Jim Goulart

Final: West Virginia 4, Lexington (Astros) 3, ten innings West Virginia Box Score: Jimmy Mojica on base three times; solid outing, Zach Braddock... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 This was my favorite audio call of the game. Travis Wendte had just come in to start the top of the 7th, trying to keep the Power, down 2-1, close. Immediately in trouble with men on, catcher Andy Bouchie used a pump fake to second base before throwing to third base to fool Roger Clemens' son Koby and pick him off third base to end the inning: Go the 1 hour, 52 minute mark for this half-inning of the May 7th game; 2 hour, 1 minute mark for the crucial play: web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Lexington Top 7th - Pitcher Change: Travis Wendte replaces Zach Braddock. Koby Clemens walks. - Eric Taylor singles on a ground ball to right fielder Chuck Caufield. Koby Clemens to 3rd. - Andrew Holder called out on strikes. - Cesar A Quintero strikes out swinging and Koby Clemens was picked off 3rd, catcher Andy Bouchie to third baseman Jimmy Mojica.

Now that you've enjoyed Sunday's walk-off audio, here's what you want to listen to from Monday morning -- At this link, be sure to click on the audio for Monday, May 7th: web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Here's the two-run rally from the 8th inning, in which the Power took a 3-2 lead -- they actually should have scored more in the inning -- go to the 2 hour, 17 minute mark for this half-inning, including Brent Brewer's big hit: West Virginia Bottom 8th - Pitcher Change: Victor Garate replaces Polin Trinidad. - Stephen Chapman walks. - Jimmy Mojica walks. Stephen Chapman to 2nd. - Darren Ford out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Victor Garate to second baseman Greg Buchanan. Stephen Chapman to 3rd. Jimmy Mojica to 2nd. - Brent Brewer singles on a fly ball to left fielder Andrew Holder. Stephen Chapman scores. Jimmy Mojica scores. - With Michael Brantley batting, Brent Brewer steals (11) 2nd base. - Michael Brantley walks. Brent Brewer to 3rd. Brent Brewer steals (12) 3rd base. - Pitcher Change: Sergio Severino replaces Victor Garate. - Chuck Caufield pops out to second baseman Greg Buchanan. - John Alonso flies out to center fielder Cesar A Quintero. Then go to the 3 hour, 13 minute mark and enjoy Monday's walkoff moment: West Virginia Bottom 10th - Brent Brewer grounds out, third baseman Koby Clemens to first baseman Eric Taylor. - Michael Brantley homers (1) on a line drive to right field.

OK don't get confused, this post discusses Sunday's walk-off West Virginia rally, as promised yesterday: West Virginia Bottom 9th - Martin Maldonado flies out to right fielder Jordan Parraz. - Taylor Green grounds out, second baseman Greg Buchanan to first baseman James Van Ostrand. - Darren Ford homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. - Brent Brewer singles on a line drive to left fielder Andrew Holder. - Michael Brantley singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jordan Parraz. Brent Brewer to 3rd. - Chuck Caufield singles on a ground ball to left fielder Andrew Holder. Brent Brewer scores. Michael Brantley to 2nd. First click on the audio archive link for May 6th. Then starting at the 2 hour, 42 minute mark, check out Andy "Bull" Barch's fantastic call with Darren Ford's last-gasp at-bat (a "jack-jackety-jack"): web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

Wow what a great outing by Zach Jack! Just pitched a 1 hitter against Round Rock. Y'know, it used to be if you were a Paul Rigdon or a Ben Diggins or a Matt Childers (no offense to those guys), you'd get your break on the Brewer pitching staff, ready or not. Talk about an embarrassment of riches in 2007...

Oh great, so now we have wrist, groin, and elbow discussion within a few posts http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Michael Brantley Walk-Off Jack-Jackety-Jack in the Bottom of the 10th! Power wins, 4-3 -- details soon....

In progress: West Virginia 3, Lexington (Astros) 2, bottom of the 8th in Charleston I hope many of you have been able to enjoy "Bull" Barch's call today, as I have -- fantastically pitched tight game thus far; Brent Brewer just singled in two runs in the 8th to give West Virginia the lead...

Again, nice job here by the Daily Mail's Jacob Messer... Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/story/S...ors-story/ A survivor's story Jacob Messer Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter West Virginia Power hitting coach Corey Hart always thought he was invincible. Why wouldn't he? Hart, 31, was well built and athletic. So much so, he spent more than a third of his life -- 11 years, to be exact -- as a minor-league baseball player in the Kansas City Royals' and Milwaukee Brewers' farm systems. "I thought nothing could happen to me," Hart said. That explains why he ignored a spot on the right side of his chest that was about the size of a 50-cent piece. It had been there all Hart's life. He always assumed it was a birthmark. It wasn't. It was malignant melanoma. Although it is one of the rarest types of skin cancer, it is the deadliest type of the disease. According to the World Health Organization Report, about 48,000 melanoma-related deaths occur annually. Hart might have been included in those statistics someday if it weren't for his wife, Stacy. She had a hunch about that spot, which had changed in appearance. It darkened and a portion in the middle rose above the surface of his skin. "Since the day I met him, he told me it was a birthmark," recalled Hart's wife, 34. "But it didn't look right to me." So, Stacy did what any good wife would do. She tricked him into visiting a dermatologist with her in Nashville, Tenn., where the couple resides in the off-season. She even used their son, 6-month-old Camden, as an accomplice. "After I had the baby, I got a little rash on my upper arm," she explained. "So, I scheduled an appointment when I knew he could go with me. Then, I told him I needed him to help me with the baby. As soon as we walked into the doctor's office, I pulled up his shirt and had my doctor look at it." The doctor didn't hesitate. "Ten minutes later," Hart said, "they told me to take my insurance card to the receptionist." The doctor performed a biopsy and diagnosed the spot as a dysplastic nevus, which is an atypical mole. Dysplastic nevi usually are larger than ordinary moles and have irregular and indistinct borders, according to the National Cancer Institute. Their color frequently is not uniform, ranging from pink to dark brown. They usually are flat, although parts might be raised above the skin surface. That was Feb. 28, about a week before Hart reported to Arizona for the Brewers' spring training. Hart returned to the dermatologist the next day for two more procedures to remove that spot and a cyst on the left side of his chest. A week passed and Hart thought everything was fine until he received a phone call as he was driving into Phoenix. It was the dermatologist, who had good news and bad news. "We didn't get it all," the doctor told Hart, recounting the conversation. "We have to go back in there and get the rest of it. But we don't have to do it right now. You can wait until the season is over if you want." Hart told his wife and they agreed to take care of the problem sooner rather than later. "Had we left it all season, who knows what would have happened," she said. Hart visited the Brewers' team doctor, who eventually uttered the two words that changed the way he looked at himself and his life: malignant melanoma. "My wife was a wreck the whole time," Hart said. "I wasn't worried about it until then." Depressing thoughts of his wife and son's lives without him soon followed the devastating diagnosis. "That," Hart said, "was the thing that got me the most." The Brewers sent Hart back to Nashville, where a Vanderbilt University dermopathologist successfully removed all of the melanoma April 2 during the sixth and final procedure (four for the melanoma and two for the cyst). The eight-hour operation followed a 31-hour drive from Phoenix and preceded a six-hour drive to Charleston, where he played for the Alley Cats in 1999. Hart was at Appalachian Power Park the next evening for a media session and exhibition game. "He didn't complain once," his wife said. "That's just the kind of guy he is." The Christian couple's faith in God provided strength and solace during the difficult ordeal. "I knew it was in God's hands," Hart said. So, the Harts prayed. "We prayed a lot," his wife said. "We called both of our churches that we grew up in and we asked them to pray. We put the word out there." She also believes God brought them together for a reason. "Maybe he would have let it go too long if I hadn't come into his life," she said. "And I let him know that," she added with a laugh. Much like a child eager to remove a Band-Aid and show off a boo-boo, Hart proudly displays the five-inch scar that runs diagonally from the middle of his chest to the area under his right breast. He even lets people look at photos from his operation, which show the exposed opening where the melanoma was removed. Who can blame him? He is a cancer survivor, after all. His experience -- one that taught him not to take life for granted -- is worth sharing. However, Hart knows -- and his wife won't let him forget -- that he hasn't finished his fight with cancer. "I'm more of a risk than normal people," Hart said. "Now that I have had it, it's more likely to come back. The fact that I work in the sun makes me that much more susceptible." Hart has to endure monthly checkups for the next year. He also has to report any suspicious moles. "My wife looks me over head to toe in case something changes," he said. Hart uses sunscreen and wears specially made undershirts. A hat or helmet also is a must considering his shaved head is a flesh-colored bull's-eye. It all is done to protect him from a relapse. "He'll never be free and clear," said his wife, who takes similar precautions with their son because melanoma often is hereditary. "He's a very positive person and he told me not to worry. But I'll always worry. I'll always be the nagging wife telling him he needs to put on his sunblock and his hat." * * *Thanks in part to Hart, the Power has a .293 team batting average. That is tops among the South Atlantic League's 16 low Class A clubs. West Virginia is on pace to shatter the franchise record of .277. That mark was set last year under Mike Lum, whom Hart replaced after the Brewers promoted him to roving hitting instructor this year. Hart was the hitting coach for the high Class A Brevard County (Fla.) Manatees last year.

Standings through Sunday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 17 13 .567 - 9-5 8-8 W1 Memphis 16 15 .516 1.5 13-6 3-9 L1 Iowa 15 15 .500 2.0 8-4 7-11 W3 Omaha 14 17 .452 3.5 11-5 3-12 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 15 13 .536 - 5-8 10-5 W3 Huntsville 14 14 .500 1.0 7-8 7-6 W1 West Tenn 14 16 .467 2.0 8-7 6-9 W2 Chattanooga 13 17 .433 3.0 7-8 6-9 L1 Carolina 12 18 .400 4.0 7-8 5-10 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palm Beach 16 13 .552 - 7-8 9-5 L3 Brevard County 16 14 .533 0.5 8-6 8-8 L2 Daytona 16 14 .533 0.5 9-5 7-9 W1 St. Lucie 14 16 .467 2.5 7-9 7-7 W2 Vero Beach 13 15 .464 2.5 9-6 4-9 W3 Jupiter 13 17 .433 3.5 5-9 8-8 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 20 7 .741 - 12-5 8-2 W1 Greensboro 18 12 .600 3.5 12-4 6-8 W1 Lakewood 15 12 .556 5.0 6-7 9-5 W4 Lake County 14 15 .483 7.0 9-7 5-8 L4 Lexington 14 16 .467 7.5 7-8 7-8 L1 Hickory 12 16 .429 8.5 5-4 7-12 L1 Delmarva 11 18 .379 10.0 6-9 5-9 L1 Hagerstown 11 19 .367 10.5 6-8 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 Monday'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_clrafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

Monday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 10:15 AM pre-game; 10:30 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: LHP Sam Narron at home vs. Mobile (Diamondbacks), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: TBD at Clearwater (Phillies), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: LHP Zach Braddock at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 9:25 AM pre-game, 9:35 gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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Definitely conflicting reports don't help, though -- why would Braun pinch-run on Saturday if it was his groin? Did the newspaper reporter mis-understand or mis-quote? Was Frank Kremblas playing the role of J.P. Ricciardi in terms of injury "truthfulness"? Honestly, I understand why new rules are in place as per employee rights in pro baseball when discussing injury situations, but it's frustrating as heck for the fans.

More on the Sounds from MiLB.com: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp Sounds' Gallardo derails Express By Ryan McConnell / Special to MLB.com Tim Lincecum and Phil Hughes have gotten their opportunities to pitch at the big-league level this year. Yovani Gallardo looks ready for his turn. Gallardo (4-1) gave up one hit over seven shutout innings Sunday as the Nashville Sounds defeated the Round Rock Express, 5-2. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out nine, walked three and yielded only a first-inning single to Jesse Garcia. Despite the dominant outing, he took his performance in stride. "I felt pretty good," Gallardo said. "My fastball wasn't as good as usual and my mechanics were a little off. But I was able to figure it out." Gallardo also seems to have figured out the Pacific Coast League. After a rocky start against Oklahoma on April 9 in which he gave up four earned runs in five innings, the Texas native has yielded five runs over his last 32 innings with 44 strikeouts. The former second-round draft pick has overtaken Lincecum for the Minor League strikeout lead with 51. Last season, Gallardo was 11-5 with a 1.86 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 155 innings between Class A Advanced Brevard County and Double-A Huntsville. Although he said he's staying patient, he's clearly looking forward to his opportunity to pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers. "That's my goal. That's where I want to be," he said. "I'd love to have that opportunity, it'd be awesome. But I try not think about it." Gallardo's batterymate, Mike Rivera, snapped a scoreless tie in the fifth with a solo home run, his second of the season. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give the Sounds (17-13) a 3-0 lead. Andy Abad ripped an RBI single in the sixth and Nashville added two insurance runs in the eighth on second baseman Brooks Conrad's error. Eric Bruntlett ripped an RBI triple in the ninth to help the Express (14-17) avoid their second shutout loss of the season. Round Rock starter Jared Gothreaux (1-1) surrendered three runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.

Link for new Yovani Gallardo photo while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Gallardo as close to guaranteed win as it gets By TYLER BLANK For The Tennessean Sounds starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo expanded on an impressive season Sunday, recording nine strikeouts and allowing just one hit through seven innings in a 5-2 win over Round Rock at Greer Stadium. The Sounds have won eight of their past nine games at home, and Gallardo has won four of his last five starts. Gallardo's 51 strikeouts through 37 innings give him the most in all of the minor leagues. Gio Gonzalez of Double-A Birmingham is second with 47. "He's done that the last four or five starts," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "He comes out, has good command of his stuff and is able to make pitches when he needs to." After Gallardo's first start, in which he allowed four runs in five innings, he has been rolling. He has allowed only five runs through his previous 32 innings, and has allowed one run or less in four of his last five starts. Sunday, he did not allow a batter past first base. "Every outing I just try and go out, make pitches, get the hitters out and it's been working for me, Gallardo said." On Sunday, he didn't have much of a choice. He didn't get any run support until Mike Rivera gave Nashville a 1-0 lead with a fifth-inning home run. "Their starter did a good job and he might have been a little tired there," Kremblas said. What they said: "He comes out, has good command of his stuff and is able to make pitches when he needs to." ? Kremblas on Gallardo. ***Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Two Sounds extend hitting streaks in win By TYLER BLANK For The Tennessean Sounds catcher Mike Rivera and first baseman Andy Abad extended their hitting streaks in Sunday's 5-2 victory over Round Rock. Rivera doubled in the third inning and hit a solo home run in the fifth to extend his streak to five games. He has gone 6-for-14 with a .429 batting average during that stretch. "I've been battling all year, trying to get my rhythm going and I feel much better," Rivera said. "I'm just trying to get results every at-bat." Abad holds the Sounds' longest active hitting streak with seven games. He hit a one-out single in the sixth inning, which drove in Charles Thomas for Nashville's second run. Abad has gone 10-for-22 and batted .455 during his streak. He began the season with 12 hitless at-bats. The Sounds' longest hitting streak of the season ? eight games ? belongs to Brad Nelson. Sweet relief: The eighth and ninth innings provided Nashville with their first real trouble of the day when Round Rock managed to score two runs off Sounds relief pitchers Jose Capellan and Luther Hackman. "We've been having a little spell where our relievers have been getting into trouble," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "It's nice to see them get into a little trouble and get out of it." Round Rock's comeback was not enough as Hackman and pitcher Alec Zumwalt pitched their way out of trouble, leaving Nashville in sole possession of first place in the Pacific Coast League's Northern Division. PCL leaders: Nashville leads the PCL in scoring the game's first run. In 30 games this year, the Sounds have scored the first run 21 times. They are 13-8 when scoring first. Nashville also leads the PCL in fielding. The Sounds have committed a league-low 16 errors this season. Third baseman Ryan Braun has a PCL-leading eight home runs this season. Almost there: Nashville is third in the PCL with 30 home runs, behind Albuquerque (31) and Memphis (31). Braun has eight, while Nelson and Vinny Rottino have five each.

Conflicting reports, but go with Frank Kremblas, Sounds' manager: Braun sits for second day: Braun, the Brewers? top offensive prospect, was not in the lineup for the second day in a row. Kremblas said Braun needed time off because he has a slightly sore groin. Braun, who seemed fine in the clubhouse after the game, hadn?t missed any time this season and isn?t expected to go on the disabled list. -- Nashville City Paper

Link while active, text follows: www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56042 Gallardo guides Sounds to victory By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent Yovani Gallardo baffled Round Rock for seven slick innings to lead Nashville to a 5-2 victory over the Express in front of 7.096 fans at Greer Stadium on Sunday. The Milwaukee Brewers? top prospect went seven innings and allowed just one hit en route to the win. Gallardo?s masterful outing moves his record to 4-1, with his only loss coming in his season opener, which was his Triple A debut. Gallardo allowed four runs over five innings in that start, which ended in a loss to Oklahoma. Since then, he?s been close to untouchable, allowing five runs over the past 32 innings. What?s more, Gallardo became the minor league strikeouts leader with nine Ks against Round Rock. Gallardo has 51 strikeouts in 37 innings. ?Every outing I just try to go out there, make pitches, get hitters out and keep the ball down in the zone,? Gallardo said. ?It?s been working for me. I?ve been working out in the [bullpen on off-days], so I?m just going to keep doing the same thing.? Mike Rivera took care of the offense for the Sounds when he broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with a solo home run. Rivera?s homer ricocheted off the guitar scoreboard in left field. That means Rivera will be awarded a Copley guitar like every Sounds player who hits a ball off the big blue scoreboard in left center. Rivera is the second Sound to win a guitar this season ? Ryan Braun has hit two blasts off the scoreboard. Nashville (17-13) padded its lead in the sixth inning. That?s when Andy Abad notched an RBI single and Rivera added a sacrifice fly that plated Vinny Rottino. ?It?s nice, I think he?s coming around a little bit, relaxing and getting things done,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said of Rivera?s strong day at the plate. The Sounds added two more runs in the eighth thanks to a throwing error on Round Rock second baseman Brooks Conrad. Braun sits for second day: Braun, the Brewers? top offensive prospect, was not in the lineup for the second day in a row. Kremblas said Braun needed time off because he has a slightly sore groin. Braun, who seemed fine in the clubhouse after the game, hadn?t missed any time this season and isn?t expected to go on the disabled list.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1 Housman makes difference at plate Huntsville reliever also contributes at plate in 5-2 win By BRAD SHEPARD For the Huntsville Times His mound work can't be discounted, but Huntsville Stars reliever Jeff Housman arguably made a bigger impact at the plate during Sunday's 5-2 win over Chattanooga. How many relievers get on base when hitting in important situations? Well, with his team trailing by two in the fourth inning, Housman came up with runners on first and third and one out. He'd already admirably replaced starter Mike Jones, who left in the fourth with what Stars manager Don Money said was an apparent elbow strain. Instead of making a quick out and turning back to the dugout, Housman drew an eight-pitch walk to load the bases and keep the inning promising. Leadoff hitter Steve Sollman followed with a two-run single, and Hernan Iribarren's sacrifice fly gave the Stars what eventually became the winning run. "That was a great at-bat," Money said. "Runners on first and third, and he battles there and eventually scores a run. He kept the inning going." Housman also took another big step toward a full recovery on the mound, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings during his second appearance in three days following last June's season-ending shoulder surgery. He said of the shoulder afterward, "it's not there yet, but it's getting back." "When Jones got hurt, I thought (Corey) Thurman was going in, so it was a little bit of a surprise," Housman said. "I knew I wouldn't be able to get real loose. I just wanted to make some pitches and get out of it." Jones will be evaluated further, but Money said he thought the injury was a strain. Though Housman was the lone Stars reliever to perform with a bat in his hands, he was only part of an impressive effort from the bullpen. He, Bo Hall, Robert Hinton, Joe Thatcher and Marino Salas combined for 5 1/3 shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. "That's huge," said Sollman, who had the Stars' big hit. "They've been doing a great job all year keeping us in games. They've been giving us a chance to win." Though their teammates didn't give them any breathing room until the seventh, the relievers didn't need any insurance. When Chattanooga did threaten, the defense provided plenty of help. Hall put on J.C. Boscan with a leadoff walk in the seventh, but when pinch hitter Ryan Hanigan softly lined a ball to center field, Steve Moss made a terrific diving catch for the first out. Huntsville (14-14) got out of the inning unscathed and was the beneficiary of some shaky pitching in the bottom of the inning. The Stars loaded the bases with one out against Jared Burton, who walked Yohannis Perez to force in a run. Then, he walked Ulyses Davenport to give the Stars another run. Combined with the stellar pitching and a couple of sparkling plays, it was enough for a Huntsville win. "The bullpen," Money said, "has been pretty solid all year." Even so at the plate Sunday.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1 Covering the bases Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Jeff Eure, who led the Stars in RBIs last season and was such a versatile player he worked at all nine positions in the 2006 season finale, was released Saturday by the Brewers organization. His release makes room on the roster for third baseman Adam Heether to return from the disabled list, where he was placed after suffering an oblique muscle injury. Eure was batting .181 with seven RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 72 at-bats. Heether was off to a slow start, at .132 (five-for-38) before his injury, then went 0-for-3 Saturday. ... At this level of the minors, teams are often hesitant to proclaim one pitcher as the closer. Not the Stars, and their pitching coach Rich Sauveur, who notes that "we're really just one step from the big leagues" and strongly believes a pitcher needs to be settling into the same role here at which he'd be used in the majors. Which brings us to Marino Salas, who is clearly Huntsville's closer and has already paid dividends with three saves this week alone and five for the season. (Let's recall the impact Joe Valentine, with 13 saves and two wins, had in last season's Stars' resurgence.) Salas will pitch virtually every time Huntsville takes a lead into the ninth inning, and Sauveur won't hesitate to use him for two innings when needed. Salas has an excellent fastball, said Sauveur, but needs to perfect a secondary pitch, like a change or slider. "When he does that, he'll really be tough to hit." Overall, Sauveur is thrilled with his bullpen. "They know their job and what is asked of them. They've done an outstanding job." ... Miles Prentice, the majority owner of the Stars, is expected at Tuesday's game, along with some of the team partners. Prentice, a New York attorney, also attended opening night, but visits infrequently. ... Tom Van Schaack, the Stars' general manager, will undergo heart surgery this week at his home in upstate New York. ... The word was catcher Lou Palmisano and outfielder Steve Moss needed to pick up their offense to match their defensive skills, and it was a crucial year for both. How about a .355 average and 15 RBIs in Palmisano's first 19 games and .295 average for Moss with 20 RBIs and three homers. ... The Brewers couldn't keep Carlos Corporan (.363, 19 RBIs in 23 games) at Single-A Brevard County, so suddenly a position that had historically been a weak link in the Brewers' system is looking stronger. ... The shallow bench of a Double-A team is evident in this stat: The Stars are 4-for-22 pinch-hitting and have yet to produce a pinch-hit RBI. Around the league When Mobile arrives for Monday's series opener with Huntsville, pencil that in for a Stars win. The BayBears are 0-5 in series openers this season. ... The BayBears, an Arizona farmclub after being with the Padres for nine seasons, are managed by Brett Butler, the popular former Atlanta Braves outfielder. ... The Montgomery Biscuits, with little more than three years in their new park, drew their one millionth fan Saturday. ... Tennessee's Matt Craig had six RBIs in Friday's 16-1 win over Birmingham, with the Smokies mauling Barons ace Gio Gonzalez, the league's strikeout leader. ... West Tenn is at the bottom of the SL North after being a dominant team a year ago. Pretty simple difference. The Diamond Jaxx had a league-best 2.84 ERA last year. They're at 4.34 now, next-to-worst in the league behind Montgomery. ... If Mississippi continues on its playoff-bound pace, it will assure that each of the league's 10 franchises will have reached the postseason since 2004. Brewings Triple-A Nashville Sounds (15-12 before Saturday's play, first place in Pacific Coast League American Division): 3B Ryan Braun .366, league-leading 8 HRs, 17 RBIs Single-A Brevard County Manatees (16-12, second in Florida State East Division): P WiIl Inman 2-2, 1.51 ERA, 43 Ks in 32 2/3 innings in six starts Single-A West Virginia Power (19-6, first in South Atlantic League Northern Division this half): OF Darren Ford .357, 17 SBs, 11 RBIs in 19 games

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1142 Bullpen's Excellence Saves the Day Jeff Housman and four other relievers combined to throw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in Huntsville?s 5-2 win over Chattanooga Sunday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars won their first series in three tries at home to improve to 14-14 and stay within a game of first place in the North Division after Tennessee downed Birmingham. The Lookouts dropped to 13-17 and fell three games behind the front-running Smokies. Stars? starter Mike Jones blanked the visitors through the first three innings before Enrique Cruz led off the fourth with a single, moved to third base on a Jay Garthwaite double and scored on a Chris Dickerson ground out that also moved Garthwaite to third base, from where he scored on a Cody Strait sacrifice fly. Jones was taken out of the game after his first pitch to the next hitter Tonys Gutierrez because of a right forearm strain. Gutierrez singled against Housman, who then retired J.C. Boscan to end the inning. Housman drew a walk against Lookouts? starter Luke Lockwood to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning before Steve Sollmann delivered a two-run single to tie the game and drive in his first runs in 11 games. Chattanooga second baseman Drew Anderson then mishandled a Hernan Iribarren grounder that re-loaded the bases and brought Steve Moss to the plate. Cruz made a tremendous grab of a sharply hit ground ball behind the bag at third and threw out Moss at first as Housman crossed the plate with the go-ahead run. Housman was taken out after 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and replaced by Bo Hall, who also went 1 2/3 of shutout relief. Robert Hinton issued a one-out walk in the eighth and was followed by Joe Thatcher, who set down the next two hitters to end the frame. Marino Salas gave up a one-out single to Boscan in the ninth before catching a line drive off the bat of pinch-hitter Luis Bolivar and doubling up Boscan to end the game and earn his third save of the series. The Stars bullpen worked 16 1/3 scoreless innings over the last four games of the set and Salas twice got Bolivar to hit into game-ending double plays. Jared Burton issued bases loaded walks to Yohannis Perez and pinch-hitter Ulyses Davenport in the seventh to push across the final two runs of the day. Burton, on a rehab assignment as a member of the Reds major league roster after being selected in the Rule 5 draft, allowed six runs on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings over two appearances in the series. The Stars begin a five-game series against Mobile Monday night, as southpaw Sam Narron will take the hill against BayBears? right-hander Chris Kinsey. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 AM WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Final: Huntsville 5, Chattanooga (Reds) 2 Huntsville site details later... Huntsville Box Score: Those Huntsville bullpen ERA's are pretty darn impressive; kind of an odd time to pull Mike Jones, with two outs and no one on in the 4th -- pitch count would have seemed to be reasonable given the game log, wonder if he's OK... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

Final: Nashville 5, Round Rock (Astros) 2 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Yovani Gallardo photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2302 Gallardo Tosses Another Gem In 5-2 Victory NASHVILLE ? Yovani Gallardo turned in another gem for Nashville on Sunday afternoon at Greer Stadium, leading the Sounds to a 5-2 victory over the Round Rock Express in front of 7,096 fans. Gallardo (4-1) allowed only one hit and fanned nine batters over seven scoreless innings to earn the victory in his fifth consecutive quality start. The right-hander did not allow a runner to advance past first base during his outing and took the overall minor league lead with 51 K?s through his first six starts. The victory, which ties Gallardo with Zach Jackson for the team lead, was the 21-year-old hurler?s fourth in his last five starts; in his previous start on April 30 at Iowa, he left in line for a win before a blown save by the Sounds? bullpen resulted in a Nashville loss. Gallardo lowered his ERA to 2.19 on the year and has held opponents to a .164 batting average this season. The first-place Sounds (17-13) notched their fourth win in the last six games and their eighth victory in the club?s last nine home contests. Mike Rivera paced the Nashville offense on the afternoon with a 2-for-2 effort that included a home run, double, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Rivera (2-for-2) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a leadoff solo home run off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center. The blast, which came against Round Rock starter Jared Gothreaux, was his second of the season. AUDIO: Mike Rivera Homers Off The Guitar -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%205-6.mp3 The Sounds extended the lead to 3-0 in the sixth against Gothreaux. With one out, Charles Thomas drew a walk and Vinny Rottino singled to chase the right-hander. Andy Abad greeted Express reliever and former Brewer farmhand Travis Phelps with a rocket RBI single off the glove of first baseman Mark Saccamanno to plate Thomas and extend his hitting streak to seven games. Rivera followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Rottino with Nashville?s third run of the contest. Round Rock plated its first run in the top of the eighth against the Nashville bullpen. Jose Capellan allowed consecutive singles to put runners on the corners before inducing a popout from pinch-hitter Barry Wesson. After Luis Villarreal took over on the hill, Eric Bruntlett scored from third on a Josh Anderson groundout to make it a 3-1 contest. Nashville added a pair of gift insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 5-1 contest when Round Rock second baseman Brooks Conrad misfired to first while handling a two-out, bases-loaded grounder off the bat of Sounds pinch-hitter Jose Macias. Rottino and Rivera scored in unearned fashion on the play. Express reliever Scott Sauerbeck had walked the bases loaded. The Express made it a 5-2 game in the ninth against Luther Hackman. Eric Munson led off the frame with a single and scored on a two-out RBI triple by Bruntlett. Gothreaux (1-1) took his first loss of the year for Round Rock after allowing three runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. The teams wrap up the four-game series with a 10:30 AM finale on Monday morning. Left-hander Zach Jackson (4-2, 4.32) will take the hill for the Sounds to face Round Rock right-hander Chad Reineke (2-2, 7.20). The game will feature a crowd filled with over 8,000 area schoolchildren in attendance as part of the successful Nashville Sounds Reading Club program. All program participants who have met their reading goals receive a free ticket to the game and will be recognized for their accomplishments during a pre-game, on-field parade. Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Reliever Steve Bray: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%205-6.mp3

MiLB.com Brevard County Game Notes: Carpenter, Threshers thrash Manatees Andrew Carpenter hurled a four-hitter for eight innings as Clearwater routed visiting Brevard County, 9-2, on Sunday. Carpenter (3-1), a 21-year-old right hander, allowed both runs, striking out eight and walking one to lower his ERA to 2.39. He retired the first 14 batters he faced before the Manatees' Cole Gillespie reached on an infield single with two out in the fifth inning. Brett Harker threw a perfect ninth in relief. The Threshers (20-10) broke open a 2-2 game with five runs in the sixth. Welinson Baez, who went 2-for-4, keyed the rally with a bases-loaded double that drove in three. Orlando Guevara's RBI double and Mike Spidale's sacrifice fly plated two more runs. The Threshers' Jeremy Slayden also went 2-for-4 to raise his batting average to .327. Jesse Harper (1-3) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs -- five earned -- on six hits while fanning four and walking two for the Manatees (16-14). -- Alan Friedman/MLB.com