Afternoon State Sports Briefs: Brewers' employee dies after collapsing during Sunday's game

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MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers said today that Jeff Adcock – a team employee for 33 years – died after he collapsed in the Brewers’ bullpen yesterday.

He was the lead grounds’ crew member, stationed in the left field bullpen at Miller Park where he collapsed during the first inning of the Brewers’ game against Arizona. The contest was held up for 20 minutes at the start of the second inning, while rescuers attended to Adcock and transported him to Milwaukee’s Froedtert Hospital where he later died. Brewers’ vice-president Bob Quinn said Adcock was a part of the organization for many years, and he was fixture in the bullpen area during home games. Despite a 2-1 Brewers’ victory, the team was subdued in the locker room afterward. Ryan Braun wouldn’t even talk about his fifth straight All-Star selection. He said there are quote, “constant reminders in life that there are things far more important than this game that we play.” Memorial services for Jeff Adcock are pending. Last fall, long-time Brewers’ head grounds-keeper Gary Vanden Berg died from a long bout with cancer.

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The Brewers will try to cool down a hot Miami team tonight at Miller Park. The Marlins have won four straight – their longest winning streak since early May when they took seven-in-a-row. But Miami had only won three-of-its-previous-20 contests – and they’ve dropped four straight on the road. The Brewers are six games below .500, and they’re still hoping to catch fire before they have to make a decision later this month on whether to try-and-trade their best starter, Zack Greinke. The right-hander is going tonight. Greinke is 9-2 with an ERA of two-point-eight-two. And he’s 15-0 at Miller Park since being traded to Milwaukee at the start of 2011. The Marlins will put up right-hander Carlos Zambrano, who’s 4-6 with a three-point-seven-one ERA. Zambrano is 13-10 against the Brewers during his days with the Chicago Cubs. Miami has won its last four games by a combined score of 19-9, and they’ve batted .301 during that stretch while limiting opponents to two-and-a-quarter runs every nine innings. Newly-named All-Star Giancarlo Stanton has homered five times in his last 10 games. Milwaukee has won three-of-its-last-four, after taking 2-of-3 from Arizona at home during the weekend.

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Zack Greinke can make some more history tonight when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Miami Marlins. The right-hander can become only the third pitcher since 1900 to win his first 16 home decisions with one team. Greinke is currently 15-0 at Miller Park since being traded to the Brewers a year-and-a-half ago. He’s 9-2 overall this season with a two-point-eight-two ERA. Greinke was left off the National League All-Star team yesterday, despite a one-point-six-seven ERA over his last six starts. But Brewers’ manager Ron Roenicke expects him to make the All-Star team within a week either as an injury replacement, or to fill in for those who are not allowed to play if they pitch on the Sunday before next week’s Mid-Summer Classic. Roenicke says Greinke is certainly pitching like an All-Star. Tonight, he’ll go up against Marlins’ right-hander Carlos Zambrano – who has a personal three-game losing streak. The former Chicago Cubs’ ace is 4-6 this year with a three-point-seven-one ERA. He gave up five unearned runs last Tuesday in a 5-2 loss to Saint Louis. Milwaukee has won three-of-its-last-four, and is now seven games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central.

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In the Midwest League, the Beloit Snappers will host Cedar Rapids again tonight, after the Snappers won 4-3 yesterday. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are at Quad Cities, where the Rattlers are coming off a 3-1 defeat. Also, Burlington hosts Clinton. Peoria plays at home against Kane County. Lake County hosts Fort Wayne. West Michigan is at Great Lakes. Lansing plays at South Bend. And Bowling Green entertains Dayton. Quad Cities leads the Western Division at 7-3 for the second half, a game up on Burlington, Kane County, and Clinton. Fort Wayne leads the East at 7-3, with a one-game advantage over West Michigan and Bowling Green.

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Samuel Dalembert says he looks forward to playing for the Milwaukee Bucks – and for defensive-minded coach Scott Skiles. The Bucks acquired the 31-year-old Dalembert last Wednesday from Houston, in exchange for Shaun Livingston, Jon Brockman, and Jon Leuer. The two teams also traded draft picks – and the Bucks said they were pleasantly surprised that North Carolina power forward John Henson was still around with the Number-12 pick. The Bucks formally introduced Dalembert today. General manager John Hammond said the team’s biggest problem last season was protecting the basket – especially after Andrew Bogut went down with an ankle injury and was later traded to Golden State. The 6-11 Dalembert blocked three shots a game to go with two steals, five rebounds, and 10 points.

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Steve Stricker of Madison dropped one place to 13th in the new World Golf Rankings released today. None of Wisconsin’s PGA regulars played at the AT&T National during the weekend – and they all slipped down the rankings. Pewaukee native Mark Wilson fell one spot to 42nd. Jerry Kelly of Madison dropped four spots in the world to Number-176. Adam Scott moved ahead of Stricker to the Number-12 spot. The top-11 are unchanged from a week ago, and Luke Donald remains at Number-One. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods has taken over the points lead in the Fed-Ex Cup season standings, after he won the AT&T National. Wilson fell two places to 19th. Stricker dropped four spots to 25th. And Kelly slipped five places to 133rd.

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Four-time Brewers’ All-Star Ben Sheets says he feels good after his first bullpen session with the Atlanta Braves. The 33-year-old Sheets was out of baseball for about two years before he signed a minor league deal with the Braves yesterday. After throwing to former catcher Eddie Perez, Sheets said the ball’s coming out of his hand pretty well but quote, “I ain’t telling you I’m throwing 100-miles-an-hour.” He’ll start on Wednesday at Double-“A” Mississippi. And after his second start, the Braves will decide whether to bring Sheets up to the big club. He played his first eight Major League seasons with Milwaukee, and left in the midst of two shoulder injuries. Sheets had Tommy John elbow surgery in 2009, and he attempted a comeback a year later with Oakland – but he only made it for part of the season after going 4-9.

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In the Northwoods League, the division-leading La Crosse Loggers will host Green Bay again tonight. That’s after the Loggers topped the Bullfrogs 6-3 yesterday. La Crosse is now at 23-9, with a three-game lead over second-place Green Bay in the South Division. The Wisconsin Woodchucks face the Lakeshore Chinooks again tonight in Mequon, on the heels of a 6-4 Woodchucks’ victory. Wisconsin Rapids plays at Battle Creek, after a 10-8 overtime slug-fest in 11 innings. Madison and Eau Claire are off tonight. In the North Division, Mankato has a six-game advantage over both Waterloo and Willmar. Mankato hosts Waterloo tonight. Willmar plays at Alexandria. The Duluth Huskies are at Saint Cloud. And Rochester is in Canada to play Thunder Bay.

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Former Wisconsin All-American Craig Miller says he’s not that far away from becoming an Olympic runner – even though he fell short at this year’s Olympic Trials. Miller, who graduated from UW-Madison in 2010, placed eighth in the yesterday’s final of the 15-hundred meters in his first U.S. Trials in Eugene, Oregon. His time was 3:37.81 seconds. It was Miller’s second career national Top-10 finish, after he placed sixth on the same track in 2009. Leo Manzano won the trials in 3:35.75. Matthew Centrowitz placed second, and Andrew Wheating claimed the third-and-final Olympic spot in the 15-hundred. Miller says he’s in the best shape he’s ever been – but he needs to find something to get him to the next level.

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A fisherman from Kalamazoo, Michigan won the Green Bay Challenge. Jonathon Van Dam became the youngest winner in the Bassmaster Elite Series, two months shy of his 24th birthday. Van Dam hooked in 79-pounds and two-ounces of small-mouth bass during the four-day event. He took home 103-thousand dollars – plus a spot in next year’s Bassmaster Classic. Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho finished second. He was the leader after the third day, but his catch was two-pounds six-ounces lighter than Van Dam’s.

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