Wed. 6/1: Have Lunch with the Timber Rattlers at Noon Central

[Ro Mueller]

Reetz homer #11 on the year:

 

[Ro Mueller]

Chourio #2 on the season: 

 

[Ro Mueller]

Reetz' 2nd solo shot of the game, 12th home run of the season: 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Vennarro came aboard and walked his first batter as well. It's a Shucker promotional blood bath. LOL. Vennarro proceeds to give up a two-run ringer by Josh Lowe (up for the second time in the inning and the 10th batter faced) to right field but, mercifully, Jonathan Aranda over-runs the base paths and is thrown out sluggishly running to third base. It's 8-2 Durham. I haven't seen an inning that poorly pitched all season for the Sounds. ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Two home runs for Reetz - both on Eury Pérez - is absolutely nothing to scoff at. By many in the prospect community, Eury is seen as the best starting pitching prospect in the Marlins system.

[Ro Mueller]

The momentum keeps shifting in Lynchburg. Carolina started the 5th inning with 2 singles (Arbert Cipion's 3rd hit, Eduardo Garcia's 2nd), but failed to score.

Then Jefferson Figueroa retired the first 2 batters in the bottom half of the inning, before a single, balk and 8th-pitch double extended Lynchburg's lead to 5-3. After a mound visit, the next Hillcat batter smacked the first pitch into right field, which would have scored another run if not for RF Cipion's perfect strike home to C Jose Sibrian.

Two more Mudcat hits in the 6th inning again failed to produce any runs. Frustration!

RHP Miguel Segura is in the game now and the game has entered the 7th inning, with the Mudcats out-hitting the Hillcats 11 to 5 but trailing 5-3 where it counts.

[Ro Mueller]

Carolina strands the bases loaded in the 7th inning (a Jackson Chourio double being the highlight), making it 10 left-on-base in the game (versus Lynchburg's 2 left-on-base).

They've got 2 innings to make up the 5-3 deficit.

[Joseph Zarr]

The Mudcats leave the bases juiced here in the top of the seventh and it's still 5-3. A questionable outside strike two call - that's an understatement - tilted the count in the favor of the Hillcats 0-2. Zack Raabe struck out swinging on the proceeding slider off the plate. He let the home plate umpire know of his thoughts on that strike two call leaving the batters box.

[Joseph Zarr]

Vennarro gives up a laser shot three-run homer to red hot Tristan Gray and Durham now leads 11-2. The former Shuckers pitching staff is having a very Shuckers outing in Durham tonight. Wooof.?

[Joseph Zarr]

The Shuckers take their turn to strand the bases loaded. With the bags juiced, Tristan Lutz and Cam Devanney both hit absolute end-of-the-bat dribblers down the first base side. The first out is at home base the final out is at first. It's still Pensacola 3 and Biloxi 2. 

It's starting to feel like 'One of those nights.' 

[Ro Mueller]

Miguel Segura did a nice job working around a leadoff double in the 7th inning and back-to-back walks to start the 8th inning for his 2nd and 3rd scoreless innings of work.

Unfortunately, Hillcat RHP Davis Sharpe lived up to his name in the 8th inning, striking out the Mudcat side.

Lynchburg 5, Carolina 3 through 8 innings.

We'll need Eduardo Garcia, Jackson Chourio, Jose Sibrian and Jesus Chirinos to come through in the 9th inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

When is the last time you saw a 6 spot followed by an 8 spot given up by Nashville pitching? 

?

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Cam Devanney continues to be one of my favorited infield defenders in the system. The man flashes serious leather across that left-side of the infield (short stop tonight). He just made an incredible bare-handed charge and throw to grab the first out in the bottom-half of the seventh here. 

[Ro Mueller]

After facing 22-year old Davis Sharpe (1.25 ERA, 34 Ks in 21 2/3 innings), the Mudcats now go up against the almost 24-year old Trey Benton (1.20 ERA, 24 Ks in 15 innings), down 5-3 in the 9th inning.

Man up, young men!

In other news, I suggest the Cleveland Guardians make some promotions.

[Joseph Zarr]

Nick Kahle has taken the mound. Yes, we have a positional player taking the hill. Let's get em Nick! 16-4 Durham. Yowza.

[Ro Mueller]

5 minutes ago, Julio Muchacho said:

When is the last time you saw a 6 spot followed by an 8 spot given up by Nashville pitching? 

?

 

For LHP Andy Otero to have to throw an inning (threw 76 pitches across 2 appearances over prior 6 days) and now C Nick Kahle pitching the 8th inning, perhaps RHP Thomas Jankins is not available.

Watch RHP Josh Lindblom throw 8 shutout innings and 110 pitches tomorrow.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hedbert Perez continues his rough night at the plate with a swing and a miss on a ball in the dirt with men on first and second in to close out the 5-3 loss. Included in the AB was a bat that left his hands and met the backstop - swinging for the fences, he swung; missed; and lost the lumber. Tough, tough, loss for the Mudcats who had more hits and more men on base but couldn't find a key hit.

[Ro Mueller]

7 minutes ago, damuelle said:

After facing 22-year old Davis Sharpe (1.25 ERA, 34 Ks in 21 2/3 innings), the Mudcats now go up against the almost 24-year old Trey Benton (1.20 ERA, 24 Ks in 15 innings), down 5-3 in the 9th inning.

Man up, young men!

In other news, I suggest the Cleveland Guardians make some promotions.

The Mudcats got two aboard against Old Man Benton (Eduardo Garcia single, Jesus Chirinos walk), but he struck out the other three batters to close out a Hillcat victory over Carolina.

It's up to Biloxi to salvage something on this difficult day and night for our affiliates. Thankfully, RHP Luis Contreras is keeping the Shuckers in the game.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, damuelle said:

The Mudcats got two aboard against Old Man Benton (Eduardo Garcia single, Jesus Chirinos walk), but he struck out the other three batters to close out a Hillcat victory over Carolina.

It's up to Biloxi to salvage something on this difficult day and night for our affiliates. Thankfully, RHP Luis Contreras is keeping the Shuckers in the game.

They'll have 3 more outs to do it. Noah Campbell hopped aboard with the full count walk but Jakson Reetz k'd on a 98 mph heater and Thomas Dillard followed with a well hit grounder inconveniently right into the second baseman's glove. It's still 3-2 Wahoos in the bottom of the eighth and it's only been 2 hours and 3 minutes. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Some good news tonight:

Joey Wiemer is up and about in the Shuckers dug out. It really does just appear as though he's getting the night off after being pulled last night. No Valerio as well. Well-deserved rests for two young men who have gave their all for most of the season.

[Ro Mueller]

Aw man. The Shuckers got the first two men aboard in the 9th inning (Tristen Lutz walk, Cam Devanney hit-by-pitch), but then Brent Diaz lined into a double play.

Then youngin' Yeison Coca got another plate appearance, where I was hoping we might see Joey Wiemer or Felix Valerio come in to pinch hit. Tough spot. Strike out swinging. 3-2 loss.

Tough night for our affiliates. Well done to Luis Contreras, Jakson Reetz and others who made some of the games competitive and/or interesting.

[Joseph Zarr]

Yeah, it's that kind of night. BUT, take joy in this incredible GEM from Sal Frelick. My goodness what range:

This gave them the chance to try and tie the score. What a play!

(YES, that's Jakson Reetz in left field. What can't Jakson do? Promote this man!?)

[Joseph Zarr]

The above-mentioned Devanney leather flash and earlier web gem. He's so solid in the field:

 

[Ro Mueller]

It's a bit tough to see Biloxi have to play short-handed offensively again, especially after often playing with only 10-11 healthy position players last year.

I'd been thinking we could drop 25-year old INF Andruw Monasterio down to AA from the bloated Nashville roster, similar to how we dropped Jamie Westbrook down a level in May 2021.

Alternatively, they could give 21-year old INF Tyler Black or 22-year old OF Tristan Peters (what a shock this guy has been) an early promotion to AA.

it's too bad that 23-year old INF/OF Ashton McGee appears to be having a lost season (54 Ks in 116 plate appearances; now playing down in High-A), but at least 22-year old Noah Campbell can play some infield if necessary (182 1/3 innings at 2B/3B/SS last year).

[Joseph Zarr]

31 minutes ago, damuelle said:

It's a bit tough to see Biloxi have to play short-handed offensively again, especially after often playing with only 10-11 healthy position players last year.

I'd been thinking we could drop 25-year old INF Andruw Monasterio down to AA from the bloated Nashville roster, similar to how we dropped Jamie Westbrook down a level in May 2021.

Alternatively, they could give 21-year old INF Tyler Black or 22-year old OF Tristan Peters (what a shock this guy has been) an early promotion to AA.

it's too bad that 23-year old INF/OF Ashton McGee appears to be having a lost season (54 Ks in 116 plate appearances; now playing down in High-A), but at least 22-year old Noah Campbell can play some infield if necessary (182 1/3 innings at 2B/3B/SS last year).

There's definitely some thin going on in multiple areas across all levels right now. The fact they're pumping out these current records is a testament to all involved. Look at what Nashville is dealing with now that their pitching staff is getting siphoned from by the Big Club - great problem to have but also tough on the entire squad.

Wisconsin is suddenly super thin with truly unfortunate and ongoing injuries to Martinez, Pinero...and now Carlos Rodriguez (ugh) and Wes Clarke. 

Black and Peters are both extremely well-deserving. One could see a Cipion called up or even a Cipion and an accelerated call-up for Chourio to help fill that void.

I do not envy the personnel staff that has to consider all these moving parts. At all. To boot, there are several other extremely deserving players. You simply can not appease them all.