Jim Goulart

Standings through Friday's Action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 5 3 .625 - 5-3 0-0 W1 Iowa 4 4 .500 1.0 1-0 3-4 W1 Nashville 4 4 .500 1.0 3-4 1-0 W3 Omaha 2 7 .222 3.5 0-1 2-6 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 4 4 .500 - 2-1 2-3 L1 Huntsville 4 4 .500 - 2-3 2-1 L1 West Tenn 4 5 .444 0.5 0-0 4-5 W2 Tennessee 3 5 .375 1.0 1-2 2-3 W1 Carolina 2 7 .222 2.5 0-0 2-7 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 6 2 .750 - 2-0 4-2 W2 Jupiter 5 3 .625 1.0 1-1 4-2 L1 Daytona 4 4 .500 2.0 2-1 2-3 W1 Brevard County 3 5 .375 3.0 2-4 1-1 L2 Palm Beach 3 5 .375 3.0 2-4 1-1 L2 Vero Beach 3 5 .375 3.0 2-3 1-2 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greensboro 6 2 .750 - 4-1 2-1 W4 Lexington 6 3 .667 0.5 5-3 1-0 W1 West Virginia 5 3 .625 1.0 4-3 1-0 W3 Hickory 5 4 .556 1.5 2-3 3-1 L2 Lakewood 4 4 .500 2.0 1-2 3-2 W1 Delmarva 3 6 .333 3.5 0-1 3-5 L1 Hagerstown 3 6 .333 3.5 1-3 2-3 L1 Lake County 2 6 .250 4.0 0-1 2-5 L4

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

Follow Saturday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. Nashville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1 Brevard County: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sluafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1

Saturday's Daily Menu: No home cookin' tonight, it's one big road trip! All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Yo Gallardo at New Orleans (Mets), 5:40 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: LHP Manny Parra at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM pre-game; 6:15 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: RHP Jesse Harper at St. Lucie (Mets), 5:00 PM Audio link (game should also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp If for some reason there's difficulty with the audio link tonight, try the Manatees' radio outlet station for this game: www.920wmel.com/ West Virginia: LHP Mike Ramlow at Delmarva (Orioles), 5:35 PM gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

Audio of J.D. Closser's go-ahead pinch-hit HR: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-13.mp3

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

It's pretty easy (very easy, actually) to go to the game log link and use the "Find" option -- in this case, Braun threw out to first on a sacrifice bunt and handled another ground ball later in the game. He made a put out on a stolen base attempt at third. There was a ground ball base hit to third as well, so we don't know if that was a makeable play (very unlikely). So, three defensive chances, all handled cleanly.

Taylor Green was recently placed on the disabled list with an undisclosed injury. In the meantime, newcomer Jimmy Mojica looks to retain duty there. This article gives you a glimpse at just how unresolved that one organizational spot was coming out of spring training. Link while active, text follows: www.comoxvalleyrecord.com...&more= Green Earns Spot with Brewers 'A' Team Comox Valley Record British Columbia, Canada It?s a big step up from Rookie League to A ball ? and as Taylor Green discovered, it?s also a long car ride. The homegrown baseball talent put in a solid spring training session with the MLB Milwaukee Brewers and earned advancement from their Rookie League team in Helena, Montana to the A level club in Charleston, West Virginia. Thus it was on April 1 that Green hopped into his car for the 2,400-mile cross-country trek that took him a step closer to his dream of playing in the bigs. Green began playing ball in the Comox Valley at the age of five and has progressed steadily through the ranks with the C.V. Blizzard, Parksville Royals, Cypress College in California (where he earned All-American honours) and now the Brewers? organization. Perhaps the biggest challenge of his ball career came last month during his first-ever spring training in Phoenix, Arizona where he got to showcase his skills against professional players from every level of the system ? including Ichiro Suzuki from the Seattle Mariners. Bill Green, Taylor?s dad, said the magical atmosphere of professional baseball?s spring training was a dream come true for his son, who relished the opportunity to play alongside Major Leaguers on fields named after such greats as Paul Molitor and Rollie Fingers. ?However, the old saying that Taylor?s grandpa Andy instilled in him began to ring true ... ?You never get something for nothing,?? Bill noted. Under the watchful eyes of pro coaches, Green learned that the 10 hour days, seven days a week for one month in 100 F. temperatures would be a real test. But Bill Green said it was a test Taylor loved ... ?a battle of wits, skills and desire, and most of all a chance to demonstrate passion for a game he loves.? The grueling process is designed to separate players into teams for the coming season. After the final cuts are made for the MLB Brewers, a bumping process begins to fill roster spots on the AAA, A, A and Rookie levels. Because of his young age, 20, Green was preparing to return to Helena, but his real sights were set on playing A ball for the West Virginia Power. Throughout spring training, Green battled with other players at second base. He earned three game MVP honors for both his offensive and defensive play in action against other minor league teams such as the Angels, A?s, Padres, Giants, Royals and Mariners. In particular, he turned the heads of coaches Mike Lum (ex-Cincinnatti Red) and Garth Iorg (ex-Toronto Blue Jay). Three days before the end of training, Iorg asked Green if he had ever played third base. Green said, ?No, but if that?s where you need me, that?s what I will do.? While he has always known the world of pro ball is full of surprises, Green was still shocked when the Brewers promoted him to their A team as the starting third baseman after only three days playing the position. Short Hops ... the Power season is now underway, and fans can follow their games by going to milb.com and following the links to multimedia audio, then select West Virginia Power and the date ... the Power play 140 regular season games this year, with only nine days off ... wearing #2, Green will be playing alongside second round draft pick, SS Brent Brewer ... http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals/uploads/courtenay/.DIR288/ballboy_070413.jpg

Final: Nashville 3, New Orleans (Mets) 2 Nashville Site game Summary: Link for J.D. Closser photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2260 Closser Blasts Sounds To 3-2 Road Win Over Z's METAIRIE, La. ? Pinch-hitter J.D. Closser led off the eighth inning with a solo home run to give Nashville a 3-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Friday evening at Zephyr Field in the Sounds? first road contest of the season. The win, the Sounds? third in a row, spoiled the Zephyrs? home opener. It marked the second time in the last seven days that a late pinch-hit blast gave Nashville (4-4) a victory over the Z?s; Callix Crabbe produced a game-ending homer in the bottom of the ninth on April 6 at Greer Stadium to give the Sounds a 4-3 win against New Orleans. Closser?s roundtripper to left, his first of the year, greeted New Orleans reliever Steve Schmoll (0-1), who took the loss, and made a winner out of Sounds hurler Chris Spurling (1-0), who worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for Nashville. Dennis Sarfate slammed the door on the Zephyrs, recording the final six outs to pick up his second save of the young campaign. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out three batters in his two innings of work. The Sounds took advantage of a pair of New Orleans errors to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Zephyrs starter Jorge Sosa. Jose Macias (2-for-4) scored the game?s first run on a Joe Dillon sacrifice fly, and Mike Rivera drove in the second with an RBI single. Z?s third baseman Fernando Tatis cut the Sounds? lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the frame with his first home run of the young season. The blast to center off Nashville starter Chris Oxspring made it a 2-1 contest. New Orleans tied it at 2-2 in the sixth when Ruben Gotay opened the frame with a triple against Oxspring and later scored on an Andy Tracy sacrifice fly off Sounds reliever Mitch Stetter. Double plays killed Nashville rallies all evening as the New Orleans defense combined for five twin-killings: strikeout/caught stealing double plays in the first, second, and third innings, and double-play grounders in the sixth and seventh frames. Both starting pitchers turned in solid efforts but neither factored in the decision. Oxspring, whose ERA sits at 2.61 after two starts, allowed two runs on six hits while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings. Sosa kept his ERA at 0.00 on the year after allowing only two unearned runs on seven hits over seven frames. The teams continue their series with a 6 p.m. meeting on Saturday evening. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (0-1, 7.20) takes the mound for Nashville to face New Orleans right-hander Chan Ho Park (1-0, 0.00). Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nozaaa_1

Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 7, Huntsville 5 Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1107 Smokies End Slide, Sink Stars Josh Kroeger singled in the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run to cap a two-run sixth inning rally in Tennessee?s 7-5 victory over Huntsville Friday night in Sevierville, TN. The Smokies stopped a four-game slide and improved to 3-5 on the young season, while the Stars could not extend their season-high two-game win streak and fell to 4-4. Corey Thurman, in his second bullpen outing of the season, stranded the bases loaded in the fourth inning in relief of Mike Jones after the Smokies had scored to take a 4-3 lead. Hernan Iribarren led off the fifth with a double and scored to tie the game when Steve Moss followed with his second triple of the season. Brendan Katin then struck out for the first out of the frame before Lou Palmisano walked and starter Justin Berg was removed from the game. Adalberto Mendez came on to strike out Jeff Eure and seemed to have picked Palmisano off at first with Steve Sollman at the plate. However, the Stars catcher stayed in a rundown long enough to allow Moss to score the go-ahead run and pull off the double steal. Thurman worked out of trouble again in the fifth but could not escape unscathed in the sixth when Chris Walker led off with a bunt base hit, stole second and scored the tying run on a double by Jake Fox that knocked the Huntsville hurler out of the game. The Stars called on southpaw Joe Thatcher to face the lefty-swinging Kroeger, who foiled the strategy with a ground ball single past a diving third baseman Jeff Eure that plated Fox after he had swiped third base. The Smokies added an insurance run against Mark DiFelice in the eighth on a two-out single by Matt Craig that delivered Jorge Cortes, who singled twice and walked twice. Berg came to the plate with runners at second and third and two out in the second inning in a scoreless game and hit what looked to be a routine pop up to shortstop but the ball was dropped by Yohannis Perez and that allowed both runners to score. Walker singled and Cortes followed with a single to knock in Berg to make it 3-0 with his first hit of the season. Mike Jones scored the visitors first run in the third inning and then knocked in a run in the fourth with a ground ball out to tie the game at three. He gave up four runs, only one earned, on seven hits and three walks over his 3 1/3 innings of work. The Stars bullpen had yielded just three runs over 27 2/3 frames before giving up three in tonight?s loss. The series continues Saturday night when Stars send left-hander Manny Parra to the mound in the fourth game of the set against Smokies? right-hander Kevin Hart. Coverage will begin at 6:00 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 AM WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. ***Link while active, text follows: www.knoxnews.com/kns/smok...75,00.html Smokies manage to reverse their fortunes Losing streak ends with first home victory, 7-5 By NICK GATES, gates@knews.com SEVIERVILLE - It was "Reverse the Curse" night. Billy the Goat was paraded on the warning track at Smokies Park in a cart before the game in hopes that the Chicago Cubs, the parent team of the Tennessee Smokies, will win their first World Series since 1908 this October. Only time will tell if the Smokies' promotion on Friday the 13th was successful in lifting the fabled hex but it must have had a profound effect on the Cubs' Class AA farmhands, if you believe in such superstition. Jake Fox doubled in the tying run, stole third base and scored the winner on Josh Kroeger's single past a drawn-up infield, and the Smokies held on for a 7-5 Southern League victory over the Huntsville Stars to snap a four-game losing streak. The Smokies (3-5) erupted for a season-high 14 hits en route to their first home win in three tries this season to the delight of the 3,335 at Smokies Park. Pat Listach wasn't around for the traditional post-game high-fives and handshakes. Tennessee's manager was ejected in the fifth inning for challenging umpire Manny Gonzalez's strike zone. Tennessee pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn filled in for Listach. Tennessee's comeback wouldn't have been possible without the bullpen. Adalberto Mendez, Carmen Pignatiello and James Henderson shut out the Stars (4-4) for 4 2/3 innings. Pignatiello (1-0) pitched two innings of no-hit relief for the win and Henderson got the final six outs for his first save. Chris Walker played a key role for Tennessee's balanced offense. The Smokies' leadoff hitter, who was 2-for-3 with a walk, ignited the winning rally with a single and got into scoring position by swiping second base. Jorge Cortes also had two hits and drove in two runs for Tennessee. The Smokies hadn't had a lead since the sixth inning of their fourth game at Jacksonville on Sunday. Tennessee broke through after two were out in the second against starter Mike Jones thanks to an inexplicable error. Gary Cates singled and raced to third on Issmael Salas' double down the right field line. Tennessee's pitchers don't have a hit this season and starter Justin Berg lifted a fly on the infield that popped in and out of shortstop Yohannis Perez's glove. The Smokies grabbed a 2-0 lead on the error but they weren't finished. Walker singled and Cortes bounced a run-scoring single just beyond the reach of Huntsville first baseman Steve Sollmann. Tennessee squandered 3-0 and 4-3 leads and Lady Luck didn't always smile on the Smokies. Matt Craig appeared to tie the game with one swing in the fifth. His long drive landed atop the right field fence and caromed back into play for a double. Craig tagged and advanced on a long fly, but was thrown out at the plate attempting to score. Berg didn't have his command. The right-hander, who was obtained in a trade from the New York Yankees, was touched for nine hits and five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Smokies Notebook: Chicago Cubs assistant general manager Randy Bush is in town for the series. Former Smokies manager Garth Iorg, who is roving instructor for the Milwaukee Brewers, is working with the Stars. Huntsville Box Score: Wow, ugly, costly error of the year thus far award to Yohannis Perez, sigh; Lou Palmisano 5-for-13 with six walks (.550 OBP) in the early-going... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: After last year's success, Corey Thurman must be bumming a bit to be both 1) still at AA, and 2) in the bullpen... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

Final: St. Lucie (Mets) 5, Brevard County 3 Game Summary from MiLB.com: Brown pitches Mets past Manatees Eric Brown tossed five solid innings as visiting St. Lucie beat Brevard County, 5-3, on Friday. Brown (2-0) allowed a run on five hits with five strikeouts and did not walk a batter. German Marte yielded an unearned run on two hits over the final two frames to recorded his first Florida State League save. Dustin Martin and Yasmil Bucce delivered two-run doubles and Emmanuel Garcia capped a three-run fourth with an RBI single as the Mets (6-2) pounded out 11 hits. Chris Errecart went 3-for-3 with three RBIs for the Manatees (3-5). He had a run-scoring groundout in the second, an RBI double in the sixth and a run-scoring single in the eighth. Brevard County starter Steve Garrison (0-1) surrendered five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts in four innings. -- Marc Jimenez/MLB.com Brevard County Box Score: Manatees with 11 hits but no walks (ten stranded overall); Josh Wahpepah's sterling four-inning effort deserves recognition; Chris Errecart (1.082 OPS) and Carlos Corporan (1.032) raking thus far, but only with three walks combined... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

Final: West Virginia 2, Delmarva (Orioles) 1 West Virginia Game Summary: POWER WIN THIRD IN A ROW The West Virginia Power fought off the Delmarva Shorebirds in a tight contest on Friday night to take the opening game of the four game series by the final score of 2-1 to win their third game in a row. The Power scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Michael Brantley hit a groundball to Delmarva third baseman Pedro Silveren with the bases loaded and Silveren booted the ball, allowing Darren Ford to score. On the next pitch Kenny Holmberg singled to right field and scored Andrew Lefave. In the bottom of the ninth Bobby Andrews scored Delmarva?s lone run on a passed ball. Power starter Zach Braddock pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings but did not factor into the decision. He allowed only one hit with five strikeouts and three walks. Alex Periard (1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen, giving up only an unearned run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings, on three walks and two strikeouts. Power relief pitcher Travis Wendte picked up his first save. Wendte came on with none out and runners at first and second in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Shorebirds? Stuart Musslewhite laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Power catcher Anderson De La Rosa tagged out Brandon Snyder at home, but then allowed Robert Andrews to score on a passed ball to cut the lead in half with two outs. Wendte induced Delmarva?s Daniel Figueroa to fly out to left field with the tying run at second. The Power improved to 5-3 with the win and the Shorebirds fell to 3-6 with the loss. All of West Virginia?s victories have been decided by two runs or fewer, and all but one of their games have been decided by two runs or less. The Power will continue the four game series against the Shorebirds at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium on Saturday night. Delmarva will start right hander Pedro Beato (0-0, 3.60) and the Power will counter with left hander Mike Ramlow (0-1, 4.91). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM (5:35 Central). West Virginia Box Score: 6,907 at the Shorebirds' home opener, wow... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: Considering the score, this was really a game log worthy of review; each team stranded nine, many in scoring position. Especially with the large crowd, this looked to be an edge-of-your-seat affair all the way through -- check it out... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1 Audio highlight: Click on this audio link, and use the "Select Date" option to make sure you're on the calendar for the 13th. Choose the WSWW archive, and go to the 3 hour, 28 minute mark for Andy "Bull" Barch's call of the bottom of the 9th -- very unique put-out at home I don't think I've ever seen nor heard described before... web.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Link while active, text follows: www.delmarvanow.com/apps/...40335/1006 Nobody home at plate Shorebirds, after eight-game road trip, open at Perdue with only four hits By Tim Brennan Delmarva Now Staff Writer SALISBURY -- The Delmarva Shorebirds came home to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium on Friday night for their home opener, having played eight games on the road. They brought the pitching, but apparently the offense got lost somewhere between Hickory, N.C., where the Shorebirds split a four-game series, and Perdue Stadium, where they arrived at 6:30 Friday morning. Delmarva, which came in with the fifth-best batting average (.270) in the 16-team South Atlantic League, came up with just four hits off West Virginia pitchers Zach Braddock, Alex Periard and Travis Wendte in a 2-1 loss, but still had a chance in the ninth, thanks to the pitching. "Good pitching today," Shorebirds manager Gary Kendall said. "[brad] Bergesen did a good job, [blake] Owen did a good job and [bruce] Gallaway. Especially with all the errors behind them, you wouldn't think you'd have an opportunity to win it in the ninth or tie it in the ninth." With an infield hit from Brandon Snyder to lead off the ninth and a walk from catcher Victor Castillo, his fourth of the game, the Shorebirds had the tying run on base down 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt, Bobby Andrews, who pinch-ran for Castillo, represented the tying run at second base. Snyder ran into the second out at the plate when Michael Pierce hit a chopper in front of the home, and a fly-out later the Shorebirds' threat, and the game, was over. "(That's) bad baserunning by Snyder, you can't go on a play there," Kendall said. "A better runner could, but not him." The bright side of the game was the Shorebirds' pitching, which entered with the SAL's worst earned-run average (6.82) but was able to hold the Power in check. Brad Bergesen got the start and was the hard-luck loser, allowing just one hit and no walks over six innings (the largest outing of the season by a Delmarva pitcher). He had three strikeouts. The trouble came in the fourth inning, when a pair of errors, one thanks to a questionable call, led to two unearned runs in the inning. The first batter, West Virginia leadoff man Darren Ford, laid down a bunt that Bergesen was able to field and throw to first for the apparent first out with time to spare. But first base umpire Michael Pridemore ruled that first baseman Brandon Snyder pulled his foot off the bag. After a fly-out, Bergeson hit the next two batters to load the bases, though he didn't feel the error weighed on him into the next to at-bats. "I tried to go in on them both times, and got a little up and in," Bergesen said. "It didn't have too much of an impact, but I did end up hitting those two guys, which made it a little bit of a longer inning, and I wasn't able to get out of it." However, the right-hander came back and got the groundball he needed. Michael Brantley hit a chopper to third baseman Pedro Silveren that could have been an inning-ending double play. Silveren bobbled the ball initially, then regrouped and tried to lob it to second for a force-out. He didn't put enough on the ball, and all the runners were safe. After a base hit, Delmarva found itself in a 2-0 hole despite just the one hit in the inning. The errors were two of four on the night, and Delmarva already has committed 17 errors through nine games. "We're not a good defensive club," Kendall said. "I think these guys are capable of being better defenders, but they're just errors from a lack of concentration. At third base, that's a possible inning-ending double play, and I've seen that error out of (Silveren) before. It's a chopping ball that, I don't know if he tries to rush it, but he didn't make that play in spring training a couple times."

Standings through Thursday's Action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis 5 3 .625 - 5-3 0-0 W1 Iowa 3 4 .429 1.5 0-0 3-4 L1 Nashville 3 4 .429 1.5 3-4 0-0 W2 Omaha 2 6 .250 3.0 0-0 2-6 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 4 3 .571 - 2-0 2-3 W3 Huntsville 4 3 .571 - 2-3 2-0 W2 West Tenn 3 5 .375 1.5 0-0 3-5 W1 Tennessee 2 5 .286 2.0 0-2 2-3 L4 Carolina 2 6 .250 2.5 0-0 2-6 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jupiter 5 2 .714 - 1-1 4-1 W1 St. Lucie 5 2 .714 - 2-0 3-2 W1 Brevard County 3 4 .429 2.0 2-3 1-1 L1 Daytona 3 4 .429 2.0 1-1 2-3 L2 Palm Beach 3 4 .429 2.0 2-3 1-1 L1 Vero Beach 2 5 .286 3.0 2-3 0-2 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greensboro 5 2 .714 - 3-1 2-1 W3 Hickory 5 3 .625 0.5 2-2 3-1 L1 Lexington 5 3 .625 0.5 5-3 0-0 L1 West Virginia 4 3 .571 1.0 4-3 0-0 W2 Lakewood 3 4 .429 2.0 1-2 2-2 L2 Delmarva 3 5 .375 2.5 0-0 3-5 W1 Hagerstown 3 5 .375 2.5 1-3 2-2 W1 Lake County 2 5 .286 3.0 0-0 2-5 L3

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 Friday'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_nozaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1 Brevard County: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_delafx_1

Friday's Daily Menu: Hopefully no portions of triskaidekaphobia for anyone on tonight's menu... All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP R.A. Dickey at New Orleans (Mets), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: RHP Mike Jones at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM pre-game; 6:15 gametime Audio link: www.huntsvillestars.com/ Brevard County: LHP Steve Garrison at home vs. St. Lucie (Mets), 6:00 PM Audio link (game should also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: LHP Zach Braddock at Delmarva (Orioles), 5:35 PM gametime Audio link (game will also archive at this link): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

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

Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/story/S...-daylight/ Ford runs to daylight Michael Dailey Charleston Daily Mail Sports Writer Darren Ford had a solid season last year while patrolling center field for the West Virginia Power. Gifted with blazing speed, Ford made difficult fielding plays look routine, while batting .283 and establishing a franchise record with 69 steals in his first full season of professional baseball. And after months of off-season work, Ford seemed poised to once again make a splash in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. "I learned a lot last season and I did a lot of adjusting during the off-season," said Ford, an 18th-round pick in the 2004 first-year player draft. "I worked on my hitting, my bunting and things like that. "I'm basically using a two-strike approach. I'm just trying to hit the ball on the ground and running. "I want to try to keep pressure on the defense by bunting and just trying to hit the ball gap to gap." But with just a couple of weeks remaining in spring training, Ford's progress came to a sudden halt when the most unexpected of injuries forced him from the playing field. What started out as an ingrown hair on Ford's stomach, soon ballooned to a golf ball sized problem that needed immediate medical attention. "It started off real little and I just really paid it no mind," said Ford. "But it just got bigger and bigger as the days went by and it really started hurting. "I went to the doctor and the doctor had to cut me open to insert a tube to help it drain out." One minor procedure and several stitches later, Ford found himself out of action at a time when he should have been putting the finishing touches on his off-season work. "I couldn't do anything for about three weeks," said Ford. "When the team came back here, I started swinging the bat and doing some outfield drills. "I just tried to help the team out from the sidelines. Whether it was coaching first base, or just helping out some of the younger guys, I did whatever I could do to help." On Thursday evening, Ford was finally able to display his off-season work when he returned to the playing field in a double-header @#%$ of the visiting Lakewood Blueclaws. The Power rallied from a late deficit to win the opener 6-5, on an eighth inning, walk-off homer by third baseman Jimmy Mojica. They finished off the nightcap in similarly exciting fashion with a 3-2 win, on a game-winning RBI single by Chuckie Caufield in the home half of the seventh inning. A few hundred fans watched at frigid Appalachian Power Park as West Virginia improved to 4-3 with the @#%$, while Lakewood dropped to 4-3. For Ford, who finished the evening 4-for-8, with three runs scored and three stolen bases, it was just good to be an active part of the team again. "It's great to be back out there again playing with a new group of teammates," said Ford. "Just going out there and working hard with them, it makes you feel like a part of the team. "We're going to have to do the little things to win. "That's what we're trying to do. I'm just glad to be back playing ball and going out and helping the team. "I've been working hard, but this is the first time I've seen live pitching in a while, so I'm just trying to come out, see the ball and get into good hitting position." One player who has certainly started the season in a good hitting position is the 23-year old Mojica. A free agent signee in December, Mojica is batting a blistering .533 in 15 at bats, with a pair of homers, including Thursday evening's game ender. "I think he (Lakewood reliever Garet Hill) missed his pitch," said Mojica of the game-winning blast. "I think he threw what was supposed to be an outside fastball right down the middle." Mojica turned on the mistake and deposited it in the left-center field bleachers. Mojica's heroics were set up by a three-run seventh inning that erased a 5-2 Blueclaws lead. Michael Brantley, Kenny Holmberg and Andy Bouchie each had RBI in the seventh inning rally. In the nightcap, the Power broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh when Caufield's one-out single to center scored Brent Brewer with the game-winner. Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Bob Wojcieszak The West Virginia Power?s Jimmy Mojica celebrates with coaches and teammates after his solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Lakewood Blueclaws in the first game of double-header Thursday at Appalachian Power Park. http://www.dailymail.com/images/0413power.jpg

Go to our Brewerfan Player Index and click on the age column to sort by age: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPlayerIndex.do For instance, Joe Thatcher at 25 can still be considered a prospect. It's amazing to see how young the current major league core of the Brewers is when you see their names interspersed with members of the farm teams. Amazing -- great time to be a Brewer fan!

hey Mass, any word on Jason Childers? Looks like it may be the end of the line for Jason, who made his big league debut with Tampa Bay last year. No where to be found...

Former Manatee RHP Brandon Harmsen, released last month, has signed with Fargo-Moorhead of the independent Northern League.

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ WHO IS THIS TEAM ANYWAY?Something to make you think........ The Stars haven't opened a trip to Tennessee with a win since 2001, but is this really the Tennessee Smokies or is it just the Diamond Jaxx in disguise? Technically, this is the Tennessee Smokies, but we can still bat this around back and forth........ In recent history, the Stars actually have been successful in beating the Diamond Jaxx in the first yearly meeting, winning four of the last five times, so even if this is still the Tennessee Smokies, the bodies are the same bodies, morphed each year, of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx......... I'll stop here before I start confusing myself. Gee, wait till they face Mobile! (Note: The Cubs switched AA affiliates this past offseason.) Regardless, the Stars are facing a cast with old and new faces who last year stole 24 bases against us, more than any other team in the league, led by Chris Walker, who stole 15....... Walker, who as their leadoff hitter most times, hit .354 against the Stars last year, was a big reason why the Stars finished with a 7-18 record against the Diamond Jaxx last year......... Walker, off to a .217 start at the plate, was held to just a pair of singles in the 2nd game of this double-header, then erased from the basepaths both times on force outs. With his talent negated, and with the success of both starting pitchers in this game to get off to good starts, the Stars were able to @#%$ both games of a double-header and take a share of the lead in the Northern Division with Chattanooga at 4-3. The Stars won the 1st game with a big four-run 4th inning, beating Sean Gallagher for the first time in four starts dating back to last year...... Hernan Iribarren's single and stolen base lit the fuse as Brendan Katin (3-for-21) singled home Iribarren. Adam Heether's ground-rule double to left-center scored Steve Moss, Steve Sollmann's sac fly scored Katin, and Max St. Pierre picked up his first hit as a Huntsville Star to score Heether and cap the rally....... In the 2nd game, Donnie Veal, the Cubs' # 2 prospect, walked the bases full with nobody out in the 2nd inning, then after striking out Jeff Eure and G. Rod (Guilder Rodriguez), it appeared with Steve Hammond at the plate, he would escape any damage. But Hammond, 4-for-20 at the plate last year, singled up the middle to score Katin (three runs in the double-header) and Lou Palmisano to get the Stars off to a 2-0 lead, one that they would never relinquish....... Veal threw 36 pitches that inning and walked seven before manager Pat Listach went to the pen. The Stars had three more sacrifice flies in this double-header, bringing the season total of five, which leads the Southern League. In the Milwaukee era, the Stars had this many sac flies seven games into the season two other times. At the plate, the Stars are batting just .207 and are the only club in the league not to have hit a home run...... Carolina's Jai Miller homered on Wednesday against Mississippi to affix that stamp on the Stars..... Steve Moss, so far, is the only hitter with a three-hit day, and that was the opener....... After a .294 start in his first four games, Hernan Iribarren is 1-for-10 in his last 3 games........ Pitching, is of course, the reason the Stars are 4-3, specifically the bullpen. Grant Balfour (1.69) picked up his 2nd save in three appearances, but even more impressive, another 5K outing. The tally: 12 strikeouts and 0 walks in 5 1/3 innings. Even if it wasn't in his contract, it wouldn't surprise me to hear of a promotion after a month....... In 27 2/3 innings of work, the pen has given up 13 hits, struck out 40, walked three, and carries an ERA of 0.98........ Both Adam Pettyjohn and Steve Hammond managed to get out of the 1st inning trouble that plagued the whole rotation at Joe Davis Stadium. Both pitchers retired the side...... Hammond, however, had a rocky 2nd and 3rd frame --- a double to Matt Craig and a two-out single to Gary Cates in the 2nd inning, and a run on a walk and two hits in the 3rd. Hammond made a play that inning on a comebacker by Josh Kroeger (.381), firing the ball to Palmisano who forced Issmael Salas at the plate. Mike Jones goes for the Stars, Friday, against right-hander Justin Berg....... I believe this is the first time two righties face each other this season.. Jimmy Mojica is off to an 8-for-12 start at Class A-West Virginia (Sally)...... Another player to watch: Alcides Escobar of the Brevard County Manatees: a .370 average, despite just drawing one walk, but he's struck out just twice. Can you say "contact hitter?"....... Cole Gillespie drove in three runs in Brevard's 7-2 win over Jupiter in the opener of a double-header, but is off to a slow start at .174 Former Stars pitcher Ryan Costello has re-signed with the Camden Riversharks.of the independent Atlantic League....... Another former Stars pitcher, released during spring training, Benito Baez, signed with the Pennsylvania Road Warriors of the same league.

Link while active, text follows: www.knoxnews.com/kns/smok...73,00.html Smokies fail twice in home opener Pettyjohn's comeback almost a major miracle By NICK GATES, gates@knews.com SEVIERVILLE - Minor league baseball is full of comeback stories. Wilson Alvarez, Brian Moehler and Aaron Small are among the former major league pitchers, who have pitched their way back to the show. Adam Pettyjohn wants to follow their path. Huntsville's Pettyjohn limited Tennessee to a pair of runs over five innings and the Stars defeated Tennessee 5-2 in the first game of a Southern League doubleheader to ruin the Smokies' 2007 home opener on a chilly Thursday night. The Stars (4-3) won the nightcap 5-1 at Smokies Park before 2,439 and extended the Smokies' losing streak to four. Tennessee starter Donnie Veal (0-2) walked seven in his four innings in the second game and three eventually scored. A 2-5 start was not the way the Chicago Cubs wanted to start the first year of their working agreement with the Smokies. "Definitely not," Tennessee manager Pat Listach said. "The bottom line: We want to win." The Smokies' weaknesses were exposed in the two seven-inning games. "Our pitchers walked too many," Listach said. "We made two mistakes - one each game - on the bases. That's common-sense mistakes we can't afford to make." Tennessee hitters struck out 17 times. "We have to make some adjustments and it'll have to be real quick," Listach said. "We worked on that all spring and a two-strike approach is our routine every day." Pettyjohn's story is a heartwarming saga. He nearly died after a severe case of ulcerative colitis. "I got sick in the offseason between '01 and '02," the 29-year-old from Visalia, Calif., recalled. "When I got married on Jan. 12, I was about 200 pounds. By March 17, I was down to 135." No matter how much food he consumed, pounds fell off Pettyjohn's 6-foot-3 frame. Three major surgeries saved Pettyjohn's life. "There was a fourth procedure at Thanksgiving," he said. "It was a long ordeal." Understandably baseball was the farthest thing from Pettyjohn's mind. "I never even cared if I played the game again," he said. "All I wanted to do was be healthy and live my life." Pettyjohn recovered. He regained his strength and his thoughts turned to baseball again. "Once I got healthy and free and clear from the surgeries and realized everything was going to be all right," he said. Detroit's second-round draft pick in 1998 out of Fresno State is a study in perseverance. He toiled for two years in the obscurity of independent leagues before Seattle showed an interest. Seattle assigned him to San Antonio, the Mariners' affiliate in the Class AA Texas League last year. The Mariners promoted Pettyjohn to AAA Sacramento, where he was 3-2 with a 4.57 earned-run average in 11 appearances. Pettyjohn was satisfied with his progress. "It's tough," he said. "Here I jumped in June first and was pitching at 60 or 70 percent of my (arm) strength and facing hitters in midseason form." The Mariners were not. "Being a free agent, they didn't offer me a contract which is OK," he said. "Milwaukee had kind of been in the picture the past couple of years but it was always too little, too late. I feel this is definitely a good place to be." The Stars struck for four runs on in the fourth inning against Sean Gallagher (1-1). Brendan Katin delivered a run-scoring single and Adam Heether's ground-rule double made it 2-0. Steve Sollmann's sacrifice fly and a run-producing single by Maxim St. Pierre capped the rally. That was enough support for Pettyjohn, who walked three and struck out seven. Pettyjohn is optimistic he can reach his goal. "It's been a long road to get to this point," he said. "Three years of not pitching full strength and taking your bumps and bruises with a grain of salt. There were times I was overwhelmed." Not by the Smokies. "I can still make the adjustments and have the know how to change speeds and set up hitters," he said. "This is all a work in progress."

Final, Game Two: Huntsville 5, Tennessee (Cubs) 1 Sweep those Cubbies! Huntsville Site Doubleheader Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1106 Jeff Eure drove in two runs, Brendan Katin scored three times and the bullpen continued to excel, as Huntsville grabbed a 5-1 win in the nightcap to complete a doubleheader @#%$ Thursday at Smokies Park in Sevierville, TN. The Stars won the opener 5-2 and improved to 4-3 on the season, while the Smokies fell to 2-5 in losing their third and fourth straight games. Huntsville has won back-to-back games for the first time this season and scored more than four runs in a game for the first two times, as well. Tennessee starter Donnie Veal, the second rated prospect in the Cubs? organization according to Baseball America, walked the bases loaded in the second inning of the second game before striking out Eure and Guilder Rodriguez. However, pitcher Steve Hammond singled into center field to score Katin with the game?s first run and join Manny Parra as the second Stars? pitcher to drive in a run this season. Hernan Iribarren then worked a walk to force in Lou Palmisano with the second run of the frame. Veal was hurt by wildness again in the third, as Katin walked with one out and eventually came in to score on a two-out infield hit by Eure. Hammond then walked Veal leading off in the home third and he advanced to third base after a Chris Walker single and Issmael Salas fielder?s choice grounder. Jake Fox doubled to left to drive in Veal and move Salas to third but the rally was thwarted when Hammond threw Salas out at the plate after fielding a Josh Kroeger grounder. Veal suffered the loss and dropped to 0-2 after yielding three runs on two hits and seven walks. Huntsville tacked on a run in the fifth inning on another two-out, run-scoring single by Eure and a Palmisano sacrifice fly in the seventh. Hammond picked up his first win of the season by allowing a run on five hits over five frames. Grant Balfour worked two scoreless innings to nail down his second save and recorded five of his six outs with a strikeout for a second straight appearance. Iribarren picked up the Stars first hit in game one with a leadoff bunt single in the fourth and then moved to third base with a steal and throwing error by catcher Chris Robinson. Steve Moss walked and Katin followed with a single to plate Iribarren to break up a scoreless game. Adam Heether delivered a ground-rule double to center field to score Moss and move Katin to third from where he was able to score on a Steve Sollmann sacrifice fly. Max St. Pierre capped the four-run rally against starter Sean Gallagher with his first base hit of the year to chase home Heether. It was the Stars? second four-run inning of the year and the first time they have defeated Gallagher in four starts dating back to last season. The Smokies? right-hander allowed only four runs on 12 hits over 18 innings against Huntsville last season, pitching for West Tenn, the Cubs? Southern League affiliate last season. Tennessee got on the board in the fifth inning against Stars? starter Adam Pettyjohn with a pinch-hit, run-scoring double by Jemel Spearman and a run-scoring single by Robinson. The veteran left-hander worked out of further trouble by fanning Fox to end the inning. Pettyjohn earned his first win after allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, while fanning seven in five innings of work. Robert Hinton tossed a perfect sixth inning and Marino Salas worked a scoreless seventh to earn his first save of the season. The series continues Friday night when Stars send right-hander Mike Jones to the hill in the middle game of the set against Smokies? right-hander Justin Berg.. Coverage will begin at 6:00 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 AM WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Game Two Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2 Huntsville Game Two Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2 Photos by MICHAEL PATRICK / KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL Huntsville pitcher Adam Pettyjohn, right, listens with catcher Maxim St. Pierre, right, as pitching coach Rich Sauveur talks during a trip to the mound in Thursday?s game at Smokies Park. http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2007/04/12/0413petty_w500.jpg Joe Simokaitis of the Tennessee Smokies is tagged out at home by Huntsville catcher Maxim St. Pierre in the fifth inning of Thursday?s first game of a doubleheader at Smokies Park. http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2007/04/12/0413smokies_w500.jpg

Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Touted Brewers prospect on mound By MIKE ORGAN Tennessean Staff Writer Right-hander Tim Dillard, the 15th-best prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers, was on the mound for the Sounds on Thursday night against Oklahoma. Dillard was scheduled to make his second appearance with the Sounds on Wednesday, but the game was rained out. Through five innings, Dillard struck out three, walked two and allowed six hits and one earned run on 94 pitches. He was replaced by Steve Bray in the sixth. The 23-year-old Dillard from Sarasota, Fla., was a Southern League All-Star with Double-A Huntsville last season and was the Brewers' minor league pitcher of the year in 2005 with Advanced-A Brevard County. Super play: Sounds' second baseman Callix Crabbe pulled off one of the best defensive plays of the season in the top of the second inning Thursday night. With one out and Oklahoma's Ramon Vazquez on first, Miguel Ojeda hit a shot to second, which Crabbe reached for and caught. He then tagged out Ojeda for an unassisted double play. String music: Two guitars were presented before Thursday's game. One went to Sounds third baseman Ryan Braun and another to pitching coach Stan Kyles for leading Nashville's staff to the 2006 ERA title of the Pacific Coast League. Braun hit his first homer with the Sounds in the first inning of Tuesday's game against Oklahoma. It hit the guitar-shaped scoreboard, which earned him the Copley guitar. Braun is tied for second in the league with five extra-base hits this season. Sounds killer: Oklahoma's Victor Diaz was outstanding at the plate in the series against the Sounds. In three games the outfielder was 7-of-9 with four extra-base hits. Hurling heat: Sounds' pitchers have surrendered only one home run this season, which is the fewest allowed in the PCL. Hometown singers: The Horlick High School choir from Racine, Wis., performed the national anthem before Thursday's game. Sounds utility man Vinny Rottino is from Racine. On the road: Thursday's game concluded an eight-game homestand for the Sounds. They hit the road for the next eight days with four-game series at New Orleans and Oklahoma. Nashville's next home game is April 21 against Iowa.