Sat. 8/26 - Will Maryvale "Put a Ring on It?"

[Jim Goulart]

This thread will be utilized for any minor league news Saturday, lineup updates, etc.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

[Jim Goulart]

ARIZONA LEAGUE SCOREBOARD: It's a 7:00 PM Central gametime at the D-Backs' park at Talking Stick, second game of a best-of-three, A-Crew up, 1-0

if necessary, same time, same place, Sunday.

[Ro Mueller]

RHP Logan Henderson (2.82 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 12.0 K/9 in 67 IP) makes his 17th start of the year, striving to lead Carolina to a 3-2 series lead at home against Columbia. 20-year old LF Jace Avina has a .992 OPS over his last 147 PAs. 

[Ro Mueller]

Wisconsin is tied 2-2 in their home series against Quad Cities, with 22-year old RHP Bradley Blalock (2.85 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.0 K/9 in 66.1 IP) starting Game 5 tonight. 3B Brock Wilken has acclimated well in 20 High-A games: .265 AVG / .419 OBP / .412 SLG in 86 PAs.

[Ro Mueller]

AA Biloxi trails their home series 4-0 against Pensacola and has RHP Christian Mejias (7.19 ERA with 110 Ks in 101.1 IP) starting tonight. DH Wes Clarke is tie for 2nd in the organization with 21 HRs. 

[Ro Mueller]

The AAA Sounds have won 5 straight and have LHP Eric Lauer (2.93 ERA with 23 Ks in 15.1 IP since return to Nashville) on the hill in Gwinnett tonight. 3B Tyler Black has a 16-game on-base streak. 

[Ro Mueller]

C Jose Sibrian has gunned down 3 baserunners in 3 innings, yet the Mudcats trail 2-1. Jace Avina singled in our run. C’mon men!!

[Joseph Zarr]

16 minutes ago, damuelle said:

C Jose Sibrian has gunned down 3 baserunners in 3 innings, yet the Mudcats trail 2-1. Jace Avina singled in our run. C’mon men!!

2-2 top of 5th (Areinamo RBI dub in the bottom of the 4th). Henderson has a man on 3rd w 2 down. 

[TheeAirbender]

Heavily cherrypicked, but coming into today Black had been hitting 313/405/594 since August 16th(8 full games, day of his first AAA homer). He started today with a single as well. He's settled in nicely and I think he might be knocking on that door..

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Daniel Guilarte singles home INF Gregory Barrios (2B and advanced to 3rd on an O'Rae ground out to 2B). 3-2 Mudcats in the top of the 6th and Henderson is still slinging it. One down on a fly out to LF. With the recent bullpen meltdowns I wonder what manager Victor Estevez has up his sleeve today. Henderson's pitch count is approaching the 90's. I am thinking some combination(s) of Figueroa, Costello, and Rodriguez?

[wibadgers23]

5 minutes ago, TheeAirbender said:

Heavily cherrypicked, but coming into today Black had been hitting 313/405/594 since August 16th(8 full games, day of his first AAA homer). He started today with a single as well. He's settled in nicely and I think he might be knocking on that door..

He also has 13 walks to just 9 strikeouts so he’s clearly not overmatched. Just needs to start collecting hits which appears to be coming.

[Joseph Zarr]

And, it was Figueroa first who relieved Henderson with 2 down in the 6th. He gave up a first batter double but got out of it with a strikeout for the third out. After a three-up and three-down Mudcats bottom half, Figueroa just gave up a solo jack to tie it 3-3 in the 7th. The bullpen, once a huge strength for the Mudcats, is suddenly doing its best impression of the Shuckers. Let's get back to it, gents!

[Joseph Zarr]

And now Costello's Turn: He gives up a run-scoring triple in his first batter faced. It's 4-3 Columbia. Top of the 7th. The ongoing ugly bullpen work continues in Carolina. If I were Estevez, at this fragile point in the season, I honestly don't know who I'd trust in these late innings at present. The going is tough. The young men will simply have to find their resolve or risk losing our on another golden opportunity to break the 13-year post-season curse.

[wiguy94]

2 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

And now Costello's Turn: He gives up a run-scoring triple in his first batter faced. It's 4-3 Columbia. Top of the 7th. The ongoing ugly bullpen work continues in Carolina. If I were Estevez, at this fragile point in the season, I honestly don't know who I'd trust in these late innings at present. The going is tough. The young men will simply have to find their resolve or risk losing our on another golden opportunity to break the 13-year post-season curse.

Another blown lead by the Carolina bullpen. Frustrating, but the offense has slowed down quite a bit over this losing stretch. It's asking a lot for a Low A bullpen to give you 3+ scoreless inning.

[wiguy94]

Avina and Castillo lead off the bottom of the 7th with back to back singles. Runners on the corners with 0 outs. Reidy Mercado brought in as a pinch runner for Castillo and gets picked off at 1B. Just cannot be making mistakes like this in close games in the middle of a playoff race.

[Joseph Zarr]

Who other than INF's Dylan O'Rae and Jadher Areinamo to turn the tides. Both integral in reclaiming and extending the lead. Areinamo with a key two-run blast in the 8th extending the Mudcats lead 7-4! Let's GO!

Our brief moment of Zen:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Have a day Gregory Barrios! He stole Home to take the lead in the 7th on a double steal w Dylan O'Rae. Here in the 8th, he just hit his second double scoring Avina in the process. He then stole 3rd base and takes Home after a catching throwing error to 3B. He is willing his team to victory and I LOVE to see it! 9-4 Mudcats!

[snoogans8056]

Jace Avina is ops-ing over 1.000 the last two months as a 19/20 year old in single A.

[wiguy94]

Just now, snoogans8056 said:

Jace Avina is ops-ing over 1.000 the last two months as a 19/20 year old in single A.

Season OPS almost to .800 he's been on fire.

[Joseph Zarr]

6 minutes ago, snoogans8056 said:

Jace Avina is ops-ing over 1.000 the last two months as a 19/20 year old in single A.

Early in the season the strikeout woes were really imbalanced in a bad way but I still liked the swing. It seemed, to me, a seeing the ball and timing thing. What has never changed is his effort; his intensity; his defense; his arm; and his attitude. It has been awesome to witness his turnaround.

[Ro Mueller]

Lauer with three straight walks to likely, unfortunately, end his 4 2/3 innings. I'd say he's fully stretched out at 92 pitches. I guess he's MLB starting depth for Wade Miley, though I still think we'd call up Rea and even McKendry ahead of him at the moment. Gasser would also be ahead of Lauer, in my opinion, but I won't allow myself to believe his call up is even a possibility, after what happened with Frelick last year.

Sounds trail 3-1 going into the 6th inning. Time to turn it around!!

[wiguy94]

Bradley Blalock removed after 2 hitters due to injury. Seemed to be holding his left side. Maybe an oblique strain or something like that? Did not seem arm related which is good.

[Ro Mueller]

Isaac Collins was a late pre-game substitute for Carlos D. Rodriguez, so we'll have to watch Rodriguez's status going forward.

Collins singled, stole second and ultimately scored on a passed ball in the 1st inning. Then Felix Valerio hit a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning. Ernesto Martinez has 2 hits and a run scored.

The defense is doing a lot to support Christian Mejias thus far (GIDP; outfield assist by Collins to get a runner at home). Shuckers lead 3-0 in the 4th inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

Ernesto Martinez Jr. has been playing winning baseball for quite awhile now and it is definitively one of the most stunning and pleasant surprises of 2023. Hitting the ground running and then some in the Southern League - essentially not skipping a single beat from High-A Wisconsin - is just the icing on the cake. It is hard to fathom how he turned his season and career around these past 3 months. But, here we are. Such an awesome 2023 storyline.

[Ro Mueller]

Nashville's down 4-1 in the 9th inning, going 0-for-8 with RISP and stranding 10 thus far. Really blew the 6th inning, 1st and 3rd with nobody out - didn't score. Also stranded 3 baserunners in the 7th inning, but they all went aboard with 2 outs.

Just don't seem to have the edge offensively today, unfortunately.