MassBrew

Richmond (Braves) 8, Indianapolis 6, 10 innings What, no love for Chris Coste (1.051 OPS) in the earlier posts?! Indianapolis Game Summary: Not quite sure why Cecil Cooper felt so distraught after this one, other than the loss itself... Richmond (4-5) broke through with two runs in the top of the 10th inning as the Braves battled back from a 6-4 deficit to hand the Indianapolis Indians (5-3) an 8-6 loss. The Tribe had a chance to win the game in the ninth. With one out, Chris Coste, who collected four hits, doubled down the left field line off Braves reliever Matt Whiteside. Pinch hitter Jeff Liefer received an intentional pass. After Corey Hart popped out to first baseman Mike Hessman, pinch hitter Jon Nunnally struck out looking. The two teams traded leads five times in the contest. Indianapolis managed to stake a 6-4 lead after six innings. Dave Krynzel and Steve Scarborough each added two hits during this run. Richmond scored a pair of runs in the eighth off reliever Chris Michalak to tie the game, 6-6. Nick Green singled to right field to lead off the inning and came home on Ryan Langerhans? home run. The Braves scored the winning run off losing pitcher Michalak (1-2). Michalak hit Green with a pitch to open the inning. Langerhans, attempting to sacrafice, dropped a bunt which Michalak fielded and threw late to second base behind Green. Lee Evans then walked to load the bases. Joe DePastino followed with a fly out to right field. Tribe right fielder Hart fired a perfect strike to home plate as the runners held their ground with the exception of Langerhans at second base. As catcher Mark Johnson threw to shortstop J.J. Hardy, Green broke for home plate. Hardy?s throw was off line and Green scored the eventual winning run. The Braves added another run in the inning. Michalak intentionally walked Mike Hessman to re-load the bases, but Pete Orr drove a deep fly to center field, scoring Langerhans. ?This is a game that we should have won,? said Tribe manager Cecil Cooper. ?I take the blame for this loss. We?ll grow from this and start all over tomorrow. For me, this loss will not disappear quickly. I feel like I let this team down.? Indianapolis will meet the Braves in the rubber game of a four-game series Monday at Noon on Baseball In Education Day at Victory Field. The Tribe will send Travis Phelps (0-0, 40.50) to meet Trey Hodges (0-0, 3.38) tomorrow. Indianapolis Box Score: GAME DATE: 4/18/04 RMD at IND RICHMOND 8 AT INDIANAPOLIS 6 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD RICHMOND AB R H BI AVG INDIANAPOLIS AB R H BI AVG N.Green 2B 4 2 2 0 .269 D.Krynzel CF 5 3 3 0 .321 R.Langerhans CF 2 3 1 2 .217 J.Hardy SS 6 0 1 2 .211 R.Branyan LF 3 1 0 0 .238 C.Magruder LF 5 0 1 2 .280 M.Whiteside PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Coste CAT 5 1 4 0 .419 L.Evans PH 0 0 0 0 .308 C.Coste 3B 0 0 0 0 .419 T.Drew PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Sheldon 1B 4 0 1 0 .227 J.Depastino CAT 5 1 1 3 .346 J.Liefer PH 0 0 0 0 .346 M.Hessman 1B 4 1 2 1 .333 J.Liefer 1B 0 0 0 0 .346 D.Hollins RF 2 0 0 0 .120 C.Hart RF 4 1 1 0 .387 R.Glynn PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Scarbrough 3B 4 0 2 2 .286 R.Colon PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Nunnally PH 1 0 0 0 .300 P.Orr LF 1 0 0 1 .391 M.Johnson CAT 0 0 0 0 .273 W.Betemit 3B 4 0 0 0 .080 L.Figueroa 2B 3 0 1 0 .188 J.Velandia SS 3 0 0 0 .143 M.Adams PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 R.Aguilar PIT 2 0 0 0 .000 C.Michalak PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 C.Thomas RF 2 0 0 0 .200 J.De La Rosa PIT 2 1 0 0 .000 M.Erickson 2B 3 0 0 0 .087 TOTALS 32 8 6 7 TOTALS 44 6 14 6 RICHMOND 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 2- 8 6 0 INDIANAPOLIS 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0- 6 14 1 E--J.Hardy. DP--RICHMOND 0, INDIANAPOLIS 2. LOB--RICHMOND 4, INDIANAPOLIS 11. 2B--D.Krynzel (2), J.Hardy (4), C.Coste 2 (6), C.Hart (2), S.Scarbrough (2). 3B--D.Krynzel (1). HR--R.Langerhans (1), J.Depastino (1), M.Hessman (1). CS--D.Hollins. HBP--N.Green, R.Langerhans, J.Velandia. SF--P.Orr. SH--R.Langerhans. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA RICHMOND R.Aguilar 5.0 9 5 5 2 1 0 8.00 R.Glynn 1.0 3 1 1 0 0 0 4.05 R.Colon 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10.80 M.Whiteside (W,1-0) 2.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0.00 T.Drew (S,1) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 INDIANAPOLIS J.De La Rosa 5.0 3 4 4 3 3 2 5.40 M.Adams 2.0 3 2 2 0 2 1 5.14 C.Michalak (L,1-2) 3.0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1.42 HB--J.De La Rosa, C.Michalak 2. SO--R.Branyan, M.Hessman, P.Orr, W.Betemit 2, J.Velandia, C.Thomas, C.Magruder, J.Nunnally, M.Adams, C.Michalak. BB--R.Langerhans, R.Branyan, L.Evans, M.Hessman, D.Hollins, D.Krynzel, J.Liefer, C.Hart. T--3:07. A--6590Indianapolis Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=14061

Daily Press High Desert Game Story: Quotes from OF Chris Morris, Manager Mel Queen... www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...568,60034,

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Ninth inning dooms Wizards By Sarah Trotto The Journal Gazette Fort Wayne Wizards manager Randy Ready said it simply, but the comment captured exactly what had unraveled. "It was unfortunate," Ready said. "Girardeau deserved a better fate." After starting pitcher Clark Girardeau threw six scoreless innings Saturday afternoon against Beloit, the Wizards blew his chance at victory by allowing seven runs in the ninth inning. The Wizards (2-7) lost 7-1 at Memorial Stadium in front of 3,018 fans. Girardeau had struck out nine and allowed three hits and no walks. After Wizards third baseman Skip Adams drove in a run in the seventh inning and relievers Jake Upwood and Ryan Klatt pitched two scoreless innings, the last-place Wizards looked ready to assemble their first winning streak of the season. They combusted in the ninth, sacrificing the 1-0 lead by giving up seven runs on eight hits and an error. The Wizards didn't produce a baserunner in the bottom of the inning. "Jeez, that was a good game," Ready said. "We pitched great until the ninth. We started fumbling the ball a little bit and had opportunities to make plays and just didn't. It was too bad because we had some real good pitching." Closer Aaron Coonrod was removed in the ninth with more than the loss after allowing three runs, two of them earned. He also emerged with scrapes across his forehead and right arm after he dove into the Beloit dugout to try to cut off an errant throw from the outfield that scored the winning run. Coonrod entered in the ninth, struck out the first batter, gave up a single up the middle and advanced the runner to second on a wild pitch. After a single placed runners on first and third, the Snappers' Vinny Rottino hit a grounder past Adams into left centerfield, scoring the runner from third and advancing a runner to third. Left fielder Casey Baker threw the ball to Adams to try to catch Lou Palmisano at third, but the ball sailed into the Beloit dugout, scoring Palmisano. "I guess (it was a) base hit to left field," Coonrod said. "The ball was overthrown, I slid in the dirt and I tried to stop the ball. It's tough when a guy throws really well for six innings, and guys don't make plays and stuff." A shaken-but-uninjured Coonrod was pulled from the game with the Wizards trailing 2-1 and Rottino on third. Chuck Bechtel took over, allowing four earned runs on five hits. The Wizards faced 12 batters in the inning. "(Coonrod) had good stuff tonight," Ready said. "What can I say? A guy got on with a wild pitch, a base hit and the other hit tied it and put it up. He's going to be all right." Ready sent out Coonrod after Klatt struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth inning, his only inning of work. Ready said Klatt didn't stay in the game longer because he's the Wizards' setup man and Coonrod is the closer. "We have a plan we stick to as far as setup and reliever," Ready said. "If we have the lead, that's how we'll go. However we get to the setup guy in the eighth is how we get to him. ... He's the setup man and Coonie is the closer and that's from the organization. By the organization, we were set up that way to go into the season." The Wizards struggled with their hitting against Beloit starter Kenneth Durost, who allowed three hits and struck out six in 5 2/3 innings. Reliever Greg Kloosterman won the game by allowing one run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. The Wizards got leadoff hitters on base in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings but were unable to score. "Their guy pitched good, kept us off balance, and we never got anything going," Ready said. Adams scored the Wizards' leadoff hitter, Billy Hogan, in the seventh inning with a single to right field, one of the Wizards' six hits. "It's not really a big deal," Girardeau said of the game. "It's a team game. The guy pitched a great game. We had (six) hits. It wasn't really one thing that did it. It was kind of a pitchers' duel." Girardeau was commanding throughout the game, ending each of the second through fifth innings with called strikeouts. "Girardeau, the results are there," Ready said. "He was very effective, located well. He had a great breaking ball and kept guys off balance all night. It was a tremendous outing." Wizards' left-hander Daniel Moore (1-0, 5.40 earned-run average) will start against Beloit at 2 p.m. today. Luis Pena will start for the Snappers.

squarepusher will likely get you your pre-game links, but kicking off the game thread with this from the Springfield (Mass.) Republican: Living a dream By RON CHIMELIS rchimelis@repub.com Pitching against Barry Bonds didn't awe Chris Capuano, but going head-to-head against Roger Clemens ... well, that's another story. Capuano believes he's up to the task he faces today, when the Milwaukee Brewers' left-hander from West Springfield gets the start at Houston. He doesn't deny, however, that today's matchup against Clemens is a thrill, and a dream come true. "This is one of those times you pinch yourself, and say you're really in the big leagues," said Capuano, a Cathedral High School graduate who was traded from Arizona to Milwaukee in the off-season. "Times like this are so exciting," Capuano said. "I kind of idolized Roger as a kid. Facing him is sort of surreal." In his last start, Capuano showed he does not flinch from a challenge. Pitching in San Francisco, he kept Barry Bonds in the ballpark three times, denying Bonds his historic 661st career home run. Bonds singled, walked and popped up against Capuano, who left after five innings. In the seventh, Bonds homered off reliever Ben Ford, breaking a third-place tie with Willie Mays on baseball's all-time home run list. "He's not superhuman," said Capuano, who challenged Bonds, rather than pitching around him. "I know if I make my best pitches against him, I can get him out. If you make your pitches, he's just like any other hitter." Well, maybe not quite. "Bonds has a knack for laying off the borderline pitches, and he waits until the pitcher has to throw a strike," said Capuano (1-1, 3.27 ERA), who faced Bonds as a rookie last year. "And most of the balls he hits out are up in the zone." Capuano said he understood the historic significance of the night, but didn't get preoccupied by it. He took the 4-2 loss not because of Bonds, but because of Marquis Grissom, who hit two home runs. Now comes Clemens (2-0), a 21-year veteran who retired last fall, changed his mind, and is in the National League for the first time. He brings a 0.66 ERA into today's game. Growing up, Capuano didn't pattern himself after Clemens, and not just because Clemens is a righty and he's not. "I could throw heat by 'em in Little League, but my fastball is just average now," said Capuano, 25, whose repertoire includes an effective changeup. "What I always liked about Clemens, though, was his work ethic. You hear that younger guys have trouble keeping up with his running and his workout schedule, and I admire that." Capuano says he's almost as excited to hit against Clemens as to pitch against him. Against St. Louis' Jeff Suppan on April 8, Capuano singled for his first major league hit. "That would be something, if I could get a knock (hit) off Roger," he said. If he did, though, would the Rocket send him sprawling the next time up? "I think the only way Roger would do that is if I took him yard," said Capuano, laughing at the thought of hitting a home run off Clemens. Today's game, though, is serious business for Capuano and the Brewers, whose 6-7 start has come mostly on the road and against tough opposition. Capuano likes Brewers manager Ned Yost and pitching coach Mike Maddux, who have shown patience with younger players. He's savoring the experience, but he's not daunted by the challenge. "Last year was good for me, coming up with Arizona and getting into some pressure situations," Capuano said. "My first game, I came into an extra-inning situation, and the first two guys I faced were Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones. "Against Los Angeles, I faced Shawn Green and Jeromy Burnitz," Capuano said. "I faced Bonds last year." Today, he faces Clemens, a special moment - and a tremendous test - for a ballplayer from Western Massachusetts who made it to the big leagues. "I love it," Capuano said. "That's the goal that drives you, to face the best. It's the greatest test of your skill and craft."

Well, everyone, the wonderful weather you had in Wisconsin earlier this week has made its way to the Northeast. As per usual on a Sunday, I hope to replay the Brewer game late tonight, and won't be available for the updates on the four minor league afternoon games. Whether it's Brewerfan "staff" or our readers, please keep in mind the following link. Click on the appropriate league for results, and enjoy. Thanks! www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...ate=041804

WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (MILWAUKEE) 5 2 .714[/b] TOLEDO MUD HENS (DETROIT) 4 6 .400 2.5 COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (NEW YORK YANKEES) 3 5 .375 2.5 LOUISVILLE BATS (CINCINNATI) 3 6 .333 3.0 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB BIRMINGHAM BARONS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 5 3 .625 WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 4 4 .500 1.0 MOBILE BAY BEARS (SAN DIEGO) 4 5 .444 1.5 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 4 5 .444 1.5[/b] MONTGOMERY BISCUITS (TAMPA BAY) 3 6 .333 2.5 SOUTH DIVISION W L PCT GB INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS (SEATTLE) 6 2 .750 LANCASTER JETHAWKS (ARIZONA) 6 3 .667 .5 RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (ANAHEIM) 5 3 .625 1.0 LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO) 4 5 .444 2.5 [b]HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (MILWAUKEE) 3 7 .300 4.0[/b] WESTERN DIVISION W L PCT GB CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS (ANAHEIM) 7 2 .778 KANE COUNTY COUGARS (OAKLAND) 5 4 .556 2.0 CLINTON LUMBER KINGS (TEXAS) 5 4 .556 2.0 WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS (SEATTLE) 4 5 .444 3.0 QUAD CITY RIVER BANDITS (MINNESOTA) 4 5 .444 3.0 PEORIA CHIEFS (ST.LOUIS) 4 5 .444 3.0 [b]BELOIT SNAPPERS (MILWAUKEE) 4 5 .444 3.0[/b] BURLINGTON BEES (KANSAS CITY) 3 6 .333 4.0

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville update: David discusses Enrique Cruz' "error", which I apparently should not have mentioned earlier -- see, nothing beats watching and/or listening to the ballgames for accuracy... DPs HELP END STARS' 5-GAME SKIDHopefully the Stars' cold spell has come and gone coincidenatlly with the climatological one that saw temperatures in Huntsville plunge as low as the upper 30s on Tuesday. I guess it took an extra day (Friday) for the Stars to thaw out, but it appears, that like the weather, better days are ahead....... Tonight in Montgomery, their nine hits, spread pretty evenly across the lineup, nearly equalled the grand total of their last four games, in which the Stars hit .105 (11-for-105). The Stars wasted no time, anxious to purge this cold funk....... Anthony Gwynn, 3-for-24 at the plate, and Ryan Knox, the only consistently hitting regular at .304, hit back-to-back singles in the 1st to leadoff the game. Gwynn took third thanks to a passed ball while Knox was at the plate........ Prince Fielder hit a fly out to left and Dan DeMent thought he had a play at the plate, but Robinson Cancel saw Reckless Ryan offering himself as a sacrificial lamb. Cancel's throw to second base nailed Knox easily, but Gwynn scored the Stars first run, every one a crucial one in this game......... Juan Salas countered for Montgomery with a two-out double to right-center that scored B.J. Upton, who had singled. The Stars did a good job at keeping the Biscuits away from scoring position in the 2nd and 4th innings......... Leadoff hitter Amado German was erased in the 2nd inning by a 4-6-3 double play, which was good cause Brian Martin subsequently walked, and German did it again in the 4th, hitting into a 6-3 DP, Enrique Cruz wisely deciding not to flip to Weeks who was out of position........ In the top of the 4th, Rickie Weeks snapped an 0-for-21 string at the plate with a single to right, but was stranded. So the game is tied at 1-1 going into the bottom of the 5th........ Brian Martin led off against Mike Jones and hit a scorcher to Cruz that kicked up on him and scooted over his left knee. The ball rolled all the way to the base of the wall in left-center field, allowing the speedy Martin to advance to third. At first it was scored a triple, but the scorer unjustly handed an error to Cruz on the play, the 18th error in nine games for the Stars........ Martin would stay put after a comebacker by Fernando Cortez to Jones, but Martin would score anyway on a wild pitch that would make it 2-1 for Montgomery........ Jones finished the 5th, his final inning, by getting out of a jam with runners on first and second, when Juan Salas hit into a force play. Then the oven door slammed on the Biscuits (excuse me, but these word plays at the expense of this team are too good to resist)........ Ryan Miller and Paul Stewart held them to six scoreless innings. Miller, himself, didn't allow a single hit in three innings, adding to a fearsome log already this month. In 10 innings of relief, he's allowed just a run on six hits and struck out 15. Maybe Miller just loves April......... Last year, he put up the 4th best April of any Stars pitcher in their history, giving up just one earned run in 16 1/3 innings. Despite a 1-7 record, he proved to be one of the best set-up men in the pen for Huntsville and during the post-season, threw scoreless relief in three appearances covering just over four innings. The outstanding relief helped get the Stars back in this game and they did so quickly against former Diamond Jaxx reliever T.P. Waligora. With Gwynn on first and two away, Weeks hammered an 0-1 pitch deep to the track in center field over the head of Amado German, looking as if it may go out, but it caroms off the wall and Gwynn scored all the way from first, while Weeks dived into third with the first triple of the season for the Stars, knotting the score at 2-2, and giving him his first RBI since the second game of the season. Stew came on in the 9th inning on the heels of a fine three innings of relief in last Wednesday's no-hitter by Carolina......... But after getting two quick outs on German and Robinson Cancel, he found the Biscuits as sticky as dough to get rid of (are you having a good laugh?). Brian Martin fought off one 0-2 pitch after another until he shot a broken bat hit over the second base bag for a single....... Diminutive Fernando Cortez then lined Stewart's first pitch off the end of his bat to right-center, advancing Martin to third. The winning run was now 90 feet away with pinch-hitter Aaron Clark at the plate for Joey Gathright........ After allowing Cortez to steal second without a throw on a 1-2 count, Stew whizzed an 89 mph fastball by Clark for the inning-ending strikeout. Stewart worked out of another bad situation in the bottom of the 10th when B.J. Upton led off with a double that finds the corner in left field. Manager Frank Kremblas decides to put Jose Velazquez, 8-for-24 this season vs. the Stars, on first intentionally........ Juan Salas, another dangerous hitter, faces Stewart with two on and nobody out. Stewart erased the bunt option for the Biscuits by getting ahead on Salas, 0-and-2. Then Salas grounded a ball back to Stewart, who turned a successful 1-6-3 double play, the Stars' third of the game. (Defense was a huge plus for a change in the Stars' win tonight, in contrast to the Biscuits who allowed two unearned runs.)........ Stewart finished the inning by striking out Dan DeMent on a nasty slider --- his money pitch tonight. On we go to the 11th in the Stars' first extra-inning affair of the season.......Chris Flinn, who gave the Stars a 3-run 8th last week, comes in for Montgomery....... He quickly retires Knox on a liner to right, then Fielder bounces a 3-2 pitch up the middle for an infield hit........ Weeks, looking for hit number three, goes full, then lines a ball right at Martin in right. Fielder was a dead duck at first, but a certain double play was foiled when Martin dropped the ball. Fielder advanced to second....... Brad Nelson seized on the second chance almost immediately. He blooped Flinn's first pitch to left. DeMent can't get to it and Fielder takes off like a bat out of hell. Hurriedly, DeMent's throw dribbles away from the cutoff man, allowing Weeks to reach third, but the Stars now had a 3-2 lead........ Chris Barnwell, a graduate of last year's Frankieball Academy, laid down the perfect squeeze bunt. Weeks, just the runner to have on third for this play, scored to give the Stars an insurance run. John Novinsky is in the bullpen just in case, but Stewart needs only six pitches in the bottom half of the inning to end the game, ending the Stars' 5-game losing streak......... Stew won his first game for the Stars since August 28, 2002....... The series at Riverwalk Stadium ends Sunday with Chris Saenz going for the Stars against lefty Jason Cromer. Matt Parker, released by the Brewers just last Thursday, I believe, was snapped up quickly by the St. Louis Cardinals. Tonight, Matt picked up the win for the Tennessee Smokies (who come in Friday at the Joe) in relief in a 6-3 win over Mobile....... Matt, a fan favorite, was 12-10 with a 3.43 ERA in 82 appearances for the Stars in 2002-03. He was acquired by the Brewers with Elie Alfonzo on June 13, 2000. Mike Coolbaugh hit a pinch-hit 3-run HR for New Orleans in the 7th inning in a 6-2 victory over Iowa, Saturday night........ Dionys Cesar went 5-for-5, drew a walk, and drove in 3 runs for the Chattanooga Lookouts, who were victorious over the 1-8 Greenville Braves...... The Gary Railcats of the independent Northern League signed former Stars outfielder Anthony Iapoce, who hit .223 for the 2000 Stars.

Huntsville Times Notes: Times' staff do a bit of "small sampling" themselves... Covering the bases: The Stars promising offensive lineup has yet to live up to that promise. In the four games preceding Saturday's, the Stars had been shut out three times and scored just one run in the fourth game. One of those shutouts was a seven-inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday against Carolina. Tony Gwynn Jr. is hitting .143, Prince Fielder .161 and Rickie Weeks .242. ... Catcher Kade Johnson, though, has been a bright spot offensively, hitting .333 but with just one home run and RBI. Outfielder Ryan Knox has been the Stars' top run producer with six RBIs and four runs scored. ... Outfielder Brad Nelson has bounced back from a knee injury sustained late in spring training, hitting .231 with two homers and five RBIs. ... Reliever Roberto Giron hasn't allowed a run in his three games so far, a span of 2 2/3 innings pitched. Ryan Miller has given up just one run in ten innings over four games.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: It took 11 innings and over three hours at Riverwalk Stadium, but the Stars (4-5) finally ended their five-game losing streak. Saturday night?s 4-2 win over Montgomery (3-6) was Huntsville?s biggest of the young season. The Stars? offense awoke from its slumber, delivering nine hits, two shy of its total over the prior four games combined, and Huntsville?s four runs quadrupled their output during that span. The Stars scored first for the first time in a week. First-inning singles by Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Ryan Knox were followed by Prince Fieder?s sacrifice fly. Juan Salas? run-scoring double tied the game in the bottom of the inning. With Huntsville down 2-1 in the sixth, Gwynn led off with a walk. Two outs later, Rickie Weeks ? who snapped his 0-for-21 slide with a fourth-inning single ? laced the Stars? first triple of the season, a bullet to left-center that scored Gwynn for a 2-2 tie. Paul Stewart pitched out of a two-on, none-out jam in the 10th, inducing Salas to hit a come-backer to the mound. Stewart fired to second, starting a clutch double play that turned the momentum. Stewart fanned Dan Dement with the winning run at third to force another frame. Fielder singled on the infield to start the 11th. With Fielder running, Weeks lofted a fly to right, where Brian Martin appeared to battle the lights. Martin dropped the ball as Fielder neared second, blowing a potential double play. Brad Nelson singled home Fielder, and Chris Barnwell?s squeeze bunt plated Weeks for a 4-2 Stars lead. Stewart (1-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing three scoreless innings, permitting three hits and one walk while fanning three. Ryan Miller threw three nearly perfect frames, retiring nine of 10 batters, walking one and striking out five. Starter Mike Jones rebounded from a rough first start, giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks with one strikeout over five innings. Chris Flinn (0-1) suffered the loss for Montgomery, surrendering two runs, one earned, on two hits in the 11th. Huntsville sends righty Chris Saenz (0-1, 10.80) against Biscuits left-hander Jason Cromer (0-1, 6.2755) in Sunday?s series finale. Game time is 2:05 p.m.

How will the Brewer farmhands follow-up all of Saturday's heroics? It won't be easy... Sunday's Daily Menu items, unfortunately most up against the Brewers and Roger Clemens: All times Central; pitchers subject to change; pre-game audio begins approx. 15 minutes prior to game time listed... INDIANAPOLIS: LHP Jorge de la Rosa at home vs. Richmond (Braves), 2:00 PM Audio link: www.newstalk1430.com/ HUNTSVILE: RHP Chris Saenz at Montgomery (Devil Rays), 2:05 PM Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ HIGH DESERT: LHP Ryan Costello at home vs. Bakersfield (Devil Rays), 5:05 PM Audio link: www.hdmavs.com/listen_live.htm BELOIT: RHP Luis Pena at Fort Wayne (Padres), 2:00 PM Audio link (Wizards' feed): www.wizardsbaseball.com/t...p?pageId=4 Former Ogden announcer Terry Byrom (Brewers' Rookie Level squad, 2002) calls the action for the Fort Wayne club at the above link...

Final: Huntsville 4, Montgomery (Devil Rays) 2, 11 innings Huntsville Box Score: Sorry to throw in a negative, but that's five errors in eight games at SS for Enrique Cruz... GAME DATE: 4/17/04 HVL at MTG HUNTSVILLE 4 AT MONTGOMERY 2 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG MONTGOMERY AB R H BI AVG A.Gwynn CF 4 2 1 0 .143 J.Gathright DH 4 0 0 0 .360 R.Knox RF 5 0 2 0 .318 A.Clark PH 1 0 0 0 .176 P.Fielder 1B 4 1 1 1 .161 B.Upton SS 4 1 2 0 .391 R.Weeks 2B 5 1 2 1 .242 J.Velazquez 1B 3 0 1 0 .303 B.Nelson LF 5 0 1 1 .231 J.Salas 3B 4 0 1 1 .359 C.Barnwell 3B 4 0 1 1 .167 D.DeMent LF 5 0 1 0 .438 B.Gemoll DH 5 0 0 0 .150 A.German CF 5 0 1 0 .242 A.Delgado CAT 4 0 1 0 .154 R.Cancel CAT 5 0 0 0 .087 E.Cruz SS 3 0 0 0 .227 B.Martin RF 4 1 1 0 .161 M.Jones PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 F.Cortez 2B 4 0 1 0 .182 R.Miller PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 W.Glen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Stewart PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Waligora PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Coose PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Pruett PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Parker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Flinn PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 4 9 4 TOTALS 39 2 8 1 HUNTSVILLE 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2- 4 9 1 MONTGOMERY 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0- 2 8 4 E--E.Cruz, B.Upton 2, D.DeMent, B.Martin. DP--HUNTSVILLE 3, MONTGOMERY 1. LOB--HUNTSVILLE 6, MONTGOMERY 9. 2B--B.Upton (3), J.Salas (4). 3B--R.Weeks (1). CS--R.Knox, C.Barnwell. HBP--J.Velazquez. SF-- P.Fielder. SH--C.Barnwell. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HUNTSVILLE M.Jones 5.0 5 2 1 2 1 0 6.00 R.Miller 3.0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0.90 P.Stewart (W,1-0) 3.0 3 0 0 1 3 0 3.00 MONTGOMERY W.Glen 5.0 3 1 0 0 7 0 1.00 T.Waligora 1.2 2 1 1 2 1 0 3.60 A.Coose 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5.40 J.Pruett 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2.25 J.Parker 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.79 C.Flinn (L,0-1) 1.0 2 2 1 0 1 0 9.00 HB--M.Jones. WP--M.Jones. PB--R.Cancel. SO--R.Knox, P.Fielder, B.Nelson 2, C.Barnwell 2, B.Gemoll 2, E.Cruz 2, J.Gathright 2, A.Clark, B.Upton, D.DeMent 3, A.German, R.Cancel. BB--A.Gwynn, E.Cruz, B.Upton, J.Velazquez, J.Salas, B.Martin. T--3:18. A--6602Huntsville Game Log: Some Montgomery errors were key here... www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=16239

As horrifically bad as the parent club Brewers played Saturday evening, this was a day that may not be matched all season long for excitement on the minor league level. April 17th -- mark it down! High Desert Site Game Summary: Game two of the three game series between the High Desert Mavericks and the Bakersfield Blaze borrowed a page out of Yogi Berra?s quotebook, "it ain?t over till it?s over." Experiencing wild rain, a wild last series of innings, and wild Bakersfield relief pitching, the Mavs rallied for a dramatic, 11th inning, come-from-behind 7-6 victory over the Blaze, before 1,011 at Mavericks Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Mavericks (3-7), down 6-4 in the 11th inning, notched three runs in the frame to complete the comeback off Blaze relievers Joe Yarbrough and Michael Navarolli. Kennard Bibbs and Callix Crabbe led off the inning with a double and walk off Blaze reliever Joe Yarbrough, and advanced an extra base on a wild pitch two batters later by pitcher Michael Navaroli. Jeff Eure drew a one-out walk to load the bases, and Dan Boyd followed by drawing another Navaroli walk to force in the first run of the inning. Navarolli followed a Froilan Villanueva flyout by uncorking another wild pitch, allowing Crabbe to score the tying run. Chris Morris stepped into the role of hero, by drilling the game-winning RBI single into the left-center alley-way, completing the comeback. Jeremy Frost, whom Morris replaced in the late stages of the ballgame as a pinch-runner in the 10th, started the scoring with an RBI double in the first. The Mavs expanded their lead to 3-1 in the fourth, by answering a Bakersfield one-run inning with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of an RBI groundout by Travis Hinton and an RBI single by Mario Mendez. Bakersfield (2-6) tied the game with two runs in the sixth, on a two-run double by Joey Gomes off High Desert starter Eric Henderson. The Mavs answered in the seventh when Boyd reached base an on RBI-fielder?s choice, but the Blaze struck back in the 8th on an RBI groundout by Matt Rico. Rico gave Bakersfield their first lead and seemingly put the Blaze in the driver?s seat in the 10th, smashing a two-run homer to right off Mavericks reliever Dan Kolb, putting Bakersfield up 6-4. The stage was then set for the Mavericks? miracle. Kolb (1-0) picked up the win with five stellar innings of relief, allowing three runs on six hits. Henderson tossed his finest effort of the young season despite receiving a no-decision, allowing only an earned run on six hits in six innings, striking out four. Navarolli (0-2) took the loss in the game, which saw its start time pushed back a half-hour due to rain, by allowing a run and two walks and two wild-pitches in only 0.2 innings of work. The Mavericks, who snap a four-game losing streak in the process, finish the homestand with a 3:05 p.m. matinee against Bakersfield on Sunday, with Ryan Costello (0-2) taking the hill for High Desert against Bakersfield?s Mike Prochaska (0-1). Final: High Desert 7, Bakersfield (Devil Rays) 6, 11 innings Late rally has to be a real uplift for this group... High Desert Box Score: GAME DATE: 4/17/04 BAK at HD BAKERSFIELD 6 AT HIGH DESERT 7 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD BAKERSFIELD AB R H BI AVG HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG I.Centeno CF 3 1 0 0 .217 C.Crabbe 2B 5 2 1 0 .294 L.De Paula 2B 5 1 2 0 .214 S.Candelaria SS 3 0 1 0 .194 V.Harrison 3B 3 1 1 0 .250 O.Chavez SS 2 0 0 0 .167 J.Gomes DH 5 1 2 2 .172 J.Eure 3B 5 1 0 0 .244 L.Mateo RF 5 1 3 1 .455 D.Boyd LF 4 0 0 2 .368 M.Rico LF 5 1 2 3 .308 F.Villanueva CAT 5 2 1 0 .143 G.Martinez 1B 5 0 0 0 .370 J.Frost DH 4 1 3 1 .364 S.Aracena CAT 4 0 1 0 .400 C.Morris PR 0 0 0 0 .233 M.Maniscalco SS 5 0 1 0 .160 C.Morris DH 1 0 1 1 .233 J.Little PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Frost 1B 3 0 0 1 .276 J.Ridgway PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Mendez RF 5 0 2 1 .200 B.Henderson PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Bibbs CF 5 1 2 0 .226 J.Yarbrough PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 E.Henderson PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Navaroli PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Kolb PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 40 6 12 6 TOTALS 42 7 11 6 BAKERSFIELD 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 2- 6 12 1 HIGH DESERT 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3- 7 11 2 E--M.Maniscalco, C.Crabbe, S.Candelaria. DP--BAKERSFIELD 1, HIGH DESERT 1. LOB--BAKERSFIELD 6, HIGH DESERT 12. 2B--V.Harrison (1), J.Gomes (1), L.Mateo (4), S.Aracena (1), J.Frost 2 (2), K.Bibbs 2 (3). HR--M.Rico (3). CS--I.Centeno, L.De Paula, V.Harrison, M.Maniscalco, S.Candelaria. SH--V.Harrison. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BAKERSFIELD J.Little 5.0 6 3 3 1 2 0 6.00 J.Ridgway 2.0 2 1 0 3 1 0 1.69 B.Henderson 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 12.46 J.Yarbrough 1.0 1 2 2 3 1 0 6.75 M.Navaroli (L,0-1) 0.2 1 1 1 2 1 0 11.25 HIGH DESERT E.Henderson 6.0 6 3 1 2 4 0 4.85 D.Kolb (W,1-0) 5.0 6 3 3 2 1 1 5.40 WP--J.Ridgway, M.Navaroli 2. PB--S.Aracena. SO--L.De Paula, M.Rico, G.Martinez 2, M.Maniscalco, O.Chavez 2, J.Eure, D.Boyd, F.Villanueva, T.Frost, M.Mendez. BB--I.Centeno 2, V.Harrison, S.Aracena, C.Crabbe, S.Candelaria, J.Eure, D.Boyd 2, F.Villanueva, J.Frost, T.Frost 2. T--3:36. A--1011High Desert Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=17891

Unfortunately, we can once again utter the words: "Your Milwaukee Brewers -- the only 6th place team in baseball" This evening has been a most painful experience...

Final: Beloit 7, Fort Wayne (Padres) 1 Snappers score all seven of their runs in the top of the ninth -- wow Game Summary from the Wizards' Site: The Wizards led 1-0 on four hits into the top of the ninth, but Beloit scored seven runs on eight hits in the top of the ninth to cruise past the Wizards 7-1. Clark Girardeau started for the Wizards and went the first six innings, allowing just three hits, no walks and nine strikeouts in an outstanding effort. Jake Upwood relieved Girardeau and breezed through the seventh before turning things over to Ryan Klatt for the eighth inning. All Klatt did was strike out the side and set the game up for closer Aaron Coonrod. Coonrod struck out the first batter he faced before things turned for the Wizards. Coonrod left after four batters having scraped his arm trying to prevent an overflow from going into the Snappers dugout. He left the game and was relieved by Chuck Bechtel and the Snappers hit parade just continued in the ninth inning for Beloit. The Wizards took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single off the bat of Skip Adams scoring Billy Hogan and giving the Wizards a 1-0 lead. Drew Macias had a pair of hits in the game for the Wizards who were stymied by the good pitching of Beloit?s starter Ken Durost. The winning pitcher was Greg Kloosterman 1-0 and the loser was Aaron Coonrod who is now 0-2. The series continues Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm with LHP Daniel Moore going for the Wizards against RHP Luis Pena for the Snappers. Beloit Box Score: RHP Kenny Durost wasn't one of the "hot" names coming out of spring training, but he's working to catch some eyes; 2B Guilder Rodriguez moved up to the # 2 spot, for today, anyway... GAME DATE: 4/17/04 BLT at FTW BELOIT 7 AT FORT WAYNE 1 YTD YTD BELOIT AB R H BI AVG FORT WAYNE AB R H BI AVG T.Trofholz CF 5 0 1 0 .281 C.Baker LF 3 0 1 0 .500 G.Rodriguez 2B 5 0 2 2 .423 P.Ramos 2B 4 0 1 0 .306 D.Anderson LF 5 1 3 0 .314 B.Wahlbrink RF 4 0 0 0 .282 L.Palmisano DH 5 1 1 0 .400 B.Hogan DH 3 1 1 0 .174 V.Rottino 3B 4 1 2 1 .344 F.Valenzuela 1B 4 0 0 0 .235 T.Marks CAT 3 1 0 0 .182 S.Adams 3B 4 0 1 1 .188 M.Ramirez 1B 4 1 1 1 .222 C.Morton CAT 3 0 0 0 .130 R.Deevers RF 4 1 1 0 .185 D.Macias CF 3 0 2 0 .375 J.Murray SS 4 1 1 2 .179 J.Ciriaco SS 3 0 0 0 .147 T.Wilhelmsen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Girardeau PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 G.Kloosterma PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Upwood PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Klatt PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Coonrod PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Bechtel PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 7 12 6 TOTALS 31 1 6 1 BELOIT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7- 7 12 2 FORT WAYNE 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0- 1 6 2 E--J.Murray, T.Wilhelmsen, C.Baker, P.Ramos. DP--BELOIT 0, FORT WAYNE 1. LOB--BELOIT 6, FORT WAYNE 5. 2B--D.Macias (2). SB--D.Anderson (1). CS--C.Baker, B.Wahlbrink. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BELOIT T.Wilhelmsen 5.2 3 0 0 2 6 0 1.59 G.Kloosterma (W,1-0) 3.1 3 1 1 0 1 0 4.26 FORT WAYNE C.Girardeau 6.0 3 0 0 0 9 0 1.80 J.Upwood 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1.80 R.Klatt 1.0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1.50 A.Coonrod (L,0-1) 0.1 3 3 2 0 1 0 7.71 C.Bechtel 0.2 5 4 4 1 1 0 12.79 WP--G.Kloosterma, A.Coonrod. SO--T.Trofholz 3, G.Rodriguez, L.Palmisano 3, T.Marks, M.Ramirez 2, R.Deevers 2, J.Murray 3, P.Ramos, B.Wahlbrink, B.Hogan, F.Valenzuela, S.Adams, C.Morton, J.Ciriaco. BB--T.Marks, C.Baker, B.Hogan. T--2:33. A--3018Beloit Game Log: Have a blast reading the ninth inning summary... www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=13628

Someone mentioned they had difficulty listening to the Fort Wayne feed for the Beloit game Friday. Just tested it now, and it's working fine for me. Won't be listening, getting ready for the Brew Crew this evening.

The linked Sports Network box score for Beloit for Friday is correct. We did not cut and paste the Baseball America version because they list Tom Wilhelmsen as the starting pitcher, not Carlos Villanueva. Tom's not with the Snappers (yet), the Baseball America stats list him there as well -- hopefully they'll back that out and correct that soon...

Final: Indianapolis 8, Richmond (Braves) 7 This was an incredible minor league baseball game...details later tonight and into Sunday AM....

Hart's HR closes an Indy deficit to 7-6; Tribe still threatening in the 8th...

My words: Pedro Liriano has been a pleasant surprise for me in the very small two-start AAA sample thus far. With both he and Ben Hendrickson off to seamless AAA transitions early on, that's a nice sign for future arms as well. Five minutes later: Grand slam off of Pedro, now a 5-5 game in the fifth. Beware the numbers this time of year!!!!

Scott Lauer, the 28-year-old joining veteran announcer Howard Kellman in the booth this year, is excellent. The Tribe is just playing on all cylinders to open the season -- smart, crisp play, lots of fun to listen to right now. Lauer has commented that not only is Corey Hart "doing it all" at this time, but that he's driving the ball to right field consistently, very unusual for a young slugger at a new level. J.J.'s smoked the ball today, and we'll be saying goodbye to that first week tiny sample soon enough. Pedro Liriano has been a pleasant surprise for me in the very small two-start AAA sample thus far. With both he and Ben Hendrickson off to seamless AAA transitions early on, that's a nice sign for future arms as well. Honestly, I'm not used to having a AAA affiliate (and broadcast) having any significance -- a very welcome and exciting change. Speaking of exciting, the Indy crowd sounds pumped, and Kellman and Lauer have commented that there is a very noticeable buzz among the fans about David Krynzel -- the speed, the defense... Or is the hair? No, that's just me being jealous...http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Daily Press High Desert Game Story: "We're a hell of a club after the second inning," said Mavericks manager Mel Queen. "That's baseball," Queen said. "When things are going good, they keep going good. When things are bad, they keep going bad. We'll turn it around sooner or later. Hopefully sooner." Full article: www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...019,23994,

Final: Bakersfield (Devil Rays) 9, High Desert 4 High Desert Site Game Summary: BOTTOMS DOWN THE MAVERICKSIn most instances, quieting a team?s heart of the order is a sufficient prescription for a victory. In the "going-agianst-the-grain" department, the High Desert Mavericks fell victim to a Bakersfield Blaze offensive outburst, mostly from the bottom of the order, in a 9-4 loss to the Blaze before 1,425 at Mavericks Stadium on Friday night. Luis Mateo, Gabriel Martinez, and Matthew Maniscalco, the seventh through ninth hitters in the Bakersfield order, pushed the Bakersfield offense with a combined 9-for-13 evening at the plate, along with four RBI?s and five runs scored. The Mavericks? (2-7) losing streak increases to four games, while Bakersfield (2-5) notches their first win since the previous Friday. Mavs starter Khalid Baloulli (1-2) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs (six total) on seven hits in five innings of work, allowing all six runs to cross the plate in the first and second inning. Vince Harrison, playing in his first game in 2004 after coming back from a rehabilitation assignment in Tampa Bay?s spring training, drilled a three-run homer in the left to put Bakersfield on top 3-0. Callix Crabbe?s two-out error allowed two more runs to score from first and second in the second inning, bumping the Bakersfield advantage to 5-1. The Mavs utilized their speed to notch their first run of the game in the first inning, when Chris Morris drew a leadoff walk, then promptly stole two bases and scored on a wild pitch by Blaze starter Nick DeBarr, all the ensuing at-bat. After Bakersfield hiked the lead to 6-1 in the fourth, the Mavs rallied to cut the score to 6-3, when John Vandenberg scored on a throwing error by DeBarr in the fourth and Travis Hinton drilled an RBI single in the fifth. The Blaze increased the lead to 8-3 in the sixth on an RBI triple by Martinez and an RBI single by Maniscalco, and pushed the lead to six the following inning on another Martinez RBI single. High Desert?s final rally effort came in the seventh inning, when Jeff Eure doubled off eventual winning pitcher Brian Lockwood (1-0) and was knocked home on Hinton?s RBI single to left. Michael Navaroli closed the door on the Mavs in the eighth and ninth, allowing only a walk in the seven batters he faced. The Mavericks look to jump back into the win column on Saturday afternoon, when they send Eric Henderson (0-0) to the mound Bakersfield?s Joe Little, with a matinee first pitch at 3:05 pm. High Desert Box Score: Let RHP Glenn Woolard start already... GAME DATE: 4/16/04 BAK at HD BAKERSFIELD 9 AT HIGH DESERT 4 YTD YTD BAKERSFIELD AB R H BI AVG HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG I.Centeno CF 4 1 1 0 .250 C.Morris DH 2 1 0 0 .207 R.Riley 2B 5 1 1 0 .200 C.Crabbe 2B 5 1 1 0 .310 V.Harrison 3B 5 1 1 3 .200 J.Eure 3B 5 1 2 0 .278 J.Gomes LF 5 0 2 0 .125 T.Frost 1B 4 0 2 2 .308 S.Riggans CAT 5 0 1 0 .381 D.Boyd LF 4 1 1 0 .412 E.Reece DH 5 1 1 0 .130 S.Candelaria RF 4 0 0 0 .179 L.Mateo RF 5 2 4 0 .429 K.Bibbs CF 4 0 0 0 .192 G.Martinez 1B 5 2 4 3 .455 J.Vanden ber CAT 4 0 1 1 .316 M.Maniscalco SS 3 1 1 1 .150 O.Chavez SS 4 0 0 0 .176 N.DeBarr PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Ballouli PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Lockwood PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 G.Woolard PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Navaroli PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Nolasco PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 42 9 16 7 TOTALS 36 4 7 3 BAKERSFIELD 3 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 0- 9 16 2 HIGH DESERT 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0- 4 7 2 E--N.DeBarr 2, C.Crabbe, J.Vanden ber. DP--BAKERSFIELD 0, HIGH DESERT 1. LOB--BAKERSFIELD 8, HIGH DESERT 8. 2B--L.Mateo (3), G.Martinez 2 (4), J.Eure (2), T.Frost (3). 3B--G.Martinez (1), C.Crabbe (2), D.Boyd (2). HR--V.Harrison (1). SB--I.Centeno (2), M.Maniscalco (2), C.Morris 2 (10), K.Bibbs (2), J.Vanden ber (1). CS--M.Maniscalco. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BAKERSFIELD N.DeBarr 3.2 3 2 2 2 4 0 2.89 B.Lockwood (W,1-0) 3.1 4 2 2 0 6 0 4.26 M.Navaroli 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 10.80 HIGH DESERT K.Ballouli (L,1-2) 5.0 7 6 4 1 5 1 6.55 G.Woolard 3.0 6 3 3 1 3 0 3.75 D.Nolasco 1.0 3 0 0 0 1 0 18.00 WP--N.DeBarr, K.Ballouli, D.Nolasco. SO--I.Centeno, R.Riley 2, V.Harrison 2, J.Gomes, L.Mateo, G.Martinez, M.Maniscalco, C.Morris 2, C.Crabbe, J.Eure, T.Frost, D.Boyd, K.Bibbs, J.Vanden ber 2, O.Chavez 3. BB--I.Centeno, M.Maniscalco, C.Morris 3. T--2:59. A--1422High Desert Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=17890 Huntsville's bats, High Desert's arms: TEAM PITCHING W-L ERA H CG SHO SV HR BB SO INLAND EMPIRE 6- 2 1.63 47 0 1 2 3 19 70 STOCKTON 4- 4 2.80 81 0 1 2 1 23 65 SAN JOSE 5- 3 3.60 59 0 0 2 3 23 61 RANCHO CUCAMONGA 5- 3 3.86 62 0 0 3 6 26 58 VISALIA 4- 4 4.23 74 0 1 3 9 23 61 LAKE ELSINORE 4- 5 4.26 88 0 1 3 9 35 50 LANCASTER 6- 3 4.39 90 0 0 2 12 36 67 BAKERSFIELD 2- 5 4.65 69 0 0 0 5 14 56 MODESTO 3- 5 4.88 73 0 0 1 3 35 73 [b]HIGH DESERT 2- 7 7.38 107 0 0 0 12 40 64[/b] SOUTH DIVISION W L PCT GB INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS (SEATTLE) 6 2 .750 LANCASTER JETHAWKS (ARIZONA) 6 3 .667 .5 RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (ANAHEIM) 5 3 .625 1.0 LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO) 4 5 .444 2.5 [b]HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (MILWAUKEE) 2 7 .222 4.5[/b]

Huntsville Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=16238

Saturday's Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change; pre-game audio begins approx. 15 minutes prior to game time listed... INDIANAPOLIS: RHP Pedro Liriano at home vs. Richmond (Braves), 2:00 PM Audio link: www.newstalk1430.com/ HUNTSVILE: RHP Mike Jones at Montgomery (Devil Rays), 7:05 PM Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ HIGH DESERT: LHP Eric Henderson at home vs. Bakersfield (Devil Rays), 5:05 PM Audio link: www.hdmavs.com/listen_live.htm BELOIT: RHP Kenny Durost gets his first start of the season at Fort Wayne (Padres), 4:00 PM Audio link (Wizards' feed): www.wizardsbaseball.com/t...p?pageId=4 Former Ogden announcer Terry Byrom (Brewers' Rookie Level squad, 2002) calls the action for the Fort Wayne club at the above link...

Final: Montgomery (Devil Rays) 8, Huntsville 0 Stars scratch out just four base hits... Huntsville Site Game Summary: It was simply Montgomery?s night. The city opened its glistening new ballpark, Riverwalk Stadium. The fans enjoyed professional baseball in Alabama?s capital city for the first time in 24 years. To cap off the evening, the Biscuits (3-5) banged out 14 hits in an 8-0 win over Huntsville on Friday evening. The Stars (3-5) have lost five in a row and scored just one run in their last four games. The game?s key play came in the home fourth, when Biscuits Jose Velazquez and Juan Salas opened the inning with singles. Dan Dement dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and Tim Bausher leapt off the mound to grab it. His throw to third sailed high and bounded into the leftfield bullpen. Both runners scored and Dement raced to second. A run-scoring single by Iker Franco and Joey Gathright?s two-out, two-run single made it 5-0 Biscuits. Montgomery added two in the seventh and one in the eighth to close the scoring. Jarod Matthews (1-1), knocked around by Huntsville in his first start, tossed six scoreless, three-hit innings, fanning seven and walking one for his first win. Bausher (1-1) suffered his first loss, permitting five runs, two earned, on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in four innings. Huntsville sends righty Mike Jones (0-1, 11.25) against Biscuits right-hander Willie Glen (0-0, 2.25) in game two of the series Saturday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The FPH Financial Pre-game Show begins at 6:50 p.m. David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville update: (You can always click the italicized bold site name just above to go directly to David's site.) WHERE'S THE BEEF?The site of the new ballpark in the state capitol of Alabama, where progress goes to die, has a flavorful past........ It was at one time a prison, a railway station, and a dump, and now within sight of Interstate 65, near the Alabama River, it incorporates the nostalgia, when not reprehensible, of the '40s and '50s, all the while conflicting with that silly nickname........ The old railway arches are part of the first base concourse, where six of the luxury seats are built into the old terminal....... The park, holding only 7,000, has its little quirks. There is a notch in the left-center field gap, where Juan Salas and Dan DeMent had nearly identical extra-base hits in the 7th, leading to a couple of runs, 395 away from home plate, but straight-away center is slighty shorter than Joe Davis Stadium, so the distance from home going across the left-center field gap to the right-center gap is almost identical. It doesn't bow much at all, making it somewhat of a pitcher's park........... However, to left field, it's just 314 feet, with a wall 15 feet high. Unless you're really quick, it's best to be satisfied with a long single if you hit one off that wall. Kade Johnson learned that lesson trying to stretch a single into a double in the top of the 6th. Five straight losses, shut out three times, outscored 32-8 in their last 5 games, a distressing 23-1 in their last four, and out-hit 41-9........ Along the way, they were no-hit for 14 straight innings....... They've gone from their best start since 1995 to this......... You know it's too soon to hit the panic button, but I've never seen such a pendulum swing like this in years........ The Stars haven't been humiliated in a five-game losing streak like this since August 10-14, 1999, when they were outscored 47-11....... Baseball is a game of streaks, though, and hopefully this won't last much longer...... But when everybody in the lineup is all out of synch at once, this is what you get. The errors don't matter much when you can't score, but they remain distressing....... The Stars committed two more in this game -- a two-base error by Tim Bausher that grew from a bunt in a disastrous 4th inning......... The inning started with a pair of singles off surprise starter Bausher......... Jose Velazquez hit his first pitch up the middle, then Juan Salas lined a breaking ball that moved him to second....... Left fielder Dan DeMent then tapped one back to the mound pretty hard. Bausher picked it up and threw the ball into the Biscuit bullpen trying to get the lead runner. Both runners were windmilled home to give the Doughboys an early 2-0 lead....... 17 errors now in eight games. 41 runs allowed, 27 earned...... Enrique Cruz then showed Montgomery fans some of that defense the Brewers have supposedly been raving about. Amado German's grounder found a hole up the middle and seemed destined for a hit, but Cruz quickly ranged over, gloved the ball, wheeled and threw to first to retire the hitter, a big league play...... It saved a run, but DeMent would score anyway after Iker Franco singled....... That was already more than enough to beat the Stars. Dennis Sarfate, who was warming up before the inning began, came on in the 5th and pitched the rest of the game, despite getting knocked around in the 7th when Juan Salas's double was followed by quick consecutive triples, almost to the same spot in the 395-ft. gap at new Riverwalk Stadium, by Dement and German. The Stars' best chance to score came in the top of the 7th after reliever Carlos Hines walked Ryan Knox to lead off the inning. Prince Fielder doubled to center, but Hines struck out Rickie Weeks and Brad Nelson, then got Chris Barnwell to hit a grounder to third to finish the inning. Mike Jones takes on Willie Glen on Saturday, a repeat of last Sunday's cold, rainy match-up......... Rickie Weeks, who started the season 6-for-8 with three doubles, is in an 0-for-20 slump....... Prince Fielder is 2-for-17 in his last five games....... Tony Gwynn, Jr. is 0-for-12 in his last four games....... Jason Belcher is 1-for-15 after driving in a run on Opening Day......... Enrique Cruz, after hitting .417 in the first home series, is 0-for-7........ Brad Nelson is 1-for-12 in his last four games....... Chris Barnwell is trying to come out of bad start, and is 3-for-5 in his last couple of games. Luis Martinez, now pitching for the Tennessee Smokies, won his first game of the season, beating Mobile, 5-1. He pitched six innings, gave up seven hits and struck out four. The Stars next home game will be against the Smokies starting this next Friday........... Jeff Deardorff homered and drove in four runs to help Columbus beat Charlotte, 8-2, in an International League game, Friday night. It was his 2nd HR of the season. Deardorff is hitting .300 for the Yankee farm club....... J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart both homered in Indy's 8-1 win over Richmond, also Friday night. The homers were Corey's 2nd and J.J.'s first. Corey is hitting .391 and J.J. .148, but bouncing out of his early season slump. Ben Hendrickson picked up his first Triple-A victory. Huntsville Box Score: Ryan Knox draws the only walk... GAME DATE: 4/16/04 HVL at MTG HUNTSVILLE 0 AT MONTGOMERY 8 YTD YTD HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG MONTGOMERY AB R H BI AVG A.Gwynn CF 4 0 0 0 .125 J.Gathright DH 5 1 3 2 .429 R.Knox RF 3 0 1 0 .294 B.Upton SS 4 0 1 1 .368 P.Fielder 1B 4 0 1 0 .148 J.Velazquez 1B 4 1 2 0 .300 R.Weeks 2B 3 0 0 0 .214 J.Salas 3B 5 2 3 0 .371 B.Nelson LF 3 0 0 0 .238 D.DeMent LF 3 2 1 1 .545 C.Barnwell 3B 3 0 1 0 .154 A.German CF 4 0 2 1 .250 J.Belcher DH 3 0 0 0 .111 A.Clark RF 2 1 1 0 .188 K.Johnson CAT 3 0 1 0 .333 I.Franco CAT 4 1 1 1 .250 E.Cruz SS 3 0 0 0 .263 F.Cortez 2B 4 0 0 0 .172 T.Bausher PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Matthews PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Sarfate PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Hines PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 F.Nunez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Parker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 29 0 4 0 TOTALS 35 8 14 6 HUNTSVILLE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0 4 2 MONTGOMERY 0 0 0 5 0 0 2 1 X- 8 14 1 E--C.Barnwell, T.Bausher, B.Upton. DP--HUNTSVILLE 1, MONTGOMERY 1. LOB--HUNTSVILLE 3, MONTGOMERY 8. 2B--P.Fielder (1), J.Salas (3). 3B--J.Gathright (1), D.DeMent (3), A.German (1). CS--B.Nelson, J.Gathright. HBP--A.Clark. SH--D.DeMent. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HUNTSVILLE T.Bausher (L,1-1) 4.0 6 5 2 1 4 0 2.57 D.Sarfate 4.0 8 3 3 2 5 0 5.63 MONTGOMERY J.Matthews (W,1-1) 6.0 3 0 0 0 7 0 3.75 C.Hines 1.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 2.57 F.Nunez 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 J.Parker 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7.36 HB--T.Bausher. PB--K.Johnson. SO--A.Gwynn 2, R.Knox, R.Weeks 2, B.Nelson 2, C.Barnwell, J.Belcher, K.Johnson, E.Cruz 2, J.Gathright 2, B.Upton, J.Salas, D.DeMent, A.German, A.Clark, I.Franco, F.Cortez. BB--R.Knox, B.Upton, J.Velazquez, A.Clark. T--2:45. A--7378 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 4 3 .571 BIRMINGHAM BARONS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 4 3 .571 MOBILE BAY BEARS (SAN DIEGO) 4 4 .500 .5 MONTGOMERY BISCUITS (TAMPA BAY) 3 5 .375 1.5 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 3 5 .375 1.5[/b]Check out these offensive numbers: TEAM BATTING AVG AB R H HR BB SO SB CS CHATTANOOGA .320 259 48 83 2 34 57 4 3 WEST TENN .290 238 35 69 4 27 65 14 7 CAROLINA .289 253 44 73 13 21 71 8 2 MOBILE .271 255 42 69 11 32 61 4 4 MONTGOMERY .269 279 41 75 2 19 65 3 3 GREENVILLE .264 280 33 74 7 12 81 10 3 TENNESSEE .253 261 29 66 1 25 79 9 2 JACKSONVILLE .250 252 44 63 8 29 65 6 6 BIRMINGHAM .219 219 22 48 4 21 70 4 2 [b]HUNTSVILLE .193 228 27 44 9 17 62 10 5[/b]