Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/10): Mitchell’s Rehab Commences as Rookies Drop 2 of 3 Games

[Ro Mueller]

Garrett Mitchell collected 2 hits in his first rehab stint, while 17-year old Luis Pena is putting up RBI Baseball-type numbers in the DSL. Each Rookie League game was a back-and-forth affair in Monday action.

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions:

• OF Garrett Mitchell sent on rehab assignment to ACL Brewers

Game Action:

Final: ACL Cubs 17, ACL Brewers 16 (in 7 innings as scheduled)
Box Score and Game Log

You’ll rarely find a wilder box score than this topsy-turvy game which saw the Crew post two(!) separate 8-run innings, but ultimately blow an early lead of 8-2 and a final inning lead of 16-13 to fall to the Cubs.

The great news is the return of center fielder Garrett Mitchell, who went 2-for-4 with a walk, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. In fact, all nine hitters reached base, with 12 hits, 10 walks and 1 HBP for the squad, which also went 9-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Getting ACL highlights on video is extremely rare, so we’re happy to share rehabbing DH Felix Valerio and Mitchell both singling in the 2nd inning, with Mitchell’s hit giving the Brewers a 3-2 lead at the time:

Unfortunately, all 9 Cubs’ hitters also reached base, as they totalled 10 hits, 10 walks and 4 HBPs.

With both pitching staffs scuffling mightily, the main differences in this game were the 3 errors for the Crew (vs. 0 for the Cubs) and the 4 stolen bases for the Cubs (vs. 0 for the Crew). The unavailability of 3B Eric Bitonti (out since leaving Friday’s game early) may also have been a factor in the final outcome.

Looking at the positives, left fielder Antony Gomez went 3-for-3 with a double, walk and 3 RBIs; C Edgardo Ordonez went 2-for-4, including a homer, walk and 4 RBIs; 2B Josh Adamczewski reached base 4 times (double, 3 walks, 2 RBIs); and 1B Gery Holguin had 2 doubles and an RBI.

Down 13-8 with two outs in the penultimate (6th) inning, Ordonez’s 2-run homer cut the deficit to 13-10, triggering a run of 8 straight Brewers reaching via double, single or walk, with Mitchell tying the game 13-13 on a 2-run single, Adamczewski’s double extending the lead to 15-13, then Holguin bringing one more player around with his double. Unfortunately, Holguin ended that frame by trying for 3rd base.

RHP Dencer Geraldo had gotten the final out in the top of the 6th inning with the Crew trailing 13-8, so was tasked with closing out the final inning after his teammates’ barrage had grabbed the 16-13 advantage.

Unfortunately, the 7th inning started with an error (Holguin), wild pitch and an infield single to put the pressure on. One strikeout, two walks and a single later and the lead was down to 16-15 with the bases loaded and one out. A potential game-ending ground ball double play to second base was instead thrown past first base by SS Tyler Rodriguez to allow 2 runs to score and cough up the lead.

Despite all the lead-up drama, the Brewers went 3-up, 3-down in the final inning to fall to 12-16 on the season. It seems pertinent to also note that the temperature at game time was 102 degrees.

As far as earlier pitching performances:

• Starting LHP Anthony Flores conceded 6 runs (4 earned) while striking out 7 in 3 innings
• LHP Osbriel Mogollon retired 2 of 8 batters, with the remaining 6 coming around as earned runs. In fact, 7 of the 8 batters reached against Mogollon (2 hits, 3 walks, 2 HBP), with a double play recording the two outs.
• RHP Isaiah Jackson only conceded 1 earned run in 2 innings of work, but when you walk 4 and throw 2 wild pitches it’s difficult to call it a good day. He opened with 2 walks, an HBP and 2 wild pitches before recording his first out.
• It was only RHP Samuel Valerio whose pitching line looked okay: 0.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks. He induced the potential (but botched) game-ending double play, so was cruelly charged with a blown save.

See additional video from Arizona here, including another Mitchell base hit.

 

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Final: DSL Brewers Uno 8, DSL Padres Gold 6
Box Score and Game Log

If you’re looking to the Dominican Summer League for sanity, you’d best think again. The Uno men (and boys) were cruising with a 5-0 lead entering the 8th inning before yielding a 6-spot to the Padres and having to craft a comeback of their own to emerge victorious.

I don’t recall a Brewers DSL squad connecting on 4 home runs in one game…ever (research pending). The two DSL squads combined typically only average about 35 homers in total per season. As if to further emphasize this rarity, their competitors in this game collected 7 hits, all singles.

So this was a remarkable display, with C Kevin Garcia connecting for 2 blasts, SS Luis Pena 1 homer and DH Yohandry Cruz yet another rocket, producing all of the team’s first 5 runs. Pena (2-for-3, HR, 2 walks, 3 RBIs; 1.401 small sample OPS) also stole 2 bases to bring his total to 11 through just 5 games, although he was also caught stealing for the first time.

On the mound, 20-year old starting RHP Joshua Quezada (acquired from Yankees for Clayton Andrews) was dominant as he makes his case for a quick promotion stateside: 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 Ks. 17-year old RHP Lukas Gonzalez from Panama followed with an entertaining career debut: 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 Ks – stranding the bases loaded in both innings.

That set the stage for July 2023 signee 17-year old RHP Francisco Guevara’s career debut in the top of the 8th inning. Though his player profile is still showing him as being on the 7-day injured list, the Venezuelan also somehow faced 4 batters, retiring none (2 singles, 2 walks) before giving way to RHP Ranwell Smith.

Smith (2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K) didn’t fare much better, allowing 4 of the first 5 batters he faced to reach base (single, 3 walks) to concede the lead 6-5.

Catcher Garcia started Uno team’s rally by walking to lead off the bottom of the 8th inning, with left fielder Joan Gutierrez (2-for-4, SB, 2 runs) getting a key single and moving to 2nd base on the throw to third. With the bases loaded and 2 outs, 3B Jesus Made (1-for-3, 2 walks, RBI, SB) drew a game-tying walk before Pena came through yet again with a 2-run single to grab the lead back at 8-6.

Smith allowed two aboard (walk, single) with one out in the final inning, before getting a strikeout and ground out to end it.

 

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Final: DSL Athletics 8, DSL Brewers Dos 5
Box Score and Game Log

The Dos squad’s game was eerily similar to their Uno brethren, racing out to a 4-0 lead by the 4th inning then giving it away to trail 5-4 by the 7th inning. However, they were unable to mount a final turnaround.

The team grabbed 3 runs in the 2nd inning and one more in the 4th inning, with highlights including a C Luis Corobo double, 3B Roderick Flores RBI single and DH Moises Polanco RBI single. The 4-0 lead may have been much greater if the team had not had a whopping 4(!) baserunners caught stealing in the first 4 innings.

January 2024 signee 6’5”, 17-year old RHP Paul Hoff (4 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 WP, 3 Ks) from Germany got the start in his career debut, facing the minimum through his first 3 1/3 innings pitched, although assisted by two ground ball double plays.

In fact, Hoff kept the Athletics (0 wins, 4 losses entering the game) hitless through 4 innings before conceding 4 singles amongst the first 5 batters of the 5th inning and giving way to RHP Yeferson Tales (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 WP, 0 Ks) who threw a wild pitch and gave up a single to allow both inherited runners to score, tying the game 4-4.

With the game still knotted 4-4, the Crew drew 2 walks to open the 7th inning but a ground ball double play helped fizzle that threat before 17-year old Jean (JC) Rodriguez (2 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 WP, 2 Ks) entered for his career debut. A double, wild pitch and sacrifice fly gave the Athletics a 5-4 lead, but 1B Frederi Montero’s 2-out RBI single in the top of the 8th inning tied it up again at 5-5.

A 3-run homer by the A’s Kevin Dume with one out in the bottom of the 8th inning essentially put the game to rest. Three Dos hitters each struck out swinging in the top of the 9th inning to end it.

Each of 2B Kevin Ereu and right fielder Pedro Tovar had 2 hits, but (sorry to be a downer) Ereu was caught stealing twice and both of Tovar’s hits were of the infield variety.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Tuesday, the farm teams have 7 games, including the DSL squads kicking things off at 10:00am CST.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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[Joseph Zarr]

I have to say putting forth two eight-run in innings and losing is quite the feat. An instant ACL classic.