Jim Goulart

Nice job by Haudricourt here -- a focus on John Axford's story as well...

Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 5, Huntsville 2, Stars trail in best-of-five series, 2-1 Huntsville Site Game Summary Smokies Come From Behind to Win Game Three Stars Face Uphill Climb in Tennessee By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars Russ Canzler's three-run, pinch-hit double turned the game around and the Tennessee bullpen tossed five scoreless frames to preserve a 5-2 win over Huntsville Saturday night in the pivotal third game of the best-of-five North Division Playoffs at Smokies Park. The Smokies now lead the series two games to one with game four Sunday in Sevierville, TN. Lorenzo Cain led off the fourth inning with a single, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt and stayed put after a Drew Anderson walk. Jonathan Lucroy then sliced a line drive double into the alley in right-center field to score both runners to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Marquez Smith doubled with two outs in the home fourth, remained at second after a walk to Wellington Castillo and advanced to third base on an infield hit by Jonathan Mota that loaded the bases. For a second time in the series, Tennessee skipper Ryne Sandberg pinch-hit for his starting pitcher after four frames and the move paid off, as Canzler smoked a line drive past a diving Anderson in left field that cleared the bases and put the home team ahead to stay at 3-2. Andrew Cashner allowed four hits, walked one and fanned one in his first start against the Stars. Huntsville hurler Mark Holliman was lifted after four frames, yielding four hits, issuing three walks and striking out three. He suffered the loss, his ninth straight on the wrong side of the ledger, and remains winless since beating the Smokies on July 1. Josh Wahpepah took over in the fifth and yielded a leadoff single to Jim Adduci, who moved to third base on a Blake Lalli single and came in to score on Tyler Colvin's line drive sacrifice fly to right field that pushed the home team's lead to a pair. Wahpephah was lifted after a scoreless sixth inning having allowed four hits and recording one strike out. He was followed by Bobby Bramhall, who was removed from the game with two runners on and one out in the eighth inning. Wes Littleton came on and issued back-to-back two-out walks to Starlin Castro and Jim Adduci to force in Castillo to make it 5-2. Alex Maestri worked a scoreless fifth inning for the Smokies and was taken out with two runners on and two outs in the sixth and followed by David Cales, who induced Steffan Wilson to ground out to end the threat. The right-hander then retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings to earn the win. Brian Schlitter worked a perfect ninth inning to nail down the save for a second straight night. The series continues Sunday afternoon with Stars' right-hander Brandon Kintzler taking the hill against Smokies' right-hander Hung-Wen Chen. Coverage of the game begins at 12:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score RHP Mark Holliman was a 3rd round pick in the '05 draft by the Cubs, and the Brewers plucked him in minor league Rule 5 last fall -- he'll likely be back in Huntsville next season; this time Lorenzo Cain (1-for-4) was atop the lineup, as Bob Miscik looks for any run-producing combination... Huntsville Game Log If it goes five games, and I like Brandon Kintzler, but the Stars have to score as well, then it looks like Cody Scarpetta would start a game five; an afternoon affair up against NFL football and numerous other choices -- I'll be away for the afternoon, but if others can follow Gameday or Brett's audio a bit in what could be the season's final Link Report; Huntsville has lost 12 of 13...

Silly me, thinking perhaps the Nieves news was first on the Brewer interwebs here, you can't beat Chris at Rattler Radio -- bookmark him as a favorite all summer long...

Box Score as LHP Efrain Nieves has a stellar outing for Puerto Rico vs. South Africa South Africa's cleanup hitter, Jonathan Phillips, a one-time Brewer farmhand... *** Game Story as Canada rolls for a third time, theri comp[etition about to get much stiffer -- Box Score as Brett Lawrie has another good day, this one from the leadoff spot

Saturday's Menu: Huntsville: RHP Mark Holliman at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM CT pre-game; 6:15 gametime; game three in a best-of-five series, tied at one game apiece Live Audio Link *** Follow Saturday's action as it happens: MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA this season. Huntsville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_12_hunaax_tenaax_1&did=t559&sid=t559

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Chris Mehring's season-ender at Sports Bubbler, a good read

Final: Missoula (Diamondbacks) 9, Helena 7, ten innings Link while active, text follows: Curtain falls on Brewers By TRENT MAKELA Helena Independent Record The last summer sun of baseball season faded over the smoky-orange shoulder of Mount Helena before the third inning Friday, but the Helena Brewers managed to hold off the setting of their season for one extra inning in a 9-7 loss to Missoula at Kindrick Field. "A loss is a loss, but it's a game we should have won," Helena manager Rene Gonzales said. "They didn't score from the fifth to the ninth, but we didn't finish. It's the story of our season." The loss left the Brewers tied with Billings for third place in the Northern Division at 12-26 in the second half. The Osprey host Great Falls today to open a best-of-three semifinal playoff series. Former major league All-Star Chris Capuano made his third and final rehab start for the Brewers, allowing just one hit and one run in two innings. Former first-round pick Kyle Heckathorm then sparkled in a new-look relief role, replacing Capuano for six innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Mike Roberts seemed set to end his season as a hero after his fifth-inning triple cleared the loaded bases and put Helena up 5-3. That score stuck until Missoula, in second place withan 18-19 record in the second half, finally came alive in the top of the ninth. Ender Inciarte slapped a bases-loaded, one-out single past diving Helena first baseman Sean Halton to plate two runs. Then, David Nick hitinto a fielders choice that plated another to put Missoula up 6-5. Brewer Joey Paciorek later managed to knot the score and extend the game with a chopped single over Missoula second baseman David Nick in the bottom of the ninth to score Cutter Dykstra. A beaned batter, a fielding error and a pair of doubles put the Osprey back up by two after just five batters in the tenth. Yun Kim's sacrifice fly finally capped the rally with Missoula up 9-6. The Brewers did threaten in the bottom of the inning when Michael Marseco singled and Scott Krieger doubled, his third two-bagger of the night. The hits put each in scoring position with one out. Chris Ellington grounded into a fielder's choice, plating Marseco, to pull within 9-7, but Halton's blast to left-center fell roughly 10 feet short of a hero's end to the season. "Honestly, it was a disappointing year," Gonzales said. "We had injuries and guys called up. We tasted first and lost four in a row. We had lots of guys like (Cutter) Dykstra and Halton who developed and got better, though. That's what we're here to do." Halton singled twice in the game, his seventh multi-hit performance in the last eight contests. Jake Hale improved to 1-1 with the win in relief for Missoula. Helena Box Score Cutter Dykstra committed 20 errors at second base in just 61 Helena games -- he was a triple shy of a cycle here; way to finish up, Kyle Heckathorn... Helena Game Log

Link while active, text follows: Smokies even series with 3-1 win vs. Stars By Brad Shepard For The Huntsville Times Casey Coleman sneaked out of a celebratory Tennessee Smokies locker room with his cell phone in hand. It wasn't that he was avoiding the handshakes and pats on the back. But a pitching performance like the one he'd just turned in to lead the Smokies to a 3-1 playoff win over the Stars called for a late-night roundup of family and friends back home in Florida. Especially considering it evened the best-of-five series at a game a piece. "I was real focused the whole game," said Coleman, who threw 7 2/3 innings of four-hit, one-run baseball. "I just fed off my teammates. In batting practice, they were real loose and joking around. We get three at home now, so winning one on the road was definitely our goal. "For me personally, this is probably the biggest win of my career." For a man who shared the Southern League with 14 wins and who tossed five innings of no-decision work in last year's championship game when he was with Single-A Daytona, that's a hefty statement. On Friday, Coleman kept the Stars off-balance with a nasty two-seam fastball. Of the 23 outs he recorded, 14 were on the ground. "When he's on, he gets ground balls," Smokies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He's got a real nice two-seamer and uses both sides of the plate. "When he pitches, the infield needs to be ready for ground balls." Despite Coleman's performance, Huntsville nearly rallied again. After falling behind 2-0 in the first, the Stars cut the lead in half with a run in the second. For a fleeting moment, it appeared they might recapture the eighth-inning heroics that won them Game 1, when Steffan Wilson's dramatic home run lifted the Stars to victory. After Michael Garciaparra's single and a Freddy Parejo pinch-hit double chased Coleman, Lorenzo Cain emerged with the tying run in scoring position against Tennessee reliever Brian Schlitter. After swinging at a pitch over his head for the second strike, Cain lofted a lazy ball behind shortstop that was caught for the final out. "I was just going up there being the guy who wants to come through for his teammates," Cain said. "It's nerve-wracking, but at the same time, I wanted to be there. I was a little too aggressive going after pitches over my head. Everybody wants to be the guy to come through in the clutch. Unfortunately, I didn't." Instead, Schlitter retired Cain and finished off the Stars in the ninth for the save, and another solid performance by Huntsville starter Nick Green - the regular-season's hard-luck loser - resulted in a loss. Green pitched six strong innings, but Coleman was just better. "Nobody is down," Green said. "Until the last out, everybody had the mentality we were going to win this thing. The main thing is we battled. It was a pitcher's duel. Unfortunately, we were just one hit away."

Brett Lawrie three-run home run, Adam Stern two-run single in Canadian rout Box score

Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 3, Huntsville 1, best-of-five series tied, 1-1 Huntsville Site Game Summary Coleman Carries Smokies to Win in Game Two Tennessee Heads Home With Split in Huntsville By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars Casey Coleman spun 7 2/3 masterful innings to pitch Tennessee to a 3-1 victory over Huntsville Friday night in the second game of the best-of-five North Division Playoffs at Joe Davis Stadium. The Smokies evened the series at a game apiece with games three and four set for Smokies' Park Saturday and Sunday in Sevierville, TN. Jim Adduci doubled with one out in the first inning and stayed put when Marquez Smith reached on a Taylor Green throwing error. Blake Lalli followed with a base hit to plate Adduci to put the Smokies on the board four batters into the game. Tyler Colvin singled to load the bases before Starlin Castro popped up for the second out. Smith was then able to score on a passed ball by catcher Jonathan Lucroy that gave the visitors a 2-0 edge against Stars' starter Nick Green. Lucroy led off the home second with a double, moved to third base on a ground ball out and scored on a base hit by Steffan Wilson that trimmed the lead to 2-1. From that point on, the Stars' offense was stifled by Coleman and Brian Schlitter. Green had retired 13 out of 14 before Adduci led off the sixth with an infield hit, moved to second base on a walk to Smith and advanced, with Smith, on a Lalli ground out. The Stars intentionally walked Colvin to get to the right-hand swinger Castro, who sent a line drive sacrifice fly deep enough into center field to chase home Adduci to extend the Smokies' lead to 3-1. Green was lifted after six innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out six. In his seven losses, the Stars have mustered only five runs while he has actually been on the mound. Coleman retired 19 straight Huntsville hitters before Michael Garciaparra singled with two outs in the eighth inning and advanced to third base on a pinch-hit double by Freddy Parejo that knocked the right-hander out of the game. Brian Schlitter, second in the league with 22 regular season saves, took over and got Lorenzo Cain to fly out to end the threat. Coleman allowed four hits, struck out one and recorded 14 ground ball outs to earn the victory. Schlitter locked down the home side with a scoreless ninth inning to grab the save. The series continues Saturday night with Stars' right-hander Mark Holliman taking the hill against Smokies' right-hander Andrew Cashner. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score In their last ten games, the Stars have scored a total of 15 runs -- Huntsville has lost 11 of 12... Huntsville Game Log

The season-ending Hot Sheet has a Brewer on it, but not for the right reasons.

Follow Friday's action as it happens: MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA as well as AAA this season. Huntsville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_11_tenaax_hunaax_1&did=t559&sid=t559 Helena: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_11_misrok_helrok_1&did=t433&sid=t433

Friday's Menu: TGIF! Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: Season complete Huntsville: RHP Nick Green at home vs. Tennessee (Cubs), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime; game two in a best-of-five series, Stars lead 1-0 Live Audio Link Brevard County: Season complete Wisconsin: Season complete Helena: LHP Chris Capuano at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime; season finale Live Audio Link Arizona Summer League: Season complete Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: Season complete

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Link while active, text follows: Call-up Wilson stuns with homer Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Before adressing Steffan Wilson's heroics Thursday in a 4-2 playoff win over the Tennessee Smokies, here's some Huntsville Stars' lore: In 1985, Rocky Coyle hit a two-run homer in the ninth to give Huntsville a Southern League title in its first season. In 1997, Justin Bowles, already home after finishing his Single-A season, got a call to report to Huntsville for the playoffs, but missed his flight. He arrived at the ballpark as the game started. The Stars trailed 2-1 in the series and were down 5-2 in the ninth when Bowles' three-run homer tied it. "As soon as I hit it, it was like, 'No way!'" Bowles would say. Thanks to Wilson, the Stars had themselves another "No way!" moment of lore Thursday night. Less than 24 hours after being promoted to Huntsville, and with parents Jon and Liz in the stands, Wilson mashed a resounding two-out, three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Stars a win over Tennessee in their Southern League playoff opener. "Obviously it was awesome," Wilson said. "I wasn't expecting it, that's for sure." Wilson is a 28th-round draft choice who played at that noted baseball factory, Harvard University. His education - he left after his junior year to sign with the Brewers - is cause for no little bit of clubhouse grief. "I heard it today and I've heard it pretty much my whole career," he said. "They'd be like, 'Ask Harvard. He might know.' It always comes up." His Brevard County team was eliminated from the Florida State League playoffs Wednesday night. Wilson and Zelous Wheeler, the wonderfully named infielder from Sylacauga, Alabama, were called to manager Mike Guerrero's office and told to report to Huntsville. That was around 11 p.m. Wilson hadn't packed a thing at his home in Brevard because "we hadn't counted on losing." Around 3 a.m., with the help of his parents, he finished packing. He caught a quick nap and was up at 5 a.m. to catch a 7 a.m. flight. He hit Huntsville by noon, grabbed another quick nap, hustled to the ballpark, made history - and put an end to a nine-game losing streak. Meanwhile, "We put him on the airplane," Jon said. "...And we took off," said Liz, completing the sentence. Somebody fetched the home-run ball Wilson hit. At game's end, he tossed it to his parents. Not that the Wilson family doesn't have its share of moments and collection of mementoes. Their oldest son Jon pitched in the Texas system. The brothers played together on teams that their father coached. So it wasn't necessarily a nervous moment as they watched their son at bat in the eighth. "We understand the game," Jon said. "I would have felt bad had he not gotten a good hit," Liz admitted. "But he always seems to come through." Wilson had a walk-off homer earlier in the year for Brevard County and "I didn't think I could top that feeling. But this did." Hey, need a big home run to write some history and re-energize a team? Ask Harvard.

Link while active, text follows: Stars not dim Huntsville snaps 9-game skid with win in playoff opener vs. Smokies By Paul Gattis Huntsville Times Sports Staff The music blasted throughout the Huntsville Stars clubhouse Thursday night, and the Stars celebrated even louder. "It was probably the most exciting moment of the year other than us clinching (the first-half title)," left fielder Drew Anderson said. Infielder Steffan Wilson - added to the roster just hours before game time - blasted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to deliver a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the Southern League semifinal playoffs. The best-of-five series continues tonight, while Huntsville's nine-game losing streak entering the series became a memory. "We went crazy," starting pitcher Josh Butler said of the reaction in the dugout to Wilson's homer. "It's the same as it is right now (in the clubhouse). It was a good experience." But until Wilson's homer, it looked like one more loss for a team that couldn't seem to get the big hit. The Stars left runners at second and third in the seventh and four runners had been stranded in scoring position. One swing of Wilson's bat, however, provided the antidote. "That's what we've been missing in the second half, a big hit like that," Anderson said. Anderson led off the eighth with a single to right. After Jonathan Lucroy struck out and Taylor Green popped out, Lorenzo Cain was hit by a Marcos Mateo pitch. Then Wilson crushed the game-winner over the left-centerfield wall. "I knew it was a big spot," Wilson said. "I was just trying to get one (run) across to keep the game going. I was sitting fastball and he gave it to me. I just tried to take a nice easy swing." Wilson was promoted from Single-A Brevard County, whose season ended Wednesday night. He spent most of spring training with the Stars and manager Bob Miscik wanted to keep him. But the parent club Milwaukee Brewers wanted Wilson to get a full season at Single-A. "I knew the addition of Wilson was going to help us," Miscik said. "I didn't know he was going to hit a three-run homer to win the game for us." Butler was the unsung hero for the Stars. He allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings. Casey Baron got the win in relief and Rob Wooten earned the save. Butler "has been throwing great for a while now," Miscik said, after missing a month because of a strained muscle in his rib cage. "He did his job." Just like Wilson. "We haven't had a big hit in quite some time," Miscik said. "It's been weeks and weeks since we've had a big hit. "Hopefully, it's contagious because things in this game are." The Smokies did all their damage in the fifth, thanks to Tyler Colvin's solo homer and Jonathan Mota's RBI infield single.

Link while active, text follows: Great season ends early for Manatees BY MARK DeCOTIS FLORIDA TODAY Brevard County Manatees Manager Mike Guerrero believes he has found a home base in Brevard County. He owns a residence in Suntree, has two children in Brevard schools and is fond of the area. Also, his extended family -- his players -- just concluded one of the best seasons statistically in franchise history. Whether that's enough to keep him here for another season in the notoriously nomadic world of minor league baseball remains to be seen. And while he expects a decision by October, he also knows what lies ahead is out of his hands. It's up to executives of the Manatees' parent club, the Milwaukee Brewers. In fact, before the stadium lights were turned off following Wednesday's season-ending playoff loss to the Tampa Yankees, two Manatees, third baseman Zelous Wheeler and infielder/outfielder Steffan Wilson, were moved up to the Class-AA Huntsville Stars for the playoffs. "Anything is possible in baseball," Guerrero said Wednesday night. "Anything can happen. (Pitcher John) Axford started the season with us and as of today he's in the big leagues. People don't know how close you are to the big leagues, especially here, especially with a good, talented team like this one." Despite the obviously talented Manatees getting swept in the best-of-three divisional playoff by a red-hot Tampa team that won 48 of its 67 second-half games and now will play Charlotte for the Florida State League championship, Guerrero was pleased. "I enjoyed myself and I hope the fans enjoyed it as much as I did watching these kids grow through the season," he said, terming 2009 as outstanding. "For our organization, it was probably one of the best seasons a minor league team has had." The numbers tell the story: The best winning percentage -- .622 -- in franchise history. Leading the league in multiple categories: batting average (.267), earned run average (2.75), shutouts (18), saves (46), fewest hits allowed (891), fewest runs (427) and the fewest earned runs allowed (340), strikeouts recorded (1,005), stolen bases (207). Second baseman Eric Farris winning the stolen base title -- 70, tying a team record in the process. Center fielder Logan Schafer winning the batting title -- .313. "If you look at the things we have accomplished this year, to develop our guys and the way they play the game, there's a lot to be proud of," Guerrero said. "Did we run into a hot team? We did, but that's part of the game too."

Link while active, text follows: Halton delivers clutch hit for Helena By CURT SYNNESS, Helena Independent Record Now the Helena Brewers are playing for pride. Eliminated from the Pioneer League's Northern Division playoff possibilities earlier in the week, the Brewers defeated the Missoula Osprey 4-3 Thursday at Kindrick Field. After blowing a two-run, ninth inning lead in a loss to Great Falls the night before, Helena was a model of efficiency in their 12th victory of the second half. The hosts were out-hit 8-7 by the Osprey, but made every base runner count, as they stranded only two men left on base all night. Helena's crucial inning was the sixth, when with one down and leading 3-2, Chris Ellington laced a double to left field. Sean Halton then ripped another liner to left, driving home Ellington with what turned out to be the deciding run. Halton was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double, but four runs were enough, thanks to the Brewers' pitching and defense. Helena manager Rene Gonzales used five pitchers in the contest, with Del Howell starting. Howell went 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one run. Howell was relieved by, in order, Ryan Platt (1/3 inning, 0 hits), Adrian Rosario (3 1/3 innings, five hits, two runs), Matt Costello (1 1/3 inning, 0 hits) and Robert Currie (1/3 inning, 0 hits). Platt earned the win, while Currie picked up the save.Eury De La Rosa took the loss. Helena never trailed, leading 1-0 after two frames and 3-1 after four. The Brewers plated two runs in the fourth stanza, provided by three straight singles by Scott Krieger, Halton and Ellington, and an RBI groundout by Cutter Dykstra. Ellington finished with a perfect 3-for-3 night at the plate, scoring twice, while Halton was 2-3, with a pair of runs batted in. Halton upped his average to .353, which places him third in the Pioneer League batting race. Ellington's 17 doubles ranks tied for seventh in the league. The Brewers committed just one error, compared to three for the visitors. Ramon Castillo and Chris Owings had two base knocks each for the Osprey. Helena is now 12-25 for the second half, with Missoula slipping to 18-19. Friday night will be the season finale, as the Brew Crew hosts Missoula. Former Major League all-star Chris Capuano is scheduled to make his third rehab start for the Brewers. Helena Box Score Who is 13th round pick Sean Halton, you ask? Well, he's comfortable in Big Sky country. Here you go. Helena Game Log

Final: Helena 4, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 3 Nice home win in the next-to-last game of the season, details in the AM from the local media....

Final: Huntsville 4, Tennessee (Cubs) 2 -- Stars lead best-of-five series, 1-0 Huntsville Site Game Summary One Swing Sends Stars to Victory in Playoff Opener Three Huntsville Hurlers Cool Off Red-Hot Smokies By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars Steffan Wilson's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning carried Huntsville to a dramatic 4-2 come-from-behind win over Tennessee Thursday night in the opener of the best-of-five North Division Playoffs at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars, who had lost their last nine regular season games, moved out to a 1-0 series lead with game two set for Friday night in Huntsville. Drew Anderson led off the decisive frame with a single, stayed put after the next two hitters were retired and advanced to second base when Lorenzo Cain was hit by a pitch. Marcos Mateo fell behind Wilson 2-0 before the Huntsville first baseman made his double-A debut a successful one by crushing a home run to left-center field to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. Wilson had been promoted Wednesday night after high class-A Brevard County was eliminated from the Florida State League playoffs. Casey Baron retired the first Smokies' hitter in the ninth inning and gave way to the right-hander Rob Wooten, who got two fly ball outs to end the game and sew up the win. Wooten recorded 11 saves in 12 chances in the regular season. Mateo took the loss after leaving two runners on to end the seventh inning. The Stars broke up a scoreless game in the fourth inning when Taylor Green doubled with two outs and scored on a base hit by Cain. Tyler Colvin's lead off long ball in the fifth inning, just the third allowed by Stars' starter Josh Butler in 45 innings, evened the score at one. Starlin Castro followed with a single, moved to second base when Ty Wright was hit by a pitch and advanced, with Wright, on a sacrifice bunt by Robinson Chirinos, his first with Tennessee. Smokies' skipper Ryne Sandberg then elected to lift his starter Jeremy Papelbon and replace him with pinch-hitter Russ Canzler, who struck out on for the second out of the inning. Jonathan Mota followed with an infield hit to drive in Castro with the go-ahead run. Butler tossed seven innings, allowing six hits, walking two, hitting two and striking out five Papelbon yielded three hits, walked one and fanned four in his four frames and was followed to the hill by David Cales, who threw two scoreless innings. Anderson led off the home sixth with a double but never advanced after two strikeouts and a ground out. The series continues Friday night with right-hander Nick Green taking the hill against Smokies' right-hander Casey Coleman. Coverage of the game begins at 6:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score Brett hit on all the high points -- there's no day off in the series, so it's highly unlikely Josh Butler could be brought back for a game five; lefty Casey Baron's Maryvale rehab paid off -- Baron is definitely profiling to be a Mitch Stetter-type arrival by 2011 if not next year some time; most of the Stars hadn't seen Steffan Wilson at all since last March's spring training workouts, and some not at all until today -- the Harvard slugger with the blast! Freddy Parejo and his 26 walks in 634 AB's the last two seasons an odd choice for leadoff, but the Stars' current roster leaves little choice; that one Wilson home run eased every tension imaginable in that clubhouse, it's loosey-goosey time now... Huntsville Game Log

Taylor Green came to play both offensively and defensively at third base, but the Stars trail 2-1 at the 7th inning stretch. Josh Butler went seven innings. Enjoying Brett's call, but traffic here is much lighter these days, as is often the case when the parent club spirals. We should visit the chat room during one of these playoff games, even if it's for just a few minor league diehards.

Jonathan Lucroy has already cut down two basestealers in the scoreless Huntsville game (4th inning, yay Josh Butler). Lucroy is just a fantastic prospect.

Link while active, text follows: Canada hammers South Korea 9-1 in opening game at baseball World Cup STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Canada scored eight runs in the seventh inning en route to a 9-1 win over South Korea in its opening game at the IBAF Baseball World Cup on Thursday. Nick Bucci of Sarnia, Ont., threw five shutout innings for Canada, giving up three hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Adam Loewen of Surrey, B.C., was 3-for-4 to lead the Canadian offence while Tim Smith of Toronto added a three run home run. "I didn't have my greatest stuff out there, but I battled for five and was able to give us a chance to win," Bucci said. Canadian manager Ernie Whitt was impressed with his team's first effort at the tournament. "Bucci did a great job for us and shut them down for five innings," said Whitt. "Pitching and defence is always the key and we were fortunate to score some runs late." Chris Robinson of Dorchester, Ont., had a solid outing defensively, throwing out two base stealers in the second and fifth innings and picking off a runner at second in the fourth when South Korea had runners at first and second with nobody out. "In international baseball you always need someone to make those big defensive plays," said Robinson. "I guess tonight was my turn and hopefully tomorrow someone else will make the plays, and in games like this you need to be fundamentally sound." Loewen called it a "fun game to play in." "Usually Korea plays pretty good against us, so we wanted to jump on them and once we had the lead we wanted to score as many runs as possible to make it easy on our pitchers," he said. "It was a well rounded game. We didn't make any mistakes and that's what we've been trying to do." Loewen got Canada on the board in the bottom of the second when his RBI triple scored Robinson. In the seventh, Loewen drove in Smith, who led off the inning with a single. Adam Stern of London, Ont., then singled to drive in Loewen. Shawn Bowman of Port Moody, B.C., added a two-run double while Cole Armstrong of Surrey, B.C., had an RBI single before Smith capped the scoring with his three-run homer. "Any time you're playing for your country it means a little bit more," said Smith. "Playing with a bunch of great guys and in a fun environment, there is no reason not to get pumped up." Jim Henderson of Calgary threw 1 1/3 inning of relief and retired all four batters he faced while Chris Kissock of Trail, B.C., pitched retired the side in the ninth to end the game. Canada lost to the Koreans 1-0 at last summer's Olympics. "There's a little redemption there for us after that tough loss against these guys at the Olympics," said Robinson. "You know you can talk about all the travelling and hanging out with the guys being good for team moral, but once you get out there and play in the first game that means something is exciting and I'm thinking some really good things about this club right now. I think we have a really good shot." Canada plays the Netherlands Antilles on Friday.

For those who can break free from the Huntsville audio for a few moments, Steve Wendt has a follow up Chris Capuano interview tonight. He talks about the progress with his arm as well as impending free agency. Not sure if the Crew will be able to grab that for us, so listen live if you can at 7:50 PM Central Thursday night.