10 games. It follows a 22-at-bat hitless spell, which is Nashville's longest of the season. It is the Sounds' second double-digit hitting streak. First baseman Andy Abad currently has a 12-game hitting streak, the Sounds' longest of the season, but he was not in the lineup Tuesday.

 

Also, outfielder Laynce Nix had a six-game hitting streak in the works, but he failed to get a hit in his one pinch at-bat.

 

Top two: Pitcher Chris Oxspring started the day fifth on the PCL's strikeout list. With nobody in the top five pitching Tuesday, Oxspring's eight strikeouts moved him to second on the list, with 64. The Sounds' Yovani Gallardo tops the PCL with 98 strikeouts on the season. Gallardo (8-1) pitches at Omaha Thursday.

 

On the road: The Sounds have today off, along with the rest of the Pacific Coast League. They travel to Omaha on Thursday, where they will begin an eight-game road trip.

 

Nashville will play a four-game series against the Royals, followed by another four-game series at Memphis.

 

Nashville was swept by Omaha in an earlier series this season.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

STARS BLOW LATE LEAD, BUT STILL TIED FOR 1st

It hasn't happened often this year...... The Stars came back in the 7th inning to take a one-run lead....... But unlike Mark DiFelice's brilliant four-inning relief role Monday to preserve a 6-5 lead, Robert Hinton (1-0, 2.77 coming in) couldn't save the day.

 

The Stars' pen has held 18 leads and saved 14 games this season. Before the start of this series, the pen had blown just one lead they never got back (they blew three others, but won the game)....... Tonight was the 2nd time in four games the Stars had lost a lead because the pen failed to hold a lead.

 

After trailing most of the game, the Stars went ahead, 4-3, on Steve Sollmann's line drive single to left, scoring Hernan Iribarren....... Then 11 men came to bat in the Lookouts' six-run 7th........ Former Star Enrique Cruz started the fall by drawing a quick walk against reliever, and losing pitcher, Robert Hinton. That was followed by a single to left by Cody Strait - his only hit of the game. A sacrifice bunt, one of four by Chattanooga (the most by an opponent since July 25, 2002), moved the runners into scoring position..... Tyrell Godwin, sent to the Lookouts from Louisville (Int.) on May 7, was intentionally walked to load the bases........ Hinton, then, forced int he tying run when he hit Marland Williams in the back with a pitch.

 

That was just the beginning........ Caonabe Cosme, a minor league vet who started with the A's organization when the Stars were tied to Oakland, and now in his 12th season, doubled over the head of left fielder Mel Stocker. Strait and Godwin scored to give the Lookouts a 6-4 lead........ Pinch-hitter Luis Bolivar, a sub-.200 hitter with runners in scoring position, jumped on Hinton's first pitch and lined it hard off the diving glove of Adam Heether for an infield hit to drive in another run........ Now 7-4, Lookouts' 2nd baseman Drew Anderson was caught looking at a change for the 2nd out. But Paul Janish continued the onslaught with a hot grounder between the diving gloves of Heether and Yohannis Perez into left. Cosme scored to make it 8-4........ Cruz, who started this mess, belted a line drive one-hopper in front of Stocker to score Bolivar, and it was practically out of reach now -- 9-4.

 

Brendan Katin, who insisted on going the opposite way during batting practice, saw his practice pay off with a homer to right in the 8th inning, making it 9-5, but Godwin, took the run back in the bottom half with his 2nd home run against the Stars in this series. Godwin did not have a single round-tripper in his time with Louisville.

 

The Stars and Lookouts will wrap up this series with a game that will be heard only on the internet Wednesday....... Lindsay Gulin, (3-2, 5.18) will face Lookouts' lefty Luke Lockwood (1-5, 5.76)....... Lockwood lost to the Stars on May 6, 5-2, in Mike Jones' last game........ Jones is likely headed for Tommy John reconstructive surgery, according to Brewers' G.M. Gord Ash. That means another lost year for a pitching prospect who had already missed most of the 2004 season, all of 2005, and part of 2006.

 

Speaking of injuries, the Stars placed Ruben Mateo on the DL, retroactive to Sunday, after he aggravated his right hamstring........ Replacing him on the roster is outfielder Anthony Wycklendt, someone even I have never heard of. But here's the dossier....... Wycklendt is coming out of extended spring, which is where Mateo spent his time before coming to the Stars. He hit .240 in the Arizona Rookie League last year with four HRs. He's an undrafted free agent, signed last June by the Brewers. He hit .237 for Northwestern in his senior year, after hitting .302 the year before........ There must be some reason we didn't get another hitter from Brevard County, but then again, the Stars picked up outfielder Ryan Crew as this road trip started....... Crew, by the way, picked up a keepsake tonight when his first hit ever for the Stars -- a line drive single past 1st baseman Caonobe Cosme in the 6th inning --- drove in Brendan Katin to put the Stars within a run, 3-2.

 

Steve Hammond has now been scored upon in the 1st inning in seven of his 12 starts, including four of six on the road........Mel Stocker had his first four-hit day for the Stars, hiking his average to a respectable .252. Stocker is 7-for-13 in his last three games. In the Stars' first series against the Lookouts (at Joe Davis Stadium), Stocker went just 0-for-3 as a role player. Stocker is the 5th player to have a four-hit day for the Stars this year........ Katin, who hit .210 in April, then .333 in May, has his average over the .280 threshold now...... Lou Palmisano raised his average to .333 with a two-hit game, and is now 9-for-21 (.429) over his last five games......... Brevard County's Will Inman could get the starting nod in the Florida State League All-Star Game. The rosters, which were released, Tuesday, include Manatees Alcides Escobar and outfielder Cole Gillespie.

 

The Brewers get the 7th pick in the amateur baseball draft, which will be televised by ESPN from 2-6 PM eastern time on June 7.

 

Thanks to those who have e-mailed me with their ideas how to get more people in this ballpark. I've passed them on and will continue to do so.