Jim Goulart

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Outfielder Hernan Iribarren I believe the first time we've heard the Hurricane on-air...

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 7, Nashville 5 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- Sounds Fall Again To RedHawks, 7-5 OKLAHOMA CITY - The Nashville Sounds suffered another loss on Tuesday evening at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, falling 7-5 to the host Oklahoma RedHawks. For the second straight night, the Sounds (1-5) jumped out to a lead in the top of the first inning. Hernan Iribarren (3-for-3) led off the contest with a single to extend his hitting streak to five games before coming around to score on Laynce Nix's two-run homer to right off Oklahoma starter Eric Hurley, the outfielder's first longball of the season. AUDIO: Laynce Nix Home Run The RedHawks stormed back with a five-run outburst against Sounds starter Zach Jackson in the bottom of the frame. The left-hander got off to a wild start, walking the first three batters he faced, before Oklahoma first baseman Nate Gold cleared the bases with a three-run triple to center that gave the home club a 3-2 lead. Gold scored on a Kevin Mench groundout before the 'Hawks added their final tally of the inning on a two-out Kevin Richardson RBI single. Oklahoma added another run against Jackson in unearned fashion in the second following an Ozzie Chavez throwing error, the shortstop's second gaff in two nights - both of which led to unearned RedHawks runs. Nashville got a pair of runs back in the top of the fourth against Hurley. Chavez pulled the Sounds within 6-3 when his RBI triple plated Abraham Nunez, who opened the frame with a single. One batter later, Chavez scored to make it a 6-4 contest when he scored on a close play at the plate on an Iribarren sacrifice fly that gave the outfielder his first RBI of the year. The RedHawks got a run back in the bottom of the frame to increase the lead to 7-4 when former Sound Nelson Cruz delivered a sacrifice fly to center that brought in Casey Benjamin. The Sounds missed a chance for a rally in the seventh when Brad Nelson and Russell Branyan opened the frame with singles against RedHawks reliever Elizardo Ramirez. The right-hander later worked out of a bases-loaded jam unscathed by retiring Chavez on an inning-ending flyout to left. Nashville brought the score to its final 7-5 in the eighth when Iribarren singled, his third hit of the evening, then stole second and later scored on a Wes Littleton wild pitch. Despite coming up on the short end of the final score, the Sounds out-hit the RedHawks on the evening, 13-8, and each member of the Nashville lineup recorded at least one knock. Ramirez (1-1) picked up the win after working 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief behind Hurley. Frank Francisco tossed a scoreless ninth to notch his first save of the year. Jackson (0-2) allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits while walking four batters and fanning only one in his five-plus frames of action. His ERA sits at 8.18 after two starts. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 6.75) makes his second rehab start for the Sounds when the teams continue the series with an 11:05 a.m. matinee on Wednesday. The RedHawks will counter with left-hander A.J. Murray (0-0, 0.00). Nashville Box Score Not the evening Zach Jackson was looking for; nothing against Vinny Rottino, but this lineup is definitely mising that prototypical # 3 hitter... Nashville Game Log

OF Nate Yoho was traded from Florence (KY) of the independent Frontier League to Laredo (TX) of the independent United League.

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 3 2 .600 - 0-0 3-2 W2 Omaha 3 2 .600 - 3-2 0-0 W2 Iowa 2 3 .400 1.0 2-3 0-0 W1 Nashville 1 4 .200 2.0 0-0 1-4 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 5 0 1.000 - 5-0 0-0 W5 Carolina 3 2 .600 2.0 0-0 3-2 L2 Chattanooga 3 2 .600 2.0 0-0 3-2 W1 Tennessee 3 2 .600 2.0 0-0 3-2 L1 West Tenn 2 3 .400 3.0 0-0 2-3 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 4 1 .800 - 2-0 2-1 L1 Daytona 3 2 .600 1.0 1-1 2-1 W2 Jupiter 3 2 .600 1.0 3-0 0-2 W3 Vero Beach 3 2 .600 1.0 2-2 1-0 L2 Brevard County 2 3 .400 2.0 1-2 1-1 W1 St. Lucie 0 5 .000 4.0 0-1 0-4 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hickory 4 1 .800 - 3-1 1-0 W4 Lake County 3 1 .750 0.5 0-0 3-1 W1 Hagerstown 2 1 .667 1.0 0-0 2-1 L1 Greensboro 3 2 .600 1.0 0-1 3-1 L2 West Virginia 2 3 .400 2.0 1-0 1-3 W1 Delmarva 1 2 .333 2.0 1-2 0-0 W1 Lakewood 1 3 .250 2.5 1-3 0-0 L1 Lexington 1 4 .200 3.0 0-1 1-3 L2

For a subscription fee, Nashville diehards can watch the Sounds on MiLB.TV tonight.

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log" or "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. Nashville: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_08_nasaaa_orhaaa_1 Brevard County: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_08_breafa_sluafa_1 West Virginia: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_08_augafx_wvaafx_1

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated several hours prior to gametime. Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

Tuesday's Daily Menu: A well-deserved day off for the Stars; the Manatees play a winless (0-5) Mets squad... All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: Idle Brevard County: RHP Mike McClendon at St. Lucie (Mets), 6:00 PM gametime Sorry -- no audio for this series... West Virginia: RHP Rob Bryson at home vs. Augusta (Giants), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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Link while active, text follows: Power flips switch in home opener Isom says Power Park 'atmosphere is a lot of fun' by Jacob Messer Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter Jeff Isom mistakenly thought he knew what to expect from the crowd when the West Virginia Power hosted the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets in its home opener. Instead, he underestimated the homefield advantage Appalachian Power Park provides his minor league baseball team. "I had heard stories about how it is here, but the stories I had heard did it no justice," Isom said Monday night. "The atmosphere is a lot of fun. "I definitely would hate being an opposing team coming into this environment. They make it fun for the home team, there is no question. I can see how it can be used to our advantage." Isom and the Power rewarded the raucous home crowd of 4,547 with a 7-1 win over the GreenJackets in the first of a four-game South Atlantic League series. Incidentally, it was the third-largest crowd for a home opener at Appalachian Power Park - the attendance for the others was 5,354 in 2005; 5,742 in 2006; and 3,642 in 2007. The team improved to 4-0 in home openers there. West Virginia (2-3) made quick work of Augusta (1-4). The Power peeled its Peach State visitors in 2 hours and 15 minutes on an absolutely gorgeous spring night (75 degrees with clear skies and a slight breeze). The Power led 2-0 after the second inning. Second baseman Zelous Wheeler smashed an 0-2 pitch over the Joe Holland sign in right-center field for a two-run home run. The fact that Wheeler came to the plate only because Augusta shortstop Charlie Culberson committed a two-out error made it even more painful for the GreenJackets. "It was two strikes and I was just trying to put it into play," said Wheeler, who fouled off three consecutive pitches before he hit his home run. "He kept throwing me slider, slider, slider, breaking ball after breaking ball, then kept coming with fastballs. I was fighting and battling off to give myself another chance. He came back with a slider again. So, I did what I can do with it." Wheeler couldn't wipe the post-game smile off his face. "The ball will carry real good in right center," he said. "I'm a right-center, gap-to-gap hitter. I love this park. I feel like it's built for me. Guys were telling me right center has a short porch and the ball carries out there. So, I was looking forward to coming in and playing in this stadium." The Power added five more runs in the third. Center fielder Lee Haydel delivered an RBI single to score left fielder Scott Houin, who reached on a two-base error by Culberson. Haydel then stole second base and scored on right fielder Caleb Gindl's RBI single. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy followed with a hit of his own. That brought up designated hitter John Alonso, who connected on a three-run home run, slamming a full-count delivery over the Chevron sign in left field after fouling off three consecutive pitches. It was the second home run this season for Alonso, who said he feels better in the field and at the plate after losing about 20 pounds during the offseason. "He kept on going middle away, middle away and I kept fouling them off, fouling them off," Alonso said. "He threw one at my letters and I fouled it off. He tried to beat me in with a two-seamer (fastball). I just kind of reacted and that's what happened." The offensive outburst came a day after West Virginia managed no runs and only six hits in a pair of 1-0 losses to Hickory (N.C.) on Sunday. "We got a good batting practice in today," said Isom, whose team broke a string of 17 scoreless innings. "Then, it was nice we got a couple of runs early. Guys weren't pressing then. "We just started swinging the bats there a little bit in the third inning. We had some real good at-bats. That was good to see. I just wish I would have saw it a little bit later in the game. We didn't do any threatening late in the game at all. But they had some pretty good pitchers out there." So did the Power. Left-handed starter Mike Ramlow (no runs, four hits and six strikeouts in five innings) and right-handed reliever Wes Etheridge (one run, one hit and six strikeouts in four innings) both pitched well. Ramlow (1-0) got the win, while Etheridge (2) got the save. The GreenJackets' only run came on designated hitter Thomas Neal's sixth-inning solo shot to center field. "It was a good first outing," Ramlow said. "I had the fastball working with a good changeup. I worked both sides of the plate. The biggest thing was just fastball command." The teams will continue their series tonight at 7:05 (6:05 Central) in a battle of right-handers - West Virginia's Rob Bryson (0-0, 0.00) and Augusta's Yntema Orlando (0-0, 0.00).

This one's for the Wheeler family -- video highlights one minute into the linked web archive of last night's sports report (Zelous' HR plus other highlights): http://www.wsaz.com/sports/headlines/17381489.html

Scary rumor for Huntsville fans: The group that owns the Southern League's Mississippi Braves in the Jackson area has reached an agreement with the city of D'lberville (MS) in the Biloxi area to build a new ballpark. The league's West Tenn Diamond Jaxx and Huntsville Stars could be possible relocation candidates, if the project moves forward. The town of D'lberville is only about 35 miles west of the Mississippi-Alabama border and close to the territory of the league's Mobile BayBears.

Nice slideshow from Opening Day -- click on the word "Captions" in the bottom right so you can identify the players mentioned. Also a note that the Power audio archive, which we link to above in the Daily Menu, now includes the "Bull on Baseball" hour-long baseball discussion with Andy "Bull" Barch. Its discussion will focus on all of baseball, not just the Power, and it included plenty of spirited MLB talk last evening, including Brewer news.

Link while active, text follows: Power blasts away in home opener By Mike Whiteford Charleston Gazette Staff writer As early as the second inning, the West Virginia Power's offensive handiwork was bouncing around on Morris Street. Zelous Wheeler, the Power's stocky new second baseman, had reached out and stroked a two-run opposite-field home run that cleared the right-center wall and landed in the warehouse district. It brought some much-needed invigoration to the Power attack, offsetting the rain-plagued doldrums of the recent four-game series in Hickory, and sent the home team on its way to a 7-1 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets Monday night at Appalachian Power Park. The home opener - the fourth for the East End ballpark - seemed to bring out the best in the latest Power aggregation and attracted another good crowd, 4,547. It was Power manager Jeff Isom's first game at APP, and the atmosphere, he said, more than lived up to its reputation. "I had heard stories about how it is here,'' said Isom, sitting in his office afterward, "but the stories I heard didn't do it justice. The atmosphere is a lot of fun, and I definitely would hate being an opposing team playing in this environment.'' Just before hitting his two-run blast, the 5-foot-10, 220-pound Wheeler fouled off four straight pitches and, after trying to protect the plate with two strikes, was pleasantly surprised to see the acceleration in his fly ball. "I was just trying to put the ball in play,'' he said. "I love this park. It's built for me.'' After Wheeler's homer had given his team an early 2-0 lead, the Power in the third inning began conjuring up additional images of its 2007 predecessors, who led the South Atlantic League with a .281 batting average and compiled an 82-54 record, which included a 14-game winning streak in April. Leadoff man Lee Haydel and No. 3 hitter Caleb Gindl contributed RBI singles, raising the lead to 4-0, and John Alonso followed with a towering three-run homer to left that landed on Smith Street. Alonso, one of the few veterans from last year's team, sees similarities to 2007. "We're pretty close,'' he said. "I see us kind of doing the same thing we did last year, getting on a roll and maybe winning 13 or 14 in a row like we did last year.'' Power starter Mike Ramlow and reliever Wes Etheridge combined on a five-hitter and did not walk a batter. They combined for 12 strikeouts. In a season-opening series that concluded Sunday in Hickory, the Power lost three of four, batted just .170 and scored only seven runs. Two rainouts forced back-to-back weekend doubleheaders. "We got off our routine, and we didn't have batting practice for a couple days,'' said Isom. "We're not here to make excuses, but it's tough, especially early on when we're still trying to get in some sort of rhythm. We had a good batting practice today, and it was nice to get a couple runs early. The guys weren't pressing, and we started swinging the bats a little bit there in the third inning.'' After the five-run third inning, however, the Power collected just more two hits and finished with seven. Two Augusta errors contributed to three unearned runs. POWER POINTS: The Power and GreenJackets will play Tuesday night and, after a 10:35 AM (9:35 Central) Grand Slam School Day on Wednesday, will close out the series with an evening game Thursday. Greenville will then visit for a four-game series beginning Friday. ... Protective screens have been mounted atop each dugout to help keep fans safe from line drives. ... Augusta pitching coach Ross Grimsley pitched for the 1981 Charleston Charlies, and his father, Ross Grimsley Sr., pitched for the 1954 Charleston Senators. "I was just here on rehab,'' the GreenJackets pitching coach recalled. He spent 11 years in the big leagues and won 18 games for the 1974 Orioles. Charleston Gazette Photo by Kenny Kemp Rod Blackstone rallies the crowd at the start of the home opener for the West Virginia Power minor league baseball team. Blackstone, known as "The Toast Man," is a traditional opening day fixture, taunting opposing batters who strike out with "You are toast!" before flinging real toast into the crowd. http://www.wvgazette.com/images/thumbs275/power14_G080407378818.jpg

Link while active, text follows: Stars keep winning streak going in April Huntsville beats Mississippi 9-5 for 5-0 record By BRAD SHEPARD For The Huntsville Times Making history in September is much more meaningful, but the Huntsville Stars will have to settle for some April accolades for now. With Monday's 9-5 series-sweeping victory over Mississippi at Joe Davis Stadium, the Stars secured their best start in franchise history at 5-0 before hitting the road for West Tenn. "Any time you can start off as well as we have, it's one of those things that snowballs," said Sam Narron, who won his first start of the season with six stellar innings. "It's big when you have a lot of young guys like this. It gives you a lot of early confidence." Monday looked like it would be easy for a while, but the Braves awoke from their four-game slumber to nearly spoil the party for Stars and the announced crowd of 887. Huntsville built a six-run cushion and hung on despite giving up runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and two in the eighth to make it 6-5. Center fielder Michael Brantley provided the necessary insurance in the bottom of the eighth when he laced an opposite-field, two-run single past the shortstop. Mat Gamel - who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs - added another run-scoring single for the final tally. "The three guys in front of me did a great job getting on, and I just got a fastball away I could handle," said Brantley, who went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. "Just the way we battled through tonight and finally put some more runs on the board was big." As for Mississippi, Pearl must look like paradise after this series. Huntsville won five games by a combined 28-11. The Stars hit the ball all over the park, won a pair of pitchers' duels, hit home runs, manufactured runs and shut down the heart of the Braves' order. Mississippi's Nos. 3 and 4 hitters - Atlanta's top prospect Jordan Schafer and power-hitting first baseman Kala Ka'aihue - were a combined 3-for-25. Also, the Braves kicked it around in the field with nine errors. "We came in and Schafer was a new guy, so we kind of had to feel him out that first day," Narron said. "Hambone (Steve Hammond) did a great job, and we just had good starting pitching the rest of the series one-through-five." Added Stars manager Don Money: "I think everybody did a fine job." They wasted no time against Mississippi starter Dustin Evans. The right-hander struggled last season, and he didn't improve Monday. Huntsville scored three times in the first and posted runs in all three of the innings Evans pitched. Brantley opened the game with a rocket off his ankle, and the Stars continued beating him up from that point. Alcides Escobar drove home his teammate with a triple, and Gamel knocked Escobar in with a groundout. Then, Matt LaPorta doubled, and Mike Bell's double plated him two batters later. Huntsville added one in the second and two in the third, but things got shaky when reliever Ben Stanczyk allowed three runs in his 1 2/3 innings. Joe Bateman came on with two outs in the eighth and finished for his second save. Catcher Angel Salome returned from his 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, but he did not play.

Huntsville Press Release: HUNTSVILLE OFF TO BEST START IN TEAM HISTORY Sam Narron worked six strong innings and Mat Gamel collected three hits and knocked in a pair of runs, as Huntsville raced to a big early lead and went on to down Mississippi 9-5 Monday night at Joe Davis Stadium to complete a sweep of the season-opening five-game series. The Stars have started a season 5-0 for the first time in the 24-year history of the franchise and finished their second straight five-game series sweep of the Braves dating back to last August. Alcides Escobar tripled in a run and scored on a Gamel groundout to give the Stars a 2-0 lead just three batters into the home half of the first inning. Mike Bell added a run-scoring double and Carlos Corporan singled in a two-out run in the third inning to push the home team's lead to 6-0. Dustin Evans suffered the loss in his first double-A start after allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits over three frames. Narron retired 11 hitters in a row after allowing a one-out double in the first before Mark Jurich led off the fifth inning with his second home run to get the visitors on the board. Matt Young led off the sixth inning with a pinch-hit double and scored on a Javier Guzman ground out to cut the lead to 6-2. Narron allowed two runs on four hits and fanned three in avenging a loss to the Braves in his first start of last season in the last game of the season-starting series, when he took the loss after allowing five runs in the first inning. The five Huntsville starters combined to allow only four earned runs over a combined 27 2/3 innings in the series. Guzman's sacrifice fly trimmed the Stars advantage to 6-4 and when Jordan Schafer doubled with two outs in the eighth, manager Don Money called on Joe Bateman to try to close the door. Kala Ka'aihue greeted him with a single to plate Schafer to cut the lead to one but Bateman struck out Jurich to end the rally. Michael Brantley's two-run, bases loaded single and a two-out, run-producing hit by Gamel off of Michael Nix pushed the home team's lead back to four in the bottom of the inning. Bateman then tossed a shutout ninth inning to record his second save. The Stars open a five-game series against West Tenn Wednesday night with left-hander Steve Hammond taking the mound against Diamond Jaxx right-hander Doug Fister. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Final: Oklahoma (Rangers) 6, Nashville 1 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- Sounds Drop Series Opener In Oklahoma OKLAHOMA CITY - The Nashville Sounds came up on the short end of a 6-1 loss against the Oklahoma RedHawks on Monday evening at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in the opener of a four-game series. Former Brewer Kevin Mench and left fielder Brandon Boggs each had two extra-base hits and scored two runs apiece to pace the Oklahoma offense, while rehabbing hurler Luis Mendoza held the Sounds to one run over his 7 1/3 innings of work. The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Hernan Iribarren opened the contest with an infield single, stole second, and later scored on a Vinny Rottino groundout. With his hit, Iribarren extended his hitting streak to four games, matching the longest by a Nashville player in the young season. Nashville starter Lindsay Gulin deftly worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the frame created by a single sandwiched by a pair of Sounds fielding errors. The left-hander induced a foul popout from Jarrod Saltamacchia then escaped the jam unscathed following a soft lineout off the bat of Mench (2-for-4). Prior to the two fielding gaffs in the bottom of the first, the Nashville defense had not committed an error in their previous 27 innings. Oklahoma tied the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the second with a pair of extra-base hits off Gulin. Boggs (2-for-3) led off with a double and came around to score two batters later on a Casey Benjamin triple to right-center. The RedHawks took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs stemming from a two-out throwing error by Nashville shortstop Ozzie Chavez. Former Sound Nelson Cruz plated one of the Oklahoma runs with a two-out RBI single that greeted reliever Jason Shiell. Oklahoma broke the game open in the seventh with a three-run outburst against Sounds reliever Ben Howard. After Saltamacchia drew a one-out walk, Mench and Boggs delivered a run-scoring double and triple, respectively, to increase the lead to 5-1 and chase the right-hander. Ryan Roberts greeted Mitch Stetter with an RBI single that upped the advantage to its final 6-1. RedHawks hurlers were on cruise control in the middle innings, retiring 10 straight batters from the fifth through the eighth before Laynce Nix opened the Sounds' ninth with a double against Frank Francisco, his first extra-base knock of the year. The Oklahoma right-hander recovered to retire the next three batters in order to end the contest. Mendoza (1-0) picked up the win after allowing one run on seven hits over 7 1/3 frames of work. He struck out two batters during his 81-pitch effort. Gulin (0-1) absorbed the loss after he allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits over 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the year. The teams continue the series with a 7:05 p.m. matchup on Tuesday evening. Sounds left-hander Zach Jackson (0-1, 6.00) will man the bump to face Oklahoma right-hander Eric Hurley (0-0, 5.40). Nashville Box Score Yawn... Nashville Game Log AUDIO: Abraham Nunez Snags A Liner

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Nic Ungs

Final: Huntsville 9, Mississippi (Braves) 5 Sweep! 5 and 0! Huntsville Box Score Everyone contributed offensively, Mat Gamel and Matt LaPorta in particular; Sam Narron with six strong innings, inducing ten ground ball outs... Huntsville Game Log Brett Pollock's detailed write-up later this evening...

Angel Salome has been activated and is now active on the Huntsville roster.

POWER OPEN AT HOME WITH A COUPLE OF BANGS Charleston, WV - John Alonso and Zelous Wheeler both went deep on Monday night as the West Virginia Power broke a string of 17 scoreless innings and won their home opener, defeating the Augusta GreenJackets 7-1 at Appalachian Power Park. Wheeler broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run homer, his first of the year. Lee Haydel and Caleb Gindl smacked run-scoring singles in the bottom of the third before Alonso capped the five-run frame with a three-run homer, his second of the year. Augusta scored their only run on Thomas Neal's solo homer in the top of the seventh inning. The victory gives the West Virginia Power a record of 4-0 in home openers at Appalachian Power Park. Mike Ramlow (1-0) tossed five scoreless innings and struck out six to get the victory. Wes Etheridge (2) allowed just a run on one hit and also struck out six in four innings of relief to get the save while T.J. Brewer (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up seven runs on five hits in three innings. The Power will continue their four game series with the Augusta GreenJackets at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday night. Right hander Rob Bryson (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for the Power and the GreenJackets will counter with right hander Yntema Orlando (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). *** Look for plenty of coverage from the two Charleston newspapers by mid-day Tuesday.

It's nice to see the young guys on the MLB alumni list doing well, albeit in the early going. Eveland, Sarfate, Breslow, all doing well, with major local buzz on Dana and Dennis. Crabbe makes the Padres roster. Brian Wolfe a key guy in the Jays' pen. How can you not be psyched for these guys? Dennis is going to be awesome long-term in friendly one-inning sized bites. Kudos to the O's.

Final: West Virginia 7, Augusta (Giants) 1 Nice home opener in front of over 4500... West Virginia Box Score Similar to Alex Periard with Brevard, Mike Ramlow with a no-walk (one HBP) scoreless five innings (four hits) -- seven ground ball outs for Mike; Wes Etheridge with a dandy four innings of his own -- the two combined to strike out 12; Lee Haydel now a perfect 4-for-4 on the basepaths; John Alonso with a three-run bomb; Zelous Wheeler breaks out of an early-season slump with two hits, including his first Power home run... West Virginia Game Log Press release with details later on...

Definitely some good things happening this evening -- let's kick it off... Final: Brevard County 5, Palm Beach (Cardinals) 3 Brevard County Box Score RHP Alex Periard allows only two base hits in five stellar innings; Stephen Chapman homers, singles, and walks; Taylor Green continue to reach base more than half the time this young season; Bobby Bramhall tired late after a lengthy relief stint, so Shawn Ferguson came on to get the final out with the tying run on base; 821 in the stands... Brevard County Game Log Bizarre three-run Manatee 5th looked like this -- Brevard County Bottom 5th Darren Ford called out on strikes. Lorenzo Cain grounds out, shortstop Oliver Marmol to first baseman Brandon Buckman. Taylor Green walks. Chuckie Caufield singles on a line drive to third baseman Isaias Garcia. Taylor Green to 2nd. Stephen Chapman walks. Taylor Green to 3rd. Chuckie Caufield to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Gary DaleyJr. replaces Brandon Dickson. Charlie Fermaint hit by pitch. Taylor Green scores. Chuckie Caufield to 3rd. Stephen Chapman to 2nd. Kenny Holmberg hit by pitch. Chuck Caufield scores. Stephen Chapman to 3rd. Charlie Fermaint to 2nd. Jimmy Mojica hit by pitch. Stephen Chapman scores. Charlie Fermaint to 3rd. Kenny Holmberg to 2nd. Martin Maldonado grounds out, shortstop Oliver Marmol to first baseman Brandon Buckman.

RHP Alec Zumwalt was released by the Rockies' organization. SS Enrique Cruz is looking for work, released by the Mets. RHP Ben Hendrickson, released by the Royals last week, has signed with Tampa. LHP Chris Michalak, released by the Reds last week, has signed with the Texas organization.