Fri. 5/10 - Nashville Featured MiLB.tv's 'Free Game of the Day'; Headliner Starting Pitching All Evening

[Joseph Zarr]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Friday, lineup updates, etc.

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

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Tonight's Expected Starters:

• RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez  (6:35 EST - Free Game of the Day)
• RHP Brett Wichrowski     (7:35 EST)    
• RHP Yujanyer Herrera     (7:30 EST)
• RHP Josh Knoth.               (7:05 EST)

 

[Joseph Zarr]

We approach this second weekend of May with the affiliates holding a combined 72-56 record (including the ACL Crew's 1-3 mark).

Carolina: 20-8 

Wisconsin: 19-11

Biloxi: 15-15

Nashville: 17-19

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* Carolina is tied for 1st Place in the Carolina League South Division with the Fredericksburg Nats. Again, we see a tight first half playoff race - those postponed, and ultimately suspended two games vs. Columbia just last weekend, weigh heavily into this picture. Last year the Mudcats lost two entire games vs Down East during their first-half playoff push. Hopefully, that won't happen again this year!

** Wisconsin is going toe-to-toe with Quad Cities (in Quad Cities) this very week. Their 2-1 mark through three games of this hotly contested six-game set has opened up a tenuous 1.0 G lead over the same River Bandits. Beloit and Cedar Rapids also hover a mere 1.5 GB @ 17-12 records. It gives me great pleasure to share the South Bend Cubs and Peoria Chiefs are holding serve in the cellar - 11-19 and 9-21 records, respectively. 

*** Biloxi's bullpen has allowed 14 runs in just a two-inning span in the past two contests. They'll quite obviously want to stop that nonsense 😅. Regardless, sitting at 15-15 they are still very much in the Southern League's South Division - 2.0 GB 1st place Pensacola, 1.0 GB 2nd place Montgomery (why this current series holds obvious importance). Hopefully, with the returns of Clarke and Wilken we can see the offense continue to turn things around for the better. In the 'What a Difference a Year Makes!' category, last year's last place stepping stone, Birmingham (51-87 overall in 2024), is leading the North division by 5.0 G at 20-9. Second place Rocket City sits 5.0 GB at 15-14. 

**** Nashville sits smack dab in the lower half of the greater International League. Remember, here, there is no divisional winner each half - it's the overall leader amongst both the East and West divisions. It's a gambit to ultimately face the PCL's winners. At 17-19 (a record that represents what we've seen on a night-in and night-out basis, honestly) they remain 8.5 GB of overall 1st place leading Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (25-10) of the Yankees org. If the Sounds have any notion of making a move up the standings in the first half, the current series vs Durham; the next series @ Jacksonville; and the following series vs Charlotte are a good opportunity. All four of these teams currently hold various versions of sub 0.500 records. Let the bottom dwellers feast upon each other!

[Ro Mueller]

RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez aims for a repeat of his last start (5 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 HBPs, 9 Ks), as the AAA Sounds look to extend their 2-1 series lead at Durham. 1B Tyler Black had 2 hits and an RBI yesterday in his return to AAA. 

[Ro Mueller]

The High-A Timber Rattlers are on the road, battling Quad Cities for 1st place. RHP Yujanyer Herrera (1.80 ERA with 33 Ks in 20 IP - largely at Low-A) makes his first career start since August 2023. 3B Luke Adams (.817 OPS in 107 PAs) leads the team in HRs (3). 

[Ro Mueller]

Fire-balling 21-year old RHP Brett Wichrowski makes his 2nd AA start (3 IP, 4 ER last outing) as Biloxi hosts Montgomery with a 2-1 series lead. CF/1B Ernesto Martinez is 17-for-40 over his last 10 games. 

[Ro Mueller]

Talented 18-year old RHP Josh Knoth (3.07 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 11.0 K/9 in 14 2/3 IP) gets the start for the low-A Mudcats in Fayetteville, likely to throw 53-60 pitches like his prior outings. LF Yhoswar Garcia has a 7-game hitting streak and Carolina leads the series 2-1. 

[Ro Mueller]

The Sounds have caught RHP Shane Baz at a good time, as this is just his 2nd appearance since return from a July 2023 injury.

He walks or hits 4 of the first 7 Sounds he faces tonight, ultimately exiting after 1.2 IP - 59 pitches, 28 strikes.

Sounds 3, Bulls 0, even though we’ve just 1 hit (Vinny Capra double), still in the 2nd inning.

Oddly, Tyler Black is exiting though.

[wiguy94]

1 minute ago, damuelle said:

The Sounds have caught RHP Shane Baz at a good time, as this is just his 2nd appearance since return from a July 2023 injury.

He walks or hits 4 of the first 7 Sounds he faces tonight, ultimately exiting after 1.2 IP - 59 pitches, 28 strikes.

Sounds 3, Bulls 0, even though we’ve just 1 hit (Vinny Capra double), still in the 2nd inning.

Oddly, Tyler Black is exiting though.

Tyler Black took a foul ball off his ankle in the top of the 1st. Stayed in the game, but I imagine that's the reason he left the game.

[Ro Mueller]

Herrera needed 34 pitches to get through the 1st inning, struggling to locate (3 walks, 1 WP). But he ended it with a 3-pitch K.

T-Rats trail 1-0 after one inning.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Never fails. Whenever I go wanting to see a pitcher, they struggle. Herrera was laboring in the first.

[markedman5]

 

[Ro Mueller]

A 1st inning, 2-run double cost him, but Knoth was solid overall for 4.1 IP. He exits after 57 pitches, Mudcats trailing 2-0.

RHP Bishop Letson finally gets to see action - first time in 12 days, due to untimely rain over the past week.

[Ro Mueller]

Eesh. 4 pitches in and Letson quickly concedes 2 earned runs: 1B, HR. They pounced.

Fayetteville 4, Carolina 0, still in the 5th inning.

[biedergb]

The offense tonight is mostly non-existent throughout the minors. 9 hits across 20 innings so far. Yikes

Pitching OK. Herrera settled in it appears, and Wichrowski has had a rebound from his first start (so far). Knoth decent, and Letson did bounce back from the single, HR to start his outing to end the 5th with 2Ks.

[Ro Mueller]

CF Rodriguez can really weave through a lineup when he's feeling good. He gives up only one run in 6 IP and exits for Abner Uribe.

Sounds 4, Bulls 1 in the 7th inning.

[Ro Mueller]

After striking out on 3 pitches his first time up, Jheremy Vargas hits the next pitch he sees over the left field wall for 2 runs.

Rattlers now up 3-2 in the top of the 5th inning. Gotta figure Herrera's done at 83 pitches.

[biedergb]

6 minutes ago, damuelle said:

CF Rodriguez can really weave through a lineup when he's feeling good. He gives up only one run in 6 IP and exits for Abner Uribe.

Yeah Rodriguez with 2 solid May outings. Fingers crossed that he is now adjusting to AAA.

And Letson continues to rebound from his first 2 batters tonight.

Vargas with a HR, but bats overall pretty quiet.

[sveumrules]

58 minutes ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

Never fails. Whenever I go wanting to see a pitcher, they struggle. Herrera was laboring in the first.

How’d the O’Rae triple look?

[Ro Mueller]

They let Herrera stay in to notch one more K, so he exits in favor of Chase Costello after 4.1 IP at 89 pitches. Wisconsin 3, Quad Cities 2.

Elsewhere, Brett Wichrowski had surpassed his highest pitch count to date (68) while issuing back-to-back walks to open the 5th inning, but deftly got out of the inning unscathed: pop out, ground out, ground out. Biloxi 3, Montgomery 1.

[sveumrules]

Uribe worked around a single and beaning of Tristan Peters to put up a zero in the 7th.

Back out for the 8th and Ks Curtis Mead to start things off before being lifted for Enoli Paredes who went K, single, popout to finish the frame.

Sounds also added an insurance run via an Isaac Collins walk, to 2nd on an Owen Miller fielders choice, then home on a Francisco Mejia single.

5-1 heading to top of nine.

[Ro Mueller]

An outfield hit, walk and infield hit might cost you, but what can really do you in is a Grand Slam. That's what Costello yielded. Quad Cities 6, Wisconsin 3, 6th inning.

[biedergb]

Letson another homer. He went 60 pitches. STruck out 6 in 3 IP. BUt 2 HR leading to 4 runs. Looked good, but caught too much of the plate on a few offerings.

[MudcatsfaninBrunsCO]

Just tuning in as I am in town for the Durham/Nashville game tonight and Mudcats in Faye trm. Looks like a Nash win and a Mudcats loss tonight):

[sveumrules]

Yonny Hernandez walked, stole second and came around on a Chris Roller double.

Noah Campbell was like, I’ll see your double and raise you a base.

Enoli back out bottom of nine with a couple extra runs to work with and goes ground out, strikeout, walk, ground out to seal the Sounds victory.

[biedergb]

IN Biloxi walks, stolen bases, and a funky hit by Warren, and Shuckers up 5-1.  Boeve walks to load the bases.

 

Meanwhile in Wisconsin and Carolin only 2 hits each. Carolina loses 6-0. Wisconsin down 6-3