Jim Goulart

DVR ALERT! As we like to do, here's some notice for you. This Monday the 23rd, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers game (7:05 PM). The Brewers are in Philly. If the Crew has a great weekend in Cincinnati, we may be otherwise distracted. (Thus the DVR Alert...)

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 does not play a split schedule. The other leagues, including the rookie leagues, do. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County or Wisconsin, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

Follow Friday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Huntsville Brevard County Wisconsin Helena Maryvale Completion of Suspended July 4th Game Maryvale Regularly Scheduled Game

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF! All times are Central Nashville: RHP Wily Peralta at New Orleans (Marlins), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:00 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 Evan Anundsen at Jackson (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 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 home vs. Palm Beach (Mets), 5:35 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Palm Beach feed from the MiLB main audio page 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 Pierce at home vs. Great Lakes (Dodgers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 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, plus one July Helena series (11th-13th). ********** Helena: RHP Tyler Wagner at home vs. Idaho Falls (Royals), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 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): First, it's the completion of the 4th of July suspended game at home vs. the Indians' kids (the A-Crew trails 3-1 in the bottom of the 2nd inning, Brewers have a man on 2nd with two out -- it was linked here in the earlier Report). We believe that will be played to its full nine-inning completion, and then followed by a seven-inning nightcap; approx. 8:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: Idle

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Yikes with the lightning in Nashville

Bob Brainerd's latest sports32.com Timber Rattlers profile is on OF Lance Roenicke.

Nice Leonard Lorenzo photos in the Helena Independent Record photo gallery

Chukars hold off late Brewers rally by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record One ball in the dirt and a flip to home plate was all it took to stymie the Helena Brewers’ comeback hopes in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to Idaho Falls. With the Chukars leading 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Brewers stroked back-to-back doubles — including Kevin Berard’s first hit of the season — to lead off the inning and trim the deficit to one run. The crowd of 1,018 at Kindrick Legion Field came to life moments later, when a wild pitch by Alec Mills advanced Andres Martinez to third, putting the tying run just 90 feet away. Tyrone Taylor reached on a fielding error to put runners at the corners, raising hopes even higher, but the rally unraveled from there. Martinez tried to come home on a ball in the dirt that skipped past Jin-Ho Shin, but the catcher recovered and flipped the ball to Mills, who got the tag down just in time. Mills then struck out Chris McFarland to end the threat and preserve the win for Idaho Falls, which snapped a four-game skid with the victory. Brewers manager Jeff Isom described the game as “frustrating” upon emerging from the clubhouse. “We did a nice job of coming back and got ourselves in a pretty good situation to tie the ballgame up at least,” he said. “Then we end up getting thrown out at the plate on a dirt-ball read. That’s just a matter of being a little too aggressive in that situation. “… We’ve just got to be a little smarter there, because we still only had one out and a couple good hitters up in the middle of our lineup. It didn’t work out, and it was a close play at the plate. We had them on the ropes and I thought we were gonna get a ‘W’ on that one.” Chukars starter Sam Selman was able to get a win, improving to 3-0 on the season after twirling a gem. In his best outing as a pro, the Kansas City Royals’ second-round pick struck out a career-best 10 batters and allowed just one run on two hits through six innings of work — also a career-high. “My fastball was on tonight, which really helped out, then I just went to my slider to complement my fastball and that really helped me with the strikeout count,” said the southpaw out of Vanderbilt, before quickly turning the praise over to his teammates. “We just played some really great defense tonight.” The offense wasn’t bad, either. After struggling with the bats in their recent series against Great Falls, the Chukars came out swinging for the fences. Nick Cuckovich slammed a solo shot to straightaway center in the fourth to put the visitors up 1-0, then reached on a leadoff triple two innings later that set Shin up for his two-run blast. “We went out there pretty free and easy tonight,” Selman said when asked about the team’s mentality aiming to get back on the winning track. “We put some good hits on the ball and scored enough runs to win the game.” Michael Reed’s RBI double off Selman tied the game for the Brewers in the fourth after a shaky start to the inning by the Idaho Falls lefty. After facing the minimum through three and making quick work of the Brewers, Selman allowed his first base runner when he walked Taylor on four pitches. He appeared to have lost his command briefly, throwing six straight balls to start the frame before finally settling down. His defense turned an inning-ending double play to limit the damage and help him out of the jam. “I probably just didn’t take as many warm-up pitches, I just tried to cruise through that a little bit,” he said. “That double play was huge.” Reed was the only player in the Helena lineup to get a hit off the seemingly untouchable Selman, going 2-for-3 against him. The Brewers were happy to see a new face on the mound when Mills entered in relief in the seventh, and Raul Mondesi Jr. took advantage with a two-out, opposite field homer to shift the momentum. Kevin Allen pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season. Helena starter Leonard Lorenzo took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits through six innings. “I thought on our part on the pitching side it was a well pitched game,” Isom said. “Lorenzo gives up the solo home run then leaves up the hanging breaking ball they hit out for a two-run homer. Take that pitch away, and we can live with a solo home run. You’ve just gotta learn from it, gotta execute your pitches.” The series continues tonight at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central), with right-hander Tyler Wagner taking the mound for Helena against Idaho Falls starter Spencer Patton. Both pitchers are still searching for their first win. After a week on the road, Isom said the team is happy to be home. “It’s always fun to play at home, and it’s nice to get back here and be able to sleep in our own beds,” he said. NOTES: McFarland saw his on-base streak come to an end. He had reached in all 28 games he’d played in, but went 0-4 Thursday … Thursday’s game marked the first meeting between the Mondesi brothers, after a swollen hamstring prevented Adalberto Mondesi from playing against Helena last week. The younger Mondesi, who at 16 years old is the youngest player in the Pioneer League and fourth youngest in all of Rookie ball, was 1-4 and was robbed of a hit by his older brother.

LINK BELOW INCLUDES VIDEO POST-GAME INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN LUCROY *** Brewers' Lucroy has two hits in first game with Timber Rattlers by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE — Jonathan Lucroy did a double take when he scanned Thursday’s starting lineups and saw a familiar name listed as the starting pitcher for the opposing Great Lakes Loons. In his first game as a temporary Timber Rattler, Lucroy would be hitting against an old friend, former University of Louisiana-Lafayette teammate Greg Wilborn. Lucroy didn’t treat his college buddy so well. The Milwaukee Brewers catcher went two-for-three at the plate off Wilborn in the first of four games he will play with the Rattlers while on a rehab assignment. Wearing No. 9 and batting third, Lucroy caught the first five innings of the Timber Rattlers’ 4-3 loss to the Loons. “Greg (Wilborn) and I went to college together, so it was kind of weird he was out there throwing tonight,” said Lucroy. “He was actually at my wedding. I’ve caught him before so I kind of knew how he was going to pitch me. I knew he was going to try and throw me away and I tried to hit the ball where it was pitched.” Lucroy, a right-handed batter, went opposite field and hit the ball to the right side on all three plate appearances against Wilborn, a lefty. Lucroy got his off to a fast start as a Rattler, lining Wilborn’s 1-0 pitch into right field for a single in the first inning. Lucroy hit the ball hard in his second at-bat, but the end result was a double play. With Brandon Macias on first base, Great Lakes second baseman Jesus Arredondo picked off Lucroy’s line drive and easily doubled off Macias. Lucroy doubled down the right-field line in his third and final at-bat in the fifth. “I felt a little rusty catching, but felt pretty good at the plate,” said Lucroy, who has been on the Brewers’ disabled list since breaking a bone in his right (throwing) hand in late May. “I missed a couple of pitches that I’m usually pretty comfortable with, but I haven’t seen live pitching in a few months. “My timing is a little bit off. But it’s just a matter of seeing live pitching, which I did tonight. It’s a matter of getting your eyes to adjust to the speed of live pitching. It’s getting your eyes in shape, basically.” Lucroy worked behind the plate with Wisconsin starting pitcher Matt Miller, who pitched five shutout innings with Lucroy. Overall, Miller went seven innings and allowed four runs, but only one was earned. “When you have a wall back there, it’s pretty exciting,” said Miller. “We got into a rhythm early. I think there was only one time when I shook him off. He controlled the game and was everything you would expect from in a big-league catcher.” Only one player, Great Lakes’ Scott Shebler, tried to steal off Lucroy. Shebler was successful when Lucroy’s throw to second arrived ahead of Greg Hopkins, who was covering the bag. The ball sailed into the outfield and Lucroy was charged with a throwing error, allowing Shebler to advance to third. “I got it down there in pretty good time, about 1.96 seconds,” said Lucroy. “The throw beat the second baseman there, but those things happen. I hope they try and steal on me again Friday night, so I can continue to work on it. I need to get sharper every day.” Lucroy says the hand has healed sufficiently and that he didn’t experience any major problems in his return to the field. “The rehab I went through was about regaining mobility,” said Lucroy. “They would pin it back and massage the tendons that had stiffened up. It’s still a little tight, but if you’ve ever broken a bone, you know it takes awhile to get that looseness back.” Lucroy was thrilled to be back on the diamond playing the game he loves. “It’s just nice to get back in the game,” he said. “The last couple months have been tough, just sitting here watching our team. We’ve been struggling and have been kind of up and down, and it’s tough to watch when you can’t contribute.” Lucroy injured the hand in a freak accident in his hotel room. Lucroy said he was reaching under the bed for a sock, while his wife, Sarah, shifted a suitcase that fell and struck his right hand, fracturing the fifth metacarpal. Despite the consequences, Lucroy showed a sense of humor about the accident. “Well, I still carry one (a suitcase) around, but it looks at me weird sometimes, so I have to watch it,” Lucroy joked. “I’m a good guy, so I forgave it.” Lucroy was impressed with the facilities and atmosphere at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities stadium. A crowd of 4,126 attended Lucroy’s Timber Rattlers debut. “There’s a good group of guys here and it’s a nice facility,” said Lucroy. “It’s a nice place to play ball. To be around minor league players, for the most part it’s pretty awesome. These guys aren’t playing for the money. They’re playing to get to the big leagues, and it’s a lot of fun to be around them.” Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson thought Lucroy took a strong first step in his return to the major leagues. “Lucroy looked pretty good,” said Erickson. “He’s real quiet back there (behind the plate) and gives a nice, low target. He gives the umpires great looks on pitches in the strike zone. “I thought he looked real good at the plate. He stayed inside the ball and hit two line drives to right. Then he showed a great two-strike approach and dumped one down the right-field line for a double.” Lucroy is expected to play at least seven innings in today’s 7:05 p.m. game against the Loons.

Rattler Radio Blog -- Video Highlights from Thursday Trying to figure out how the Rattlers mixed in four errors among the defensive gems you'll see... Plus the crowd chants "Luuuuucccc"

BrewCrewBall -- Kyle with detailed quotes from Lucroy, Barnes, and Hopkins in Appleton

Helena Pre-Game Audio: Harvard LHP Brent Suter Discusses

Recently-released Nashville LHP Victor Garate found quick work, but in the indy ranks -- York (PA) Revolution of the Atlantic League.

Palm Beach Top of the 1st Mike O'Neill grounds out, shortstop Hector Gomez to first baseman Jason Rogers. Starlin Rodriguez called out on strikes. James Ramsey walks. Chris Edmondson grounds out, pitcher Brooks Hall to first baseman Jason Rogers. Palm Beach Top of the 2nd Defensive switch from second base to shortstop for Nick Shaw. Defensive Substitution: Joey Paciorek replaces shortstop Hector Gomez, batting 6th, playing third base. *** Struggling 40-man roster Brevard SS Hector Gomez' exit sure was early. Did he hurt himself on that opening play, gut it out for the remainder of the inning, before the trainer held him back for the 2nd?

Wisconsin Media Notes

Audio from Nashville — “Dropping Sidearm with Tim Dillard” Jeff Hem's note - Tonight’s interview is with the always-popular, always-jovial, always-amenable Tim Dillard. The Sounds reliever recently came down from Milwaukee, and he discusses his season so far, the Brewers’ season so far, how the weather and the baseball (MLB or MiLB) affect his effectiveness as a submarine-style pitcher, and his uncanny ability to impersonate almost anyone (including Sounds pitching coach Fred Dabney.) You can go here – May 22 – Pitching Coach Fred Dabney – to compare Dillard’s Dabney to the real thing. *** My note -- love the way Dillard discussed Martin Maldonado, high praise.

No excuses for your DVR not to be set up, as we reminded you all week. Rattlers on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 for you locals tonight. *** Nashville Media Notes *** Helena LHP David Otterman is off to Maryvale, he tells us why. *** Here's Hunter Morris' pre-game audio with Joe Block from Wednesday's Brewers pre-game show.

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 does not play a split schedule. The other leagues, including the rookie leagues, do. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County or Wisconsin, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

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

Thursday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Claudio Vargas at home vs. Round Rock (Rangers), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 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 Josh Stinson at Jackson (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 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 Brooks Hall at home vs. Palm Beach (Mets), 5:35 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Palm Beach feed from the MiLB main audio page 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 Matt Miller at home vs. Great Lakes (Dodgers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 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, plus one July Helena series (11th-13th). ********** Helena: RHP Leonard Lorenzo at home vs. Idaho Falls (Royals), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 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 Royals' prospects; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: at the DSL Braves, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

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DSL Tigers 10, DSL Brewers 7 Game Log via the DSL site (not MiLB.com) Looks like RHP Jorge Ortega was victimized in the middle innings. The Cerveceritos posted crooked numbers in 1st and 7th with lots of help from the Tiger kids.