=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Thursday, September 2nd === (Games from Wednesday, September 1st)

From The My Sportsbook

THEY DO IT AGAIN AT THE DELL

For the fifth consecutive year the Round Rock Express have set a new Double-A attendance record with a total of 689,286 fans. The Express set the all-time mark for the first time in its inaugural season in 2000. Round Rock beat their previous high by over 115,000 that year and has broken its own record every year since. Last season the Express drew 685,973 fans to The Dell Diamond.

BEAVERS TAKE 7TH STRAIGHT, INCH CLOSER TO DIVISION TITLE

Jake Gautreau's three-run home run in the second inning capped off a four-run frame, as the Portland Beavers ripped off their seventh straight win, with a 5-2 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies. Gautreau's long ball was his eighth on the year. Humberto Quintero and Ben Risinger each had an RBI in the win. Yamid Haad added two runs scored, going 2-for-4. Mike Bumstead had a strong outing to improve to 4-0. He allowed a run on four hits in 6 2/3rd innings, with four strikeouts and two walks. Julio Pavon allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings to take the loss. Pavon fell to 1-1. Todd Linden hit a solo home run, his 21st, for the Grizzlies, who dropped their third straight, and sit at 60-69. The Beavers winning streak has moved them into prime position for the Northern Division title. They are 81-58, four games ahead of Tacoma, with five games left to play. Tacoma has six games remaining.

HOULTON DOMINANT

DJ Houlton was lights out, tossing a complete game, three-hit shutout, to lead the Round Rock Express to a 6-0 blanking of the Wichita Wranglers. Houlton, who improved to 12-5, struck out five while allowing just one walk. His ERA dropped to 2.94 on the year. Luke Scott had three RBI and scored a run in support of Houlton's efforts. Kevin Orie added a two-run home run, his third of the season. Dax Norris chipped in with an RBI and a run scored. Brian Bass allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings to take the loss. He fell to 0-4. For the fifth consecutive year, Round Rock set a new Double-A attendance record, with a total of 689,286 fans this season. The Express will head to San Antonio tomorrow to begin a four-game series. The Wranglers will host Tulsa for a set of three.

DICKINSON, COLAMARINO LEAD MIDLAND IN ROUT

Drew Dickinson tossed a complete game shutout, while Brant Colamarino had a monster night at the plate, as the Midland RockHounds crushed the Arkansas Travelers, 11-0. Colamarino went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and a solo shot, and scored four times. Nelson Cruz and Brian Sellier added a solo home run apiece, while Ramon Castro went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the win. Dickinson improved to 8-11 with his dominant outing. He scattered five hits, struck out three, and walked just a batter. Mark O'Sullivan suffered the loss and fell to 5-5. He allowed four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits in five innings of work. Victor Gutierrez had two doubles for the Travelers, who fell to 25-42. They'll head to Frisco for a four-game series tomorrow. The RockHounds improved to 34-32 with the win. They'll head to El Paso tomorrow for a four-game tilt.

GISSELL PICKS UP LEAGUE-LEADING 13TH WIN

Garrett Atkins knocked in three runs while Elvis Pena scored three as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox defeated the Oklahoma RedHawks, 7-5, in the Pacific Coast League Wednesday night. Colorado upped its record to 74-64 while Oklahoma fell to 80-59. Atkins got the Sox on the board in the top of the third with an RBI single and finished the night 2-for-4. Leadoff hitter Pena paced the Sky Sox attack with a base hit and two walks. Andy Tracy plated two runs and Hector Ortiz scored two more for Colorado. Chris Gissell picked up his Pacific Coast League leading 13th win but surrendered five runs over just two innings. Allan Simpson tossed a scoreless ninth en route to his fourth save. Oklahoma's Travis Hughes suffered the loss and fell to 1-2. Hughes gave up three runs on two hits and two walks in an inning of service. Jason Conti tripled an plated three runs while Jason Jones scored twice for the RedHawks.

ALTOONA CLINCHES SOUTHERN DIVISION TITLE

Brad Eldred hit a three run homer in the bottom of the first inning to supply the Altoona Curve with all the offense they would need to defeat the Trenton Thunder, 4-2, in Eastern League action Wednesday night. The win with a Reading win over the Erie SeaWolves gives the Curve the Southern Division Title. Jorge Cortes hammered the ball for Altoona going 4-for-4 with a double and a run scored. He was the only Curve batter to record a multi-hit game. For Trenton, Kevin Thompson lead the way going 3-for-5 with a homer. Andy Cannizaro went 2- for-4 while Jake Weber went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Zach Duke earned the win pitching five innings and allowing one earned run. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out three. He improved to 5-1 with an ERA of 1.58. Jeff Miller got his 18th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. Javier Ortiz took the loss allowing three earned runs in three innings pitched. He walked three and struck out four. His record fell to 6-7. Carlos Reyes pitched well in relief pitching four innings and allowing one unearned run three hits. He struck out three batters.

WHITAKER'S COMPLETE GAME GIVES BAYBEARS WIN

Brian Whitaker tossed a complete game and Josh Barfield knocked in two runs as the Mobile BayBears defeated the Montgomery Biscuits, 3-1, in Southern League play Wednesday evening. Mobile improved its record to 31-34 while Montgomery fell to 23-42. Whitaker (8-9) held the Biscuits to one run on four hits, a walk and struck out three in his nine innings of work. Barfield delivered a two-run single that proved to be the game-winning base hit. Ben Johnson knocked in a run and scored another for the BayBears. Montgomery's Jason Cromer took the loss and dropped to 8-11. Cromer surrendered three runs on five hits, two walks and struck out four over eight innings.

GREAT FALLS CLOSES IN ON SECOND HALF DIVISION CROWN

Tom Callaro's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth provided the Great Falls White Sox with a 10-7 win over the Helena Brewers. The win puts Great Falls four games up on second place Helena with only five games left to play. Matthew Deuchler and Chris Kelly knocked in two runs apiece for the White Sox. Jay Marshall picked up the win and improved his record to 1-0. Matthew Zaleski gave up a run in 1 1/3rd innings of work but held on for his third save. The teams will play two more times before parting ways for their final three game series of the season. Great Falls will head to Missoula while Helena hosts Billings.

BROOKLYN TWO UP WITH THREE LEFT

Jim Burt singled home Ambiorix Concepcion in the bottom of the tenth giving the Brooklyn Cyclones 3-2 extra win over the Batavia Muckdogs. The win paired with a Hudson Valley loss gives the Cyclones a two game lead with three to play in the McNamara Division of the New York-Penn League. Burt finished the night 3- for-5 with a home run, his fourth, and two RBI. Derran Watts went 5-for-5 with a double and a triple for Brooklyn.