Wed. 8/9 - One Morning DSL Game, Four Evening Affiliate Tilts

[wibadgers23]

Biloxi is having a heck of a time getting anything going offensively against this Smokies pitching staff so far in the series.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 minutes ago, wibadgers23 said:

Biloxi is having a heck of a time getting anything going offensively against this Smokies pitching staff so far in the series.

No kidding, hey? And their ongoing erratic pitching staff concerns continue to rear their head. LHP Nick Bennett had nobody on and two down. They hit an absolute infield dribbler 9' in front of home plate to get their first runner aboard. He then gave up a line drive single, walked a batter, and gave up a two-run liner to LF. It's the ongoing story of the Shuckers season. When their offense wasn't insanely hot, they've simply consistently struggled to pitch effectively. This being said, a 4-0 deficit with their recent offense is not too much to overcome. It's just as you say, the first place Smokies currently have their bats' numbers.

[Joseph Zarr]

Tired: Given Misiorowski's ongoing control woes in his new level of competition, I think it's fair to say any pie-in-the-sky notions Matt Arnold put forth of a possible post-season push with Misiorowski in the Brewers bullpen were very fun but very premature.

Wired: Given this, he might be a perfect fit for that 10th inning role


 

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I can't remember the last time I saw RHP Yerlin Rodriguez pitch. It felt fitting he came to the hill and threw his first pitch in the dirt and to the backstop. This night is filled with 'What is going on?". No matter, Rodriguez got the ground out to Adams at 3B who adeptly tagged the runner trying to advance to 3rd on contact and he fired the one-hop throw to Chirinos who pulled it in with a fantastic stretch. DP to end it. Mudcats win 6-4. They've won five straight games. 

 

I AM HERE for the Mudcats playoff push. And, I am excited.

[Joseph Zarr]

Two out 2-RBI single by Zavi Warren here in the 7th. We can thank 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. (shallow liner to CF for a single) ffor his aggressive base running that paid off when Cargo ripped a liner through the SS/2B gap into LF. This advanced both runners which led to their plating. OF Lamar Sparks will try to continue this mini rally. Sparks strikes out on a 93 mph heater on the outer stripe. On to the 8th.

[Joseph Zarr]

T-Rats look like they are primed to continue here in about 15 minutes. Noice!

[Joseph Zarr]

1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. just graced the Biloxi faithful and announcer Javik Blake with one of his patented error-saving laid out full splits up the 1B line. It saved an errant throw by SS Freddy Zamora and it helped LHP Luis Amaya escape unscathed with runners on 1B and 2B here in the 8th. The crowd loved it. We've seen that move so many times in Wisconsin. Great moment. 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Cameron Wagoner will take the hill for the T-Rats as they presume play here in the 4th frame. 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Cam Wagoner is repeatedly touching 94-95 mph on the radar gun. If he can do this and locate his off-speed like he has been in recent outings...it's a different pitcher. He gives up a 1-2 double to the LF/CF gap. It was a heater dead center belt high. 

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, Joseph Zarr said:

I am back in the T-Rats game and I just watched RHP Stiven Cruz walk a guy, give up a liner single to LF, get a hard hit fly out to Hall at 1B, and then walk the bases loaded in the next AB. I would really love it if our pitchers would start hitting the zone with more regularity as this evening progresses. LOL.

Cruz has generally been pretty unimpressive.  Might be due to the young blonde girl he seems to spend time with most game days during pre-game and after the games...  lol

[Joseph Zarr]

A 20 mph fierce gusting wind just batted down and killed a 99 mph oppo deep fly off the bat of DH Wes Clarke. Man that was loud. And that wind had no part in aiding that smack. Chourio advances to third. Runners on the corners. Two down. Still trailing 4-2.

[TURBO]

I think the promotion of Misiorowski may have been a bit premature.  It was like a whirlwind with the T-Rats, almost like he wasn't even there.

[Joseph Zarr]

1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. continues to give patient AB's in Biloxi. He takes the 3-2 pitch high and just inside on a gutsy curveball that missed. Bases are now juiced for SS Freddy Zamora to try and hit into this 4-2 deficit. Big moment here.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I think the promotion of Misiorowski may have been a bit premature.  It was like a whirlwind with the T-Rats, almost like he wasn't even there.

That's a fair comment to make. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Zamora took two bending curveballs for strikes to start his AB. 0-2. And, he strikes out swinging on a 93 mph heater. Not the AB we were looking for. Sigh.

[Joseph Zarr]

Biloxi will have a chance in the bottom of the 9th. Still down 4-2. RHP Cam Robinson went three-up and three-down: single, dp, ground out to 2B. T-Rats grabbed the lead here in the 4th on a looping bloop double to shallow RF by Bob Moore scoring Doston. Boeve then grounded into a force out at Home plate when Moore was thrown out by a good 6' when Boeve grounded out directly to the 2B sitting in the infield grass. Brocken rips a liner to LF (his second straight multi-hit game in a row on the homestand) in a 1-2 count and he and Boeve are on the bags now.

[Joseph Zarr]

Gray Jr. sees Moore's bloop single and says: I can do better. He hits an even shallower bloop single to short Right CF. And it's 4-2. Wilken gets to 3B. Boeve scores. We deserve those cheap hits! Noisy little duck snorts.

[Joseph Zarr]

Smokies beat the Shuckers 4-2. If I were a Cubs fan I would love watching this Smokies team. They are really good Double-A squad. They rarely make mistakes - they play clean, sharp baseball. When they need the arms, they have them. They are every bit as good as their record would indicate.

[Joseph Zarr]

It's very early in tonight's home tilt vs Dayton but I'm just going to get out ahead and say: the additions of Boeve and Wilken are really going to help these T-Rats win some games. This team just became quite a bit more competitive. Wilken definitely has that 'It' quality to his game. He plays extremely controlled. He's a man beast in stature. His AB's are consistent and his swing is pure. He is making challenging plays look routine. The T-Rats have really improved their watch caliber. 

[Joseph Zarr]

2B Mike Boeve is going to have a chance to do some real damage with the bases juiced, two down in the bottom of the 5th. He comes to the batters box and patiently lays off three straight off-speed pitches that sunk below the zone. Great eye there! AND, he takes ball 4 outside and gets the bases loaded BB RBI. Now, they get the treat of facing Mr. Brock Wilken. Come on, baby. He's 2-for-3 with a HR and a 1B to LF. 5-2 T-Rats.

[Joseph Zarr]

You have to love these Boeve/Wilken AB's. Patient. Patient. Patient. 3-1 count laying off a very intriguing slider just off the outer stripe. He then takes ball 4. Wilken now has 9 BB to 3 K in his very brief High-A tenure. 6-2. 

[Matt Breen]

3 hours ago, markedman5 said:

My goodness 

https://twitter.com/cyrthogg/status/1689426775606972416?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

Wilkens' swing just looks beautiful. 

[Joseph Zarr]

I just saw a 97 mph flash on a Wagoner pitch 1 here in the top of the 7th. And, well, I don't know if it's real 😅...he's hit 94-95mph tonight on more than one occasion. He generally sits 91-93. BUT, man...I'm just saying:

[Joseph Zarr]

8 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

Wilkens' swing just looks beautiful. 

Can confirm. It is. Really really pretty. His game, as a general rule of thumb, is a real pleasure to watch. I'm getting excited.😅

[wiguy94]

10 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

Wilkens' swing just looks beautiful. 

Such a quick and compact swing for someone with the type of power he has. I saw someone said it reminds them of Mike Trout's swing but a bit more stiff.

[Joseph Zarr]

Second inning in a row Wagoner finds himself with runners on the corners with one down. A couple of seeing eye liners that made their way through infield gaps. The bullpen is getting busy (LHP Karlos Morales) as he has 76 pitches. He drops a 77 mph looping curve/change-up (Mehring felt change-up) for strike 3. He then gives up a screaming double off the LED scoreboard for an absolutely hammered double on a 90 mph heater dead center. Wagoner leaves after 3 2/3 IP. Only one run scores on that scorching hit as Doston got that ball in fast. 

Fun Fact: Morales has inherited 20 runners in his season and only allowed 1 to score. Here's two more inherited. This will be his team-leading 28th appearance.