by Ben Catley

Tonight, you have our permission to have your ears on Osprey baseball and your eyes on Carlos Gonzalez (2003), who is participating in the State Farm Home Run Derby tonight.

First though, stop here and vote for Socrates Brito in the 6th Annual MiLB Monkier Madness.

Here are tonight’s lineups from Helena, as the O’s look to salvage one at Kindrick Legion Field. By the way, if attitude won games before you start, then the Osprey would be up 10-0 out of the chute. They are ready to play tonight.

Missoula (11-10)
14 Pedro Ruiz SS
35 Evan Marzilli LF
18 Jake Lamb 3B
21 Breland Almadova CF
33 Rudy Flores 1B
26 Yosbel Gutierrez C
17 Ty Linton DH
15 Justin Bianco RF
12 John Leonard 2B
44 Chris Pack RHP

Helena (7-14)
13 Tyrone Taylor DH
8 Alfredo Rodriguez SS
3 Chris McFarland 2B
9 Adam Giacalone 1B
2 Emmanuel Quiles C
6 Michael Reed CF
5 Raul Mondesi, Jr. RF
29 Mike Nemeth 3B
22 Ruben Ozuna LF
17 Mike Schaub RHP

Pre-game tonight … well, still up in the air. We will hear from someone tonight at 6:40. My secret … listen in on AM 930 KMPT and online at MissoulaOsprey.com.

First to some injury updates … there is good news and better news. The good news is that Michael Perez, who was crossed up on a pitch late in last night’s game in Great Falls, seems to be much better this afternoon. He was hit on the joint of his left thumb. The plan is to take it easy with Perez, but it’s likely that he will not play this weekend in Helena. However, you never know …

The news is much better for Evan Marzilli, who also left last night’s game with a leg injury. He’s getting today off, and will likely be back in the lineup tomorrow.

Speaking of the lineups, here are the lineups for tonight’s game in Helena:

Missoula (11-8)
14 Pedro Ruiz SS
19 Socrates Brito CF
18 Jake Lamb 3B
33 Rudy Flores 1B
26 Yosbel Gutierrez C
30 Tyler Bream DH
17 Ty Linton LF
15 Justin Bianco RF
12 John Leonard 2B
37 Jared Ray RHP

Helena (5-14)
6 Michael Reed CF
8 Alfredo Rodriguez SS
3 Chris McFarland 2B
9 Adam Giacalone 1B
2 Emmanuel Quiles C
29 Mike Nemeth 3B
5 Raul Mondesi, Jr. RF
15 Michael Turay DH
11 Yonki Hernandez LF
26 Tyler Wagner RHP

Breland Almadova is the pre-game show guest – since we did not really have a pre-game show last night. Unless it rains hard again here in Helena (which is did for about two minutes earlier today), we’ll be starting at 6:40 with the pre-game, and the first pitch will be at 7:05, on AM 930 KMPT and on MissoulaOsprey.com.

 

First, to the news of the day … former Osprey infielder Pedro Ciriaco (2005) has been called back up to the Major Leagues. The Boston Red Sox recalled Ciriaco when they placed second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb injury. Ciriaco was scheduled to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game, but that appearance will now not happen with the promotion. Ciriaco was among the International League leaders in batting this season, currently 10th in batting with a .301 average.

Here are tonight’s starting lineups in Great Falls, where a storm is trying to settle in … and considering the last two games of the half between these two teams are in Missoula, there will be a push to get this one in, if at all possible.

Missoula (10-8)
35 Evan Marzilli CF
21 Breland Almadova DH
9 Danny Pulfer 2B
18 Jake Lamb 3B
7 Michael Perez C
30 Tyler Bream 1B
17 Ty Linton LF
15 Justin Bianco RF
12 John Leonard SS
29 Karl Triana RHP

Great Falls (10-8)
6 Adam Heisler CF
9 Justin Jirschele SS
3 Micah Johnson 2B
22 Kyle Robinson RF
31 Abe Ruiz 1B
39 Mike Marjama C
34 Patrick Palmeiro LF
10 Tyler Williams 3B
24 Bryce Mosier DH
33 Brandon Parrent LHP

Osprey outfielder Breland Almadova is our guest on the pre-game show, which begins at 6:40 p.m. on AM 930 KMPT and on MissoulaOsprey.com.

Back at Centene Stadium and looking to get the bad taste of a loss out of the mouth, as the Osprey take on the Great Falls Voyagers in game two of their three-game set here.

It also will be the first good test for starting pitcher Andrew Barbosa. For the crafty lefty, he was in a good matchup with both Billings and Helena because they are more aggressive at the plate, and chase more bad pitches. And there is no one on the Osprey staff that can make hitters look bad than Barbosa. Great Falls has a different approach – they have more plate discipline throughout much of the order. So we’ll see how Barbosa adjusts.

At any rate, here are tonight’s lineups:

Missoula (9-8)
Pedro Ruiz SS
Evan Marzilli CF
Socrates Brito RF
Jake Lamb 3B
Michael Perez C
Rudy Flores 1B
Breland Almadova LF
Ty Linton DH
Danny Pulfer 2B
Andrew Barbosa LHP

Great Falls (10-7)
Adam Heisler CF
Justin Jirschele SS
Micah Johnson 2B
Kyle Robinson RF
Brent Tanner C
Yoandy Barroso LF
Abe Ruiz 1B
Tyler Williams DH
Thomas McCarthy 3B
JC Casey RHP

Andy Green is on the pre-game tonight at 6:40, with the first pitch coming at 7:00. You can listen in on AM 930, KMPT, or online at MissoulaOsprey.com.

Here are tonight’s starting lineups from Great Falls …

Missoula (9-7)
Pedro Ruiz 2B
Evan Marzilli CF
Socrates Brito RF
Jake Lamb 3B
Kyle Koeneman 1B
Breland Almadova LF
Yosbel Gutierrez C
Justin Bianco DH
John Leonard SS
Chris Pack RHP

Great Falls (9-7)
Adam Heisler CF
Justin Jirschele SS
Micah Johnson 2B
Kyle Robinson RF
Brent Tanner 1B
Yoandy Barroso LF
Mike Marjama DH
Tyler Williams 3B
Zac Fisher C
Thomas Royse RHP

We’re on the air at 6:40, with Osprey hitting coach JR House tonight’s pre-game show guest. Talk to you in a few …

We’ll have lineups here in a moment, but first, two things to bring you up to speed on that have been developments over the past 24 hours.

– The Osprey have a new addition – he’s 8th round pick Evan Marzilli. Marzilli will likely make his Osprey debut during the three-game series at Great Falls.

– Billings infielder Brandon Dailey did suffer a left knee injury during the fifth inning in Monday’s game. However, it may not be as serious as first feared. Nothing definite will be known until he gets examined further in a couple of days. We wish him the best and hope it’s a speedy recovery for him. The Osprey won’t see Billings again until August 10 here at Ogren Park Allegiance Field.

OK … lineups and notes time!!

	Billings Mustangs
	Overall: 9-6
	Manager:Pat Kelly
No.	Player					Pos.	Avg.	HR	RBI
41	Beau Amaral					CF	.444	0	0
23	Jesse Winker					DH	.413	0	8
21	Spencer Dickinson					LF	.370	1	7
16	Robert Maddox					1B	.293	2	8
40	Robert Ramirez					3B	.200	0	4
5	Taylor Wrenn					2B	.100	0	1
18	Brennan May					RF	.333	0	3
50	Fray Sosa					C	.333	0	4
11	Sammy Diaz					SS	.262	0	5
51	Joel Bender	0-0	9.39	3-0		LHP
	Starting Pitcher Stats	W-L	ERA	G-GS
	Missoula Osprey
	Overall: 9-6
	Manager: Andy Green
No.	Player					Pos.	Avg.	HR	RBI
14	Pedro Ruiz					2B	.347	1	3
21	Breland Almadova					CF	.340	0	6
18	Jake Lamb					3B	.357	1	8
33	Rudy Flores					1B	.303	0	9
7	Michael Perez					C	.333	3	14
26	Yosbel Gutierrez					DH	.333	0	3
17	Ty Linton					LF	.212	3	9
15	Justin Bianco					RF	.139	0	3
12	John Leonard					SS	.227	0	1
24	Ross Gerdeman	1-0	3.24	2-2		RHP
	Starting Pitcher Stats	W-L	ERA	G-GS
	Umpires:	Home Plate				Charlie Ramos
		First Base				Farris Pearson

The Skinny: The Osprey and Mustangs close out their four-game series tonight with the winner taking sole possession of first place in the Pioneer League’s North Division. The other team could be in a tie for second with Great Falls, who plays at Helena tonight. A large crowd is expected tonight, as a fireworks show is scheduled for after the game.Last Time Out: The Osprey continued their solid play at home on Monday with a 5-2 victory over the Billings Mustangs in front of 2,241 fans. Jake Lamb hit a two-run home run to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning which gave the Osprey the lead for good. Missoula would add an insurance run on a Billings error in the bottom of the eighth to finish off the scoring. Once again, the Osprey pitching staff gave an all-around solid performance. Starter Jared Ray pitched into the sixth inning, allowing just two runs on four hits, but surrendered four walks. Michael Rivera (1-1) came on in relief and gave up just a hit and a walk in 2 2/3 innings of work to pick up the win in relief. Justin Thompson retired the final four batters, two of them with strikeouts, to earn his second save in three chances. Michael Perez staked the Osprey to a 1-0 lead with a long solo home run to right-center field. Billings tied the game in the top of the third and then scored a run in the top of the sixth to take a 2-1 lead. John Leonard and Danny Pulfer led off the home half of the seventh inning with back-to-back walks. After a passed ball moved the runners to second and third, Socrates Brito grounded out to second to plate Leonard with the game-tying run. Lamb chased Pulfer home as he drilled a 2-2 pitch from Mustang reliever Tony Amezuca (0-2) over the right-center field wall, giving the Osprey a 4-2 lead. Ty Linton had three hits and scored the eighth-inning tally. O’s Sweep Player/Pitcher of the Week Honors: Osprey infielder Danny Pulfer and pitcher Andrew Barbosa claimed the Pioneer League Offensive Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, on Monday. Pulfer is coming off a week where he ended an 0-for-15 slide with a cycle against Helena. Since the rough start, including Monday’s game, Pulfer has 11 hits in his last 18 at-bats. Barbosa has started his Osprey career with 16 scoreless innings (including 12 last week), and the lefty leads the Pioneer League in both ERA (0.00) and strikeouts (24). On the Mound Tonight: Missoula will send right-hander Ross Gerdeman to the hill as he tries to pick up his first win since Opening Night in Billings. Gerdeman (1-0, 3.24) pitched into the sixth inning at Dehler Park on June 18, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits while collecting four strikeouts in a 13-3 Osprey win. Gerdeman has made two starts since then, both at home, and has struggled a bit, with an ERA of 4.09 in his past 11 innings. His longest stint was a 6 1/3 innings pitched outing against Great Falls on June 23 – ironically, also a fireworks night. The Mustangs will counter tonight with right-hander Wes Mugarian, who took the loss in the opener, and since then has a no-decision and a win. Mugarian (1-1, 3.21) allowed eight hits and three earned runs to Missoula in his first start of the season on June 18. Five days later, Mugarian tossed five shutout innings at Helena for a win. In his last start, on June 28 against Great Falls, Mugarian allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and a pair of walks in what turned out to be a no-decision. In four career outings against the Osprey, Mugarian is 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA – and is 0-1 with a ERA of 9.00 in two starts at Ogren Park Allegiance Field. By The Numbers: Current Streak: W3 Extra Innings: 3-2 Team Hitting: .285 First Half: 9-6 Lead After 5: 6-1 PL Rank: 5th Second Half: 0-0 Tied After 5: 3-2 Team Pitching: 3.66 June: 7-6 Trail After 5: 0-3 PL Rank: 1st July: 2-0 One-run games: 4-3 Longest Winning Streak: 3 games August: 0-0 Two-run games: 0-1 Longest Losing Streak 3 games September: 0-0 Three-run games: 1-1 HR total at home: 6 Score First: 8-3 +3-run games: 4-1 Pitching K total: 138 Score Last: 3-1 Shutout Record: 1-1 Pitching K/9IP Ratio: 8.85 D-backs Minor League Report/Osprey Alumni Update: AZL D-backs Alumni Briefing: The AZL D-backs lost to the AZL Brewers on Monday, 14-7. Record: 4-6 Next: at AZL Padres DSL D-backs1/2 Update: The DSL D-backs won their game over the DSL Twins, 4-3, while the DSL D-backs/Reds lost to the DSL Pirates2 team, 10-2. Record: 15-11/3-23 Next: vs. DSL White Sox/vs. DSL Yankees1 SS-A Yakima Alumni Briefing: Josh Parr (2011) had two hits and two RBIs in the Bears’ 7-3 win over Spokane on Monday. Victor Capellan (2009) surrendered a run on three hits in two innings of work, but also struck out three batters. Record: 10-8 Next: vs. Spokane Class A South Bend Alumni Briefing: Raul Navarro (2010) singled home Eric Groff (2010-11) with the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Silver Hawks to a wild, 6-5 win over Lansing on Monday. Navarro and Groff each finished with two hits, while Ryan Court (2011) added two hits and two RBIs for the Hawks. Kable Hogben (2009) picked up the win in relief. Record: 6-5, 41-40 Next: vs. Lansing Class A Advanced Visalia Alumni Briefing: Ender Inciarte (2009) had a day for the Rawhide on Monday against Inland Empire, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a stolen base and a RBI in a 13-12, 10-inning win. Jon Griffin (2011) added a pair of hits, while Keon Broxton (2009) chipped in with a hit, run scored, a stolen base and a RBI. The former Osprey pitching quartet struggled as Taylor Siemens (2011), Conrad Flynn (2011), Jeremy Erben (2010) and Blake Cooper (2010) combined to give up all 12 runs in a combined nine innings. Record: 7-5, 38-44 Next: vs. Inland Empire Double-A Mobile Alumni Briefing: Chris Owings (2009) collected a hit and a run scored in the BayBears’ 6-2 win over Mississippi on Monday. Chase Anderson (2009) was once again solid, allowing just a solo home run over five innings while striking out four batters. Eury De La Rosa (2009) pitched two scoreless innings behind him, striking out four batters. Record: 6-6, 46-36 Next: vs. Mississippi Triple-A Reno Alumni Briefing: Taylor Harbin (2007) had three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored as the Aces stormed back and beat Las Vegas, 15-8, thanks to an 8-run bottom of the 8th inning. Adam Eaton (2010) and Jake Elmore (2008) each had a hit and a RBI. Elmore added two runs scored. That rally managed to get Charles Brewer (2009) off the hook, as he surrendered eight runs in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Ironically, a former Osprey took the loss – Jerry Gil (2000), who is an infielder-turned-pitcher. He surrendered seven of the eight runs in the 8th inning while getting just one out. Gil fell to 4-1 on the season, while his ERA ballooned to 4.42. Record: 50-35 Next: vs. Las Vegas Former Osprey with the Arizona Diamondbacks: Paul Goldschmidt (2009) .297 BA, 11 HR, 36 RBI, .915 OPS Gerardo Parra (2006) .272 BA, 6 HR, 23 RBI, .771 OPS Miguel Montero (2002-03) .272 BA, 8 HR, 43 RBI, .794 OPS Bryan Shaw (2008) 1-3, 2 saves, 2.67 ERA, 26 K in 33.2 IP Lyle Overbay (1999) .321 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .910 OPS TEAM: 39-40, 3rd in NL West, 5.5 GB … 4 GB in wildcard

Here’s today’s lineups and game notes. It should be a nice evening to take in a ballgame, so come out and bring some non-perishable food items for the Poverello Center. Those who do get four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas, four bags of chips and a game program for just $30 on Family Night.

	Billings Mustangs
	Overall: 9-5
	Manager:Pat Kelly
No.	Player					Pos.	Avg.	HR	RBI
41	Beau Amaral					CF	.400	0	0
23	Jesse Winker					RF	.422	0	8
26	Daniel Pigott					LF	.333	0	0
35	Carlos Sanchez					1B	.380	3	16
40	Robert Ramirez					2B	.194	0	3
15	Gabriel Rosa					3B	.146	0	0
24	Matt Lentz					DH	.100	0	0
34	Wagner Gomez					C	.258	0	2
6	Brandon Dailey					SS	.270	2	6
29	Drew Cisco	0-0	5.40	2-2		RHP
	Starting Pitcher Stats	W-L	ERA	G-GS
	Missoula Osprey
	Overall: 8-6
	Manager: Andy Green
No.	Player					Pos.	Avg.	HR	RBI
9	Danny Pulfer					2B	.345	1	9
19	Socrates Brito					CF	.281	0	6
18	Jake Lamb					DH	.346	0	6
33	Rudy Flores					1B	.333	0	9
7	Michael Perez					C	.341	2	13
30	Tyler Bream					3B	.313	0	7
17	Ty Linton					LF	.167	3	9
15	Justin Bianco					RF	.156	0	3
12	John Leonard					SS	.244	0	1
37	Jared Ray	1-0	1.13	2-2		RHP
	Starting Pitcher Stats	W-L	ERA	G-GS
	Umpires:	Home Plate				Farris Pearson
		First Base				Charlie Ramos

Continue reading →

by Ben Catley

First, the injury thing. Osprey staff managed to take batting practice today, and we’re glad to report that no one was injured in their efforts to resurrect their athletic prowess, or show the lack thereof.  Although I did tweak my back a bit trying to act like I was 15 again and could play first base like no one else I know. Needless to say, I don’t have the same footwork as I did three decades ago. I can teach it, but doing it is another thing entirely.

As far as the BP game is concerned, the Jeff Griffin Dudes managed to take home a 6-2 win over the Jared Amoss Jackhammers in the first of what we hope will be a series of staff BPs (although the next one will likely be Operations vs. Office. Good thing the two bombers on our staff are Office folk, because Operations has some people that can rake!). Which will only happen when the O’s pitching staff gets a shutout, or before the season ends. So it will be at least once …

Anyway, lineups and notes, which is the real reason you read this, I know, is after the “jump” …. Continue reading →