Jim Goulart

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David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ STARS LEAVE 10... LOSE BY 1MORE HELP ON THE WAY Good crowd tonight, despite thunderstorms most of the day, but the game started on time, the showers ending about an hour before gametime....... Giving away something always helps, and tonight it was good-looking, scaled down wooden bats for the kiddies........ Ah, the value of promotions -- the lifeblood of minor league baseball. And speaking of lifeblood, Stars fans have reason to be a little more optimistic, despite a 2-4 start to the 2nd half of the season...... For one thing, they are hitting .319 in their last three games after their 3rd straight game with 10+ hits........ For another, the Stars now have pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Steve Hammond (#18 prospect in the minor league organization according to Baseball America), just promoted from Class A-Brevard County (Fla. St.)........ Gallardo and Hammond leave the Florida State League 5th and 9th respectively among ERA leaders and Gallardo leads the league in strikeouts (103 in 77 2/3 innings)...... The Stars now have the # 1 pick from last year's amateur draft (Ryan Braun) and the # 2 draft pick from 2004 (Gallardo). Hammond was a 6th round pick from last year....... Gallardo is already penciled in to start Monday's game against the Lookouts........ The Stars also welcomed back pitcher Chris Mabeus, who threw 33 pitches tonight in two innings of relief, 18 for strikes (54.5%), and was saved a run by the arm of Ron Acuna in the 8th inning........ Ron's arm has been a valuable asset for the Stars this year........ To make room for the changes, the Stars released pitchers Matt Smith and Russ Rohlicek, both former Southern Leaguers who had been with the Birmingham Barons and West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in past seasons........ Smith was unscored upon in only two of his 12 appearances with the Stars and finished with a 6.84 ERA, an 0-4 mark, and one cheap save protecting an 8-2 lead on June 4 vs. the Barons...... Rohlicek silenced the Stars in 2003 pitching for the Diamond Jaxx, holding them scoreless in 15 innings over a dozen appearances that year....... He did that to opponents in the first month this year, holding them scoreless in seven innings, and his ERA was an inscrutable 1.52 as late as May 29. Since that appearance, he gave up 13 runs in 10 1/3 innings over eight appearances, but take away two games, both against his former team on May 31 and June 15, and his ERA is 3.38....... Jeff Housman was placed on the disabled list. He was taken out after going four innings vs. Mobile, Thursday, experiencing pain in his left shoulder (his throwing arm) for the second time this season. Mabeus was sent down from Nashville to fill his spot. Corey Thurman was scheduled to start tonight, but with the new additions to the staff, I assume the rotation was shuffled, and Travis Phelps, after pitching two innings Wednesday, got the start, and for so short a rest, and after giving up six runs in two innings vs. Mobile that night, he did a rather good job. On paper, he gets a loss, but four of the six hits he gave up came in two innings, as well as the four runs....... Take that away, and he holds the Lookouts scoreless over four innings on three hits, but box scores don't always tell the whole story....... Travis couldn't find the key to shutting down shortstop Anderson Machado, a minor league vet with 68 at-bats in the major leagues with the Reds and Rockies. With two out in the 2nd, Machado lifted a long fly ball that dropped just over the first fence in right field, about 346 feet. That brought in former Star Noochie Varner, who lined a one-out single to left-center........ The Lookouts then scored two unearned runs off Phelps in the 3rd......... Losing Adam Heether's oft-times sparkling defense at third base may have been the difference in this game. With one out, Javier Colina hit a 2-1 hard grounder to Ryan Braun who was positioned perfectly, but let the ball go right through him and into shallow left field for an error........ Joey Votto, the Southern League's RBI leader and 3rd leading hitter at .318, followed by lining a 1-0 pitch to the right field wall for a double sending Colina to 3rd......... Aaron Herr, son of former St. Louis Cardinal 2nd baseman Tommy, then hit Phelps' first pitch to Callix Crabbe, who had to field the ball on the edge of the grass near 2nd base, thus allowing a speedy Colina to score........ Phelps was then sieged by a burst of wildness, hitting Varner with a 2-0 pitch, and then throwing a ball to Chris Dickerson before a wild pitch brought Votto home. The Stars stayed close, but missed so many opportunities, a frequent problem this year. They left at least one runner on base in every inning but the 5th and the 9th, when Chattanooga pitchers Josh Hall and Jon Coutalangus faced the minimum........ Braun followed Lou Palmisano's one-out double in the 2nd with a smash of his own that hopped all the way to the left field wall, his first hit as a Huntsville Star........ I have to say one thing for Braun -- he knows how to swing that bat. His swing is very fluid and he has impressive line-drive power. I hope some clutch hits will make up for the defensive shortcomings I've seen and heard........ Braun, however, was stranded on second with one out by Travis Ezi, who moved him to third, and Milko Jaramillo. Steve Moss nearly missed an extra-base hit when he sent Javon Moran all the way to the warning track in right field in the 3rd inning for the 2nd out....... Had he got on base, Crabbe would have knocked him in, for he followed with his 2nd home run of the year that much like Machado's HR, dropped just over the wall on a hard-hit fly to right. That made it 4-2........ Singles by Drew Anderson and Brad Nelson put runners on the corners, but Palmisano struck out on Josh Hall's 8th pitch to him. Jaramillo was stranded on first with two out in the 4th and Palmisano's one-out single in the 6th was wasted, but the biggest opportunity to take the lead was in the 7th when Lou struck out with the bases loaded........ In his defense, he tried to check his swing on an 0-2 pitch that was low and outside, but home plate ump Scott Childers (brother of former Stars Matt and Jason) was liberally ringing up hitters on checked swings or calling them strikes........ Only one run scored, that on Anderson's single to right that brought in Ron Acuna, who came in on a double-switch in the top of the inning. Anderson has driven in five runs in his last three games, making the most of a .250 average over those games. That's clutch hitting......... Finally in the 8th, Braun led off with a hard grounder past the glove of Machado and into left for a single. Pinch-hitter Guilder Rodriguez was up there to bunt and fouled off a 1-0 pitch, but the next one he dropped in front of the plate, moving Braun to 2nd. Jaramillo sent a fly ball deep enough to right, just a few feet in front of the track, to move him to 3rd, but after Acuna walked to put runners on the corners, Moss grounded out to short to end the inning and the Stars' last opportunity....... Of the 10 runners the Stars left on base, five were left in scoring position......... The Stars have now lost 18 of their last 19 games at home. Left-hander Steve Hammond will make his Stars debut tomorrow as he gets the start against Tyler Pelland (4-2, 3.70)....... Pelland, also a southpaw, has a 3.46 ERA in his last five starts. So far, he's been tough as nails with no one on base (0.89 ERA), but it really escalates after that: 5.70 ERA with runners on and 8.06 ERA w/runners in scoring position........ Hammond was 2-3 in his last five starts for the Manatees, but with an ERA of 1.35. He held Lakeland and Vero Beach scoreless over 14 1/3 innings in two consecutive starts and he held FSL hitters to a .215 batting average during the season....... Gametime is 6 pm and "Blooper", who I think is some kind of big baseball monkey, will be the entertainment for Family Fun night at the stadium. This will be his first appearance at the Joe....... I sure hope he's entertaining because seeing the Stars lose night after night sure isn't. The Arizona Rookie League opened up Friday...... The Brewers lost last night to the AZL Padres, 6-2. The Padres are managed by former Stars manager Carlos Lezcano, who led the Stars in 2000........ The Diamond Jaxx, who come into the stadium next, promoted their closer Clay Rapada to Class AAA - Iowa (PCL). Much appreciated. Rapada held the Stars to two runs in nine innings of relief....... D'Angelo Jimenez, the major league vet who hit .278 in 90 games for the Lookouts last year, was signed by the Oakland A's and assigned to Class AAA-Sacramento (PCL)....... David Gates, a former star with the UAH Chargers, has been released by the Los Angeles Angels. Gates, who was drafted in the 21st round by the Angels in 2001, got all the way to Double-A, and hit .245 in 117 games last year for the Arkansas Travelers. In 2004, he hit 20 HRs and drove in 86 runs for Rancho Cucamonga in the hitter haven that is known as the California League, but he was hitting just .207 when he was let go on Wednesday....... The Birmingham Barons released pitcher Rusty Tucker, June 15 (I could see that coming) and outfielder Darren Blakely last Tuesday. Blakely had been hitting .211 this month. He played for the Mobile Bay Bears in 2001-02 before the White Sox signed him on October 27, 2003........ Carlos Valderrama, who was signed by the Brewers as a free agent outfielder and spent the entire season on the Stars roster on the disabled list, was released Wednesday.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1 Stars hit better but still defeated Braun gets first two Double-A hits in loss By JOHN FERRY Times Sports Staff, jferry@htimes.com Don Money wasn't surprised at the roster changes that came this weekend. "Look at the record," the Huntsville Stars manager said before Saturday night's home game against Chattanooga. "We weren't getting the job done in a lot of areas." The additions may have invigorated the Stars - they got 13 hits for the third straight game Saturday - but they weren't enough to keep them from losing 4-3 to to the Lookouts. Huntsville has now lost two of those three 13-hit games and is 2-4 for the season's second half. One of the Stars' newcomers, infielder Ryan Braun, played in his third game since coming up from Single-A Brevard County and got his first Double-A hits. He had a double and single in four tries and drove in a run. "A lot of guys are swinging the bats better now," Braun said. "I hope that will translate into some wins down the road." The Stars had their chances against Chattanooga. They were hurt by 10 runners left on base. They left the bases loaded in the seventh and stranded Braun on third as the potential tying run in the eighth. Huntsville never led in the game, falling behind in the second on a two-run homer by Anderson Machado. Chattanooga used an error and a wild pitch in scoring two unearned runs in the third. The Stars got a run-scoring double from Braun in the second and a homer from Callix Crabbe in the third. Then in the seventh Drew Anderson singled in a run to narrow the gap to what turned out to be the final score. Still, the hitting upswing has been encouraging - Anderson had three hits and Steve Moss added two Saturday. Catcher Lou Palmisano also had two hits with a double and single. "It's a new start, a new half of the season," Palmisano explained. "It's like hitting the reset button on a video game. We are not 12 games out of first place now." Palmisano struck out with bases loaded to end the seventh. Moss grounded out with Braun on third to finish the eighth. Chattanooga brought in left-hander Jon Coutlangus for the ninth, and he set Huntsville down in order. Lookouts starter Josh Hall (3-1) went six innings to get the win. Brock Till came in for two innings before Coutlangus finished up. Machado produced three of Chattanooga's nine hits. Reliever Chris Mabeus - assigned from Triple-A Nashville to take the place of Jeff Housman, who is on the disabled list - pitched the seventh and eighth in relief of starter and loser Travis Phelps. Mabeus allowed two hits, walked two and struck out two. Two other new players are pitchers Steve Hammond and Yovani Gallardo, called up Saturday from Brevard County, Fla. Hammond, who went 6-5 with a 2.53 earned run average for the Manatees, is scheduled to pitch in a 6:05 p.m. game today. Gallardo, 6-3 with a 2.09 ERA at Brevard County, will start for Huntsville on Monday night. Chattanooga, the Southern League North Division first half winner, improved to 4-2 in the second half. Huntsville lost its 18th game in the last 19 tries at Joe Davis Stadium.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1 Stars notebook (through Friday's games) Covering the bases Paul Gattis, Huntsville Times With the Stars struggling through a most forgettable season, a highlight was perhaps a moment Chris Barnwell will never forget. Barnwell, who spent parts of three seasons with the Stars, is a testimony that hard work pays off. Never one of those can't-miss prospects, the 27-year-old Barnwell nevertheless plays the game doggedly and was a good guy in the clubhouse and now is a major leaguer. He was a surprising call-up by the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday and admitted to getting "emotional" about the news. "It was more than exciting," Barnwell told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I got a little emotional." Barnwell got his first major league hit as a pinch-hitter on Wednesday and eventually scored. "He deserves the chance," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "There's something to be said for a kid who works hard. He doesn't have a huge bunch of talent, but he knows how to play the game." The future, literally, is with the Stars. Third baseman Ryan Braun, barely a year after being drafted out of Miami, this week has been promoted to the Double-A Stars. Also, Braun and pitcher Yovani Gallardo, promoted to Huntsville from Brevard County on Saturday, have been named to play in the All-Star Futures Game for top minor league prospects. After hitting .274 with seven homers and 37 RBIs in 59 games at Single-A Brevard County, Braun was hitless in his first six at-bats with the Stars. Gallardo made 13 starts for the Manatees and went 6-3 with a 2.09 ERA. The Brewers also promoted Steve Hammond (6-5, 2.53 ERA) from the Manatees to Huntsville. ... Former Stars pitching coach Stan Kyles, now handling the pitchers at Triple-A Nashville for manager Frank Kremblas, has also been named to the Futures Game coaching staff that will be headed by Gary Carter. ... While it's perhaps too much to expect for the Stars to find a spot in the Southern League playoffs, the schedule is at least somewhat friendly right now. The Stars opened the second half going 2-3 at Mobile and returned home Saturday night for a 10-game homestand against Chattanooga and West Tenn. Then the Stars head to Birmingham to face the slumping Barons before the three-day break for the Southern League all-star game. And then the Stars have five more games at home against the Mississippi Braves. Add it all up and beginning today the Stars play 14 of their next 19 games at Joe Davis Stadium. Of course, the down side to that schedule is that the Stars entered Saturday's game just 10-24 at home and 15-24 on the road. And the Stars haven't won consecutive games at home since April 24. Left fielder Drew Anderson might be the Star to keep an eye on in the second half. After driving in three runs in a 8-1 win over Mobile on Friday, Anderson led the team in RBIs with 30 and was second on the team with a .261 batting average. But the strikeouts remain a concern with 53 through 69 games. Then again, that's an improvement over last season when he struck out 109 times in 118 games at the Single-A level. Around the league After the first week of the second half, the standings already had a familiar look. Jacksonville, the first-half champ in the Southern League South, was tied for first with Birmingham and Mobile. Chattanooga, the first-half champ in the North, was one game behind front-running West Tenn. ... Florence native and former Carolina Mudcat Josh Willingham is back off the disabled list with the Florida Marlins. ... For the trivia buffs, do you remember Joey Gathright? He was the first batter in the first game for the new Montgomery Biscuits in 2003 against the Stars at Joe Davis Stadium. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the parent club of the Biscuits, traded Gathright last week to the Royals. ... Six other Southern League players will join Braun and Gallardo in the Futures Game. On the U.S. team is Chattanooga pitcher Homer Bailey. On the World Team are catcher George Kottaras of Mobile and infielders Luis Cruz of Mobile, Yunel Escobar of Mississippi, Ching Lung Hu of Jacksonville and Joey Votto of Chattanooga. Brewings Triple-A Nashville Sounds (40-33, first place in Pacific Coast League's American North): P Dennis Sarfate struggled in getting the loss Friday to Round Rock but he is still 6-3 with a 2.87 ERA. Single-A Brevard County Manatees (1-1, tied for second in second half of Florida State League's East): The Manatees finished third in the first half, three games behind champ St. Lucie. Single-A West Virginia Power (2-0, first place in second half of South Atlantic League's North): Michael Brantley, the son of former major league Mickey Brantley, was 4-for-6 and drove in five runs Friday as the Power whipped Kannapolis 17-2. On deck The Stars continue their 10-game homestand Sunday night at 6:05 against Chattanooga. West Tenn comes to town Thursday for a five-game series.

Link while active, text follows: www.billingsgazette.net/a...stangs.txt Mustangs pitchers shut down Helena, 9-1 By GREG RACHAC Of The Billings Gazette Staff Saturday night marked Anthony Gressick's first professional start. The Billings Mustangs' rookie never looked uncomfortable. Gressick threw five strong innings, rendering three hits and no runs while striking out three as the Mustangs cruised to a 9-1 win over the Helena Brewers at Cobb Field. Gressick, drafted this year by the Cincinnati Reds out of Ohio University, was unshakeable against the Brewers, much to the delight of his manager, Rick Burleson. "He was good from the outset and finished very well," Burleson said. "He did everything we asked. He located the ball down in the zone and threw strikes. You can't ask for much more than that from a guy in his first start." Burleson and the Mustangs' coaching staff had Gressick pegged for a 55-pitch outing, if he could get there. Gressick threw exactly 55 pitches, then gave way to a bullpen that was just as effective. Dane Mason and James Morris combined to toss the final four innings of the game, giving up just two hits and the team's only walk. Helena pushed a run across in the top of the sixth inning against Mason when leadoff hitter Stephen Chapman delivered a sacrifice fly to score Jordan Swaydan. He almost didn't score, as centerfielder Drew Stubbs, the Reds' first-round draft choice in '06, nearly threw Swaydan out at the plate after gathering the fly ball. But that was all the Brewers could muster. "Our pitchers did an amazing job," said Mustangs third baseman Jason Louwsma. "Everybody did their job tonight. We played together as a team." On the flipside, the Mustangs' offense could not be stopped, especially from the fifth spot in the batting order on down. Louwsma, the No. 5 hitter, delivered a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs. The sixth man in the lineup, Angel Colon, added three hits and three RBIs. Chris Heisey, Tony Esquer and Maikol Mesa -- the 7-8-9 men -- combined to add three hits and drove in a pair of runs to add to Billings' onslaught. "Basically from the beginning, we made the plays," Louwsma said. "We got guys on and got them into scoring position. We were able to build a pretty comfortable lead." It started early. After the Mustangs got a run in the first inning, the team put three more on the board in the third, led by Colon's two-RBI single and followed by Esquer's run-scoring groundout. They'd get three more runs in the sixth as Louwsma, Colon and Heisey each delivered RBI hits. On three separate occasions, Billings had the bases loaded. Despite scoring nine runs, it could have been worse for Helena -- the Mustangs stranded 11 runners on base. "If we can get the bottom half of the order contributing like we did tonight, we'll put up some runs," Burleson said. "Tonight, we had 22 base runners, and scored eight of nine runners from third base with less than two outs. So we're happy about that." The Mustangs and Brewers will tangle again today at 4:00 PM (5:00 Central) in the final game of the Mustangs' season-opening homestand. After today's game, Billings will embark on a seven-game road swing through Missoula and Great Falls. While the season is still young, Burleson's early impressions of his team is an optimistic one. "Until you see the whole league, you don't really know where you stand," he said. "But I like our guys and I think we have a good group. We just have to come to the ballpark every day with the attitude that we're going to get better. At this level that's what it's all about." NOTES: Helena left fielder Zach Clem left the game after the first inning when he collided with shortstop Brad Miller while making a catch off the bat of Heisey. Carlos De La Cruz replaced Clem.

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2006062439 Walk-off grand slam Yost connects with two out in bottom of 9th to win it for Power By Tommy R. Atkinson Charleston Gazette Staff writer A good night turned into a great one for the West Virginia Power Saturday. Ned Yost belted a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-2 victory against the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators and Power pitcher Will Inman pitched well in his first start since May. A paid crowd of 3,834 attended the South Atlantic League game on an overcast evening at Appalachian Power Park. The Power entered the ninth in a 2-0 hole after Adam Ricks? two-run home run in the sixth gave Kannapolis (0-3) the lead. The Power?s Michael Brantley beat out an infield single he dribbled just past the pitcher?s mound on the third base side to lead off the ninth. Lorenzo Cain followed with a single to center field to put runners at first and second with none out. Angel Salome singled to right field, but it was hit sharp enough that Kannapolis? Salvador Sanchez gunned down the speedy Brantley at the plate for the first out. Mat Gamel?s one-out single to right scored Cain to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Mike Bell flew out for the second out and Tony Festa coaxed a full-count walk to load the bases. Yost didn?t waste any time, smashing the first pitch he saw from Kannapolis reliever Matt Long over the right-center-field wall for the victory. ?I was hoping I was going to get a chance to get up,?? said Yost, who singled and walked in three plate appearances before the ninth. ?I don?t think I?ve been in a situation like that all year. ?I wanted my turn. [Long] just walked the bases loaded. I figured I?d get a fastball first pitch and if it was around the plate I was going to swing as hard as I could. I did and luckily I made contact.?? Inman suffered a strained pitching shoulder and bicep tendinitis in early May and was just activated off the disabled list Saturday. A third-round draft pick of the Brewers last year, Inman compiled a 3-1 record and a 1.80 earned run average in six starts and three relief appearances before the injury. The 19-year-old right-hander was limited to three innings Saturday but continued to shine. The Dry Fork, Va., resident shut out the Intimidators on 33 pitches, surrendering only a single in his last inning. Inman hit the first batter he saw with his first pitch, but a double play erased the threat and he only faced one batter over the minimum of nine the rest of the way. ?I really wasn?t expecting him to be that sharp,?? said Power pitching coach John Curtis. ?I expected a little unfamiliarity with the delivery. ?We?re trying to limit some of his arm swing in his delivery and take a little pressure off that shoulder. I thought he pitched very well. I thought he looked terrific. He had good velocity on the ball. The location is going to come, but I was very pleased.?? Curtis said Inman?s next start will be similar in duration to Saturday?s and in his next four or five starts will ?piggyback?? with another pitcher. ?It?ll probably be a 10-to-15-pitch progression from there to get him back to where he was before the injury,?? Curtis said. ?He should be well on his own by the end.?? Power reliever Patrick Ryan (4-1) earned the win with three innings of three-hit shutout ball. Reliever Kevin Roberts, who allowed the two-run homer in the sixth, fanned five of his first seven batters before encountering trouble. Kannapolis starter Daniel Cortes, who entered play with a 2-7 mark and 4.86 ERA, held the Power to two singles in seven innings a night after the Intimidators pitching staff was tagged for 17 runs on 21 hits. The Power, which is in first place in the Northern Division, has opened the second half with three straight wins. ?We wanted to start the second half with a bang and get some wins and play hard,?? said Yost, whose father is the Milwaukee Brewers manager of the same name. ?So far we?ve done that. It feels real good. It?s awesome.?? Power points Brent Metheny, a former Moorefield High School three-sport star, is on Kannapolis? disabled list. The Intimidators are a White Sox affiliate. ... Ricks continued his hot hitting against the Power with a 2-for-4 performance, including the two-run homer. The former Miami (Fla.) standout entered Saturday hitting .450 against the Power. ... The finale of the four-game series will begin at 4:05 PM today (3:05 Central) and is part of Christian Family Night. Following the game, Sanctus Real will perform a concert. ... The Power will embark on an eight-game road trip Monday. Power second baseman Mike Bell (right) tags out Kannapolis? Paulo Orlando, completing a double play after Orlando ventured too far off the bag after a putout was made at first base in the first inning Saturday night at Appalachian Power Park. Charleston Gazette Photographer: Chris Dorst http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/dblplay.jpg

Brevard County Site Game Summary: Team effort on mound for Manatees Three pitchers combined on a seven-hitter and Charlie Fermaint homered as as Brevard County topped visiting Palm Beach, 4-3, on Saturday. The Manatees held a 2-1 lead with one out in the fifth when Fermaint sent a shot over the left-field fence for his fourth homer. Matt Dryer hit his 10th homer in the top of the sixth, but Freddy Parejo lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to restore Brevard County's two-run lead. Reliever Sam Narron (2-1) gave up one run on two hits and struck out two over three innings to get the win for the Manatees (2-1). Bo Hall also went three innings and picked up his first save. He allowed one run on three hits and fanned five. Michael Ferris hit his sixth homer with two outs in the seventh and scored twice for the Cardinals (1-2). He also hit a two-out double off starter Mike Jones in the second before scoring on Matt Pagnozzi's single. Palm Beach starter Jaime Garcia (0-1) was reached for four runs on nine hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four in his first start since being promoted from Class A Quad Cities. -- Peter Spadora/MLB.com

Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for new Graham Koonce photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2019 Sounds Blow Late Lead, Fall 3-2 In 11 Innings ROUND ROCK, Texas ? Another road game, another one-run loss. It seemed to be status quo for the Sounds on Saturday evening at The Dell Diamond as Cody Ransom drew a game-winning, bases-loaded walk from Joe Winkelsas with one out in the bottom of the eleventh inning to give the Round Rock Express a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Nashville. Nashville (40-34) suffered its 11th loss after the opponent scored the game-winner in its final turn at the plate and has dropped three of the first four games in the current series. Round Rock improved its record to a league-best 46-29. Sixteen of Nashville?s 21 road losses have come in one-run nail-biters (including 10 of the last 11 defeats away from Greer Stadium) and the Sounds have also held the lead at one point in 16 of their road losses. Both were the case on Saturday. The Express loaded the bags against Winkelsas in the eleventh as Luke Scott singled, Royce Huffman was hit by a pitch, and, after the runners were sacrificed up a base, Humberto Quintero was hit by a pitch. Ransom followed by drawing his game-winning walk on a full count to propel Round Rock to victory. The defeat stung even worse for Nashville because the club was unable to protect a one-run ninth-inning lead provided by a Graham Koonce homer in the top of that inning. AUDIO: Graham Koonce's 9th-Inning HR -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...206-24.wma The Sounds grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second against Express starter Jason Hirsh. With one out and runners on first and second, Jermaine Clark dropped a bunt single up the third-base line and the runners advanced an extra base on a throwing error by Round Rock third baseman Joe McEwing, allowing Koonce to score the game?s first run. McEwing made amends for his gaff in the bottom of the sixth inning when he knotted the contest at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Ransom. Neither team scored again until the ninth when Koonce belted a two-out solo homer to center off Roberto Giron in the top of the ninth inning. The blast, Koonce?s sixth of the season, gave the visitors a short-lived 2-1 lead. Round Rock first baseman Royce Huffman answered Koonce?s blast with one of his own in the bottom of the frame, swatting a one-out dinger to left off Alec Zumwalt that re-tied the game at 2-2 and sent the game to extra frames. Zumwalt suffered his first blown save in six opportunities for the Sounds this season. Sounds right fielder Nelson Cruz made an outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the tenth to keep the game tied. With runners on first and second and only one out, McEwing dropped what looked like a single in front of Cruz in right but the strong-armed outfielder unleashed a strike to third base that forced Wade Robinson for the second out of the inning. Winkelsas retired the final batter on a flyout to escape the jam. Express reliever Mike Gallo (1-0) picked up his first win of the year after working a hitless inning. WInkelsas (1-1) took the loss after allowing the game-winning run to score. Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision despite a pair of strong outings. Sounds starter Justin Lehr hurled his best outing of the season but did not factor in the decision. The right-hander held the Express to one run on four hits while striking out five over seven frames, matching his season highs for innings and punchouts. Hirsch allowed only one unearned run on three hits while striking out a season-best 12 batters over his eight innings of action. The teams wrap up the five-game set with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Sunday evening. Right-hander Jared Fernandez (2-1, 3.04) will man the bump for the Sounds. Round Rock will counter with right-hander Chris Baker (8-2, 2.31).

Adam Mannon is in Arizona, or so we're told -- we haven't been informed of an injury. Sanduan Dubose would look sweet in the middle of the Helena lineup, even though he was a 35th round pick. MiLB.com lists him on neither rookie roster at the moment, we'll see what we can find out. Those were two of the names that were pending info when I indicated yesterday our Player Index was 99% up-to-date .

Final: Round Rock (Astros) 3, Nashville 2, 11 inings Sounds lose yet another one-run game on the road, as Joe Winkelsas hands the Express a walk-off walk -- do teams do the jumping up and down bit at home plate on those? Details from Sounds site later... Nashville Box Score: David Krynzel (.241) 0-for-5 with four K's -- this is year seven in the system, Dave, year seven -- to be fair, lots of first-round picks flame out long before that, though; Nelson Cruz in a long hitless streak over four games; Kennard Bibbs ejected in the 8th after getting called out on strikes -- seeing the 143-pound Bibbs get angry would be quite the show; Sounds batters K 15 times; Justin Lehr deserved much better -- it really is a wonder he went unclaimed when outrighted, he can pitch... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: Joe McEwing singles on a fly ball to right fielder Nelson Cruz. Wade Robinson out at 3rd, right fielder Nelson Cruz to third baseman Jermaine Clark. Mike Rodriguez to 2nd. Incredible gun of a throw by Nelson Cruz in the 10th -- first and second, one out -- base hit falls in, in right field, because the runner at second had to wait to see if the ball would drop in, Cruz was able to fire to third for a force out -- does the official scorer rule that a single? Game log says yes... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1

Obviously, we wish the Helena boys well, but on the surface, with a roster made up so many late round draft-and-follows, undrafted free agents, late round 2006 selections, and the odd combination of players playing out of their natural position on most nights, this squad lacks the obvious "wow factor" of the past two Helena seasons -- at least so far... Final: Billings (Reds) 9, Helena 1 Helena Box Score: All three phases of the game failed the H-Crew tonight; SS Brad Miller with a game to forget (three errors); left fielder Zach Clem leaves the game after making a catch to end the first inning -- this squad may now be down to two "regular" outfielders, Stephen Chapman and Chris Errecart; LHP Brandon Parillo with a less-than-sparkling starting effort... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1 Helena Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_bilrok_1

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=892 Stars Struggles at Home Continue Anderson Machado hit a home run and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and Josh Hall worked into and out of trouble during his six innings in Chattanooga?s 4-3 win over Huntsville Saturday night in the opener of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Lookouts improved to 4-2 in the second half and have won five straight over the Stars, who dropped to 2-4 in the second half and 10-25 at home. Huntsville has dropped 18 of its last 19 games at home since a May 7 win over Montgomery. Machado belted a two-out, two-run long ball in the second inning to give the Lookouts a 2-0 lead. The Stars got a run back in the home half when Lou Palmisano doubled and scored when Ryan Braun followed with a double, his first hit and run batted in at the double-A level. He was Milwaukee?s first round draft choice in 2005. Javier Colina reached first base on a one-out fielding error by Braun in third, moved to third base on a Joey Votto double and scored on an Aaron Herr ground out. Votto advanced to third on the ground ball out and scored on a wild pitch by Stars? starter Travis Phelps, working on two days rest. Phelps went six innings, allowing six hits, striking out five and did not issue a walk for the first time in nine outings but suffered his sixth loss of the season. Callix Crabbe hit a solo home run in the third with two outs to trim the visitors? lead to 4-2. It was his second of the season and first since April 17 at Montgomery. The Stars strung together back-to-back two out singles but Palmisano struck out to end the frame. Hall allowed a pair of runs on 10 hits, and struck out six, to earn his third win of the season. Huntsville collected 13 hits for a third straight game but left 10 runners on base. Brock Till took over in the seventh inning and gave up a two-out single to Drew Anderson that plated Ron Acuna to trim the Lookouts lead to 4-3. Brad Nelson walked to load the bases but Palmisano fanned to end the frame. Till worked a scoreless eighth and Jon Coutlangus retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth to earn his fifth save. The series continues Sunday evening with Stars? left-hander Steve Hammond making his double-A debut against Lookouts southpaw Tyler Pelland. Coverage of the game begins at 5:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

* sigh * Always tough to motivate for Link Report updates moments after a frustrating Milwaukee loss... Final: Chattanooga (Reds) 4, Huntsville 3 Details from Huntsville site shortly... Huntsville Box Score: Stars bang out 13 hits and draw three walks, but strand ten; Travis Phelps, not Corey Thurman, your starter; Tim Dillard actually pitches the 9th to get an inning in on his work day, given the release of Stars' relievers Russ Rohlicek and Matt Smith earlier in the day; Ryan Braun gets his first two AA hits, but his AA error count now matches that as well... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: Steve Moss out at home in the 1st with only one out -- Don Money on the send? Braun's 3rd inning error cost the team two runs; Ron Acuna with an outfield assist for the good guys in the 8th; Stars go quietly in the 9th... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

In progress: Nashville 2, Round Rock (Astros) 2, bottom of the 9th in Round Rock Graham Koonce hits a go-ahead HR in the top of the 9th, but Alec Zumwalt surrenders a gopher ball of his own and blows the save in the bottom half...

Final: Brevard County 4, Palm Beach (Cardinals) 3 Brevard County Box Score: Sharp efforts by Mike Jones, Sam Narron, and Bo Hall, with Hall holding on for a clutch three-inning save; the three pitchers combine to walk only one while striking out ten; Charlie Fermaint a solo shot in the 5th; Alcides Escobar toying with Florida State League pitchers as of late... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Log: Bo Hall strikes out the side in the 9th, all swinging, the final one coming with the tying run in scoring position... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

Final: West Virginia 5, Kannapolis (White Sox) 2 West Virginia Site Game Summary: YOST WALKS OFF IN POWER WIN The West Virginia Power were held to only two hits through the first eight innings of Saturday night?s game against the Kannapolis Intimidators at Appalachian Power Park. Down 2-0 after eight and a half, the Power scored five times in the bottom of the ninth inning and won 5-2 on Ned Yost?s walk off grand slam. It was a scoreless game until Adam Ricks blasted a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning to give Kannapolis their first lead of the series. In the bottom of the ninth inning the Power offense caught fire. The first four batters singled off of first year pitcher Matt Long, and Mat Gamel?s base hit drove in Lorenzo Cain to cut the lead in half. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yost hit the first pitch he saw from Long over the wall in right center field to win the game for the Power. The grand slam was the third of the year for West Virginia and it marked the seventh time that they have won in their final at-bat this season, and it marked the second time that they?ve won in their final at-bat in the last three nights. Patrick Ryan (4-1) pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory and Long (0-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 42-30 overall and 3-0 in the second half after the win and the Intimidators fell to 20-53 overall and 0-3 in the second half after the loss. Attendance for the game was 3,834. The Power will finish the four game series against the Intimidators on Sunday afternoon. Kannapolis will start left hander Noe Rodriguez (0-5, 3.65) and the Power will start right hander Matt Kretzschmar (1-2, 6.32). The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PM (3:05 Central). West Virginia Box Score: Only two runners reach in Will Inman's three innings; Michael Brantley and Ned Yost reach three times each; I wonder if someone from the clubhouse whispers to Ned during the Brewer game that his son hits the walk-off granny... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: Will Inman says, "OK, I hit the first batter -- here's your double-play grounder"; the first out recorded in the 9th inning was on a play at the plate with no one out -- that sure seems like a dreadful call by the third base coach (manager Mike Guerrero?), but Ned Yost bails out everyone... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

West Virginia Press Release: The West Virginia Power, Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers have made another roster move. Today, right handed pitcher Will Inman was activated from the disabled list, and right hander Ryan Marion has been placed on the disabled list to make room for Inman. Inman, Milwaukee's 2005 third round pick from Dry Fork High School near Danville, Virginia had a great start to the season before going on the disabled list in the middle of May due to soreness in his right shoulder. Inman was 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA in nine games, including six starts. Marion, an eighth rounder back in 2003 has been placed on the disabled list due to an unspecified injury. Marion was 0-0 with a save and a 7.48 ERA over 14 appearances, including two starts.

Huntsville Press Release: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=891 Stars' Pitching Staff Undergoes Big Changes The Milwaukee Brewers have promoted pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Steve Hammond to Huntsville from Brevard County in the high class-A Florida State League and have released pitchers Matt Smith and Russ Rohlicek to make room on the Stars? roster. The Brewers have also sent pitcher Chris Mabeus to Huntsville from triple-A Nashville and placed pitcher Jeff Housman on the disabled list. Gallardo made 13 starts for the Manatees and went 6-3 with a 2.09 earned run average. He struck out 103 and walked 23 in 77 2/3 innings worth of work and came within two outs of throwing a no-hitter at home against Jupiter on June 9. The Brewers selected Gallardo with the 46th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He was named earlier this week to the World Team for the Futures Game to be played July 9 in Pittsburgh prior to the Major League All-Star Game. Hammond made 14 starts with the Manatees, going 6-5 with a 2.53 earned run mark in 85 1/3 innings of work. Milwaukee took Hammond in the sixth round of last year?s draft and he pitched at three different levels in the organization, going 5-3 with a 2.27 ERA. Smith was acquired by the Brewers for a player to be named later from St. Louis and joined the Stars on May 13. The veteran right-hander went 0-4 with one save and a 6.84 earned run mark in two starts and 11 appearances in relief. Rohlicek joined the Stars on April 18 after being released by the Cubs and compiled a record of 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 24 outings in relief. Mabeus made one start for the Stars on May 23, allowing three runs on five hits over three innings and suffered the loss in a 7-1 defeat to Jacksonville. He has made six appearances in relief with Nashville, going 1-0 with a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander also made one appearance in the big leagues with Milwaukee, allowing four runs over 1 2/3 innings. Housman lasted four innings in his last start on Thursday at Mobile and was taken out after experiencing pain in his left throwing shoulder for a second time this season. He was sidelined from April 25 through May 16 with a shoulder strain and has compiled a record of 1-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 11 starts and one appearance in relief.

Final: Arizona Padres 6, Arizona Brewers 2 Attendance: 24. Considering these kids played in front of larger crowds for their jayvee high school games, welcome to the Arizona Summer League, boys -- culture shock after the joy of signing that first pro contract; infielder Lenny Leclercq (11th round, 2004) is entering year three of the no-atmosphere, high-heat league -- that's got to be discouraging; Nova Scotia's Craig Langille (7th round, 2004) had a statistically ugly 2005 -- 80 hits allowed and only 20 strikeouts in 50 Arizona League innings -- he stranded five in two scoreless innings today; RHP Yonny Chaya (one scoreless IP) just turned 17 and he's listed at 6'5", 193... Arizona Brewer Box Score: LF Charlie Iacono (stolen base) a true speedburner; Isaac Palencia, listed as a catcher, played first base today -- he was 28-for-70 (.400, six walks) last season in this league - Palencia reaches three times in this game; 2006 2nd rounder Brent Brewer looking for that first pro hit after two games -- sorry about sample sizing you, Brent... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1 Arizona Brewer Game Log: Jovanny Felix caught stealing home in the 1st -- what? www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

All newly signed draft picks and undrafted free agents now have Brewerfan Player Index pages, and the rosters represented in the Player Index are 99% accurate to our knowledge. We have a question or two we'll square away with the Brewers in coming days...

Link while active, text follows: www.helenair.com/articles...406_01.txt Brewers end first series in four-way tie for first By JEFF WINDMUELLER - IR Sports Writer As the Helena Brewers and Missoula Osprey remained scoreless heading into the sixth inning, Brewers manager Ed Sedar knew the winner would be the team that made the least mistakes. Unfortunately for Helena, they made two big ones that cost them the game. The Osprey brought in four runs in the eighth inning off of two errors and defeated the Brewers 6-2, ending their four-game opening series 2-2 Friday. The lost drops Helena into a four-way tie for first place in the Pioneer League standings. The Brewers held a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the eighth when Missoula?s Matt Oxendine cranked a hit off Chris Toneguzzi to centerfield. As runners advanced to second and third, Carlos De La Cruz fielded the ball and threw home but the throw was up the first-base line and it sent catcher D.J. Neyens scrambling toward the backstop. The error allowed Jose Dijol to come in for the tying run and runners to advance to second and third. Toneguzzi intentionally walked Connor Janes to load the bases and hopefully force a double play but the plan backfired. Sean Smith cracked another hit to centerfield. This time De La Cruz was under the ball and looked as though he had the catch, but the ball flew a few inches over his glove and rolled to the wall. The second error allowed all three runners to score as Smith made it to third. The Brewers would finally stop the bleeding when Tyler Jones popped a bunt toward Helena shortstop David Parker. Parker completed the double play when he beat Smith back to third. The Osprey?s final two runs came in the ninth innning off a sacrifice fly and wild pitch that let a runner come home. The Brewers made a number of changes in the lineup before Friday?s game following the injury of Stepen Chapman, who started the first three games and leads the team with a .545 average. ?(De La Cruz) is a utility guy and he?ll be out there again,? Sedar said of De La Cruz who is listed as an infielder and played first base in Thursday?s win against Missoula. ?It?s his first time in a while in the outfield, but with Chapman nursing a sore hamstring I really don?t have much options. I had four catchers in the lineup today.? Note: This team is really waiting on outfielder Cole Gillespie, the third round pick out of Oregon State -- be sure to watch the College World Series this weekend. Until his arrival, the roster isn't constructed position-wise very well -- which Ed Sedar pretty much acknowledges in his quote here -- unless the organization is looking to nurture the most defensively diverse group of catchers in history. -- Mass Haas (Jim) The date of Chapman?s return is still unknown. The Brewers were the first to take an advantage on some mistakes when they scored their first run in the sixth inning. The Osprey?s Jason Neighborgall came into the sixth and walked Chris Errecart on four straight pitches. Then while pitching to Fredy De La Cruz, Neighborgall was called for a balk, sending Errecart to second. One wild pitch later Errecart made it to third, and a second wild pitch sent the Brewer home. The second Brewer run came in the bottom of the eighth when Zach Clem hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield allowing Andy Bouchie to score. ?This game we had our chances to do some damage early,? Sedar said. ?Things just didn?t go in our favor tonight.? In both the fifth and sixth innings the Brewers had bases loaded with only one out but couldn?t bring in a runner. ?There weren?t many well-hit balls when we got in those situations tonight. Maybe (the players) needed to be more selective or find a way to put better wood on the ball,? Sedar said. The Brewers left a number of Osprey players on base as well. Their pitchers were constantly behind in the count as they issued eight walks, not including the one intentional pass. The Brewers will hit the road for the first time this season, as they head to Billings today at 7:05 p.m.

Brevard County Site Game Summary: Barthelemy bails out Cards Ryan Barthelemy hit a game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning and scored in a four-run 11th as visiting Palm Beach beat Brevard County, 9-5, on Friday. Barthelemy, who hit a solo homer in the first, forged a 4-4 tie with a two-out single off Josh Alliston in the ninth. He reached on second baseman Hernan Iribarren's error in the 11th, moved to second on Matt Dryer's go-ahead RBI single and scored on a base hit by Joe Mather as the Cardinals (1-1) took a 6-4 lead. Michael Ferris delivered an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch to cap the four-run inning as the Cardinals pounded out 18 hits. Matthew Scherer (7-4) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to pick the win and Mike Sillman worked out of a jam in the 11th to notch his 16th save. Dave Johnson (5-4) took the loss after surrendering four runs -- one earned -- on six hits over two innings. Carlos Corporan went 4-for-5, Iribarren had three hits and Kyle Phillips homered for Brevard County (1-1), which has lost five of its last seven.-- Carl Dispoto/MLB.com

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2006062334 Inman back on mound for Power tonight By Nick Scala Charleston Gazette Staff writer After the West Virginia Power ended spring training and started the South Atlantic League season, pitcher Will Inman was in, man, some kind of groove. In six starts and three relief appearances, the 19-year-old right-hander sparkled. While other Power pitchers struggled with slow starts, Inman put up a 3-1 record and a 1.80 earned run average. Perhaps more impressive was his strikeouts-to-walks ratio, a superb 43-5 in 35 innings. The run ended in early May, though, when Inman went down with a strained pitching shoulder and bicep tendonitis. He?s back with the team after a long stint on the disabled list, and now it?ll be like spring training, Part II, for Inman. ?You take a month off throwing, it?s like starting all over again,? Inman said. ?It?s like being at spring training again.? That means shorter outings as he rebuilds arm strength, and the first opportunity comes tonight against Kannapolis at Appalachian Power Park. Power pitching coach John Curtis said Inman will be limited to about 45 pitches or three innings. ?We?re gonna bring him along slowly,? Curtis said. ?The first two times out we?ll keep a close eye on him and increase him 10 to 15 pitches over the next few starts until he gets back to full strength.? Inman?s anxious to get back out on the mound. ?The main thing is to just get out there and throw and make sure everything?s in rhythm and I?m healthy again,? the hurler said. ?We want to see how the arm reacts. Until you get in a game with adrenaline going, you don?t know how it?s gonna react.? Curtis said there were some issues with Inman?s delivery that contributed to the arm injury. ?He pitched more than he ever has in his life, and he?s still growing into his arm,? Curtis said. ?This was maybe a warning that something was off-kilter in his delivery. We?ve addressed it and hope he can work the rest of the season without interruption.? Inman, whose best pitches are a precise fastball, a hard curve and a change-up, will have a slightly different look to his delivery tonight against the Intimidators. ?We tried to get a little shorter with my arm when I throw the ball,? he said. ?I?ll try to stay a little more compact with a tight shoulder turn to keep everything more solid.? Curtis is glad to have Inman rejoining a pitching staff that has improved overall since the early stages of the season. ?He?s a bona fide all-star in this league if he gets enough work under his belt,? Curtis said. ?He pitched beautifully before he got hurt. ?There?s a lot of natural ability there, and hopefully he brings it back.?

Standings through Friday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 40 33 .548 - 26-13 14-20 L1[/b] Iowa 34 39 .466 6.0 19-18 15-21 L1 Memphis 29 44 .397 11.0 17-22 12-22 W3 Omaha 29 45 .392 11.5 16-19 13-26 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 4 1 .800 - 4-1 0-0 W3 Chattanooga 3 2 .600 1.0 3-2 0-0 L1 Carolina 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 W1 [b]Huntsville 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 W1[/b] Tennessee 2 3 .400 2.0 0-0 2-3 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2 [b]Brevard County 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 L1[/b] Jupiter 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 L1 Palm Beach 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 W1 St. Lucie 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 W1 Vero Beach 0 2 .000 2.0 0-0 0-2 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]West Virginia 2 0 1.000 - 2-0 0-0 W2[/b] Lake County 1 0 1.000 0.5 1-0 0-0 W1 Hagerstown 1 1 .500 1.0 1-1 0-0 W1 Lakewood 1 1 .500 1.0 0-0 1-1 L1 Delmarva 0 1 .000 1.5 0-0 0-1 L1 Greensboro 0 1 .000 1.5 0-1 0-0 L1 Hickory 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 Lexington 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 2 2 .500 - 2-2 0-0 W1 Great Falls 2 2 .500 - 0-0 2-2 L1 [b]Helena 2 2 .500 - 2-2 0-0 L1[/b] Missoula 2 2 .500 - 0-0 2-2 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Mariners 2 0 1.000 - 1-0 1-0 W2 AZL Rangers 2 0 1.000 - 1-0 1-0 W2 AZL Angels 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 L1 AZL Athletics 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 W1 AZL Giants 1 1 .500 1.0 0-1 1-0 L1 AZL Royals 1 1 .500 1.0 1-0 0-1 W1 [b]AZL Brewers 0 1 .000 1.5 0-1 0-0 L1[/b] AZL Padres 0 1 .000 1.5 0-0 0-1 L1 AZL Cubs 0 2 .000 2.0 0-1 0-1 L2

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section.../200606241 Power clicks in 17-2 romp By Rick Ryan Chaleston Gazette Assistant Sports Editor Kannapolis was in a giving mood Friday night, and the Power was sure in the mood to take. Michael Brantley and Lorenzo Cain each ripped four hits and the Power took advantage of some spotty defense by the Intimidators to rack up a 17-2 South Atlantic League victory in front of 4,044 fans at Appalachian Power Park. Everything seemed to go right for West Virginia, which starts out the season?s second half 2-0. The Power stroked 21 hits, committed no errors and turned four double plays. Left-hander Rafael Lluberes (4-3) worked five innings, allowing five hits and two runs to pick up the win. Between the third and eighth, Power pitchers faced just two batters over the minimum. Power manager Mike Guerrero couldn?t find anything to harp about afterward. ?When they play bad, you have to let them know,?? he said, ?but when they do good things, you also want to emphasize the positive. You want them to make a habit of good things happening. Good things happened for us today ? situational hitting, great baserunning, good defense. We just played a great game.?? Brantley, who was moved from the No. 9 spot in the batting order into the leadoff position moments before the game when Darren Ford became sidelined with an infection, went 4-for-6, scored three times and drove in five runs. He came into the game with just 16 RBIs. ?No matter who?s in the lineup or not, everybody?s important,?? Guerrero said. ?That?s [the mindset] we try to create. You never know when you have to contribute. Just be ready when you?re up there.?? Three other Power hitters turned in three hits each ? all-stars Angel Salome and Mat Gamel, as well as Ned Yost. In all, seven different players had multiple hits. That production, combined with the prospect of a postgame fireworks display and an appearance by Myron Noodleman ? billed as the reigning Clown Prince of Baseball ? had the crowd buzzing all night. But the Intimidators, who sank to 20-52 overall, certainly chipped in their share. They committed only three errors, but it seemed like more: - Starter Clayton Richard (3-3) helped break the game open in the bottom of the fourth by walking and hitting the first two Power batters. They both scored to break a 2-all tie and the Power added two more in the inning when Richard threw back-to-back wild pitches to plate runs. - Kannapolis center fielder Paulo Orlando ignited the Power?s three-run sixth when he flat-out dropped a high fly by Mike Bell for a two-base error to lead off the inning. - The next batter, Yost, lofted a fly between second baseman Brandon Johnson and right fielder Salvador Sanchez that should have been caught, but dropped for a double. - The very next batter, Kenny Holmberg, drove the ball to the fence in right. Sanchez looked to have a bead on the ball, but grew tentative when nearing the fence and the ball again plopped in for another double. - In the seventh, Yost smoked an RBI triple to the gap in left center and was awarded home when the relay from shortstop Javier Castillo sailed into the Kannapolis dugout. - The following batter, Holmberg, skied a foul pop behind the plate that catcher Kris Walker bobbled and dropped for an error. Holmberg promptly drew a base on balls. About the only sour note for the Power came in the fourth when designated hitter Brad Willcutt was struck on the left leg by a Richard pitch and had to leave. Guerrero said Willcutt suffered a contusion, but isn?t expected to miss much time. The highlights for Kannapolis were RBI hits in the second by Adam Ricks and Sanchez that temporarily tied the game at 2. The two teams square off tonight in the third game of their four-game set at 7:05 (6:05 Central). Guerrero would like to keep the good vibes going in the second half. ?Every time you start the first half or the second half and you can have a good start, the confidence just grows,?? he said. ?Whatever good things you?ve done in the first half can carry over, and they know what they?re working to achieve is on the way.?? Kannapolis pitcher Rafael Flores (30) couldn?t catch the ball and tag the bag at the same time, so Power hitter Nate Yoho (24) was safe at first Friday night. Charleston Gazette Photographer: Kenny Kemp http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/P1SAFE.jpg