Jim Goulart

Maybe two managers in all of baseball pitch to Pujols in that situation -- and Ned, Wise's changeup is death to lefties...

Evan Anundsen gets three ground balls 1-2-3 for Helena in the 1st -- kid is unreal that way...

Final: Vero Beach (Devil Rays) 6, Brevard County 0, six innings, rain MiLB.com: Wlodarczyk blanks Manatees Michael Wlodarczyk tossed a two-hitter as Vero Beach blanked visiting Brevard County, 6-0, in the rain-shortened opener of Saturday's doubleheader. Wlodarczyk (7-4) walked one and struck out three over six innings for his third straight win and second complete game of the year. The 24-year-old left-hander has given up four runs in his last 29 frames to lower his ERA to 3.13. Sergio Pedroza delivered an RBI groundout in the first, opened the fourth with his 15th homer and tripled and scored in the sixth for the Devil Rays (9-25), who snapped a three-game skid. Vero Beach's Patrick Cottrell stroked a two-run double in the first and Christopher Cunningham and Matthew Devins ripped back-to-back RBI doubles in the sixth. Manatees starter Rafael Lluberes (5-7) tossed his first career complete game, surrendering six runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three over six frames. Darren Ford and Lorenzo Cain had the hits for Brevard County (20-15). Mat Gamel drew a leadoff walk in the seventh before the game was called. The nightcap was postponed. -- Marissa Rega/MLB.com Brevard County Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1 Brevard County Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

What RHP Robbie Wooley is up to

Nashville Media Notes: Right-hander Dennis Sarfate, who led the Sounds with 10 victories last season, makes a spot start tonight in place of Nashville native R.A. Dickey, who was summoned to St. Louis in the event the Brewers encountered a need for extra pitching help during their doubleheader with the Cardinals.

Nashville Media Notes: To create a roster spot for Seth McClung, Jose Macias was placed on the disabled list due to patella tendinitis in his left knee.

Sarfate was the name I had in the back of my mind when I had hinted in the Transaction Thread that there might be some surprising moves coming up to free up the Nashville logjam. They're grasping at straws with him now. And Tim Dillard is having as disappointing a season as just about anybody. Look for Chris Barnwell to get some mound action tonight. Like Ryan Crew with Huntsville the other day...

By the way, those are final standings for the Arizona League, with the Mariners taking the first half. The Brewers can erase all those first-half memories starting tonight. The 2nd half games are played under the lights, so a new routine for the kids.

Standings through Friday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 65 41 .613 - 35-15 30-26 W3 Iowa 59 48 .551 6.5 34-22 25-26 L2 Omaha 52 55 .486 13.5 33-18 19-37 L1 Memphis 44 63 .411 21.5 24-32 20-31 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 20 15 .571 - 11-9 9-6 W5 Huntsville 20 15 .571 - 10-5 10-10 L3 Tennessee 17 18 .486 3.0 14-6 3-12 W3 Carolina 16 19 .457 4.0 8-7 8-12 L3 West Tenn 15 20 .429 5.0 8-12 7-8 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 20 14 .588 - 10-7 10-7 W1 Jupiter 17 15 .531 2.0 9-4 8-11 W6 Palm Beach 15 19 .441 5.0 8-12 7-7 L1 Daytona 14 20 .412 6.0 8-11 6-9 L1 St. Lucie 14 21 .400 6.5 5-11 9-10 W1 Vero Beach 8 25 .242 11.5 3-13 5-12 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hickory 23 13 .639 - 15-8 8-5 L1 Lakewood 18 15 .545 3.5 10-5 8-10 W1 Lake County 18 16 .529 4.0 8-8 10-8 W1 Lexington 17 18 .486 5.5 11-9 6-9 L1 Greensboro 17 19 .472 6.0 12-6 5-13 W9 West Virginia 17 19 .472 6.0 9-9 8-10 L1 Delmarva 16 19 .457 6.5 5-11 11-8 L3 Hagerstown 10 25 .286 12.5 5-11 5-14 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Helena 25 11 .694 - 11-7 14-4 W2 Great Falls 23 13 .639 2.0 14-4 9-9 L2 Billings 18 17 .514 6.5 11-6 7-11 W1 Missoula 14 22 .389 11.0 6-13 8-9 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Mariners 21 8 .724 - 12-2 9-6 W1 AZL Angels 19 10 .655 2.0 15-4 4-6 L1 AZL Padres 19 10 .655 2.0 11-3 8-7 W4 AZL Cubs 15 14 .517 6.0 7-7 8-7 W2 AZL Giants 14 15 .483 7.0 8-7 6-8 L4 AZL Royals 13 16 .448 8.0 6-8 7-8 W2 AZL Athletics 12 17 .414 9.0 6-7 6-10 L2 AZL Rangers 10 19 .345 11.0 4-9 6-10 L5 AZL Brewers 7 21 .250 13.5 2-12 5-9 L2

These links will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally they are updated an hour or two prior to gametime, with Nashville's usually earlier: Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

Follow Saturday'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". 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: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Brevard County Game One: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1 Brevard County Game Two: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_2 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 Helena: web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1 Arizona: web.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_angrok_1

Saturday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP R.A. Dickey at home vs. Sacramento (A's), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at home vs. Chattanooga (Reds), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: It's a doubleheader at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 3:45 PM pre-game, 4:00 gametime; LHP Brae Wright is scheduled to make his Manatee debut starting one of the two games Audio link (game will also archive at this link): web.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503 West Virginia: RHP Donovan Hand making his Power debut at home vs. Hagerstown (Nationals), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Helena: RHP Evan Anundsen at Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime -- if the H-Crew wins today (or Sunday), they're first-half champs Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Arizona: TBD at the Angels' complex in Tempe, 7:00 PM local time in Arizona, 9:00 Central; never any audio for Arizona Rookie League games

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg Congratulations to your 2007 Pioneer League Northern Division First-Half Champions, the Helena Brewers! See you in the postseason in September!

Link while active, text follows: www.greatfallstribune.com.../707280322 White Sox come up short By SCOTT MANSCH Great Falls Tribune Asst. Sports Editor On a perfect night for baseball and before a perfectly primed hometown crowd craving a pennant race, that only thing that didn't turn out right was the final score. The Helena Brewers edged the Great Falls White Sox 4-3 before 4,316 fans at jam-packed Centene Stadium Friday night, taking the all-important first game in a best-of-three series that will decide the first-half winner in the Pioneer League's Northern Division. The Brewers managed but eight hits in the game, but got four of them in a seventh inning that provided a three-run rally. "It was a great first game and setting up the remainder of the series, I expect the same," said Helena manager Jeff Isom. Trailing 2-1 after six, the Brewers got a leadoff double from Jonathan Lucroy in the seventh. It was just the fourth hit off Great Falls starter Juan Moreno. Zelous Wheeler followed with a bunt single, and Curt Crowell's run-scoring single to center tied the score. Matt Cline then delivered an RBI hit, and Steffan Wilson tacked on another run later on with a bases-loaded walk. "In that seventh inning we strung together a few hits," said Isom. "And against the pitchers we saw tonight that was tough to do. It was pretty much the difference in the ballgame." Wheeler's bunt single shocked many folks at Centene, including some Brewers. "That surprised me," said Isom of the 5-10, 220-pound Wheeler. "We had him swinging in that situation. Maybe he knows a little bit more than I do. He's not the kind of guy that you think might lay a bunt down for a hit, but he did." With two games left in the Pioneer's 38-game first half, Helena leads Great Falls by two full games. The White Sox could still earn the first-half flag by beating the Brewers tonight and Sunday, which would give Great Falls a tiebreaking edge in head-to-head matchups. Both teams played well defensively and received outstanding pitching. The Brewers broke a scoreless tie in the sixth on David Fonseca's run-scoring double. But back came Great Falls in the home half of the frame to electrify a huge partisan crowd. "You couldn't beat that," said Great Falls manager Chris Cron of the playoff atmosphere at Centene. "It's exactly what we're here to do, play in front of that kind of environment with two good ballclubs going at it. They just did a few more things than we did tonight." Greg Paiml's leadoff triple and an RBI double by Jimmy Gallagher sparked the White Sox to a pair of runs in the sixth. "These are the type of games you expect in situations like this, with championships on the line," said Gallagher, who finished 3-for-4. "It was a tough one to lose." Gallagher was asked if he still felt good about winning the first-half title. "Absolutely," he said. "Our team is plenty good enough to go out and take two from Helena." It was just the fourth loss in 18 home games for the Sox this summer. And the home team didn't go down without a fight. In the ninth, Joe Persichina lead off with a single and two outs later came home on Paiml's single to make it 4-3. Helena reliever Rob Bryson then went to 3-0 on C.J. Retherford before coming back with a pair of fastball strikes that the plucky White Sox hitter took. Bryson then threw a full-count slider down and Retherford couldn't hold up for the final out of the game. "It was a big, big pitch in that situation," Cron said. As the huge crowd filed out of Centene, the Brewers celebrated. But not too heartily, for they realize the job is not quite over. "We knew we had to win two in this series," Cron said. "It will have to be the last two." The Great Falls skipper is trying to lead the White Sox to the Pioneer playoffs for just the second time since the Chicago organization came to town five years ago. And Cron, the former major-leaguer and veteran minor-league skipper, took solace in the big-league flavor that pervaded on a perfect night at Centene Even if the score didn't turn out right. "Those are the type of games you want to play in and be a part of. We just came up short tonight," Cron said.

Nashville Press Release -- Sounds Will Need To Make Room for McClung When you also consider that the Brewers will drop their 13th pitcher soon, there could be some surprising roster moves coming up at AAA.

Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Sounds blast past Grizzlies Crabbe hits two of five Nashville home runs By TYLER BLANK Tennessean Staff Writer Sounds second baseman Callix Crabbe has plans to learn the guitar. With good reason. Crabbe recorded his first career multiple home run game, including one off the guitar-shaped scoreboard, in Nashville's 8-1 victory over Fresno on Friday at Greer Stadium. "I've never played before," Crabbe said of his reward from Guitar-maker Copley. "I'll take a couple of classes from some of the guys." The Sounds recorded five home runs in the win. Andy Abad, Joe Dillon and Laynce Nix each homered in addition to Crabbe's two. The five homers are the most the Sounds have hit in a game since September 2005. Six is the team's all-time record. Crabbe started the scoring with a game-opening shot to left field. He followed that with a home run off the scoreboard on his next at-bat in the second inning. "He got a good piece of them," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "The ball carried to left field a little today because of the wind." The switch-hitting Crabbe hit both home runs from the right side of the plate. Crabbe has six on the year, and the previous four were as a left-hander. "I got some pitches where I was able to put a good swing on," Crabbe said. He was not the only Sound to do so. Nix hit a monster two-run home run to dead center that hit the waving American flag. The shot was still traveling out, not down, when it was caught in the flag. "I've never seen a ball go out of centerfield here. That's pretty impressive," Kremblas said. AUDIO: Laynce Nix Homers Off The Flag www.nashvillesounds.com/a...207-27.mp3 Dillon hit his 20th home run of the year to left field in the seventh inning. Not to be outdone, Abad blasted a shot to right just one batter later to cap the scoring at eight runs. What they said: "They said their guy throws strikes, so I was ready to hit," ? Crabbe on Grizzlies starter Patrick Misch. ***Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Pitcher looks strong in rehab start By TYLER BLANK Tennessean Staff Writer Sounds starter Elmer Dessens went five innings in his third rehabilitation start in Nashville's 8-1 win over the Fresno Grizzlies on Friday. Dessens struck out four and gave up only two hits on 63 pitches. He did not issue a walk. "He threw the ball well," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "He kept the ball down." The right-hander has been on Milwaukee's 15-day disabled list since May 19 with a right shoulder strain. He joined the Sounds on July 17 and went four innings in a rehab assignment Sunday at Iowa. On Friday, Dessens overcame a line drive to his right thigh in the first inning to get his first win as a Sound this year. Transactions: Milwaukee activated right-hander Scott Linebrink and designated former Sound Grant Balfour for assignment. Balfour then was traded to Tampa Bay for right-hander Seth McClung. Balfour was called up to Milwaukee from Nashville on July 17. McClung was 1-5 with a 1.99 ERA and five saves in 40 games for Triple-A Durham. Strumming along: Callix Crabbe's guitar for homering off the scoreboard is the eighth guitar Copley has given the Sounds this season. Vinny Rottino, Mike Rivera and Ryan Braun have two each while Joe Dillon has one. Drought over: Laynce Nix's third-inning single broke an 0-for-29 hitless drought. The mark was a season-high for Nix. Nix also crushed a home run to dead center in the fifth inning, which hit the waving American flag. It was his thirteenth home run of the year. Strike kings: Nashville leads the PCL with 841 strikeouts this season. Sounds pitchers are on pace to record 1,144 strikeouts this season. That would better the current single-season mark of 1,117.

West Virginia Site Doubleheader Summary: POWER AND SUNS SPLIT DOUBLE DIP West Virginia and Hagerstown sat through another rain delay and didn?t begin their double header at Appalachian Power Park until 8:25 and finished at 1:15 in the morning with the Power taking game one 7-1 and the Suns took game two 9-0. Steve Chapman homered in the fifth inning to give the Power a 1-0 edge and Andrew Lefave hit a solo shot in the sixth inning to put the Power ahead 2-0. Brent Brewer?s throwing error allowed Joe Napoli to score in the seventh. The Power scored in the home half of the seventh when Jimmy Mojica?s base hit scored Chapman. In the eighth the Power pulled away when Andy Bouchie tripled in three runs and scored on Charlie Fermaint?s sacrifice fly. In game two, Jeremy Jeffress struck out nine batters in a row before Leonard Davis hit a solo home run to kick off a six-run fifth inning. Johnathan Castro, Robby Jacobsen and Marcos Cabral all smacked run-scoring singles while Lindon Bond walked with the bases loaded to plate a run and fomer Milwaukee farmhand Francisco Plascencia drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Cabral struck again in the sixth inning with a three-run triple. In game one Shawn Ferguson (2-1) pitched four and a third scoreless innings of relief to get the win, Omar Aguilar (8) got the save and Josh Wilkie (3-5) was tagged with the loss Jeff Mandel (2-3) pitched six scoreless innings and got the win in game two while Jeffress (6-4) got the loss despite striking out ten. After the split, the Power are 65-39 overall and 17-19 in the second half, and the Suns are 39-63 overall and 10-25 in the second half with the loss. The Power will finish the four game series against the Hagerstown Suns Saturday night. The Power will start right hander Donovan Hand (0-0, 0.00) and the Suns will counter with left hander and Barboursville native Zach Baldwin (3-0, 2.12). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). ***Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section.../200707281 Power wins suspended game 7-1 Tommy R. Atkinson, Charleston Gazette It was worth the wait for the West Virginia Power and its fans Friday night. It took two days, but the Power notched its second straight win with a 7-1 victory over the Hagerstown (Md.) Suns in the completion of a suspended South Atlantic League game that started Thursday at Appalachian Power Park. The Power and Suns played three scoreless innings Thursday before thunderstorms forced the suspension in the top of the fourth. That meant the teams were to play a doubleheader Friday night, finishing the nine-inning contest from Thursday, then playing a second seven-inning game as the regularly scheduled contest. The start of the suspended game was pushed back 2 hours, 21 minutes Friday evening because more thunderstorms rolled through the area. The suspended game didn?t start until 8:26 p.m. and finished at 10:29 p.m. After a 42-minute break, the Power and Suns began the seven-inning contest at 11:11 p.m. Because of deadlines, a game report of the second game was unavailable. The Power players, who just put an end to a seven-game losing streak Wednesday night, used the down time during Friday?s rain delay to relax and played that way. ? just sat in a chair, laughed, played games, told stories and jokes,?? said Power left fielder Stephen Chapman, who continued his hitting tear through Sally League pitching with his 18th home run. ?Just staying relaxed. Talking about baseball and having some fun. I don?t know if that helped us come out and play, but it kept everyone loose. I?m glad to get another victory.?? Chapman staked the Power to a 1-0 lead, one it would never relinquish, sending the second pitch he saw over the left-field wall for a leadoff solo home run in bottom of the fifth. Chapman?s two blasts Wednesday helped the Power end its seven-game slide. ?All my home runs have been line drives,?? Chapman said. ?They?ve been barely getting out, but at least they?ve been line drives. I?m hitting the ball hard.?? Power first baseman Andrew Lefave added a leadoff solo shot, his 11th of the season, on the ninth pitch of his at-bat in the sixth for a 2-0 edge. Hagerstown closed to 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on an errant throw. Power second baseman Jimmy Mojica?s one-out, run-scoring single that he fisted into shallow right field put his team ahead 3-1 in the seventh. In the eighth, catcher Andy Bouchie, who was hitless in his first two at-bats, tripled in three runs for a 6-1 edge and then the Power could really relax. Power leadoff hitter Charlie Fermaint added a sacrifice fly to bring Bouchie home to complete the scoring. Lefave finished 3-for-3 and was the only Power player with multiple hits. Power reliever Shawn Ferguson (2-1) earned the win, allowing one run, which wasn?t earned, and a single in 4 1/3 innings. He didn?t allow a hit until the seventh and struck out four and walked one. Chris Toneguzzi started the game Thursday and worked three scoreless innings, surrendering only two hits. Omar Aguilar picked up his eighth save with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. The Power will play host to Hagerstown at 7:05 Saturday night (6:05 Central) in the finale of the four-game series. Left-hander Zach Baldwin, a former Cabell Midland High School and West Virginia State standout, is scheduled to start for Hagerst ***Here's Jeremy Jeffress' incredible stretch: Hagerstown Top 2nd - Leonard Davis strikes out swinging. - Joe Napoli called out on strikes. - Jhonatan Solano strikes out swinging. Hagerstown Top 3rd - John Poppert strikes out swinging. - Jonathan Castro called out on strikes. - Lindon Bond strikes out swinging. Hagerstown Top 4th - Francisco Plasencia strikes out swinging. - Robert Jacobsen strikes out swinging. - Marcos Cabral strikes out swinging.

Link, text follows: www.helenabrewers.net/htm...s_room.php Isom happy at the helm in Helena First-year manager has Brewers streaking through July By Mark Shugar / MLB.com The old saying is that success usually starts at the top, but if you asked Helena Brewers manager Jeff Isom, he may point one hand up and the other down. Isom, who is at the helm of one of July's hottest teams in all the Minor Leagues, is quick to pass credit to his organization and to his players for the Brewers' 18-5 performance this month after a 6-6 start to the season in June. "It helps out a bit when you have decent players," Isom said. "As a manager, you have to have good players to win ballgames and that's what we've got here. The Milwaukee Brewers have done an excellent job with their scouting." But perhaps the Brewers' smartest move was choosing Isom to manage their Short-Season affiliate in the Pioneer League, even if he wasn't their first choice. The Brewers originally named Johnny Narron as the team's manager for the 2007 season, but they had to scramble to replace him when Narron left to take a coaching position with the Cincinnati Reds. Enter Isom, who after seven seasons managing independent baseball clubs, including a 57-39 season with the Traverse City Beach Bums in 2006, seized the opportunity to give managing in affiliated baseball a chance. "You're always interested in getting to the big leagues," he said. "As a player or as a manager, it's your lone goal." Isom gave his best efforts to make it to the Major Leagues as a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates' and San Diego Padres' farm systems from 1993-95, but he came to the realization that he would have to change his career path in hopes of some day making it to the show. "During my time as a player I realized that I wasn't going to make the big leagues. It wasn't realistic," Isom said. "So that's when I turned my attention toward the coaching and managerial part of [baseball]. "I started asking a lot of questions, not necessarily second guessing managers, but to find out why they did what they did, what made them successful and why they were successful." And perhaps Isom's most valuable attribute was his willingness to listen. "I've had some very good managers, and I've had some managers that weren't so good," he said. "But I learned from all of them." It is that curiosity about the game that Isom hopes he is instilling in his Helena club, a generous mix of players in their sophomore seasons and fresh out of college or the First-Year Player Draft. "As a manager you go out there and take the mindset that, 'Hey, they should have made this play,' but I've learned you can't assume anything with these guys," Isom said. "There's always a time where you have to go out there and teach, and these players have to learn." For Isom, his role as manager in the Pioneer League is less about wins and losses, and more about developing players in their first season of professional baseball. The development process involves everything from getting hitters used to using wood bats as opposed to aluminum, or making sure pitchers work the inside of the plate and develop a threatening change-up. "It's just a matter of the players themselves getting the repetition in, learning about professional baseball and making adjustments," Isom said. "That and playing with each other. As the season progresses, you get used to what somebody else is going to be doing." Isom also works hard to make sure his players get a dose of professional etiquette when under his wing. Pro ball is a far cry from high school and college diamonds across the nation. "The hardest thing is teaching these players that, when you have a big lead or you're down by a bunch, to be professional in those situations," Isom said. "Don't run up the score, don't be stealing bases in certain situations -- that's a big adjustment for a lot of these younger players. "We're never trying to show up another team because you don't want to be shown up if you're on the opposite end of that score." Very few teams have gotten the best of Isom's club this season, though. The Brewers are 24-11 and a game ahead of Great Falls in the league's North Division. And with Isom at the helm, chances are good that the Brewers will continue to head in the right direction. Helena's Jeff Isom spent seven previous seasons managing independent baseball clubs. (Photo by R.Dean Hendrickson) http://www.helenabrewers.net/html2/images/gJZBmer2.jpg

MiLB.com: Brewers slip by White Sox Roque Mercedes tossed six strong innings as Helena edged host Great Falls, 4-3, on Friday. Mercedes (4-1) yielded two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two to lower his ERA to 2.98. The 20-year-old was 0-4 with a 7.26 ERA with Class A West Virginia. Rob Bryson recorded his Pioneer League-leading sixth save, despite allowing one run on two hits in the ninth. Caleb Gindl belted a run-scoring double in the sixth, while Kurt Crowell and Matt Cline smacked RBI singles and Steffan Wilson drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh for the Brewers (26-11). White Sox starter Juan Moreno (3-3) allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts over six frames. Christian Marrero, Jim Gallagher and Greg Paiml had the RBIs for Great Falls (23-14). -- Denis Gorman/MLB.com ***Link while active, text follows: www.helenair.com/articles...807_03.txt Brewers one game closer to first-half title By JEFF WINDEMUELLER, Helena Independent Record Sports Writer GREAT FALLS ? One more win. After taking down the Great Falls White Sox 4-3 on the road Friday, the Helena Brewers need just one more win to capture the Pioneer League North Division?s first-half title and an automatic berth in the playoffs. They have two more games to do it. The No. 1 Brewers (25-11) will face off with the No. 2 White Sox (23-13) twice more on the road. Helena will need the win to overcome their losses earlier in the season. Great Falls owns the tiebreaker, having won four of the seven games between the two teams. In a game that faced off the best team on the road (Helena, 14-4) versus the best at home (Great Falls, 14-4), Friday came down to what many people expected ? the very last batter. Robert Bryson, who was expected to start Saturday, moved up the pitching order to come in and close the bottom of the ninth, but the Brewers pitcher quickly found himself in trouble. Great Falls? Joe Persichina would lead off the inning and ground to center before making his way to second on a wild pitch. Bryson then got the next two batters out, striking out one and forcing a fly out by the other, but Greg Paiml cracked an 0-2 pitch down the left-field line to score Persichina and set himself up for the tying run. With C. J. Retherford at the plate, Bryson found himself down 3-0 and needed to make up some distance. Retherford watched one go by safely, 3-1. Bryson burned him, 3-2. And, on the final pitch of the game, Bryson?s breaking ball caught Retherford off guard and the White Sox?s last hope went down swinging. Bryson was awarded the save, his sixth of the year. The Brewers, meanwhile, got some sharp play from starting pitcher Roque Mercedes and the Brewers defense backed him up strong in the early innings. Mercedes gave up six hits over six innings, but they would amount to only two runs, one earned. In a scoreless game, the White Sox twice had runners in scoring position, but both times were denied by Mercedes and his mates. In the second, Mercedes struck out Lyndon Estill with Jim Gallagher watching from third. The very next inning, Retherford chopped into a double play and Christian Marrero struck out with Dale Mollenhauer staring down home. After five scoreless innings, it looked like the White Sox were ready to break out, but it was the Brewers who scored first. With just one hit in the game heading into the top of the sixth, the Brewers? Matt Cline beat out a throw after a diving stop from Mollenhauer at second base. He then advanced on a sacrifice bunt, Steffan Wilson was hit by a pitch and Caleb Gindl, who leads the league with a .447 average, delivered. Gindl doubled to score Cline, but a bullet from Salvador Sanchez in right field caught up to Wilson rounding third and he was tagged out in a rundown. The White Sox answered quickly in the bottom of the inning. Paiml hit a lead-off triple and would score on a sacrifice fly by Marrero, and later Gallagher hit an RBI double to score Sanchez, who reached on an error, to give them the 2-1 lead. Helena didn?t wait to turn things around. Jonathan Lucroy doubled to lead off the seventh and the Brewers? small ball worked out well. Zelous Wheeler laid down a bunt single toward third that Retherford chased, but couldn?t beat him out on the throw. Then Kurt Crowell hit a grounder through the right-side gap and Lucroy came home to tie it up. The White Sox brought in Wander Perez for starting pitcher Juan Moreno, who seemed to drop off quickly after getting four strike outs to blank the Brewers for five innings. The White Sox might have done better to keep Moreno in a litte longer. Mike Goetz laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Perez made the mistake of trying to get out Wheeler at third. Wheeler beat the throw, and Goetz made it on a fielder?s choice to load the bases. Cline followed up with a flair to right field to score Wheeler for the lead, and with the bases loaded and two outs, Perez walked Wilson for the winning run. Gindl would end the inning on a check-swing strike out. Cline led the Brewers from the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Lead-off batter Lee Haydel was 2-4 with a double. Paiml was notorious against the Helena pitchers. He went 3-3 with a triple, collecting on RBI and a run. Corey Frerichs and Dan Merklinger both came in for Helena as short relief. Frerichs struck out three and walked one in his 1 1/3 innings while Merklinger allowed one hit before getting an out to end the eighth. Helena?s Evan Anundsen is expected to start today and Anthony Carter is expected to be on the mound for Great Falls. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (8:00 Central).

We'll use this thread to keep you updated on each of the three kids. Joe Thatcher was brought in Friday night to wrap up a game in which the Padres led Houston, 9-1. However, he committed two throwing errors on balls hit back to the mound and exited after recording only one out. He ended up having three unearned runs charged against him as San Diego won, 9-4. MLB.com: The Padres made things tougher than they needed to be in the ninth. Holding a 9-1 lead, lefty reliever Joe Thatcher surrendered a single to left to Carlos Lee before airmailing a throw to first on a tapper from Mike Lamb, putting two on with none out. After walking Luke Scott to load the bases, Thatcher again misfired to first on a routine grounder from Brad Ausmus, allowing two Astros to score on the play. "I think a little bit can be chalked up to second day in the big leagues nervousness," manager Bud Black said. "He had a good look in his eye after the game, so he's fine." Heath Bell came on in relief and was immediately greeted with a hard-hit RBI single up the middle from Morgan Ensberg, bringing the Astros within 9-4. But Bell struck out Craig Biggio looking and induced a flyout to right from Mark Loretta to end the game.

Edit: Helena wins! Playoffs for everyone not based in Maryvale! Actually, the H-Crew needs to win one of the next two -- Great Falls owns the tiebreaker...

This was his 9th year in the Tampa system -- just escaping that alone may help him.

McClung Rotoworld Previous Notes

Uecker just told us: Balfour to Tampa for RHP Seth McClung

Link Report Bonus: More on the past creative genius that is Buck Rogers -- www.news-journalonline.co...072707.htm