Jim Goulart

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Starting Pitcher Yovani Gallardo: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-31.mp3

Check the post from Buck Rogers in yesterday's Link Report concerning the playoff picture.

Many folks are asking for promotions before the first half ends -- if there's one thing the Brewers have shown over the years time and again, is that they will not move kids (barring multiple injuries causing need) before the player helps his original team secure a playoff spot in a tight race.

Courtesy of the Manatees, here's your FSL All-Star Brewers! Will Inman Alcides Escobar Cole Gillespie Luis Pena (since promoted to AA, won't be playing, but I'm sure he'd rather be in Huntsville) As each All-Star Game approaches, like last year, relevant info will be posted in each respective "Your 2007 ____ Thread", rather than separate All-Star threads. Those selections seem about right to me. Cole's recent slide was probably after much of the voting.

Latest Update: www.lacrossetribune.com/a...second.txt

Standings through Wednesday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 30 22 .577 - 17-7 13-15 W1 Nashville 28 25 .528 2.5 16-9 12-16 W1 Omaha 26 27 .491 4.5 22-10 4-17 L2 Memphis 25 29 .463 6.0 15-11 10-18 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 27 24 .529 - 15-13 12-11 W1 Tennessee 27 24 .529 - 11-12 16-12 L2 West Tenn 25 28 .472 3.0 16-12 9-16 W2 Chattanooga 23 30 .434 5.0 14-14 9-16 L1 Carolina 20 32 .385 7.5 11-14 9-18 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 31 21 .596 - 18-8 13-13 L3 Palm Beach 29 23 .558 2.0 14-13 15-10 W1 Daytona 25 26 .490 5.5 14-8 11-18 W3 Vero Beach 24 28 .462 7.0 17-12 7-16 W1 Jupiter 22 30 .423 9.0 9-16 13-14 L1 St. Lucie 22 30 .423 9.0 11-16 11-14 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 35 15 .700 - 18-10 17-5 W5 Greensboro 30 23 .566 6.5 18-8 12-15 L2 Lakewood 26 23 .531 8.5 13-14 13-9 W1 Lake County 25 27 .481 11.0 15-13 10-14 W3 Hagerstown 23 30 .434 13.5 13-12 10-18 L3 Lexington 23 30 .434 13.5 13-16 10-14 L2 Delmarva 21 29 .420 14.0 11-12 10-17 L1 Hickory 21 29 .420 14.0 9-12 12-17 L1

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 Thursday'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: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_kanafx_1

Thursday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Chris Oxspring at home vs. Las Vegas (Dodgers), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: TBD at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime; it'll probably be RHP Will Inman, it's his turn Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: LHP Brae Wright at Kannapolis (White Sox), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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

As just posted on the Minor League Forum, $624,000 for Haydel: www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=57 colbyjack's home page news update: www.brewerfan.net/ViewNews.do?newsId=54

As it turns out, the Brewers final draft-and-follow class ever (MLB has phased out the process through draft rule changes) saw five players from the 2006 draft class sign. The draft-and-follow has netted the Brewers Manny Parra, Darren Ford, Lorenzo Cain, and several other top prospects in recent years. colbyjack just posted a home page news update for you: www.brewerfan.net/ViewNews.do?newsId=54 We'll have Brewerfan Player Index Pages created for the five new Brewers before the start of their seasons at Helena and Arizona Rookie.

Baseball America link, then text: www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=57 Brewers Land Haydel Posted May. 31, 2007 11:20 am by Jim Callis Filed under: Draft Dope, Sleepers Another high-profile draft-and-follow signed Wednesday. Delgado (La.) Community College outfielder Lee Haydel didn?t match the seven-figure bonuses righthanders Matt Latos (Padres) and Jordan Walden (Angels) got on deadline day, but he did receive $624,000 from the Brewers. Milwaukee drafted him in the 19th round out of a Louisiana high school last June. Haydel initially had committed to Louisiana State, but when the Tigers forced out former head coach Smoke Laval, Haydel switched to Delgado CC. A possible supplemental first-round or second-round pick had he re-entered the draft, Haydel was one of the fastest players available. He can run the 60-yard dash in 6.35 seconds, and was a catalyst in Delgado?s run to the Junior College World Series this spring. Haydel became more attractive as a prospect by improving significantly with the bat. He has grown two inches and added 20 pounds, and he?s now 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. His added strength has helped him at the plate, and he has bat speed. He has improved against offspeed pitches and has hit quality fastballs. He?s an above-average center fielder with obvious range, and his solid arm strength is a plus at his position. More on the DFE's in another post here shortly...

I'm not a pitching coach (not even to play one on TV), but when you have an over-the-head windup such as Jeffress, is it important to try to pick up the plate and focus on location fairly early in the windup? It seems as though his head shifts to pick up the plate at the very last moment, and I can't but think that's not the optimum for establishing the best location with his pitches. All you little league coaches out there, chime in on my assumption...

Link for Yovani Gallardo photo, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Sounds star considered best in minors Gallardo rated top pitcher By BRYAN MULLEN Tennessean Staff Writer Anyone else would have bragged about this. Yovani Gallardo? You had to drag it out of him. The Nashville Sounds pitcher was having a casual conversation last week and was asked if he faced any superstars during spring training. "Yes," the quiet and unassuming Gallardo said. "Barry Bonds." There's a pause. "Struck him out," he said, softly and shyly. Gallardo is unpretentious, a tad timid, and often appears uncomfortable talking about his talent and the attention he's been receiving. That's what happens when you are a 21-year-old husband and father who would rather spend time with his family than hit the clubs. That's what happens when Baseball America ranks you as the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospect and, according to many experts, the best pitcher in minor league baseball. But he's getting used to it. "It is fun," said Gallardo, whose next start is scheduled for Friday night against Las Vegas at Greer Stadium. "It's exciting for me. You have people out there who get to know you a little better, obviously because of Baseball America and things like that. But I still have to go out there and do my job. That's the most important thing. Everything else is kind of a bonus." His bonus was $750,000. The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Gallardo in the second round in 2004, and the signing bonus they gave him seems like a bargain now. Gallardo (pronounced Guy-are-doe) currently leads the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts (84), wins (7) and earned run average (2.39). Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas is most impressed with Gallardo's composure, but he admits Gallardo's four pitches, including a knee-buckling curveball, aren't too shabby, either. It all points to a big-league promotion. But the call might come later than sooner. "He probably would pitch in the big leagues right now with a lot of clubs," said Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin, who was in town last week watching the Sounds. "We just don't have a need right now. That's the tough part. Some teams are taking a lot of young guys and putting them in the bullpen. That's crossed our mind a little bit. But for now, we're just probably going to stay with that we have." No rush That's fine with Gallardo (6-1, 209 pounds). He knows the drill. No matter how well be excels in Nashville, he's aware he won't get the call until there is a need in Milwaukee. "I try not to think about things like that," Gallardo said. "I'll leave that to whatever that time may be. But it is a goal for everybody playing this game." When he does reach the big leagues ? and it's a matter of when, not if ? Gallardo will take with him a special memory from spring training against the San Francisco Giants ... Fastball away, curveball, fastball away for a ball, then fastball up. "I was pretty excited about that," Gallardo finally said of pitch sequence he used to strike out Bonds. "Just to get the chance to face him, it was a pretty good experience." For one of them, at least.

Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Sounds finally win a close one By TYLER BLANK Tennessean Staff Writer The Sounds had lost their last two games on ninth-inning runs. Wednesday's game was a welcome exception ? barely. Nashville came close to giving up the game in the ninth but held on for a 6-4 victory over Las Vegas before 3,221 at Greer Stadium. With Nashville leading 6-2 with two outs in the ninth, reliever Greg Aquino walked the bases loaded. Las Vegas' Delwyn Young drove in two with a single. Aquino was replaced by Luther Hackman, who got Choo Freeman to ground out for his ninth save. It was Nashville's fifth consecutive game decided by two runs or fewer. The Sounds have now won 15 of their past 20 home games. Nashville third baseman Joe Dillon's leadoff home run in the second inning got things started for the Sounds, who got to Las Vegas starter Spike Lundberg early for nine hits and all six of their runs within the first three innings. "Guys got some big hits with runners in scoring position, which we've been struggling with lately," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "That's always nice to see." Nashville starter Tim Dillard (3-3) turned in his fourth quality start in five outings. He struck out four and gave up eight hits through six innings. Dillard left the game with a 6-2 lead. "He was OK," Kremblas said. "He throws a lot of pitches like a strikeout pitcher would, but he doesn't strike guys out." Longest of the season: Sounds first baseman Andy Abad fouled off four straight and waited until the ninth pitch of his first at-bat to extend his hitting streak Wednesday, bringing it to 10 games. It is Nashville's longest hitting streak of the year. Abad was 2-for-4 Wednesday and has a .529 average and has gone 18-for-34 during his hitting streak. May power: Dillon has hit safely in 16 of his last 18 games. During that time, Dillon has a .397 average. All five of his home runs have been hit in the past 14 games. Long ball: The Sounds are third in the Pacific Coast League with 55 home runs. Albuquerque and Memphis each have 56. Vegas, baby: A three-day, two-night stay in Las Vegas will be given away to a fan at tonight's game. What they said: "I've kind of got things going lately, swinging the bat a lot better." ? Dillon on his five home runs in the last 14 games.

Seven Sounds photos in a gallery from the Tennessean: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....amp;Ref=PH

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1 Different strokes for Stars Anderson continues hot hitting; team rebounds from shutout to whip Biscuits 19-4 By MARK McCARTER Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com Bumping along in a bus, in a famous scene from the movie "Bull Durham," the actor Kevin Costner offers the long, memorable "ballparks are cathedrals..." soliloquy about the major leagues. Sitting in the Huntsville Stars dugout after Wednesday's record-tying 19-4 slaughter of the Montgomery Biscuits, Drew Anderson has a version that is more economical, but no less eloquent: "I tell pretty much everyone who asks me, one day in the big leagues is worth every day playing in 108 degrees in the Florida State League, 40 degrees at Beloit. To walk out there and be a major leaguer, they can't ever take that away." It was "the pinnacle of everything, everything you've worked for," said Anderson, who began '06 with the Stars and finished it as a late-season call-up to the Milwaukee Brewers. Anderson whiffed in his first at-bat, "jacked up and trying to hit anything" (his words) against a steady delivery of unhittable Sal Torres sinkers last 9/11. Eventually he tagged his first hit, off the Giants' Matt Morris. It was a line drive that dropped in at the feet of some dude named Bonds. His career has taken a U-turn. Back to Triple-A Nashville to begin this season - not unexpected - but then a very unexpected .197 batting average. Particularly vexing, Anderson couldn't hit left-handers. It left him in a part-time position, which did nothing for consistency or confidence. In Wednesday's assault, Anderson had four hits in five at-bats, with a homer and three RBIs. Two of his hits were off a lefty. That would be Montgomery starter James Houser Jr., who had won 12 consecutive decisions and hadn't lost since May 12, 2006. The Stars mugged him for nine of their 21 hits. The team total tied a 21-year-old club record, set May 14, 1986 against Chattanooga. The hits helped construct the most bizarre baseball sandwich you've ever seen: 12 runs for Huntsville on Monday, a shutout loss Tuesday, then the 19 runs Wednesday afternoon. Brendan Katin, Ruben Mateo and Adam Heether also homered for Huntsville. Katin drove in four runs, Heether had three singles and three RBIs, Mateo added a double and a sacrifice fly and Steve Sollmann had a double, two singles and four RBIs. Evan Longoria again homered for Montgomery - saying goodbye to him Friday will be like a farewell to sloppy houseguests who have stayed two weeks - as did Jason Pridie. Longoria is an incurable case if, as Anderson proposed, "hitting is contagious," his explanation for Huntsville's outburst Wednesday. Anderson is pretty sick, too. Since a hitless debut - "It couldn't have gotten much worse than that, getting demoted then going 0-for-4 and three strikeouts," he said --Anderson has hit in nine consecutive games and is batting - this isn't a typo - .514 at Huntsville. "He's been hitting the heck out of the ball," said manager Don Money. Hitting coach Sandy Guerrero has been working with Anderson to eliminate a slide in his hips as he begins his swing, to keep a strong back leg and simply hit the ball where it's pitched. The presence of Guerrero, who knew Anderson's swing well from a year ago, has helped cushion the demotion. "The first day I was here, I was pretty mentally beat, kind of deflated," Anderson admitted. But as he and wife Stacy had discussed while packing for the move and making the drive from Nashville, "Hey, it's another step in life you've got to take. Be positive about it. I could have easily come here and put pressure on myself (thinking), if I don't hit here, what happens? It took it as more of a challenge. I know I can hit. "It's a fresh start," said Anderson, "a new beginning." The ending, he hopes, is back atop another pinnacle.

Final: Daytona (Cubs) 7, Brevard County 1 MiLB.com Game Notes: Culpepper powers Cubs Jeffrey Culpepper went 3-for-5 with three RBIs as Daytona topped host Brevard County, 7-1, on Wednesday. Culpepper, who scored once, had an RBI groundout during a two-run second inning that snapped a scoreless tie. The 25-year-old designated hitter also cracked a two-RBI single to key a four-run seventh that gave the Cubs (25-26) a 7-0 lead. Nate Spears, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Jake Muyco drove in a run apiece during the rally. Jesus Valdez belted his first home run, a solo shot, in the third for Daytona. Cubs starter Mitchell Atkins (4-3) scattered five hits while walking one and striking out two over six shutout frames to pick up the win. Rocky Roquet gave up a run on three hits with three strikeouts in two innings and Tim Layden tossed a perfect ninth. Manatees starter Rafael Lluberes (4-3) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on three hits while walking two and fanning three over three innings. Jeremy Lewis yielded four runs -- three earned -- on four hits with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. Chris Errecart ripped an RBI double in the seventh for Brevard County (31-21). -- Alan Friedman/MLB.com ***Daytona Site: Mitch Atkins cruised, the Daytona offense capitalized on Brevard County mistakes and the Cubs drilled the Manatees, 8-1, Wednesday at Space Coast Stadium. Atkins delivered six shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak to 17 innings. Atkins (4-3) won his second straight start. The right-hander went six innings, gave up five hits, a walk and struck out two. Meanwhile, the Cubs pounded out 11 hits and jumped on five Brevard County errors. Jeff Culpepper was one of the offensive stars in his first game this year as a Cub; Culpepper came through with a 3-for-5 performance, knocking in three runs. For the second straight game, Daytona jumped on the Mantatees early by pouncing on mistakes. In the second inning, Jesus Valdez started the frame with a leadoff walk. The next batter, Brian Dopirak, sent a grounder toward third base, but the ball got past third baseman Mat Gamel and down the left field line. Valdez went all the way to third base on the play and Dopirak went to second. Jeff Culpepper followed with an RBI groundout, plating Valdez to give Daytona a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Nate Spears stepped up with a two-out bloop RBI single to right, staking the Cubs to a 2-0 advantage. Daytona added a run with two out in the top of the third. Jesus Valdez rode a Rafael Lluberes pitch over the wall in right field for an opposite-field solo home run, his first of the season. The Cubs threatened again later in the inning, putting runners at the corners, but Lluberes got out of the jam to limit the Cubs' lead to 3-0. That was all for Lluberes, however, as he was lifted from the game after just three innings pitched. The Cubs capitalized on more Manatee miscues in the seventh. Tyler Colvin smoked a double down the right field line off reliever Jeremy Lewis to start the inning. Two batters later, Dopirak swung and missed for a third strike, but reached when the pitch got away from catcher Angel Salome for a wild pitch. Alberto Garcia pinch ran for Dopirak and promptly stole second. With two runners in scoring position, Culpepper responded with a two-run single to put Daytona up, 5-0. Next, Robinson Chirinos singled to left field and Culpepper steamed into third on the play, putting runners at the corners. Nate Spears followed by bouncing a ball toward the left side which was cut off on a diving stop by shortstop Alcides Escobar. His throw to first was errant, and the play was scored an RBI infield single to give the Cubs a six-run advantage. With runners at the corners and one out, Jake Muyco lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Chirinos dashed home to cap a four-run inning and the Cubs led, 7-0. Brevard County got on the board in the home half of the seventh off reliever Rocky Roquet. Gamel stroked a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Chris Errecart to cut the Cubs' advantage to 7-1. Dopirak had an interesting night at the plate for Daytona; the first baseman went 0-for-4, but reached on errors three times and reached on a wild pitch after a strikeout. Lluberes (4-3) took the loss for Brevard County. The Manatees dropped to 31-21 with the loss. Daytona upped its record to 25-26 with its third straight win. The Cubs and Manatees go at it again Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium. Jeff Samardzija gets the starting nod on the mound for Daytona in a 7:00 p.m. start (6:00 Central). Brevard County Box Score: Why was Rafael Lluberes lifted so quickly? It'll be interesting to see if he makes his next start... web.minorleaguebaseball.c...p;sid=t503 Brevard County Game Log: A strikeout and three groundouts for Charlie Fermaint, whose lost season continues (OPS .438)... web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

Recently released LHP Luis Villarreal signs with St. Paul of the independent American Association.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1 Stars spotlight: Sam Narron Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Position: Pitcher Age: 26 Hometown: Goldsboro, N.C. Stats: 2-3, 4.53 ERA in 10 starts Years with Stars: First What's it's like being in a baseball family: "There are eight of us who have played professional baseball, three in the big leagues, including myself. My grandfather (Sam) kinda started it off. It's just kinda something we did." Who's the best player in the family?: "I never saw my dad play, but Jerry (his cousin, and current manager of Cincinnati Reds) has had the longest career, so I guess it's him. I'm hoping to chase him down one day." What about your grandfather as a player: "He was around until I was 15, so we'd play catch, play Wiffle ball in the back yard. So, we played together some." The odd thing about the family: "I'm the only pitcher. They played catcher or first base. They were all big right-handers. I'm the only left-hander." Equipment: Wilson glove Favorite player: Will Clark. "He was a left-handed first baseman, and I was for a while. And I got to meet him when he was with the Rangers." If you could trade places for a day with another athlete, who would it be: Roger Clemens If he wasn't a baseball player, he'd be: In pharmacy school Other athletic skills: "I'm No. 2 (on the team) in Ping-Pong, behind Adam Heether." Any pets: "My wife has a cat (Lulu) that I've grown to love." Best baseball movie ever: "The Natural" Worst baseball movie: "Major League III: Back To The Minors" ("I can't get through it. It's terrible!") Funniest person on earth: Jerry Seinfeld What are you reading now: "The Source," by James Michener Favorite TV show: Seinfeld Favorite vacation spot: St. Lucia (went there for honeymoon) Most annoying celebrity: Paris Hilton Best subject in school: Science Worst subject: English Sloppiest teammate: "I live with Heether, and when his wife's not around, it looks like a bomb's gone off in his room." What do you drive: Chevy Silverado diesel

From Buck Rogers, Manatees GM: The Manatees own a three-game lead over second place Palm Beach. There are 19 games remaining in the first half of the season and only the top team in each division earns a post-season playoff berth. When the first half comes to an end after the games on June 20th, everybody's records will be reset to 0-0 and we'll begin the second half. Two teams will have their September planned out; everybody else will be in a dogfight to Labor Day Weekend. What's that mean for the Manatees? The team controls its own destiny. It's been a six-year drought to the playoffs in Brevard County, and even the last run ended in a tie with the Tampa Yankees after the September 11th terrorist strikes. The race to June 20th is going to be a wild one for the Manatees and here's why every game played, both home and away, will be like a playoff game: a.. Besides the Daytona Cubs games here tonight and tomorrow night, the Manatees must travel north to Daytona Beach for a Friday night game. b.. Saturday the 'tees head west to Tampa for a four game set against the Yankees. Tampa has come from deep in the hole in the Western Division and is now only 5.5 games out. c.. The Manatees then face the Lakeland Flying Tigers. That's not a typo, the Tigers changed their name during the off-season to represent the flying unit of World War II, and although Lakeland is in 5th place in the Western Division, they somehow, someway find a way to come here and take three of four games from us the past two seasons. d.. Then there's a three game stretch at Jupiter against the 2nd place Palm Beach Cardinals. That slim three-game lead could be wiped out during that stretch, or we could seal the deal and mathematically eliminate the Cardinals. e.. Then the Daytona Cubs, who always hang around like a hair in a grilled cheese sandwich and are just as wanted, come back to Space Coast Stadium for two games just before the All-Star Break. f.. We'll stop play for three days to have the League's All-Star festivities in Daytona Beach, and then head right back to Space Coast Stadium for a final three-game set against the dangerous Vero Beach Dodgers. For those that take them lightly, all you have to do is think about the five-run lead we had, then didn't have in Vero Beach. We needed six runs in the top of the 9th to ice 'em. The saving grace is the fact that we're 3-0 at home against the Devil Rays and all three games to end the first half are right here at Miller Lite Park. Hang on for the ride because it's going to be a wild one! Behind the scenes of baseball there are many things that happen. You can battle all you want on the field, you want your team to win, collect a trophy, etc., but in the end the staffs of the FSL teams and many of the players and coaches are friends. This is really a tight knit family and many of you fans know what I'm talking about because you're friends with those fans in other ballparks. That's really a testament about how great it is to work in this league. With that in mind, I want to thank our new Booster Club for the work they do behind the scenes. The Booster Club assembled household items for players and coaches, conduct fundraisers for feeding the team, and this past Sunday they assisted the Sarasota Reds Coaching Staff acquire a rental car to transport them back to Sarasota. On Sunday the Reds Manager Joe Ayrault became seriously ill and an ambulance was called to transport him to the hospital. Our staff was coordinating with the Reds Coaches on getting their team home on the bus, getting coaches to the hospital and arranging transportation to get them home. Members of the Booster Club volunteered to make it happen and drove the Reds Trainer to the Melbourne Airport, helped score a rental car and drove back to the hospital in Rockledge with him. Big thanks to Kevin and Susan Kimball for their assistance. Fans, if you want to join the Booster Club, or maybe just learn more, email BoosterClub@spacecoaststadium.com for more information. The next Booster Club meeting is scheduled for June 4th.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1189 Stars Batter Biscuits In Record Setting Performance Drew Anderson and Adam Heether each wound up with four hits and a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, as Huntsville matched a franchise record with 21 hits in a 19-4 drubbing of Montgomery Wednesday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars banged out a season-high four home runs and seven doubles one night after being blanked on seven singles to improve to 27-24 and move to within a half game of North Division leading Tennessee, which plays later Wednesday night. The Biscuits dropped to 28-25 and yielded 19 runs and 21 hits in a game for the second time in franchise history. Huntsville also improved to 13-4 in day games after winning for an eighth time in the last 10 home games. Montgomery starter James Houser, who had allowed one earned run on six hits over his last three starts covering 17 1/3 innings, retired the first four hitters he faced before Carlos Corporan doubled and scored on an Anderson double. Heether followed with a base hit to deliver Anderson and then scored when Brendan Katin launched his eighth home run of the season to cap off a four-run rally. Ruben Mateo and Anderson slugged solo home runs in the third inning to mark the first time the Stars had homered twice in the same frame, to push the lead to 6-0. Houser suffered his first loss after giving up six runs on nine hits, both season-highs, and striking out four over three innings of work. Jeremy Flanagan took over in the fourth and yielded five runs on four hits and a walk and retired only one batter. Steve Sollmann doubled home two runs, Mateo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Corporan doubled home a run to chase the right-hander, who was replaced by Brett Wayne. The onslaught continued with Anderson singling home Corporan and then scoring on a long ball by Heether, who belted his second of the series. Huntsville then plated a pair of runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to produce their highest scoring game of the season. Anderson also became the first batter to score four times in a game this season, as seven of the nine hitters, save for Mateo and Yohannis Perez, scored at least twice. Steve Moss and Perez had one hit apiece and were the only position players not to collect at least two safeties, as the Stars matched the 21 hits totaled by the 1986 team (A's organization) against Chattanooga on May 14, 1986 at the Joe. Stars? starter Adam Pettyjohn lasted six innings, giving up four runs on nine hits to record his fourth win of the season and first at home. He struck out a season-high nine, walked one and allowed home runs to Jason Pridie and Evan Longoria that produced all of the visitors? offense. Mark DiFelice retired all six hitters he faced and Marino Salas worked a scoreless ninth inning in a rare non-save situation. The series continues Thursday night with southpaw Steve Hammond taking the mound against Biscuits? left-hander Jon Barratt. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on Sports Radio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score: Enjoy! www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: Give Adam Pettyjohn credit for sitting through some long half-innings... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Tim Dillard photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2353 Sounds Square Series With 6-4 Win Over 51s NASHVILLE ? Tim Dillard worked another quality start as the Nashville Sounds evened their series with the visiting Las Vegas 51s on Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium, scoring a 6-4 victory. Nashville struck first, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning for a 2-0 lead. Joe Dillon spotted the Sounds a 1-0 lead with a leadoff solo homer to left off Las Vegas starter Spike Lundberg. The blast was the veteran?s fifth of the year; he has hit all five in his last 14 games dating back to May 17. AUDIO: Dillon HR Opens The Scoring -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-30.mp3 Andy Abad followed Dillon?s roundtripper with a ground-rule double to right-center to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest by a Nashville player this season. The knock came in the ninth pitch of the at-bat after Abad fouled off four pitches. Jose Macias later plated Abad with an RBI single for the frame?s second run. The Sounds pulled ahead, 6-0, in the third with a four-run inning against Lundberg. After Callix Crabbe opened the frame with a double and Chris Barnwell struck out, Nashville put together five consecutive singles to chase the right-hander. Laynce Nix, Abad, Vinny Rottino, and Macias, who paced the Sounds with a 3-for-3 afternoon, all contributed RBIs in the inning. Las Vegas got single runs back with two-out tallies in the fourth and fifth frames to make it a 6-2 contest. Catcher Octavio Martinez drove in the 51s? first run with his first Triple-A hit in the fourth and Delwyn Young, who led the visitors with a three-RBI afternoon, drove in the second run with a double in the fifth. Neither team scored again until the ninth when Las Vegas made things interesting against the Nashville bullpen. Sounds reliever Greg Aquino took the hill and walked pinch-hitter Sergio Garcia on four pitches. The right-hander proceeded to walk the bases loaded around a pair of outs before Young delivered a two-run single down the first-base line to make it a 6-4 game and put the potential tying run on base. Nashville skipper Frank Kremblas summoned closer Luther Hackman from the bullpen and the veteran hurler induced a game-ending fielder?s choice grounder from Choo Freeman to escape the jam and secure his team-leading ninth save of the year. Dillard (3-3) worked his fourth quality start in his last five outings to secure the victory for the Sounds. The right-hander allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out four batters in six innings, throwing 105 pitches. Lundberg (2-4) took the loss after being touched for six runs on nine hits in only 2 1/3 frames of work. Barnwell went 0-for-5 for Nashville to snap his season-best six-game hitting streak. The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday evening at Greer. Nashville right-hander Chris Oxspring (3-3, 3.28 ) will man the bump to face Las Vegas right-hander William Juarez (1-1, 5.79). Nashville Box Score: Andy Abad's OPS up to .945 -- that's almost Fielder-like http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ; Brad Nelson's starting about 2/3 of the time, similar to several players on this versatile squad; we saw similar Greg Aquino outings in Milwaukee... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Nashville Site: Getting To Know ... INF Chris Barnwell Getting To Know ... OF Charles Thomas If you have a question you'd like your favorite Sounds player to answer, click here to submit it. The answer might be in a future Getting To Know ... update. The Sounds will be updating the site with two new Q&A's each week.