Thurs. 9/19: Shuckers Try and Stave Off Elimination; Sounds Matinee

[Jim Goulart]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Thursday.

Organizational Scoreboard

MiLB Audio Links

[Brian]

https://www.milb.com/mississippi/news/jacob-misiorowski-thriving-in-relief-for-nashville-sounds

 

[Ro Mueller]

After 2 walk-off defeats in Norfolk yesterday evening, AAA Nashville is right back at it this afternoon, led by 22-year old RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (4.58 ERA with 125 Ks in 123.2 IP). SS Vinny Capra has a 7-game hitting streak and is hitting .381 in his last 63 PAs.

[Ro Mueller]

To the offense's credit, they pushed across 4 runs in the middle innings to take leads of 3-1 and 4-3 on a homer (Roller), 2 doubles (Arroyo, Clarke) and 2 singles (Mejia, Black).

However, Arroyo had an error to lead off the bottom of the 6th inning, when CF Rodriguez really needed the defense's support to get through his final inning of the season. Two hits followed to tie the game 3-3 before Roller's 7th inning shot.

Then MLB 40-man rosterees RHP Elvis Peguero and LHP Tyler Jay combined to allow 5 runs in 2 innings on 4 hits and 4 walks, so the Sounds fell 8-4 to drop their third straight game of this week's series.

I would guess we won't see Peguero until 2025 Spring Training and Jay's hold on that 40-man MLB roster spot may be tenuous given the pressure to protect other players from free agency or the Rule 5 draft.

Of course, we traded respectable 5th year RHP TJ Shook for the 30-year old Jay, who'd been outrighted before, so we probably acquired him with the intent to transform him in the pitching lab this offseason. I assume we've tasked him with throwing harder than he had in Syracuse (6.5 K/9 with a 30 K / 4 BB ratio) given the spike in strikeouts in a short Nashville sample (11.2 K/9 with a 19 K / 8 BB ratio). His velocity peaked at 95.2mph today.

[Stealofhome]

Cooper Pratt's AA debut tonight?

[Ro Mueller]

20-year old SS Cooper Pratt makes his AA debut as Biloxi aims to stave off elimination in its Best-of-3 Division Series at Montgomery. RHP KC Hunt (quite possibly the Brewers’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year - 2.12 ERA with 139 Ks in 102 IP) gets the critical start. Go Shuckers!! 

[wiguy94]

Brock Wilken was about a half step away from grounding into a triple play after O'Rae and Pratt reached on a BB and HBP. Instead it's a double play removing both O'Rae and Pratt.

[Ro Mueller]

After 4 walks and an HBP in their first 8 batters (but alas, no runs), it’s C Nick Kahle who delivers the first big hit! 2-0 Shuckers early: 

 

[biedergb]

I like the first 4 innings that KC Hunt has provided. He has been a gamer so far this year, and this first half of this game needed that so far. He has definitely proven he is a prospect.

[biedergb]

I think KC Hunt is close to becoming one of my favorite pitchers (Miz, Henderson, and Yoho likely make up a solid top 3), but Hunt has been a bulldog most of this season and along with Shane Smith and Manuel Rodriguez make up my next tier of pitching favorites. We have a nice pipeline of potential MLB pitchers.

And I love how KC Hunt pitched in the playoff clinching game.

I haven't had a chance to actually watch as much tonight, but what I did view has been classic 2024 KC Hunt

[biedergb]

Huge inning by the SHuckers offense.

Got 3 runs across. That is hopefully what we need to force a game 3.

Please let's keep the momentum going Biloxi.

[markedman5]

6 scoreless for Hunt ….nice

[biedergb]

pitch #81 (edited - sorry it was not #80) was hammered, but like most of the night, just did not get enough. And now 2 outs in the 7th. Hunt has not allowed hard contact, and just did, but the batter just missed it. I'll take it

Two pitches later, it's 7 scoreless for "bulldog"

[biedergb]

Biloxi 45-9 this season when they score 5 runs. Pitching has been good for them, the offense when it clicks can make it so they just don't lose. When the offense doesn't click (which is a lot of the season) they struggle.

I like that they put up runs tonight. Let's go Shuckers

 

[biedergb]

call strike 3 inner half fastball, and Taylor is out. And with that KC Hunt gets the 2nd out in the 8th!!

92 pitches.  Bulldog. What a start. 7.2 scoreless innings, 0BB!

Pena now goes to the bullpen - Blake Holub in.

[biedergb]

C'mon Blake

Walks the first batter. Then a flare single to CF. It's now 5-1. Hunt was not scoreless after all.

Blake needs to get the last out and get out of this dang inning. Don't want to give any life to this Biscuits club.

[wiguy94]

Holub might actually blow this. He can't throw a good pitch to save his life right now.

[biedergb]

Gotta get another reliever up and ready. R. Smith, Costello, Childers?

[biedergb]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

Holub might actually blow this. He can't throw a good pitch to save his life right now.

He is wild right now. Oh boy...

But a huge ground out. Nice hustle by O'Rae to get to the ball, and make the throw to get the uber speedy Simpson.

Phew 😓

[Joseph Zarr]

I just knew Hunt would shine. That man is a killer. A straight killer.

What am absolute STEAL of an UDFA.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Hunt has just been so good this year.

[wiguy94]

Surprised they brought Holub back out after how shaky he looked in the 8th.

[wiguy94]

Shuckers win! KC Hunt thank you for the greatness!

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Surprised they brought Holub back out after how shaky he looked in the 8th.

I just don't understand why Pena won't use Molina!

.

[biedergb]

An error by Pratt to start the 9th.

And Holub goes deep in the count to his next batters, but gets a  fly out and a K.

One out away. They are going to ride HOlub to save the bullpen for game 3. Let's get the out here. And it's a grounder to O'Rae

SERIES TIED

On to game 3. Let's go Shuckers!!