Article: Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/18): Alvarez, Parra and Martinez Were Clutch in Three Fathers’ Day Victories

[Ro Mueller]

Robert Gasser was dominant and Eddy Alvarez hit a 3-run walk off homer for Nashville. Jadher Areinamo and Jesus Parra were late game heroes for Carolina. Ernesto Martinez’s bat was pivotal in Wisconsin’s comeback win. Biloxi fell one run short of matching the day’s heroics.

Image courtesy of Biloxi Shuckers - Jackson Chourio and Noah Campbell

Nashville capped off a six-game sweep of Gwinnett in front of yet another sell-out crowd. Gutty wins by Wisconsin and Carolina enabled each of them to tie their series 3-3 for the week. Biloxi dropped a second straight tough game, losing their series 4-2.

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Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 3, Gwinnett 0
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review the affiliate write-up as part of their Link Report routine: Eddy Alvarez's Walk-Off Homer Completes Six Game Sweep of Stripers

2B Eddy Alvarez (3-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 SBs) provided the bulk of the offense in this nail-biter, reaching base four times, stealing two bases and ultimately sending all the Dads home happy with his 3-run walk-off blast on a 1-1 count with one out in the bottom of the 9th inning. 

 

Sounds’ Extras:

• 24-year old starting LHP Robert Gasser (6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 Ks) delivered his best performance of 2023, matching the Stripers pitch-for-pitch over six scoreless innings.
• The bullpen of RHPs Matt Bush and Abner Uribe and LHP Clayton Andrews (combined 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks) continued Gasser’s excellent work, with only Uribe running into a bit of difficulty with consecutive two-out walks in the top of the 8th inning.
• On the Free Frelick Watch: 0-for-3 with a walk, although he did well to get himself to third base in the bottom of the 8th inning (walk, two wild pitches).

Next week’s outlook: Nashville remains home and welcomes league-leading Orioles’ affiliate Norfolk. Expect LHP Thomas Pannone (2.89 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 7.7 K/9 in 46 2/3 IP) to start the opening game.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Montgomery 6, Biloxi 5
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Comeback Attempt Falls Short in Shuckers Loss to Biscuits

Trailing by two runs and down to their final out, center fielder Jackson Chourio walked and scored on a wild pitch after 3B Tyler Black (2-for-4, double, walk, RBI, SB) singled, but they couldn’t quite get over the hump in dropping the finale.

C Wes Clarke (1-for-2, HR, walk, SF, 2 RBIs) also contributed a home run and threw out Montgomery’s only attempted basestealer earlier in the game. 

 

Shuckers’ Extras:

• RHP Christian Mejias (4 1/3 IP, 5 R, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 Ks) continues to rack up strikeouts and earned runs in his outings. He cruised through three innings (two harmless singles) before giving up two-runs bombs to Rays’ 1.038 OPS man Austin Shenton in each of the 4th and 5th innings.
• Every spot in the lineup contributed - seven players notched hits, one drew walks and one had an RBI.
• The bullpen of LHP Nick Bennett, RHP Bo Bowman and LHP Ryan Middendorf (combined 3 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks) kept Biloxi in the game, though RHP Cam Robinson struggled in his first game since being DFA’d, going to full counts against all three batters while yielding two singles.

Next week’s outlook: Biloxi returns home to take on Reds’ affiliate Chattanooga. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez may start the opening game on relatively short rest.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Wisconsin 10, Great Lakes 8
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Rattlers’ website, game details: Wisconsin Wraps Two-Week Road Trip with Thrilling Win

Playing their 12th straight road game, Wisconsin didn’t cower in the face of an early 4-0 deficit or a late 6-3 disadvantage.

1B Ernesto Martinez (3-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs, SB) hit a two-out, two-strike, 3-run homer to the opposite field in the 3rd inning, then started the 7th inning hit barrage (5 singles, a Robert Moore double, 5 runs) to turn the tables on league leading Great Lakes. Moore also went 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base in a solid performance.

Timber Rattlers’ Extras:

• When batters reached base, starting RHP Edwin Jimenez (4 IP, 6 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 Ks, 2 WPs) didn’t help himself much (two wild pitches) and was also let down by Martinez (dropped foul ball, didn’t cover first base on infield hit), though Ernesto made it up with his bat.
• RHP Max Lazar (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks) put in yet another solid bullpen shift. Normally-reliable RHP Luis Amaya first heightened the tension by allowing the potential game-tying run on base with one out in the 9th inning, before inducing a ground ball double play to end it.

Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin return to Appleton to host Athletics’ affiliate Lansing. Top pitching prospect RHP Jacob Misiorowski is scheduled to make his home debut in High-A ball on Tuesday.

Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Carolina 12, Augusta 9 (in 10 innings)
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Perez & Areinamo Lead Comeback 'Cats to 12-9 Victory

Similar to their High-A comrades, the Mudcats appeared down-and-out despite out-hitting the opposition. In fact, they were down to their last strike before Jadher Areinamo (3-for-5, HR, RBI) tomahawked a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall, with his first homer of 2023 sending the game to extra innings. 

 

 Mudcats’ Extras:

• 1B Jesus Parra (2-for-5, HR, double, 4 RBIs) erased an early three-run deficit with a 3-run blast in the second inning, then gave Carolina its first lead of the game with an RBI double to start the 10th inning. In all, the Mudcats produced a whopping 19 hits as they eventually cut the Augusta GreenJackets down to size.
• Carolina didn’t win this game with pitching, but RHP Nick Merkel (3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks) put in the best shift out of five hurlers, earning the win for his effort.
• Trailing 8-5 entering the final inning, center fielder Luis Lara got things going with a 7-pitch walk before left fielder Hedbert Perez (3-for-6, HR, 2 RBIs, SB) immediately followed with a 2-run blast to put the pressure on.

Next week’s outlook: Host Lynchburg. RHPs Logan Henderson and Aidan Maldonado are likely to tag team the first game of the series.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Good luck in Monday’s three Rookie League games – two early DSL games (10am Central) and then the very late (8pm Central) ACL game.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

 

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[Joseph Zarr]

This Norfolk series in Nashville will be a very real test of where the team really stands at present. The Orioles affiliate has been far and away the class of the International League this first half. Can the Sounds build off their six game sweep of the Stripers?

OF Hedbert Perez has been ridiculously clutch over the past month. That has to he at least three 9th inning key blasts (?) to either tie; win; or close the gap. An extremely pleasant surge for a very likable player.