Jim Goulart

Audio interview via Joe Block on the Brewers pre-game: Mat Gamel Jim Henderson

Rattler Radio with thoughts and video highlights (Get well, Chris, trooper that you are...)

Thompson sharp, Rattlers not in loss to Peoria by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE — Pitching his first game in nearly a month, Chad Thompson felt refreshed and recharged. Wisconsin hitters couldn’t make the same claim. The Timber Rattlers struggled at the plate Sunday afternoon, failing to back a solid performance by their pitching staff in a 4-3 Midwest League home loss to Peoria. The Rattlers (71-53 overall, 27-28 second half) matched the Chiefs’ total of seven hits, but stranded nine baserunners and were just two-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Wisconsin’s lack of clutch hitting was especially glaring in the late innings. The Rattlers loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but came away scoreless. Wisconsin threatened again in the ninth and slashed Peoria’s lead to a single run on Brandon Macias’ RBI single. But with the potential tying run on third base and the possible winning run on second, Chiefs reliever Larry Suarez retired No. 3 hitter, Ben McMahan, on a game-ending infield pop-up. “It was just one of those days where nothing seemed to fall and we couldn’t catch a break,” said Wisconsin first baseman Nick Ramirez. “We had some good plays made on us and things just happened to roll their way.” Ramirez was one of the few productive Wisconsin hitters. The slugging first baseman tied the game at 2-2 in the third by drilling a two-run double down the first-base-line. Ramirez, the Milwaukee Brewers’ fourth-round pick out of Cal State-Fullerton in the 2011 first-year player draft, leads the Rattlers in home runs (15) and RBI (63). “As a first baseman, you’re not out there to hit singles,” said Ramirez. “Every opportunity I get to drive in a run, I’m going to try and capitalize.” Thompson, fresh off the disabled list following a bout with rotator cuff tendonitis, kept the Timber Rattlers in the game. He had a shaky opening inning where he allowed a run and threw a wild pitch, but settled down and turned in a decent outing. The 6-foot-8 right-hander surrendered two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and only one walk in five innings. He departed with the score tied 2-2. "I felt great — felt strong,” said Thompson, who threw 78 pitches. “I was a little excited and anxious that first inning after being on the DL (disabled list) for a month. Our trainer, Pax (Jeff Paxson) told me that my body was just tired and we needed to recondition it, so we worked a lot on getting my legs stronger. “Every inning, I felt a little better. I could have gone at least another inning, but I was on a pitch count.” Peoria also received sound pitching from starter Yao-Lin Wang and relievers Justin Berg and Suarez. Berg, a Wisconsin native, has major league experience. The Antigo product made 60 appearances with the Chicago Cubs from 2009 to 2011 and is attempting to come back from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander has made 10 relief appearances with the Chiefs, compiling a 0-2 record with a 6.10 earned run average. “He’s got some run to his fastball and it has some good downward tail,” said Ramirez. “He’s what you would expect from a quality pitcher who has been where he’s been.” Ramirez was also impressed with Wang, the starting and winning pitcher, who struck out seven and allowed five hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. “He had a really good curveball and did a good job of keeping us off balance,” said Ramirez. “He bounced a few curveballs, but he kept everything down.” Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shaun Marcum will make his third rehab appearance with the Timber Rattlers today in a 7:05 p.m. home game against Peoria. Post-Crescent Photo Gallery including a Dora the Explorer bullpen bag appearance (often referenced by players on Twitter)

Nashville Video from Saturday: Tyler Thornburg fans Adam Moore in the Sounds' 5-3 loss at Omaha Caleb Gindl triples

Happy 18th birthday, DSL bonus baby shortstop Carlos Belonis!

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times. Huntsville is posting theirs more consistently (and have done so the past two days). Rest your pointer under the "Roster" banner on the Stars' home page to see the link. Have an awesome summer Sunday, one and all!

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League North Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division *** NOTE: AAA Nashville, Rookie Maryvale and the DSL do not play a split schedule. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County, Wisconsin, and/or Helena, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

Follow Sunday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin Helena Maryvale

Sunday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Hiram Burgos at Omaha (Royals), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Jeff Hem is the new play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). We imagine the audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. ********** Huntsville: RHP Johnnie Lowe at Mississippi (Braves), 4:45 PM pre-game, 5:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page Alex Cohen is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. It's fantastic that Huntsville is returning to what will be a traditional broadcast format this year. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. MiLB.TV subsciption note: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast. ********** Brevard County: RHP Brandon Williamson at Clearwater (Phillies), 12:00 PM gametime Sorry, no audio available for this series... Once again this season, Brevard does not have its own audio coverage. It appears two teams in the Manatees North Division (within which the majority of games are played) have audio, and all six teams in the South Division have audio (at least for their home games), so there will be opportunities to listen to approx. 70% or Brevard's games this season, just all from the opponent's perspective. There are no Florida State League games on MiLB.TV this year. ********** Wisconsin: RHP Chad Thompson at home vs. Peoria (Cubs), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of only two (Great Lakes) Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV; Chris' call provides the audio. So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, all Timber Rattlers home games, and Stars' road games from four Southern League locales. ********** Helena: RHP Ryan Gibbard at Orem (Angels), 4:50 PM pre-game, 5:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Helena feed from the MiLB main audio page We're lucky to have Steve Wendt back on board for another H-Crew season. ********** Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at home vs. the Reds' rooks; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: Idle

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Looks like INF Adrian Williams of the Timber Rattlers is getting a bump all the way to AAA to fill in as depth there. We've seen the Brewers do this occasionally with very young players, perhaps not wanting to break up a Brevard playoff-push lineup for instance. It's not based on prospectdom, as the 21-year-old out of UCLA has a .469 OPS this season, but soak up the experience and enjoy!

Many of you know the background story on Manatees' RHP Tommy Toledo, who, while at the University of Florida, suffered major injuries when a line drive smashed into his face. This Bob Brainerd story is one of several that provided details to us since Toledo was drafted by the Crew. On Saturday, the Lowell Spinners (rookie Red Sox) played at Fenway park, and Toledo's University of Florida teammate LHP Brian Johnson, Boston's supplemental first round draft pick this year, suffered through a similar play (multiple fractures). Here's video of the play. Word got quickly to Tommy Toledo, who tweeted his prayers and best wishes to his friend. Scary, and spooky...

Huntsville Media Notes

Helena Independent Record on the road game: The Helena Brewers offense exploded in the sixth inning Saturday night, as Helena scored eight runs in the frame en route to a 10-6 win over Orem. Paul Eshleman hammered his first professional home run, and the top of the order combined for six hits and three RBIs. Every Brewer had at least one hit in the contest. Orem led 3-0 after four innings but Helena came to life in the fifth and sixth frames. All 10 runs were scored in those middle periods. Taylor Wall picked up his third win on the mound, despite allowing four runs on seven hits through five innings, while walking one, striking out none and throwing three wild pitches. Connor Whalen earned his seventh save. Brewers pitchers issued six walks and had half as many strikeouts.

Stars Walk-off in Series Finale HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Kentrail Davis hit a single to left field in the bottom of the 10th inning to score Andy Gonzalez and give the Stars the 6-5 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Biscuits got to Stars starter Jimmy Nelson early in the game. A lead-off double by second baseman Derek Dietrich followed by an error on Gonzalez with first baseman Michael Sheridan at bat put runners in scoring position with no outs. Dietrich and Sheridan scored on back-to-back hits by Brett Nommensen and Mark Thomas. A passed ball on catcher Anderson De La Rosa plated a third run of the inning, giving the Biscuits a 3-0 lead. Montgomery added two more runs in the third thanks to a deep single to right center off the bat of Thomas. Nelson regained his control and allowed just one more Biscuits hit in his 5.2 innings of work. He left the game after giving up all five runs (three earned) on five hits. He walked six and struck out five in the no-decision. The Stars finally got on the board in the fourth inning thanks to a single from Brock Kjeldgaard to score Gonzalez. Gonzalez hit a solo shot in the sixth to cut Montgomery’s lead to three. Davis hit a bomb of his own in the next inning, his fifth long ball of the season, to put the Stars within two runs. In the eighth inning, the Biscuits pitching staff unraveled. Reliever Kirby Yates replaced C.J. Riefenhauser and walked the bases loaded with just one out. Kjeldgaard hit another deep single to bring two runners home and tie the game. He went 4-for-5 on the night with three RBIs. With the game still tied in the bottom of the tenth, the Stars second extra-inning game in the last three games, Gonzalez drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on another Kjeldgaard single. In the next at-bat, Davis scored Gonzalez to give Huntsville their fourth walk-off and second consecutive win. Reliever R.J. Seidel picked up the win for the Stars, improving to 2-2 on the season, after throwing two hitless innings, walking three and striking out three. Relievers Brian Garman and Johnny Hellweg combined for 2.1 shutout innings. Neil Schenk took the loss for Montgomery, going 0.1 innings, giving up one run on hits. The Stars start a five-game road trip tomorrow to face the Mississippi Braves. RHP Johnnie Lowe will take the mound for the Stars. First pitch is at 5 p.m.

Helena audio interviews: Brewers' outfielder Michael Reed joins the pre-game radio show to discuss the injury to his finger LHP Brent Suter out of Harvard makes his second pre-game show appearance of the season

"Getting to Know" series -- LHP Mitch Stetter

Once again in tandem with Sports 32's Bob Brainerd, the latest Post-Crescent Q&A profile is of UW-Milwaukee's RHP Eric Semmelhack

Rattler Radio Blog: Wisconsin Media Notes Thoughts and video highlights MiLB.com picked up on the Cubs' Jorge Soler (warranted) hype and after last night's perfromance against the Rattlers, ran this story

Brevard rallies to snap four-game skid 'Tees overcome a 5-1 deficit to edge Clearwater, 6-5 By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees ended their four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion as they scored four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to top the Clearwater Threshers, 6-5 on Saturday night at Bright House Field. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, a two-out RBI single by Peter Lavin gave the Threshers a 2-1 lead. Clearwater would then go on and score three in the seventh, on a two-out three-run homer by Edgar Duran, off of reliever Alan Williams who entered the game for Taylor Jungmann. Now down 5-1, the 'Tees (29-26 second half, 58-65 overall) started their rally in the top of the eighth with Reggie Keen leading off the inning with a double. Nick Shaw then reached on a throwing error by catcher Cameron Rupp, which allowed Keen to score and make it a 5-2 game. Brevard would have another runner reach on an error as Jason Rogers reached first on a throwing error by the rehabbing Placido Polanco, to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a Mike Walker strikeout, Shea Vucinich walked to load the bases. Cody Hawn would then clear the bases with a three-run double to center to tie the game at 5-5. Clearwater (28-26, 64-56) reliever Colton Murray was then lifted for Juan Sosa. Sosa pitched around a two-out walk to Parker Berberet to get out of the inning, but the damage had already been done by Brevard. Williams would pitch around a lead-off walk in the eighth to retire the side as the 'Tees came up in the ninth with a chance to take the lead. Just like he did in the eighth, Keen led off the ninth by reaching base via a walk. Shaw then sacrificed Keen over on a bunt and then Rogers singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Following a Walker strikeout, it was Vucinich's turn to be the hero as he doubled on a liner to right to plate Keen and give the Manatees a 6-5 lead. Hawn was then intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the force at any base, but Berberet then struck out to end the inning. Casey Medlen entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with a chance to become Brevard County's single-season saves leader. After Harold Martinez reached on a throwing error by Shaw, Medlen was able to retire the Threshers in order to close out the win for the 'Tees and earn his record-breaking 19th save of the season. Medlen breaks the mark of 18 saves, set by Rob Wooten back in 2009. Jungmann (10-6, 3.59) did not factor into the decision as he made his fourth consecutive quality start. The 2011 first round pick went six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out one. Of the eight hits that Brevard County recorded on Saturday night, five of them were doubles including two by Hawn, who also walked twice. Rogers and Berberet each recorded two hits as well. The Manatees kept pace in the seemingly always jumbled North Division race. Brevard leapfrogged over Clearwater to move into fourth place and 2.5 games back of first place Tampa. Dunedin is currently 1.5 games behind the Yankees and Lakeland is two games out of first. The rubber game of Brevard County and Clearwater's three-game set will be on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM (12:00 Central). Brandon Williamson (3-9, 5.74) will get the ball for the 'Tees and has thrived in his last two starts as he is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in those games. The Threshers will counter with Austin Wright (10-4, 3.09). Wright is 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts and has not lost a decision since July 6.

Nashville Media Notes

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League North Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division *** NOTE: AAA Nashville, Rookie Maryvale and the DSL do not play a split schedule. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County, Wisconsin, and/or Helena, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

Follow Saturday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin Helena Maryvale DSL Brewers Completion of July 13th Suspended Game DSL Brewers Regularly Scheduled Game