Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/17): T-Rats Take Early Lead but Fizzle in Game Two Loss; Shuckers Get Walloped in Game One

Joseph Zarr · September 18, 2024

With the Sounds postponed due to rain, it was a full on post-season fanfest between the Timber Rattlers and Shuckers. Wisconsin played some inspired ball early despite the struggles of RHP Alexander Cornielle but ultimately fizzled as the game progressed. The Shuckers, with a mostly empty home ballpark despite the playoff Game 1, were pounced on early and they never recovered in a mostly uninspired effort. Let's get into the report!

Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic

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INF Owen Miller has been added to the Temporarily Inactive List by the Nashville Sounds

Final: Montgomery (Rays) 9, Biloxi 2

Via the Shuckers' website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Shuckers Fall in Game One of SLDS to Biscuits - Martinez and Warren Both Hit Solo Homers

Box Score / Game Log

Pre-Game Media Notes

LHP Tate Kuehner had executed two stellar starts agains the Biscuits over the past month - one on the road and one at home. Despite some recent struggles, the matchup felt like a favorable one. Tonight was not one of those stellar starts, sadly. Kuehner was pounced on from the get go in a game one loss. His final line reads: 3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 6 R (5 ER). 80 total pitches. 51 strikes. This being said, the vast majority of the damage done during Kuehner's total work came during his first frame. A three-run homer and a run-scoring double did the heavy lifting. O'Rae's first of two throwing errors did Kuehner no favors either helping the fifth run cross home plate. And, as to the sixth and final run I don't know if you can do much about this:

Tip the cap to Tanner Murray. That's just a heck of a hit.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. has been a hot topic over the past day plus in the Minor League forum. And, for good reason. He continues to be the most consistent player on the Shuckers roster. He's been healthy and available - this young man hasn't missed a game since September of 2022. And, he's only gotten better as the season has progressed. If we're being openly honest: he's only gotten better as the past two seasons have progressed. All I can say, dear Brewers organization: just go ahead and find a way to keep this young man in the organization.

109 mph off the bat and over 440 feet of distance. This young man is an absolute menace. There has to be a way he is prioritized in the early off-season. He routinely hits some of the hardest balls in the entire system. What isn't shown in any highlight? He also took a first pitch heater just below his kneecap in the ensuing AB. He shook it off immediately and jogged with purpose down the 1B line. The umpires gathered. With the Biscuits leading 7-1 and their new reliever having thrown one pitch, they tossed RHP Evan Reifert. They then tossed the Biscuits manager. I ask you, dear Brewers: What can't young Ernesto Martinez Jr. do for a ball club?!🤭

2) 3B Brock Wilken missed a long ball in the AB prior the above Martinez long ball by about a mere single foot left of the left field foul pole. I still have no idea how the ball hooked foul. He then struck out looking on a sinker on the outer black. In the next AB, with two down and runners on 1st and 2nd, Wilken flew out harmlessly to center field on an 0-1 inside heater. In his final AB, Wilken struck out again versus a lefty taking several massive upper cut swings he was nowhere near close to hitting. It felt about the most metaphorical sequence I could imagine for Wilken's season as a whole. I can't think of a more talented player in the system who simply needs an off-season reset. So much talent in his bag. And, his 2024 season has mostly been a struggle since the HBP off the face.

3) I have to say, for the first post-season appearance at home since 2019, the Shuckers ballpark was mostly empty and lifeless. It's certainly fair to say the team didn't give the fans all that much reason to be raucous as the game wore on. However, it's truly remarkable to see such little fanfare given the Shuckers won the season series over Montgomery 16-14. One would think there would be more energy given the circumstances - no Brewers Double-A affiliate has won their League Championship since 1994! I can only wonder how it feels to the players and the clubhouse at large. It's just not a good look.

Final: Lake County (Guardians) 6, Wisconsin 2,

Lake County Pushes Rattlers to Game Three in Championship Series - T-Rats Drop 6-2 Decision in Game Two

Box Score / Game Log

Pre-Game Media Notes

RHP Alexander Cornielle was in a mighty struggle with his location from the jump. His heater was riding high and outside with excessive arm side run reminding me of a slice off the tee box beyond the fairway and into deep rough. He was hanging breaking balls over the meat of the plate. He had bases loaded traffic in his first two frames. Given the circumstances, it was clear manager Victor Estevez was trying to salvage his bullpen and stretch Cornielle as long as he could. Ultimately, he managed to push him to 3 2/3 IP of 7 H, 3 BB, 1 HB, 2 K, 1 HR, 3 ER ball. The home run was the killer as it put the T-Rats behind 3-2. They would never recover. This was not the Cornielle we had seen over his past 20 plus innings pitched. He, unfortunately, did not meet the moment. I'm sure he'll ponder how it all got away from him in his final test of his 2024 season.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) We've seen some very aggressive sends over the past two games from manager (and, by proxy, third base coach) Victor Estevez. It took a perfect throw from the left field grass to get 2B Jadher Areinamo going for the tie game in the top of the fifth, but a perfect throw is what the Lake County Captains got:

The game got away from the T-Rats from there. Unlike the send in Game 2 versus the River Bandits, I agreed with this send by Estevez. The lefty Wilkinson had kept the T-Rats bats mostly under wraps and he has been one of the more dominant starters in all of the Midwest League. You take your chances and go with the speedy Areinamo there who nearly slid under the tag despite the fantastic throw.

2) After looking completely outmatched and completely overzealous in his first AB, we have to celebrate the remarkably professional AB's we saw from young RF Yophery Rodriguez in the clip above and in the clip below:

In his first AB, Rodriguez was swinging at pitches high and inside at his eyes from the jump. In his second and third AB's, he was patient; selective; and pounced in a lefty-vs-lefty match-up facing one of the more dominant starters in the entire 2024 Minor League season. This was in-game maturation the likes I haven't seen from the young outfielder in quite some time. It was, perhaps, the most refreshing thing I witnessed in my entire night watching both affiliates. I've watched a lot of Rodriguez AB's in 2024. These may have been his most impressive AB's I've seen. That's saying quite a lot given the circumstances.

3) In an 0-for-2 night, 3B Luke Adams still managed to get on base twice via HBP's and he stole his fifth base of the series in the process. Those were his 42nd and 43rd HBP's in his 2024 season. It's just an incredible number. I don't know if we can consider this a translatable skill but it certainly shows you Adams is entirely unafraid to literally take one for his team.

In what is my penultimate Minor League report of the 2024 season (I can't believe I'm writing those words!), I'm feeling many things Brewers baseball related as the season comes to a close. Perhaps @Spencer Michaelisand I need to do a deep dive season-ending Brewers Minor League recap pod under the Brewer Fanatic banner. Who knows? The T-Rats will look to try to end their season with some Championship hardware tomorrow night. RHP Will Rudy will take the bump to start things off and I would like to remind manager Victor Estevez: LHP Mason Molina is a very impactful pitcher. Please feel free to use this young man as your change-of-pace lefty piggy-back. 😊 What do I know? I'm just a gentleman farmer who watches too much Minor League baseball. The Sounds will return in an attempt to play a double-header at Norfolk as shown above.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Milwaukee Brewers Minor League baseball and the many players deserving of our time and recognition.

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