Link Report, Mon 4/9 Update: The Power's Mojica, Huntsville

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Yo Gallardo at home vs. Oklahoma (Rangers), 5:40 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: LHP Sam Narron at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Here's hoping that both Brevard County and West Virginia are able to both link and archive their games at MLBAM after having difficulty on Saturday.

 

Brevard County: RHP Jesse Harper at Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM

 

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

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

 

West Virginia: LHP Mike Ramlow at home vs. Lakewood (Phillies), 7:05 gametime

 

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

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

[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". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_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 Sunday's Action:

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 3 1 .750 - 3-1 0-0 W3 Iowa 1 3 .250 2.0 0-0 1-3 L2 Nashville 1 3 .250 2.0 1-3 0-0 L2 Omaha 1 3 .250 2.0 0-0 1-3 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 2 2 .500 - 2-2 0-0 W1 Tennessee 2 2 .500 - 0-0 2-2 L1 Carolina 1 3 .250 1.0 0-0 1-3 L3 Chattanooga 1 3 .250 1.0 0-0 1-3 L1 West Tenn 0 4 .000 2.0 0-0 0-4 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 3 0 1.000 - 2-0 1-0 W3 Daytona 2 1 .667 1.0 1-0 1-1 W1 Jupiter 2 1 .667 1.0 1-1 1-0 W2 Brevard County 1 2 .333 2.0 1-1 0-1 L1 Palm Beach 1 2 .333 2.0 0-1 1-1 L2 Vero Beach 0 3 .000 3.0 0-1 0-2 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hickory 3 1 .750 - 0-0 3-1 L1 Lexington 3 1 .750 - 3-1 0-0 W1 Greensboro 2 1 .667 0.5 0-0 2-1 W1 West Virginia 2 1 .667 0.5 2-1 0-0 W1 Lake County 1 2 .333 1.5 0-0 1-2 L1 Lakewood 1 2 .333 1.5 1-2 0-0 L1 Delmarva 1 3 .250 2.0 0-0 1-3 L1 Hagerstown 1 3 .250 2.0 1-3 0-0 W1

[shadowuwm]

Yo has been very hittable since he beaned Nelson Cruz in ST. I am sure it was a very traumatic experience, but I hope he can turn around and find "it" again.

[PrimetimeHater]

Sheesh...give Yo a break. He's not going to go 8 innings and strike out 10 every game. This game probably only angered the Yo, and he will be back to destroy his competition next start.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 4, Daytona (Cubs) 3

Two-run rally in the top of the 9th starts with a Cub error; Manatee pitchers allow no runs and only one hit over the final eight innings...

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Freddy Parejo 3-for-4 with a home run and two stolen bases -- it'd be nice if the 22-year-old could sneak in some additional AB's, tough on this roster; Lorenzo Cain now 1-for-18 with no walks to open the season; RHP Dave Johnson with three hitless innings...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

Starter Jesse Harper made a nice recovery after allowing three runs with only one out in the 1st...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_dbcafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 7, Nashville 2

Frank Kremblas has his work cut out for him this spring...

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Chris Barnwell photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2254

 

Sounds Drop 3rd Straight, 7-2 To RedHawks

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds dropped their third straight game on Monday evening at Greer Stadium, falling 7-2 to the Oklahoma RedHawks in the opener of a four-game series.

 

Milwaukee Brewers top prospect Yovani Gallardo (0-1) took a loss in his career Triple-A debut as the Sounds? starter. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters in his five innings of work but allowed four runs on seven hits. He threw 84 pitches, 56 for strikes.

 

Three RedHawks pitchers held Nashville to just three hits on the evening, the third time in five games this season that the Sounds have produced three hits or less.

 

PCL veteran Jason Botts carried the big stick for Oklahoma, finishing 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI doubles.

 

Oklahoma jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning against Gallardo. After Ramon Vazquez singled and Victor Diaz drew a walk, Botts staked the visitors to an early lead with an RBI double off the left field wall.

 

The RedHawks extended the lead to 3-0 in the second against Gallardo. Catcher Guillermo Quiroz singled to open the frame and moved to third on a Drew Meyer bloop double down the left field line. Tug Hulett followed with an RBI single to center and Freddy Guzman added a sacrifice fly.

 

Chris Barnwell -- who recorded two of the three Sounds hits on the evening -- pulled Nashville within two at 3-1 in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI double off the top of the wall in left-center that plated Brad Nelson, who had walked and stolen second.

 

Botts added his second RBI double of the evening in the top of the fifth, slapping an opposite field shot to left-center off Gallardo to plate Guzman for a 4-1 lead.

 

The Sounds took advantage of a Botts drop of a Vinny Rottino fly ball in the bottom of the fifth to plate an unearned run against Oklahoma starter Francisco Cruceta, reducing the visitors? advantage to 4-2.

 

Cruceta (1-0) earned a win in his first start of the season for the RedHawks. The right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits while walking four batters and striking out two over five innings.

 

Oklahoma tacked on an insurance run in the seventh with a two-out rally against Sounds reliever Chris Spurling and added their final two tallies against Dennis Sarfate in the ninth to bring the score to its final 7-2.

 

The RedHawks bullpen continued its perfect season. Willie Eyre, A.J. Murray, and Frank Francisco combined for four scoreless frames to run the Oklahoma relief corps? season totals to 14 2/3 scoreless innings over five games.

 

Nashville third baseman Ryan Braun went 0-for-4 on the evening and is hitless in his last 10 at-bats after opening the season with three doubles in his first seven at-bats.

 

The Sounds look to break their skid as the clubs continue the series with a 6 p.m. meeting on Tuesday evening at Greer. Left-hander Zach Jackson (0-1, 4.15) takes the hill for Nashville to face Oklahoma southpaw John Koronka (0-0, 6.00).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Drew Anderson starts in center fireld, can't ever remember that before; the 1B / DH combo of Brad Nelson and Andy Abad is 0-for-20 to start the season...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lakewood (Phillies) 5, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

BLUECLAWS BULLPEN SHUTS DOWN POWER

 

The Lakewood BlueClaws? bullpen held the West Virginia Power to just one hit over four and a third innings of Monday night?s game at Appalachian Power Park as the BlueClaws went on to take the series opener 5-3.

 

Lakewood plated the first run of the game on Tuffy Gosewisch?s RBI double in the top of the first inning. The BlueClaws added a pair of runs in the second on C.J. Henry?s RBI double and a Julian Williams run-scoring single. The Power pulled within a run in the bottom of the second after Jimmy Mojica tripled in two. Lakewood scored again in the fourth inning on Matt Reed?s RBI single. The Power scored their final run of the game on Chuckie Caufield?s RBI single in the fifth inning. Lakewood plated the final run of the contest on Jimmy Williams?s RBI double in the sixth.

 

Ben Pfinsgraff (1-0) earned the victory, Andrew Cruse (1) got the save and Mike Ramlow (0-1) took the loss. The Power and BlueClaws are now both 2-2.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against the BlueClaws Tuesday night. Lakewood will start right hander Kyle Drabek (0-0, 0.00) and the Power will counter with right hander Roque Mercedes (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

We mentioned INF Jimmy Mojica as one of the more exciting independent league signings in a while when he was inked -- that third base job is wide open (Taylor Green), so look for Mojica to make an early bid for more AB's; Power pitchers pick off three baserunners; still 18-year-old LHP Luis Ramirez an intriguing arm...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Power never really threatened after the 5th...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County Game Notes from MiLB.com:

 

Manatees edge Cubs, 4-3

 

Carlos Corporan drove in the tying run and scored the game-winner in the ninth inning to give Brevard County a 4-3 victory over hometown Daytona on Monday.

 

With Charlie Fermaint on second, Corporan singled against Michael Cooper to tie the game at three. He scored two batters later on Alcides Escobar's sacrifice fly to give the Manatees (1-2) the lead for good.

 

Vince Perkins (1-0) picked up the win in relief, yielding one hit with three strikeouts over two scoreless frames.

 

Cooper (0-1) went one inning, giving up two runs on two hits to take the loss for Daytona (2-1).

 

Freddy Parejo went 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored for the Manatees. -- Michael Blinn/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 5, Huntsville 1

Just two hits for the Stars; and what's up with these disastrous first innings?

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Is Brendan Katin pressing in the cleanup spot? Like Lorenzo Cain, he's 1-for-18 (eight K's, Cain has five)...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1104

 

Big First Inning Carries Braves

 

Matt Esquivel?s long home run punctuated a five-run first inning rally that stood up in Mississippi?s 5-1 win over Huntsville Monday night at a chilly Joe Davis Stadium. The Braves took three of five in the opening series of the year and return home to face Carolina, losers of four out of five to Birmingham, in their first home set of the season.

 

J.C. Holt started the game with a single and scored when Brent Lillibridge followed with a double. The top two hitters in the Braves? order each reached base in the first inning in the four games they played together and the visitors plated at least a run in the first inning in the last four games of the series. Lillibridge stole third and scored on a one-out single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the top rated prospect in the organization. Esquivel followed by jumping all over Sam Narron?s first pitch and crushed a two-run home run to left field that cleared all three tiers of signage. It was the only long ball for either side in the series. Greg Creek doubled home Van Pope to complete the biggest scoring inning in the series for either team.

 

Huntsville?s only run of the night came in the third when Yohannis Perez singled and scored one out later on a triple by Mel Stocker. The Stars were held hitless over the remainder of the game and did not advance a runner past second base after that point.

 

Lee Hyde, a late, fill-in starter for the Braves, allowed a run on two hits and picked up the win in his double-A debut. Ryan Basner, Zach Schreiber and Joey Devine blanked the home side over the final four frames to sew up the win. Narron was tagged with the loss after yielding five runs on eight hits over four innings in his first double-A start since 2004. The Stars bullpen tossed five shutout innings and has allowed only two runs in 23 2/3 innings to begin the season.

 

The Stars travel to Sevierville, TN Wednesday to open a five-game series with Tennessee, the new Southern League affiliate of the Cubs. Huntsville will send left-hander Adam Pettyjohn to the hill against Smokies? right-hander Sean Gallagher. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=55585

 

Sounds keep stumbling with loss to Hawks

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

For the fourth time in this young season, the Nashville Sounds were unable to solve an excellent starting pitching performance as they fell to visiting Oklahoma 7-2 in front of 3,102 fans at Greer Stadium.

 

It was Nashville?s fourth loss in five games this season. It is also the third time the Sounds have notched three hits or less. They had three against the RedHawks, who were led by starter Francisco Cruceta?s five stellar innings.

 

The Sounds previously had fallen hard against New Orleans pitchers Phillip Humber, Chan Ho Park and Jorge Sosa.

 

?We?ve faced good pitching,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?There were four good starters from New Orleans. And tonight Cruceta threw the ball well. When you?re able to throw your off-speed stuff for called strikes early in the count, it?s going to be tough to hit.

 

?I?m not concerned at all.?

 

The Sounds had an ace of their own take the mound Monday in the form of Yovani Gallardo. Regarded as the top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers? farm system, Gallardo had a mixed bag Triple A debut.

 

He fanned seven RedHawks over just five innings of work, but he allowed four earned runs over seven hits in the process. Gallardo was working on a pitch count of about ?85 pitches,? Kremblas said.

 

Kremblas said Gallardo appeared a little too excited because it was his Triple A debut. While splitting time between Brevard County and Huntsville, Gallardo led all the minor leagues in strikeouts with 188 last year. Cruceta was actually second in the minors with 185.

 

?I think he was a little amped-up for his first start,? Kremblas said. ?The ball was up a little bit and he got a couple soft-hit balls that fell in early. He had some hard-hit balls, of course. But he settled down and did a bit better.?

 

The RedHawks got on the board with a run in the first and then added two more in the second. That was all the scoring they needed.

 

The Sounds (1-4) notched one run in the second on an RBI double by Chris Barnwell (2-for-3). But, besides loading the bases with no outs in the fifth, the offense couldn?t put together a scoring threat.

 

Nashville came away with just one run in the fifth.

?We?re just not scoring enough runs,? Kremblas said.

Oklahoma tacked on an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the ninth.

 

Unhappy birthday: Sounds reliever Dennis Sarfate had a forgettable 26th birthday. Displaying his all-too-frequent wildness, Sarfate walked two and surrendered two earned runs in an inning of work in the ninth.

 

Sarfate, who is praised for his array of pitches but often struggles with his command, walked 78 batters last year.

 

RedHawks familiar foes: Due to a scheduling quirk, Nashville will play Oklahoma 18 times this season. Typically Pacific Coast League teams play each other 16 times.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds stuck on one victory

Pitcher Gallardo sees little support from the offense

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Even with the help of Milwaukee's top prospect, Yovani Gallardo, the Sounds failed to pick up their second win of the season Monday night.

 

The big right-hander from Michoacan, Mexico, in his Triple-A debut, struck out seven, but he also gave up seven hits and allowed four runs to Oklahoma, which beat the Sounds 7-2.

 

A Greer Stadium crowd of 3,102 watched Nashville drop to 1-4.

 

Gallardo's performance might have been enough for Nashville to win had the Sounds managed to generate any offense. Monday marked the third time in five games the Sounds have been held to three hits or fewer.

 

"It's a matter of us facing some pitchers that make some mistakes,'' Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "So far we haven't seen too many of those."

 

Oklahoma (2-4) jumped to a 3-1 lead after the first two innings and moved in front 4-1 in the fifth on Jason Botts' double, which scored Freddy Guzman.

 

The RedHawks' bullpen, which has been strong so far, then held Nashville scoreless. Oklahoma's pen has not allowed a run this year.

 

The closest the Sounds came was in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs. Ryan Braun then grounded to the shortstop, who turned a double-play. Vinny Rottino scored for Nashville to trim Oklahoma's lead to 4-2, but Joe Dillion popped out on the next at-bat.

 

The RedHawks finished with 10 hits.

 

Gallardo, selected by the Brewers in the second round of the 2004 draft, got the loss.

 

"I wish we could have gotten the win," he said, "but it felt good to be out there.''

 

Extra, extra: Ten of the Sounds' first 18 hits over the first five games went for extra bases (eight double, two home runs). Chris Barnwell got Nashville's first hit Monday night, which was a double off the left field wall in the second inning. It scored Brad Nelson to trim Oklahoma's lead to 3-1.

 

Leading: Nashville added to its PCL lead in double plays Monday by turning its seventh of the season in the seventh inning.

 

What they said: "They got a couple of base hits when they needed to. I just need to keep the ball down a little bit better. I got some pitches up and that caused them to get some singles and doubles." ? Gallardo after his Triple-A debut.

[Mass Haas]

Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chris Dorst

West Virginia Power second baseman Kenny Holmberg puts the tag on Lakewood runner Quintin Berry, completing a double play in the second inning Monday. Holmberg had already tagged Julian Williams (left), who had taken off for third on Berry's grounder but changed his mind.

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-journalonline.co...041007.htm

 

Cubs edged out

By SEAN KERNAN

Daytona News-Journal Staff Writer

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- In baseball, third base is known as the hot corner. For the Daytona Cubs, it was the cold corner Monday night.

 

An error by Cubs third baseman Kyle Reynolds opened the door for two unearned runs by the Brevard County Manatees that led to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Daytona Cubs at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The win earned Brevard County, a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate, a split in the first four games of the season against the Cubs.

 

In the bottom of the ninth, with the Cubs having runners on first and second, the game ended on a sensational play by Manatees third baseman Mat Gamel. Chris Amador belted a hard grounder down the line. Gamel made the back-handed grab and from two steps in foul territory fired a bullet to first to get the Cubs' fastest runner.

 

"It was a great play," said Daytona manager Jody Davis, who was in the third base coach's box. "I thought it was going in the (left-field) corner when it came off the bat. I'm thinking about (Matt) Matulia scoring from first for the win. But then when (Gamel) caught it I thought he'd try to get (Tyler) Colvin at third, but he came up throwing. To get Amador, that was a great throw."

 

It was a tough loss for the Cubs, who got off to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then managed just one hit the rest of the way.

 

Daytona (2-2) was trying to hold on to its 3-2 lead in the ninth inning. Right-hander Mike Cooper was called on to close it out after Jesse Estrada had thrown three superb innings, allowing just two walks and striking out one.

 

But the error by Reynolds allowed Charlie Fermaint to reach base to start things off for the Manatees (2-2). Daytona first baseman Ryan Norwood made a stellar fielding play to get the first out, but Fermaint advanced to second and scored on a pinch-hit single to left field by Carlos Corporan.

 

Freddy Parejo then reached base on a dribbler between the mound and third. Parejo stole second and went to third when Mark Reed's throw bounced off him and into shallow left field. Parejo came home with the go-ahead and winning run on a sacrifice fly to right by Alcides Escobar.

 

"The first ball is the one that got us in a bind," Davis said. "It was an in-between hop and Kyle (Reynolds) couldn't come up with it. Then their (third baseman) makes a great play to end the game."

 

Daytona's ninth-inning scoring threat was set up by two walks by Luis Pena. The second one ended up with the ejection of Manatees manager John Tamargo, who argued with home plate umpire Chris Hamner after the umpire and catcher Carlos Corporan exchanged some words.

 

But the Cubs couldn't come up with a two-out hit when they needed it most in the ninth.

 

It was an unusual ending considering the way the Cubs began the game with five of their first six batters reaching base and three of them scoring. Amador led off the game with a double, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Nate Spears and an RBI single by Reynolds. Norwood walked and Alan Rick was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jesus Valdez, who drilled a two-run single to left field.

 

But after that the Cubs' bats fell silent.

 

Daytona News Journal Photo by Jessica Webb Sibley

Daytona Cubs' second baseman Nate Spears (3) drops the ball as Brevard's Freddy Parejo slides into second on a steal in the third inning at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Monday.

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/CUBS5041007.JPG

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/story/S...o+play%27/

 

'I want to play'

Mojica's actions for Power speak louder than words

Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

Jimmy Mojica is taking an actions-speak-louder-than-words approach to his baseball career.

 

And Mojica's message, one he is conveying to West Virginia Power Manager Mike Guerrero, is simple: Play me.

 

Mojica accounted for all of West Virginia's runs and one-third of its hits Monday in a 5-3 loss to Lakewood (N.J.) in the first of a four-game South Atlantic League series at Appalachian Power Park, where an official crowd of 1,003 fans withstood another cold night in Charleston.

 

Mojica was 2-for-3 with a triple, a run and a pair of RBI against Lakewood.

 

That performance comes two days after he was 1-for-1 with a homer, a run and a pair of RBI against Lake County (Ohio) in his only other plate appearance this season.

 

Mojica also had a highlight on defense Monday when he dove to his right to snag a line drive, then got up and beat a runner to third base for an inning-ending double play. In fact, it would have been an unassisted triple play if there had been no outs because all he would have needed to do was tag the other runner coming toward him.

 

Guerrero has taken note of what Mojica has done when given an opportunity.

 

"When you produce, you find your way into the lineup," Guerrero said. "When you produce, someway, somehow, we figure out a way to put you in there. Hey, the bat talks."

 

What is Mojica's bat telling the Power's manager?

 

"I want to play," Guerrero said.

 

Mojica has a .750 batting average, .667 on-base percentage and 2.000 slugging percentage -- all team highs. He also ranks first in RBI (four) and second in runs (two).

 

"I'm just having good days," said Mojica, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound utility infielder whose productivity and versatility could translate into an everyday role with the Power. "I believe in me, and I guess the coaches believe in me.

 

"My dad always tells me the first step is the hardest. I take these first four games as my first step. Now, I just have to keep it up. I have to keep doing what I'm doing. There are a lot of guys like me who would love to be here. I'm glad to be here, and I just have to do whatever it takes to stay here.

 

"Whatever they need me to play, I'll play. If the manager wants me at third, I'll be at third. If the manager wants me at shortstop, I'll be at shortstop. If the manager wants me at second, I'll be at second. I'll give it 110 percent out there."

 

An undrafted outfielder from Kansas City Community College two years ago, Mojica played for the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball's St. Joe (Mo.) Blacksnakes in 2006. He hit .299 with five triples, 10 doubles, 32 RBI and 44 runs in 87 games. He also made 22 errors.

 

"I think I just had a great attitude last year," said Mojica, a 23-year-old Puerto Rican who spent 2005 working on his skills with his step-brother, Colorado Rockies minor league prospect Phillip Cuadrado.

 

"Knowing I was an undrafted player in the independent leagues, I knew I just had to keep it up."

 

It worked. The Milwaukee Brewers, the Power's parent club, signed Mojica to a minor league contract on Dec. 11.

 

"His experience is limited because he only played that one year of professional baseball," Guerrero said.

 

"So, he is still a young guy. But he has a lot of ability, and he is showing it out there."

 

POWER POINTS: Both teams are 2-2 heading into the series' second game at 7:05 tonight (6:05 Central). The Power will start right-hander Roque Mercedes (0-0, 0.00). The BlueClaws will throw right-hander Kyle Drabek (0-0, 0.00). ... Milwaukee professional scout Larry Aaron, the son of Major League Baseball home run king Hank Aaron, was at Appalachian Power Park on Monday on assignment. He will be here for the entire series. He is staying with his childhood friend, West Virginia State football Coach Earl Monroe. ... Lakewood Manager Steve Roadcap is a former Huntington Cubs manager (1990-91) and Charleston Wheelers pitching coach (1987). "It's nice to come home to play in an away game," he joked.

 

Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Bob Wojcieszak

West Virginia Power third baseman Jimmy Mojica guns down a Lakewood Blueclaw runner during the Power?s 5-3 loss Monday at Appalachian Power Park.

 

http://www.dailymail.com/images/ZZLAKEWOOD41007.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Batted around early

Stars can't overcome Braves' big first inning in 5-1 loss

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

The first time Mississippi pitcher Lee Hyde touched the Joe Davis Stadium diamond during Monday night's game, he was standing at the plate.

 

That's never good news for the home team.

 

The Braves batted around and scored five runs off six hits in the top of the first inning and cruised past the Stars 5-1 in front of an announced crowd of 876. Mississippi took the season-opening series and dropped Huntsville to 2-3.

 

"You don't ever want one of those," Huntsville starter Sam Narron said of the first inning. "You want to start out on a good note. Unfortunately, it went south on me."

 

Narron was battered often in the opening inning, but it didn't start that way. Braves leadoff hitter J.C. Holt reached on a high-hopper that never made it to the infield dirt.

 

An RBI double by Brent Lillibridge followed, then Jarrod Saltalamacchia guided an RBI single to center before the real lumber landed.

 

Matt Esquivel blasted a long two-run homer to left field for the first of the season in Huntsville, Van Pope doubled to follow and Greg Creek knocked him home with a double of his own.

 

By the time Hyde came up, Narron had nowhere to hide. He quickly struck out his counterpart, but the carnage glared bright red on the scoreboard.

 

Huntsville pitchers allowed just four hits and no more runs the rest of the way.

 

"He did a very nice job after the first, but we've got to stay away from the big innings," pitching coach Rich Sauveur said. "That's hurt us twice now."

 

Narron sat on the clubhouse couch and just shook his head afterward. While charting pitches with his teammates Sunday, they'd chatted about how a couple of bad tosses can ruin an outing.

 

Narron lived it Monday.

 

"At least," he said, "I can take some positives out of it."

 

Huntsville can say the same for the series, but one of them was not the pitching to the top of Mississippi's potent order.

 

The first three hitters - Holt, Lillibridge and Brandon Jones - combined for a .377 average (23-for-61). They also had seven doubles, seven RBIs and scored 13 runs.

 

"That's a good hitting team over there," Sauveur said.

 

They had good pitching to back it up Monday.

 

Hyde didn't fare too badly on the mound when he finally got there.

 

He went five strong innings, allowing two hits and an earned run. That came in the third when Yohannis Perez singled and scored on Mel Stocker's standup triple.

 

It was the only flash for Huntsville's offense, which had just two hits.

 

"It's on my mind," Stars hitting coach Sandy Guerrero said of the weather.

 

"Hopefully, it's on their mind. We have a game like (Sunday's) when we execute our situational hitting like we should and then a day like today when we're not even close.

 

"We looked like we didn't have any idea."

 

The Stars are off today before heading to play Tennessee beginning Wednesday.

 

Huntsville is slated to send Adam Pettyjohn (0-0, 4.50 ERA) to the mound to face Sean Gallagher (1-0, 0.00).

[reillymcshane]

I must say, it's nice opening the thread and seeing the giant 'daily link report' graphic. The world is good.

 

Thanks.