Post by Fish Troll on Mar 23, 2007 22:27:34 GMT -5
Brewers, Rockies halted by hail storm
Villanueva allows two runs in three innings of work
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- After weeks of sunny skies and above-average temperatures, Mother Nature finally threw the Rockies and Brewers a change-up.
As Milwaukee's Carlos Villanueva took the mound to warm up for the start of the fourth inning at Maryvale Baseball Park on Thursday, the skies delivered the day's second serious rainstorm. But this one included hail pellets, which forced players to scurry off the field, fans to head for what little cover they could find and grounds crew members to hurry to unfurl the seldom-used tarp.
Minutes later, and less than an hour after the game began, it was declared a rainout.
"I was looking at my lineup card and all of a sudden something hit it. I thought somebody threw a gumball," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "Then I looked down and it was a big ole' hail ball."
The Rockies had a 2-0 lead at the time on the strength of John Mabry's first-inning, two-run home run. Starter Byung-Hyun Kim worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.
"It's not a lost day," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "B.K. got to pitch three innings and he pitched well. That's a plus. Mabry swung the bat well. That's a plus.
"You can't control the weather. You deal with the hand you get dealt. We came up here and played and some good things happened."
Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva was charged with two earned runs on two hits and two walks in his three-inning stint. He also hit a batter and balked.
The "hail-out" was nothing new.
"We had one last year in Chattanooga when I was in Double-A," Villanueva said. "I was just getting into a little groove, too. I'm a little bummed out about that. I didn't really feel like I had my best stuff and I really wanted to go out there and work on it and see if I could make an adjustment for days like this."
Villanueva may pick up an inning in a few days in place of his scheduled bullpen, pitching coach Mike Maddux said.
The teams will not meet again until their first regular-season matchup, July 12-14 at Miller Park. The Brewers visit Coors Field from Aug. 6-8.
More bad weather is in the forecast for Friday, when the Brewers are scheduled to play a night game against the Rangers in Surprise and the Rockies return to Tucson to face the White Sox. Colorado isn't planning any pitching changes; Aaron Cook, Jeremy Affeldt, Ramon Ramirez and Taylor Buchholz are scheduled to work against the Sox.
Milwaukee's plan to get probable Opening Day starter Ben Sheets some work is a bit more complicated. Sheets will report to Maryvale Baseball Park early, and if weather permits he will start a 1 p.m. local time Triple-A game against the Angels to assure he gets his work. If Sheets pitches in the afternoon, left-hander Zach Jackson would probably start the "A" game against the Rangers.
But if the Minor League game is postponed or it appears a rain delay is likely, then the Brewers will try to pitch Sheets against the Rangers.
"It will be a long day for Benny tomorrow and some other guys," Yost said. "Hopefully we can get him in some game."
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Villanueva allows two runs in three innings of work
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- After weeks of sunny skies and above-average temperatures, Mother Nature finally threw the Rockies and Brewers a change-up.
As Milwaukee's Carlos Villanueva took the mound to warm up for the start of the fourth inning at Maryvale Baseball Park on Thursday, the skies delivered the day's second serious rainstorm. But this one included hail pellets, which forced players to scurry off the field, fans to head for what little cover they could find and grounds crew members to hurry to unfurl the seldom-used tarp.
Minutes later, and less than an hour after the game began, it was declared a rainout.
"I was looking at my lineup card and all of a sudden something hit it. I thought somebody threw a gumball," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "Then I looked down and it was a big ole' hail ball."
The Rockies had a 2-0 lead at the time on the strength of John Mabry's first-inning, two-run home run. Starter Byung-Hyun Kim worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.
"It's not a lost day," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "B.K. got to pitch three innings and he pitched well. That's a plus. Mabry swung the bat well. That's a plus.
"You can't control the weather. You deal with the hand you get dealt. We came up here and played and some good things happened."
Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva was charged with two earned runs on two hits and two walks in his three-inning stint. He also hit a batter and balked.
The "hail-out" was nothing new.
"We had one last year in Chattanooga when I was in Double-A," Villanueva said. "I was just getting into a little groove, too. I'm a little bummed out about that. I didn't really feel like I had my best stuff and I really wanted to go out there and work on it and see if I could make an adjustment for days like this."
Villanueva may pick up an inning in a few days in place of his scheduled bullpen, pitching coach Mike Maddux said.
The teams will not meet again until their first regular-season matchup, July 12-14 at Miller Park. The Brewers visit Coors Field from Aug. 6-8.
More bad weather is in the forecast for Friday, when the Brewers are scheduled to play a night game against the Rangers in Surprise and the Rockies return to Tucson to face the White Sox. Colorado isn't planning any pitching changes; Aaron Cook, Jeremy Affeldt, Ramon Ramirez and Taylor Buchholz are scheduled to work against the Sox.
Milwaukee's plan to get probable Opening Day starter Ben Sheets some work is a bit more complicated. Sheets will report to Maryvale Baseball Park early, and if weather permits he will start a 1 p.m. local time Triple-A game against the Angels to assure he gets his work. If Sheets pitches in the afternoon, left-hander Zach Jackson would probably start the "A" game against the Rangers.
But if the Minor League game is postponed or it appears a rain delay is likely, then the Brewers will try to pitch Sheets against the Rangers.
"It will be a long day for Benny tomorrow and some other guys," Yost said. "Hopefully we can get him in some game."
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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