Jim Goulart

Final: Salt Lake (Angels) 11, Nashville 9 Team in freefall mode... Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Ozzie Chavez photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2311 Sounds' Skid Hits Six Following 11-9 Loss SALT LAKE CITY ? The Nashville Sounds? losing streak reached six games on Sunday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field as the club came up on the short end of an 11-9 loss to the Salt Lake Bees in the second game of a four-game series. Nashville (18-19) has lost 12 of its last 14 road contests and saw the opponent plate the winning run in its final turn at the plate for the third straight contest and for the fourth time in six games during the current road trip. With the loss, the Sounds fell a season-high three games out of first place in the PCL American Conference Northern Division. The game was a back-and-forth battle that saw three lead changes before Salt Lake broke a 9-9 tie with a pair of runs against Grant Balfour in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Sounds took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first frame when Laynce Nix (3-for-4) belted a two-run homer off Bees starter Henry Bonilla, the outfielder?s second longball in three rehab games with Nashville. AUDIO: Laynce Nix Two-Run HR -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-13.mp3 After Nix upped the visitors? lead to 3-0 with a third-inning RBI double, Salt Lake exploded for six runs against R.A. Dickey in the bottom of the frame to grab a 6-3 lead using four hits and a pair of Sounds errors. Sounds shortstop Ozzie Chavez, who finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run, pulled Nashville within 6-4 in the fourth when he plated Vinny Rottino with a two-out RBI double. Brad Nelson tied the contest at 6-6 in the fifth with a two-run double before scoring the go-ahead run later in the frame on a Drew Anderson sacrifice fly. Callix Crabbe extended the Nashville to 8-6 in the sixth with a solo homer off Bees reliever Matt Wilhite before Salt Lake came back again against Dickey, playing three runs in the bottom of the frame to grab a 9-8 advantage. All three runs scored with two outs in the frame, including the tying and go-ahead scores on a Brandon Wood two-run single. Chavez evened the score in the eighth with his second homer of the year, a one-out solo shot to right off Steven Shell. The Bees responded with yet another two-out scoring rally, this time against Balfour. With two on and two out, Wood drew a walk to load the bases for Mike Elyward, who followed with a go-ahead two-run single to right for the Bees. Jason Bulger took over on the hill for Salt Lake and retired the Sounds in order in the top of the ninth, including two consecutive strikeouts to end the contest, to earn his first save of the year. Shell (1-0) backed into the victory for the Bees after blowing a save in his one inning of work. Balfour (0-1), who allowed two runs on two hits over his 1 2/3 frames of action, took the loss for Nashville. Dickey worked six innings for the Sounds and allowed a season-high nine runs (five earned) on 11 hits. The Sounds look to get back on the winning track when the teams continue the series with a 7:35 p.m. CT meeting on Monday evening. Right-hander Tim Dillard (0-3, 3.35) will take the hill for Nashville in search of his first career Triple-A victory. Salt Lake will counter with right-hander and former Milwaukee Brewer farmhand and big leaguer Pedro Liriano (1-4, 7.59). Nashville Box Score: Pretty amazing how productive Laynce Nix has been during his rehab stints at AA and AAA; Vinny Rottino again behind the plate, throws out a runner, still raking; this bullpen makes Chris Spurling's job inexplicably more secure each day; we will not rest until Huntsville lefty Joe Thatcher leapfrogs the underperforming Sounds bullpen to Milwaukee... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_slcaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_slcaaa_1

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Shortstop Ozzie Chavez: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-13.mp3

19-year-old Zach Braddock's 2007 stat line: 34.2 IP, 23 H, 6 R, 1 HR, 13 BB, 48 K, 1.56 ERA

Standings through Saturday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 20 16 .556 - 12-5 8-11 L1 Nashville 18 18 .500 2.0 10-5 8-13 L5 Memphis 18 19 .486 2.5 13-7 5-12 L1 Omaha 16 20 .444 4.0 13-8 3-12 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 18 16 .529 - 6-8 12-8 W2 Huntsville 17 17 .500 1.0 9-11 8-6 W3 West Tenn 17 19 .472 2.0 9-7 8-12 W1 Chattanooga 16 20 .444 3.0 10-10 6-10 L1 Carolina 14 22 .389 5.0 7-9 7-13 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 21 15 .583 - 12-6 9-9 W5 Daytona 20 15 .571 0.5 12-6 8-9 W1 Palm Beach 18 17 .514 2.5 9-12 9-5 L3 Vero Beach 17 18 .486 3.5 11-7 6-11 W1 Jupiter 15 21 .417 6.0 5-9 10-12 L4 St. Lucie 15 21 .417 6.0 7-11 8-10 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 24 9 .727 - 13-6 11-3 L1 Greensboro 23 13 .639 2.5 12-4 11-9 W2 Lakewood 17 16 .515 7.0 7-11 10-5 W1 Lake County 17 17 .500 7.5 9-8 8-9 L1 Hickory 14 19 .424 10.0 6-7 8-12 W1 Lexington 15 21 .417 10.5 8-12 7-9 L2 Delmarva 14 20 .412 10.5 6-9 8-11 L1 Hagerstown 13 22 .371 12.0 8-11 5-11 W1

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 Sunday'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_slcaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cmcaax_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

Sunday's Daily Menu: A wonderful Mother's Day to all! All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP R.A. Dickey at Salt Lake (Angels), 2:50 PM pre-game; 3:05 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: LHP Manny Parra at Carolina (Marlins), 12:45 PM pre-game; 1:00 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: Idle West Virginia: LHP Zach Braddock at home vs. Greensboro (Marlins), 12:55 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ ONE FOR THE BOOKSA day after nearly establishing a first by coming within a strike -- twice -- of the Stars' first no-hitter at Joe Davis Stadium, the Stars rewrote the record book, batting around twice to score 13 runs in the 8th inning to beat the Carolina Mudcats, 16-7...... That puts the Stars back to .500 with their 3rd straight win, but the 1st place Smokies also won Saturday night, beating Chattanooga with a nine-run 2nd inning....... The Stars have now won seven straight against the Mudcats, going back to a ten-inning 3-2 win on July 22nd of last year. The whole thing almost never happened. Both teams sat through a 1 hour, 55 minute rain delay...... Sam Narron, who has opened up every season series since April 16, grew up only 55 miles from Five County Stadium. First innings haven't been a problem for the rotation this month (two runs in 11 games and a .188 opponents average), but for Narron, it's still a problem. He's given up 14 runs on 18 hits and three walks in his first seven innings of a game and been shelled for a .462 average. For the 2nd time this season, he nearly got the side in order....... But after striking out Jose Campusano and getting Dante Brinkley out on a grounder, he loaded the bases....... Grant Psomas singled to center, Lee Mitchell waited on a two-strike curve, got it, and knocked it over the glove of Adam Heether for a single, then Chase Lambin was hit with a pitch below the hip...... Vince Harrison, who last played in 2004 for the Montgomery Biscuits, cleared the bases with a double to the left field corner to give Carolina a 3-0 lead. (Harrison was been out the last two seasons, principally with a wrist injury.)...... On a 3-2 pitch, Narron then walked Jai Miller. Brett Hayes then cleared the bases once more with a double to left. Daniel Barone finally flew out to center to end the inning, but Carolina had a 5-0 lead........The Stars, up to this time, had given up just two 1st inning runs in their last 14 games........An RBI double by Mitchell made it 6-0 after two innings. The Stars loaded the bases in the 3rd inning with one out, managing to get a pair of runs out of it to make it 6-2, and after another Carolina run, made it 7-3 in the 5th inning on Steve Sollmann's 2nd homer of the year......The Stars missed a big opportunity to narrow the margin in the 6th when they loaded the bases with one out....... Brendan Katin opened the inning with a line single to left, then Carolina starter Daniel Barone hit Ron Davenport with a pitch. After striking out Adam Heether, Blake McGinley took over, and with Mike Carlin hitting for Mark DiFelice, a wild pitch moved the runners up....... Carlin walked to load them up, but Hernan Iribarren was called out on strikes and Guilder Rodriguez hit into a force........ McGinley quieted the Stars in the 7th, retiring the side in order. While the Stars' bullpen was taking care of business as usual, (1.64 ERA this month, 2.34 this season), the Stars went crazy in the 8th, and Brendan Katin lit the firecracker with a home run over the left field wall on McGinley's first pitch, his 3rd home run of the month...... 7-4........ Davenport then singled to the opposite field, precipitating a pitching change and double switch from manager Brandon Hyde....... In comes Harvey Garcia for the 16th time this year. He walks Heether on four pitches, moving Davenport to 2nd. Baseburner Mel Stocker comes in for Davenport........ Carlos Corporan, 4-for-7 with six RBIs in his last three games, pinch-hits for Bo Hall and walks to fill the bases......... Hernan Iribarren then hit a four-hopper through the right side for a single to drive in two and move Corporan up a base....... 7-6. Stars still trail, but the momentum has now swung in the other direction and when things go bad, it's hard to stop....... Guilder Rodriguez laid down a bunt that would have gone foul, if Garcia hadn't picked it up in fair territory. Third baseman Lee Mitchell screamed at Garcia to leave it alone, but it was either a case of miscommunication or no communication, or it was too late. By the time Garcia scooped it up, he had no play anywhere, and the bases were loaded again. Pitching change number 3..... Kurt Koehler now....... Making his 16th appearance of the year....... Think the Stars have gone to the bullpen a lot this year? Marino Salas leads with 14 appearances by comparison....... The first thing Koehler does is hit Steve Sollmann with a pitch and Corporan scores. Now it's tied, 7-7......... Iribarren is on third and G. Rod goes to 2nd........ Still there's no one out, but that changes. Lou Palmisano hits into a what looks like a sure double play, but Sollmann breaks it up with a hard slide into 2nd baseman Kevin Randel, who came in on the double switch. Iribarren scores. The Stars lead, 8-7. Steve Moss is next, and he hits a line drive double down the line into left. G. Rod scores and Palmisano goes to 3rd....... Stars now have a two-run lead........ The Stars have now batted around........ Katin is back up and he's hit with Koehler's first pitch on the elbow, and again the bases are loaded........ Mel Stocker, who entered as a pinch-runner, is up to hit for himself. He triples into the right field corner, his 4th of the year. That's as many as Drew Anderson had all of last year. It of course clears the bases and the Stars now lead 12-7....... Nine runs have crossed the plate, and still there is only one out......... Adam Heether walks for the 2nd time in the inning. Here we go again........Carlos Corporan lines a single down the left field line, scoring Stocker to make it 13-7, but is tagged out trying to stretch it to a double. Heether makes it to third........ Iribarren brings him in with a double to right to make it 14-7, and here we go with pitching change #4! Jarrett Santos is now in for the Mudcats....... The Stars say, "so what"....... G. Rod singles through the middle and Iribarren scores to make it 15-7, matching a club record for runs scored in an inning....... Sollmann, batting again, singles inside the left field line, putting runners on the corners for Palmisano....... Palmisano then drives in the record-breaking 13th run of the inning, scoring G. Rod to make it 16-7........ Steve Moss is up, and the Stars have batted around for the second time, but he grounds out weakly to third, to end the festivities. The Stars previous record of 12 runs was accomplished three times, the last being on August 12, 1997 in a 15-7 rapping of Orlando....... One of those three instances came against Carolina in 1993 -- the Mudcats' first year after the Charlotte Knights moved to the International League........ The previous record for runs in the 8th was 10, coming on June 1, 1986 at Greenville in a 13-0 one-hitter for Todd Burns, so its funny that after Friday's one-hitter against Mobile, that old 18-year record is reset........ Steve Sollmann's three-hit performance lifted his average to .324 -- 7th best in the league, and even though Lou Palmisano lost some points on his average tonight, he's still 3rd among Southern League batting leaders with a .367 average. He's hitting .357 this month........ After a seven-inning, four-hit game against the Lookouts May 2, Sam Narron has now given up 10 runs on 17 hits and five walks in 10 innings over his last two starts........ Hernan Iribarren is hitting .324 this month -- 100 points better than his April finish. He has also driven in seven runs in his last five games........ Brendan Katin snapped an 0-for-15 slump with his 6th inning single, and lifted his average to .225, his highest in five days...... Lou Palmisano is 7-for-15 with six RBIs in his last four games....... Guilder Rodriguez is 6-for-14 in his last three games, raising his average to .265, the best its been since hitting .273 after his first 11 at-bats of the season......... Mel Stocker is the first Stars player to hit four triples in the first two months of the season since Dave Krynzel hit seven in 2003. The Stars will turn to Manny Parra (3-1, 2.97), Sunday at 1 pm.... Parra is 9th among Southern League ERA leaders. Right-hander Gaby Hernandez gets the start for the cellar-dwelling Mudcats.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1 Stars notebook Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Covering the bases Some trivia in the aftermath of Friday's near-no-hitter by the troika of Huntsville pitchers: Manager Don Money was involved in two no-hitters as a major leaguer, on the losing side both times. He was with Philadelphia when the Dodgers' Bill Singer threw a no-hitter on July 20, 1970. And Money made both the first and last out for Milwaukee when Kansas City's Steve Busby threw a no-hitter on June 19, 1974. ... The Stars have still not had a pitcher throw a no-hitter at Joe W. Davis Stadium. In 1992 Dana Allison, Roger Smithberg and Todd Revenig combined for a 10-inning no-hitter against Birmingham, and in 1993 Tanyon Sturtze pitched one at Chattanooga. The last one in Huntsville was a combination no-hitter by Carolina pitchers in 2004. ... There was a feeling among the Stars that plate umpire Jason Bradley "squeezed" the strike zone a little tight in the ninth inning Friday, especially on a 2-2 slider by Marino Salas. In an 8-0 game, it might have been a "gimme." Credit to Bradley not to get wrapped up in the history of the event and recognize he was working a 2-1 game as much as he was working a potential no-hitter. ... Jeff Eure, who was released by the Stars last week, hooked on with Kansas City's Wichita club in the Texas League. He had three RBIs in his first two games. ... Stars general manager Tom Van Schaack underwent double bypass surgery Thursday in Syracuse and the surgery was considered successful. He's expected to return to Huntsville in late June or early July. ... Mike Jones' strained elbow will probably sideline him two or three more weeks. Still, considering his history of arm woes and surgery, a mere strain is a relief. ... The Stars homered in the first four games of the five-game Mobile series. Still, with only 16 for the season, they're tied with Birmingham and West Tenn at the bottom of league in that category. ... Stars owner Miles Prentice is delighted with his relationship with the Milwaukee Brewers and how "they're committed to the minors," he said during his one-day visit to Huntsville this week. "The proof is in the pudding. They've got six guys (who played in Huntsville) playing regularly (in Milwaukee). The point I'm trying to make here is what we've made in Midland (where he owns Oakland's Double-A club). This is an organization that is committed to developing its players through the minor leagues," Prentice said. Around the league Back to the near-no-hitter. There has never been a no-hitter in the 10 years of Mobile BayBears history, but BayBears radio broadcaster Tim Hagerty noted that twice before they have been involved in games when the no-hitter was broken up with two out in the ninth. ... Montgomery's Evan Longoria had reached base in 29 consecutive games after Friday's play. ... West Tenn's third baseman is Matt Tuiasosopo, son of former NFL player Manu Tuiasosopo and brother to NFL players Marques and Zach. Though Matt also had a scholarship to play college football, he's proving his worth in baseball. He's batting .328 with 13 RBIs. "I told everyone from the start that if I fail with baseball I'm not going back to football. I'm not going to be a Chris Weinke or Drew Henson," Tuiasosopo told Joshua Parrott of The Jackson Sun in Tennessee. "I was either going to sink or swim in baseball or football, and I chose baseball." ... In honor of Mother's Day, Mobile will wear pink jerseys today that will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to breast cancer research. Brewings Triple-A Nashville Sounds (18-17 before Saturday's play, second place in Pacific Coast League American Division): OF Laynce Nix 2-for-3, HR, double, two runs scored, 3 RBIs Friday in debut after moving from Huntsville, but Sounds blew six-run lead Single-A Brevard County Manatees (20-15, second in Florida State East Division): P Luis Pena 4-0, 2.41 ERA, 24 Ks in 18 innings Single-A West Virginia Power (24-8, first in South Atlantic League Northern Division this half): P Alexandre Periard 3-0, 0.93 ERA, two saves On deck The Stars play at Carolina today at 1 p.m. to start a five-game series. They return home to host West Tenn on Friday.

Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Mike Rivera photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2310 Bullpen Fails Again, Sounds Drop Fifth In A Row SALT LAKE CITY ? The Sounds? bullpen struggles continued on Saturday evening at Franklin Covey Field as Nashville blew a pair of saves in a 9-8, 11-inning loss to the Salt Lake Bees in the opener of a four-game series. The loss was the fifth in a row for Nashville (18-18), which matches the club?s longest skid of the year. The Sounds, who sit at .500 for the first time since April 17 (6-6), have lost 11 of their last 13 road contests. Mike Rivera?s three-run homer highlighted a four-run eighth inning that had propelled the Sounds to a 7-5 lead, their first of the contest. Luther Hackman took over on the hill for the Sounds in the ninth and retired the first two batters in order before allowing a Gary Patchett single followed by a game-tying two-run home run by Nathan Haynes, the outfielder?s fourth of the year. After neither team scored in the tenth, the Sounds grabbed an 8-7 lead in the top of the eleventh when Callix Crabbe drilled a two-out RBI double off Greg Jones to plate Drew Anderson. For the second time in three innings, Salt Lake rallied to avoid defeat, this time against Alec Zumwalt. With one out, Casey Smith reached on an infield single and scored the tying run one batter later on a Ben Johnson double. A fielding error by Nashville right fielder Jose Macias on the play allowed Johnson to reach third with only one out. Zumwalt struck out Patchett for the second out and intentionally walked Haynes before giving up a game-ending RBI single to Terry Evans. The last at-bat loss was the Sounds? third in the last five games and the club?s seventh of the year. Nashville has 10 blown saves on the year against only eight saves. The Bees grabbed a 1-0 lead with a two-out rally against Zach Jackson in the bottom of the second. After the first two batters were retired, Jeff Mathis singled then scored the game?s first run on a Smith RBI triple to right. Salt Lake increased the advantage to 3-0 in the third with another two-out run-scoring knock, a two-run Mike Elyward double to right that plated Adam Pavkovich and Haynes. The Sounds battled back within a run at 3-2 with a two-out rally of their own against Bees starter Kasey Olenberger in the top of the fourth frame. Red-hot Sounds catcher Vinny Rottino (2-for-4) extended his season-best hitting streak to seven games with a two-out, two-run double to left to bring in Rivera and Brad Nelson. The Bees increased the lead back to a three-run cushion in the fifth on a two-run Evans homer to left off Jackson. It was the outfielder?s fifth longball of the season and pushed the advantage to 5-2. Nashville pulled within 5-3 on Macias? two-out RBI double off Olenberger in the seventh before exploding for four runs against Salt Lake reliever Chris Resop in the eighth to grab its first lead of the night at 6-5. Rivera delivered the big blast, smacking a three-run home run to left to push the visitors into the lead. The blast, which scored Chris Barnwell and Laynce Nix, was Rivera?s third of the year. AUDIO: Mike Rivera's Go-Ahead HR -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-12.mp3 The Sounds increased the lead to 7-5 later in the frame when Nelson followed Rivera?s blast with a triple off the center field wall then scored on a Drew Anderson suicide squeeze bunt. Macias finished 3-for-4 and has produced seven hits in his last eight at-bats for the Sounds. Jones (2-0) backed into the victory for Salt Lake after allowing a run in his lone inning of work. Zumwalt (0-2) took the loss after giving up two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Jackson took a no-decision after allowing five runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings of work for the Sounds. He struck out a season-best seven batters but also issued a season-high five walks. The Sounds look to get back on the winning track when the teams continue the series with a 3:05 p.m. CT meeting on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander R.A. Dickey (1-4, 5.94) will man the bump for the Sounds and face Salt Lake right-hander Henry Bonilla (4-1, 2.96). Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_slcaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_slcaaa_1

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas: We learn why Andy Abad and Charles Thomas weren't with the team on Friday... www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-12.mp3

MiLB.com Brevard County Game Notes: Manatees sweep Miracle Derek Miller and two relievers combined on a six-hitter as Brevard County edged Fort Myers, 2-1, on Saturday to complete a four-game sweep. Miller held the Miracle to an unearned run on six hits and two walks while striking out a season-high nine over six innings. The 25-year-old left-hander has gone at least six innings in four of his last five starts, but is 0-1 on the season. Josh Wahpepah (3-4) fanned two over two perfect frames for the win and Luis Pena walked one in a hitless ninth to nab his fifth save. The Manatees (21-15) trailed, 1-0, when Angel Salome walked with one out in the seventh. Mat Gamel lined a double down the right-field line and Cole Gillespie delivered a run-scoring single to tie the game. Mike Bell followed with an RBI fielder's choice as he just beat the relay throw from second baseman Toby Gardenhire. Miracle starter Kyle Waldrop (4-2) suffered the hard-luck loss after allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings. The 21-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out a season-high nine. Eduardo Morlan fanned the side in the eighth, giving him 24 strikeouts in 16 innings this season. Fort Myers (12-24) scored its run in the sixth. Whitney Robbins led off with a walk and, one out later, Edward Ovalle sacrificed. Javier Sanchez followed with a grounder to third, but Gamel threw wildly allowing Robbins to score. Gardenhire bunted for a hit, but Miller struck out Luis Ugueto to end the threat. Eli Tintor went 2-for-5 for the Miracle, who completed a 2-6 road trip and fell to 7-8 in one-run games. -- Peter Spadora/MLB.com

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2007051248 Greensboro shuts down Power 4-3 By Tommy R. Atkinson Charleston Gazette Staff Writer Got hits? The West Virginia Power certainly didn?t have very many Saturday night as the largest crowd of the season at Appalachian Power Park witnessed a rare sight as the Greensboro (N.C.) Grasshoppers shut down the South Atlantic League?s best offense in taking a 4-3 victory. A paid crowd of 4,659 attended the showdown between the Northern Division?s top two teams. The Grasshoppers (23-13) sliced the Power?s division lead to 2 1/2 games. A cow-milking contest was held on the field before Saturday?s game involving Power players as part of 4-H Night. ?We were a little preoccupied before the game milking cows,?? said the Power?s Steve Chapman, who was the only player with multiple hits (2-for-3). ?That?s my excuse for today.?? The Power (24-9), which only managed five hits, entered play Saturday owning the league?s top batting average and was in the top five in runs scored, slugging percentage, doubles, triples and RBIs. ?[Greensboro?s pitchers] were just getting ahead in the count,?? Chapman said. ?They were throwing lots of fastballs by us and once they got two strikes they were mixing it up pretty good. They were throwing backwards. ?They threw lots of changeups to start, then when they got two strikes they were blowing it by us. They beat me on a lot of pitches. I hit the ball hard and got on base somehow. Lots of guys hit the ball hard and they didn?t fall. That?s just the way it goes.?? Greensboro?s Michael Hyle, making his first start in three weeks because of illness, surrendered two earned runs on three hits in four innings. Grasshoppers relievers Jay Buente (1-0), who earned the win, and Blake Jones, who picked up is 11th save, retired the last 15 batters and set down the side in order over the final four innings. The trio struck out eight and walked only two. The Power knotted the game in the bottom of the fifth at 3-all as Martin Maldonado led off with a double and Chapman?s single put runners at first and third with none out. Jimmy Mojica grounded out to Buente for the first out then leadoff hitter Darren Ford grounded out to shortstop to plate Maldonado. After Chapman?s single, the Power went three up and three down the rest of the way. ?We knew we had to keep them off the base paths,?? said Greensboro manager Edwin Rodriguez. ?They can play small ball, hit and run and all that. We just concentrated on making them swing the bats. Just throw strikes. Don?t give them anything.?? After the Power tied the game in the fifth, the Grasshoppers? Spike McDougall sent a 1-2 offering from West Virginia starter Mike McClendon over the Verizon speed pitch sign in center field for a leadoff solo round-tripper that gave Greensboro the lead for good at 4-3. McClendon (2-1), who entered Saturday?s play with a 2.25 earned run average, allowed four earned runs, two homers and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to take the loss. Travis Wendte and Patrick Ryan gave the Power a chance with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. The Power will play host to Greensboro at 2:05 PM today (1:05 Central) at Appalachian Power Park. Today is also the second annual Power Shower to support the Gabriel Project. Fans who bring a baby donation such as diapers, bottles, etc., will receive free admission.

OK, so it's a two-post diversion, but even the local Charleston, West Virginia press is on the act - if "Nedwetters" isn't the new team nickname, at least it could become one for the legion of wee Brewer fans (uh, I mean "we" Brewer fans). Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section//2007051227 Brewer drought too dry for some Charleston Gazette In Milwaukee, where the Brewers are off to the best start in Major League Baseball, there?s now a reason for catching playoff fever for the first time in 24 years. But playoff fever, Milwaukee style, has developed an unusual symptom ? the deliberate loss of bladder control. It?s been 15 years since the Brewers had a winning season, let alone a playoff appearance, so you can?t blame Milwaukeeans for being excited to the bursting point. That?s why one as-yet-anonymous fan launched the Web site www.peeyourpantsforthebrewers.com, on which Milwaukee fans make online pledges to, uh, self-saturate when and if the Brewers clinch a playoff berth. From Monday when the site was launched until these words hit the keyboard late Friday, 1,479 Brew Crew boosters (2,458 as of this post) had registered their pledges to go with the flow should their home team make it to postseason play. The online sign-up sheet allowed pledgers, among other things, to state what they consider to be the best part of being a Brewer fan. Their responses reflected the long dry spell since the team?s Paul Molitor-Robin Yount glory days, ranging from ?not being a Cubs fan? to ?24 years of dry pants.? Favorite memories of times spent at the Brewers? former venue, County Stadium, also lacked an element of nostalgia. Responses ranged from numerous ?Nones? to ?Favre rushing for a TD in the last Packer game there.? The sign-up sheet also provided space for pledgers to cite the last occasion on which they flooded their Dockers. While most listed early childhood dates, there were some disturbing responses, like: ?It?s hard to tell with all the blackouts.? ?Last week, as a test run for the playoffs.? ?Sneezing while I was pregnant.? ?Three years ago ? friend hit me with golf cart while peeing in woods,? and ?Does it count if you?re in the Ocean?? The site cautions against taking the Closet Yankees Fan approach and ?buying pre-peed pants in Soho,? and the Closet Cardinals Fan approach, which involves steroid use to enhance flow and distance. It recommends as the Most Honorable Way a simultaneous unclinching of bladder muscles the instant the Brewers officially clinch ? hopefully at Miller Park. Such an event, according to the Web site, would make for ?the largest collective pants-peeing since buses were late picking up all the players from seniors night at Potawatomi Bingo.? Hopefully, the Milwaukee fans? slacks saturation craze won?t spread to Charleston, where the 23-8 West Virginia Power, the Brew Crew?s Class A affiliate, is now leading the South Atlantic League?s Northern Division. But if the team schedules a Depends Night toward the end of the season, I?ll know its end is near.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1154 One for the Record Books in Unbelievable Comeback Win Lou Palmisano?s run-scoring single capped off a remarkable record-setting 13-run eighth inning that propelled the Stars to a magical 16-7 comeback win over Carolina in the opener of a five-game set at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC. The Stars claimed their third straight win to even their record at 17-17 and stay within a game of front-running Tennessee in the North Division, while the Mudcats slipped to 14-22 and five games off the pace. Huntsville has won the last seven games between the two teams dating back to a 3-2 victory in 10 innings on July 22. Huntsville left the bases loaded with one out in the sixth inning and ended the seventh inning when Palmisano retired Brett Hayes on a foul pop up and doubled Vince Harrison off first base after he broke for second on a steal attempt and could not get back in time. The Stars then woke up after a 12-hour bus ride that got them to the team hotel at 4:00 AM and a rain delay pushed the start of the game back an hour and 55 minutes. Brendan Katin launched a leadoff home run in the eighth off Blake McGinley that brought the Stars to within 7-4. The Huntsville right fielder ended a drought of seven games and 26 at-bats without a run batted in and clubbed his team-leading sixth long ball. Ulyses Davenport followed with a single to knock McGinley out of the game and Harvey Garcia came on to walk Adam Heether and pinch-hitter Carlos Corporan to load the bases for Hernan Iribarren, who had been called out on strikes with one out and the bases full in the sixth. This time, the young second sacker came through with a two-run single to right to trim the home team?s lead to 7-6. Guilder Rodriguez was called upon to lay down a sacrifice bunt and dropped down a bunt third base side that was about to roll foul but was picked up by Garcia and turned into a single to load the bases and chase Garcia from the game. Kurt Koehler took over and hit Steve Sollmann with an 0-2 pitch to force in the go-ahead run and then got Palmisano to bounce into a force out at second base, that scored Iribarren to make it 9-7, for the first out of the inning. From there, the Stars poured it on, as Steve Moss doubled in a run, Mel Stocker tripled home three, Corporan and Rodriguez singled home runs, Iribarren doubled in another run and Palmisano finally ended the onslaught by delivering Rodriguez with his first hit of the night in the biggest single scoring inning in the history of the Stars franchise. Bo Hall worked two scoreless innings to earn his first win and Jeff Housman closed out the victory with two shutout innings in relief. Stars? starter Sam Narron, who grew up 55 miles away in Goldsboro, NC, allowed five runs in the first inning, another in the second and one more in the fourth and departed after allowing seven runs on 10 hits over four frames. The left-hander has been scored on in the first inning in four of his seven starts and yielded a five-spot for a second time. Sollmann finished with three hits and three runs batted in, including his second home run of the season in the fifth inning, while Katin added three hits and Rodriguez had his first three-hit game of the season. Every Stars? hitter collected at least one hit and each starter scored once except for the Raleigh, NC native Davenport, who singled twice and was hit by a pitch in his homecoming. The series continues Sunday afternoon with Stars? left-hander Manny Parra taking the mound against Mudcats? right-hander Gaby Hernandez. Coverage of the game begins at 12:45 PM central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Final: Salt Lake (Angels) 9, Nashville 8, 11 innings Wow, what a hideous stretch it's been for the Sounds bullpen. Nashville blows a 7-5 9th inning lead, then an 8-7 11th inning lead -- are you kidding!? We'll wait for the gory details from the Sounds site before commenting further later...

Final: Huntsville 16, Carolina (Marlins) 7 Amazing for an effort like this late in a game after the long 12-hour drive to Carolina without a day off -- we'll wait for the Stars' site to summarize later, but here's the history-making rally: Huntsville Top 8th - Brendan Katin homers (6) on a fly ball to left field. - Ulyses Davenport singles on a line drive to left fielder Jose Campusano. - Pitcher Change: Harvey Garcia replaces Blake McGinley, batting 6th. - Defensive Substitution: Kevin Randel replaces pitcher Blake McGinley, batting 9th, playing second base. - Adam Heether walks. Ulyses Davenport to 2nd. - Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Mel Stocker replaces Ulyses Davenport. - Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Carlos Corporan replaces Bo Hall. - Carlos Corporan walks. Mel Stocker to 3rd. Adam Heether to 2nd. - Hernan Iribarren singles on a line drive to right fielder Dante Brinkley. Mel Stocker scores. Adam Heether scores. Carlos Corporan to 2nd. - Guilder Rodriguez singles on a bunt ground ball to third baseman Lee Mitchell. Carlos Corporan to 3rd. Hernan Iribarren to 2nd. - Pitcher Change: Kurt Koehler replaces Harvey Garcia, batting 6th. - Steven Sollmann hit by pitch. Carlos Corporan scores. Hernan Iribarren to 3rd. Guilder Rodriguez to 2nd. - Lou Palmisano grounds into a force out, shortstop Chase Lambin to second baseman Kevin Randel. Hernan Iribarren scores. Guilder Rodriguez to 3rd. Steven Sollmann out at 2nd. Lou Palmisano to 1st. - Steve Moss doubles (7) on a line drive to left fielder Jose Campusano. Guilder Rodriguez scores. Lou Palmisano to 3rd. - Brendan Katin hit by pitch. - Mel Stocker triples (4) on a ground ball to right fielder Dante Brinkley. Lou Palmisano scores. Steve Moss scores. Brendan Katin scores. - Adam Heether walks. - Carlos Corporan singles on a line drive to left fielder Jose Campusano. Mel Stocker scores. Adam Heether to 3rd. Carlos Corporan out at 2nd, left fielder Jose Campusano to second baseman Kevin Randel. - Hernan Iribarren doubles (6) on a fly ball to right fielder Dante Brinkley. Adam Heether scores. - Pitcher Change: Jarrett Santos replaces Kurt Koehler, batting 6th. - Guilder Rodriguez singles on a line drive to center fielder Jai Miller. Hernan Iribarren scores. - Steven Sollmann singles on a ground ball to left fielder Jose Campusano. Guilder Rodriguez to 3rd. - Lou Palmisano singles on a line drive to right fielder Dante Brinkley. Guilder Rodriguez scores. Steven Sollmann to 3rd. - Steve Moss grounds out, third baseman Lee Mitchell to first baseman Grant Psomas. Huntsville Box Score: The Stars now have five southpaws in their rotation, four relative soft tossers, and Manny Parra -- Sam Narron's spot seems tenuous, he was piching before his hometown fans here... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cmcaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: Back in the 6th, Adam Heether and Hernan Iribarren had dreadful called strike three at-bats with men on base that had those listening seething -- each redeemed themselves in the big rally... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_cmcaax_1

Excuse the one-post Link Report diversion, but only because I hope to retire on the royalties in case it takes off, my post from the Major League Forum: The Journal-Sentinel is asking for a team nickname: www.jsonline.com/content/...ckname.asp Just letting you all know I just submitted "The Nedwetters" in honor of the peeyourpantsforthebrewers.com site.

Before we finalize tonight's Huntsville game, here's an MiLB.com feature with more quotes from Lindsay Gulin on last night's oh-so-close one-hitter: web.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp Lindsay Gulin tossed five hitless innings in a spot start for Huntsville. (Chris Ponder Photo / ponderphoto.com) http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2007/05/11/f4KvV24z.jpg

Stars in the middle of a sweet rally now in an entertaining, sometimes maddening game -- it's now tied at 7-7, bases loaded, none out, time for you to jump in as of 9:45 Central and join Brett on the call...Huntsville trailed 6-0 early on... UPDATE: Nine-run eighth inning (and still counting!) 12-7 Stars! UPDATE #2: Team-record 13-run inning (finally over). It's 16-7. Send David Weiser to the record books! Best inning in the 23-year history of the club! 18 men came to the plate, they batted around twice! This, kids, is why the game of baseball is so great. For the longest time, there was no indication that we'd be rewarded for tuning in tonight.

Final: Greensboro (Marlins) 4, West Virginia 3 West Virginia Site Game Summary: GRASSHOPPERS SHUT DOWN POWER Jay Buente and Blake Jones combined to retire the last 15 West Virginia Power batters and held the league?s best offensive attack to just five hits as the ?Hoppers took game one of the series 4-3. Jacob Blackwood and Logan Morrison hit back-to-back RBI singles in the first inning to give the Grasshoppers an early edge. The Power cut that deficit in half in the bottom of the first inning after Darren Ford tripled and scored on Michael Brantley?s groundout. Chris Coghlan hit a solo home run in the top of the third to put the Grasshoppers back on top by a pair until Steve Chapman scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning. West Virginia tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Martin Maldonado doubled and scored on Ford?s groundout. Two innings later Spike McDougal hit a solo home run to put the Grasshoppers ahead for good. Buente (3-0) allowed a run on two hits through four innings to earn the victory, Jones (11) got the save and Mike McClendon (2-1) was tagged with the loss. Chapman was the only Power player to record a multi-hit game. Travis Wendte and Patrick Ryan combined to toss two and a third innings of scoreless relief. The Power fell to 24-9 with the loss and the Grasshoppers improved to 23-13 with the win. The Power will continue the four game series (two home, two away) against Greensboro at Appalachian Power Park on Sunday afternoon. The Power will start left hander Zach Braddock (2-1, 1.52) and the Grasshoppers will counter with left hander Tom Cowley (1-1, 2.45). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM (1:05 Central). West Virginia Box Score: RH bat Jimmy Mojica and LH bat Taylor Green appear to be in a fairly strict platoon at third base for the moment -- each has been pleasantly productive this year... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: A Darren Ford GIDP in the 3rd -- that must be something to see... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

Final: Brevard County 2, Fort Myers (Twins) 1 Four-game sweep! Brevard County Box Score: Sweet pitching, including LH starter Derek Miller's nine K's; Manatees only muster four base hits and K 12 times themselves... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Log: Mat Gamel had to feel great when his double was big in a two-run rally, after his throwing error led to an unearned run earlier... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

So much for those 0.00 ERA's of Feliciano and Smith...

I can't believe that when I watch the All-Star Game this year, there will be an actual interest in determining home field advantage in the World Series. Obviously getting way ahead of myself here, but the possibility of a Red Sox (who I despise) / Brewer World Series makes my head spin.