Sat. 8/17 - KC and his Sunshine Band hit the Stage in Biloxi

[Jim Goulart]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Saturday. 

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In honor of KC Hunt pitching in Biloxi tonight, enjoy (especially those of an older generation), the most glorious three minutes of video to kick off your Saturday:

 

[biedergb]

DSL-2 boys were getting down today, and playing that funky victory music to the tune of a 4-2 win.

Frandy Lafond continues to lead the offense without his usual bandmates. He was 1-3 with a 2B and an RBI

Christopher Peralta orchestrated a nice start, going 4 IP with 1K, 1BB and 1 hit, and no runs.

Montero dancing on the basepaths with a SB and a PO, although the defense was not in harmony with 4 errors!

 

Hopeful that the victory vibes continue in the evening and keep up the winning beats.

[Ro Mueller]

RHP Mitch White makes his second start for AAA Nashville, looking to repeat his terrific Sunday effort (5 IP, 0 R, 7 Ks). The Sounds have dropped 3 of 4 games at Durham. DH Wes Clarke has a 14-game on-base streak. 

[Ro Mueller]

Biloxi also finds itself in a 3-1 series hole at home against Mississippi. 24-year old RHP KC Hunt makes his 2nd start in AA ball (5.1 IP, 1 R, 8 Ks last week). 23-year old DH Darrien Miller is first in OPS (.406), 3rd in walks (57) and first in HBP (26) in the Southern League. 

[wiguy94]

Mitch White follows up his great start last week by not even getting out of the 1st inning today. That's a bummer.

[Ro Mueller]

19-year old Bryan Rivera was fabulous in his first start for Low-A Carolina last week (6 IP, 0 R, 9 Ks) and they look to him now to grab a win and a 3-2 series lead at Delmarva. CF Yophery Rodriguez is 4th in triples, 8th in RBIs and 10th in hits in the Carolina League. 

[Ro Mueller]

Wisconsin and Peoria resumed Friday‘s game from the top of the 5th inning with the Timber Rattlers leading 1-0.

RHP Jeferson Figueroa came in to replace Alexander Cornielle, retiring the first 6 Chiefs he faced before doing well to only allow 1 run in his 3rd inning of work despite the first 3 batters reaching base in that frame.

DH Blake Burke also exited in favor of Jose Acosta.

CF Eduardo Garcia produced a big 7th inning, 2-run double to grab the lead back at 3-1. SS Cooper Pratt had thrown out a runner at home to support Figueroa, then added an RBI single to score Garcia.

The lead is now up to 6-1 in the 8th inning, with another contest to follow between these clubs later tonight.

[biedergb]

It's a final in Wisconsin. 8-1 TRats win, Pratt, H. Perez and Wood with 2 H, and Wood on base all 4 times (2 BB and 2 H). Wood and Perez each tripled

Meanwhile as noted above the Mitch White experiment continues to not go so well.

Mudcats have an early lead.

[biedergb]

Yoho - easy work of the first batter. 3 pitches and a strike out.

Then. Wow. Craig Yoho - victimized by a bloop, with a runner running, and a single. Then a hard hit ball for a base hit. Ooof. Two hits in a row, that's not common with him. But get the next guy swinging.

And uncharacteristic walk on 4 straight. THen a deep fly ball, but Roller hauls it in. Phew.

[biedergb]

Baez doubles. And gets to third on a WP.

But Bitonti K, DiTuri pops out, and Castillo Ks looking.

It's still 3-1 lead, but the potential to get some easy runs with a runner at third and no out.

With the late inning offense of Delmarva this week - I worry this missed run will come back to haunt the Mudcats.

Meanwhile Sounds still trail 7-4; And Biloxi just underway

[biedergb]

Bryan Rivera going well, but pitch count getting to him. After walking a man in the 5th looks like he will get the hook ... not yet, but soon. But another walk and I think that's all he wrote.

Yoho escapes a jam after Brewer killer Tristan Peters triples, but a ground out gets the runner. Then gets a beautfiul swinging K.

Meanwhile KC Hunt looking human, after a scoreless first. Gives up a homer and then a single. But a grounder gets the first out.

[Ro Mueller]

The High-A Timber Rattlers have won 3 straight and can clinch a home series win over Peoria with one more victory. 22-year old RHP Stiven Cruz is making his 2nd start of 2024, coming off 2 solid relief outings (6.1 IP, 2 R, 6 Ks). 

[Ro Mueller]

Pitching Aaron Ashby on 2 days’ rest… 

[biedergb]

Durow comes in and gives up a hit to the first batter then walks then next to bring in a run. And a WP and 2 runs score. Game getting away from Carolina.

Meanwhile Ashby in for Nashville after Yoho was able to get out of the prior inning.

[Ro Mueller]

4 minutes ago, Ro Mueller said:

Pitching Aaron Ashby on 2 days’ rest… 

Worked out. The first 5 pitches weren’t close (walk) and the next batter had a bunt single, but 2 swinging Ks and a ground out ended that threat. Sounds still trail 7-4, going into the 8th.

[biedergb]

It is a 4 run inning for Delmarva who storms to the lead 5-3.

Ashby looked off for the first two hitter - a walk and a soft grounder hit.

But the next three batters looked completely off balance. The slider and a curve were sharp. He gets 2K and a ground out. Impressive inning for AA.

Meanwhile Biloxi squanders a chance to get a run, and KC Hunt now hits the first batter.

TRats game two is one but haven't watche it yet

[biedergb]

Wow for Hunt. He hits the first batter, then gets a K. Then a DP ball, but EBJ fumbles it so only two out and a runner on. Then a WP, or was it. It seemed to hit the batter who walked to first believing it was a HBP. But the umps looked lost and call it a WP and the runner on first is on third. Just wild

But  it gets crazier - on a swinging strike, an ump ruled that someone called time. What? And it's back to 2-0 count.

KC Hunt having to work and learn here, and he does some beautiful pitches including that elite slider and it's a K and out of the inning. Nice work.

Middendorf in for Ashby for Nashville.

TRats escape a jam, and it's still 0-0

Muddies can't get a run back so it's still 5-3 Shorebirds.

[biedergb]

13 minutes ago, Ro Mueller said:

Worked out. The first 5 pitches weren’t close (walk) and the next batter had a bunt single, but 2 swinging Ks and a ground out ended that threat. Sounds still trail 7-4, going into the 8th.

I just want to echo. AA looked off the first two batters, particularly the walk. This looked like May/June Ashby where he was locked in for an inning but then could not command well and leads to innings getting out of control.

But the final three batters he looked like what he was back in 2021. His consistency is the key, and command will get you there. If he can harness the slider and a curve (or what the announcer called it), and not be too wild or groove the fastball, he can be a good 1-2 inning reliever.

[biedergb]

Hunt has the stuff. But he is a little wild. Another WP advances a runner. If he can command a little better his elite stuff will move quickly.

Then two hard hits, and it's a 3 run lead against the Shuckers.

Of note, O'Rae has the range to get to balls, but his arm is subpar. The first "hit" of the inning was due to runner speed and lack of arm strength. For his offense and defense he needs to hit the weight room in the offseason.

Meanwhile - TRat strike first with a beautiful gapper by Lara, Then Pratt reaches on an error.

[biedergb]

Former major league position player David Fletcher the knuckleballl pitcher for M-Braves and making the Shuckers look foolish.

Stiven Cruz gets out of a jam by a very nice defensive play by Luke Adams. Ranged to his left and made a solid throw, he defends better than you would expect.

[brewmann04]

Ashby and Yoho really stepped up 

[biedergb]

And Hunt has a great probable last inning. Hes at 80 pitches. 8 strikeouts. Strong outing. The 3 runs allowed were a HR well hit, and 2B well hit but not defended well and a ball that just got down the line fair. I think he had 3 or 4 hard hits and all came back to haunt him. Command needs some work to make sure he is more consistent batter to batter or inning to inning. His velocity is only 92, but he has a great slider.

[biedergb]

Hold your horses ... Hunt out for the 6th. Oh my. Let's see if he can make it through the inning. Pitch count will work against him.

[biedergb]

And yes that ends the night for KC. He got an out in the 6th, but a walk, and then a grounder right up the middle and the pitch count at 93.

I do wonder if getting him out after 5th was the best call. Or it was a test to see if he had it in him to close the deal.

Still 3-0 MBraves lead. Merkel in to keep it close.

Nashville went final a bit ago, losing 7-4, but nice relief work by Yoho and Ashby.

Mudcats still down, now 7-3 in the 8th.

And TRats clinging to a 2-1 lead. Stiven Cruz still out there in the at 60 pitches, but rain is out so may have a delay soon. 2 outs now. And hopefully Cruz can end the 4th in style.

[biedergb]

Did I say style - how about a caught stealing with a great throw and beautiful tag by Pratt. OK Cruz through 4.

Merkel gets a FC, for the 2nd out. And the the K!!! Awesome job Nick. Hunt off the hook. It's still a 3-0 deficit, but could have been worse. Let's get the offense going boys