Tue. 9/12 - Playoff Baseball in Zebulon; Shuckers Begin a Huge Week

[Ro Mueller]

AAA Sounds’ play-by-play announcer @JeffHemPBP sums up notable features of today’s lineup as they kick off this week’s series in Charlotte. I’ll add that Nashville trails St. Paul by 1.5 games for the International League West’s 2nd half crown, though that wouldn’t equate to a playoff berth. Keston Hiura apparently remains out (right elbow discomfort). 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Henderson gives up a lead-off 1-2 count line drive single to shallow CF. The lead-off batter sat back on an outside off-speed pitch and hit a liner through the gap. One on. Nobody out.

[Joseph Zarr]

He's fallen behind 3-1 in his second batter (two high heaters and a ball in the dirt). He gets his second swing and miss - a 94 mph heater. With the 3-2 count, he throws another mid-90's heater and it is fouled back down the 3B line. The runner goes and it is called a ball just off the inside stripe. It would have been a strikeout and throw them out as the Sibrian throw had him. Instead, we have nobody out and men on 1st and 2nd. He's going to have to dig deep early.

[Jake McKibbin]

That's unlucky. A great take from second man up in a 3-2 count, almost a strike em out throw em out DP

[Joseph Zarr]

He gets the first out via a punchout on his patented change-up. Just a nasty pitch. One down. Men on 1st and 2nd. Pitch count to 17 as batter #4 begins the count.

[Jake McKibbin]

Good lord Henderson has swing and miss stuff

[Joseph Zarr]

Wild second out. Runners on the corners now. Sibrian stabbed a hard hit grounder/liner and attempted to get ahead of a DP by firing to 2B but hit the runner in the basepaths. That runner mistakenly rounded 2B too far and Barrios had already scooped the ball and was running to cover and tagged him out. Heady play. Two down. 1-2 count. Men on the corners. Pitch count at 20.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, Jake McKibbin said:

Good lord Henderson has swing and miss stuff

Yes he does. First time seeing him? His heater has massive ride. His change-up is filthy. He's a legit legit hurling prospect.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 K's in inning 1 for Henderson - a swinging K on an outside dipping change-up and a swinging K on a high-rising heater on the outer half. Both beautiful pitches. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Man, what I would give to have RHP Brock Porter in the Brewers system. His stuff is electric. 😅 I say this regardless of what happens tonight. He just has all the tools. All of them. 

[Joseph Zarr]

After two K's, Chirinos sits back on a low sinking breaking ball and pokes a liner into mid-CF for the Mudcats first hit. Both teams have one knock now. Porter's pitch count is at 12 in a 1-1 count to C Jose Sibrian.

[Joseph Zarr]

Porter gets his 3rd K of his first inning on another high heater. He got two strike three whiffs on a comparable high-rising ripper. What a fun Low-A pitching match-up this is. Both these young men compete for days.

[Joseph Zarr]

Chirinos flashing leather early has made two stellar stabs deep beyond 1B - diving stops. He grabs the first out her in the 2nd frame by snaring a 1-1 hard hit liner just within the 1B foul line. He pops and runs to the bag himself. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Baez makes a really nice charging scoop on a weird short-hop chopper to 3B. He fires an accurate dart to Chirinos at 1B for the second out. Really nice play on a tricky bounce. Nice to see! Henderson is now in a favorable 0-2 count. Two down. Nobody on. And, he gets the swing and miss on a foul tip to Sibrian on a high rising outside heater. 3 K apiece now for Henderson and Porter (who has yet to pitch in the 2nd).

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Cam Devanney just poked a 2-2 lunging pitch blooping it into shallow LF. Just a savvy savvy vet knock there to send across the Sounds first run. 1-0 in the 2nd inning now. What an awesome ugly poke that was.

[Joseph Zarr]

AVINA!!!!! OFF the Video Board. A solo blast. Woot woot. 1-0 Mudcats. Two down. 2-0 count. He absolutely crushed a dead center cut heater. Whewwww baby!

[Joseph Zarr]

Barrios follows with an oppo liner broken bat single to RF. Wunderbar. Pitch count up to 33 for the talented Porter. Nicasia to the dish with Barrios at 1B. Nicasia works the count full laying off a tasty high heater. Nicasia then swings on another borderline pitch dipping above the zone (by my eyes). Porter has 5 K through 2 IP but has given up 3 H - including the Avina mammoth shot. 

[Joseph Zarr]

3rd Inning Starting in Zebulon and here are your Pitch Counts:

Henderson - 32

Porter - 39

[Joseph Zarr]

Henderson hung a heater dead center (Sibrian was calling for it high and outside) and it is crushed off the right CF wall. That's a lead-off double. Nobody out. His next pitch rode high and inside and nearly took off the batters helmet. Yowza.

[Joseph Zarr]

Benefits of CF Dylan O'Rae: Good luck getting any hanging bloops to hit that shallow CF grass. He races from deep CF and manages to beat out the charging Nicasia and Areinamo and smoothly collects the first out. This keeps the runner at 1B. He can cover so much ground. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Weak pop fly to RF and the runner holds. Two down now for Henderson and the Mudcats in the 3rd. He gets the dangerous Villarroel (he has hit the Mudcats plenty in 2023) with a swinging K on another of his patented high rising heaters. That's now 4 K through 3 IP. He successfully works around the lead-off double. Impressive work!

[Joseph Zarr]

O'Rae HBP. Areinamo line out to 2B. O'Rae CS on a pitch out (thrown out by a good 3' - they knew it was coming). Chirinos swinging K on a beautiful off-speed pitch dipping to the outer stripe. On to the 4th. 1-0 Mudcats.

[Joseph Zarr]

Chirinos has just been owning anything down the 1B line through 3 1/3 IP here in the fourth. He has 3 PO's himself in two diving stabs and now a casual grab on another liner down the line. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Three up and three down for Henderson after 4 IP. Pitch count at 56. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Baez sends an oppo ripper off the wall in deep RF. Credit to Sibrian who scored alllll the way from 1B - heck of a read by the catcher! It's 2-0 Mudcats. Hall grounds out to SS. One down. Baez at 3B with Avina to the dish. Unreal base running from the talented catcher who continues to shine in 2023.