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Saturday's Daily Menu:

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at Omaha (Royals), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Audio link:
www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

Huntsville: LHP David Welch at home vs. Jacksonville (Dodgers), 1:50 PM pre-game; 2:05 gametime

Audio link via WUMP (game will also archive at this link):
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t559

Brevard County: RHP Donovan Hand at home vs. Vero Beach (Rays), 6:00 PM gametime

Sorry, no audio for this series...

West Virginia: RHP Evan Anundsen at home vs. Delmarva (Orioles), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (games will also archive at this link):
www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated several hours prior to gametime.

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

Final: Brevard County 5, Vero Beach (Rays) 1

Kenny Holmberg was injured in the first inning on a defensive play at second base:

• - Garrett Groce singles on a line drive to left fielder Darren Ford.
• - With Quinn Stewart batting, Garrett Groce caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Martin Maldonado to second baseman Kenneth Holmberg.
• - Defensive Substitution: Matt Cline replaces second baseman Kenneth Holmberg, batting 7th, playing second base.
• - Brevard County Manatees second baseman Kenneth Holmberg left the game due to an injured hand/wrist.

Brevard County Box Score
Donovan Hand is fantastic again, walking absolutely no one, is able to again pitch deep into a game -- in 90 pro innings, Hand has walked nine batters, though he did hit two batters tonight, establishing his domain; Casey Baron with a nice save, stranding two of Hand's runners in the 8th; former Brewer Al Reyes pitched the first inning for Vero Beach on a rehab stint; Charlie Fermaint two doubles on a 3-for-4 night...

Brevard County Game Log

Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 9, West Virginia 7

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

POWER RALLY FALLS SHORT

The West Virginia Power fell behind the Delmarva Shorebirds 9-1 after six and a half innings of Saturday night's game at Appalachian Power Park, and though they scored the final six runs of the game, they fell two runs short as Delmarva took the third game of the series 9-7.

Evan Anundsen held the Shorebirds hitless through the first three and two-thirds before they put together three straight two-out hits, capped by a two-run double from Anthony Martinez. Matt Angle, Tyler Henson and Joe Mahoney all ripped RBI singles in the fifth to give Delmarva a 5-0 lead. Brendan Monaghan brought in Kieron Pope on a groundout in the sixth inning to extend the lead. The Power got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Caleb Gindl's groundout scored Brent Brewer.

Delmarva scored three more runs in the seventh. Mahoney ripped his second RBI single of the game to plate the first run before Henson scored on a passed ball and Mahoney scored later in the inning on Joe Nowicki's sacrifice fly. The Power rallied for four runs in the bottom of the inning. Lee Haydel tripled in three runs and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's groundout. Steffan Wilson hit a two-run homer in the eighth to pull the Power within two, but that was as close as they would get.

John Mariotti (3-1) lasted seven innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and got the win. Anundsen (2-2) allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings and was tagged with the loss. Mick Mattaliano (5) finished the job in the ninth inning to get the save.

The Power fell to 8-15 with the loss and the Shorebirds improved to 12-11 with the win. Steffan Wilson paced the Power with three hits and Zelous Wheeler chipped in with two. The Shorebirds have out-hit West Virginia 39-27 in the first three games of the series.

The Power will finish the four game series with Delmarva Sunday afternoon. Left hander Zach Braddock (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for the Power and the Shorebirds will counter with left hander Zach Britton (1-1, 3.10). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM (1:05 Central).

West Virginia Box Score
Four of the nine runs the Power allowed were unearned -- four errors in all, all in the infield, although that same crew turned three double plays; Zelous Wheeler sees a lot of pitches as he's at an .894 OPS, but he's also K'd 23 times in 75 AB's -- he's a bit unique...

West Virginia Game Log

Final: Nashville 13, Omaha (Royals) 9

Nashville Site Game Summary:
Link for Russell Branyan photo, text follows --

Offense Stays Hot As Sounds Topple Royals

OMAHA - The Nashville offense continued its recent success on Saturday evening at Rosenblatt Stadium, producing a season high-tying 13 runs in a 13-9 victory over the division-rival Omaha Royals.

Designated hitter Brad Nelson (3-for-4, three RBIs) and first baseman Russell Branyan (4-for-4, five RBIs) continued their sizzling start to the seasons, combining to drive in and score 12 of Nashville's 13 runs on the evening. Catcher Vinny Rottino homered and drove in three runs in extending his hit streak to eight games, matching the longest by a Sound in 2008.

Sounds hitters belted three home runs on the evening, the club's third straight contest with at least three longballs and its tenth in a row with at least one big fly (20 home runs over that stretch).

Nashville (5-16) continued its recent trend of quick starts, plating three runs in the top of the first inning for the fourth straight contest on its current road trip.

Nelson plated the game's first run with a two-out RBI infield single before Rottino smacked his fourth home run of the year, a two-run shot to left off Omaha starter Matt Wright. All three runs came in unearned due to a fielding error by Royals left fielder Chris Lubanski.

Omaha got a run back in the bottom of the first on a two-out Shane Costa homer off Zach Jackson and pulled within a run at 3-2 with a second-inning sacrifice fly before grabbing a 5-3 advantage with a three-run third against the southpaw. Mike Aviles, Ryan Shealy, and Matt Tupman all touched Jackson for solo longballs in the frame.

The Sounds rallied to reclaim the lead in the following half-inning with a four-run outburst that chased Wright from the ballgame. After Rottino opened the frame with a walk, Branyan and Brendan Katin connected on back-to-back home runs, their fourth and third roundtrippers of the year respectively. Nashville added its fourth run of the inning when Abraham Nunez scored on a double-play grounder.

AUDIO: Russell Branyan Home Run

The Royals responded with another rally against Jackson, chasing the left-hander with three runs in the home half of the fourth to grab an 8-7 lead. The outburst was highlighted by a two-run Mitch Maier homer.

Nashville evened things at 8-8 in the fifth when Nelson singled, stole second, and score on a Branyan RBI double, the veteran's team-leading ninth two-bagger of the year.

The Sounds retook an 11-8 lead in the sixth against the Omaha bullpen. With one out, Hernan Iribarren doubled then Mike Cameron and Joe Dillon drew walks from Brad Salmon, who was replaced by Jeff Fulchino. Nelson greeted the right-hander with a two-run, go-ahead single to right and Branyan added a two-out RBI single later in the stanza.

Omaha pulled within two at 11-9 in the bottom of the seventh with an unearned run stemming from a Nunez fielding error.

Nashville tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as a pair of walks again came back to haunt Royals relievers. With one out, Dillon and Nelson drew free passes from Fulchino. Rottino and Branyan followed with consecutive RBI singles that stretched the Nashville lead to 13-9.

Veteran left-hander Erasmo Ramirez (1-0) earned the victory after he cooled off the Royals' offense upon taking over for Jackson. He worked an efficient 2 2/3 innings, during which he allowed only one hit and threw 38 pitches.

Salmon (2-1) took the loss for Omaha after giving up four runs on three hits in his 1 1/3 innings of relief work.
Neither starter was especially effective in the contest but both took no-decisions. Jackson allowed eight runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings and saw his season ERA increase to 8.89 through five starts. Wright allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits over his four frames of action.

Nashville will look to score its first series victory of the year when the wrap up the weather-shortened three-game series with a 1:35 p.m. finale on Sunday afternoon. Left-hander Chris Narveson (0-3, 4.29) will make the start for the Sounds to face Omaha southpaw and former Milwaukee Brewer Jorge De La Rosa (2-0, 1.15).

Nashville Box Score
Brad Nelson is slugging nearly .700 -- he's absolutely raking, the decision the Brewers made to add him to the 40-man last October, instead of allowing him to walk in minor league free agency, was questioned by many (my hand is raised), but you have to be psyched for Brad; Nelson's OPS is 1.122, Russell Branyan's is 1.199; fantastic bullpen work, while Zach Jackson -- not so much...

Nashville Game Log

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com

Stars Turn 3

A Saturday game played at a Sunday pace. It took roughly a half-hour to get through each full inning during the middle portion of the game..... But it was a wonderfully warm day to catch some day baseball, and to watch the Stars march over Southern League competition, particularly the Southern Division...... The Stars, who have now won seven of their last nine, are 11-2 vs. South teams...... But North or South, what does it matter? This team is playing like it can beat anyone....... Just point to any one of a number of offensive categores...... They are hitting .289, their best April at the plate in their history -- by far...... They are 15-8 -- one loss more than the best W-L Pct. in their history. One more victory and they tie a record for April that was set in 2003, when they got off to a 16-10 start....... They have ten or more hits in ten games. One more, and they set a record for April.......

The Stars lead the Southern League in runs scored with 133. The Stars didn't score that many last year until May 10, and they didn't have a bad season last year.......They have led in more games after five innings (13-2), six innings (13-1), and seven innings (14-1) than any team in the league...... They lead the league, not just in batting, but in slugging (.439) and on-base percentage (.364) as well...... Still, in a very strong and competitive division this year, they are a game in back of Carolina, a team with the best pitching in the league (2.63)...... The Stars staff is .78 runs behind, and still has a very respectable 3.41 ERA. It should be a very interesting series when the Mudcats come to the Joe in the middle of May.

The Stars won their 3rd straight against Jacksonville, which they haven't done since the 2001 season, when they won four straight over the course of two series....... In so doing, the Stars have hit .333 and outscored the Suns, 23-9........ Even the pitchers are hitting well, driving in five runs in the last eight games, although the season mark is .219...... Two hitting streaks to watch for Sunday -- Mat Gamel 's 12-game hitting streak is, along with Chattanooga's B.J. Szymanski, the longest current streak in the league. Gamel raised his average from .256 when the streak started to .341, going 21-for-52 (.404)....... Alcides Escobar is on a smaller nine-game streak (16-for-39, .410), raising his average from .185 when it began to .280.

David Welch pitched himself out of some jams before the Stars started to pile on the runs in the middle innings...... After spotting the Suns a run in the 1st on Greg Jacobs' single to right-center, Welch retired Russ Mitchell and Rene Rivera on fly balls to right and with a runner in scoring position in the 2nd, Welch, who sparingly strikes out hitters, got James Tomlin swinging at strike three to end the inning...... But he owed a lot to his defense, which came up with two double plays, which snuffed out leadoff hits in the 5th and 6th innings, and a triple play in the 4th -- the 3rd in Stars history.

I thought, like Stars announcer Brett Pollock, that it was the 2nd triple play in Stars history. It was actually the 3rd....... Oddly enough, they all were at home. The first one came August 2, 2002 vs. Jacksonville in the 1st inning. Bubba Crosby hit into a 9-4-6-3 TP, Cristian Guerrero-Keith Luuloa-J.J. Hardy-Jeff Deardorff....... The 2nd came against Mobile, August 23, 2005 when Steve Baker hit into a 1-2-3-5 TP with the bases loaded in the 4th inning, Ty Taubenheim-Jeff Winchester-Brandon Gemoll-Nelson Castro turned that one, with an alert Gemoll firing to third to get the runner, whose momentum had taken him too far off the bag.

Historical footnote: The Stars, as part of the A's organization at the time, turned a controversial triple play vs. Greenville, July 26, 1993 that was offically erased from the books after manager Bruce Kimm's protest was recognized by the league. It came in the 2nd inning. Interestingly enough, Greenville had pulled a triple play on the Stars earlier that season on May 27. Tim Gillis opened the inning with a single to center. Lee Heath then bunted past pitcher Scott Baker for an infield hit. On a 3-2 pitch to Ed Giavanola, the runners took off. Giavanola sliced a liner into the gap in left-center. Chris Hart ran the ball down for the first out, then threw to Francisco Matos, who doubled up Gillis for the second out. Matos threw to first to try and complete the triple-killing on the returning Heath. His throw was low, skipping past 1st baseman Jim Bowie. Heath had taken second on contact, but Manager Casey Parsons came out of the dugout and appealed. Heath was thumbed out for not retouching second base as he returned to first. Greenville manager Bruce Kimm filed a protest and the game was replayed, wiping out HRs by George Williams and John Kuehl and giving Fausto Cruz a second chance at breaking the club hit streak record Jim Bowie established at 19. The game was replayed two days later. Huntsville won, 5-3, but Fausto Cruz went 0-for-3.

The Stars got on board in the 2nd when Cole Gillespie, carrying a .210 average, homered to left, just clearing the wall. Freddy Parejo, who continues to have a record bat for April, drove in the 2nd run in the 4th with a soft two-out liner to left-center, bringing in Carlos Corporan who walked, took 2nd on a sacrifice by Welch, and 3rd on a wild pitch.......Parejo stole second, then scored on Escobar's line single to left-center, making it 3-1...... Parejo needs just three at-bats to officially have the hottest April in the record books for the Stars. Even if he goes 0-for-3, Parejo will end up with a .460 average, far outdistancing Marcos Armas, who hit .415 in April of 1992 - the best April to date.

The Stars put this one out of reach in the 5th when they scored three times to make it 6-1.....Against Rick Asadoorian, the former Chattanooga outfielder-turned-pitcher, Matt LaPorta, Chris Errecart, and Gillespie loaded the bases on a walk, a single to right, and another walk. It looked like Asadoorian would escape this jam, getting Michael Bell to foul out near the Chattanooga dugout and Corporan to strike out on 2-and-2, but Welch, with his parents in attendance, singled up the middle on a 3-2 count, scoring LaPorta and Errecart...... Then Parejo, behind 0-and-2, hit a one-hop liner that fell in left, bringing in Gillespie to make it 6-1...... Mat Gamel, who had hit just one home run, lined one in the 5th inning off the Cook's Pest Control sign in right, the second level of signage out there, for the Stars' 7th and final run.......... Gamel is doing a better job in the field than last year, according to GM Buck Rogers, who saw him play at Brevard last year. Affirming that, he has made five errors this month, compared to 11 in April of 2007.

Don't know which is brighter, the afternoon sun or the Suns' bright yellow uniform tops. They're a sight to see.

Michael Bell hit his first double since April 7 in the 2nd inning, following Gillespie's homer...... Cole Gillespie has left 10 on base in 12 at-bats in this series........ In the first major transaction this season, the Stars released Rusty Tucker, who was trying to comeback after two elbow surgeries, and added former West Tennessee pitcher Juan Sandoval, who made his Stars debut in this game.

2:05 game tomorrow, if the rain holds off...... Brae Wright (1-2, 3.27) will face right-hander Jesus Castillo (0-1, 2.79).

Reggie Rivard, the Canadian reliever from Alberta who was 3-1 with a 6.55 ERA in 22 appearances for the Stars in 2004, is pitching again in the indy leagues this year for Calgary in the Golden League. For the past three seasons, he has been with Edmonton, his hometown, in the Northern League, where he was 13-17 with a 5.73 ERA.

With the success of "3Rs for the Stars" GM Buck Rogers wants to take this a step further in Huntsville next year...... Taking an idea he implemented at Brevard County, Rogers wants to incorporate baseball with the students' education at every grade level but high school (and he's not averse to that idea)....... As he did at Brevard, Rogers wants to solicit the ideas and suggestions of teachers and school board members for a teachers' guide, similar to one used successfully at Brevard........ Students would learn, of course, how math is applied to baseball, but also geometry, geography, science, social studies, and language arts, as well....... For instance one of the tasks Buck described to me is how the kids would have to identify the places the Stars are from on an outlined map...... It would presumably be called Education Day at Joe Davis Stadium. Buck told me he plans to present his ideas as early as September.