Jim Goulart

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 Mark Rogers at Memphis (Cardinals), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 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 home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 3:48 PM pre-game, 4:03 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: TBD at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 4:05 PM gametime Sorry, no audio 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 Pierce at home vs. Kane County (Royals), 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 24 Stars' road games (one Helena series this summer, too). ********** Helena: LHP Will West at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 1:50 PM pre-game, 2:05 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 the Cubs' complex in Mesa; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: Idle

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Clutch hitting lifts Brewers past Missoula by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record Consistent pitching and clutch hitting paid off in a big way for the Helena Brewers on Saturday night. Brent Suter was strong for 5 1/3 innings to earn his first win of the season, Helena pounded out four two-out RBIs and the Brewers topped Missoula 8-1 in front of 1,266 fans – the second largest crowd of the season at Kindrick Legion Field. Stranding runners in scoring position had been the story for the Brewers in recent weeks, but the bats came alive late Saturday. Emmanuel Quiles’ two-run double in the seventh inning broke up what had been a 1-0 pitchers’ duel, and the hosts tacked on four more insurance runs in the eighth. Quiles and Alfredo Rodriguez both finished the game 3 for 4 and five different Brewers players recorded RBIs, erasing any doubts about how the offense might fair after Helena’s hot-hitting third baseman Michael Garza was promoted Saturday morning. Garza, who was batting just over .400, had been the heart and soul of the lineup and led the Brewers in several statistical categories before getting called up to Class-A Wisconsin. “We lost Garza, and he was one of the top hitters in this league,” Helena manager Jeff Isom said. “So we said everybody’s going to have to step up, not just one. A number of guys did that tonight, and it was good to see we had balance throughout our lineup.” After what was arguably Helena’s most well-rounded outing of the season, Isom also had high praise for his pitchers. Suter came in at the top of the fourth following quick outings by Tyler Wagner and Preston Gainey, who combined for a one-hit shutout early on. The southpaw out of Harvard gave up just four hits through his first five innings of work and, as if that wasn’t enough, made the game’s finest defensive play to end the eighth. Following a pretty pickoff throw to get Justin Bianco out at second, Suter reacted quickly on a beautiful bunt by John Leonard, coming off the mound to stab the ball low by the third-base line and making a bullet throw to first — seemingly without even turning his head. The ball came out of the long arm of the 6-foot-5 lefty and right into the glove of first baseman Adam Giacalone, drawing cheers from the crowd and an excited reaction from his teammates. “With nobody on and two out I figured I might as well go for it,” a still-stoked Suter described after the game. “I knew it was fast so if I did the plant-step I wouldn’t get him so I just decided to go all Derek Jeter on it I guess. “At first when I threw it up I thought it was going over the right-field fence. But topspin came through for me. That was a fun inning.” Isom said Suter’s acrobatics were difficult to describe to someone not at the game. “It was a great play; it was one that I haven’t seen,” he said. “It’s something that you might see on ESPN occasionally. I have to write the game report after the game and I don’t know how to even explain what he did. It was a crazy play.” The Osprey spoiled Suter’s shutout bid in the ninth, when the Brewers lost back-to-back balls in the lights that would have been routine outs and a run came in. But Martin Viramontes came to the mound after Suter allowed his fourth hit of the inning and struck out back-to-back batters whilst Brewers fans stomped their feet in unison. Game over. “It was a well pitched game, I don’t think we walked anybody tonight,” Isom said. “That’s what we’ve been talking about with our pitchers – go out there and be aggressive in the zone, use what your strengths are and go right after ’em.” The Brewers (6-14) did just that, fanning nine and walking none. Suter said it was exactly what the pitchers had grouped together and discussed, and he hopes it’s a sign of more good things to come for a staff that entered the game with the worst ERA (6.45) in the Pioneer League. “I think pitchers still need to work on throwing more strikes. Today was a good day, but we need to be like this every time out — consistently pounding the zone, hitting the knees,” he said. “Offensively, what we showed those last couple innings is exactly what we need to do: being clutch with guys on base and two outs. That’s what we’ve kind of been struggling with the last couple weeks.” Helena will try to string together a pair of wins for the first time this season when they again host the second-place Osprey. Left-hander Will West is slated to start for the Brewers in the matinee contest, while RHP Ross Gerdman takes the mound for Missoula. First pitch is 1:05 PM (2:05 Central). NOTES: Garza wasn’t the only Brewer promoted to Class-A Wisconsin this weekend. Infielder Adrian Williams was also called up to Appleton to join the Timber Rattlers. It will be Williams’ second stint with the team this season, as he played in 18 games and had seven hits through 42 at-bats. … Infielder Andres Martinez was promoted to Helena from the Arizona League, and fifth-round draft pick Damien Magnifico (RHP) was also assigned to Helena. Brewer Alfredo Rodriguez tries to put the first score on the board Saturday night but was greated with a hard hit at home plate by Missoula Osprey Yosbel Gutierrez in the top of the fifth inning. http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/02/40235dc8-c8ac-11e1-b0fe-0019bb2963f4/4ff8fd39df4fc.image.jpg

Interesting note on the Maryvale 17-run 1st inning -- the A-Crew left the bases loaded.

Huntsville rotation of Burgos - Baker - Stinson - Anundsen - Lowe (awaiting Jimmy Nelson's return) Has supplemental first round pick Kyle Heckathorn now been relegated to the Eric Arnett middle relief bargain bin? Heckathorn's 2009 supplemental first round draft partner, Kentrail Davis, just won't be budged from that 7 spot in the Stars' lineup, no matter how much others struggle above him. At least he's on a bit of a power surge lately...

Stars Win Second Straight HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In the opener of a three-game series, the Huntsville Stars beat the Jacksonville Suns by a score of 7-4 on Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium. Building off the momentum from a win on Friday night, the Stars offense struck first on Saturday night against Suns starting pitcher Alan Oaks. In the first inning, a two-run home run from first baseman Hunter Morris gave the Stars a 2-0 lead. One inning later, another home run, this one a solo shot from right fielder Kentrail Davis, put Huntsville up by a score of 3-0. After retiring the side in order through his first two innings, Stars starting pitching Evan Anundsen made one of his only mistakes of the night in the third inning. To begin the frame, third baseman Shawn Bowman connected on a solo home run, cutting the Stars lead to two. However, the Stars offense was able to put the game out of reach and secure the win for Anundsen in the fifth inning. With former Stars pitcher Bobby Bramhall coming into the game, catcher Anderson De La Rosa greeted him with a solo home run. Bramhall then gave up a double to Anundsen and a bloop single to left fielder Lee Haydel to put runners on first and third with no outs. The next at-bat, a sacrifice fly by center fielder Josh Prince plated Haydel to make the score 5-1. Then, with two outs, an RBI triple from Morris and an RBI double from Hainley Statia gave the Stars a 7-1 lead. The six-run advantage was plenty for the 2012 Southern League All-Star. Anundsen improved to 5-4 on the season after giving up just two runs on six hits through six innings. The victory was his first in four starts over the second half of the season. Following a solo home run by second baseman Paul Gran in the sixth inning, Jacksonville scored their final two runs in the eighth inning off of Stars reliever Kyle Heckathorn. In the ninth, reliever Brandon Kintzler sent down the Suns in order for his second save in as many nights. On offense, the Stars were paced again by Morris, who went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. His first inning round tripper was his second homer in as many nights. The three long balls on the night for Huntsville was the most they’ve had in any game this season. Game two of a three-game series will begin on Sunday as the Stars will send RHP Johnnie Lowe (first game with Stars) out to the mound to square off against Suns RHP Bryan Evans (2-5, 3.61 ERA). First pitch is at 4:03 PM.

Wisconsin Media Notes

20-year-old infielder Andres Martinez, already with three years in the system (two DSL, one Arizona Summer League) has been transferred to Helena. Martinez (career stats) has yet to appear in a game in 2012, but he must be good-to-go to help backfill Mike Garza's spot.

Via Chris Mehring: Saturday Roster moves for the TimberRattlers: IF Carlos George to DL & Mike Garza (20th round, 2012) to Wisconsin from Helena. *** George was HBP on the hand Thursday -- not a definite, but DL stint is likely related to that. 22-year-old Mike Garza out of Georgetown has been impressive, even for inflated Pioneer League numbers (stats). Struggling H-Crew just lost their cleanup third baseman. It'll be fun if Garza gets off to a hot start in Appleton.

Nashville Media Notes Loaded like always...

DVR ALERT! As we like to do, here's some notice for you. While you're in the office Monday, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers matinee at noon. RHP David Goforth is the scheduled starter.

The Brevard County Manatees will be wearing patriotic jerseys presented by Northrop Grumman from July 4-7. The jerseys will be auctioned off online and all proceeds from the auction will go to benefit the AVET The auction will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET on July 4 and end at 11:59 p.m. ET on July 7. http://manatees.milbauctions.com/images/stores/87/500/JerseyFront_500.JPG

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

Saturday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Wily Peralta at Memphis and their starter, RHP Shelby Miller (Cardinals), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 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 Evan Anundsen at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 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: LHP Jed Bradley at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 5:35 PM gametime Sorry, no audio 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 Matt Miller at home vs. Kane County (Royals), 6:15 PM pre-game, 6:35 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 24 Stars' road games (one Helena series this summer, too). ********** Helena: RHP Tyler Wagner at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 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 the Royals' complex in Surprise; 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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Final: Arizona Dodgers 7, Arizona Brewers 3 Box Score / Game Log Nice relief work by RHP's Jono (yes, Jono) Armold and Austin Hall couldn't salvage poor results from starter Jorge Lopez (pains me to type that). Five errors - ugh. Jose Pena still hot - nice. Catcher Dustin Houle doubled twice. Gotta believe Khris Davis (another HR!) will be ending his rehab stint soon and joining the Stars again. *** We need to try and firm up Maryvale overnight Link Report coverage. If anybody's up late, jump in. Goal is to tweet out a completed Link Report by 8:00 AM Eastern each day. Thanks!

A sub-par 6-for-15 night (I did pick the Brewers) had me out of the running for the top prize. Turns out I would have needed to go 11-for-15 (not unreasonable) to go to a tiebreaker with one other player nationwide for the money.

Chris mentioned that Carlos George got hit by a pitch on his throwing hand in Thursday's Nine after 9. Apparently as soon as a backup infielder was finally available when Adrian Williams arrived mid-game, he was immediately inserted for George, probably as a precaution.

STINSON, MORRIS LEAD STARS TO SERIES WIN HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – On Friday night, the Huntsville Stars got their first series victory in over a month with a 4-2 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts in the rubber match of a three-game series at Joe Davis Stadium. Following a 5-3 loss on Thursday night, the Stars got on the board early on Friday. In the second inning, third baseman Hainley Statia led off the inning with a double to get in scoring position. Shortstop Tommy Manzella hit an RBI single to give Huntsville a 1-0 lead. Chattanooga scored their only runs of the ballgame in the fourth inning off of Stars starter Josh Stinson. Third baseman Pedro Baez started things out with a single, followed by a walk by catcher Matt Wallach. Lookouts starting pitcher Aaron Miller helped his own cause by striking out and forcing a throwing miscue by catcher Anderson De La Rosa following the play to score Baez. One batter later, an RBI single by shortstop Rafael Ynoa gave Chattanooga a 2-1 lead. Fortunately for the Stars, they scored the final three runs of the game for the win. Starting in the fifth inning, an RBI single by Josh Prince tied up the game at 2-2. In the sixth, a solo home run by first baseman Hunter Morris put the Stars up 3-2. Lastly, in the eighth inning, an RBI single from second baseman Scooter Gennett gave Huntsville all the run support they needed. On the pitching side, Stinson improved to 9-5 on the season with the victory. The 24-year-old righty gave up just two runs (none earned) on six hits in six innings of work. The Stars also got 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball from RHP Darren Byrd and a scoreless ninth inning from reliever Brandon Kintzler. For Kintzler, the save was his second of the season. Offensively, Morris paced the Stars with a 3-for-4 night at the plate. For the Huntsville native, his sixth inning home run was his team-leading 11th on the season. In addition to Morris, Prince also added two hits. The victory for the Stars improved their record to 2-7 in series-deciding games. The series victory was also their first since the first week in June against the Mississippi Braves. On Saturday, the Stars will continue their six-game game home stand with the opener of a three-game series against the Jacksonville Suns. First pitch is at 6:43 PM.

Yes, this Rattlers game deserved a fantastic Nine After 9 and Chris came through again. The fact that the bus then arrived back in Appleton at an ungodly time just makes us hope Chris enjoyed his awkward nap. Back at it tonight, boys!

Borenstein’s walk-off homer gives Kernels unbelievable 12-11 win By Jeff Johnson, Cedar Rapids Gazette CEDAR RAPIDS — One of the most endearing things about the grand old game of baseball is that no matter how many times you watch it, there’s always the possibility of seeing something you’ve never seen before. Something that makes you go “unbelievable.” It’s arguable many, if any, of the 3,402 folks on hand Friday night at ever steamy Veterans Memorial Stadium have seen anything like last night’s 12-11 win for the Cedar Rapids Kernels over Wisconsin. It was unbelievable. Zach Borenstein’s no-doubter two-out, two-run home run to right saved the Kernels from what would have been their worst defeat of the Midwest League season. Hands down. Wisconsin scored eight times in the eighth inning to take an 11-10 lead. But Borenstein bailed his club out big time with his fourth hit of the game, his second homer and fifth and sixth RBIs. “This team has had so many tough losses,” he said, after watching game highlights with celebratory teammates on the in-house television in the Kernels clubhouse. “This would have been another one-run loss, probably the worst loss. I mean, they’re all tough. It just feels good to pick up some of the guys that have done so well all year.” Where to begin here? Wisconsin had not one, but two bases-loaded triples in the eighth. The second, from Ben McMahan, put them ahead for what looked like for good. Five of the runs in the snowman inning were charged to Kernels reliever Stephen Tromblee. That’s unbelievable because Tromblee, a Midwest League All-Star Game participant, had allowed six runs coming in … all season. Andy Workman bounced a double off the left-field wall with one out in the Cedar Rapids ninth. A Zach Wright grounder to short moved him to third, bringing up Borenstein. The lefty swung at the first pitch he saw from Wisconsin’s Tommy Toledo, crushing a hanging breaking ball well over the fence and deep into the hot night. Needless to say, he was mobbed at home plate. “I always look for a fastball, just trying to be on time,” Borenstein said. “I’ve just been working on some stuff with Ellie (hitting coach Mike Eylward). Just keep my hands back … recognize the pitch. I wasn’t really thinking much there. Just looking for something in the zone.” Toledo, by the way, lost for the first time in eight decisions this season. He had allowed only 16 hits in 34 innings coming in. Yep, just one of the those nights at the ballpark. One of those unbelievable nights.

As nice a job as the Independent Record does, the Billings Gazette is amazing for Reds' fans. At today's link, more photos, video, and text, just enough Brewer references to make it worth a click.