Jim Goulart

STARS OFFENSE SILENCED BY BISCUITS HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - After plating two runs in the first inning, the Huntsville Stars (34-35) were shutout in their final eight innings on Saturday night, losing to the Montgomery Biscuits (36-31) by a score of 7-2 at Joe Davis Stadium. Following Montgomery plating two runs in the top of the first on a RBI single by Omar Luna and a RBI double by first baseman Ryan Garko off of Stars starter Kyle Heckathorn, the Huntsville offense was up to the challenge to respond. Center fielder Josh Prince walked and shortstop Tommy Manzella followed with a single. They successfully executed a double-steal to begin the inning when a two-run single by first baseman Hunter Morris plated both of them to tie the game. Unfortunately, that was all the offense the Stars would be able to manage. Over the final eight innings, Huntsville was held scoreless by a combination of starter Joseph Cruz, RHP Scott Shuman, RHP Marquis Fleming, and RHP Kirby Yates to roll to a victory. Cruz improved to 4-6 on the season by giving up those two early runs on five hits through five innings pitched. For Montgomery, they got their eventual game-winning run on a RBI single by center fielder Ty Morrison. The Biscuits also got two runs in both the eighth and ninth inning off of Stars relievers Dan Meadows and Brandon Kintzler respectively. Heckathorn fell to 2-6 on the year with the loss. The former supplemental first round draft pick, who turns 24 on Sunday, gave up just three runs (two earned) on six hits through six innings of work. Heckathorn hasn’t won a start since May 8th against Jackson. On offense, the Stars were held to three hits over the last eight innings. Overall, Huntsville has now lost 10 of their last 11 games. The finale of a five-game series with the Biscuits and the first half of the Southern League season will take place on Sunday with a Father's Day special. Huntsville will send RHP Hiram Burgos (1-1, 2.80 ERA) to the mound to square off against Montgomery’s RHP Matt Buschmann (2-2, 3.63 ERA). First pitch is at 1:03 PM.

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Video of Jimmy Nelson in his AA debut -- Click where it says "Stars vs Biscuits 06/15/2012" on the right Stars closer Jesus Sanchez featured in ths article

Rattlers game rained out, will not be made up. Read about Yadiel Rivera instead

Latest player Q&A / profile from the Post-Crescent -- SS Yadiel Rivera

Wisconsin Media Notes

As per MiLB.com, 23rd round catcher Paul Eshleman out of Cal State San Bernardino has signed and been assigned to Helena. He was not included in the list of players in the club's press release Friday.

Dozens and dozens of great Nashville photos here from our own contributor Brad Krause -- just rest your cursor on any photo for the always appreciated detailed caption. 2012 June 9 Nashville Sounds (Brewers) @ Iowa Cubs (Cubs) Game One (112 images) 2012 June 10 Nashville Sounds (Brewers) @ Iowa Cubs (Cubs) (102 images)

Here's the story behind the bobblehead below. How absolutely fantastic is that? LOVE IT! http://espn.go.com/photo/2012/0611/play_hmorrists_400.jpg

Nashville Media Notes

Catching up from Friday: Rattler Radio -- Nine after 9 Learn how supplemental 1st round pick Mitch Haniger will be indoctrinated to the Midwest League...

He also stole five bases in five attempts, something I don't right off hand remember seeing from a Brewers farmhand recently. Maybe Josh Prince a few years ago in Helena? Anyway, Castillo went 12 for 23 in stolen base attempts last year, and is 13 for 13 in only 45 ABs. Eat your heart out, Billy Hamilton. For me to overlook that (even if it was the middle of the night ) was pretty bad. That's why I begged off box score analysis duty. Thanks for pointing it out (really)!

Not a guarantee, but potentially wonderful news from Helena -- looks like archived audio of Steve Wendt's pre-game interviews may be on the horizon. Always the best way for us to learn about the H-Crew kids, and Steve does a great job conducting the chats. *** Speaking of Helena, I'll ask our current Link Reporters to consider how responsibilities will be split when Helena starts on Monday and when Maryvale begins on Thursday. You'll need to be a night owl, as Maryvale returns to night baseball this season (9:00 PM start times Central). If someone (besides me) is a very early riser and can commit to Maryvale, we may need to welcome that person on board, which would be not ideal, but OK. Rather than using this thread, please use this thread from the pre-season to discuss, along with any private messages you need to coordinate things. Consider both your short-term and long-term commitments through August, thanks. We welcome more volunteers -- it's not that we need seven different folks for the seven games, but it'd be great to have an "on-call" list available when our regulars need a day or more off. Thanks again for all your insights and efforts, current linkers and future as well.

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 DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris

Follow Saturday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Nashville Game One Nashville Game Two Huntsville Florida State League All-Star Game Wisconsin DSL Brewers

Saturday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: RHP Marco Estrada makes his first rehab start, followed by Mark Rogers in a doubleheader at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 4:50 PM pre-game, 5:05 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 Kyle Heckathorn at home vs. Montgomery (Rays), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Huntsville feed from the MiLB main audio page I-Phone friendly audio link 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: Idle until Monday for the weekend All-Star break; RHP's Hiram Burgos and Jimmy Nelson were originally named FSL All-Stars, but are now in Huntsville. RHP Casey Medlen and IF Shea Vucinich will represent the Manatees. The game will be played in Port Charlotte, home of the Rays' club at 6:00 PM Central, and MiLB.com has a preview here. Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Charlotte feed from the MiLB main audio page ********** Wisconsin: RHP David Goforth at Quad Cities (Cardinals), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime; expect RHP Chad Pierce to appear as the tandem 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). ********** DSL Brewers: at home vs. the DSL Tigers, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

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Quad City press accounts of the game-losing (for Wisconsin) "rally": QCOnline QCTimes

Montgomery Top of the 2nd Ryan Garko homers (3) on a fly ball to right center field. Kyeong Kang singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Krieger. With Tyler Bortnick batting, wild pitch by Jimmy Nelson, Kyeong Kang to 2nd. Tyler Bortnick walks. Michael Sheridan walks. Kyeong Kang to 3rd. Tyler Bortnick to 2nd. Brad Coon grounds into double play, first baseman Hunter Morris to catcher Adam Weisenburger to third baseman Matt Cline to catcher Adam Weisenburger. Kyeong Kang out at home. Tyler Bortnick out at home. Michael Sheridan to 3rd. Brad Coon to 1st. Mark Thomas doubles (5) on a pop up to shortstop Tommy Manzella. Michael Sheridan scores. Brad Coon scores. Hak-Ju Lee grounds out, second baseman Scooter Gennett to first baseman Hunter Morris. *** Trying to wrap my head around that one -- what was Bortnick doing as he moved past 3rd base from 2nd? Good for Jimmy Nelson. At least the Stars picked a good spot for their nine-game skid, just before the standings refresh for the 2nd half.

The Brewers supplemented their Dominican Summer League squad with two players who had been released by other organizations prior to this season -- 3B Jose Dicent (Diamondbacks system, 2009-2010, idle in 2011) and catcher Yunior De La Cruz (Indians 2011). The Brewers have another Dicent from Santo Domingo in their system (RHP Joel, who we'll probably see on next week's Maryvale roster). Jose is 11 months older, so they could very well be brothers, as that is not a common last name in the annals of Domincan baseball, via Baseball Reference.

Final: DSL Brewers 12, DSL Braves 2 Box Score Brewers led 3-2 after 6, 5-2 after 7, and then blew it open with a seven-run 8th. Second-year RHP Jorge Ortega, who will turn 19 later this week, has been very solid in his three starts and sports a 13-to-4 K-to-BB ratio in 17 innings here in the early going. After wondering aloud earlier about the status of converted OF-to-RHP Hitaniel Arias, Arias pitched around a walk and single in a scoreless low-pressure 9th. Brewer batters walked eight times (one HBP) in addition to their 12 hits (four doubles). Top of the order was big -- second year just-turned 19-year-old CF Francisco Castillo reached base four times, and sports a .423 OBP after 11 games. 17-year-old SS Carlos Belonis, the player we should be focusing most of our attention to on the island, batted 3rd again, also reached four times (double, two singles, walk). Another 17-year-old rookie, LH bat and LF Juan Ortiz, batting 5th, reached base four times as well (single, two walks, HBP). Finally, on base four times to complete the impressive quartet was cleanup man and RF Elvis Rubio, standing 6'3", 215 and not turning 18 until next month. That's a group we should have a lot of fun following this summer. Every-inning catcher Carlos Pena has started all 11 games, but finally left the dish for the 8th and 9th innings for Kevin Martinez to make his backstop debut once the game was out of reach. There may be help on the way, as the Brewers just added to their roster 22-year-old Yunior De La Cruz, who made his Brewer debut in this game at first base. De La Cruz spent 2011 with the Indians' DSL squad, is listed as a catcher, and in fact, caught in 20 of his 21 games for Cleveland's club last year. It's a reminder that Brewer scouts do need to field a complete team, and can't just go out and sign the best players they can identify overall, regardless of position. Game Log Not fun early -- DSL Brewers Top of the 2nd Juan Ortiz walks. Sthervin Matos walks. Juan Ortiz to 2nd. With Carlos Pena batting, wild pitch by Oscar Cabrera, Juan Ortiz to 3rd. Sthervin Matos to 2nd. Carlos Pena strikes out swinging. Yunior De La Cruz strikes out swinging. Alejandro Mendoza strikes out swinging. Blow it open late -- DSL Brewers Top of the 8th Alejandro Mendoza walks. Francisco Castillo singles on a line drive to center fielder Juan Tejada. Alejandro Mendoza to 2nd. Raphachel Colatosti singles on a line drive to left fielder Ronniel Demorizi. Alejandro Mendoza scores. Francisco Castillo to 2nd. With Carlos Belonis batting, Francisco Castillo steals (13) 3rd base. Raphachel Colatosti steals (4) 2nd base. Carlos Belonis walks. Pitcher Change: Angel Perdomo replaces Eyerys Guerrero. Elvis Rubio walks. Francisco Castillo scores. Raphachel Colatosti to 3rd. Carlos Belonis to 2nd. With Juan Ortiz batting, wild pitch by Angel Perdomo, Raphachel Colatosti scores. Carlos Belonis to 3rd. Elvis Rubio to 2nd. Juan Ortiz hit by pitch. Sthervin Matos strikes out swinging. Carlos Pena doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder Cesar Barazarte. Carlos Belonis scores. Elvis Rubio scores. Juan Ortiz to 3rd. With Yunior De La Cruz batting, wild pitch by Angel Perdomo, Juan Ortiz scores. Carlos Pena to 3rd. Yunior De La Cruz out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Cesar Barazarte. Carlos Pena scores. Alejandro Mendoza strikes out swinging.

Draftee Farmer could return to Georgia Tech

There's brief mention of the other affiliates in Adam McCalvy's update.

Brewers released list of additional draft pick signings, and included team assignments (supplemental first round OF Mitch Haniger is debuting at Wisconsin). *** A few players aren't listed at the link above because physicals are still pending -- in our formal Draft Pick Signing Thread / Post, we have also included 11th round RHP Preston Gainey out of Navy, 14th round RHP Ryan Gibbard, 22nd round LHP Taylor Wall, and 32nd round RHP Nick Anderson, based on recent player tweets or newspaper accounts.