Wed. 5/1: Birthday Boy Patricio Aquino Starts Wisconsin's Matinee

[Joseph Zarr]

The Smokies and the Shuckers (Shocker, I know) stranded two men on in the first frame. 0-0 game headed to the 2nd.

[Joseph Zarr]

Mudcats have K'd 6 times now through 4 IP. The Fireflys' Arronde is dealing - mainly his mid 90's heater on the outer half. They still trail 1-0 as Corniel pitched a fantastic 3rd inning with 2 K.

[Joseph Zarr]

Castillo flashing that sub par defense just completely botched a line drive directly to him in middle LF. He backed up two steps and never caught it. Got to the webbing and just never transferred cleanly. Corniel now has to work with a man on base.

Meanwhile, Blalock walked the lead off batter in the 2nd. He has now stolen 2nd and 3rd as Miller's throws have been an eyelash late each time - both solid jumps and bang-bang at the bags. One down. Man on 3rd. 0-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

This is just not the same Lamar Sparks in the outfield grass we've seen in 2024. He misplays a shallow liner in RF - took a very poor route - and what maybe should have been a single, definitely could have been a catch with a proper route, goes to the wall for an RBI triple. That just can't happen. AND, hence this is the 2024 Shuckers experience nearly every time I watch. Painful.

[Joseph Zarr]

Kudos to Corniel for getting out of the men on corners one out scenario. He gets the K to end it. Still trail 1-0 but a breakout inning averted. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Mudcats are being no-no'd through 5 IP. They trail 1-0. They have punched out 7x now. What a difference a day makes.

[Joseph Zarr]

Boeve just moon balled a line drive off the RF wall. Dub dub. Boeve on 2nd. Miller (walk) on 3rd. Let's see if the Shuckers have a hit with men on base for a change. Come on, gents. Let's do this.

[Joseph Zarr]

Well, Zamora with a weak AB and he ends with a weak pop fly to shallow shallow RF. Worst case AB there. Nobody advances. He swung at 2 balls in a three pitch AB. Sigh.

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, Corniel has been just as formidable. He grabs his 7th K after he completes his 6th and likely final inning. Fantastic work from the young man. In Nasvhille, Vinny Capra leads off with a rocket triple off the RF wall. 

AND Cargo drove both men in! 2-1 SHuckers. Hey now. Let's get those bats hitting! Line drive single up the gut found the shallow CF grass. Huge hit. 

Mejía poked a single into LF. 1-0 Sounds.

MOAR RUNS FOREVER.

[Joseph Zarr]

Mudcats 6th frame might be the one. A HBP. A walk. Men on 1st and 2nd. Nobody down. Guilarte to the dish as the pitching coach has now visited the mound.

[Joseph Zarr]

Ok. Ok. Guilarte finds a hole ripping a ground ball through the right side! Bases juiced now. Nobody out.

Yophery to the dish. LET'S GO young fella!

[Joseph Zarr]

Yophery goes down looking on an inside heater. Totally overmatched in that AB. 8 K now for Arrande. 

[Joseph Zarr]

And a pitch after the homeplate ump blew a catcher's interference call (may have also missed a runner interference the inning prior) Pratt goes down on a check swing on an outside slider. Two down. 9 K for Arrande now. Ugly stuff from the young Mudcats with these bases juiced and nobody down. WIth Hall down 0-2 in the count, however, the ball does NOT lie. A pitch caroms off the catcher's mitt to the backstop. 1-1 game. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Hall K's too. LOL. Bases juiced. Nobody out. WP scores the run. 3 K to exit the inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

Whew baby K.C. Hunt comes aboard and proceeds to K a batter on just a filthy string pulled change-up. I continue to absolutely love this young man's game. Definite definite promotion candidate in the near future. He is ready for High-A. I've seen enough. 

Meanwhile, Ernesto Martinez Jr. just flared a liner down the RF line. Nobody out. Dirden scores (single). Murray to 3rd. Runners on 2nd and 3rd. Nobody down. 3-1 SHuckers. LET'S GO!

[Joseph Zarr]

Darrien Miller deep Sac Fly to the warning track in CF. 4-1 Shuckers.

K.C. Hunt 2 K. Line out to RF to end it. On to the Mudcats bottom half. Game still tied 1-1. You love to see it. 

Sounds leading 1-0 have runners on 1st and 3rd now with down. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Ashby still doesn't have the velocity. Still doesn't have the accuracy pitch-to-pitch. BUT, his off-speed arsenal is quite filthy tonight. Has some free passes in there. BUT, he really has hitters off-balance with his Mix. THIS is the type of outing I would personally like to see him get used to as he works the velocity back upward. Even if he doesn't, I would love to continue seeing him lead with the change-up and slider and use the lower velo heater to keep hitters honest and further off-balance. Sounds still lead 1-0 through 3 IP for Ashby. They'll take their AB's now in the bottom half.

[Joseph Zarr]

Boeve continues to show he can play 3B and play it well. He just snared a one-hop very well hit ball to help Blalock escape some bad luck men on 1st and 2nd. 4-1 Shuckers to the top of the 5th.

[Joseph Zarr]

@Smichaelis9:

K.C. Hunt alert. Timestamp: 2:32:33. Bookend K's ridiculous. Eats a pitch clock violation in his 6th batter faced (2 3-up, 3-down innings so far) on an 0-2 count. Comes back and just deals another ridiculous change-up/breaking ball to a lefty. He knew it. I knew it. Just plain nasty. Love LOVE LOVE it. And, I know, so will you. 4 K through 2 IP. The man is ready for High-A. Lets just get him there.

[Joseph Zarr]

We are on to the 9th in Zebulon. Still 1-1. This is very much just a pitching showcase so far. Overmatched batters left and right. Both staffs.

[Joseph Zarr]

4 BB for Ashby through 3 IP. Just walked the lead-off batter in the 4th. This is his ongoing struggle: location, location, location. No hits as of yet. 2 K. 

[Joseph Zarr]

After a ground out to 3B (nice play by Monasterio on the throw across his body), Ashby plunks the next batter on the lead leg in an 0-1 count. The struggle continues. He looks much improved in moments, for sure, but you continue to not know if he'll find the zone batter-to-batter. Men on 1st and 2nd. One down.

[wiguy94]

KC Hunt and Garcia combine for the old strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to send the Mudcats to the plate for a chance at a walk off. Nice tight slider that the hitter swung right underneath.

[Joseph Zarr]

Nice to see a healthy clean inning from Shane Smith. He looked good. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wiguy94 said:

KC Hunt and Garcia combine for the old strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to send the Mudcats to the plate for a chance at a walk off. Nice tight slider that the hitter swung right underneath.

Hunt is a High-A pitcher (at least). I've seen more than enough. He's now 14 plus unscored upon. Very rarely any type of meaningful contact. Wellllll over 1K/ IP. He's got a legitimate 5 pitch mix. His change-up is filthy.