Jim Goulart

In the Farm Hops home page article we "hoped" to print this week, I gave my backing and prediction of Jeffress. Score one for me. OK, continue...

Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...006060613/ Suns set on Power streak Jack Bogaczyk Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor Apparently, the law of averages is more powerful than batting averages. At least it seemed so Monday night at Appalachian Power Park, as a standing-room crowd of 5,848 came out for McJunkin Night and to see the West Virginia Power try to extend a seven-game winning streak. What happened was that Hagerstown -- in last place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division race -- won its second straight after 11 consecutive baseball losses, hanging on for a 6-5 victory as Suns starter Ryan Meyers baffled Power bats and 165-pound Joe Holden belted a pair of homers. In its seven-game win streak, West Virginia batted .321. The 6-foot-5 Meyers -- only 3-10 in four minor league seasons -- wasn't fazed by a Power lineup that had no one hitting under .262 and owned a .316 average at home. The lanky right-hander allowed only one hit in five innings, a solo homer by Power shortstop Mike Bell in the fourth. Meyers' biggest problem was five walks, but he was bailed out by West Virginia's free-swinging early in counts and three double plays. "The first three innings I had mechanical problems, and then once I figured that out what I was doing wrong, I had thrown a lot of pitches (80 in five innings)," said Meyers (1-5). "Against these guys, you have to work ahead. They have some guys who take big hacks, and I was trying to get them to swing at bad pitches. They did help me out a bit." Holden's two-run homer in the third gave Hagerstown (20-36) a lead and his solo blast to right to start the eighth tied it at 3, but what was really costly to the Power was Bell's double-error (bobble, throw) that allowed two runs to score later in that inning. "That (error) was actually the key to the game, a big part of how it turned out," West Virginia Manager Mike Guerrero said. The two errors gave Bell 21 for the season (in only 37 games), tying third baseman Mat Gamel for the club lead. That's a leaky left side of the diamond, but on Monday, Gamel was sparkling with the glove at third. As for that law of averages again -- the Power had just played an errorless four-game sweep at Lake County, and Holden had only one homer in 299 previous minor league at-bats, then hit a pair. Bell's offense provides a tradeoff. His homer extended the shortstop's Power Park hitting streak to 16 games (23-for-59, .390). Still, although the Power managed only six hits (their fewest in two weeks), Guerrero's club almost won it against the Sun bullpen. Lorenzo Cain's triple, an Angel Salome double and Ned Yost's sacrifice liner gave West Virginia a 3-2 lead in the sixth, but Hagerstown batted around in the eighth for a four-run cushion. Yost hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to cut the Power deficit to 6-5. In the ninth, Darren Ford's two-out infield single kept West Virginia alive and Cain followed with a single to right, but Hagerstown right-hander German Marte fanned Salome to end the game and Charleston's longest baseball winning streak since the Alley Cats won 12 in a row in April 2004. "Timely hitting is something you can't predict," Guerrero said. "Sometimes, you hit. Sometimes, you don't. Tonight, we hit it hard sometimes but right at them. We didn't hit any holes. That happens sometimes." The loss dropped the Power a spot into fourth place in the SAL Northern Division, but West Virginia remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Lexington. Power plugs -- Hagerstown will give right-hander Waner Mateo (0-0) his first SAL start tonight (7:05) in the Power homestand finale. Mateo was suspended 50 games for violating minor league baseball's drug program back on April 12. He made one relief appearance (two innings, April 8) before his suspension. The Power will counter with lefty Dave Welch (2-3) ... The teams will go to Hagerstown for games Wednesday and Thursday, then meet in a similar series next week ... The Power's seven-game winning streak is the longest in the Milwaukee farm system this season ... Salome's double (his 18th) was his 67th hit, keeping him second to Columbus' Andrew Locke (68) in the SAL ... Suns catcher Andrew Butera went 2-for-3. He's the son of former Major League catcher Sal Butera, currently a Toronto scout ... The crowd of 5,848 raised West Virginia's home attendance average to 3,568. Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Tom Hindman West Virginia Power shortstop Mike Bell puts the tag on Hagerstown?s Drew Butera during their game at Appalachian Power Park on Monday. The Power, which had won seven consecutive games, dropped a 6-5 decision to the Suns before 5,848 fans on McJunkin Night. http://www.dailymail.com/images/060606bell.jpg

Link for Chris Barnwell photo while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Ninth inning is a killer for Sounds Force tie in seventh, but Isotopes explode at end By MAURICE PATTON Tennessean Staff Writer Five straight ninth-inning Albuquerque hits led to seven runs as the host Nashville Sounds dropped an 8-1 decision Monday night. The loss snapped a season-high five-game winning streak for the Sounds, who maintained their eight-game lead over second-place Iowa in the Pacific Coast League American Northern Division. Iowa lost at Oklahoma. "It's nice to have a cushion like that," said Nashville center fielder Tony Gwynn, who had one of the team's six hits. The Sounds, who won the first two games against Albuquerque, forced a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning on Chris Barnwell's RBI base hit, getting starter Jared Fernandez off the hook. "We just didn't swing the bats for (Fernandez)," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said. "But their guy (Albuquerque starter Jeff Fulchino) threw well." With the game tied, Nashville reliever Jason Kershner allowed singles to the first four hitters in the ninth as Albuquerque took a one-run lead. Alec Zumwalt, relieving Kershner, was greeted by Tom Wilson's ground-rule double, extending the visitors' lead to 4-1. Chris Ashby added a two-run base hit and James Shanks a two-run homer. "We blew it late in the game," Kremblas said. "That happens sometimes. You forget about it and come back (the next day)." What they said: "Sometimes you're going to have days like that ? days when you don't get many opportunities to score, and when you don't capitalize when you do get an opportunity. This was one of those." ? Gwynn. ***Link for Dave Krynzel photo while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Gwynn is named Brewers' minor-league player of May By MAURICE PATTON Tennessean Staff Writer Sounds outfielder Tony Gwynn has been selected the Milwaukee Brewers' minor-league player of the month for May. In his first year at the Class AAA level, Gwynn batted .363 (41-for-113) in 29 games for the month, scoring 23 runs and stealing 10 bases. He also had five extra-base hits ? three doubles, a triple and a home run ? and drove in eight runs. Over his last 24 games heading into Monday night, Gwynn was hitting .396 (40-for-101), with hits in 20 of those contests and multiple hits in seven of his last eight games. His May average was the 15th-best effort in the Pacific Coast League, and elevated his seasonal mark to .333 ? eighth in the PCL. Gwynn also is among the league leaders in runs scored (40) and stolen bases (16). He is the third Nashville player to earn Brewers' minor-league player of the month honor since the Sounds became Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate before the 2005 season. Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart won the honor last year. "Getting 500, 600 at-bats each of these last two seasons, I felt there was no chance to do anything but learn from them," Gwynn said. "All I'm doing now is applying the things I've been taught and taking them out to the game. I still have relapses, but the key is to catch them early and get them out of the way. I've been able to do that." Brevard County's Yovani Gallardo earned the monthly pitching award after going 3-1 with a 2.61 earned-run average over five games, striking out 39 and walking 8 in 31 innings. Hot 100: Dave Krynzel's fifth-inning steal of second base was the Sounds' 100th of the season as the team continued to pad its league lead in that category. Salt Lake entered play Monday in second place with 63 thefts. Five different Nashville players have stolen 10 bases or more, including Krynzel with 14. Of the 15 other PCL teams, only 10 players have reached double digits in steals. Krynzel added a second theft, teaming with Jermaine Clark on a seventh-inning double steal, and Chris Barnwell stole a base in that inning as well. Clark now has 19 to remain second in the league. Eight is great: The Sounds opened play Monday with an eight-game lead over second-place Iowa in the PCL American Northern Division, a season high. Last season, the Sounds held a lead of eight games or more on just six dates all season and did not take their first eight-game lead until July 26. Winning tradition: Monday night's Sounds roster featured 16 players who have won at least one Class AAA league championship over the previous three seasons. In addition to the 11 players that returned from Nashville's 2005 PCL title team, six current Sounds ? Graham Koonce, Justin Lehr, Mark Johnson, Nelson Cruz, Chris Mabeus and Mike Rivera were members of one or both of the Sacramento teams that won back-to-back league crowns in 2003 and '04 (Lehr, Cruz and Rivera were with last year's Sounds). Also, infielders Brent Abernathy and Zach Sorensen played for Buffalo during that team's 2004 International League championship run. No sacrifice: The Sounds have struggled with the fundamental sacrifice bunt of late, failing on a couple of tries Saturday and again Monday. Pinch-hitter Kennard Bibbs popped up a seventh-inning attempt Monday as the Sounds were looking to snap a 1-1 deadlock. Two nights earlier, Sorensen and Ben Hendrickson both misfired on sacrifice tries, though Hendrickson's hardly mattered as part of Nashville's seven-run fourth inning. Bibbs and Dennis Sarfate were successful in a couple of tries during Sunday's victory. ***Link while active, text follows: www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50256 Sounds get thumped in ninth By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent The Nashville Sounds were on the verge of riding an outstanding performance from knuckleballer Jared Fernandez all the way to victory against Albuquerque on Monday at Greer Stadium. Then the team took a metaphoric knuckle sandwich to the chin in the ninth, when the Sounds bullpen gave up seven runs and Nashville fell to the Isotopes 8-1. Fernandez had been excellent before he was relieved in the eighth inning. Using his knuckleball to its full effectiveness, Fernandez went seven innings and gave up just one run on three hits, while striking out five. ?I thought [Fernandez] did good,? Sounds manager Frank Kremblas said. ?He was much better tonight than his last couple starts.? But Fernandez?s work was all for nothing. The game was tied at one when Sounds relievers Jason Kershner and Alec Zumwalt were tagged for seven Isotope runs. Kershner, who struck out the side in the eighth inning, gave up four runs on four hits before Zumwalt took over. It didn?t get better for Zumwalt, who gave up three more runs as Albuquerque pulled away. During its decisive ninth inning, Albuquerque saw its first five batters reach base and sent ten batters to the plate. James Shanks? two-run homer off Zumwalt capped the Isotope scoring. The seven runs were the most allowed by the Sounds in an inning this season. After the game, Kremblas took the blame for the loss. He had the infield in with no outs and the bases loaded for Scott Seabol, whose blooper landed just outside the reach of Sounds shortstop Chris Barnwell. Had Barnwell been in place, Nashville would have gotten at least one out and perhaps a double play. Instead, Albuquerque took the lead. ?I take the credit for it,? Kremblas said. ?I should have had the infield back? and I would have traded a double play ground ball for a run. So, it?s my fault. ?Once they scored the one run, it was flood gates time.? Nashville?s only run came in the seventh when Barnwell hit an RBI single, which scored pinch runner Jermaine Clark. Other than that, Nashville couldn?t figure out Isotope pitching, especially starter Jeff Fulchino. The Sounds, who managed just two hits off Fulchino, had a chance to put more runs up in the seventh, but instead stranded runners on second and third. Kremblas said the Sounds? failure to capitalize changed the outlook heading into the Isotopes? big ninth inning. ?If we score, it?s a whole different game,? Kremblas said. Despite the loss, Nashville (33-25) remains eight games in front of Iowa for the lead in the Pacific Coast League North Division. Run, Nashville, run: Sounds baserunners collected four stolen bases on the game to raise the team?s PCL-leading total to 103 on the season. Clark, who is second in the league, notched steal No. 19. Eveland returns: Dana Eveland, who was 3-1 with an 0.75 ERA for Nashville earlier this season, will get the start on Thursday at New Orleans. Eveland was demoted on Saturday after going 0-3 with 8.51 ERA in Milwaukee.

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2006060541 Suns end Power?s 7-game streak By Jim Workman For The Charleston Gazette It has been said that all good things must come to an end. The Power didn?t want to believe it, but the inevitable happened on Monday night. The Hagerstown Suns knocked off the West Virginia Power 6-5 in a South Atlantic League contest at Appalachian Power Park before a McJunkin Night crowd of 5,848 fans. The Power entered the game riding a seven-game winning streak, having just completed a four-game series sweep at Lake County. But four Suns runs in the eighth doomed the streak. ?It was a great ballgame, but that?s just part of baseball,? said Power manager Mike Guerrero. ?Our offense has been carrying us lately and it didn?t happen tonight. It was just one of those games where you?re just missing a single here or there.? The Power managed just six hits, compared to 10 for the Suns. Power reliever Robbie Wooley (1-2) was tagged with the loss, pitching 2 1/3 innings and giving up three runs, one earned. Suns reliever Grady Hinchman (1-1) was rewarded with a win. Joe Holden smacked a two-run home run in the top of the third to give Hagerstown a 2-0 lead. The Power got a run back in the fourth when Mike Bell swatted a homer over the left-field wall to cut the Suns? advantage to 2-1. In the sixth, the Power struck again. Angel Salome doubled in Lorenzo Cain who led off the inning with a triple to tie it at 2-2. Ned Yost smacked a sacrifice fly to center to give the Power a 3-2 lead. Holden tied it with one swing in the eighth, stroking a homer that sailed quickly over the right-field fence. The Suns scored twice more on a throwing error by Bell, the Power shortstop. Jose Castro bounced a hard grounder that Bell bobbled and then overthrew, allowing the two runners to score to give Hagerstown a 5-3 advantage. Drew Butera plowed a single to right to score another run, increasing the lead to 6-3. Power first baseman Ned Yost drilled a home run in the bottom of the eighth that pounded off the scoreboard in left-centerfield to trim the Suns lead to 6-5. The Power had a chance in the ninth, but Salome went down swinging with two men on base to end the contest. ?One of the good characteristics of this team is that we never give up,? said Guerrero. ?We play hard to the wire.? West Virginia (31-23) still has an excellent chance at making a run for the first-half Sally League Northern Division title. Standing just 2 1/2 games out of first place behind Lexington, the Power will face Hickory and Hagerstown in the final 15 games of the first half ? teams with a combined record of 43-65. The brief two-game homestand concludes tonight with a 7:05 PM start (6:05 Central). The Power will travel to Hagerstown for two games and Hickory for three games before heading home to play host to Hagerstown for yet another two-game set next Monday.

Brevard County Game Summary from the Vero Beach site: The Vero Beach Dodgers overcame an early six-run deficit, but lost the lead in the 9th to lose to Brevard County 11-10 Monday night at Holman Stadium. Gabriel Gutierrez drove in three runs, including the lead run on a suicide squeeze bunt in the 7th inning. The series continues Tuesday night at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central) with Baseball Bingo taking place during the game. The Dodgers chipped away after an early Manatee offensive assault gave Brevard County a 9-3 lead. Vero Beach took their first lead of the game in the 7th inning. Cory Dunlap led off with a monstrous home run to right that pulled the Dodgers within 9-8. Carlos Santana followed with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Travis Denker smacked a ball up the middle that deflected off Manatees pitcher David Johnson and allowed Santana to score all the way from second base. After Jamie Hoffman singled Denker to third, Gutierrez laid down his suicide squeeze to put the Dodgers ahead 10-9. Julio Pimentel, who pitched a perfect 8th inning, stayed on in the 9th and retired his first batter. But after allowing a walk and single, Carlos Corporan doubled into the right field corner to score both baserunners. It was Pimentel's first blown save. The Manatees built their early lead off starter Chris Malone. Steve Sollman doubled in two runs in the first, which the Dodgers matched in the bottom of the inning. In the second, Corporan led off with a double and Josh Murray singled. One out later, Charlie Fermaint singled in one run and Alcides Escobar brought in another with a double. That knocked out Malone after just 1 1/3 innings. His previous shortest outing was four innings pitched and it was just the third time this year he failed to make it past the fifth. Zach Hammes relieved him and walked Sollman. Brendan Katin reach on a fielder's choice that brought in another run and Kyle Phillips singled in two more to put Brevard County on top 7-2. Vero got a run back in the bottom of the second before Brevard County struck for two more in the fourth to make it 9-3. The Dodgers made strides in the bottom of the fourth. Denker and Hoffman started the inning with back-to-back singles and advanced on a wild pitch. Gutierrez grounded a ball after which Hoffman was tagged out. It scored a run and Gutierrez was safe at first. Xavier Paul followed with a single to knock Brevard starter Josh Wahpepah out of the game. David Nicholson greeted reliever Ben Stanczyk with a single to plate Gutierrez and pull the Dodgers within 9-5. A Blake DeWitt ground out brought in Paul and Nicholson scored when Dunlap's pop up to third was dropped for an error. The 9-7 deficit lasted until the 7th when Vero Beach took the brief lead. It the second time this year Vero Beach held a lead after eight innings against Brevard County only to lose it in the 9th. The one-run loss was the Dodgers league-high 18th of the season.

We linked to a prior story when Kenny Holmberg was first drafted last year -- latest from West Virginia below; nice job by the Daily Mail's power beat writer, Jacob Messer... Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/news/News/2006060523/ ?I just love baseball' Jacob Messer Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter Diane Holmberg didn't watch her son, Kenny, get on the school bus for the first time. She didn't bake him chocolate chip cookies. And she never attended his baseball games to cheer for him. An automobile accident erased those memories and more before they could be made. Kenny's first memory of his mother is of a moment right after the accident that essentially took her from him when he was a toddler. "It isn't easy never getting to know your mom and spend time with her," said Kenny, who is 23 and plays for the West Virginia Power. "A lot of kids take for granted having both of their parents or just their mom or just their dad. They should be happy they have parents who love them and are there for them because something could happen any time." On Sunday morning, June 23, 1985, Diane was driving her children -- 2-year-old Kenny and 5-year-old Brianne -- to the Bible school where she taught in Syracuse, N.Y. A 17-year-old girl slammed her car into the Holmbergs as they pulled out of the driveway of their apartment complex. Diane absorbed the brunt of the broadside collision. Her husband, Dennis, who then managed the Syracuse minor-league baseball team, was on the road with the club in Pawtucket, R.I. The phone in his hotel room rang about 8:30 a.m. A New York state trooper informed him that his wife and children had been in a wreck. "How are my children?" he asked. "The children are fine," the officer said. "Just some bumps and bruises." "What about my wife?" he asked. "I can't comment on that," the trooper told him. Dennis rushed home to Syracuse's Upstate Medical Center, where his wife was unresponsive and motionless, her head and neck stabilized by a halo. She suffered a skull fracture that caused severe brain damage from which she never has recovered. Hooked to a ventilator and feeding tube, she remains semi-comatose in a long-term care facility in Norwalk, Conn., where her father and brother live nearby and visit daily. She is 54. "I'm glad she is in a place where people care about her and love her," Kenny said. He last saw her at Christmas. They watch videos and look at pictures together during his visits. "And I tell her I love her," he said. "She knows my presence. She is smiling. It really makes me feel good that she is happy. But it's still really tough." Kenny said the only thing he remembers about the accident is being transfixed by the rubber knob on a window crank that had been knocked loose. He clutched it, and then glanced at his mother, who lay against the steering wheel with her head against the window. "That was probably my earliest memory," Kenny said. "I don't remember ever doing anything with her besides that." Love at first sight Dennis met Diane on his birthday, during a baseball game he was coaching on Aug. 2, 1978. "It was love at first sight," said Dennis, who now manages the Auburn Doubledays in the New York Penn League. After the wreck, doctors told him recovery would take at least one year and probably two, if it happened at all. "They said 50 percent of bodily functions usually return in the first year, then you build on that in the second year," Dennis said. "It has been 21 years now, and she probably isn't even at 10 or 20 percent." The Toronto Blue Jays, wanting to ease the family's plight after the accident, moved Dennis from their Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse to their Single-A club in Dunedin, Fla. Diane's parents -- Nardin and the late Lillian Duncan -- lived in Clearwater at the time and could help him with the children. In Florida, Kenny had a circle of surrogate mothers including his best friends' mothers, Donna Banks and Sally Pachik, and his grandmothers, Opal Holmberg and Lillian Duncan. Opal, who had raised four children, quit her job in New Columbus, Ga., and moved to Florida to care for her grandchildren over the next eight years. "I was worried about the kids," she said. "So, I decided to start a new life. I became a mother again." She also was a batting-practice pitcher for Kenny when he still was in diapers. "He always carried a bat and ball around the house," she said. "He was tiny. The bat was bigger than him." Baseball was in his heart Sally Pachik recalls her daily drive home from her job at Bank of America in Palm Harbor. She saw the same thing each summer day: Kenny shagging flies, fielding grounders or taking cuts at Palm Field. "It was 100 degrees in the shade, and there he was, day in and day out," she said. "I used to ask him, ?What makes you do that? What drives you that doesn't drive other boys?' He always said, ?I just love baseball. Baseball is in my heart.' ?' When Kenny turned 5, Dennis started taking his son to work with him. Kenny loved it. "Whenever I went to the ballpark," Kenny said, "I had a smile on my face the whole day." Watching the players and doing everything they did, from hitting in the cage and throwing on the side to sitting in the dugout and eating in the clubhouse, he learned the game's intricacies and the nuances. "I saw the right way and the wrong way to do things on and off the field," Kenny said. Some players made a special effort to treat Kenny with kindness. One was Carlos Delgado, the New York Mets' superstar first baseman. "We would kid him a lot," Delgado said through team spokesman Jay Horwitz. "The other Spanish-speaking players and myself would teach him words in Spanish so he could talk to us." There were others, though, who made Kenny the butt of practical jokes. They once placed him inside a bat bag and loaded it into the luggage compartment under the bus for a 10-minute commute from the hotel to the ballpark. "The guys picking on you and messing with you, it comes with the territory," he said. "I would be hitting in the cage or throwing on the side, and I would hear guys say, ?There's no way this guy isn't going to play professional baseball one day.' They were trying to be cute and sly. "But you know what? It was true. With all of the work I put in, I knew I would make it. I could have been like other kids. I could have gone home and played video games or watched television. But my priority was baseball. The field was my haven. I could go there and I would feel happy and I wouldn't worry about anything else." Kenny became a star wherever he played. He was an all-conference selection each year of high school and college -- two years at Palm Harbor University High; two years at Dunedin High, where he also was an All-State pick; two years at St. Petersburg Junior College; and two years at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he also was an All-America pick. He believes God led him to Embry-Riddle, where the Eagles made back-to-back NAIA World Series appearances. He made the All-World Series team both years and won the Golden Glove award last year. "I could have gone to other schools," said Kenny, who hit .374 as a junior and .342 as a senior. "I had other opportunities. But I was sent there to make my teammates and the program better." Finding the answer At Embry-Riddle, Kenny finally found an answer to a question that had haunted him throughout high school and junior college. "I wondered, ?If there is a God, why would he take this woman who is a strong Catholic, goes to church and wants both of her children to grow up in a religious background?' ?' he said. Embry-Riddle Coach Greg Guilliams suggested he look at Matthew 5:45 in the Bible. "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Kenny called that "the truest thing" he ever heard. "Bad things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people, good things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people," he said. "That's just the way life is." Kenny has a strong spiritual side, but he is a different person when he plays baseball. On the field, his buddies say, Kenny's style is playing hard, getting dirty and talking trash. "He is the guy you love as a teammate but hate as an opponent," said Bryan Banks, who has been both in their two-decade friendship. Just ask Chris Pachik, a former Pasco Hernando Community College pitcher who faced Kenny when the friends were Suncoast Conference rivals. "He wouldn't look at me or talk to me," Pachik said. "He called me the enemy." Pick up the 2006 Baseball America Prospect Handbook, which rates and evaluates the top 30 prospects for each of the 30 professional teams. Open it to the Brewers' section. Look for Kenny's name on that list. It isn't there. But those who know him best think it should be. "Nobody knows who Kenny is," Pachik said. Kenny ranked first in the Pioneer League in slugging percentage (.623), first in on-base percentage (.450), second in batting average (.372), third in RBI (51) and fourth in home runs (12) with Helena last year, which was his rookie season in professional baseball. Baseball America mentioned him among those who had "the best pro debut" and called him the best defensive player among the Brewers' minor-league prospects. But he wasn't among their top 30 prospects. In fact, he is ranked the organization's third-best second-base prospect. At 5 feet, 9 inches and 175 pounds, Kenny understands the experts. He isn't an above-average defender, hitter, runner or thrower -- and those are his own words. He doesn't have the size, strength or speed of his peers. "I'm not loaded with the most talent," said Kenny, whom the Brewers selected in the 22nd round last year. "I don't possess all of the tools. But I can compete and play with anybody. I know that." Power Manager Mike Guerrero agrees. "There are three tools you don't show, and those are the three tools he has," Guerrero said. "One, heart. Two, a willingness to work. Three, guts. Nobody sees those tools, but sometimes they are the most valuable tools." All the doubters do is give Kenny more motivation. "Do they know what's inside of me?" he asked. "Do they know what I have been through? No. For that simple reason, I just believe in myself. I know what I can do, and I know I can make it happen." Milwaukee scout Charles Aliano, who signed Kenny, calls him "the epitome of the Great American Dream." "He is proof that if you work hard, you can achieve your goals," Aliano said. "That is exactly what he has done up until this point." More challenges This is a tough time for Kenny, who was placed on the Power's disabled list Monday because of inflammation in his left Achilles tendon. He suffered a high ankle sprain April 28 and was on the disabled list from April 30 through May 19. He hit .308 with four homers, eight RBI and 15 runs in 20 games before the injury compared to .200 with no homers, no runs and one RBI in four games after it. Although the South Atlantic League club will miss his offense and his defense, it might miss his presence more. Kenny has established himself as a team leader and the clubhouse comedian. "He has a lot of knowledge, a lot of heart, a lot of willingness and a lot of guts," Guerrero said. "It's contagious." Given his mental and physical toughness, Kenny likely will return from the disabled list better than ever. "It's no big deal," he said. "I'll bounce back from it." Considering the obstacles he has overcome, no one expects anything less. Edit: Removed inactive photo links

Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Jared Fernandez photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1991 Seven-Run Ninth Propels Isotopes Past Sounds NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Albuquerque scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning against the Nashville bullpen to break a 1-1 tie and post an 8-1 victory over the Sounds on Monday evening at Greer Stadium. The loss snapped a six-game skid for the Isotopes (34-25) and brought an end to a season-best five-game winning streak for Nashville (33-25). The starting pitchers for both teams were able to quiet the bats for the majority of the contest. Both starters combine to allow two runs on just five hits between them. The Sounds sent knuckleballer Jared Fernandez to the mound on only two days? rest. The lack of rest didn?t seem to bother the right-hander as he threw seven innings and allowed one run on just three Isotope hits. Over the past four days, Fernandez threw 215 pitches and received two no-decisions. The Isotopes starter, Jeff Fulchino, was equally impressive as he logged six innings of work and allowed one run on two hits. Albuquerque took an early lead in the top of the second. With one out, catcher Tom Wilson doubled to left, giving the ?Topes their first hit of the game. Wilson scored two batters later when Chris Ashby hit a two-out RBI double to the wall in left field to give the vistors a one-run lead. The Sounds did not strike back until the bottom of the seventh inning. Mike Rivera and Dave Krynzel started the inning off with a pair of walks against Fulchino before Albuquerque manager Dean Treanor made a double switch, bringing Joe Horgan to the hill and sending James Shanks to left field. Following a double steal, Chris Barnwell, the Sounds? hottest hitter, greeted Horgan with an RBI single just out of the reach of Albuquerque second baseman Drew Niles to score Jermaine Clark, who had pinch-run for Rivera at second. Clark?s run knotted the game up at 1-1. Barnwell?s single increased his hitting streak to seven games, the longest active streak on the team, and the infielder finished the game 1-for-2 to raise his team-leading average to .337 on the year. Sounds manager Frank Kremblas brought in reliever Jason Kershner in the top of the eighth and the southpaw struck out the first three batters he faced but didn?t experience the same success in the ninth. The Isotopes recorded three singles in a row off Kershner to lead off the ninth which loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Scott Seabol, who delivered a soft single over a drawn-in infield to put Albuquerque up 2-1 and chase Kershner from the ballgame. The visitors continued to score against new Sounds reliever Alec Zumwalt as Wilson hit a two-run ground-rule double with the bases loaded, his second two-bagger of the night. Albuquerque plated four more runs in the frame on an Ashby RBI single and a three-run home run off the bat of Shanks, his fourth roundtripper of the season. By the time the Sounds started to bat in the ninth, the Isotopes had recorded a seven-run lead. The seven-run inning was the largest allowed by Nashville all season. Horgan (3-0) blew a save for Albuquerque but was a beneficiary of the big ninth inning outburst as he picked up his third win of the season. Kershner (3-2) was credited with the loss after allowing four earned runs in one-plus inning of work. The two teams face off for the finale of the four-game series on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Sounds will give right-hander Justin Lehr (0-1, 5.73) the nod and the Isotopes will send Chris George (1-0, 7.65) to the mound.

Final: Albuquerque (Marlins) 8, Nashville 1 Tied at one going in to the 9th -- that tells you how the 9th inning went... Nashville Box Score: Tony Gwynn a double and a walk -- what a breakout couple of months; Nelson Cruz three strikeouts -- 58 in 201 AB's; Chris Barnwell on base three times -- he may not be voted All-Star PCL shortstop, but he had better be named to that squad; Jared Fernandez stellar, just one of those nights for Jason Kershner and Alec Zumwalt... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: Twice Jared Fernandez couldn't help himself at the plate early on; killer bunt pinch-hit pop out by Kennard Bibbs in the 7th -- Gwynn then failed to produce in the same fateful inning; four soft base hits off Kershner in the 9th, Zumwalt's hits allowed were much louder... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-5.wma

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 4, Huntsville 2 Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=866 Clutch Hitting Carris Barons to Victory Corwin Malone worked seven strong innings and Gustavo Molina knocked in two runs, and threw out two runners trying to steal, to lead Birmingham to a 4-2 win over Huntsville Monday night in the fourth game of a five-game set at the Hoover Met. The Barons improved to 25-34 overall and 11-18 at home, while the Stars dropped to 22-34 and saw their three-game win streak brought to a halt. Steve Moss singled with one out in the third inning, moved to third base on a single by Callix Crabbe and scored on a fly ball off the bat of Drew Anderson, who knocked in his eighth run of the series, to give the visitors the 1-0 lead. Malone then retired the side in order in three of the next four innings and allowed only a Crabbe single in the sixth the rest of the way. The southpaw worked seven innings, allowing a lone run on five hits and walk. He struck out four and has held the Stars to two runs over 13 innings in two starts. Birmingham scored twice in the home third against Carlos Villanueva, making his second start since returning to the Stars after a week in the big leagues with the Brewers. Molina singled home Micah Schnurstein with one out and scored the go-ahead run on a two-out single by Ricardo Nanita, who has hit safely in all four games of the set. Molina singled in a two-out run in the fourth inning and Corey Smith drew a two-out walk in the fifth and scored when Cory Aldridge followed with a double. Villanueva was lifted after five frames, allowing four runs on eight hits and suffering his third straight loss to fall to 4-5. He has allowed nine runs, eight earned, over 11 1/3 innings in his last two starts on the road after permitting only one marker over 26 2/3 in his first four appearances away from home. Khalid Ballouli tossed two scoreless frames in relief in his first outing since May 11. He was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day after missing three and a half weeks with a sore right throwing shoulder. The Stars scored a run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Crabbe that plated Jeff Eure, who had led off the frame with a triple. Ehren Wasserman tossed a scoreless ninth inning to earn his ninth save of the year. The Stars, who had rampaged through the Barons staff for 30 runs on 35 hits and 29 walks in the first three games of the series, were held to seven hits and received only two free passes. The series wraps up Tuesday night with Stars southpaw Jeff Housman taking the mound against Barons? southpaw Ryan Rodriguez. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1 Huntsville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

West Virginia Site Game Summary: Suns snap Power winning streak The West Virginia Power had the tying run on third base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Monday night?s game against the Hagerstown Suns, with Angel Salome at the plate who had smacked two game-winning hits earlier in the season. German Marte struck Salome out and ended West Virginia?s seven-game winning streak with a 6-5 victory. Joe Holden hit his first of two home runs in the top of the third inning, a two-run shot that put the Suns up 2-0. The Power cut that lead in half on a solo home run from Mike Bell in the fourth inning. The Power scored twice in the sixth inning to take their only lead of the game. Salome doubled in Lorenzo Cain to tie it up and Salome scored later in the inning on Ned Yost?s sacrifice fly. The Suns scored four runs in the eighth inning to pull away. Holden hit his second homer of the night, a solo shot to begin the scoring. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jose Castro hit a ground ball to Power shortstop Mike Bell. Bell bobbled the ball and then overthrew Yost at first base allowing two runs to score. Castro scored the final run of the inning on Drew Butera?s RBI single. The Power scored their final two runs in the bottom of the eighth on Yost?s fourth home run of the year. Grady Hinchman (1-1) earned the victory, German Marte (2) earned the save and Robbie Wooley (1-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 31-24 after the loss and the Suns improved to 20-36 with the win. On Tuesday night, Hagerstown will start right hander Waner Mateo (0-0, 0.00) and the Power will counter with left hander Dave Welch (2-3, 3.15). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

Final: Brevard County 11, Vero Beach (Dodgers) 10 As sour as the Power loss was, this one looks sweet -- Carlos Corporan's two-run double in the top of the 9th wins it, Jeremy Lewis gets the save... Reminder -- after reviewing the game log, if there's a particular part of the game (or the whole thing!) you want to check out, there is an audio archive available for this June 5th game -- adjust the date on the linked page if need be: www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp Brevard County Box Score: Luis Pena comes off the DL and pitches a 1-2-3 8th inning -- three swinging strikeouts; Josh Wahpepah's really scuffling over his last three or four starts; Ryan Braun missed all the fun, not even in a pinch-hit role, what's up with that? The Hurricane's back -- did six games go by that quickly? Don't worry, folks, 19-year-old Alcides Escobar is still an uber-prospect; in C.J. Medlin, Carlos Corporan, and now Ryan Phillips, the Manatees have a catching rotation that's a bit more than respectable at the plate; Charlie Fermaint now 19-for-24 in stolen base attempts... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1 Brevard County Game Log: Are you man (or woman) enough to digest a full 11-10 game log? Here's your chance... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1

Final: Hagerstown (Mets) 6, West Virginia 5 Bummer of a loss to a pretty poor Suns squad; SS Michael Bell experiences it all -- HR early on, but then a huge two-out error that led to disaster in the 8th; Angel Salome struck out to end the game with the tying and winning runs on base... West Virginia Box Score: Angel picks off another baserunner, this time at first base; Ned Yost (on fire) with a two-run HR in the 8th to bring the Power oh-so-close; teams traded key double plays in the 2nd... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: Six double plays combined... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

We'll keep this pinned here during the Padre series -- too much good stuff from Bill to bury in a single IGT post: www.brewerfan.net/ViewDai...portId=443

Huntsville Press Release: The game between the Huntsville Stars and the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx that was suspended in the third inning due to rain on June 1 will be played to it's nine inning conclusion and will be followed by a seven inning contest on Thursday, June 15th. The first game will begin at 6:05pm.

Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...format=prn Injury helps Power's Miller learn how to pitch Jacob Messer Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter Talk about taking lemons and making lemonade. That is an accurate analogy for the way West Virginia Power pitcher Derek Miller used an injury to improve himself. Miller, a 6-foot, 195-pound left-hander, suffered a partially torn ligament in the elbow of his throwing arm four years ago, when he was a sophomore at the University of Vermont. He endured eight months of rehabilitation, then returned to the mound for his junior season. He finished the year but needed Tommy John surgery afterward. "I learned how to actually pitch the year I had the injury," said Miller, whom the Milwaukee Brewers drafted in the 47th round in 2004. "I didn't have any zip on my fastball or any bite on my curveball. I had to start pitching the corners. Once I could hit those spots at will, the hitters didn't have a choice. They had to swing at pitches they didn't want to, and they started getting themselves out. "I learned a lot about myself. Pitchers don't always go out there with their best stuff, but they have to make do with what they have got." Miller has continued his post-surgery success in the South Atlantic League this season. He owns a 6-1 record and a 2.95 earned run average. He has allowed 60 hits and 22 runs (20 earned) in 61 innings with 65 strikeouts and 25 walks. "I know hitters get themselves out," said Miller, who was 0-1 with three no- decisions in his first four starts and is 6-0 with two no-decisions in his last eight starts. "You just have to pound the strike zone as much as you can. I just try to go out there every time and give my team a chance to win." Miller got the win Sunday in West Virginia's 7-3 victory over Lake County. Darren Ford, Tony Festa, Ned Yost and Scott McKnight each had two hits for the Power, which scored the final six runs in the series finale to sweep its four-game set with the Captains. Ford accounted for four of West Virginia's seven runs, scoring two and driving in two. * * *TONIGHT MARKS the start of a four-game series between West Virginia (31-23) and Hagerstown (19-36), with the first two games at the Power's Appalachian Power Park and the last two games at the Suns' Municipal Stadium. Hagerstown will start right-hander Jason Meyers (1-5, 7.57). West Virginia will counter with right-hander Matt Kretzschmar (0-2, 8.20). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). The South Atlantic League series should be an entertaining one. The teams have played three times this season (April 18-20), with the Suns winning twice and the Power winning once. All three games were decided by one run. * * *THE POWER has won eight of its last 10 games, including seven in a row. "We are starting to put everything together," Yost said. No one has been hotter at the plate during that stretch than Yost, a 6-2, 195- pound first baseman who is hitting .421 (16-for-38) with three RBI and nine runs in West Virginia's last 10 games. Despite his hot hitting, Yost is trying to maintain an even keel. "You can't get too high or too low," said Yost, whose father manages the Brewers. "You can go 4-for-4 one day and 0-for-4 the next day." His batting average has increased 125 percentage points to .289 after an opening month in which he struggled mightily. He hit .164 (10-for-61) with five RBI and six runs in 18 games in April but has hit .367 (36-for-98) with 12 RBI and 20 runs in 28 games in May and June. "At the beginning of the season, I was still trying to figure out my swing," said Yost, whom the Brewers signed as an undrafted free agent last year. "It just took me about a month to do it. "I was a little jumpy and a little anxious (in April). When May came around, I told myself, ?It's a new month. It's time to start over.' I have been getting hits ever since." Yost attributes his turnaround to a series of minor changes to his swing and his stride rather than a major adjustment. "It was all sorts of little stuff," he said. * * *ACCORDING TO Sunday's Lexington Herald-Leader, Houston Astros star Roger Clemens' return to baseball will be televised by ESPN. The 43-year-old Clemens, who has won the Cy Young Award a Major League Baseball-best seven times, will take the mound for Lexington in front of a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday when the South Atlantic League club hosts Lake County. According to the newspaper, ESPN will expand its 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter to cover the 60-75 pitches Clemens is scheduled to throw. "Karl Ravech, Harold Reynolds, John Kruk and Peter Gammons of ESPN's Baseball Tonight will describe the action and analyze Clemens' effort," the newspaper reported. "Analyst Jeff Brantley will join reporter Pedro Gomez inside Applebee's Park to provide additional analysis and interviews."

Standings through Sunday's action: Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 33 24 .579 - 21-9 12-15 W5[/b] Iowa 24 31 .436 8.0 12-13 12-18 W1 Omaha 23 34 .404 10.0 16-15 7-19 L2 Memphis 21 35 .375 11.5 11-15 10-20 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 36 22 .621 - 23-10 13-12 W3 West Tenn 34 23 .596 1.5 14-14 20-9 W2 Tennessee 28 30 .483 8.0 18-12 10-18 L2 Carolina 26 32 .448 10.0 15-13 11-19 L6 [b]Huntsville 23 33 .411 12.0 9-19 14-14 W3[/b] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 32 23 .582 - 14-13 18-10 W3 [b]Brevard County 30 24 .556 1.5 16-11 14-13 W4[/b] Daytona 29 27 .518 3.5 18-11 11-16 W2 Palm Beach 28 27 .509 4.0 14-14 14-13 W1 Jupiter 24 31 .436 8.0 11-16 13-15 L1 Vero Beach 22 34 .393 10.5 12-15 10-19 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 34 21 .618 - 19-10 15-11 L1 Delmarva 32 22 .593 1.5 17-12 15-10 L1 [b]West Virginia 31 23 .574 2.5 16-11 15-12 W7[/b] Greensboro 31 24 .564 3.0 20-9 11-15 W1 Lakewood 28 27 .509 6.0 16-11 12-16 W1 Hickory 24 29 .453 9.0 12-11 12-18 L1 Lake County 24 32 .429 10.5 12-17 12-15 L5 Hagerstown 19 36 .345 15.0 10-14 9-22 W1

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime: Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice: www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

Follow Sunday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, 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. It's sweet! Nashville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1 Brevard County: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_vbdafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

Monday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Jared Fernandez on two days' rest at home vs. Albuquerque (Marlins), 6:40 PM pre-game, 7:00 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Huntsville: RHP Carlos Villanueva at Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ Brevard County: RHP Josh Wahpepah at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 6:00 PM Audio link (opponent's): www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp West Virginia: RHP Matt Kretzschmar at home vs. Hagerstown (Mets), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime Audio link: www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

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Speaking of Huntsville press releases, there was a nice Q&A with the Stars' Media Relations Director Bryan Neece, who co-broadcasts home games with Brett Pollock. Link (page 4 of Adobe document), text below: www.southernleague.com/pr...ue%204.pdf Bryan Neece, the Director of Media Relations, is in his third year with the Huntsville Stars. He not only oversees the media efforts of the Stars, but is a part of their broadcasting team, and also works with group sales. How did you get your start in professional baseball? Three years ago I was working for a radio station here in Huntsville and I knew Bryan Dingo, then the General Manager of the Stars. There was a job opening for a Media Relations Assistant and he encouraged me to apply. I sent in my resume and they hired me and it went from there. What does an average day look like for you when the Stars are at home? It's busy! The first thing I do when I get here in the morning is make sure the stat packs are ready to go for the managers. I also check my e-mails and make sure everything is up to date and everyone is ready to go. I update the rosters if there are any moves and get the proper things to the proper people. What about when the Stars are away? I do a lot of the same things when the Stars are away, it's just a much more relaxed atmosphere. I make sure all the player information is right and make any necessary changes. I have to make sure that I send everything to the proper people. I just have to keep up to date with everything. What are some of the things that you do to promote the team in Huntsville? The key is to ensure that everyone in Huntsville knows what's going on. I make sure they know when we are home, what time we play, what promotions are going on. I definitely want people to know when we are having fireworks. Everyone loves those. I try to prevent people from saying, "we didn't know that was happening, if we had known that, then we would've come." What are some things that you have done that are above and beyond to help a member of the media get their story? You have to go as far as you can a lot of the time. There have been a couple of times where someone wants to talk to a player and do a feature story and the player or the media person is not having their best day. You have to be able to find the balance between them and walk the line to help make the interview the best you can. What are some of the main things you do during the off-season? Sales! I try to get new accounts. I get with businesses that are new to the Huntsville area and might not know what the Stars have to offer. I want to make sure they know exactly what we do here. I also meet with our old accounts and try to renew them. It's a lot of meeting with people and fielding phone calls. What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part is definitely game time and also just getting to interact with the players. I really enjoy being able to watch them succeed whether it's at our level or the AAA level or even in the Majors. I enjoy the opportunity I get to meet a lot of new people, players, and coaches. Who have been some of the best players you've been able to watch? Ben Sheets, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks. Those guys are blessed with a lot of talent and they are showing that with the Brewers right now. I hear you are a big University of Tennessee fan. Do people give you a hard time for being such a huge Vols' fan and working in Bear Bryant nation? Yes, definitely! Matt Price, whose office is across from mine, is a huge 'Bama fan. Come the third Saturday of October, we have a lot of fun around here. I get a lot of ribbing, but I think we've won something like 8 of the last 11 games, so I have plenty of room to do some talking.

Huntsville Press Release: Link for Tim Dillard photo, text follows -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=863 Dillard Receives League Award The Southern League has announced that Stars pitcher Tim Dillard has been named the BC Fast Pain Relief Pitcher of the Week for May 29-June 4. Dillard went 1-0 with a 0.77 ERA in two starts last week to earn the honor. He follows Khalid Ballouli as the second Stars pitcher to win the award this year. On May 29th against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Dillard tossed five scoreless innings, striking out two while allowing just six hits and not walking a batter. On June 3rd at Birmingham, he continued his dominance, going 6.2 innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits and one walk, and struck out a season high seven Barons. Dillard, who has allowed two or less runs in nine of his twelve starts this season, was drafted by the Brewers in the 34th round of the 2002 draft and is 3-4 with a 3.53 ERA this season. The 6'4" right-hander was named the Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year after going 12-10 with a 2.48 ERA in 28 starts for Brevard County. He also led the Florida State League last year in innings pitched (185.1), ERA, shutouts (2), and complete games (5).

In a swap of oft-injured pitchers at Brevard County, former 40-man roster hurler Luis Pena, 23 years old, comes off the Manatee disabled list, and closer Josh Alliston, 26, who has battled for two years to get back into action, has been placed on the DL retrocative to May 28th with an undisclosed injury. Hopefully for Alliston, who was having a fine season, the injury isn't serious (or arm-related again).

Final: Nashville 7, Albuquerque (Marlins) 6 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link for Graham Koonce photo in camouflage jersey, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1988 Koonce Blasts Two Homers In 7-6 Sounds Win NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? First baseman Graham Koonce belted a pair of home runs and starter Dennis Sarfate turned in a solid outing on three days? rest to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 7-6 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium. Nashville (33-24) increased its winning streak to five games, matching its longest this season, and has won six of its last seven games overall. The Sounds? 33 victories tie the club for the most in the Pacific Coast League, along with Albuquerque and Salt Lake. The game marked the Sounds' eighth one-run decision in the club's last nine games; Nashville has won five of those contests. The Sounds struck first, grabbing a 2-0 lead against Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs in the bottom of the first inning. Tony Gwynn led off the frame with a double down the left field line and scored one batter later when Ungs misfired while throwing to first on Kennard Bibbs? sacrifice bunt. After Bibbs stole second and Dave Krynzel walked behind him, Brent Abernathy ripped a one-out single to center to increase the lead to 2-0. Koonce doubled the advantage to 4-0 in the bottom of the third with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right-center off Ungs that scored Krynzel. Koonce, who joined the Sounds on May 31, belted 23 longballs a year ago for Triple-A Indianapolis. AUDIO: Graham Koonce's 1st HR -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-4.wma Catcher Mark Johnson and Chris Barnwell continued the scoring in the third with back-to-back one-out RBI doubles that resulted in a 6-0 Sounds lead. Barnwell paced Nashville with a 3-for-4 evening to extend his hitting streak to six games and push his average to a team-leading .335 on the season, two points ahead of Gwynn?s .333 mark. Koonce turned on the power again in the fourth when he extended the Nashville lead to 7-0 with his second homer of the evening, a solo shot to right off Ungs. He is the fourth different Sounds player to record a two-homer game this season. Former Sound Jason Wood put Albuquerque on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center. The blast, which came off Nashville starter Dennis Sarfate and scored Chris Aguila, was the infielder?s eighth of the year. Wood?s roundtripper was only the second given up by Sarfate this season in 60 1/3 innings. The Isotopes made a game of it in the ninth when Aguila belted a two-out grand slam off Sounds reliever Chris Mabeus to pull Albuquerque within 7-6. The slam was Aguila?s first home run of the season. All four runs were unearned, however, due to a throwing error by Nashville third baseman Vinny Rottino that opened the inning. Mabeus recovered to strike out Wood for the final out of the game to secure the victory. Gwynn notched his team-leading 24th multiple-hit effort with a 2-for-4 night. The Sounds? leadoff hitter has compiled seven multi-hit games in his last eight contests (16-for-34, .471). Sarfate (4-2), who started on three days? rest, picked up his team-leading fourth victory of the season with a solid outing, allowing two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings of work. He walked five batters and struck out six in the outing; both totals equal season highs for the right-hander. Ungs (6-5) took the loss after giving up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in his six frames. The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. contest on Monday night. Knuckleballer Jared Fernandez (1-1, 3.52) will take the hill on only two days? rest for Nashville to face Isotopes right-hander Jeff Fulchino (2-3, 4.50). ***Link while active, text follows: www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=50229 Sounds go up early, hang on for win By Ed Atlas, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent What appeared to be an uneventful evening went down to the wire as Nashville walked a tightrope in the ninth and escaped with a 7-6 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes in a Pacific Coast League game Sunday night at Greer Stadium. The Sounds had a comfortable 7-2 lead before Chris Aguila hammered a two-out grand slam off the guitar in left to make it a one-run game. But reliever Chris Mabeus, who pitched the final two innings, buckled down to strike out Jason Wood to end the game. The Sounds improved to 33-24, maintaining their 8-game lead over Iowa in the PCL?s Northern Division. ?I thought we were swinging the bats much better in the early part of the game and fortunately we built a big enough lead,? said Nashville manager Frank Kremblas. The Sounds got a strong effort from starter Dennis Sarfate and some stronger hitting from first baseman Graham Koonce in winning their fifth consecutive game. Pitching on just three days rest, Sarfate looked a little restless when he took the mound, but he held the Isotopes scoreless until giving up a two-run homer to Jason Wood in the sixth. But by then the Sounds had built a 7-0 lead with Koonce leading the way with a pair of home runs, a two-run blast to center in the third and a solo shot an inning later. ?I walked a few like I always do but I was able to get out of it,? said Sarfate. ?Anytime you pitch on short rest you have to help your team out because you can?t go to the pen too soon.? Sarfate (4-2) worked 5.2 innings, allowed four hits, walked five and tied his season-high with six strikeouts. The homer was only the second he has surrendered in 60 innings this season. ?He has a tendency to get behind in the counts but I thought he did a good job of pitching [last night], not just staying with the fastball,? said Kremblas. Nashville batted around in a four-run, five-hit third. Dave Krynzel led off with an infield single then Koonce, who joined the team on May 31, delivered his first home run of the season, a towering drive just right of center. ?I?ve been trying to get comfortable,? said Koonce, who was out of baseball until signing with the Sounds. ?I?ve been working hard on having the same approach, not just every at-bat but every pitch.? Sarfate battled back after the first two batters reached for Albuquerque in the first and second innings. He got Wood to bounce into a double play to end the first then struck out the 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the second. ?That?s been my story all year, falling behind and walking guys but as long as I can get the next guy out I?m not too worried about it,? he said. Nashville pounded-out 12 hits, 10 against Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs (6-5). Tony Gwynn (.333) collected his 24th multi-hit game of the season. Brent Abernathy had a pair of singles and Chris Barnwell (3-4, .335) had a double and two singles. Nashville native and Lipscomb graduate Wes Wilkerson pitched the eighth for the Isotopes, allowing two hits and striking out two. ***Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Sounds score early, hold off Isotopes rally Seven runs in first four innings give Sarfate big cushion By RYAN CALLAHAN For The Tennessean Dennis Sarfate didn't mind pitching on short rest. It didn't hurt that the Sounds weren't short on runs. Nashville exploded for seven runs in the first four innings and held off a late rally for a 7-6 win over Albuquerque Sunday night that tied the Sounds for the most wins in the Pacific Coast League. A Greer Stadium crowd of 5,211 watched the Sounds (33-24) surpass the Isotopes (33-25) for the best record in the PCL's American Conference and match their previous season-best winning streak with their fifth consecutive win. "I thought we swung the bats much better in the early part of the game," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Fortunately, we built a big enough lead." Graham Koonce, who joined the Sounds on Wednesday, helped Nashville maintain its eight-game lead over Iowa in the Northern Division standings with home runs in the third and fourth innings. By then, the Sounds had a 7-0 lead, more than enough for Sarfate (4-2) to cruise to his third win in four starts. The right-hander worked out of early trouble and racked up a season-high six strikeouts on the way to his team-high fourth win of the year. "Scoring a run in the first inning or two, that gives you your confidence back," Sarfate said. "It's great when you're not having to pitch from behind, and these guys swung the bats well tonight." Nashville's early cushion almost wasn't enough. Albuquerque cut the lead to one with a two-out grand slam to Chris Aguila in the ninth, but Chris Mabeus struck out former Sound Jason Wood to preserve the win. Sounds right-hander Jared Fernandez (1-1, 3.52 ERA) will go against Jeff Fulchino (2-3, 4.50) in the third game of the four-game series tonight at 7. What they said: "I tip my hat to Graham (Koonce) for hitting two home runs because they came back at the end and we needed seven runs to win it." ?Sarfate ***Link while active, text follows: tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS Released by Yankees, Koonce boosts Sounds By RYAN CALLAHAN For The Tennessean After asking for his release from the New York Yankees at the end of spring training, Graham Koonce was content to sit at home, celebrate the birth of his first child and wait ? just in case someone called. Finally, the Nashville Sounds did. On Sunday night, Koonce answered. Things finally returned to normal for Koonce, a former Pacific Coast League MVP who joined Nashville on Wednesday. The 30-year-old first baseman homered in consecutive at-bats in the third and fourth innings, helping the Sounds build a comfortable lead on their way to a 7-6 win over Albuquerque. Koonce's arrival in Nashville marked the beginning of the Sounds' current five-game winning streak. Fittingly, Koonce played a big part in keeping the streak alive Sunday night with his first two homers of the year. "He got a couple of pitches up in the zone and hit them well," Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "He's a strong enough guy that, when he hits it well, it's got a chance to get out of the park." His third-inning blast to right-center made it 4-0 and broke the game open in Nashville's four-run third inning. His solo homer to right in the fourth proved to be the winning run after Chris Aguila's ninth-inning grand slam cut the Sounds' lead to one. "We've been working hard on having the same approach, not just every at-bat but every pitch," Koonce said. "It's kind of an in-and-out thing for me, and I'm just working to stay comfortable." Sarfate stays solid: Nashville starter Dennis Sarfate picked up his team-best fourth win on just three days' rest. He allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and tied a season high with six strikeouts. It was the 10th time in 12 starts this year he's held an opponent to three or fewer runs and his third win in four starts. "(Sarfate) did a good job of pitching tonight and not just staying with the fastball," Kremblas said. "(Catcher) Mark Johnson did a good job of making him throw his breaking ball." Albuquerque's sixth-inning home run from former Sound Jason Wood was only the second homer this year off Sarfate in almost 60 innings. Still streaking: Shortstop Chris Barnwell extended his hitting streak to six games with a second-inning single to center off Albuquerque starter Nic Ungs. Barnwell, 11-for-23 during his hitting streak, raised his average to a team-best .335 by going 3-for-4 with an RBI double during the Sounds' four-run third inning. "He's swinging at better pitches, getting some pitches up in the zone," Kremblas said. "He's getting some good swings on them and they're finding some holes." Welcome home: Nashville native Wes Wilkerson, a product of David Lipscomb High School and Lipscomb University, pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Albuquerque. Wilkerson allowed consecutive two-out singles to Nashville's Tony Gwynn and Kennard Bibbs but stranded the runners by striking out Dave Krynzel. Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1