Link Report for Mon. 9/10 -- Three Must-Have Games, Plus Power Opens Up

[Mass Haas]

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

 

 

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: Season complete

 

Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Tennessee (Cubs), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime; Deciding Game Five

 

Audio link:

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD at Clearwater (Phillies), 5:45 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime; Game Three of a Best-of-Five for the Florida State League Championship, Threshers lead, 2-0

 

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

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?cid=503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia: RHP Alex Periard at home vs. Columbus (Devil Rays), 5:50 PM pre-game; 6:05 gametime; Game One of a Best-of-Five for the South Atlantic League Championship

 

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

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

 

Helena: LHP Dan Merklinger is the expected starter at home vs. Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime; Deciding Game Three -- expect to see RHP Rob Bryson as well

 

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

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

Arizona: Season complete

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". 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.

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_tenaax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_breafa_clrafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_clmafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_grfrok_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Manatees GM Buck Rogers:

 

All season long it's been a band of over-achievers that have rallied from behind and the 'Tees will get their greatest challenge since the three-game set at Palm Beach late in the first half of the season. The 'Tees have dug themselves a hole and now find themselves down 0-2 facing an unsurmountable task of winning three straight at Clearwater.

 

The mood was somber in the Manatees clubhouse after the team let a three-run lead escape. But in walked Mat Gamel and Mike Bell with a chip on their shoulders. Their comments can't be printed here, but this group isn't ready to throw in the jock. It's been said that when you're going thru hell to keep going; don't stop. Tomorrow begins what could be the final day of the season or the final three days, only the Manatees can decide that. You can second guess this team all day long, but nobody in the clubhouse is ready to write it off. They've come too far and the next 72 hours will put everything they have on the line: hostile environment, travel, road games where the 'Tees haven't been the most successful. Think what you may, this series isn't over until the last out. Mat Gamel and Mike Bell have something to prove.

 

Rock On!

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.dailymail.com/story/Sports/+/2007091017/Power+celebrates+Northern+Division+title/

 

Power celebrates Northern Division title

Jack Bogaczyk

Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor

 

Champagne and beer were running from the basement ceiling into the bottom floor at 601 Morris St. late Saturday night.

 

No, the bubbly and Bud Light weren't leaking from the Power Alley Grill upstairs after some raucous post-Coal Bowl party. It was raining from the ceiling because it had been sprayed there by Charleston's boys of summer.

 

The West Virginia Power took a few minutes to celebrate the Capital City's first South Atlantic League Championship Series baseball appearance in 15 years, following a Northern Division pennant-clinching, 9-4 victory over Hickory at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Then, Power Manager Mike Guererro -- no stranger to these postseason sort of shenanigans --- reminded his team that it had a workout Sunday before the pitching-strong Southern Division champion Columbus Catfish arrive to open a best-of-five SAL title series.

 

The first two games of the series are scheduled tonight and Tuesday at 7:05 (6:05 Central) at Appalachian Power Park. After a travel day Wednesday, the series will resume for Games 3-5 (the last two if necessary) at Columbus' Golden Park Thursday through Saturday.

 

Columbus, a Tampa Bay affiliate, won the second-half Southern title and swept first-half champ Augusta in two games to reach the SAL Championship Series. Columbus' last trip to the finals came in 2002, when the RedStixx fell to the Crawdads for the league title.

 

The series figures to be strength against strength. While the Power led the league in hitting, Columbus ranked second in pitching (to Augusta) with a 3.61 ERA. Catfish ace Heath Rollins shared the league lead in wins (17-4) and ranked second in strikeouts (149) and is scheduled to start Game 1.

 

Rollins, a right-hander who has only one loss since mid-June, stifled the Power on July 31, pitching seven innings and allowing only three hits in a 4-0 West Virginia blanking.

 

This is Charleston's first playoff baseball in three seasons as a Milwaukee farm team. Before the Power opened the semifinal series Wednesday with a 12-2 rout at Hickory, Charleston was riding a seven-game losing streak in the playoffs.

 

"After we got beat (13-7) here Friday night, I just wanted to send them out in the right frame of mind," Guerrero said. "I just told them, 'Don't try to do too much. We lost a game. OK, we've done that before. Just do what you've done all year.' I didn't have to tell them this was the third game (in a 1-1, best-of-three series).

 

"Like I always say, it's the little things that make big things happen."

 

A few minutes after saying that in his office, Guerrero reminded the Power with the same words amidst a very damp circle of players. With a 13-hit attack led by Chuck Caufield, Taylor Green and Matt LaPorta (two RBI apiece), the Power advanced before a small but thrilled crowd of 1,479.

 

After leading the SAL with a franchise-record .281 batting average during the season, the Power scored 28 runs in three games against the second-half Northern Division-winning Crawdads. West Virginia batted .384 in the three-game playoff set.

 

Entering the Northern Division series, the Power's chances for advancement seemed diminished. After a 34-34 second half finish, West Virginia was playing without the SAL batting champ (Andrew LeFave, sprained wrist) and the staff pitching ace, right-hander Jeremy Jeffress (suspended 50 days by Minor League baseball for drug use).

 

"There was a lot of anxiousness in the clubhouse going into the game," said Caufield, who was 3-for-5 in the division series finale with two RBI. "But this is the kind of team we are. If one guy doesn't get it done, someone else does. Mike told us to go out and have fun, play hard. We played aggressively."

 

On the mound, Power pitching coach John Curtis and Guerrero entrusted the potential clincher to a wealth of inexperience. Donovan Hand and the first two of three relievers who followed him to the mound -- Bobby Bramhall and Patrick Lawler -- are pro rookies of a few months. The latter two joined the club less than two weeks ago.

 

"Hand pitched very well," Curtis said of the right-hander's stint into the seventh inning. " "He didn't let Hickory's four runs rattle him. He throws strikes (no walks in 31 Power innings), and he steadied the game and gave our bats a chance."

 

Power plugs -- Power Park tickets for the SAL series are priced $8 for box seats and $6 for general admission. Game 2 will be the last of the popular "Two for Tuesday" beverage nights of the season ... Both teams won 82 regular-season games this season ... Columbus won the season series, 3-1 with a pair of shutouts (July 30-Aug. 2), but has not played at Appalachian Power Park in 2007. The Catfish is managed by former Major League third baseman Jim Morrison ... This is Guerrero's 13th baseball postseason -- seven as a minor league infielder and sixth as a manager ... Charleston hasn't had a pro baseball title since the 1990 Wheelers (Reds' affiliate) won the SAL crown. Columbus' last minor league title was by the Houston Astros' Class AA affiliate in the Southern League, in 1986.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/2007090921

 

Power to overcome

Personnel changes haven't derailed West Virginia's championship hopes

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

Like other teams in baseball's minors, the West Virginia Power has lost key players to the inevitable process of promotions.

 

In the Power's case, those promotions made a big difference in its won-lost record. In the season's first half, the Power set a franchise record by posting a 48-20 record and winning the Northern Division championship but, following midseason player movements, the team compiled a so-so 34-34 mark in the second half.

 

To make matters more challenging, the Power recently lost its best starting pitcher, Jeremy Jeffress, to a season-ending suspension and its top hitter for average, Andrew Lefave, to a wrist injury.

 

Nevertheless, the Power survived the opening round of the South Atlantic League playoffs, defeating the Hickory Crawdads 9-4 in the decisive game Saturday night at Appalachian Power Park to win the best-of-three series.

 

The victory moves the Power into the SAL best-of-five championship series against the Columbus Catfish beginning at 7:05 tonight (6:05 Central) at APP.

 

The Power will play another home game Tuesday and, after Wednesday's travel day, the series moves to Columbus for games Thursday and, if necessary, Friday and Saturday.

 

Power players took notice of the promotions and other personnel losses but realized it's part of the game and took it in stride.

 

"We've lost a lot of guys, but nobody's really put any blame on that,'' said Power second baseman Kenny Holmberg. "We might have looked at each other and said, 'We might have lost some guys, but we're still here. So why can't we do it?'"

 

The Power's ability to overcome those losses, Holmberg added, is a reflection on the team's parent organization, the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

"It's a good organization,'' he said. "They definitely teach winning, and they draft winners here.''

 

Power right-hander Donovan Hand, who joined the team six weeks ago and who had started just three games for the Power, limited a hot-hitting Hickory team to four runs in six-plus innings Saturday night for the victory. He allowed 10 hits but did not walk a batter, giving him 31 innings as a Power pitcher without a base on balls.

 

It was a clutch high-stakes performance and, though he approached it like any other game, Hand admitted it was stressful.

 

"You treat it as any other game,'' said Hand. "I've pitched in a lot of big games in college, a lot of tournament games and regionals. But for a game like this as a first-year guy joining the team in the middle of the season, it was hard to stay relaxed.''

 

Pitching tonight for the Power will be right-hander Alex Periard, who's 7-7 with a 3.55 ERA and who defeated Hickory in Wednesday's opening playoff game. In seven innings against the Crawdads, he surrendered just one earned run.

 

Pitching for Columbus will be Heath Rollins (17-4, 2.54), who's 11-1 with a 2.09 ERA in his last 13 starts.

 

POWER POINTS: Rollins' 17 victories are the most by a SAL pitcher since Fausto Carmona won that many for Lake County in 2003. Carmona is now a mainstay in the Cleveland rotation. ... The Power and Catfish met just four times in the regular season - all in Columbus - and the Catfish won three. The Power batted just .168 in those four games. The Catfish hit .233 in the four games. ...

A Charleston team, either the Wheelers, Alley Cats or Power, has not won the SAL title since 1990. That team, the Wheelers, produced a player who would enjoy as much big-league success as any former Charleston player in the city's history - Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman, who's now baseball's career leader in saves, was a strong-armed shortstop for the '90 Wheelers. In 103 games that year, he hit .212.

[MrBoozer]

Tonight on the Manatee radio network are Pete Martinez and JC Meyerholtz. Martinez is one of the interns at Space Coast stadium and JC takes care of the PA duties for all the home games.

 

Unfortunately I cannot attend the final 3 games due to my involvement with Clear Channel and last night was my final call of the season. I hope all of you enjoyed my call this year and I appreciate all of you tuning in on the broadcast. Thanks for the many emails and I look forward to my return in 2008.

 

Go Manatees!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mass Haas]

Thanks, Kirk, for the update.

 

RHP Mike McClendon is starting for Brevard, and in case we had not formally mentioned it, Darren Ford did break a bone in his hand in the St. Lucie series and is limited to pinch-running duty the rest of the way.

 

Rain in Charleston delaying the start of the Power game.

[colbyjack]

Steve Wendt (I think that's his name, I can never remember it for whatever reason) has noted during tonight's Helena broadcast that Rob Bryson lost a dear friend late last night. No details how his friend passed away, but it is pretty surprising that Bryson started tonight's game.

 

Merklinger on in the 3rd after Bryson has a tough 2nd, giving up three runs, although the H-Crew scores two in the bottom of the 2nd to make it 3-2 against the toughest team in the Pioneer League.

[Kevbo74]

So, Mat Gamel talks a Big Game? Won't give up? Has a chip on his shoulder?

 

Well.. he better hit a double or a homerun tonite then...

 

Oh? He did? He hit Both?? And the Manatees win??

 

Sweet!!

 

Gotta Love the attitude! Huge Manatees all the way!

[colbyjack]

Huntsville holds on to win, 8-7 to advance to the Southern League championship series against the defending champion Montgomery Biscuits.

 

Lorenzo Cain has been an on-base machine leading off for the 'Tees during the FSL playoffs.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Tough nite for the Power tonite. Played good defense, had quite a few hits, but just couldn't really string any of them together. Rollins kid they faced tonite was pretty sharp, and able to get out of quite a few tough spots! Looking forward to a better nite tomorrow. Defensively tonite both teams played championship baseball...just got to catch a few breaks next time out! Caufield robs Columbus and brings one back in the ninth!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 8, Tennessee (Cubs) 7

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=1360

 

Stars Hang On to Down Smokies and Win North Division Title!

 

Luis Pena worked out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the ninth inning to preserve Huntsville's thrilling, roller coaster ride of an 8-7 win to clinch the North Division title in game five Monday night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars have advanced to the Southern League Championship Series for a second straight season to face Montgomery and will commence the first rematch in the title tilt in 31 years.

 

Eric Patterson led off the ninth with a walk and advanced to third base on a one-out single by Casey McGehee, who collected his second hit of the game. Tyler Colvin then doubled into the alley in right-center field to score Patterson to make it 8-7 and advance McGehee to third base. Issmael Salas was walked intentionally to load the bases before Chris Robinson struck out for the second out of the inning. Gary Cates then bounced a ground ball to shortstop that Alcides Escobar took to second base to force out Salas to end the game and kick off the victory celebration!

 

Robinson's run-scoring ground out and a Cates run-producing hit in the second inning gave the visitors a 2-1 lead that was extended in the third on McGehee's three-run home run, his second long ball of the series. Hernan Iribarren belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame to pull the home team within 5-3. The Stars tied the game with a pair of runs in the fourth on a run-scoring ground out by Michael Brantley and a two-out run-scoring hit by Escobar that knocked starter Mitch Atkins out of the game.

 

Stars' starter Steve Hammond was lifted after four innings, giving up five runs on six hits and was replaced by Robert Hinton, who retired the side in order in the fifth. The Stars loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and scored the go-ahead run when shortstop Robinson Chirinos fielded a Steve Moss grounder and made an errant throw home that allowed Adam Heether to cross the plate. Pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez chased home Steve Sollmann with a scoring fly ball that made it 7-5 Huntsville.

 

David Johnson tossed shutout relief in the seventh and eighth innings and the home team added an insurance run in the seventh on a Ryan Crew pinch-hit sacrifice fly. E.J. Shanks took over in the eighth for the Stars and allowed a two-out, run-scoring hit by Chirinos that trimmed the lead to 8-6. Pena retired Jorge Cortes on a ground out to end the frame.

 

The Southern League Championship Series begins Wednesday night at Riverwalk Stadium with southpaw Sam Narron taking the hill for Huntsville. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Alcides Escobar and Hernan Iribarren combined for five hits and each hit .429 in the series -- Steve Moss two hits (.400 overall); the Stars squuezed by playing four of five at home with the special advantage they earned as first and second half champs...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_tenaax_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_09_10_tenaax_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.al.com/stars/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/118950217674320.xml&coll=1

 

North is Stars'

Huntsville faces South champ Montgomery next

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

The air and carpet were soaked with the smell of spilled, sprayed and, occasionally, sipped adult beverage. The bass notes of the "Superman" song were echoing through the room. The Huntsville Stars were back in celebratory mode again.

 

And if it wasn't exactly an evening of superhuman feats, it was another lovely milestone for Huntsville's super season.

 

The Stars withstood one more appropriately nerve-wracking inning, with Luis Pena wriggling free of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, to knock off the Tennessee Smokies 8-7 Monday night in the fifth and deciding game of the Southern League North playoffs.

 

It sends the Stars to the Southern League championship series for the fourth time since 2001, setting up a rematch against defending champion Montgomery. The series starts Wednesday in Montgomery, then shifts to Huntsville for game three on Friday.

 

"It don't think it's about revenge," Stars manager Don Money said. "It's just trying to win."

 

Two and a half games separated the Stars and Smokies during the regular season. It came down to the final game of the first half to decide that pennant, and the next-to-last game to determine the second-half winner.

 

So, it was only appropriate that the Smokies would have the bases loaded, with the winning run on second, when Pena struck out Chris Robinson and got Gary Cates on a game-ending grounder.

 

"Right down to the last pitch, the last batter," Money said.

 

The Smokies frittered away a 5-1 lead, with the Stars chipping away. A key blow was a two-run homer by Hernan Iribarren in the third to make it 5-3.

 

"It was a very important hit by Iribarren," Money said. "He got us back in the game."

 

Huntsville had taken a 1-0 lead when Michael Brantley led off with a single and Adam Heether scored him with a sacrifice fly. But back-to-back doubles by Tyler Colvin and Issmael Salas off Huntsville starter Steve Hammond and an RBI single by Cates produced two Smokies runs. Casey McGehee's three-run homer in the third made it 5-1.

 

However, Tennessee starter Mitch Atkins was having his struggles. After Iribarren's homer, he was chased by singles by Lou Palmisano, Steve Moss and Alcides Escobar in the fourth that tied the game 5-5.

 

As evidence of the value of every single base, Money ordered Brendan Katin, the league's RBI leader, to bunt against reliever Matt Avery with two aboard in the fifth. Then Palmisano was walked intentionally to load the bases.

 

Moss hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Robinson Chirinos, who fired home for the force. His throw was off the mark and Heether slid in safely. Pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 7-5.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

http://www.starsboxscore.com/

 

GOOD TO THE LAST OUT

PENA ESCAPES BASES-LOADED, ONE OUT JAM IN NERVE-WRACKING FINISH

 

Tonight was the night....... One team goes home and one team goes on to play Montgomery for the Southern League Championship and the fate of this ballgame was in the hands of Huntsville's 95+ mph flamethrower, the "go-to" guy in the bullpen after Marino Salas took his 17 saves to Nashville, Luis Pena.

 

Both teams fought like dogs of war....... The Stars drew first blood and took a 1-0 lead in the 1st, but the Smokies hit back in the next two innings to take a 5-1 lead........ The Stars took it back, two runs at a time, until they led 7-5. They added an insurance run in the 7th to make it 8-5, but the Smokies came back again.

 

And now, it came down to a bases-loaded, one out situation in the 9th, and the pressure was on Pena to protect an 8-7 lead in the final inning........ The entire team including manager Don Money, circled around their pitcher trying to settle him down before facing catcher Chris Robinson, who had doubled and scored the Smokies' 6th run in the 8th....... Pena, who closed the 8th by retiring Jorge Cortes on a full-count grounder to 1st baseman Steve Sollmann, had opened the 9th by getting behind dangerous leadoff hitter Eric Patterson 3-and-0. Pena managed to work a full count, but he lost him on the 7th pitch, walking him. After Nate Spears hit a wind driven pop up to Adam Heether in front of the outfield grass near the line for the 1st out, Casey McGehee attacked Pena's first pitch and lined it to right for a single. Patterson had no trouble making it to 3rd....... Pena then got two fast balls over for strikes, the first one at 97 mph, on Tyler Colvin, but Colvin exploded like thunder on his 1-2 offering, driving it to the gap in right-center........ Steve Moss and Brendan Katin chased the ball to the wall as Patterson scored easily, bringing the Smokies within a run. McGehee could have and should have scored on the long drive, was held up at third, a big break for the Stars and a big mistake for the Smokies as it turned out. .......Now with the tying run on 3rd and the go-ahead run in scoring position with one out, the decision was made to walk Salas to get to Robinson.

 

This is what baseball is all about. This is why this is the greatest sport there is........ Every nerve-wracking pitch can spell the difference between happiness and heartache, and there's no walking away from it, pretending it will go away. Someone will win and someone will lose, and what the Stars had to lose here was a chance to meet Montgomery again for the league championship, and avenge the 11-4, 7-0, and 12-4 losses they took last year in Games 2, 3, and 4.

 

A small, but very vocal crowd of 1,135 was on their feet. They were into it from the very beginning of the game, cheering balls and strikes, clapping as the boys in their blue tops left the field for the dugout. Up in the next-to-top row on the first base side with an eagle-eye view of the action, I couldn't stay in my seat any longer. I walked around the seats in my row to stand on the concrete on the very top row of the ballpark, in front of the fence that separates the dropoff point to the concourse many feet below...... Would the long powwow on the mound be of benefit to Pena? Aware of the situation, the umpires seemed to let it go on longer than they ordinarily would.

 

Pena set and threw a 94 mph fast ball, then 95 to Robinson to go ahead of him, 0-and-2, the crowd, once again, cheering every pitch....... He fouls off a 99 mph pitch, then takes a 98 mph high and outside, then strikes out on a 96 mph heater....... One more out....... Gary Cates is the batter. 5-for-16 (.313) in the series with three RBIs. Singled through an infield hole to center to drive in Salas in the 2nd to give Tennessee a 2-1 lead....... Pena delivers. Cates swings and trying, perhaps, to hit it through the middle, finds Alcides Escobar's glove, instead near the bag. Escobar, rather than flipping to Iribarren for the force, takes no chances. He races to the bag, himself, and steps on second for the force just ahead of Salas, and it's all over........ Escobar leaps as everyone swarms around second base for the big pile-up.

 

The Stars are going to Montgomery for the first championship rematch in the Southern League in 31 years....... The series begins Wednesday night with Sam Narron (who took a few warmup pitches with Pena tonight) taking the mound to face probably Chris Mason (15-4, 2.57), the winningest pitcher in the Southern League this year and the ERA leader, as well. But Mason is not invincable.

 

With runners in scoring position over 42 2/3 innings, Mason has a 7.59 ERA and with runners on base -- 4.94. Left-handed batters hit .279 against him, and even though he was 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in August, the league hit .307 off him........ On the Biscuits website, they brag "We're back for seconds"........ Hernan Iribarren said it quite succinctly --- "We're out for payback."

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com's coverage:

Audio is from the Smokies' broadcast team --

 

Stars survive in Southern League semifinal

By Ryan McConnell / Special to MLB.com

When it mattered most, Huntsville's Don Money showed why he was voted Southern League Manager of the Year.

Money's strategy helped the Stars escape a ninth-inning jam as they held off visiting Tennessee, 8-7, on Monday in the fifth and decisive game of their first-round playoff series.

"Things got very interesting in the ninth," said Money.

With the Stars (3-2) leading, 8-6, entering the final frame, Money called on hard-throwing closer Luis Pena, who walked leadoff batter Eric Patterson before getting pinch-hitter Nate Spears to pop out.

Casey McGehee followed with a single and Tyler Colvin laced a run-scoring double before Pena intentionally walked Issmael Salas to load the bases for Chris Robinson, who had doubled in the eighth.

"I walked [salas] to see if we could get the double play," said Money, who didn't consider replacing Pena with the game on the line. "No, he was our closer and we were going with him until the end."

The skipper's faith was rewarded when Pena fanned Robinson and got Gary Cates to hit into a series-ending forceout, giving Huntsville a return trip to the Southern League Finals.

Hernan Iribarren, who hit .429 (9-for-21) during the series, helped cut into a 5-1 deficit with a two-run homer off Smokies starter Mitch Atkins in the third.

"He left the ball up and I hit it well," said Iribarren, who had gone deep just 19 times in 2,069 regular-season Minor League at-bats. "That was the difference in the game. It was a huge hit."

His manager agreed.

"Iribarren's two-run homer got us back in the ballgame," said Money. "It was a very important hit."

 

Audio: Hernan Iribarren smacks a homer

 

Audio: Stars punch return ticket to Finals

 

Audio links found here:

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070911&content_id=302016&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

 

Hernan Iribarren, who homered Monday, boasted a .429 average for the series. (Tony Farlow/MLB.com)

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2007/09/10/F5Fml5OI.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Final: Columbus (Devil Rays) 5, West Virginia 2

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

CATFISH TAKE GAME ONE

 

Heath Rollins won his second game of the 2007 postseason on Monday night as he shut down the West Virginia Power offense, holding them to just a pair of runs over six innings at Appalachian Power Park as the Columbus Catfish defeated the Power 5-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the South Atlantic League Championship Series.

 

The Power scored first in the bottom of the first inning. Chuckie Caufield began the inning with a walk, moved over to second base on Kenny Holmberg's base hit, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Matt LaPorta's groundout. John Matulia put the Catfish ahead with a clutch, two-out double in the third inning that scored both Matt Fields and Quinn Stewart. Fields doubled with two outs to score Nevin Ashley in the fourth inning before Maiko Loyola's sacrifice fly plated Stewart in the fifth.

 

West Virginia had their best chance to attack Rollins in the fifth inning when they had the bases loaded and nobody out. They were only able to squeeze one run out of that threat as Caufield grounded into a double play, scoring Andy Bouchie in the process. Cesar Suarez hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth inning to plate the final run of the game.

 

Rollins (2-0), who won 17 games during the regular season, won his ninth straight game, and hasn't lost since July 20th. Neil Frontz (1) struck out the side in the ninth inning to get the save and Alex Periard (1-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs on six hits over six innings, but matched a season high with five strikeouts.

 

The bottom of the order was huge for the Catfish. Their 7-8-9 batters, Fields, Stewart, and Jairo Delarosa combined to go 6-for-12 and scored three of Columbus's five runs. Stewart went 3-for-4 with a triple and two singles. Holmberg was the only Power player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a single.

 

The Power will continue the best of five South Atlantic League Championship Series against the Catfish on Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park. Right hander Shawn Ferguson (5-1, 3.08) will start for the Power and Columbus will counter with right hander Will Kline (0-4, 4.97). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Four Power relievers combine for three scoreless innings...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_clmafx_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_09_10_clmafx_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/200709111

 

Power bats quiet in opener

Double plays prove costly in loss to Catfish

By Doug Smock

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

The West Virginia Power was looking for a clutch hit Monday, anything to break through against Heath Rollins, the Columbus Catfish's 17-game winner. What it got instead were two rally-snuffing double plays.

 

Rollins, an 11th-round draft pick in 2006 by the parent Tampa Bay Devil Rays, induced John Alonso and Chuckie Caufield to hit into double plays in the fourth and fifth innings as the Catfish took the first game of the South Atlantic League championship series 5-2.

 

A crowd of 1,172 attended at Appalachian Power Park, a figure no doubt held down by daytime rain that didn't let up until about 6:45 p.m. The game started more than an hour late, as ground crews prepared a wet field.

 

Rollins, a 22-year-old resident of Lexington, S.C., tied for the league lead in victories in the regular season, fashioning a 17-4 record with a 2.54 earned run average. He also picked up a victory in the division series against the Augusta GreenJackets.

 

The two runs he begrudged the Power spoke to his ability to get out of trouble economically. He suffered a rocky start in the first inning, allowing a walk to Caufield and a single to Kenny Holmberg. The runners moved to second and third on a passed ball.

 

Up next was the dangerous Matt LaPorta, who drove in a run with a grounder to deep short. After that, Taylor Green and Alonso both grounded out to hold the damage to a run.

 

That 1-0 lead was all the Power enjoyed, and it lasted until the third inning, when John Matulia smacked a two-out, two-run double off Power starter Alex Periard. From there, the Catfish tacked on a run in each of the next three innings - a Matt Fields double in the fourth, a Quinn Stewart triple and Maiko Loyola sacrifice fly in the fifth and a Cesar Suarez home run in the sixth.

 

The Power managed some suspense in the fourth and fifth, but was killed by twin-killings. That started with an around-the-horn double play against Alonso, erasing Green's leadoff single.

 

Rollins registered the biggest blow in the fifth inning. With Andy Bouchie, Brent Brewer and Charlie Fermaint - the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters - loading the bases, Caufield went to the plate with the Power looking to wipe out the 4-1 deficit.

 

It never happened, as Caufield smacked a two-seam fastball into a 6-4-3 double play. Bouchie scored on the play to make it 4-2, but the momentum was gone. After Holmberg grounded out to end the inning, the Power never reached second base again.

 

"That was a very big double play, there's no doubt about that," said Columbus manager Jim Morrison. "We got a ground ball and we turned it, and it was a nice turn. That was a huge double play right there, and if you don't get that one, you don't know what's going to take place after that."

 

"Double plays are a rally-killer," Holmberg said. "Their pitching needs good defense, and that guy got good defense tonight. He pitched a heck of a game, and I see why he's won 17 games this year."

 

Rollins went six innings, allowing six hits and two walks, with only one run earned. Brian Baker yielded one hit over the next two innings, with pinch-runner Jimmy Mojica getting nabbed stealing to end the seventh. Neal Frontz, who was heckled for blowing six saves this year, didn't allow anything louder than a foul tip - and to add insult, finished Stephen Chapman's four-strikeout "golden sombrero" to end the game.

 

"You've got to tip your hat. They made good pitches, and turned a couple of double plays to kill our momentum," said Power manager Mike Guerrero. "[Rollins] has really good command, and throws the breaking ball for a strike. He did a really good job."

 

Game 2 of the series takes place at 7:05 PM Tuesday night (6:05 Central) at APP, with Shawn Ferguson taking the mound for the Power. He was 5-1 with a 3.08 ERA in the regular season, but was touched for five runs in 1 2/3 innings in the division series against the Hickory Crawdads.

 

The Catfish will counter with Will Kline, a second-round pick this summer out of the University of Mississippi. He did not throw in the division series.

 

"He's been throwing the ball well the last few starts," Morrison said. "He hasn't thrown for a few days, so hopefully, his control is there. Up to this point, he's been limited on pitches, but since we're in the playoffs, [the parent club] have given us the go to let him see how he feels, and let him do what he wants to do."

 

BRIEFLY: The Power went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. ... Jared Sutton, Jose Romero, Matt Kretzschmar and Casey Baron combined for three shutout innings of relief. Neither team committed an error. ... After today's game, Wednesday will be a travel day and Games 3, 4 and 5 (as needed) will be played in Columbus.

 

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chris Dorst

West Virginia outfielder Chuckie Caufield snags a fly ball off the bat of Columbus' Ryan Royster during Monday's game.

 

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

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com's Sally League Game One Coverage, focusing on the Catfish this time out:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070911&content_id=301990&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 5, Clearwater (Phillies) 4

Gamel, Manatees avoid sweep in FSL Finals

By Alan Friedman / Special to MLB.com

Mat Gamel homered and drove in three runs as visiting Brevard County climbed back into the Florida State League Championship Series with a 5-4 win over Clearwater on Monday.

The Manatees' victory cut the Threshers' advantage to 2-1 in the best-of-5 series with Game 4 slated for Tuesday in Clearwater.

Gamel ripped an RBI double during a three-run first inning. The 22-year-old third baseman slugged his second homer of the playoffs, a two-run shot, in the second to cap Brevard County's scoring.

"It was a great win for us because if we lose, we're done," said Gamel, who had a 33-game hitting streak during the regular season, second longest in league history. "We just tried to come out and play our game, and we played well."

Gamel said he hit his second-inning homer on a change-up.

"I was just trying to react to the ball. It was out over the plate and I got a good swing at it," he said.

Michael Bell smacked an RBI groundout and Freddy Parejo chipped in a run-scoring single during the three-run first.

Manatees starter Mike McClendon (1-0) allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking three over five innings to pick up the win. Ben Stanczyk gave up a run on a hit and two walks, striking out one over 3 1/3 frames and Kevin Roberts got the last two outs, fanning Jeremy Slayden with the tying run on third to notch his first save.

Slayden smacked an RBI double in the first and belted a solo shot, his first of the postseason, in the fifth. Jake Blalock drove home a run with a double in the third and Jason Donald had an RBI forceout in the ninth for the Threshers.

Clearwater starter Zac Stott (0-1) surrendered three runs on four hits and a walk while recording two outs to take the loss. Alexander Concepcion tossed eight strong frames, yielding two runs on six hits and a walk, fanning seven.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Ben Stanczyk's outing was huge; a reminder that the full audio is archived in the Daily Menu early in this thread should you wish to listen in at the office today...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_breafa_clrafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_log&gid=2007_09_10_breafa_clrafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070911/SPORTS/709110350/1002/SPORTS

 

Manatees stay alive, 5-4

Gamel's homer helps Brevard slice deficit to 2-1

BY DOUG KATES

FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Clearwater has waited 14 years since its last Florida State League championship, but the Brevard County Manatees stretched that wait a little longer Monday night.

Brevard County kept the best-of-five championship series alive with a 5-4 victory over the Threshers at Bright House Field.

"Of course we wanted to end it tonight," Threshers' clean-up hitter Jeremy Slayden said. "Tonight would have been a great way to finish it -- to sweep them -- but at the same time it's not an easy task because they are not a bad team."

Game 4 is 7:00 PM tonight (6:00 Central) here in Clearwater.

Clearwater took the first two games by out-hitting Brevard County 29-11, but the Manatees had seven hits in the first two innings Monday.

Clearwater starter Zac Stott didn't make it through the first inning. He allowed four hits and three runs. Alexander Concepcion, who made 10 starts during the regular season, came on in relief and allowed three hits and two runs in the second inning, but held Brevard for seven innings.

"We were saying early, "score first, we win,"' said Manatees slugger Mat Gamel, who had a big game with an RBI double and a two-run home run in his first two at bats. "I was just trying to help us score first. It's always been our goal to score early. It's a good goal to achieve."

Gamel (.300) has 56 extra-base hits among 142 hits this season, including 10 home runs and 38 doubles.

The Manatees' drop in offensive production after the second inning allowed the Threshers to close the gap, but Clearwater couldn't tie the game, even with four baserunners in the ninth inning.

Mike McClendon (6-6) got the win for Brevard County. He worked five innings.

Slayden went 2-for-4 for the Threshers. He collected his 25th double of the season and 15th home run.

"Big night, but wrong times," Slayden said. "Nobody was on base for the home run."

[Mass Haas]

Final: Great Falls (White Sox) 10, Helena 3

Helena Site Game Summary:

 

Brewers Season Comes to an End

 

Well the Brewers season has come to an end as of Monday night, as they lost the final game of their playoff series 10-3 against the Great Falls White Sox. The White Sox got on the board early, taking control for the rest of the game. Led by Andrew Mead's solo laser beam home run over the left field wall, Great Falls squeezed out three runs in the top of the second, and they wouldn't relinquish that lead for the rest of the night. Helena scored two in the bottom half of the second to cut the lead to one, but in the fourth and fifth innings, Great Falls scored a total of six to blow the game open.

 

Helena could only respond with one run in the seventh, but they couldn't muster up anything more the rest of the way. Christian Marrero would tack on one more for the White Sox, thanks to a bomb, which went over the netting in right field. Robert Bryson got the loss for Helena pitching two innings and giving up three runs on five hits. John Ely picked up the win for Great Falls, managing to pitch for five innings, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out seven. Great Falls will now travel to Orem for the Pioneer League championship.

 

We thank the fans for another wonderful season, and we look forward to seeing everyone back next year.

 

Helena Box Score:

Third baseman Zelous Wheeler's fine season came to an inglorious end when he committed three errors in the 4th inning and was lifted for a pinch-hitter immediately after...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_10_grfrok_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_09_10_grfrok_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/09/11/sports_top/b01091107_01.txt

 

Brewers' season ends with playoff loss to Sox

By CURT SYNNESS, Helena Independent Record Sports Writer

The Helena Brewers' season came to an end last night at Kindrick Legion Field as they lost the Northern Division playoffs to the Great Falls White Sox, two games to one.

The White Sox beat the Brewers 10-3, powered by bookend home runs from Andrew Mead and Christian Marrero.

Mead started the game's scoring in the top of the second, lacing a bullet over the left field fence off Helena starter Robert Bryson. The line drive did not get more than 20 feet off the ground. Marrero's eighth inning blast, on the other hand, was a moon shot, sailing completely over the right field netting. Both homers were solo numbers, and the latter put an exclamation point on the Sox's triumph.

Great Falls scored three runs in the second inning, four in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the eighth. They outhit the Brewers 13-9, led by Dale Mollenhauer, who was 3-for-5, with a double, two runs and two RBI. Mead, Marrero and Greg Paiml had two hits apiece.

John Ely pitched the win for the visitors, going five innings and allowing two runs.

Bryson gave up two runs before being relieved by Dan Merklinger in the third. Merklinger worked three frames, gave up six runs (only two earned) and took the loss. Dane De La Rosa - all 6-foot-6 of him - relieved for two scoreless innings, permitting one hit while fanning three.

Helena's defense let them down a little bit, too, as they committed four errors.

The Brewers scored twice in the second stanza. Curt Rindal, who hit a single, and Eric Newton, who hit a double over the center fielder's head, were driven in by a two-run single by Kurt Crowell. Their third run came in the seventh inning, when Matt Cline singled, advanced to third and came home on a wild pitch.

Caleb Gindl and Rindal paced the home team's offense, both stroking two hits each. Gindl is the Pioneer League's batting champion, with a .372 average.

Helena, which won the first half of the Northern Division's season to qualify for the playoffs, finished with an overall record of 49-30. Great Falls (53-25) now meets Southern Division champions the Orem Owlz (39-39) for the Pioneer League title.

[colbyjack]

That 4th inning killed the H-Crew last night. They were only down 3-2 entering the frame, and Merklinger was forced to pitch a lot more than he had to. Great Falls probably would have still scored 2 runs, but it really seemed to crush the team. As the announcer noted, Zealous Wheeler unfortunately is going to have a lot of time to think about those errors before he gets on the field of play again.

 

They did face some incredibly tough pitching in this series in Aaron Poreda, Juan Moreno (the Pioneer League MVPitcher) and John Ely. I believe it was noted that the White Sox are one of the older teams in the league, the complete opposite of Helena.

 

Congrats to Helena on another fine season. I'm always bummed when I can't tune in late to them.