Link Report Thurs. 9/7 -- Many Late Photo, Audio Updates

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=52015

 

Sounds surrender lead late, Express tie series at 1-1

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

In what could be their last game of the season at Greer Stadium, the Nashville Sounds dropped Game 2 of the Pacific Coast League American Conference Finals, falling to the Round Rock Express by a score of 4-3.

 

The Sounds had a one-run lead heading into the eighth inning behind the bat of Drew Anderson and the workmanlike pitching of starter Zach Jackson. But the Nashville bullpen could not maintain the lead. The Express tied it up in the eighth, then took the lead in the ninth off reliever Alec Zumwalt.

 

It was a forgettable night for Zumwalt, who gave up the tying double to former Sound J.R. House in the eighth, before surrendering the winning run on a Mike Rodriguez double in the ninth. The tying run scored after an error by second baseman Zach Sorensen allowed Joe McEwing to reach base.

 

?Of course [it?s a tough loss to swallow],? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?You had the lead late, those are always tough.

 

?Unfortunately we had the error on Zach to get the tying run on. Although we had chances to get out of it.?

 

Now the series is tied at one game apiece as it heads to Round Rock. The defending champion Sounds will send Dana Eveland to the mound tonight. Justin Lehr will throw Game 4 on Saturday.

 

?I feel fine,? Kremblas said of what lies ahead for his club ? having to win two of three in Round Rock. ?I didn?t have any problem with [tonight].?

 

Jackson followed up a dominating performance by teammate Carlos Villanueva in the first game of the series by giving his team a solid six innings. He only allowed two runs and it was his fourth quality start in his last five outings. For the game, Jackson went six innings and scattered five hits while fanning five.

 

The only blemishes on Jackson?s line came in the second inning when he gave up a pair of doubles and in the fourth when Cody Ransom?s solo homer gave the Express a one-run lead.

 

?Typical Jackson, struggled a little bit early, just a little wild early,? Kremblas said. ?But then about then about the fourth inning, he started to ramp it up a little bit.?

 

The Sounds took the lead in the sixth inning. That?s when Nashville first baseman Graham Koonce broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI double. Koonce?s hit plated Drew Anderson, who had a strong day at the plate. Anderson reached base three times, collected two hits, had two RBIs and scored a run.

 

The next time the Sounds could potentially return to Music City is Friday, Sept. 15 for Game 3 of the PCL Championship Series.

[Mass Haas]

Link for Zach Sorensen photo while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Sounds' loss ties up series

Round Rock scores in final two innings

By ANDRE' L. SHANNON

For The Tennessean

 

With a pair of two-out runs in the final two innings Thursday night, Round Rock rallied to beat Nashville 4-3 at Greer Stadium to tie their best-of-five Pacific Coast League semifinal series at one game apiece.

 

The crowd of 4,301 at Greer Stadium may have seen the Sounds final home game of the season. The series resumes today at Round Rock, where the Sounds are 3-5 this season. The Express will also host Game 4 on Saturday, and a deciding fifth game on Sunday if necessary.

 

"They just kept battling," Sounds outfielder Drew Anderson said. "You could just see this isn't going to be one of those series where they are just going to roll over and let us win."

 

Trailing by a run in the eighth inning, the Express tied the score at 3-3 on J.R. House's two-out RBI double that was aided by a Sounds fielding error.

 

In the bottom half of the eighth inning, Tony Gwynn doubled, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was then thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice grounder by Anderson.

 

"We have to execute better," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "We had a guy out there but we just couldn't drive home the run.

 

Graham Koonce gave the Sounds a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning with an RBI double.

 

In the ninth, Round Rock used a walk and two-out double to score the final run.

 

Sounds starter Zach Jackson allowed two runs on six hits in six innings.

 

Alec Zumwalt (0-1) took the loss in his fifth blown save of the season. He gave up one run on two hits and two walks in 1¤ innings.

 

Anderson led Nashville's offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Gwynn was 2-for-3 with a run.

 

What they said: "We were saving them up for now." ? Kremblas on the Sounds' 3-8 record at Dell Diamond this season.

 

***

Link for Chad Moeller photo while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Barnwell hit streak ends at nine games

By ANDRE' L. SHANNON

For The Tennessean

 

Sounds shortstop Chris Barnwell had his hitting streak snapped at nine games last night after an 0-for-3 performance against Round Rock.

 

Barnwell opened the series against Round Rock with a 3-for-4 outing Wednesday night.

 

A hot postseason: Entering Thursday night's game, the Sounds were riding a six-game postseason win streak.

 

The streak is the best in Nashville's 29-year franchise history and the longest by a Pacific Coast League club since Sacramento put together eight consecutive postseason victories from 2004 to 2005.

 

Split decisions: Nashville has lost five of the eight games played at Round Rock's Dell Diamond stadium this season. The Sounds are just 6-10 at Dell Diamond over the past two years.

 

Fielding lead: The Sounds' .982 fielding percentage was the best in the PCL this season as well as the highest single-season mark in club history. The Sounds committed a franchise-low 100 errors on the season.

 

Nice start: Zach Jackson's outing Thursday night was his fourth quality start in his last five outings. The Sounds' left-hander gave up two runs ? both earned ? on six hits in six innings of work. He walked two and struck out five. He is 4-6 on the season with a 4.12 ERA.

 

Close calls: Thirteen of the last 16 games between Nashville and Round Rock this season were decided by two runs or fewer.

[Mass Haas]

Photos by Tim Evearitt, Chattanoogan

Catcher Lou Palmisano drove in the winning run for the Huntsville Stars with his two-out base hit in the fourth inning.

 

http://images.chattanoogan.com/article_images/article_92361_large.jpg

 

Corey Thurman came up with a big game for the Huntsville Stars Thursday night.

 

http://images.chattanoogan.com/article_images/article_92361-2_large.jpg

 

In the fourth inning, Brad Nelson doubled, and scored the what proved to be the winning run.

 

http://images.chattanoogan.com/photo_images/gallery_15892.jpg

 

Third baseman Ryan Braun was a first-round draft selection of the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

http://images.chattanoogan.com/photo_images/gallery_15899.jpg

[Mass Haas]

More photos from the Chattanoogan here:

 

www.chattanoogan.com/arti...asp?imgID=

[Mass Haas]

Helena Independent Record:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...806_01.txt

 

Osprey end Brewers season with loss

 

The Helena Brewers ended the 2006 season with a five game losing streak as they fell to Missoula 6-4 in the final game of the season.

 

Missoula scored all six runs in the first three innings.

 

John Hester had a two-run single in the first inning and a two-run home run in the third for the Osprey.

 

He was 2-for-4 on the night.

 

Helena responded with three runs in the fourth inning.

 

The runs came thanks to RBI singles by Charles Caufield and D.J. Neyens.

 

Gary Savas also drove in a run with a groundout in the inning.

 

The Brewers had a chance to make some noise in the ninth. David Parker cracked a double and advanced to third before Missoula pitcher Jorge Perez induced a groundout to end the game.

 

Roque Mercedes took the loss for the Brewers. He ended the season with a 5-5 mark.

 

Helena scratched out seven hits in the game. No Helena player had more than one hit, althought Chris Errecart, and Stephen Chapman each had doubles in the contest.

 

The Brewers ended the season with a 19-19 second-half record. They finished third in the division, nine games behind Billings.

 

Missoula moves on to play Billings in the first-round of the Pioneer League playoffs.

 

The Brewers were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs after losing to Billings last week.

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio Chat with Manager Ed Sedar (Select date for September 7th, skip to the 13:00 minute mark) --

 

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