Wed. 8/28 - Can Biloxi and Nashville Bounce Back from Lopsided Game 1 Losses?

[Joseph Zarr]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Wednesday.

** Reminder: Timber Rattlers play a mid day matinee ** 

Organizational Scoreboard

MiLB Audio Links

[Joseph Zarr]

With the T-Rats matinee on our mid-week docket, let's take a look at their line-up card submitted this morning. We see RHP Stiven Cruz will take to the bump for his third consecutive start as he continues, like LHP Mark Manfredi, to serve as a Swiss Army knife for manager Victor Estevez's pitching staff. After not starting a single game through the first three months of the season, Cruz has now started three games over the past two months (today being the fourth). CF Luis Lara is back atop the line-up card batting lead-off with LF Hedbert Perez batting sixth - he has been a real boon to the T-Rats clubhouse since returning from injury. The remainder of the line-up is largely carry-over from game 1 but we do see C Matt Wood returning behind the dish replacing C Ramón Rodríguez. The T-Rats will try to jump to a 2-0 series lead while also trying to further damage Quad Cities' playoff chances. The River Bandits remain 3.5 GB the T-Rats atop the MID West division but, as we know, in all reality they remain 1.0 G ahead of the Peoria Chiefs for that second half playoff berth.

 

[Ro Mueller]

Excellent job by Yerlin Rodriguez to help strand 2 baserunners inherited from Stiven Cruz with nobody out in the 5th inning (K swinging, K swinging, fly out).

Cruz had probably been pushed a bit too hard (84 pitches on 4 days’ rest) but did well to limit the River Bandits to 2 runs in 4 innings.

Quad Cities’ starter Henry Williams was dominant (4 shutout innings, 1 single, 0 walks; 34 strikes in 43 pitches), but he’s exited the game now so it’s time to blast off.

Timber Rattlers trail 2-0 in the 5th.

[Ro Mueller]

Singles from Chirinos, Hedbert (infield) and Felix Valerio (2-for-2, RBI) netted 1 run in the 5th.

But Yerlin conceded a run back in the top of the 6th (HBP, WP, RBI single). Still not a bad 2 innings from Yerlin (4 Ks).

T-Rays trail 3-1.

[Ro Mueller]

Terrific job by Bayden Root to bounce back from his 7 R (6 ER) in 1.2 IP effort 4 days ago, despite allowing 2 singles on 3 pitches to open the 7th inning.

He escapes (ground out, K swinging, BB, K swinging) to keep it a 3-1 deficit.

[Joseph Zarr]

35 minutes ago, Ro Mueller said:

But Yerlin conceded a run back in the top of the 6th (HBP, WP, RBI single). Still not a bad 2 innings from Yerlin (4 Ks).

T-Rays trail 3-1.

Is this the sister affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Snakes? (Asking for a fwiend)

[Joseph Zarr]

A friendly reminder, today's T-Rats post-game pod will likely have several injury and illness updates. Announcer Chris Mehring alluded to players being banged up and illness rearing its head. I imagine we will hear more details as we typically do in the first post-game pod of a Home series.

[Joseph Zarr]

The T-Rats entered their 8th inning 1-for-8 with RISP. They'll have another opportunity with one down. Lara walked. Garcia just singled to RF. Runners on 1st and 2nd. Areinamo to the dish (0-for-3, 1 K) with an opportunity to improve that 1-for-8 mark. T-Rats still trail 3-1.

[Joseph Zarr]

Welp, Areinamo hit into an inning-ending DP. Costello pitched a scoreless 2 K 9th. AND, the T-Rats went 3-up and 3-down to end it. Wood popped out to 3B foul territory. Chirinos K'd looking after an 8-pitch battle. And Perez grounded out to 2B. T-Rats lose 3-1. Series is tied 1-1.

[biedergb]

33 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

A friendly reminder, today's T-Rats post-game pod will likely have several injury and illness updates. Announcer Chris Mehring alluded to players being banged up and illness rearing its head. I imagine we will hear more details as we typically do in the first post-game pod of a Home series.

Yup. Adams (8/18), Pratt (8/23) and even T Hall (8/24) have missed some games.  Was Burke officially listed as IL? And did I miss anyone. Hope they are just recovering from minor issues.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, biedergb said:

Yup. Adams (8/18), Pratt (8/23) and even T Hall (8/24) have missed some games.  Was Burke officially listed as IL? And did I miss anyone. Hope they are just recovering from minor issues.

Yes. Burke was placed on the 7-Day IL retroactive to 8/25 (as indicated in both the 'Transactions Thread' and my Report this am 😉).

[biedergb]

While we are at it- did I miss something- are officially back in June as of yesterday?😉

(Jim had the Tuesday link Thread as 6/20 and todays is listed as 6/21).😂

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, biedergb said:

While we are at it- did I miss something- are officially back in June as of yesterday?😉

(Jim had the Tuesday link Thread as 6/20 and todays is listed as 6/21).😂

I don't know what you're talking about.🤭

We're just old, overworked, tired baseball enthusiasts. Who needs dates?!? It's Wednesday! 😅

[biedergb]

Yup - it’s back to the future …. Err … the present. Happy Wednesday. August 28th 😃

[Joseph Zarr]

Record-setting OF Brewer Hicklen and the Sounds will try to bounce back from yesterday's bullpen (read RHP Easton McGee) melt down to claim game 2. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez will try to pitch deep to give his Pen some rest. He's pitched generally very well over the past month. CF Isaac Collins returns to the line-up while LF Tyler Black is (thankfully) given a reprieve from handling 1B duties. We see 1B Wes Clarke moving out of his DH spot and handing those duties over to Owen Miller. C Brian Navarreto returns behind the dish. The Sounds will look to make it a 1-1 series tally after tonight.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Can the upstart Mudcats keep rolling? They jumped to a 1-0 series lead last night on the road @ Lynchburg. Can they jump to a 2-0 series lead? On the heels of a masterful RHP Daniel Corniel 6 1/3 IP start, we'll get our first professional glimpse of 2024 12th Rd pick (Mississippi State) RHP Tyson Hardin. Can Hardin have a RHP K.C. Hunt like impact? We can only hope. We'll see the standard 1-through-4 spots of late back in their stead: Yophery, Baez, Bitonti, Dinges. Di Turi and Guilarte will swap positions - 2B-to-SS, respectively. C Blayberg Diaz will look to buckle down and manage his throws to the base paths a bit better than we've seen of late. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

The playoff hopeful Biloxi Shuckers will look to bounce back from last night's shellacking to take game 2 at Home to their pesky nemesis in the Montgomery Biscuits. Are these Shuckers playoff hopefuls or pretenders? I honestly couldn't tell you. Despite leading by 2.5 G, it's fair to say the Shuckers haven't exactly inspired any confidence in the past two plus weeks. LHP Tate Kuehner will look to bounce back from his recent outing to return to the dominant form we've seen for the majority of his 2024 season. 2B Ethan Murray will take his improved output atop the line-up batting lead-up tonight. Of note, here, is the continued absence of 2B/CF Dylan O'Rae for the second consecutive game. RF Caleb Martin is back in the line-up while Connor Scott moves to DH. C Nick Kahle is back behind the dish. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

T-Rats Post-Game Pod IL and Injury Updates:

• RHP Aidan Maldonado feels like he may be back at some point this series
• Luke Adams and Cooper Pratt both trying to get back - been at the ball park. Chris talked to Luke yesterday. He's frustrated wants to be around to help the team but the goal is the post-season, it appears. 
• No definitive update of any kind on Burke's IL stint. Zero.
• No update whatsoever on Tayden Hall

[Joseph Zarr]

Bitonti 2-run Bomb. We back baby. Lefty-on-Lefty no less.

[Joseph Zarr]

Muddies really putting together solid AB's in the first frame. They are pushing the pitch count and lead 3-0. One down. Runners on 2nd and 3rd.

[Joseph Zarr]

FIrst look at Hardin. I'm excite! Always fun to see a new horse in the stables.

[Joseph Zarr]

Carlos F. Rodriguez opens his night with consecutive base runners reaching via walks. Yuck.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hardin is not dialed in the zone - just missing around the edges. He did just hit a batter in a 3-1 count on a heater that rode up and in to a righty. A line out to SS and a weak ground out to 2B previously. 

Carlos has now given up an RBI single to LF. Not sharp early whatsoever. Sounds trail 1-0. Men on 1st and 2nd. 

Hardin ends his frame with another weak ground out to 2B.

[Joseph Zarr]

Really poor start from Cargo. A start I've seen before in Triple-A. Can't locate off-speed early. Then hanging pitches left and right as he advances in the frame. Almost gave up a 3-run jack twice - one was a fly out to the CF warning track on a dead center heater. Lefty smacks a loud double off the wall. Hard hit grounder to 3B Dorrian made a really solid stab and throw on from near the shallow LF grass. Ugly first frame. Not sharp. Sounds trail 2-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

3-up and 3-down 2nd frame for the Muddies. 2 K's made it 4 straight then a Baez ground out to SS.