Wed. 8/30 - Carolina Hosts, Other Road Series Continue

[Jim Goulart]

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

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

[wibadgers23]

Carolina has already postponed their game and I would imagine Nashville’s game will also get postponed.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 hour ago, wibadgers23 said:

Carolina has already postponed their game and I would imagine Nashville’s game will also get postponed.

That may be the case. Zebulon is expected to get 1.50" tonight (yikes) while Durham, NC (an hour to the NW) is expected to get 0.65" roughly. Lotta wet stuff moving through. 

[Joseph Zarr]

And, here we are @wibadgers23:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

We are still on point for two contests tonight. Biloxi vs Tennessee, to boot, is the MiLB.TV game of the day. Tune in! That will be at 7 EST. The T-Rats at Beloit game 2 will be at 7:35 EST. 

RHP TJ Shook for the Shuckers. RHP Cameron Wagoner for the T-Rats.

[Joseph Zarr]

They are finishing up the National Anthem in Tennessee. Here's your Shuckers Lineup Card for game #2. Biggest Note: young phenom Jeferson Quero returns and will man the DH role and 6th spot in the batting order. Wonderful to see him back:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP TJ Shook picks the runner of 1B quite easily with a very quick move. And, then gets the pop out to LF for the third out. We're on to the 2nd. 0-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

A lot of familiar faces rejoin the line-up for the T-Rats game #2 at Beloit. C Darrien Miller will man the back-stop. INF Jheremy Vargas returns to 1B (taking Metzinger's place from last night). EBJ is back at SS for his second consecutive game. INF Robert Moore is back on the pines as Mike Boeve is back at 2B. Wilken, Boeve, and Mendez are again in the 3-5 spots in the batting order. And, if I'm not mistaken Eduardo Garcia returns as a DH? Noice! Can they take game 2 and can RHP Cam Wagoner continue his run of excellence?

 

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Freddy Zamora ripped a linedrive double deep down the LF line and it drove Martinez Jr. (broken bat single to RF)in all the way from 1B - quite the courageous play and he took advantage of a double pump relay throw. 1-0 Shuckers as they jump ahead early again. Zamora is still on 2B and Quero is to the dish with a 1-2 count.

[Joseph Zarr]

A Carlos Rodriguez Jr. sharp grounder drove in Zamora from 3B. Quero and Murray both struck out swinging at heaters. 2-0 Shuckers here as we head to the bottom of the 2nd frame. Really nice work in the batters box outside the K's in that inning. We'll take it!

[Joseph Zarr]

Shook has his sinking action on point tonight. Facing many lefties in this formidable Smokies lineup he has primarily been inducing pop flies and swings and misses as he tickles in and around the zone. He did just walk a batter here in the 2nd on four-seamers that sailed high and outside. Let's see if he can start finding more of the corners of the zone with that pitch.

[Joseph Zarr]

And, Shook follows with a four-pitch walk. Two men on. I'd argue the ump took away the top portion of the zone versus that smaller batter but my thoughts don't matter. Let's hope he can work out of this. Nope. Three run blast on a pitch dead center. 3-2 Smokies. I don't know why they aren't going back to those low sinking pitches. Haven't seen them since two straight swings and misses. That was a 325' line drive that snuck over the RF wall.

Walks and errors. The nemesis of literally every defensive baseball player. Free lunch is all too often served with a smile on the batters face.

[Joseph Zarr]

Shook escapes further damage after the bases clearing three-run jack by inducing two groundouts - to Murray at 3B and Zamora at SS. 3-2 Smokies and we head to the 3rd.

[Joseph Zarr]

A one out walk (after an 0-2 count) for INF Isaac Collins. He steals 2nd base (his 28th SB on the season). Chourio is up to the dish and has a 3-0 count. He got the green light on 3-0 and really took a hack at a high heater. Fouled back. He follows with a broken bat liner to shallow CF and drives in Collins. That's a lot of broken lumber but the Shuckers continue to get good breaks. 3-3. Let's go!

[Joseph Zarr]

Second consecutive SB for the Shuckers. That's Chourio's 35th on the season. Clarke skies a shallow pop fly to RF and the ball is gathered. Two down. Chourio on 2B for Martinez Jr..

[Joseph Zarr]

I believe I've seen four broken bats already in not even 4 innings between the T-Rats and Shuckers. Lotta shattering lumber. Lotta jam shots. Wilken just broke his bat on a tailing liner to 2B.

[Joseph Zarr]

Two down for Shook here in the 3rd frame. And, another walk. A dangerous bat, however. Understandable to play it conservative. He'll have another power bat up next but a right-handed bat. He gets another weak pop fly to Martin Jr. in 1B foul territory. 

Very smooth and zone-heavy inning from RHP Cam Wagoner. You love to see it. Calm. Collected. Getting weak grounders to the 1B side. Three up. Three down. It's 0-0 and we're on to the 2nd frame.

[Joseph Zarr]

Three up and three down for the Shuckers in the 4th. That's now two K's for Quero in his return to action. Still a 3-3 ball game. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Shook's change-up is fantastic tonight. I wish Clarke and the staff were calling it more. I haven't seen a bat put to that wonderful sinking pitch. Meanwhile, he can't locate his curveball and has been inconsistent with his heater. He's grinding. When I watch TJ pitch I see all the tools. It's a matter of finding that fine-tuned consistency. 

[Joseph Zarr]

And Shook gets the K using a, wait for it...

Change-up

He strikes out two in the 4th. To my eyes, it looks like he is just finding his groove and Clarke is starting to call to his strengths. Beautiful inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

The Smokies RHP Cade Horton (Cubs 2022 1st rd pick - #7 overall) has now struck out 7 through 5 IP and retired 8 in a row. We're going to need the Shookster to keep going toe-to-toe as we hope he has found his groove. Horton definitely looks the part of a 1st rd pick. He's got a lotta quality in that pitching toolkit. Sure would be nice picking and drafting at pick #7!!

[Joseph Zarr]

Shookster is starting to locate the curve. It's opening it up. He works around a seeing eye single through both diving 3B Ethan Murray and SS Freddy Zamora by inducing a DP ball to Ernesto Martinez Jr. who adeptly and accuratley rips a throw to Zamora at 2B and calmly and deftly gets back to the bag. 3-3 and we're onto the 6th. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Man, EBJ looks awesome at SS tonight. Just smooth and rangey making all the plays. He just made a fantastic sliding stab and rifle to 1B for the 2nd out in the 3rd. You LOVE to see it. Stay healthy young man. Please.

[Joseph Zarr]

It looks like Vargas may have injured himself between innings. The trainer is out and they are looking at the lower right leg. He'll stay in the game. 

Meanwhile, the ump in Tennessee continues to squeeze Shook's zone when he faces Casey. Good guy to nibble and avoid exposure.  One out. Another walk to Casey on 5 pitches. Here in the 6th. Still 3-3.

[wibadgers23]

Anyone know of any good sites that has minor league historical stats? Trying to see where Chourio’s season ranks amongst the best.