Wed. 5/29: First-place Timber Rattlers Kick Things Off in Matinee

[Joseph Zarr]

Corniel with his second walk of his outing. He was at 2-2 in the count. Nice chase pitch low and out of the zone. Then he just missed low on a heater. He has one down via a weak pop fly to Castillo in RF. With the runner leaving before contact, the next batter flies out to deep right CF. It was a 93 mph fly out to deep center. AND, just like that C Blayberg Diaz guns down the runner trying to take 2nd base. He threw an absolute dart. Had the runner by 4-5'. Wow.

[Joseph Zarr]

So, Corniel had two BB's coming into the 3rd up 3-0. He now has plunked the first two batters of his inning. Men on 1st and 2nd. Nobody down. That second one was with a 1-2 count. Yikes. He just equaled his season total. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Muddies scored their third run, btw, on a Yophery broken bat 100 mph double to RF. Pratt followed with a single to CF. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Corniel got ahead 0-2 on the next batter. Then missed to 2-2. Then gave up a very well hit deep double. 3-1 game. Still nobody out. Runners on 2nd and 3rd. Troubling inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

What I'm seeing early here with Corniel in this outing is he is too predictable when he is up 0-2 in the count (which has been on numerous occasions). He is doing only two things: throwing a high heater well above the zone. OR throwing off speed low and away. Now he gives up a line drive single through the gap in SS and 3B. AND, poor communication in the infield allowed the runner to advance to 2B. This is the poorest inning in terms of executing I have seen from the Mudcats in some time.

3-2 game now. Runners on 2nd and 3rd. Still nobody down. 

Clear work for Corniel ahead of him is what to do when he gets ahead in counts. He can't be this predictable.

[wiguy94]

Corniel seems to have completely lost it this inning. I would not be shocked if he doesn't finish this inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wiguy94 said:

Corniel seems to have completely lost it this inning. I would not be shocked if he doesn't finish this inning.

It's been really rough. Just completely lost his ability to attack the zone. Two plunked. His third BB. Bases juiced. Nobody down. Mistakes aplenty when ahead in the counts to boot.

[Joseph Zarr]

BIG K there for Corniel. Now a ground ball can end the frame. Let's dig deep young man!

[Joseph Zarr]

0-2 count? Slider way low and outside. 1-2 count? Slider way outside and away. 2-2 count? Hangs a heater and gives up a grand slam. That just can not happen. Literally the only power bat in their lineup. Had already just missed on two heaters that were fouled back. Can not pitch that pitch there and in that situation. Ugly ugly stuff.

That was Corniel's worst inning of his season. By a big stretch. Woof.

[wiguy94]

Corniel gives up a grand slam. The hitter was smart to just be sitting dead red. Corniel had no feel for his slider and couldn't get one close to the strike zone. Hitter waited for the FB and crushed it to LF over the scoreboard.

[Ro Mueller]

I guess Guilarte’s okay, as he now enters for Baez. Did Baez get hurt on a stolen base attempt by the other team?

[wiguy94]

Just now, damuelle said:

I guess Guilarte’s okay, as he now enters for Baez. Did Baez get hurt on a stolen base attempt by the other team?

I never saw a good view of what actually happened, but Baez was grabbing his right shoulder in a ton of pain. Looks like a potentially major injury.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

I never saw a good view of what actually happened, but Baez was grabbing his right shoulder in a ton of pain. Looks like a potentially major injury.

Arm is currently in a sling. UGH. Which mean, if I'm not mistaken, the Muddies only have two bench players at present with Nicasia and now Baez down. 

[Joseph Zarr]

A walk and now a single by Castillo has runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody down in the bottom of the third. Yhoswar to the dish. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Yhoswar does what he does. Finds a hit. Shattered his bat but that flare landed in the OF grass and found its way to the foul territory 3B wall. 51 mph off the bat as it shattered in pieces down the 3B line. 6-4. Diaz then advances the runners to 2nd and 3rd on a ground out to 1B. One down.

[Joseph Zarr]

Briceno pops up weakly behind the pitcher's mound. That was an ugly choice on a first pitch heater up and in. Lay off that pitch, young man. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, RHP Shane Smith just K'd the side in order to open his first inning vs Pensacola. I think we're finding we may have something quite a bit more than just a dominant late inning relief arm. Smith is fast becoming one of the most intriguing overall pitchers in the entire system. 

[Joseph Zarr]

16 minutes ago, damuelle said:

I guess Guilarte’s okay, as he now enters for Baez. Did Baez get hurt on a stolen base attempt by the other team?

2:00:31 on the replay. Pena asleep on the mound. They just took off unimpeded. And, yes, the slide (tho not seen in the actual slide) clearly sent Baez tumbling. Rough look. He was in major major pain. Just a major major loss to this line up. Baez is such a spark plug and is a big moment fearless player. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Four up. Four down. All K's for Shane Smith. 

Gimmmme that sizzle! SURE would be nice to watch this domination from a camera that isn't 100 feet above home plate. Good grief. The Shuckers season has been cursed since Day 1.

[Joseph Zarr]

How does Pensacola get their first hit? A classic slow roller miscommunication between Boeve and Smith. Boeve slipped anyhow. Regardless, Shuckers season in a nutshell. That ball was hit maybe 60 mph?

[Joseph Zarr]

Walling just smashed a 380 foot fly out to deep left CF. Boy, just got under that one a smidge. Nice swing.

[Joseph Zarr]

I don't know what the Base Umpire is watching in this 4th inning. Pratt was clearly safe at 3B. Called out. Now Guilarte was clearly out at 3B - gorgeous throw and adept tag. Called safe. So it goes.

[Joseph Zarr]

What has RHP Shane Smith done since that weak single? K'd two more batters. 2 1/3 IP. 6 K. 1 H. 0 R. Yowza.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Jeison Pena is doing that Pena thing here in the 5th. Got an out. Gave up a smacked double to the LF gap. Gave up a run-scoring single up the middle. Threw a wild pitch to the backstop. 7-4 Delmarva. And, Stanley doesn't have an arm up in the bullpen. Sac fly scores another. 8-4 Delmarva. The Mudcats have been sloppy tonight on their relay throws or throw attempts to Home plate as well. They are giving runners bases. Just an ugly game all around.

[Joseph Zarr]

Sounds have the bases juiced with one down after a Collins walk and a Clarke single to CF. Yonny Hernandez will get an opportunity to do some early damage.