Link Report Season Ends -- Stars Fall to Biscuits

[pogokat]

Final: Montgomery (D-rays) 7, Huntsville 0

 

Huntsville Site Game Review

link, then text

www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=1012

 

Stars' Backs to the Wall After Biscuits Win in Game Three

 

Mitch Talbot tossed a complete-game, five-hit shutout and got home run support from Ryan Christianson, Michael Coleman and Jeremy Owens in Montgomery?s 7-0 blanking of Huntsville in game three of the Southern League Championship Series. The Biscuits lead the series two games to one and are one win away from their first-ever league title.

 

Steve Moss opened the game for the Stars with a double but never advanced, as Talbot retired the next three hitters. The right-hander retired eight in a row after a one-out single by Jeff Eure in the second inning and worked out of trouble in the fifth by striking out Ozzie Chavez and getting Steve Moss to ground into a force out at second base with runners at first and second. Talbot gave up a one-out double to Ryan Braun in the sixth and did not allow a hit the rest of the way in finishing off his second complete-game shutout in the post-season. He struck out 10, walked two and did not allow a runner to advance to third base. Talbot has recorded 24 strikeouts in 18 post-season frames after punching out a franchise record 14 Jacksonville Suns on Saturday night.

 

Ryan Christianson led off in the home third and slammed a 2-1 offering from Star?s starter Yovani Gallardo for a home run to left field to give the Biscuits the lead for a third straight night. It was his second long ball of the post-season and the first allowed by Gallardo since a Luis Bolivar grand slam on July 31 at Joe Davis Stadium. Jason Pridie followed with a single, moved to second base on an Elliot Johnson single, to third on a fly ball by Reid Brignac and scored on a fielder?s choice grounder to make it 2-0.

 

Coleman belted a one-out long ball in the fourth to make it 3-0 and mark the first time in 15 starts that Gallardo had allowed two long balls in a game. The former big leaguer, who had gone deep in Wednesday?s game, was fairly demonstrative on his way out of the batters? box, which led to him getting hit by a 2-0 fastball from Gallardo with a runner at first and two outs in the sixth inning. Both benches empties, words were exchanged but cooler heads prevailed and play resumed with Gallardo fanning Francisco Leandro to end the inning.

 

Coleman singled home a run in the eighth inning against Mike Jones with two outs and scored, with Evan Longoria, on an inside-the-park home run by Owens, who hit a fly ball off the top of the wall in right field that rolled away into the Huntsville bullpen. The ball was retrieved by second baseman Callix Crabbe, who threw home late in an attempt to get a sliding Owens. The Biscuits have blasted three home runs in each of the last two games and seven in the series.

 

The series continues Friday night at 7:05 pm with left-hander Manny Parra taking the mound for Huntsville against Biscuits? southpaw Jason Cromer. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c..._monaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Biscuits rise past Stars 7-0

Huntsville's hitting hot no longer in Montgomery loss

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

MONTGOMERY - It's all about timing. And, all things considered, not really a great time for the Huntsville Stars' bats to go colder than Ted Williams' head. Not a great time for their incredible hot streak to come to such a crashing halt that the air bags were deployed.

 

Not a great time for the fatal combination of Yovani Gallardo struggling to find his command and the Montgomery Biscuits' offense to start percolating. And not a great time to tick off the home team.

 

Tonight, then, becomes the time the Stars - they of the most incredible worst-to-first U-turn in franchise history - must U-turn their postseason fortunes or find themselves grabbing nothing but a whole handful of empty.

 

With Montgomery slugging two homers out of the park and another that never left the building, the Biscuits rolled 7-0 here Thursday night in front of an announced crowd of 3,216. They have a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series that continues tonight (7:05, ESPN-1450 AM).

 

It's suddenly a not-so-friendly series, either.

 

After Michael Coleman hot-dogged in a home run celebration, he was hit by a Gallardo pitch on his next at-bat, causing both benches to empty for a benign testosterone exhibition.

 

The Stars managed only five hits - they're batting .204 for the series - and were struck out 10 times by starter Mitch Talbot.

 

Good pitching or bad hitting?

 

"It's a combination," said Stars manager Don Money. "Their guy (Talbot) looked pretty good. He had good stuff. And we never really got him in trouble."

 

The Stars' hopes rest tonight on lefty Manny Parra (3-0, 2.87), who will face Jason Cromer (4-5 in the regular season). If the Stars are to win their fourth Southern League pennant, they must then win again Saturday behind a jigsaw puzzle pitching array, with starter Steve Hammond to be limited to only two or three innings.

 

"(Tonight) is a one-game playoff," Money said. "I expect us to come out and play. But we have to do a better job when we have opportunities."

 

It's a toss-up who was more angered by the Coleman incident - the victim or Money.

 

"It was obvious. I knew it was coming," said Coleman. "Just don't throw at my damn head. I knew I was getting hit."

 

Especially after Gallardo buzzed him twice inside before making contact.

 

Money held a long, closed-door meeting after the game, upset by the way Gallardo handled it.

 

"We just told them that's not the way you play the game," Money said. "A guy hits a homer, pimps or dances or does what he does, then throw it tight. But don't try it three times and you don't try it three times."

 

Money said it was "part of learning the game at this level" for the 20-year-old Gallardo, who gave up five hits and three runs in six innings.

 

Ryan Christianson homered in the third, then Jason Pridie and Elliot Johnson singled. Ex-Star Johnny Raburn bounced back to Gallardo. Rather than nail a dead-duck Pridie at the plate, he wheeled and threw to shortstop Ozzie Chavez for the force at second. But Chavez threw wildly to first, preventing the double play and allowing a run.

 

Coleman's homer in the fourth made it 3-0, then the Biscuits piled it on in the eighth with an inside-the-park homer by Jeremy Owens on a ball that ricocheted off a quirky, padded concrete wall in right and all the way to the Stars' bullpen, almost 200 feet away.

 

Which is only a fraction of how far away the Southern League pennant must now feel for Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Photo from the almost brawl at this link -- I believe that's Yo to the right of catcher Lou Palmisano:

 

www.montgomeryadvertiser....50353/1002

[Mass Haas]

Montgomery Advertiser:

 

Nelson wants cut: Huntsville's Brad Nelson will have an ironic perspective tonight. He'll watch Montgomery's Gabriel Martinez pick up $1,000 from the mayor and think that should have been him.

 

Martinez is due $1,000 for hitting a passing train with a home run at Montgomery's last regular-season home game. The mayor promised a reward for the feat before this season. Martinez plans to put the money toward his offseason wedding and honeymoon.

 

"I'm jealous," Nelson said, jokingly.

 

Nelson was the first player to hit a train with a home run at Riverwalk Stadium. On April 18, 2004, Nelson clocked a Union Pacific engine in the Stars' 14-1 victory, but Mayor Bobby Bright refused to pay up.

 

Bright had said he would only pay a Biscuit and wouldn't "incentivize" an opposing player.

 

"I was pretty pumped about it, but I totally understand the reasoning," Nelson said. "If he could come up with any money, I'd definitely take it."

 

Nelson said he thought Bright's reward was a good idea, one Huntsville can't adopt. There's no train within range of Joe Davis Stadium.

 

"Getting $1,000 is huge for what we get in the minor leagues and I know it will really help Gaby," Nelson said. "I wish we had a train here to shoot for."

[Mass Haas]

Link (pdf):

 

www.southernleague.com/pr...e%2011.pdf

 

Milwaukee Brewers' first baseman Prince Fielder was named USA Today's 2004 Minor League Player of the Year after enjoying a standout season with the Huntsville Stars. Southern Bases recently caught up with the National League Rookie of the Year candidate.

 

You enjoyed a great year in Huntsville in 2004, hitting .272 with 23 home runs and 78 RBI, and were named a Southern League All-Star. Can you describe how your achievements prepared you for the next level?

 

I think it got me ready for what was ahead of me. I know in baseball that you can go up and down. I just took that season game-by-game. I didn't try to worry about how I would end up at the end of the season. I just tried to play hard every game.

 

What adjustments did you have to make when you got to the Double-A level?

 

I think the biggest adjustment was just knowing mentally that I was going to play every day. I tried to have a short memory, whether I'd had a good game or a bad game the day before. I just tried to come out every day and focus on performing at a high level that day.

 

You participated in the MLB Futures game. What was that experience like?

 

It was a lot of fun. Playing in the Futures game was great because I got to play on a Big League field and I was playing with the best players in the Minor Leagues. It was a great achievement just to be a part of that game.

 

After the season, USA Today named you the Minor League Player of the Year. How did that feel?

 

That was a great feeling. I'm very hard on myself and my performances. To get an award like that made it easier for me to realize that I had a pretty good season. But even though I won that award, I was still critical of myself and I was able to find some things that I could have done a lot better that season. But it did make me feel good. It was a great achievement.

 

How has your whole Minor League experience helped you since you were called up last season?

 

It has helped me a lot. One of my coaches told me that I can't be afraid to mess up. He told me that that was what the minor leagues is for: to learn from your mistakes and become a better player. I couldn't be afraid to fail offensively or defensively. I think that his wisdom really helped me once I got to the Major Leagues to just be able to go out there and play hard and not be afraid to fail.

 

Your father, Cecil, was a Major Leaguer as well. Did it help you to grow up around a major league atmosphere?

 

It helped me a lot. I was able to grow up around Major Leaguers and see how they prepared themselves to play every game. I saw what their life was like and how much fun they had. It gave me that extra fire to reach the Big Leagues myself because I was able to see how they lived. It made me work that much more to get here.

 

How did the encouragement from the fans in Huntsville help you while you were on the field?

 

It helped a lot. The fans were always very nice to me. They thought highly of me and showed their support of me every night.

 

What is your favorite on-field memory from your career?

 

I hit a home run on my first son, Jaden's, birthday. It was special to do that on the day that I was celebrating his birthday.

 

What is your favorite off-field memory from your career?

 

My favorite memories would have to be the births of both of my sons. Jaden was born while I was in Huntsville and my wife, Chanel, gave birth to my second son, Haven, just this past February.

 

What did you do for fun in Huntsville?

 

I hung out with my son a lot and just played with him. I like to hear Jaden and Haven laugh. I try to make them laugh and wrestle around with them. I try to do whatever makes them happy.

[Team Canada]

Drat, another big time whupping. Ah well, it was a good run...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Montgomery (Devil Rays) 12, Huntsville 4

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1014

 

Montgomery Dashes Stars' Hopes at League Title

 

Jeremy Owens, Evan Longoria, Elliot Johnson and Michael Coleman all smashed home runs to power Montgomery to a 12-4 win over Huntsville and its first-ever Southern League championship Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium. The Biscuits, who were formed when Tampa Bay's affiliate relocated from Orlando after the 2003 season, bounced back from a game one loss to win three straight and deny the Stars their fourth league title. Johnson also became the first Biscuits? player to ever hit for the cycle, completing the rare feat with a run-scoring double in the seventh inning.

 

Johnson led off the home first with a bunt base hit, moved to second base on an errant throw on the play by Stars? starter Manny Parra and scored on a one-out single by former Stars? utility man Johnny Raburn, who knocked in his third run of the series. Jeremy Owens, making his first start of the series in left field, belted Parra?s first pitch of the second inning for a home run to left field, his second in as many at-bats and the first allowed by the left-hander in 32 1/3 innings with the Stars, to push the Biscuits? lead to 2-0. Raburn legged out an infield single with one out in the third, advanced to second base when Justin Ruggiano walked and both runners scored when Longoria crushed a three-run home run just to the left of straightaway center field. It was his second long ball of the series and third of the post-season.

 

The Stars chipped away at the lead scoring twice in the fourth inning on a run-producing single by Jeff Eure and a Steve Moss fielder?s choice grounder that plated Eure. The Stars ended a 16 1/3 inning scoreless drought and Montgomery starter Jason Cromer?s 19 inning scoreless stretch, dating back to his start against Jacksonville on August 24. The home side answered right back in the bottom of the inning against Travis Phelps when Jason Pridie tripled with one out and Johnson launched a two-run home run onto the grassy berm area beyond the wall in right field. Coleman crushed a three-run home run, his third in the series and third in as many games, to extend the Montgomery lead to 10-2 after five frames.

 

Cromer was taken out after two walks and a Steve Moss single loaded the bases in the seventh inning. Tony Peguero came on and gave up a single to Ryan Braun that scored Ozzie Chavez to make it 10-3 before Brad Nelson?s double play grounder brought in Moss to cut the lead to 10-4. Again, Montgomery answered right back in the home half of the inning with an Owens sacrifice fly following a Coleman triple and Johnson?s record-setting double to chase in Pridie, who collected three hits in a game for a second time in the series. Montgomery swatted 11 home runs in the series, including three in games two and three.

 

Peguero retired the side in order in the eighth inning and Henderson set down the Stars in turn in the ninth, ending the game by getting pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez to ground to Longoria at third base. Coleman was named the Most Valuable Player of the series.

 

Huntsville Box Score and Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_monaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Stars can't match Biscuits' batters

Montgomery wins title as Huntsville offense disappears

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

MONTGOMERY - Before pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez could even complete his meaningless sprint to first base for the final Huntsville out of a most memorable and astounding summer of '06, the Montgomery Biscuits were already storming the field from their dugout.

 

If it seemed a stampede, well, it was only appropriate.

 

Because the Biscuits pretty well stampeded past the Stars 12-4 Friday night to win the Southern League pennant, three games to one.

 

Thus ended a run that pitcher Corey Thurman called "improbable," going from last place in the first half to a 36-11 finish in the final 47 games.

 

Indeed, the Stars were already beginning to cloak themselves in the consolation of the turnaround. "A great year," said manager Don Money, "after we bounced back from an ugly first half."

 

But as the strains of "We Are The Champions" continued to waft through Huntsville's clubhouse doors, pitcher Travis Phelps said, "It's still a tough one to swallow."

 

The three straight losses to the Biscuits, after Huntsville's 6-4 win in the opener, marked the longest losing streak for the Stars since a five-game skid July 14-19. That was two days before they began their sizzling run to end the year.

 

The Stars haven't won the Southern League title on the field since 1994 (they were co-champs in '01 when the finals were canceled by the 9/11 attacks).

 

The Biscuits had 24 extra base hits for the series, with 10 home runs. The Stars managed only 26 hits overall, batting .200 as a team. The heart of the Huntsville order was 7-for-44 with three RBIs.

 

"You've got to give them credit," Money said. "They've got a good club over there. And we didn't hit. I think we had tight booties a little bit."

 

Montgomery reliever Brian Henderson retired the Stars one-two-three in the ninth.

 

After the Stars left two runners stranded in the first against Jason Cromer, it didn't take the Biscuits long to - please forgive - heat up against Huntsville's Manny Parra.

 

Elliot Johnson beat out a bunt, took second on a Parra error, then scored on a Johnny Raburn single. Jeremy Owens led off the second with a homer, then Evan Longoria launched a three-run shot in the third.

 

The Stars came back with two in the fourth. Brendan Katin doubled and scored on a Jeff Eure hit, then Steve Moss drove home Eure with a grounder.

 

Jason Pridie tripled and Johnson homered in the fourth off reliever Phelps, then series MVP Michael Coleman (7-for-14, three homers, nine RBIs) jacked a three-run shot.

 

After his hot-dogging Thursday led to his being plunked with a pitch, he stood at the plate long enough to watch the homer disappear over the left field wall. Then again, it was one to relish - and a championship to relish for Montgomery.

[Mass Haas]

Nice Manny Parra photo here:

 

www.accessmontgomery.com/...s=Itemnr=2

[Mass Haas]

From 9/17, note the Joe Valentine comments from Rich Sauveur:

 

Stars' meteoric rise turns many heads

Hope was scarce after woeful 24-35 beginning

Contact Mark McCarter at markcolumn@aol.com

Huntsville Times

 

Stars pitching coach Rich Sauveur plopped onto the sofa in the visiting coaches' locker room in Montgomery late Friday night and began digging through his final postgame meal of the season, resting his paper plate on the briefcase at his side.

 

"When we were 24-45, I would have thought on Sept. 15 I would have been out fishing on the Skyway Bridge (near his Florida home)," Sauveur said.

 

"But here we were, two games away from winning it all."

 

Even if the final three games of Huntsville's 2006 season, a playoff meltdown against Montgomery, might have tempted one to leap from that historic bridge, this was a summer that defied adjectives.

 

Sauveur opted for "incredible."

 

"It was incredible," he said. "An incredible run."

 

The Stars finished the first half at 24-45, dead last in the Southern League North They started the second half at 11-18. But after 35-63, they won 36 of their last 47, winning the second half title, then sweeping Chattanooga in the SL North playoffs before being eliminated by Montgomery, three games to one.

 

"Two different years," said manager Don Money.

 

He was leaning back in the chair in his office, taking a pull from a long-neck bottle. On TV, ESPN was showing highlights of the Brewers' Friday night game, with Carlos Villanueva picking up the win. Five months earlier, in another visiting managers' office, Money was talking about Villanueva, the winning pitcher in the Stars' first game of the year.

 

In those five months, much transpired. The Stars came back from the dead. They reached postseason for the fifth time in 10 years.

 

Off the field, the Stars renewed their working agreement with Milwaukee for two more years. And even though team owner Miles Prentice was a no-show after opening night (he attended the Texas League playoffs for his Midland, Texas, team but didn't see the Stars in postseason) he, the Brewers and the city of Huntsville did concoct a plan for some modest renovations to Joe W. Davis Stadium.

 

Alas, the plans won't be enough to make the stadium go from worst to first, as the Stars did.

 

"It was a great season," said second baseman Callix Crabbe. "We're a little disappointed (after the playoff elimination) but we're not disappointed with the way we finished. We came back from a rough first half and showed a lot of heart and courage.

 

"You can't say enough about everybody and what they did."

 

Third baseman Ryan Braun arrived from Single-A and became a catalyst in the lineup, working comfortably with coach Sandy Guerrero, the tri-lingual coach; he speaks Spanish, English and hitting.

 

Crabbe became a force on offense and a lethal weapon on the basepaths. First baseman Brad Nelson heated up in August.

 

Yovani Gallardo and Steve Hammond came up from Brevard County in midseason and Manny Parra arrived in August to spice up the rotation, already in good hands with Corey Thurman and Tim Dillard. Travis Phelps and Luther Hackman were dependable set-up men in the bullpen. And Joe Valentine showed the form that saw him lead the league in saves in 2003.

 

"He can pitch in the big leagues right now," Sauveur said. "The way he threw the ball the last month, there's no doubt in my mind."

 

Taking another bite, Sauveur said, "I'm very, very happy with what we did. There's only one thing I could have asked for, and that's to win two more games."