Jim Goulart

Link while active, text follows: Manatees ready for postseason BY MARK DeCOTIS FLORIDA TODAY The Brevard County Manatees begin their quest for their first outright Florida State League championship tonight with as good a team as they've had in years, at least statistically. But statistics don't win games. Players do. And Manatees Manager Mike Guerrero has got his share. He's got four midseason and postseason all-stars in pitcher Amaury Rivas (second in league in victories with 13), center fielder and league batting leader Logan Schafer (.313 average), right fielder Caleb Gindl and second baseman and league steals leader Eric Farris (70). But more importantly he's got a team of players who watch out for each other. "They leave their egos outside and play like a team and that's what good teams do," Guerrero said. "This team is not just a team on the field, they're a team in the clubhouse, off the field and everything they do they're just a great bunch of guys. They care for each other and they try to push each other." The Manatees earned the playoff spot by winning the league's North Division first half title with ease and will face a Tampa team that clinched the second half in a walk, winning 47 of 66 games. Guerrero will try to slow the Yankees with a pitching rotation of right-hander Mark Rogers, Rivas and Evan Anundsen, but doesn't plan on doing anything different. "Is it (playoffs) more important, it is," he said. "But we are going to approach the games the same way we've done and knowing we're trying to win every ballgame we can the right way." And given that Guerrero's task has been, is and always will be, in Class A, to develop ballplayers, a situation might arise where that takes a back seat to winning in the postseason. "Playoffs are part of developing too," Guerrero said. "You want your players to be in that situation so when they get to the big leagues they already have experienced those kinds of situations." The Manatees have managed many of the situations they have faced this season, standing 79-48 overall, the league's second-best record to South Division champion Fort Myers. They've hit well, pitched well and in most cases fielded well. But then again, so has Tampa. The Manatees did win the season series, 10-5. To that end, Guerrero believes it will come down to execution. "If we are able to pitch and play defense and be fundamentally sound and run the bases the way we do we're going to win," he said. "Who ever does that is going to win." Additional Facts Brevard County vs. Tampa Florida State League postseasonBest-of-three divisional playoff (all times listed Central) 6 p.m. today at Tampa 6:05 p.m. Wed. vs. Tampa at Space Coast Stadium 6:05 p.m. Thursday vs. Tampa at Space Coast Stadium, if necessary Tickets: $5. Parking free. Note: Best-of-five FSL Championship Series begins Sept. 11. Games one and two in North Division team's (Manatees or Tampa) home park.

Eric Farris was also named the FSL Player of the Week for the final week of the season.

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From Adam McCalvy: Two Brevard County players were honored for their August contributions. Right-hander Amaury Rivas was the Brewers' Minor League pitcher of the month after going 5-1 with a 2.10 ERA, and infielder Eric Farris was the system's player of the month after batting .400 (38-for-95) with 10 RBIs and 19 steals in 25 games.

Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun: John Axford awoke in New Orleans yesterday with the triple-A Nashville Sounds. He wouldn't finish the day with the team. The Port Dover, Ont., right-hander woke up early, grabbed a flight and was at Miller Park after being called up by Milwaukee Brewers. He joined the bullpen for yesterday's 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals but didn't make it into the game. Axford pitched three years at Notre Dame University before injuring his arm and then transferring to Canisius College. The New York Yankees signed him in 2007 and released him at the end of the season. Brewers scout Jay Lapp signed Axford and after starting the season at class-A Brevard County he's now Lapp's first major leaguer. Combined this season at Brevard, double-A Huntsville and Nashville, he is 9-1 with a 2.43 earned run average, walking 38 and striking out 89 in 68 1/3 innings. Axford will be the 21st Canadian to appear in the majors this season. *** Link while active, text follows: Port Dover pitcher in The Show CHANCE OF A LIFETIME Brian Smiley, Brantford Expositor For the first time in more than a century, this area can boast a baseball player of major-league calibre. On Sunday, Port Dover's (Norfolk, Ontario) John Axford got the call every little leaguer waits to hear when he was summoned to Milwaukee to play for the National League's Brewers. "I definitely was a little surprised," Axford said from his hotel in Milwaukee, where the Brewers were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in a Monday matinee. "I had a feeling it might happen. I was supposed to go to Sweden with Team Canada for the World Cup in September, but the Brewers told me they had (changed their minds)." Axford received news of his call-up from an unlikely source. "It was actually the trainer who told me (Sunday) morning," said Axford of the confirmation he got from his AAA team's towel man. "He told me to pack everything up and then said congratulations. "I was definitely excited but it took a while for it to sink in. It didn't sink in right away. "Then when I called my fiancée, Nicole (Burroughs), and when I heard how excited she was, it sunk in." It didn't take quite as long for Axford's family to realize John had made it. "There's been lots of screaming and yelling," Axford's mother, Vera, said in a voice-mail message to The Expositor while she was celebrating with other family members, including John's father, Brian. "We've been jumping up and down. We're so excited and so proud of him. He's worked so hard." Axford, an Assumption College graduate, looked like he was on the path to stardom while attending the University of Notre Dame on scholarship. However, the right-handed pitcher's dream of making the major leagues took a detour when he suff ered an arm injury in 2003 that resulted in Tommy John surgery. Axford, a six-foot-five 185- pounder who was drafted and unsigned by the Seattle Mariners (seventh round, 2001) and Cincinnati Reds (42nd round, 2005), concluded his collegiate career with the Canisius College Golden Griffins after rehabbing for approximately 18 months. In 2006, he played locally for the Intercounty Baseball League's Brantford Red Sox and, in 2007, he spent the season in the minor leagues playing in the New York Yankees farm system. After spending the 2008 season in the minors for Milwaukee, Axford, who will marry Burroughs on Nov. 7, moved up the chain this year quite quickly. He started off in High-A pitching for the Brevard County Manatees in the Florida State League before he was bumped to AA in Huntsville for the Southern League's Stars. Finally, in July, he moved up to AAA, pitching for the Pacific Coast League's Nashville Sounds. In his three minor league stops this season, Axford was 9-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 45 appearances. The former starter turned reliever has allowed 44 hits and 38 walks in 67 1/3 innings, while striking out 89. To make room for Axford on its 40-man roster, the Brewers released reliever Jesus Colome. Axford did not appear in Monday's 3-0 loss to the Cardinals but he did sit in the bullpen at Miller Park, soaking up the sights and sounds. "It was quite interesting driving up to the park, with the retractable roof," he said. "I wasn't really star struck by the players, but it's cool seeing people you've seen on TV. I didn't have any jitters." Axford said he expects to finish the season with the Brewers. Being added to Milwaukee's 40-man roster also opens up an easier path to remain with the big club in 2010. If he remains on the team's 40-man roster, Axford will receive an invitation to the major league camp in spring training, which has never happened in his three minor league seasons. If Axford is dropped from the 40-man roster during the winter, he could be lost through December's Rule 5 draft. "We were pretty sure he was a 40-man roster candidate, so we figured we would take a look at him," former Toronto Blue Jays general manager and current Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash told mlb.com. "He's struggled with command, but it's improved. We'll give him this opportunity to acclimate himself. That acclimation period for guys coming to the big leagues, it's better to get that out of the way now." Axford was happy to have his parents, who drove from Port Dover to Milwaukee, at the game on Monday, but he also remembered many others who have helped him along the way. "I'm just thinking of Nicole, my parents, my family, my friends," said Axford, who also mentioned that those who are no longer with him still leave an impression. "And my grandparents, John and Marie Koopman, and Doug King (who worked with Axford as a youth), it's tough thinking of them. "To have this finally come to fruition is tremendous. It feels really, really amazing."

Link while active, text follows: Rattlers-Brewers combo hits home run at the box office By Brett Christopherson Post-Crescent staff writer GRAND CHUTE - It was Friday night at a deserted Fox Cities Stadium, and the Cedar Rapids Kernels were about an hour removed from completing a three-game sweep of the slumping Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The 5-2 setback was the Rattlers' ninth loss in their past 10 games. Realistic hopes of earning a Midwest League playoff bid had been abandoned for a couple of weeks. And the game marked a depressing end to their 2009 home slate. Yet team president Rob Zerjav was grinning. From - pardon the cliche - ear to ear. "To go from the year we had last year and the (poor) weather and the questions as to the (potential) Milwaukee Brewers relationship, it definitely made it all worthwhile this year," he said. "And to see what can happen here and the support we can get from the fans, yeah, it's been a good year." Make that a great year. Fan buzz over Wisconsin's new affiliation with the home state Brewers never waned, even as it became frustratingly clear the recent string of lousy on-field karma would be extended for at least another season. Consider: The Rattlers finished with an overall record of 58-81 following Monday's 5-1 season-ending loss to Beloit, marking the fourth straight season and the sixth over the past eight they've dropped at least 80 games. The Midwest League features a 140-game schedule. And they haven't come close to experiencing postseason play since 2005, when a club brimming with future big league talent advanced to the league championship series. But ever since last September's news in which the Rattlers severed their 16-season partnership with the Seattle Mariners and signed a four-year pact with the Brewers that would send Milwaukee's Low-A minor league talent to Grand Chute through 2012, interest remained intense. That poor showing on the scoreboard? Few seemed bothered as underscored by this season's home attendance total of 253,240, which shattered the 1996 record of 233,797 and easily bettered the club's preseason goal of 225,000. Overall, the Rattlers drew 11 crowds of over 5,000 to the 5,500-seat Fox Cities Stadium, including the 5,452 that watched Friday's loss on a night that contended with a number of area high school football games. Two of those 11 also came on the same night the Green Bay Packers were hosting preseason games at Lambeau Field. "There's a baseball feel here, and we've had tremendous support this year," said Rattlers hitting coach and Appleton native Matt Erickson, who's well-versed in the long history of minor league baseball in these parts given his roots. "While we didn't have a tremendous year record-wise, I believe this team played the game the right way and continued to play hard. "There have been some days where it has been a struggle and we've had it handed to us pretty good. But … the effort has been there all season, and hopefully, the fans appreciated that." It seems they also appreciated some of the perks that come in having a minor league team affiliated with a major league club of close geographic proximity, particularly one that's cheered on by the local fan base. For example, the Rattlers enjoyed an Opening Day sellout for the first time in franchise history. A crowd of almost 18,000 made the trek to Miller Park on April 24 to watch the Rattlers take on the Peoria Chiefs - a Chicago Cubs affiliate - in a Midwest League game. Near official sell-out crowds welcomed rehab starts by current Brewers hurlers Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan, while diehard followers were treated to rehab assignments from some of the top-rated minor league prospects in the Crew's system. Then there was the season-high crowd of 5,556 that crammed into Fox Cities Stadium for an Aug. 4 game highlighted by an appearance from former Brewers great and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. And let's not forget 19-year-old Canadian second baseman Brett Lawrie, Milwaukee's top pick and the 16th player selected in the 2008 draft, who spent most of his first professional season in Rattlers gear. "It surpassed our expectations," said Zerjav, who noted dry and comfortable weather conditions helped in luring more folks to the ballpark, as well. "The reach of fans that we're now getting from Milwaukee and the Upper Peninsula and Sheboygan, they're just coming from all over to see this team. "I think initially it was because they wanted to see the Brewers, but I think they're coming back because they see how much fun it is and everything that's going on out here. You give it up to the fans for coming out and supporting the team." Zerjav said the increased attendance will mean an even more robust bottom line for the franchise, which in turn should also mean the opportunity to buck a sagging economy by pouring even more money back into the organization as officials continue to eye possible stadium upgrades. "What's nice about it is, we're a community-owned team, so anything that goes into our coffers goes back into the ballpark and the experience fans have here," he said. "So it's great to be able to have a little bit more, hopefully, to play with and be able to do some really exciting and new things here at the ballpark in 2010." Milwaukee assistant general manager Gord Ash called the new partnership "an unqualified success," citing the benefit of joint marketing initiatives such as ticket packages designed to get fans into both Miller Park and Fox Cities Stadium, as well as the convenience for those in the Brewers' front office to check out the club's minor league talent in person. The West Virginia Power had served as the Brewers' previous Low-A affiliate. "The affiliation has been a significant benefit to everyone here at the Brewers," Ash said in an e-mail. "On the baseball side, it has given us an opportunity to regularly monitor the progress of some of our best prospects in person, and an alternative to have our rehabilitating major league players placed on assignment right up the road. "The accommodations provided by the Timber Rattlers have been terrific, and we believe it is a first class operation for our players and staff to call home."

Final: Beloit (Twins) 5, Wisconsin 1 Wisconsin Site Game Summary Rattlers season ends with a loss By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers BELOIT, WI - The Beloit Snappers defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-1 in the final game of the 2009 season for both teams. Daniel Osterbrock struck out nine over seven innings for the win. The Beloit offense erased an early deficit by scoring three times in the fourth. Aaron Hicks and Drew Thompson led the way for the Snappers with a pair of RBI a piece. Beloit (57-83 overall, 30-40 second half) had a lot of early chances, but Rattlers starting pitcher Evan Frederickson left the bases loaded in both the first and third innings. He also stranded a runner at third base in the second inning. Brandon Sizemore gave the Rattlers (58-81, 24-45) the lead in the top of the fourth inning. The 30th round pick of the Brewers in the 2009 draft lined a two-out, solo homer over the fence in left. The long ball was the first for Sizemore as a Timber Rattler. But, the Snappers broke through against Frederickson in the bottom of the fourth. Adan Severino doubled and Reggie Williams drew a walk to start the frame. Hicks doubled to send Severino home with the tying run. A sacrifice fly by Thompson let Williams score and give Beloit the 2-1 lead. Later in the fourth, Hicks was at third base and Ozzie Lewis was at first. Lewis broke for second and Alfonso faked a throw to second before throwing to third to try to pick off Hicks. The throw sailed into left and Hicks scored easily for a 3-1 advantage. Beloit added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off reliever Daniel Meadows. Hicks had another RBI double and Thompson chipped in an RBI single. Osterbrock went into cruise control after taking the lead. He retired nine of the final ten batters he faced before turning the game over to the bullpen in the top of the eighth. Osterbrock allowed three hits and one run without a walk. Kyle Carr pitched the final two innings of the game for the Snappers, worked around three hits, and struck out five to finish off the Rattlers for the season. Wisconsin ended the year on a six game losing streak. The 2010 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers schedule has been released. Season tickets for 2010 are now available. Packages range from seven-games and ten-games to half and full season. Fans may purchase tickets packages in person at the Time Warner Cable Field box office, over the phone at 800-WI-TIMBER or through the internet at www.timberrattler.com. Opening Night for next season is Thursday, April 8, 2010 at Time Warner Cable Field. Wisconsin will host the Kane County Cougars at 6:35 PM. Wisconsin Box Score At some point soon, we'll do a more comprehensive statistical and peripheral analysis of the various completed seasons... Wisconsin Game Log

Some recent audio interviews were just posted: September 7 - Coaches Chat with Manager Don Money Angel Salome comment sneaks in ever so quickly, longer discussion of guys like Adam Heether, John Axford... September 5 - Chat with Brewers Special Assistant To The GM Dan O'Brien September 4 - Chat with Outfielder Jon Knott

Final: Nashville 8, New Orleans (Marlins) 3 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Mike Burns photo, text follows -- Sounds Wrap Up 2009 Slate With 8-3 Victory METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds wrapped up their 2009 season on a positive note, posting an 8-3 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Monday afternoon at Zephyr Field. With the victory, Nashville (75-69) gained a split of the four-game set and earned a 9-7 win in the season series against the Z's. The Sounds wrapped up the 21st winning season in the franchise's 32 years of existence. Starting pitcher Mike Burns (8-3) worked a complete game to earn the victory for the Sounds, notching his team-leading tenth quality start of the year. The right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) on 10 hits and racked up a season-high eight strikeouts in the effort, Nashville's first nine-inning complete game all season. Burns tossed 98 pitches in the victory. Every Sounds starter, including Burns (2-for-5), recorded a hit in the contest during Nashville's 17-hit output, two shy of the club's best effort of the year. Center fielder Tike Redman and first baseman Joe Koshansky led Nashville with three-hit afternoons. The damage could have been worse for New Orleans, but the Sounds grounded into two bases-loaded, inning-ending double plays in the game. Corey Hart wrapped up his rehabilitation stint with a 2-for-3 afternoon for the Sounds, playing the entire contest in right field. He singled in the first and eighth innings, struck out in the third, was hit by a pitch in the sixth, and drew a four-pitch walk in the seventh, scoring a pair of runs in the contest. In four games with Nashville, Hart batted .500 (5-for-10) with two walks and was hit by a pitch on two occasions. Brendan Katin got the scoring started when he continued his recent surge by belting his team-leading 24th home run of the year in the top of the second inning, a two-out solo shot just inside the left field foul pole off Zephyrs starter John Koronka. The 24 home runs match Katin's career high, set in 2007 with Double-A Huntsville. The longball marked the fourth straight at-bat in which the slugger went deep, dating back to Saturday's contest. New Orleans tied the contest in the fourth when Michael Ryan reached when Katin failed to glove his fly ball to left but he was given a double on the play, allowing the outfielder to finish the year with a .300 average. Lee Mitchell followed with an RBI single down the right field line off Burns to plate Ryan and make it a 1-1 game. Zephyrs center fielder Jai Miller put the home team in front by a 3-1 count in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer to center off Burns, his 16th roundtripper of the year. Emilio Ontiveros, who reached earlier in the frame when Sounds shortstop Johnny Raburn mishandled his grounder, also scored on the blast. Nashville got a run back in the top of the sixth in a strange inning at the plate for the visitors. After Hart was hit by a pitch to start the frame, Koshansky hit a ball up the middle that caromed off Koronka's foot for a single then Adam Heether lifted a fly ball to center that Miller lost in the sun, resulting in an RBI single and a 3-2 score. The visitors vaulted out to a 7-3 lead an inning later with a five-run seventh against Zephyrs reliever Willie Collazo in the left-hander's lone inning of action. Koshansky's 24th home run of the year, an opposite-field three-run shot to left, highlighted the scoring. AUDIO: Joe Koshanksy Three-Run HR Hart upped the Nashville lead to 8-3 in the eighth with a one-out RBI single to left that plated Burns. Collazo (9-5) was saddled with the loss after surrendering five runs on four hits in his lone frame of action. Baseball returns to historic Greer Stadium in April 2010 when the Sounds begin their 33rd season of competition. Season tickets are available now by calling 615-242-4371 or visiting the Greer Stadium box office. NOTES: The Milwaukee Brewers announced after the game that third baseman Mat Gamel will be called up tomorrow to join the Brew Crew for the remainder of the 2009 season … Rehabbing outfielder Corey Hart is also expected to rejoin Milwaukee tomorrow after his four-game stint with the Sounds … Nashville manager Don Money will join the Brewers coaching staff on Friday in Phoenix … Second baseman Hernan Iribarren did not play for the second straight day and finished the year with a .311 batting average, marking the 6th time in his eight professional seasons he batted .300 or better … Brendan Katin homered in each of Nashville's final three games of the year, matching the longest such streak by a Sounds player all season (third occurrence) … Carlos Corporan singled in the second inning for the Sounds to close out the year with a season-best five-game hitting streak. Nashville Box Score Adam Heether on base three times, par for the season... Nashville Game Log

Six Helena photos from the Independent Record, RHP Hiram Burgos in a nice shot...

Final: Great Falls (White Sox) 3, Helena 1, 11 innings Link while active, text follows: Capuano can't save Brewers from playoff elimination By CURT SYNNESS, Helena Independent Record Not even a former Major League All-Star could save the Helena Brewers from playoff elimination on Monday night. Chris Capuano pitched two innings in his second rehabilitation start in Helena, but the Great Falls Voyagers prevailed 3-1 in 11 innings before a season-low crowd of 482 fans at Kindrick Field. The third time proved to be the charm for the Voyagers. After putting a runner on third base to no avail in the ninth and 10th innings in a 1-1 tie, the Voyagers again advanced another man 90-feet from home in the 11th. This time they were able to break the tie, however, as Matt Harughty doubled in Jose Vargas and Nicholas Ciolloi, for what turned out to be the deciding. The loss dropped the Brewers to 10-23 for the second half, and into a tie with Billings for the Northern Division basement. Helena has been eliminated from postseason play. Great Falls, which has won nine of its last 10 games, improves to 18-15, and will meet Missoula next week in the Northern's Division playoffs. Monday's game was a pitchers duel, with all three of the Voyager's runs being unearned. The Brewers were undone by committing four errors in the field, while having three runners thrown out on the base paths. Capuano started on the hill for the Brew Crew, and worked the first two innings. After retiring the side in order in the opening frame, Capuano gave up an unearned run in the second. Vargas doubled and scored when first sacker Sean Halton misplayed Trayce Thompson's groundball. With two down, the Brewers' Chris Ellington robbed Harughty of a sure base hit, with a diving catch of a sinking liner in shallow left field. Capuano, who was selected to the 2006 All-Star game as a member of the parent Milwaukee club, hung around the mound as the home team headed for the dugout, touching gloves with Ellington as he passed by in appreciation of the web gem. Capuano is working his way back to the majors, after sustaining an elbow injury in 2007. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2008, and has not pitched in the bigs in two years. He is on a limited pitch count, and left the game after the second inning. Hiram Burgos relieved Capuano, and went five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out three. He gave way to Ryan Platt, who pitched two shutout frames, whiffed four and permitted one hit. Joel Morales relieved the final two stanzas and sustained the loss. His mental error in the 11th allowed Ciolli to steal second. Morales had Ciolli picked off of first base, but held the ball too long in the rundown, as the Voyager safely escaped the jam. Ciolli had reached base on a walk, after Brewer third baseman Joey Paciorek dropped his foul pop for the team's fourth error. Terry Doyle started for Great Falls and went six innings, giving up four hits and one run. Jacob Wilson worked the ninth and 10th to earn the win, with Gregory Johnson pitching the 11th for the save. The hosts lone run came in the third stanza, when Cutter Dykstra scored from third on Paciorek's grounder to short. Zachary Kayne, Vargas and Harughty had two hits apiece for the visitors. Edgar Trejo swung the big stick for Helena, rapping two singles and a double. The series will shift to Great Falls with a make-up game scheduled for 5:30 PM (6:30 Central) with RHP Andre Lamontagne taking the mound to face RHP Brandon Kloess. The regularly scheduled game will have RHP Eric Arnett facing LHP Garrett Johnson. Helena has two home games left in the season, this Thursday and Friday at Legion Field against Missoula. Helena Box Score Awesome job, Brewer pitchers; RHP Hiram Burgos has completely turned his season around... Helena Game Log

Not a peep from the Huntsville Times all homestand -- football season is underway, don'tcha know....

Final: Jacksonville (Marlins) 9, Huntsville 5 Huntsville Site Game Summary Stanton Powers Suns to Series Sweep Regular Season Closes With Record Setting Performance By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars Mike Stanton hit two tremendous home runs, including the difference-making grand slam, in Jacksonville's 9-5 come from behind win over Huntsville Monday afternoon to finish off the 2009 regular season. The Suns swept the five-game set to finish the second half with a 47-23 mark and the regular season at 82-58, while the Stars ended the season on a nine-game skid to finish at 25-44 in the second half and 63-75 overall. The Suns took the season series twelve games to three, including eight of ten in Huntsville. Josh Wahpepah tossed a scoreless sixth inning and handed over a 5-3 lead to Zach Braddock, who gave up three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. The left-hander fanned Chris De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Ryan Klosterman before Stanton unloaded on a 1-2 offering for his first Jacksonville grand slam, and 16th long ball with the Suns, that put the visitors back in the lead 7-5. Braddock had allowed only one earned run over his first 15 innings before the decisive blow. The Suns added to their lead in the eighth against Mike McClendon on a run-scoring double by Chris Hatcher and a fielding error by Yohannis Perez. Huntsville put runners at the corners with one out in the home seventh before Drew Anderson struck out and pinch-hitter Mike Brownstein popped up to end the threat. Suns' reliever Chris Leroux got the last out in the seventh and the first two in the eighth before a J.R. Hopf single and a walk to Michael Garciaparra brought Matt Peterson into the game for the Suns in what turned into a save situation. The right-hander gave up a single to Perez that loaded the bases before Freddy Parejo flied out to end the inning. Peterson then set down the side in order in the ninth to earn his fourth save of the series and Southern League record-setting 37th of the season. Matt Dominguez's sacrifice fly in the second inning gave the Suns a 1-0 lead. Logan Morrison led off the second inning with a walk, stole second and scored when Stanton launched a mammoth home run off the flag pole beyond all three tiers of signage in left field to make it a 3-0 game. Suns' starter Elih Villanueva retired the first 12 hitters he faced before he walked Jonathan Lucroy to open the fifth inning. Later in the frame, Hopf would deliver a two-run single to plate Lucroy and Taylor Green, who had singled, before coming into score on a two-out single by Parejo that tied the game at three. Stars' starter Cody Scarpetta lasted five frames in his double-A debut, giving up five hits, while walking one and fanning one. Villanueva was lifted after five innings, yielding four hits, walking one and striking out a pair in his second double-A turn. The Stars loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth against Jay Voss on an error, a pinch-hit single by Chuck Caufield and a walk. Lorenzo Cain fanned for the first out before Hopf's fielder's choice grounder chased home Anderson with the go-ahead run and Caufield scored on a wild pitch to push the home team's lead to two. Huntsville had been held to just two runs in the first 40 innings of the series before breaking through for five in back-to-back frames. The two runs against Voss were the only ones mustered against the Suns bullpen in 16 innings. The Stars open the North Division playoffs Thursday night with right-hander Josh Butler taking the hill against Tennessee Smokies' left-hander Jeremy Papelbon. 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 J.R. Hopf hitting .310 since July 1st; the upcoming playoff series will be the ultimate test of whether a team can flick it on like a lightswitch; will it even feel like a Southern League championship should the Stars somehow win? 25-44 in the second half with virtually the same club, in fact you could make the case an improved bullpen squad... Huntsville Game Log

Congratulations, John Axford, now officially a Milwaukee Brewer (discuss here in Major League Forum). Awesome when we can follow a player from the time of his arrival (minor league free agent), then at the various spots along the way, via the Link Report and other media we link to here.

Link while active, text follows: Brewers' Bucci named to All-Pioneer League team By The Independent Record Right-handed pitcher Nick Bucci was the Helena Brewers' lone representative on the All-Pioneer League team, which was announced Sunday. Bucci has a 6-3 record and 4.41 ERA in 13 games with the Brewers this season. He has allowed 59 hits and 39 runs in 69 1/3 innings and struck out 66 in that span. Bucci was named Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 20. Infielders Michael Marseco and Josh Prince, outfielder Scott Krieger and pitcher Michael Fiers earned honorable mention. Ogden led the team with four selections, including Most Valuable Player Brian Cavazos-Galvez. Casper pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller was named Pitcher of the Year. http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/d/59/d1c/d59d1cf0-9b77-11de-85e7-001cc4c03286.image.jpg?_dc=1252304986

Midwest League Standings

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated a few hours prior to gametime. Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): *** "Voice of the Rattlers" Chris Mehring's informative and entertaining Rattlers Radio Blog includes game notes an hour or two before gametime.

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 77 66 .538 - 44-27 33-39 W4 Nashville 74 69 .517 3.0 38-33 36-36 W1 Iowa 72 71 .503 5.0 44-27 28-44 W1 Omaha 64 79 .448 13.0 34-39 30-40 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 38 31 .551 - 17-18 21-13 W3 Chattanooga 35 34 .507 3.0 20-15 15-19 W1 West Tenn 35 34 .507 3.0 19-15 16-19 L3 Carolina 28 41 .406 10.0 14-20 14-21 W7 Huntsville 25 43 .368 12.5 13-20 12-23 L8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tampa 47 19 .712 - 19-12 28-7 W1 Brevard County 39 24 .619 6.5 23-14 16-10 L1 Dunedin 34 33 .507 13.5 18-13 16-20 W1 Clearwater 35 35 .500 14.0 19-19 16-16 W1 Daytona 30 38 .441 18.0 14-21 16-17 L1 Lakeland 26 39 .400 20.5 12-15 14-24 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 17 15 .531 - 6-8 11-7 L1 Missoula 16 17 .485 1.5 7-9 9-8 W1 Helena 10 22 .313 7.0 6-10 4-12 W2 Billings 10 23 .303 7.5 9-10 1-13 L2

Follow Monday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA as well as AAA this season. Nashville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2009_09_07_nasaaa_nozaaa_1 Huntsville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_07_jaxaax_hunaax_1&did=t559&sid=t559 Wisconsin: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_07_wisafx_belafx_1&did=t572&sid=t572 Helena: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_07_grfrok_helrok_1&did=t433&sid=t433

Monday's Menu: Times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Mike Burns at New Orleans (Marlins), 1:45 PM pre-game; 2:00 gametime Live Audio Link Huntsville: RHP Cody Scarpetta at home vs. Jacksonville (Marlins), 12:45 PM pre-game; 1:00 gametime Live Audio Link Brevard County: Idle Wisconsin: LHP Evan Frederickson at Beloit (Twins), 1:45 PM pre-game; 2:00 gametime Live Audio Link Helena: LHP Chris Capuano at home vs. Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime Live Audio Link Arizona Summer League: Season complete (12-16 first half, 13-15 second half, 25-31 overall) Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: Season complete -- the squad finished 27-43, 11th place in the 12-team division, 24.5 games behind the first-place DSL Giants. If it makes you smile, the DSL Cubs #2 squad finished last at 15-52, and lost their final 19 games of the season.

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

Final, Game One: Brevard County 11, Tampa (Yankees) 6 Final, Game Two: Tampa 5, Brevard County 4, eight innings (scheduled for seven) Please access the links in the "Menu" above, we'll sneak in details later on... Florida Today: Yankees, Manatees split doubleheader Caleb Gindl hit a three-run homer and Eric Farris added a two-run double as the Brevard County Manatees scored eight runs in the first inning to overcome a 3-0 deficit en route to an 11-6 victory against the Tampa Yankees in the first game of a Florida State League baseball doubleheader. Farris had three hits for the Manatees, who will travel to Tampa on Tuesday to begin a best-of-three-game series against the Yankees in the FSL playoffs. Game 2 will be played Wednesday at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, and Game 3, if necessary, will be Thursday in Viera. Steffan Wilson added two hits and drove in three runs in the first game for Brevard County. Emerson Landoni's two-run single in the eighth inning lifted Tampa to a 5-4 triumph in the second game of the doubleheader. Both games were scheduled for seven innings. Logan Schafer, Juan Sanchez and Wilson each had two hits for the Manatees in the second game.

John Sickels Revisits his Brewer Prospect List... ...along with associated discussion in the comments of the post at the link.

Final: New Orleans (Marlins) 6, Nashville 5 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Joe Koshansky photo, text follows -- Sounds Fall Again To Zephyrs, 6-5 METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds suffered a 6-5 loss to the New Orleans Zephyrs on Saturday evening at Zephyr Field and were eliminated from postseason contention later in the evening when the division-rival Memphis Redbirds swept a doubleheader. With its fourth defeat in the last five contests, Nashville (73-69) dropped to three games behind first-place Memphis in the PCL American Conference Northern Division with only two games remaining for each club. The Redbirds took a pair of seven-inning contests from the Oklahoma City RedHawks to lock up the division crown. Outfielder Corey Hart made his second rehab appearance for Nashville. He was hit in the shoulder by a pitch in the second inning then struck out swinging in his second plate appearance in the fourth. He played five-plus innings in right field before being removed as part of a double-switch in the bottom of the sixth inning. First baseman Joe Koshansky put the visitors on top by a 1-0 count when he led off the second inning with an opposite-field solo homer to left off Z's starter Brian Lawrence, the slugger's team-leading 23rd roundtripper of the year. Hart scored the club's second run of the inning when he was hit by a Lawrence pitch and later scored on Brendan Katin's double play groundout. The Zephyrs rallied to tie the contest in the bottom of the frame. New Orleans first baseman Gaby Sanchez halved the Sounds' lead with a leadoff solo homer to left off Sounds starter Mike Jones, the infielder's 16th longball of the season. After Alejandro De Aza singled, Gookie Dawkins blooped a single to shallow left, where Katin came up firing to third and airmailed the bag to allow the tying run to come home. Sounds second baseman Hernan Iribarren stifled the Z's attempt to take the lead later in the second when he gunned down Dawkins at the dish as he attempted to score from third on an Emilio Ontiveros grounder. Sanchez gave New Orleans a 3-2 lead in the third with a sacrifice fly to the wall in right-center that plated David Matranga, who had singled off Jones earlier in the frame. Nashville tied the contest at 3-3 in the top of the fifth when Jones helped his own cause by reaching on a one-out single to center then scored on Tike Redman's RBI single to right. New Orleans pulled back in front in the home half of the fifth, rallying for three two-out runs against Jones to take a 6-3 advantage. De Aza drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to force home John Raynor from third with the go-ahead run. Dawkins followed with a routine grounder to short which was misplayed by Adam Heether to allow two unearned runs to come plateward. The Zephyrs' defense gave a run back to the Sounds in the top of the seventh when Dawkins muffed a throw while covering second base on a Redman fielder's choice grounder, allowing Patrick Arlis to score to make it a 6-4 contest. Katin wrapped up the evening's scoring in the top of the ninth when he led off with his first home run in 134 at-bats, a solo shot to dead center off Z's reliever Matt DeSalvo. The tater, which pulled Nashville within a run at 6-5, was Katin's 21st of the season but just his second since the All-Star break. DeSalvo recovered to retire the next three batters in order to preserve the victory and lock down his fourth save of the year. Lawrence (7-4) earned the victory for New Orleans with a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five batters in his six innings of work. Jones (1-2) took the loss for Nashville after giving up six runs (three earned) on nine hits in his 5 2/3 innings of work. The teams continue the series with another 6 p.m. CT meeting on Sunday evening. Left-hander Lindsay Gulin (6-10, 5.00) will man the bump for the Sounds to face New Orleans right-hander Chris Volstad (NR), who will make his first Triple-A appearance after spending all season with the Florida Marlins. Nashville Box Score Mat Gamel the only Sound to reach base twice; 13 baserunners allowed by Mike Jones in his 5.2 innings... Nashville Game Log

Final: Nashville 9, New Orleans (Marlins) 1 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Brendan Katin photo, text follows -- Katin, Sounds Pound Zephyrs, 9-1 METAIRIE, La. - Brendan Katin went deep twice to highlight a four-homer Nashville barrage and lead the Sounds to a 9-1 victory over the host New Orleans Zephyrs on Sunday evening at Zephyr Field. Sounds starting pitcher Lindsay Gulin (7-10) allowed four hits and struck out six batters over six scoreless innings, his ninth quality start of the year, to pick up the victory. Robert Hinton took over on the hill in the seventh and went the rest of the way, allowing one run in three innings of work, to notch his first save of the year for Nashville (74-69). Outfielder Corey Hart looked very comfortable in the batter's box during his third rehab appearance for the Sounds, finishing a triple short of the cycle in a 3-for-4 night at the dish. He played six innings in right field. Katin's two-homer effort was the outfielder's fourth of the year as he pulled into a tie with Joe Koshansky for the club lead with 23 roundtrippers. Nashville's four home runs on the night marked a season high for the club. Hart put the Sounds on top early, belting a two-run home run to left in the top of the first inning off Zephyrs starter Chris Volstad. The blast was the first hit of his three-game rehab stint with Nashville and also scored Johnny Raburn, who preceded Hart with a single. Katin, who ended a 174 at-bat homerless drought on Saturday evening, continued his recent power surge in the second inning with an opposite-field solo shot to right off Volstad to extend Nashville's lead to 3-0. AUDIO: Brendan Katin's 2nd Home Run Nashville extended its lead to 8-0 in the top of the fifth with a five-run rally against Z's reliever William Glen. Koshansky got things started with a bases-loaded, two-run single to center that plated Tike Redman (walk) and Raburn (single). Following a strikeout, Mat Gamel stepped in and drove in Hart with an RBI groundout before Katin bashed a mammoth home run to left, his second of the contest, to extend the advantage to eight. Right fielder Jon Knott put an exclamation point on the victory with a monstrous two-out solo homer to left off Jay Buente in the top of the ninth inning to make it a 9-0 contest. The longball was Knott's first hit in a Sounds uniform. New Orleans scored its lone run in the bottom of the ninth against Hinton when pinch-hitter Andy Jenkins plated Neil Wilson on a groundout. The contest began following a one hour and 52-minute delay at the outset due to rain. Volstad (0-1) took the loss in his Zephyrs debut after giving up three runs, all on homers, in his four innings of work. He walked two batters and struck out seven in his outing. The teams wrap up the 2009 season with a 2 p.m. Labor Day finale on Monday afternoon. Right-hander Mike Burns (7-3, 2.69) will toe the rubber to close out the year for the Sounds. He'll face New Orleans southpaw John Koronka (4-10, 4.92). Nashville Box Score Nashville Game Log