Tue. 8/29 - See You Next Summer, Rookies. Back to the "Core Four"...

[Jim Goulart]

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

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

[Joseph Zarr]

Four games? What world is this? Coming off the last week and a half I've endured...this feels like a much-needed load management re-entry into Minor League duties. Let's pick up some 'W's.

[Joseph Zarr]

International League 'Pitcher of the Week' RHP Evan McKendry gets the nod hoping to riff off his last sublime outing at Gwinnett. He'll be facing his old stablemates in Durham - game time is in roughly 30 minutes. Things didn't go so hot the first time around in Nashville so let's hope he has a rebound outing in his toolkit - he'll likely be comfortable in the Durham ballpark. As it stands today, pre-game, the Sounds are 3.0 GB the League leaders in Worcester (Red Sox). Durham, meanwhile, is 1.5 G ahead of the Sounds and just 1.5 G back the overall lead. Needless to say, this series is quite huge for both teams and their post-season aspirations.

* It would appear old friend, C Alex Jackson, was placed on the Durham 7-Day IL on 8/24. As such, he is presently out of the Bulls lineup.

** Who is manning RF for the Durham Bulls? None other than ol' friend Raimel Tapia. Interesting.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Jesus Rivero gets the call for his second consecutive start for the playoff-aspiring Mudcats. And, what do we see right off the bat? Juan Baez gets the starting nod at 3B - let's hope his red hot ACL bat stays scorching! It would appear INF Luke Adams will be a pinch-hit bat or substitution candidate in this one. Regardless, you have to love the line-up overall. Let's hope the Mudcats can take it to their nemesis in the Down East Wood Ducks - a perennial thorn in the Mudcats side. This is a formidable series to earn their keep and keep pushing for the post-season. As it stands today, pre-game, the Mudcats remain 2.0 G ahead of second place Lynchburg. The tension is palpable.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

What's the Shuckers reward for enduring a tough series versus Pensacola? A six-game series @ the Tennessee Smokies. Yuck. If y'all recall, the very talented Smokies just recently took 4-of-6 games at Biloxi. They are Double-A juggernauts. Needless to say, the Shuckers will have their work cut out for them if they are to reclaim their division from the current leaders in the Montgomery Biscuits. If we recall, with the plain cancelled game 6 vs Pensacola the Shuckers lost a 1/2 G of opportunity and now trail the Biscuits by 1.5 G. The most discernible quality to today's lineup? C Jeferson Quero is still on the shelf after taking that foul tip off his jaw. Ruh roh.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

The Timber Rattlers will try to build off a positive close to their Home series vs Quad Cities. Tonight is Game 1 @ the pesky Beloit Sky Carp. LHP Nate Peterson grabs another game 1 start - a seemingly ongoing quality to his brief High-A career. We see EBJ is back fielding SS while Robert Moore is pushed back to 2B while Mike Boeve will be in the DH role. Also of note here, by my eyes, is the ongoing 1B role of Ben Metzinger. He seems to be swinging a better bat at 1B - which could be entirely coincidental. The T-Rats are currently 5.0 GB of the Peoria Chiefs for the second half playoff birth.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND...we're already in a weather delay in Durham. What is this, the DSL?!? Sheesh. Live look in Durham presently from boots on the ground:

80% chance of thunderstorms and scattered showers. Pretty heavy severe action going on just to the SW. Perhaps they are aware of this?

 

[Ro Mueller]

29 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

C Jeferson Quero is still on the shelf after taking that foul tip off his jaw. Ruh roh.

If Quero is unavailable, then Manager Guerrero just has a 2-man bench: INF Zavier Warren, C Jason Lopez. Still wish we’d send him Brown or maybe even Wilken. Oh well - Go Shuckers!

[Joseph Zarr]

I'd say the Durham fanbase is taking the delay quite well:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

3-up and 3-down for Rivero in inning 1. Meanwhile, Collins led off with a single. Chourio then got aboard with an error by the 2B. Clarke ripped a deep double to left CF. 1-0. Clarke on 2B and Chourio on 3B. Shuckers lead 1-0. Nobody down.

[Joseph Zarr]

Juan Baez's first AB as a Mudcat resulted in a 3-1 pop-up to shallow 1B. Good patience in the AB. Just got under an off-speed pitch. 3-up and 3-down for the Mudcats as well. On to the 2nd frame.

[Joseph Zarr]

Zamora just smashed an absolute oppo rope to the wall in deep RF. Scores Clarke. 3-0 Shuckers. One down. You love to see this early production. Taking advantage of that early error on Chourio's weak grounder.

[Joseph Zarr]

And, RHP Jesus Rivero is doing that Rivero thing: two down. Hit Batter. Walk. Walk. Now two men aboard. Two down, however. BUT, this is Rivero's ongoing Acchiles' heel. It is what it is for the talented young hurler.

Meanwhile in Tennessee, Carlos D. Rodriguez just ripped a grounder through the 2B/1B gap. 4-0 Shuckers. Runners on the corners. Still 1 down. Noice.

[Joseph Zarr]

Valerio just took an inside 3-2 pitch off his left hand. Bases juiced. 4-0 Shuckers. Still one down. Sparks to the dish.

Rivero ripped a high tailing heater for a K. He escapes the mini-jam.

AND, we are still delayed in Durham.

[Joseph Zarr]

Sparks smashes a liner through the 1B/2B gap on a 1-2 pitch. 6-0 Shuckers baby. This is the juice. Collins is now up for the 2nd time in the first frame. Yeah baby. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Collins pops up to 3B in the infield. Chourio now up for the 2nd time with two on. His first AB was a weak dribbler that resulted in a botched toss to 2B and two men on after the error. Let's see if he can make some hard contact. He ripped a broken bat line drive to the warning track in LF but right at the LF'er. 6-0 and we are on to the bottom of the first.

Meanwhile, LF Jace Avina stays red hot: he ripped his 14th HR of the season. A line drive over the high LF wall. That was a hanging breaking ball. 1-0 Mudcats. Sibrian rips a 107 mph liner but the Wood Ducks' SS snares it leaping high to his left up the middle. That was a hard out. On to the 3rd.

[Joseph Zarr]

Mercado ropes a double off the LF wall. He is followed by O'Rae doing havoc-wreaking O'Rae things: chopper he beats out and they throw it wide. It scores Mercado. 2-0 Mudcats. Baez to the dish. O'Rae at 1B.

The T-Rats strand Wilken (looping liner 2B down the shallow LF line) after Boeve K's looking at a gorgeous slider that snuck on the outer stripe. 

[Joseph Zarr]

2B Robert Moore with the mistake decision to try and pick off the runner rounding 2B - the lead wasn't big enough to merit the effort - burdens Peterson with two runners aboard. The first hit was a weak as all heck dribbler to 3B by a speedster. Wilken couldn't barehand it but it wouldn't have mattered. Moore has to take the sure out at 1B. Nobody down now. Two men on. Big mistake in the 1st inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

And, now Peterson dirts a 2-2 slider and it ricochets to the 1B side. Runners advance. Nobody down, 3-2 count. An ugly self-inflicted first frame here that will take some magic to escape.

[Joseph Zarr]

Peterson got a weak pop-up to shallow LF to EBJ playing SS. He then K's the next batter. Two down. Runners still on 2nd and 3rd. Let's do this! He's falling behing 2-0 and 3-0 too much here in the first frame after the weak first hit. But, he still has a chance to escape unscathed.

[Joseph Zarr]

Heck of a Houidini by Peterson there. He gets the fly out to Fernandez in RF. Way to take that self-induced adversity and escape with zero harm. 0-0 and we're on to the 2nd. 

Meanwhile, the Mudcats had runners on 2nd and 3rd and nobody down and they are in jeopardy of stranding them. And they do when an absolutely ripped Barrios liner is caught by the 1B. Rough stuff.

Chourio just ripped a double to the LF/CF gap scoring Collins. 7-0 Shuckers now. Beautiful rip.

Mendez just smashed a HR and doesn't realize it. LOL. 1-0 T-Rats. He slid into 2B. A dirty long ball.

[Joseph Zarr]

Wes Clarke just obliterated a HR to LF over the 2nd deck. My goodness. Give me that launch angle. That was CRUSHED. 9-0 SHUCKERS. My gods he obliterated that ball, folks. His ascent absolutely continues. Whewwwww baby.

[Joseph Zarr]

Seriously. That ball was absolutely demolished. My gods. The Smokies Announcer: "WOW. Lotta hard hit balls for Biloxi. I'd like to see the distance on how far that ball went."

No. Kidding. Sheeesh.

[wiguy94]

1 minute ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Wes Clarke just obliterated a HR to LF over the 2nd deck. My goodness. Give me that launch angle. That was CRUSHED. 9-0 SHUCKERS. My gods he obliterated that ball, folks. His ascent absolutely continues. Whewwwww baby.

Wes Clarke just continues to evaporate baseballs. He's had an incredible season.

[Joseph Zarr]

We're in the 5th and Rivero just walked another to put two aboard. He has managed to escaped his random ongoing control issues. One down. Mudcats lead 2-0. Can't keep putting free men aboard, young man. Let's go!