Tue. 7/23 - Nashville Home, Other Full-Season Squads Travel

[Joseph Zarr]

He has now fallen to 3-1 to the Wahoos number 9 hitter. AND, he walks him on another uncompetitive pitch. High heater. Fifth walk. Ugly ugly ugly outing.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, the ugly gets even uglier. 0-2 count. He loses control of a heater and plunks the batter on his shoulder - high and inside to a lefty. Yikes. That would have been a Southern League record tying WP (5th) if he didn't plunk him. RHP Kaleb Bowman is suddenly rushing his warm up in the Pen. 2-0 Pensacola. One down. Bases still juiced. 

[Joseph Zarr]

HEY now! A Tyler Black fantastic defensive stop at 1B. That a way, Tyler! He made a fantastic diving stab on a very hard hit deep one hopper down the 1B line. Realllllly athletic and clean look there. 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND Miller continues to not do a single thing to help Miz. He threw an outside slider. BUT, his catcher has to do better on that one. It will be scored his 5th WP BUT that was once again just lazy form. He reached for it. Never moved his body. First time in 9 years a Southern League pitcher will be credited with 5 WP. 3-0 Wahoos.

[Joseph Zarr]

You pair Miz's absolute wild and discombobulated outing with Miller's inadequacies catching his stuff with a catcher inexplicably tightening the zone in key moments...and you get this disaster of an outing. Whewwwww. This one hurts to watch. He doesn't get the call on a gorgeous breaking ball on the outer black. AND, he walks the bases back full. 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, if I'm not mistaken there. Miz had words for his catcher before he was pulled. AND, I absolutely do not blame hime. Miller was quite poor throughout his work. Pretty sure he had words for him after repeatedly leaving him out to dry. Moment can be seen (I could be wrong here - could it be about that last call?) 2:20:48 on the review. Miz is ticked. I don't blame him. He wasn't sharp, no. BUT, he got no help behind the plate from either department. Upon second review, that may be explicitly about that blown strike 3 call there (which was absolutely tanked by the ump). Let's give him the benefit of the doubt - he cast that at the home plate ump. 

[Joseph Zarr]

SO, it will be recorded as 84 total pitches with only 45 strikes. 6 BB. 5 WP. 4 K. 3 1/3 IP. I believe the operative term would be 'YIKES'. That works. There is greater context, as per usual here - catching and homeplate squeeze - but Miz ultimately takes the brunt of this absolutely. 

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, Bowman adds to the walk party. A full count no doubt low and inside ball four. He walks a runner in. 4-0 Shuckers trail in this first game ugly fest.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND the home plate ump squeezes Bowman on a very clear strike 3 on the outer black. My goodness. This guy. That was a K looking. No matter. Now it's 2-2 count. bases stil juiiced. AND, just like that an oppo liner single scores another. Bases stay juiced. 5-0. This game is now turning obscene. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, in Beloit, Cornielle just escaped a bases juiced one down situation by getting out of it. 1-0 T-Rats. Nice escape act!

[Joseph Zarr]

Bowman just getting tagged now. He gives up another hard hit RBI single to RF. That was a hard hit liner. 10th batter to the dish now. Still only 1 down. 6-0 game. All runs charged to Miz, naturally. Bowman not doing any favors there. AND, mercifully, he gets the DP to end it. Jeepers. That was as rough as it gets.

[Joseph Zarr]

Lost in all the hooplah above, as well, was CF Joey Wiemer's web gem diving grab to end the third frame:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey, a nice defensive play from Darrien Miller and EBJ end a runner on threat. A pretty CS - a decent throw but an even better catch and tag by EBJ. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Chirinos opens the T-Rats 5th with an inside out oppo line drive two-bagger deep into the RF corner. Noice! 1-0 T-Rats. Nobody down. 

Meanwhile, Wilken just flew out ona. hard hit line drive deep to the LF warning track. One down. Cargo at 1B. Top of the 6th. They still trail 6-0. Bowman gave way to LHP Nate Peterson with two down in the 5th.

[Joseph Zarr]

Two plus plays at 1B from Black now after the early error. LOVE it. He gets Woessner out of two on one down trouble with a corral, step on the bag, and accurate dart to 2B for the inning ending DP. Fantastic.

[Joseph Zarr]

Peterson 0-0 absolute  belt level hanger (he absolutely does this) to the Wahoos most dangerous long ball threat C Paul McIntosh. Crushed for a two-run jack over the LF wall. 8-0 Wahoos.

[Joseph Zarr]

The rain is pouring down in Salem and the tarps are being pulled. That's a top of the 7th rain delay. Muddies lead 9-4. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Lara hits an oppo flare poke right onto the LF foul line and it caroms off the wall in an awkward fashion. He gets to 2nd base. A run scores. It's 2-0 T-Rats. Let's go!

[Joseph Zarr]

Wiemer continues to be immune to using challenges. He takes a K looking on an inside change-up. Very very challenge-able pitch. He takes the second out instead with Hicklen at 2B in a 4-2 deficit in the bottom of the 6th. The Sounds had both challenges remaining. I don't get it. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Tie game in Beloit suddenly. Costello just gave up a two-run 100 mph liner just over the RF wall. We are back to square. 2-2. Top of 7th. Nobody down for Beloit.

[Joseph Zarr]

Costello has now given up the lead. 3-2 Sky Carp. Double. Man on 2nd base. Nobody out. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey, say what we want about this ugly Shuckers Game 1 in Pensacola. They are putting together a min-rally in the ninth. They've plated 4. They trail 8-4. Two down. Man on first with O'Rae up to the dish. Never say die, baby.

[Joseph Zarr]

O'Rae K's swinging to end the mini-threat. Shuckers lose 8-4. 

[Joseph Zarr]

After my delicious words of praise only 24 hours before...(why not take credit here? I'm a Fan 'Boy', after all! 🤭 OK Middle Aged yacko. Fine! )

Eric Bitonti has ripped a dub and his 8th HR. 2-for-2, 1 R, 2 RBI. Responsible for it all in an early 2-0 lead. 

GET HIM TO ZEBULON FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

[Joseph Zarr]

He'll be credited for a first batter fly out to shallow LF. BUT, Maldonado was robbed of a K looking. So so often the Minor League ledger does not tell the story of what happened. Remember, these are very much Minor League umps as well.