MassBrew

The losses may mount, but the newspaper coverage remains excellent.. Daily Press High Desert Game Story: www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...9270,5044,

As is the case with most folks today, I imagine, I won't be visiting the Link Report until late this evening. Fans listening in, please feel free to comment here, or, those who wish to link updates from this afternoon's action, use the following link: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...ate=041104 You simply click on the side bar to the left to navigate the International, Southern, and California League sites for today. Thanks!

To all those who celebrate it, a Happy and Blessed Easter! Here's your Daily Menu: 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 Richmond (Braves), 1:00 PM Audio link: www.newstalk1430.com/ IMPORTANT TIP: For me, the audio link off of the Indy newstalk1430 page wouldn't work until I had turned off my pop-up blocker for that site -- keep that in mind... Backup audio link (Richmond feed): oursportscentral.com/services/netcasts/ HUNTSVILE: RHP Mike Jones at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays), 2:05 PM; wow, it's nice to see Jonesey's name in the pitching line... Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ HIGH DESERT: RHP Bo Hall at Lancaster (Diamondbacks), 4:00 PM Audio link: www.hdmavs.com/listen_live.htm BELOIT: IDLE

Beloit Site Game Summary: Snapper management usually warms up to more detailed summaries by mid-season; follow their Player of the Game activity here as well -- have to take those team photos soon http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif www.snappersbaseball.com/...a1360743a3 More details here from the Swing's site: The Swing of the Quad Cities scored five times in the third inning and never looked back on Saturday afternoon as they defeated the Beloit Snappers 6-4 at Pohlman Field. Matt Moses belted a two-run homer during that five-run rally as the Swing won for the second time in a row to take their first series of the season. The Swing scored five runs in the top of the third inning, using aggressive baserunning and a bit of power. After a leadoff walk to Josh Johnson, Ryan Spataro singled into right. Denard Span followed by reaching on an error, and that?s when the fun began. With the bases loaded, Scott Whitrock chopped a grounder towards third. Adam Heether tried to throw out Johnson at the plate, but his throw was wild, allowing Johnson to score. Spataro sprinted from second to the plate, and the throw from catcher Tim Marks was wild, plating Spataro. With the ball trickling down the third base line, Span also came on home for a 3-0 Swing lead. Matt Moses followed with a two-run home to deep right field, his first as a professional. Moses? towering blast put the Swing up on top by a score of 5-0. Quad Cities held that lead until the fifth inning, when Beloit touched up Errol Simonitsch for three runs, all scored after two outs. Steve Moss drew a one-out walk, and took second on Gilberto Acosta?s two-out single to left. Robby Deevers followed with a single to left, scoring Moss. Drew Anderson collected an infield single to score a run, and Lou Palmisano followed with a run-scoring base hit to right, slicing Quad Cities? lead to 5-3. The Swing added to the lead in the top of the sixth frame. After Alex Garcia led off with a single, Josh Johnson stroked a one-out single to right, on a textbook hit-and-run play. Ryan Spataro knocked home Garcia by hustling out a groundball, for a 6-3 Swing lead. Errol Simonitsch went 4.2 innings for the Swing, allowing three runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked two while picking up no decision. Tautor was dominant in 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. He got the first man he faced, Marks, to pop out on his first pitch of the afternoon, leaving the tying run on base. Kevin Culpepper relieved in the eighth inning, and allowed just an unearned run. He pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the first save of his career.

Indianapolis Game Story: Except for High Desert, road game coverage from the affiliate newspapers is almost non-existant: RICHMOND, Va. -- The Indianapolis Indians are making a habit of giving up early leads and scoring late to force extra innings. The Tribe (3-0) fought back from a 2-0 deficit Saturday to defeat the Richmond Braves 3-2 in 11 innings behind the clutch hitting of veteran Scott Sheldon. It was the Tribe's second consecutive extra-inning victory. Richmond (1-2) scored runs in the fourth and sixth innings off Tribe starter Pedro Liriano. Braves starter Chuck Smith and Roman Colon shut down the Tribe for six innings before they tied the score. J.J. Hardy broke an 0-for-12 slump with a two-run single to center, scoring Corey Hart and Mark Johnson. In the 11th inning, Hart was hit by a pitch from reliever Sean Fesh, then stole second base. After pinch hitter Steve Scarborough lifted a deep fly to right field for the second out, advancing Hart to third, Sheldon hit a shot off the left-field wall off Tim Drew for be the game-winning hit.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: On Saturday night, Stars fans had to pinch themselves, just to make sure it was not a dream. With father Cecil signing autographs in the stands at Joe Davis Stadium ? where Cecil once played against Huntsville in the Stars? inaugural season of 1985 ? Prince Fielder recorded his first Southern League hit, an opposite-field solo homer to left. In the sixth, with his dad offering commentary on the radio broadcast, Fielder muscled up again, this time a gargantuan two-run blast to dead-center. Two hits, two homers, three runs batted in for Fielder, and the Stars notched their third straight win over Montgomery, 9-7. Huntsville (3-0) goes for a series sweep of the Biscuits (0-3) on Sunday. The Stars scored nine runs on eight hits and stranded just one runner, the result of four long balls, bringing the team?s season total to six in three games. Fielder?s first-inning solo drive began the barrage, and Brad Nelson, like Fielder a powerful left-handed batter, hit a rope to right for a two-run shot that tied the game, 3-3. Enrique Cruz?s fifth-inning solo homerun put Huntsville up for good, 4-3. Fielder?s two-run bomb came in the sixth, and the Stars added three critical runs in the eighth. Up 6-4, Huntsville rallied against reliever Chris Flinn. Tony Gwynn, Jr. led off with a double and took third on Ryan Knox?s flyout to left. After Fielder was intentionally walked, Rickie Weeks ? Friday?s hero with a 4-for-4 night ? struck out. Nelson delivered a two-out run-scoring single, and Chris Barnwell?s first hit this season proved crucial, a two-run double to left-center for a 9-4 lead. The Biscuits scored four against Stars reliever Reggie Rivard, but Roberto Giron came on to record the final two outs with runners at second and third to seal the game. Giron?s second save in three games cemented the win for Tim Bausher (1-0), who tossed three scoreless innings of relief, permitting two hits and two walks while fanning five. Jarod Matthews (0-1) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs, five earned, on five hits with two strikeouts in six innings. On Sunday at Joe Davis Stadium, Stars right-hander Mike Jones makes his first start of the season against Biscuits righty Willie Glen, also taking the mound for the first time in 2004. Game time is 2:05 p.m. for the series finale. David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville update: TWO POPS FOR POPYou get four weathercasters and you get four forecasts, and they all predicted rain, differing only when they would occur. Well, the most I saw tonight were a few droplets right before the game, ending after the National Anthem. Most of the day was actually sunny and off to the west I could still see some blue sky, as it started to replace the grey that the weathermen said would dominate the day........ I don't know why these people wasted their money to become meteorologists......... Anyway, the week-long threat of rain had a subduing effect on the attendance tonight, as I predicted it would. This team is starting to resemble the 1985 team in terms of power and speed. That team, if you're old enough to remember, had Rob Nelson's 32 HRs and Jose Canseco's 25 in just a little more than half a season; and behind them to take the extra base, steal, and score were Luis Polonia and Stan Javier. They went together like hand and glove to propel the first year Stars to a League Championship........ Now it's Gwynn and Weeks, Fielder and Nelson (what a coincidence... another Nelson)....... And once my suspicions of the connection were aroused, they were confirmed when I quickly checked through the box scores and learned the six HRs the Stars hit in their first three games is the most since 1985, when that team also hit six. With father Cecil in the crowd behind home plate tonight, Prince Fielder sent two of them in flight, snapping an 0-for-7 start to his season....... Prince's first home run was his first hit of the season ---- lined --- that's right, lined --- 435 feet over the wall in the power alley in left-center field, the so-called black hole, while his father was signing autographs......... His second came in his 3rd at-bat, in the 7th inning with Ryan Knox on base. He uppercut this one and it went over the center field wall, to the right of the 405 mark where he had nearly powered one out Friday night, while his father was up in the radio booth doing commentary with Stars' voice Robert Portnoy. It was a night of home runs for the Stars who sent four into orbit for the first time since May 6 of last year........ Brad Nelson and Enrique Cruz, of all people, joined the party. Cruz destroyed a 2-0 hanging pitch that soared over the Corr Wireless sign in left field, going I guess about 365 feet...... Huntsville HRs accounted for six of the Stars' nine runs tonight. When he wasn't watching his pitches fly out of the park, Biscuit starter Jared Matthews was setting down 14 of 15 hitters, giving up only a bunt hit to Knox in the 4th inning, but Knox would score two outs later on Nelson's homer off the top of the third wall in right field, some 345 feet away to make it Stars 3, Biscuits 3........ Montgomery put their runs on the board in the 3rd when B.J. Upton hit a 2-2 fastball for a two-run double and a throwing error on a valiant play behind the second base bag by Cruz, scoring Upton...... Dennis Sarfate put out the fire by striking out Amado German on a 1-2 change-up....... Sarfate threw 26 pitches that inning, hastening his exit. In the end Sarfate threw 72 pitches, two-thirds of them for strikes....... Sarfate was throwing about 92 tonight (thanks to Jim Sandoval for the radar gun information). His fastball had good downward movement, but lacked consistency with his curve. Some were thrown too hard to have much break. It's easy to see he'll have to work more on his breaking stuff. He got off easy tonight, and could have been pounded. In any event, the Biscuits saved their best effort for last off Reggie Rivard, making his debut for the Stars........ Rivard got two quick outs in the 8th, then former Star, Robinson Cancel, hit a grounder to the right side that scooted under the glove of Weeks, who had forever-and-a-half to get to the ball. On the next play, Weeks got a chance at another grounder, this one hit by Aaron Clark, but Weeks dropped the ball from his throwing hand for an error........ Rivard's wild pitch put runners on second and third, but Rivard struck out Fernando Cortez on a 1-and-2 breaking ball to end the inning........ Rivard wasn't so lucky in the 9th, facing the top of the order. A double, and single, and a double sent two runners across the plate to make the score, once a rout, now 9-6........ Manager Frank Kremblas ordered Roberto Giron to throw in the bullpen....... Rivard got Juan Salas to bounce one back to him, but then pinch-hitter Chris Martin hit one up the middle to drive in Jose Velazquez, and Cancel doubled down the left field line, putting the tying run on first........ Finally, Giron came in to save the day, striking out Clark for the 3rd time on the night, and getting Nestor Perez to pop one up to Chris Barnwell inside the third base line to end the game....... Once again, it was Barnwell who provided the insurance runs tonight, breaking an 0-for-10 start to the season with an 8th inning double off the Gibson's BBQ sign in left field, to score Fielder, who was intentionally walked and Nelson, who had singled over the glove of Fernando Cortez. The 3-0 Stars are now off to their best start since 1995, when they opened the season by sweeping Chattanooga at home....... The seven hits given up in relief by Reggie Rivard is the most since Matt Childers gave up 8 hits in 1 1/3 innings vs. Birmingham last July 3, 2003 in a 10-0 loss to Birmingham........ Knox, who hit the first home run of this season on Opening Day, hit the first home run of last season, as well.......Just for the record, Cecil Fielder hit .276 against the Stars in 1985. In just seven games, he hit two singles, two doubles, a triple, and two home runs --- both at the Joe (off Tim Belcher and Bill Mooneyham), and drove in nine runs. In just seven games........ Francisco Matos, who played shortstop for the Stars from 1990-93, is still in Huntsville working out before he goes to Florida to train with six other clubs from the independent Northern and Atlantic Leagues. Matos now makes Huntsville his home, after marrying a local girl. Sunday, Mike Jones offically makes his first start of the season against Montgomery righty Willie Glen........ With Jonesy on the mound, I would say we have an excellent chance of sweeping this series, but I hear Montgomery manager Charlie Montoyo really went into a tirade after the game in the clubhouse. It wasn't pretty, I was told by an insider. So don't be surprised if the Biscuits are inspired enough to give the Stars a bit of their own medicine, Sunday. We'll see. Huntsville Times Game Story: Proud papa sees Fielder's big night Two home runs in one night By JENNIFER SEIGER For The Times jseiger@excite.com Not bad for a young guy's first two Double-A hits with his father watching from the stands and later in the press box. The youngster in question is Prince Fielder, the son of former major leaguer Cecil Fielder. "It's great," the elder Fielder said while watching his son. "You kind of replay the game in your mind a little bit. We got to see quite a few games last year. We try to see him as much as we can." The younger Fielder had a solo shot to left field in the first inning and a two-run homer to center in the sixth as Huntsville held on to claim a wild 9-7 decision over the Montgomery Biscuits in a game that produced 21 hits before an announced crowd of 1,732 Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium. "I think he's on his own now," said Cecil Fielder, who himself went through the Southern League playing for the Knoxville Blue Jays on his way to the majors. "He's got it covered. No one can play for him but him." Cecil Fielder - who played 14 seasons in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees before retiring in 1998 - missed his son's first home run that put the Stars up 1-0. "They told me when I pulled up in the car," he said. His son didn't know he was coming. That's OK, though. Cecil Fielder had no idea another second generation baseball player - Tony Gwynn Jr. - was with the Stars. He later watched as his son was intentionally walked in the bottom of the eighth. The next batter? Rickie Weeks, who's hitting over .500. "You missed it man," Cecil Fielder said to a caller to his cell phone as he sat in the press box. "He hit two home runs tonight." "I was just trying to hit a line drive up the middle, get a base hit," Prince Fielder said. "That's my game plan for the year, not to do too much with the ball, just try to hit it and whatever happens happens." Stars manager Frank Kremblas has been pleased with his young first baseman's progress thus far. "He's been hitting the ball pretty good lately, especially the last couple of games," Kremblas said. Montgomery (0-3) took a 3-1 lead in the third, but Huntsville (3-0) came back to score five runs over the next three innings to take a 6-3 advantage. They went up 9-4 in the eighth, but things got interesting in the top of the ninth inning when the Biscuits roared back to score three runs. With runners on second and third and just one out, however, the Stars turned to reliever Roberto Giron. The right-hander came through for Huntsville, sitting down the only two batters he faced - the first on a strikeout and the second on a popup to third to earn the save.

Thanks, Highroller, for overnight boxes; I swapped them out for the more detailed Baseball America boxes in the AM. Regarding box scores, here's the scoop. On game nights, the link will be provided to the very timely Sports Network boxes. I will attempt to copy-and-paste the Baseball America boxes the following morning. These are more detailed than the ESPN or USA Today boxes (especially at AAA and AA). So it's links in the evening, non-links the next day. Game logs will not be cut-and-paste. Got it? Good. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

High Desert Box Score: All 12 Maverick hits were singles, contributing to 10 men LOB... GAME DATE: 4/10/04 HD at LNC HIGH DESERT 4 AT LANCASTER 5 YTD YTD HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG LANCASTER AB R H BI AVG C.Morris DH 5 1 1 0 .250 K.De renne SS 2 1 0 0 .200 C.Crabbe 2B 4 1 2 0 .500 N.Brown 2B 3 0 0 0 .250 J.Eure 3B 3 0 2 0 .250 C.Jackson LF 2 1 0 1 .364 T.Frost 1B 4 1 1 1 .364 C.Quentin RF 3 1 0 0 .182 D.Boyd LF 3 1 1 0 .385 J.D'Antona 3B 4 2 2 0 .417 K.Bibbs CF 3 0 1 1 .200 D.Tosca DH 1 0 0 0 .667 P.Rasmusen PH 1 0 0 0 .000 D.Brooks PH 1 0 0 0 .000 M.Mendez CF 0 0 0 0 .125 D.Brooks DH 1 0 0 0 .000 J.Vanden ber CAT 4 0 1 0 .273 M.Santana 1B 4 0 2 3 .308 S.Candelaria RF 4 0 1 0 .250 M.Morgan CAT 2 0 0 1 .200 O.Chavez SS 4 0 2 0 .333 P.Avlas CAT 0 0 0 0 .833 F.Martin PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Ball CF 3 0 1 0 .500 R.Costello PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Bass PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 N.Slack PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 E.Gonzalez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Wells PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Glant PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 35 4 12 2 TOTALS 26 5 5 5 HIGH DESERT 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0- 4 12 0 LANCASTER 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 X- 5 5 2 E--J.D'Antona, M.Santana. DP--HIGH DESERT 2, LANCASTER 0. LOB-- HIGH DESERT 10, LANCASTER 5. 2B--J.D'Antona (1). SB--C.Crabbe (3), M.Santana (1). CS--O.Chavez, M.Morgan. HBP--C.Crabbe, C.Quentin. SF--C.Jackson. SH--T.Frost, N.Brown. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HIGH DESERT F.Martin 5.0 3 1 1 2 3 0 1.80 R.Costello (L,0-1) 2.0 2 4 4 3 0 0 18.00 N.Slack 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 LANCASTER A.Bass 4.1 7 4 3 3 1 0 6.23 E.Gonzalez 1.2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 C.Wells (W,1-0) 1.2 4 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 D.Glant (S,1) 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 HB--R.Costello, A.Bass. WP--R.Costello. SO--C.Morris, D.Boyd, S.Candelaria 2, K.De renne, C.Jackson, J.Ball. BB--J.Eure 2, D.Boyd 2, K.De renne 2, C.Jackson, D.Tosca, M.Morgan. T--2:46. A--2353High Desert Game Log: You must check out the High Desert 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th innings -- talk about wasted opportunities for big innings; this game was right out of 2003, unfortunately -- c'mon, Mavs, make something happen! Nice outing for Forrest Martin, as noted... www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=19007

Richmond, VA - Scott Sheldon's RBI double in the top of the 11th inning lifted the Indianapolis Chiefs over the Richmond Braves, 3-2, before 3,169 fans Saturday afternoon. It was the Chiefs third straight win of the season, after opening the year with a pair of wins over Norfolk. Chris Michalak (1-0) earned the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. Michalak fanned three and walked two, and allowed just one hit. Jason Childers registered his second save of the season, striking out two in an inning of work. Sean Fesh took the loss and fell to 0-1. After getting the first out, Fesh hit Corey Hart with a pitch. Hart stole second and scored on Sheldon's two-out double. The Indians send Jorge De La Rosa to the hill Sunday, while the Braves counter with Ray Aguilar. Indianapolis Box Score: GAME DATE: 4/10/04 IND at RMD INDIANAPOLIS 3 AT RICHMOND 2 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD INDIANAPOLIS AB R H BI AVG RICHMOND AB R H BI AVG M.Erickson 2B 4 0 0 0 .071 P.Orr 2B 3 1 1 0 .200 D.Krynzel CF 2 0 0 0 .083 P.Orr 3B 1 0 0 0 .200 J.Nunnally LF 2 0 1 0 .333 J.Velandia SS 3 1 1 0 .111 C.Coste CAT 0 0 0 0 .286 R.Branyan LF 2 0 1 0 .429 C.Coste 1B 5 0 1 0 .286 D.Hollins RF 5 0 1 1 .182 C.Hart RF 3 2 1 0 .538 R.Jackson 1B 5 0 1 1 .154 M.Johnson CAT 3 1 0 0 .167 T.Drew PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Scarbrough PH 1 0 0 0 .000 W.Betemit 3B 3 0 0 0 .000 S.Scarbrough 3B 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Romano PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Sheldon 1B 0 0 0 0 .286 M.Whiteside PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Sheldon 3B 4 0 2 1 .286 R.Langerhans PH 1 0 0 0 .000 J.Hardy SS 5 0 1 2 .067 S.Fesh PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Liriano PIT 2 0 0 0 .000 J.Depastino 1B 1 0 1 0 .500 J.Liefer PH 1 0 0 0 .364 C.Thomas CF 5 0 2 0 .333 B.Bowles PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Terveen CAT 5 0 0 0 .000 L.Figueroa PH 1 0 0 0 .000 C.Smith PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 C.Michalak PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 L.Evans PH 1 0 0 0 .200 J.Childers PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Colon PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 N.Green 2B 2 0 0 0 .111 TOTALS 33 3 6 3 TOTALS 38 2 8 2 INDIANAPOLIS 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1- 3 6 0 RICHMOND 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0- 2 8 0 DP--INDIANAPOLIS 0, RICHMOND 2. LOB--INDIANAPOLIS 8, RICHMOND 10. 2B--S.Sheldon 2 (2). SB--D.Krynzel (1), C.Hart (1), P.Orr (1). HBP--C.Hart. SH--D.Krynzel, S.Sheldon, J.Velandia. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA INDIANAPOLIS P.Liriano 6.0 6 2 2 2 2 0 3.00 B.Bowles 2.0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0.00 C.Michalak (W,1-0) 2.0 1 0 0 2 3 0 0.00 J.Childers (S,2) 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 RICHMOND C.Smith 5.0 2 0 0 2 3 0 0.00 R.Colon 1.0 1 2 2 3 1 0 18.00 M.Romano 2.0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0.00 M.Whiteside 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 S.Fesh (L,0-1) 1.2 0 1 1 1 1 0 4.50 T.Drew 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 HB--S.Fesh. SO--M.Erickson 2, C.Hart, M.Johnson 2, S.Sheldon, P.Liriano, P.Orr, R.Branyan, D.Hollins, R.Jackson, W.Betemit, C.Thomas, B.Terveen, L.Evans, N.Green. BB--M.Erickson, D.Krynzel 2, J.Nunnally 3, C.Hart, M.Johnson, P.Orr, J.Velandia, R.Branyan 3, N.Green. T--3:22. A--3169Indianapolis Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=14044

Final: Indianapolis 3, Richmond (Braves) 2, 11 innings 3-and-0, baby! Three one-run wins, two in extra frames. What pitching thus far -- and the long-anticipated debut of Jorge de la Rosa on Sunday. Details soon...

Promising debut for RHP Carlos Villanueva, who deserved a better fate, it seems... Beloit Box Score: GAME DATE: 4/10/04 QC at BLT QUAD CITY 6 AT BELOIT 4 YTD YTD QUAD CITY AB R H BI AVG BELOIT AB R H BI AVG D.Span CF 5 1 0 0 .077 R.Deevers RF 4 1 1 1 .250 S.Whitrock RF 4 1 0 0 .000 D.Anderson LF 3 1 1 1 .364 M.Moses 3B 4 1 2 2 .333 L.Palmisano DH 4 0 2 1 .500 B.Peterson DH 3 0 0 0 .364 T.Marks CAT 4 0 1 0 .250 D.Gomon 1B 4 0 0 0 .083 A.Heether 3B 4 0 0 0 .222 A.Garcia SS 4 1 1 0 .200 C.Corporan 1B 4 0 1 0 .250 B.Pattee 2B 4 0 0 0 .143 S.Moss CF 2 1 0 0 .000 J.Johnson CAT 3 1 2 0 .667 J.Murray SS 4 0 0 0 .100 R.Spataro LF 4 1 1 1 .143 G.Acosta 2B 3 1 1 0 .333 E.Simonitsch PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Villanueva PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 P.Tautor PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Beresford PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Culpepper PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Taubenheim PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 35 6 6 3 TOTALS 32 4 7 3 QUAD CITY 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 0- 6 6 2 BELOIT 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0- 4 7 4 E--B.Pattee, R.Spataro, T.Marks, A.Heether, S.Moss, J.Murray. DP-- QUAD CITY 3, BELOIT 1. LOB--QUAD CITY 4, BELOIT 4. 2B--J.Johnson (1). HR--M.Moses (1). HBP--B.Peterson. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA QUAD CITY E.Simonitsch 4.2 6 3 3 3 2 0 5.79 P.Tautor (W,1-0) 2.1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0.00 K.Culpepper (S,1) 2.0 1 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 BELOIT C.Villanueva (L,0-1) 5.0 3 5 2 1 3 1 3.60 S.Beresford 3.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 3.00 T.Taubenheim 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 HB--C.Villanueva. SO--S.Whitrock, D.Gomon, A.Garcia 2, R.Deevers, A.Heether, C.Corporan 2, J.Murray, G.Acosta. BB--J.Johnson, D.Anderson, S.Moss 2. T--2:12. A--731Beloit Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=12463 It's Richmond 1, Indianapolis 0, bottom of the sixth -- Pedro Liriano in trouble though, 4:30 Central -- tune in (Indy's link is working)

Final: Quad City (Twins) 6, Beloit 4 Five runs in the third for the Swing, shoddy defense from the Snappers -- details both from online and first-hand accounts just a bit later on...

Going on record as saying we will not see a more dominant performance from a Brewer pitcher this year, at least squeezed into six innings. Fun, fun, fun...

Jim Powell just reported that RHP Pedro Liriano gets the starting nod for Indy at Richmond this afternoon.

From Montgomery: Birthday candles: The high definition television had sports highlights running while Huntsville Stars pitcher Matt Ford remembered a lowlight. A birthday start wasn't always so memorable. Ford, who had five no-hit innings to win on his 23rd birthday Thursday, took a loss to an arch rival in high school before blowing out his candles. "It was awful," Ford said before Friday's game with the Biscuits. "I had to break that trend." Ford was with the Brewers last year on his birthday and had the day off. This year, he started and has his girlfriend in town, though his catcher was unaware. "He didn't let anybody know," Kade Johnson said. "Once you get into the mid- to late-20s, if you're in baseball, you stop counting." http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Beloit Daily News Game Story: ``He (Terry Trofholz) fell for the classic third to first move,'' (Manager Don) Money said. ``That happened about 10 seconds after I told him. We told him to be heads up for a third to first move. ``In this game you've got to be thinking all the time,''... Full Article: www.beloitdailynews.com/404/snap10.htm

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville Update: WEEKS FLIES BYLast night, despite the cooler weather, it was good to see an encouraging crowd of nearly 7,400, but Friday and fireworks will do that for you in nearly any kind of weather........ Saturday will not seem half as promising, despite free T-shirts. In all the 19 previous years I've been going to the stadium to see the Stars, I've never seen anyone fly on the bases like Rickie Weeks. What a perfect fit into Frankie's aggressive managerial style........ Not only speed, but Weeks showed me how well capable he is of hitting to the opposite field and getting the jump on the pitcher. After Thursday's 2-for-4 start, Weeks burned his way around the bases on a cool Friday evening, leading the Stars --- off to their best start since 1999 --- to a 5-3 victory over the Doughboys. In the 2nd inning, he pounced on a 1-1 pitch and knocked it on the ground to B.J. Upton. It took the high hop, but Weeks beat out Upton's impressive rifle arm for an infield hit. Weeks advanced to third on Brandon Gemoll's single to right and Chris Barnwell's fly ball to right, but that's as far as he got. Weeks never crossed the plate in any of his at-bats. What he did at the plate, as well as on the bases gives him special notice here. In the 3rd inning, the Stars loaded the bases on a single straight up the middle by Kade Johnson, another single to center by Enrique Cruz, and a bloop hit to left by Anthony Gwynn. Ryan Knox hit a long fly ball to left that scored Kade and Prince Fielder's liner to center (2nd of three hit in that direction, including one to the 405-ft. sign) scored Cruz...... With two out, Weeks stepped up and hit what looked like a single through short into left-center, but Weeks turned on the jets and turned heads by reaching second base. Gwynn, who had stolen 2nd during Fielder's at-bat and reached third on Iker Franco's throwing error, scored easily. In the 6th, Weeks doubled again -- this time into left-center gap to the wall. Weeks, however, to prove that he's still learning, tried to steal third on the first pitch to left-handed hitting Gemoll. Franco, with an unobstructed target to throw at, easily threw out Weeks, and the score remained tied at 3-3. We go to the 8th inning --- Weeks' inning......... Orlando manager Charlie Montoyo brought in a fresh pitcher, Josh Parker to face the top of Huntsville's lethal lineup........ Gwynn walks on a 3-2 pitch and Knox follows with a single through the infield and into right. With a 2-0 count of Fielder, Kremblas successfully gets the double steal from his reckless runners. Up steps Weeks, and unlike so many players who have come before him, you have the utmost confidence that Weeks is going, somehow, someway, to break this tie and win this game. Sure enough. He goes the opposite way and bloops a hit into right over the outstretched glove of Fernando Cortez. Gwynn scores and the unabandoned hustle of Knox beats the tag from Franco........ In just two games, Weeks is 6-for-8 with 3 doubles and 3 RBIs, as well as showing a lot of quickness in the field. Not too many oohs and aahs elsewhere, but Montgomery centerfielder Joey Gathright in the 3rd stole a hit from Fielder, now 0-for-7 with a sac fly, who at least hit the ball today. Gathright sprawled himself out in left-center to make a diving catch of a bloop fly........ One hitter later, Gemoll ended the inning when B.J. Upton deftly snagged Gemoll's liner off his shoetops. It wasn't all gravy tonight....... Chris Barnwell was charged with two errors on one play in the 5th inning when he dropped a one-out grounder hit by Cortez, then threw the ball away trying to get the out at first. He also had a throwing error in the 2nd inning....... That would have put him in the record books for most errors by a Stars' 3rd baseman in a game, but I believe, from looking at Don Rizzardi's official box score, that Fielder was given Barny's error on the throw in the 5th........ The Biscuits scored all three of their runs on a 3-run HR by Upton in Jeff Housman's final inning. Housman threw the limit --- 80 pitches, 57 (71%) for strikes, and looked very good tonight with his off-speed and breaking balls. They were sharp!........ Ryan Miller was immaculate in three innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out four. His slider tonight was just plain filthy, using it to get three of his strikeouts. Saturday night, if the rains don't come as forecast, I'll have my first look at Dennis Sarfate since last Tuesday's exhibition game. Jarod Matthews, a 21st round right-hander from 2001, 8-7 at Bakersfield last year, will get the start for the Biscuits......... Brad Nelson got the clearance to play left before today's game. He's been out with a sore knee, as the result of sliding into a play in the latter stages of spring training. He wasn't expected to play in the lineup until Monday, but he got in one at-bat tonight, striking out on a low fastball from starter Scott Autrey. Nelson's removal from the game was just cautionary. According to owner Miles Prentice, we're now looking at a mid-May date now for the new scoreboard. He was up in the booth during the early part of this night's game........ Prentice is still as much a fan as the rest of us stiffs. During BP, he hung around the dugout getting autographs for his program, just like any ordinary fan.

Daily Press High Desert Game Story: "The pitchers just couldn't find home plate tonight," Mavericks manager Mel Queen said. "So, tomorrow I'm going to bring a hammer and a nail. I'm going to nail home plate down so it's not jumping around." Josh Alliston relieved Nolasco and got Mayobanex Santana to ground out. But Alliston had to leave with a twinge in his throwing elbow. Queen said the extent of the injury is not yet known. Full Article: www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...3042,2807,

Saturday's Daily Menu: No conflict with the Brewers tonight, so check out the Stars and Mavericks this evening... All times Central; pitchers subject to change; pre-game audio begins approx. 15 minutes prior to game time listed... INDIANAPOLIS: TBD at Richmond (Braves), 3:00 PM; we may get game notes from Indy later today with pitcher info; interesting that the schedule went from Friday night in Norfolk to Saturday afternoon in Richmond. Could be a tough day for the Indy bats -- this from Richmond: Richmond plays Indianapolis today. Thursday's opener commenced at the same time, and hitters and catchers offered another hitting problem: being unable to pick up the ball because of shadows on the field and reflections off the batter's eye in center field. "We'll have a bunch of guys volunteering to pitch," Braves manager Pat Kelly said. Veteran RHP Chuck Smith, almost a Brewer once (failed physical), starts for the R-Braves. Audio link: www.newstalk1430.com/ Backup audio link (Richmond feed): oursportscentral.com/services/netcasts/ HUNTSVILE: RHP Dennis Sarfate at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays), 7:05 PM; the Stars only need to go 98-40 now to reach the 100-win mark! Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ HIGH DESERT: RHP Forrest Martin at Lancaster (Diamondbacks), 8:30 PM; the Mavs will break through tonight! Audio link: www.hdmavs.com/listen_live.htm BELOIT: RHP Carlos Villanueva at home vs. Quad City (Twins), 2:00 PM; Villanueva's one of the two kids from the Wayne Franklin / Leo Estrella deal (High Desert's RHP Glenn Woolard the other) Audio link (Swing's feed): www.swingbaseball.com/live/

More details on the Beloit loss: The Swing of the Quad Cities got a late rally from the offense and 5.1 innings of scoreless work from the bullpen as they defeated the Beloit Snappers, 3-2, on Friday night at Pohlman Field. Julio DePaula kept the Swing in the game by going 2.1 scoreless innings, and Levale Speigner picked up the save with three shutout frames. Down 2-1, the Swing fought back to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs and two strikes, Sam Taylor singled into right field and promptly stole second base. Ben Pattee then laced a double down the right field line, scoring Taylor to tie the game. Denard Span followed by hitting a chopper to the left side of the infield. He hustled down the line and forced a wild throw from shortstop Josh Murray, allowing the lead run to score for the Swing. From there, Speigner closed things down without a problem. He allowed just three baserunners ? two walks and an infield single ? in his three frames. Speigner finished strong, striking out Terry Trofholz and Steve Moss to end the game. Speigner relieved DePaula, who allowed just one baserunner, a hit-by-pitch, and struck out two in his 2.1 frames. The Snappers jumped out to the early lead, scoring once on a two-out base hit in the first. Trofholz opened the game by drawing a leadoff walk, and then moved to third on a pair of groundouts. With two away, Lou Palmisano stroked a single to right to put Beloit up an early run. But the Swing struck back ? immediately ? in the next half-inning. Swing catcher Kyle Phillips drilled the first pitch he saw from Brian Montalbo deep to right-center field, a game-tying blast on the Swing?s first homer of the season. The Snappers regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Adam Heether led off with a single to left, and moved to third on a walk. After a sacrifice bunt, another walk loaded the bases for Beloit. With one out, Trofholz hit an RBI fielder?s choice on a chopper up the middle. Second baseman Ben Pattee made an acrobatic backhanded pickup to keep the ball on the infield and to keep the damage at just one run. Starter Evan Meek went 3.2 innings for the Swing, allowing two runs on five hits. The Twins? 14th-ranked prospect struck out one and walked five in his Midwest League debut.

More details in the Huntsville Site Game Summary: Huntsville, AL ? Before an electric crowd of over 7300 on a Pepsi Fireworks Friday, one of Huntsville?s budding stars shone brightly. Second baseman Rickie Weeks ? the consensus college player of the year in 2003 ? went 4-for-4 with a game-winning, two-run single in the Stars? 5-3 victory, their second straight over Montgomery (0-2) at Joe Davis Stadium. After Thursday?s solid 2-for-4 start to his Southern League career, Weeks began Friday night with a second-inning infield single. Then his run-scoring double capped a go-ahead, three-run rally in the third, and another double led off the sixth. In the eighth, Weeks snapped a 3-3 tie, blooping a base-hit over the drawn-in infield to plate Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Ryan Knox. Over his first two games, Weeks is 6-for-8 with three doubles and three runs batted in. Huntsville (2-0) got another solid start, this time from lefty Jeff Housman, who scattered six hits, walked none and fanned five while surrendering three unearned runs, the result of two errors by third baseman Chris Barnwell on the same play, and Housman?s own wild pitch that erased a strikeout. Barnwell?s bobble and bad throw put a runner at second, and a wild pitch on strike three allowed Joey Gathright to reach base. B.J. Upton followed with a first-pitch, three-run homer that tied the game, 3-3. Sacrifice flies by Knox and Prince Fielder accounted for the Stars? runs not produced by Weeks. Knox finished 2-for-2 with two singles and a stolen base. Fielder learned about cavernous centerfield at Joe Davis Stadium, where his monstrous fifth-inning drive ran out of steam at the 405-foot sign. Fielder still seeks his first Southern League hit. Ryan Miller (1-0) notched the win in relief for Huntsville, tossing three immaculate frames, allowing just one walk while fanning four. Austin Coose (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up two runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in one inning. Josh Parker inherited two runners from Coose, and both scored on Weeks? eighth-inning single. Saturday night is Budweiser adult t-shirt night at Joe Davis Stadium, with the first 1500 adults through the gates receiving a free Stars t-shirt. In addition, anyone 21 and over can register to participate in the Budweiser $10,000 pitch contest. The Stars look for a third straight win behind Huntsville right-hander Dennis Sarfate (0-0, 0.00), pitching the day after his 23rd birthday against Montgomery righty Jarod Matthews (0-0, 0.00).

Huntsville Times Game Story: It takes Weeks Stars second baseman has four hits and knocks in winning run By MARK McCARTER Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com Some days, if you're on a roll, even nightmarish mechanical things work out in your favor. For instance, when a water pipe broke Friday at Joe W. Davis Stadium. The grounds crew couldn't water the field. Thus, the field was pretty much the composition of a parking lot. Thus, when Rickie Weeks chopped a low fastball from Montgomery reliever Josh Parker, it bounced like a Super Ball. Thus, the Stars eased past the Montgomery Biscuits for the second consecutive evening, registering a 5-3 victory in front of an announced crowd of 7,396, lured by free tickets - always a thrill in the Huntsville marketplace - and fireworks. Game three in the four-game series is tonight at 7:05, with a Sunday game at 2:05. A two-game win streak to begin a season may not be considered "on a roll." But it's probably a mere understatement to apply that to Weeks. The Stars second baseman went 4-for-4, driving in three runs. He's a mere 6-for-8 on this young season. Four-hit games were nothing new for Weeks while piling up a ridiculous .467 career batting average at Southern University, but it was his first such game as a pro. "I'm seeing the ball well. Some days you're seeing the ball and some days you don't,'' said Weeks. "I hope it's something that lasts until the end of the season.'' The Stars were tied 3-all going into the eighth, when Tony Gwynn Jr. walked and Ryan Knox singled off reliever Austin Coose. Gwynn and Knox pulled off a double steal, but Coose got Prince Fielder to ground to second. With a base empty, the Biscuits still pitched to Weeks, who was "looking for something to drive up the middle.'' The high chopper off the concrete, er, infield sufficed as a two-run single. The Stars took a 3-zip lead in the third when Kade Johnson, Enrique Cruz and Gwynn singled consecutively, loading the bases against Biscuits starter Scott Autrey. Knox and Fielder each hit sacrifice flies, then Weeks doubled home Gwynn. A second consecutive excellent starting performance by a Stars' pitcher was spoiled by the Huntsville defense in the Montgomery fifth. Jeff Housman had thrown four innings of five-hit shutout ball, twice getting key double-play balls along the way. This on the heels of Matt Ford's five innings of hitless work in Thursday's season opener. But with one out, Fernando Cortez reached second when third baseman Chris Barnwell booted a chopper, and hit Cortez with the throw. Joey Gathright struck out, but reached base when Housman's third strike, a low breaking ball, eluded catcher Kade Johnson. B.J. Upton, the top prospect in the Devils Rays' system, hammered a three-run homer to center to tie the game. "Real good,'' manager Frank Kremblas said of Housman. "We helped them out a little bit, and he actually should have been out of the inning." It wasn't merely good starting pitching. Ryan Miller pitched three innings of hitless relief, striking out four, then Bryan Adams notched the save with a scoreless ninth.

High Desert Box Score: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=19006 High Desert Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=19006 Turning point -- while the game was 7-6 Jethawks, top of the 7th: High Desert Top 7th - MORRIS, C walked. - CRABBE, C walked; MORRIS, C advanced to second. - MORRIS, C out at second p to ss, picked off. - CRABBE, C stole second. - EURE, J flied out to rf. - BOYD, D struck out swinging. I was listening at this point, and this was one of those 'make you say "no!" out loud moments', even for a minor league game early in the season. Two walks to open the inning, and then a pick-off at second.

From this brief account, it seems Corey Hart could have easily been credited with his 5th hit in the 13th inning... Indianapolis Star: NORFOLK, Va. -- Corey Hart of the Indianapolis Indians had four hits and a hard drive that was ruled an error in the 13th inning that delivered Chris Coste with the winning run Friday night in a 4-3 victory over the Norfolk Tides. The 22-year-old Bowling Green, Ky., native also slammed an opposite-field home run to right field off Jose Parra to tie the score at 3-3 in the ninth. Norfolk opened the scoring in the third. Jeff Duncan's double to right field scored Wilson Delgado with two outs off Tribe starter Ben Hendrickson. The Tribe tied the score in the fourth as Coste doubled to lead off the inning, then scored on a one-out single to center by Hart. Indianapolis took the lead in the sixth with a single run. With two outs, consecutive singles by Coste and Jeff Liefer allowed Hart to drive in his second run of the game with a base hit to left field. The Tides took the lead back in the sixth, jumping on reliever Mike Adams for a pair of runs. Hart's leadoff home run in the ninth tied the score. Tribe reliever Dan Reichert then shut down the Tides, forcing extra innings. The Tribe took the lead in the 13th with a one-out rally. Singles from Coste and Liefer, followed by Hart's wicked shot down the line, ruled an error on third baseman Rodney Nye, scored Coste. Indians closer Matt Childers (1-0) shut down the Tides (0-2) in the final three innings to earn the victory.

My final update till morning -- yes, sleep is allowed, even during Link Report season -- Maverick LHP Craig Breslow walked the first two men he faced (replacing Josh Alliston), and a series of base hits, some hit harder than others, followed, and followed, and well... ...after seven innings, it's Lancaster 14, High Desert 6 I want to tell myself it's only two games, really I do http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/ohwell.gif Plenty of goodies on all the minor league fronts for you when you visit Saturday AM...