Link Report for Mon 5/7: Day's Final Update Includes Jones

[imblotto]

I saw on the power 50 that Rogers was supposed to throw today. Anybody hear anything about this?

[chowyo123]

Nix goes deep with his first at-bat since going on the DL.

[colbyjack]

I have been very pleased by Zach Jackson so far. I don't think a lot of people consider him a legitimate option for the Brewers starting rotation, which I'm guessing has more to do with Gallardo, and possibly Villanueva, than anything else.

 

So far, so good. Last year the walks were way up, and this year he has done a great job keeping both the walks and base hits against him down. Actually looking at the number of baserunners he has allowed, it is surprising to see his ERA as high as it is (3.61, which isn't high, but again there haven't been many baserunners against him). And he has kept up his ability to induce groundballs, which is always a good thing.

 

We always knew he wouldn't have the great K rate, as despite having solid stuff he never struck out a ton of guys when he was in the Blue Jays system. Anyway, good stuff, nice to see yet another guy to be excited about, as the Brewers seem to be loaded with similar players (talent + production is always especially exciting).

[DHonks]

exactly Colby. It seems to me that Zach Jackson is likely trade bait. But he could be a candidate for the pen.

[Hate those Rodents]

Sorry for starting the Jackson thread on the other forum.

 

I guess I am of the thinking that I'd rather keep him and have him in the bullpen in Milwaukee. Maybe wait until June, but I think he could help us out in the pen and that will have to be his role here for the next 2-3 years (unless we have another rash of injuries). Yes, I am knocking on wood.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Clearwater (Phillies) 4, Brevard County 3

 

Brevard County Game Notes from MiLB.com:

 

Threshers squeak by Manatees

 

Clay Harris' RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled Clearwater to a 4-3 win over Brevard County on Monday.

 

With the score tied, Gregory Golson led off with a single and stole second for the Threshers (21-10). Mike Spidale was hit by a pitch before Harris singled to left one out later to plate Golson.

 

Golson, who went 2-for-4, also singled and scored on Spidale's two-run double in the first. Spidale went 2-for-3.

 

Pat Overholt started and went six strong innings for Clearwater, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five. William Savage (1-0) picked up the win after yielding one unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out two. Michael Zagurski walked one in a scoreless ninth to notch his fourth save.

 

Manatees starter Derek Miller worked six innings, surrendering three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and one walk while striking out two. Vince Perkins (1-1) allowed one run on two hits in two innings to take the loss.

 

Alcides Escobar drove in two runs for Brevard County (16-14). -- Steve Conley/MLB.com

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Mat Gamel the only Manatee with a multi-hit game, but error # 13 proved costly in a one-run loss; speedy Lorenzo Cain grounds into two double plays, including a brutal game-ender...

 

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

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Freddy Parejo a bad strikeout in the 5th; Chris Errecart picked off at third base on a ball four which should have loaded the bases with one out in the 8th -- was the ball in the dirt initially? Otherwise, that's as big a mistake as it gets...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_clrafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mobile (Diamondbacks) 4, Huntsville 3

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1146

 

Mobile Wins Series Opener

 

Carlos Gonzalez?s two-run single capped a three-run fifth inning rally that carried Mobile past Huntsville 4-3 Monday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The BayBears improved to 14-17 on the season, while the Stars slipped to 14-15 but remain a game behind Tennessee in the North Division after the Smokies were edged 2-1 at Montgomery.

 

Wilkin Castillo opened the fifth with an infield single, moved to second base on a ground out and scored on a base hit by Javier Brito to trim the Stars lead to 3-2. Chris Rahl followed with a double to push Brito to third and both runners scored on the base hit by Gonzalez, who had been just 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position before driving in the decisive runs.

 

Stars? starter Sam Narron issued back-to-back one out walks in the sixth but got out of trouble by getting Castillo to ground into an inning-ending double play. He took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and three walks over six frames. He remains winless on the season and has suffered two of his defeats at home. Corey Thurman took over in the seventh and retired Gonzalez on a foul out to the catcher and struck out Jarred Ball with runners at second and third and one out.

 

Huntsville?s lone runs came in the third inning on a line drive, three-run home run by Laynce Nix that tucked itself just inside the foul pole and barely cleared the wall in right field. Nix began a scheduled five-day rehab assignment from a right oblique muscle strain with a four-pitch walk and the long ball, the 13th for the Stars this season.

 

BayBears? starter Chris Kinsey earned his first win of the season after allowing three runs on six hits over a season-best 6 1/3 innings of work. Clint Goocher took over with runners at first and second and one out in the seventh and walked pinch-hitter Mike Carlin to load the bases with two outs but worked out of trouble by retiring Brendan Katin on a ground out. Osbek Castillo retired all three hitters he faced in the eighth and Dustin Glant worked a scoreless ninth to record his third save.

 

The series continues Tuesday night, as southpaw Manny Parra will take the hill against BayBears? right-hander Esmerling Vasquez. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 AM WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Yohannis Perez a costly error (# 6); lefty Joe Thatcher three groundouts in a scoreless inning -- there's your surprise callup when Chris Spurling falters enough, folks...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[saget]

Quote:

---

I saw on the power 50 that Rogers was supposed to throw today. Anybody hear anything about this?

---

 

I was just wondering the same thing.

 

I demand info!

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

Rehabbing outfielder hits homer, but Stars can't keep Mobile at bay

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

Milwaukee outfielder Laynce Nix made the first start of a rehab assignment in Huntsville on Monday, but he's much more interested in rehabbing a once-promising major league career.

 

The 26-year-old's quest got off to a resounding start against Mobile.

 

After walking in his first at-bat, Nix turned on a Chris Kinsey pitch in the third and belted a three-run homer down the right-field line.

 

His missile curled around the foul pole for the Stars' only offense in a 4-3 series-opening loss to Mobile in front of 701 fans at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

"It's been a long time since I've been in a game, and I'm pleased with the way I feel right now," said Nix, who injured his oblique in mid-March during a spring training game against his former Texas Rangers teammates.

 

"I'm not going to get too excited about one home run, but I want to get some quality at-bats while I'm here."

 

The 2002 Rangers' minor league Player of the Year played a predetermined four innings in his season debut Monday and showed a little rust by dropping a fly ball in the fourth.

 

Huntsville manager Don Money will take major league offensive assistance as long as he can, though.

 

"They tried to sneak a fastball on 0-2, and he turned on it," Money said.

 

"It'll be good. He's scheduled to play all five games."

 

The excitement of welcoming Nix was tempered by the loss of pitcher Mike Jones, who left Sunday with a strained elbow.

 

Jones, who spent portions of '03, '04 and '06 on the disabled list along with missing all of '05, went back on the shelf. He was replaced by Lindsay Gulin, who was sent down from Triple-A Nashville and is expected to start Friday's game against Mobile.

 

Gulin will try to help Huntsville later, but Nix made an immediate impact.

 

Sam Narron couldn't make the home run stand up, though, allowing three runs off four hits in the fifth.

 

Nix said he expects to get three at-bats today before playing full games later in the week.

 

The Stars (14-15) needed him the full nine innings Monday. They loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs, but Brendan Katin grounded weakly to shortstop.

 

Then in the ninth, Guilder Rodriguez blooped a one-out single to left, but he was stranded on second.

 

"It's not like we didn't have a couple of chances," Money said.

 

Nix is itching for his next chance in the big leagues.

 

Following a successful debut in '03, the high-sock-wearing left-hander continued a stellar start to his career in '04. He hit only .248 but showed some power with 14 homers in 115 games.

 

He injured his shoulder running into a wall that season and said he played with considerable pain the next two years. Surgery followed in '05, and his consistency fell off.

 

"I should have had it operated on, but I played with a pretty significant injury," he said. "It's really been frustrating with the injuries, but they're nothing that's going to linger."

 

His recovery process was slow last season, as he started 3-for-32 and received a demotion. That, coupled with the monster season Gary Matthews Jr. was having in center, made Nix expendable.

 

He was traded to Milwaukee along with Francisco Cordero, Kevin Mench and Julian Cordero for star outfielder Carlos Lee and former Star Nelson Cruz.

 

Now, Nix is trying to resurrect the form that had Rangers fans penciling him into their lineup for the next 10 years.

 

"It's just a business, and they make business decisions," said Nix, who grew up in Texas. "My business is getting myself healthy and benefiting the team and benefiting myself."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56065

 

Jackson throws epic game as Sounds cruise

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

Zach Jackson had just hurled the game of his life and his Sounds teammates decided he needed a trophy to commemorate the occasion.

 

Jackson threw a complete game one hitter in a contest that finished in just under two hours as the Sounds downed Round Rock 7-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 11,394 at Greer Stadium on Monday morning.

 

Although the Sounds hand out Copley guitars to any player who hits a home run off the scoreboard in left-center, they don?t have a trophy to honor pitchers who throw games like Jackson did.

 

So Jackson?s teammates presented him with a shift trophy of their own ? a homemade cardboard cutout in the shape of a guitar.

 

Jackson certainly earned it. The only hit he allowed was a two-out solo homer by Brooks Conrad in the fourth inning. He then proceeded to retire the next 16 Express hitters. Jackson only faced 28 batters ? one over the minimum.

 

?I?m excited,? Jackson said as he was handed his cardboard guitar by teammate Andy Abad. ?It was good to go out there and execute my pitches from the very get-go. Behind me, teammates came through unbelievably for me. [Round Rock] are contact guys. I was just really fortunate.

 

?I can deal with [giving up the Conrad homer]. I?d rather go down like that trying to get him out than walking him and he?s a great hitter.?

 

Jackson (5-2) only fanned three Round Rock hitters, but Vinny Rottino, who was behind the dish for the Sounds, said he only made one mistake. While pacing a game that lasted 1 hour and 59 minutes, Jackson only threw 89 pitches through the nine innings.

 

?Zach only made one mistake and that was getting the ball up on the sinker to Conrad,? Rottino said. ?Besides that he did exactly what he should do, kept the ball down and stayed in attack mode the whole game.?

 

Callix Crabbe hit a leadoff home run to open the game for the Sounds (18-13). It was Crabbe?s second homer on the year ? his first was a game-winner against Oklahoma.

 

Chris Barnwell (3-for-3) hit an RBI single that scored Brad Nelson in the second and doubled the Sounds lead.

 

The Sounds added five insurance runs in the eighth, with Rottino accounting for two of them on a bases-loaded single. Abad also had an RBI single.

 

Braun sits again: Sounds third baseman Ryan Braun missed the third-consecutive game because of a sore groin.

 

Reading Day: The Monday morning game began at 10:30 a.m. and was a standing-room only crowd for Nashville Sounds Reading Day. Virtually all of the fans in attendance were area kids who earned the field trip by reaching the reading goals set by their schools.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds pitcher tosses one-hitter

Jackson's gem baffles Round Rock

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Sounds pitcher Zach Jackson threw a complete game one-hitter and retired the last 16 batters he faced in front of a season-high crowd of 11,394 in Monday's 7-1 victory over Round Rock at Greer Stadium.

 

Jackson gave up only one hit, a fourth-inning home run by Round Rock's Brooks Conrad. Nashville capitalized on good hitting and an Express error to spark a five-run eighth inning to seal the win.

 

Jackson dominated the game, needing only 89 pitches, 60 of which were for strikes, to finish off Round Rock and take the series three games to one.

 

It is the Sounds' ninth win in their last 10 home games.

 

"It was good to execute my pitches from the very get-go to the very end," said Jackson, who didn't walk any batters.

 

"I'm blessed to have the outing that I did."

 

Jackson finished with three strikeouts and forced Round Rock hitters into routine groundballs and flies. Defensively, the Sounds were errorless.

 

"They were aggressive early in the count. He made them keep the ball on the ground," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

 

"That's what you're supposed to do. Make the

routine plays and everything's going to be okay.

We did a good job of that today."

 

Second baseman Callix Crabbe hit a home run in Nashville's opening at-bat, and shortstop Chris Barnwell sparked the Sounds offensively, going 3-for-3 with an RBI.

 

The Sounds begin an eight-game road trip today, starting with four games at Colorado Springs, and then finish with four more at Salt Lake before returning home May 17 to open an eight-game homestand.

 

What they said: "He made them keep the ball on the ground and made pitches on his own all day." ? Kremblas on Jackson.

 

***

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Forty schools participate in Reading Club event

By TYLER BLANK

For The Tennessean

 

Monday was Sounds Reading Club Day at Greer Stadium. Students from 40 schools attended the event, which requires students to meet reading goals in exchange for a free ticket to the game.

 

The children took part in an honorary pre-game parade around the field and participated in a number of events in between innings. Each student also received a free meal at the game.

 

Hot hitter: Sounds first baseman Andy Abad hit safely again Monday. It marks the eighth consecutive game he has done so and ties him with outfielder Brad Nelson for Sounds' longest hitting streak of the season.

 

Abad has gone 11-for-26 during the streak, batting .423 during that time. Catcher Mike Rivera did not play Monday, but brings a five-game hitting streak with him to Colorado Springs today.

 

Early start: The Sounds have to wake up early this week. Including Monday's 10:30 a.m. start, the Sounds will take the field at that time in two of its next three games at Colorado Springs (11:30 a.m. in Nashville).

 

The Sounds are now 3-0 when starting at 10:30 a.m.

 

"Obviously, our guys are getting some sleep," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said.

 

Beginning and end: Sounds second baseman Callix Crabbe hit a home run in Nashville's opening at-bat Monday. Crabbe doubled his total for the year on the shot to left field.

 

"He worked the count, fouled off some pitches that were tough and made a line drive that was able to get out," Kremblas said.

 

Crabbe's first home run of the season was a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth April 6 against New Orleans.

 

Low numbers: Sounds pitcher Zach Jackson threw a complete game and allowed only one hit in Monday's win.

 

The single hit is the lowest hit total Nashville has allowed since a multi-pitcher no-hitter on July 15 of last season against Memphis.

 

The last time before Monday that a Nashville pitcher had hurled a complete game was Aug. 16 of last season against New Orleans. The pitcher? Zach Jackson.

 

Five times: Nashville's Jose Macias started at third base Monday, becoming one of two Sounds to start a game at five different positions this season.

 

Including Monday's third base start, Macias has started at second base, as well as all three outfield positions.

 

The other Sound to have done this was Vinny Rottino, who lined up at catcher on Monday.

 

Rottino has also started at left field, right field, first base and third base on the year.

[miwokE]

From what I can tell, this was Jackson's first complete game as a pro. It looks like he's still looking for his first shutout, but this line (in 89 pitches no less!) is very impressive.

 

Nix and Salome up, Jones and Braun down. I guess you can't have it all.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/story/S...n-in-10th/

 

Power rallies for win in 10th

Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

One month into his second season in Charleston, Michael Brantley finally hit his first official home run for the West Virginia Power.

 

And it came at an opportune time for his team.

 

Brantley hit a 350-foot shot over the right-field fence in the 10th inning Monday afternoon to give West Virginia a 4-3 victory over visiting Lexington (Ky.) on a Grand Slam School Day at Appalachian Power Park, where a student- and teacher-laden crowd of 4,224 saw another thrilling finish between the South Atlantic League teams.

 

The Northern Division-leading Power improved to 21-7. The Legends dropped to 14-17.

 

Using a bat he acquired from teammate Stephen Chapman in a trade two weeks ago, Brantley crushed a 3-1 fastball from Lexington reliever Sergio Severino (1-1) with one out in the bottom half of the extra frame.

 

"They were throwing me inside a lot this series," said Brantley, an outfielder whom West Virginia Manager Mike Guerrero has moved to first base as he plays through the pain of a hip flexor injury. "So, I moved off the plate.

 

"Luckily, I got a fastball that I could drive. It was middle in. I just put a good swing on it."

 

Brantley's only other home run with the Power came this year in an exhibition game against WVU Tech.

 

Monday marked the second day in a row the Power picked up a come-from-behind win via a walk-off hit. It was the fourth time this season that the Power won in its final at-bat and the second time on a walk-off homer.

 

"Another yawner," West Virginia pitching coach John Curtis joked as he walked toward the home clubhouse.

 

Although he blew a save for the second time this season, Power closer Omar Aguilar (2-1) got the win.

 

He allowed one run on one hit and three walks in two innings.

 

West Virginia had a season-low four hits -- one each from Brantley, shortstop Brent Brewer (a two-run single in the eighth), third baseman Jimmy Mojica (a one-run double in the third) and second baseman Kenny Holmberg (a single in the seventh).

 

"When you can win a game with four hits, that gives you an idea of what kind of team this team is," said Guerrero, whose team stranded seven runners but capitalized on six walks and one error by Lexington.

 

"We are going to find a way to win. And with the players' talent and their age, they are just going to get better."

 

The Legends wasted an impressive performance by Lexington starter Polin Trinidad.

 

The left-hander surrendered one run on two hits in seven innings. He also finished with eight strikeouts compared to one walk.

 

West Virginia starter Zach Braddock also was solid.

 

The southpaw allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

 

West Virginia will begin a four-game series against host Hagerstown (Md.) at 6:35 tonight (5:35 Central) at Municipal Stadium.

 

The Power will start right-hander Roque Mercedes (0-1, 8.76).

 

West Virginia hasn't lost a series this year. It has split two and won six, including three sweeps.

 

"We wanted to get a win today because we wanted to keep our momentum going," Mojica said.

 

"We were picking each other up out there. We struggled a little bit, but we kept playing and we pulled it out at the end."

 

Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Craig Cunningham

West Virginia Power shortstop Brent Brewer tries to put the tag on Lexington Legends runner Jordan Parraz, who stole second base on this play in the 10th inning Monday afternoon. The Legends stranded Parraz, and the Power received a walk-off home run from Michael Brantley in the bottom half of the extra frame to earn a 4-3 come-from-behind victory.

 

http://www.dailymail.com/images/brewer10508.jpg

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

NIX KNOCKS IT OUT IN STARS DEBUT

The Milwaukee Brewers handed us a win Monday night...... They sent five-year major league vet Laynce Nix to the Stars to rehab a strained oblique muscle, which has put him on the sidelines for the last first five weeks of the season........ In his 2nd at-bat on an 0-2 pitch, Mobile starter Chris Kinsey tried to sneak a fastball past him, and he lined it hard to right over the wall. It was a close call, but it stayed fair, and the Stars took a 3-1 lead in the 3rd.

 

The attendance count was a whopping 701, beating last Wednesday's lowest figure of the season by three. In front of a front-office executive of the Midland RockHounds. Stars owner Miles Prentice sent him here in absence of Tom Van Schaak, who is having double-bypass surgery in New York. Tuesday, Prentice will be at Joe Davis Stadium on one of his infrequent visits, and it's safe to say, he'll probably be looking at another three-figure crowd...... But back to the game.

 

Sam Narron, who had held opposing teams to two runs in 12 innings over his last two starts, got out of a 1st-and-3rd, two-out jam in the 1st inning, gave Mobile a 1-0 lead in the 2nd........ With one out, Jarred Ball, a .158 hitter, hit an 0-2 weak grounder up the middle that got past Narron's glove. Yohannis Perez made a superlative effort to cut off the ball and wing it to first, but Ball, who is fast, beat out the cheap hit....... A stolen base on a 1-1 pitch to Ronnie Merrill, who was with Mobile for the 2004-05 seasons, followed, then Merrill was hit with an inside pitch to put him on. A hit-and-run grounder moved the runners into scoring position....... Emilio Bonifacio then, on 0-and-1, hit what looked like an inning-ending routine grounder to Perez, but he muffed it, allowing Ball to score.

 

Narron had his 3-1 lead for as long as the 5th inning, when Mobile went ahead for good....... It was set up by a bleeder to the right side for a leadoff single by catcher Wilkin Castillo. A grounder by Phil Avlas, transplanted from the Tennessee Smokies last year, moved him to 2nd, enabling him to score when Javier Brito singled to right-center, scoring Castillo to make it 3-2........ Chris Rahl, who led the minors in hits last year (186 for Class A-Lancaster (Cal.), doubled down the left field line, past the glove of Adam Heether, sending Brito to 3rd.

 

Carlos Gonzalez then delivered the final blow....... A 3-for-23 hitter with runners in scoring position, he singled on a 1-1 pitch sharply up the middle to bring in Brito and Rahl, giving the Arizona-affiliated Bay Bears a 4-3 lead........ Mobile hitters were consistently swinging early against Narron, who was throwing strikes up until the 6th inning. Then his control left him and he threw only four of his 12 pitches for strikes. He was saved by a double play grounder by Castillo after he had walked pinch-hitter Jon Zeringue and Emilio Bonifacio on four pitches each...... In all, Narron threw 85 pitches, 56 for strikes.

 

The Stars offense, aside from Nix's home run, never got on track..... After the 3rd inning, four Mobile pitchers scattered three hits -- a ground-rule double to deepest center by Carlos Corporan, a single to left by Perez, and a 9th inning broken-bat single by Guilder Rodriguez........ The Stars loaded the bases in the 7th inning, with the help of a couple of walks, but with two out, Brendan Katin grounded out to short to end the inning......... The Stars' final chance came after G.Rod singled with one out in the 9th. Three Mobile players chasing it, let if drop between them. A wild pitch by Dustin Glant moved him to 2nd, and the Stars were just one hit from tying the game...... But Steve Sollmann flied out to right and Hernan Iribarren grounded out routinely to second to end the game.

 

Tuesday night, it's Manny Parra's turn in front of the owner........ Parra is 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA, with a 2.84 ERA in his last four appearances....... Opposing him is Esmerling Vasquez (2-3, 3.60)...... Vasquez is 1-2, 3.15 in his last three starts.

 

Mike Jones, who was lifted after 3 2/3 innings in Sunday's game, has been placed on the disabled list with an elbow strain. I'm told it's not as serious as it sounds....... Originally, it was thought to be some tightness in his forearm.