Tues. 9/03 - Carolina and Wisconsin Begin Final Series Before Playoffs; Biloxi Clings to 1/2 G Playoff Lead

[Joseph Zarr]

LHP Jesus Broca came aboard and struck out the side. Pretty dominant inning. You love to see it! Love these young lefties in the Mudcats bullpen. To a man.

[Ro Mueller]

Still no Connor Scott. I’m definitely feeling some daunt. The AA Shuckers need to grab a road win at Angels’ affiliate Rocket City behind RHP Nick Merkel (3.23 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 10.1 K/9 in 69.2 IP) to avoid an 0-2 series hole. C Darrien Miller and 2B Ethan Murray enter for Nick Kahle and Dylan O’Rae. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Broca has 5 outs through 1 2/3 IP. All K'd. Yowza. Just got his fifth on a gorgeous dipping inside change-up.

Meanwhile, RHP Chad Patrick is struggling in his 3rd inning. 27 pitches already. RHP Ryan Middendorf is up in the Pen. It's 4-2 Stripers. He gets the K to end the inning, however, and will get an opportunity to finish four frames. Not a sharp outing. 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Easton McGee pitched a clean 1-2-3 inning of relief in the top of the 4th. OF Chris Roller just tied the game with a 2-run HR over the LF wall. Crushed that pitch. 4-4 game. His 2nd HR in the past couple of weeks.

[Joseph Zarr]

Good news: Columbus lost to Durham

Good news: Sounds could move within 4.0 G with a win tonight

Bad news: The Sounds are competing with four other teams within 4.5 G or less 

The realistic take: The playoffs are a massive long shot

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Stiven Cruz has been a crucial piece of this Wisconsin pitching staff in the second half. He is pitching into the 6th inning tonight in a 0-0 game. He has taken every role in 2024 and run with it. Heck of a bounce back season. 

[Joseph Zarr]

This is a night-and-day improvement in this outing so far for RHP Easton McGee. Just pounding the zone in his second frame.

Meanwhile, in Cedar Rapids. Hedbert Perez misplays a gather on a two out grounder through the hole to LF and fails to challenge the runner at home plate. That's the second time I've seen him botch that play in a key spot since he's returned. 1-0 Kernels take the lead. That can't happen. He's a better fielder than that and he actually has a plus arm. Has to field that cleanly and make the attempt at home plate. In a 0-0 game this misplay can't happen - especially in an upcoming playoff series. There is absolutely a play to be made here:

[Joseph Zarr]

Muddies win 11-3. Nice way to rebound from the Shuckers depressing game one loss. Shuckers lead 1-0 in the bottom of the third but they have runners on the corners with one down. 

[Joseph Zarr]

A SB. A walk. The bases are juiced for the Trash Pandas. One down. Merkel behind in a 2-1 count. Grounder force out at home. Two down. 
 

Meanwhile, Isaac Collins just ripped a deep gapper triple to the right CF wall to plate Roller off the rehabbing Ynoa. It's 5-4 Sounds baby. 

[Joseph Zarr]

First pitch to the next batter, Merkel hangs an outside breaking ball and it is lined into shallow left CF. 2-1 Trash Pandas. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Ethan Murray with a really rough inning at 2B. Botched an earlier DP ball failing to tag the runner but also failing to throw to 1B when the runner clearly ran outside the base path. Only gets the one out at 2B. Fails to cover 1B on a grounder to 1B on the force out at home - no DP possible. Botches a grounder off his chest with two on and two down trailing 2-1. Then hestitates and double pumps before finally throwing home and short hops the throw anyway. Miller fails to catch off the bounce and it goes to the backstop. 3-1 Trash Pandas.

As I've been saying: this Shuckers team is playing more like a last place team than a team miraculously clinging to a 1/2 G lead for the second half berth. They are sloppy and making routine mistakes left-and-right. Pair that with the offense? Recipe for a playoff fade.

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, Felix Valerio just ripped a two-run bomb over the LF wall. It's 2-1 T-Rats late in the top of the 8th.

Sounds have added two more and the bases are juiced. A pitching change is upon us. 7-4 Sounds.

[Joseph Zarr]

Lamar Sparks double off the RF wall. Two out Zavi Warren single through the right-hand side. 3-2 Trash Pandas. The Shuckers get a run back.

WP scores another Sound. 8-4 game. Cargo then walks. Bases juiced again.

[Joseph Zarr]

The Stripers pitching staff has thrown 11 consecutive balls and a WP. Two consecutive four pitch walks with a run-scoring WP in there. Then a 3-0 count. Now a full count.

[biedergb]

33 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

RHP Stiven Cruz has been a crucial piece of this Wisconsin pitching staff in the second half.

Nice outing. That's a big plus. He can a SP or swing/long reliever. 

[biedergb]

What a deep deep sac fly for Navaretto. Knocks in another run. 9-4 Sounds!

[Joseph Zarr]

Nava missed a grand slam by about a 1/2" on the barrel. My goodness. He rips a laser sac fly to the wall instead. 9-4 Sounds.

[Joseph Zarr]

Dorrian rips an absolute rocket down the RF wall. AND, it's foul. Man, he and Nava have absolutely crushed some balls.

[biedergb]

7 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Meanwhile, Felix Valerio just ripped a two-run bomb over the LF wall.

Wait - I'm not watching, but Gameday has it as a HR by Eduardo Garcia..... 

[Joseph Zarr]

I have to say I feel very very affirmed seeing RHP Jeferson Figueroa finally getting the call up to High-A after being a workhorse for Carolina the past several seasons. AND, seeing him rise up and meet the promotion with skill and impact just feels awesome. Really proud of this young man for sticking with it and validating what my eyes saw.

[Joseph Zarr]

Another steal off of C Darrien Miller puts a runner in scoring position. Doesn't get any easier either. High heater upper outside corner brought Miller right into a set stance. He just doesn't have the arm. 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, biedergb said:

Wait - I'm not watching, but Gameday has it as a HR by Eduardo Garcia..... 

Very much was Valerio

[Joseph Zarr]

Paredes looks fantastic in tonight's rehab outing for Nashville. Sitting 95 and touching 97 on the sinker. He K's his final batter on an inside dipping slider. 1-2-3 inning of work.

[biedergb]

I believe you. But here is what the Gameday gremlins have:

🤷‍♂️

Meanwhile Murray makes a good play and the Shuckers keep it a one run game Trash Pandas 3-2.
Sounds like some uncertainty on how the 3rd run scored for Rocket City. But Shuckers still in it and need to get some bats going and some runs in

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, biedergb said:

I believe you. But here is what the Gameday gremlins have:

🤷‍♂️

Meanwhile Murray makes a good play and the Shuckers keep it a one run game Trash Pandas 3-2.
Sounds like some uncertainty on how the 3rd run scored for Rocket City. But Shuckers still in it and need to get some bats going and some runs in

Nothing to say there other than: Very wrong 😅 Unless Garcia shrunk by about 6" and is wearing a Felix Valerio costume.