Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/7): Various Walk-Off Scenarios Within a Very Mixed Night

[Jim Goulart]

Nashville trailed 5-0 heading to the bottom of the 6th in their home game. They would walk things off in victory. Biloxi played a taut back-and-forth affair that saw them fall in the 10th on the road, so on the wrong side of their own walk-off. The Maryvale Crew led 8-0 heading to the bottom of the 4th at the Reds' complex yet managed to be walked off in extra innings. In more "traditional" affairs, Wisconsin was the victim of a rare trouncing, the first-place Mudcats moved to 13 games over .500, and the DSL Brewers squad that wasn't rained out rallied to overcome a four-run 5th inning deficit only to lose the game in a very DSL fashion two frames later.

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's try and make sense of it all! And remember, in a walk-off victory, it's the losing team that walks off. The victors bounce, skip and romp off.

 

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Transactions:

• Milwaukee Brewers optioned LHP Aaron Ashby to Nashville Sounds.
• Milwaukee Brewers selected the contract of RHP James Meeker from Nashville Sounds.
• Carolina Mudcats transferred OF/INF Kay-Lan Nicasia from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.

James Meeker's call-up to The Show has to be incredibly motivating for so many in the organization. Undrafted, a longtime indy ball grind, and then success in both closing and non-closing roles in four years in the Brewers organization. Ryan Middendorf, Harold Chirino, Darrell Thompson, you are all on notice, as are so many more I could have listed both at the AAA and lower levels. Add in Carlos F. Rodriguez' planned MLB debut to start on Tuesday, and it's an exciting time for all. It sounds corny, but in a way, everyone is a prospect. Keep the uniform on, gentlemen.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 6, Louisville (Reds) 5
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Collins' Walk-Off Double Leads Brewskis to Comeback Win Over Louisville - Left fielder clears bases with two-out, two-RBI knock for 6-5 win in nine innings

This would have been a fantastic catch by Louisville right fielder Rece Hinds to end the game. That ball got an awfully big piece of his glove, but the fact is it didn't stick, and Freddy Zamora's celebratory arms raised even before Joey Wiemer quickly follows behind him to plate the game-winner is fun. Isaac Collins, you da man:

 

A few weeks back, the Journal-Sentinel's Curt Hogg was discussing the fairly thin position player pool for the Sounds in terms of potential big-league additions beyond Tyler Black and the still-injured Brewer Hicklen (back). Hogg broached Collins as a possibility and the versatile switch-hitter, with his .912 OPS and nine stolen bases in 12 attempts, has only enhanced those odds.

Black sat out this game after exiting Thursday's game at the start of the 8th inning. On a nightly basis, we can over-analyze and fret and worry/wonder about such things. I am finally starting to come to terms with waiting until players return to action in short order, or injured list placements are official, and subsequent IL details are learned.

On the mound, remember that Taylor Clarke is on optional assignment, not just rehab. The Brewers can continue to stretch Clarke out as they see fit. A big effort for Tyler Woessner, if this were hockey, he'd get the game's second star behind Collins.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Montgomery (Rays) 5, Biloxi 4, ten innings
Box Score and Game Log

Rodriguez Tallies Multi-Hit Performance, Shuckers Fall in 10 Innings - Shuckers score all four runs after fifth inning, Biscuits stop comeback attempt with two in tenth

We all know it to be true in the ghost-runner era. Road teams need to plate more than one run when they get their chance, and this single tally was gifted:

Meanwhile, on the flip side:

Mike Boeve, batting second in the lineup, as the DH, was 0-for-5 with two K's. I apologize if I put a scare into everyone yesterday with this detailed recap of Boeve's late-game hamstring-tweak escapades on Thursday night, particularly if it didn't shine a bright light on Manager Joe Ayrault and Trainer Andrew Staehling for leaving Boeve in the game as long as they did. I know what my eyes saw, and well, it was just incredible to me that a precautionary move was not made before a tweak turned into a full-blown hamstring tear. The fact that Boeve started Friday, even as the DH, is encouraging but to be honest, still a bit puzzling.

OK, any game with an inside-the-park home run is going to get video linked. Chandler Simpson, you are fast, and left fielder Zavier Warren, not so fast:

It was a suitable four-inning stint for RHP Brett Wichrowski as the box score line indicates (78 pitches). Wichrowski hadn't even been drafted a year ago at this time.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Quad Cities (Royals) 10, Wisconsin 1
Box Score and Game Log

Rattlers Stumble in 10-1 Loss to River Bandits - Ten walks and eleven hits drop Wisconsin

The T-Rats are the most courteous hosts. Fans of visiting clubs are spoiled if they're wise enough to gain access to the highlights (and Wisconsin lowlights) that the Rattlers provide in even the most difficult of times for the home team. Thankfully, nights like Friday have been exceedingly rare.

 

Speaking of courteous, Chris Mehring and Kyle Lobner were kind enough not to interview Manager Victor Estevez for this game's entry of their postgame podcast, but still worth your while.

We don't know the nature of 2024 Team MVP-to-date Gregory Barrios, but on an earlier edition of the podcast series, Chris indicated that Barrios' absence could extend into this coming week. With that, once again, we'll consider that a positive until otherwise noted.

It's been a rough go for RH reliever Jake Polancic, back in affiliated ball for the first time since 2019 with the Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, today (Saturday) is unlikely to be a pleasant 26th birthday for him. MiLB.TV subscribers can go the 02:02:00 hour/minute mark of the archived game here. Polancic was clearly in discomfort upon issuing a ball four to walk in a run. "Right arm dangling a little bit" is not a call any broadcaster wishes to make. Best wishes for Jake today.

As the game summary told you, 2.5 games up with 11 to play. Keep the calendar moving.

 

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Final: Carolina 7, Charleston (Rays) 4
Box Score and Game Log

Mudcats Down Charleston

The Carolina staff is keeping those game summaries very to-the-point, but is doing well in gathering video highlights via the opponent's home feed:

You want progression for 19-year-old Cooper Pratt, now with a .280/.393/.392 line?

• April OPS: .622 in 12 games (was sidelined by a broken pinkie for ten days)
• May OPS: .818 in 23 games
• June OPS: .980 OPS in five games

Filippo Di Turi singled and walked, representing a solid game two with the Mudcats, reaching base for the first couple of times. Again, played second base while Pratt was at short.

RHP Josh Knoth (still just 18-years old, folks) walked five after only walking eight in five starts in May. That being said, only one run allowed in his five-inning outing, and gets his second pro win.

 

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Final: ACL Reds 10, ACL Brewers 9, eight innings (scheduled for seven)
Box Score and Game Log

Yes, a box score to dive into. The Eric Bitonti mid-game exit will have us feeling cautious for a it - theme of the report today, no overreactions.

Rehabbing Felix Valerio provided the bulk of the offense with four hits, a home run shy of the cycle. He is slated for minor league free agency at season's end.

Also on the rehab front, LHP Brandon Knarr struggled after two brief effective earlier efforts.

 

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Final: DSL Cubs Red 7, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 6, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Postponed: DSL Cubs Blue at DSL Brewers 2, makeup date is Monday June 17th

NOTE: Apologies, I'm up against an important commitment and have to skimp on the rookie ball reports. Hoping we see a response post that perhaps fills in a bit.

 

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All teams are in action on Saturday, with the two DSL teams facing each other.

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

MiLB Audio Links
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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[Joseph Zarr]

Nicasia to the 60-Day? Ooooof. My baseball gods.

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Final: DSL Cubs Red 7, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 6, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Postponed: DSL Cubs Blue at DSL Brewers 2, makeup date is Monday June 17th

NOTE: Apologies, I'm up against an important commitment and have to skimp on the rookie ball reports. Hoping we see a response post that perhaps fills in a bit.

Don't mind if I do, Jim. I'll pull from Friday's Game Thread and add some spices to make it is a nice easy simmerin' DSL stew.

The Crew trailed 5-2 in the fifth frame of an agreed-upon seven-inning affair when INF Jesus Made, once again (already showing a star-type flare for the dramatic), hit a clutch triple. This is Made's second such big time three-base knock this past week. He cleared the bags to tie the game 5-5 in the fifth frame. Made's headlining running mate, INF Luis Pena, knocked him across in the next AB to give the Crew their only lead of the game, 6-5, in what ultimately was a 5-run fifth frame. This comeback was made possible by the important 3 1/3 IP from second-year Brewers DSL hurler RHP Linbel Jimenez who allowed a mere single run while not conceding a single knock - 1 BB, 1 WP, 1 E (pick-off throw) 1 R (unearned), 2 K. His mostly calm work in spelling 17-year-old Mexican lefty, Victor Garcia, paved the way for a possible comeback. Garcia struggled, it would appear, in his debut outing - the bases were oft-active and young men were swiping them at will (3 SB) as he was pulled before the first frame ended. Better luck next outing, young man! Unfortunately, though RHP Jhosep Ospino pitched a clean (on the scoreboard) sheet in the bottom of the fifth inning in his first inning of work, he allowed the winning two Cubs runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the sixth. As our very own @wiguy94 pointed out, Ospino did so in classic DSL fashion: Walk, WP, double, PB, Walk, WP, PB, WP in the inning. Ahhhhh, yes. The days of summer. The Cerveceros Uno (2-1) will look to bounce back today as they face their brethren in the Cerveceros Dos dugout. As I type, it is a 6-4 Uno lead in the third frame.