Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/14): A Pristine Tuesday as All Three Affiliates Score Convincing Victories

Transactions: 

• Milwaukee Brewers selected the contract of RF Greg Jones from Nashville Sounds.
• SS Jheremy Vargas assigned to Nashville Sounds from Biloxi Shuckers.
• C Tayden Hall assigned to Biloxi Shuckers from Wisconsin Timber Rattlers                  
• RHP Edwin Jimenez assigned to Biloxi Shuckers from ACL Brewers.

Nashville pre-game media notes
Nashville 9, Worcester (Red Sox) 4
Box Score

Worcester starter Patrick Sandoval did not look the part of a starting pitcher with 100 career MLB starts under his belt on Tuesday night. After Jett Williams singled to open the bottom of the first, Nashville would load the bases and score three runs without the aid of another hit. Jeferson Quero took a bases loaded HBP, before Brock Wilken and Eddys Leonard each plated runs on sac flies. Wilken, who made his first professional start at first base, (h/t to Ro in the MiLB forums) just missed a grand slam with his warning track flyout.

Quero and Wilken each drew bases loaded walks in the bottom of the second to stake the Sounds to an early five run lead. It felt like both teams were constantly batting with the bags full all night as there was a lot of traffic on the base paths. The Sounds left a whopping sixteen men on base, as they drew 11 walks and five HBP in addition to their nine hits.

The top of the order broke out in this game, leading the way for the Sounds to score a season-high nine runs. Luis Lara reached base five times with the HBP, walk, and three singles. Lara is now hitting .396 with a 1.058 OPS through his first 14 games at AAA.  All three of Lara’s hits were groundballs on Tuesday. Here’s one he managed to leg out:

Jett Williams was on base four times, scored twice, and drove in one on a grounder with the infield pulled in. Cooper Pratt drew three walks, scored three runs, and stole two bases. Quero drove in four runs, with just one hit, a two-run ground ball single, also with the infield pulled in during the fifth that made it 8-2 Sounds.

On the mound, the story was Shane Drohan facing and shutting down his former AAA teammates. Drohan (5.1IP 5H 2R 1ER 2BB 8K) retired the first seven men he faced, before getting tagged for a solo homer in the third. Drohan then ran into some trouble in the fourth after second baseman Freddy Zamora rushed a tailor-made double play ball, which should have ended the inning.  Instead, Worcester made Drohan work and were able to take advantage of the miscue with an unearned run. Drohan rebounded nicely with a nine-pitch fifth inning, which allowed him to be extended into the sixth inning. Here is his final strikeout on the night, courtesy of the Sounds’ X account:

Righthander Coleman Crow will seek his third straight win when he toes the slab on Wednesday night for the Sounds in game two.

Biloxi pre-game media notes
Biloxi 4, Columbus (Braves) 2
Box Score

As always, you are encouraged to read the official round-up from the team’s site: Three-run Second Inning Propels Shuckers Over Clingstones, 4-2

Manuel Rodriguez’s second start of the Southern League season got off to a surprising start in the first inning, when the Columbus leadoff man crushed a pitch off the top of the scoreboard in leftfield. It would turn out to be the only damage the Clingstones could muster against the righthander, as Rodriguez (4.2IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB 6K) would mostly cruise from there.

The Shuckers responded immediately in the top of the second by taking advantage of some poor defense from Columbus. After a one-out single from Dasan Brown, Dylan O’Rae reached after the Columbus second baseman let the ground ball scoot under his glove into left field on what should have been the third out. The relay throw was then bobbled, which allowed Brown to score from first on the play.  Eric Brown Jr. followed with a two-run home run, that would prove to be the difference in the game, courtesy of the Shuckers’ X account:

The Shuckers lead the Southern League in homers on the young season with 16.

O’Rae extended his hit streak to nine games and the Shuckers lead to 4-1 with a ground rule double in the sixth:

The Shuckers pen did their part with 4.1IP with just one run allowed, which came in on a wild pitch from Jesus Broca in the bottom of the eighth.

Jesus Made and Blake Burke each drew two walks and added two steals on the basepaths for the Shuckers. The 236-pound Burke is giving some Josh Naylor vibes with his instincts on the bases in his minor league career: after stealing 15 bags last year, Burke already has five this season.

The Shuckers will be back in action with the early first pitch at 10:00AM CT Wednesday for game two.

Wisconsin pre-game media notes

Wisconsin was postponed on Tuesday night and they’ll play two on Wednesday against Peoria.  The Timber Rattlers website shows Jason Woodward (media notes had Travis Smith) taking the mound for game one at 12:10 CT. Game two will follow approximately 30 minutes after the completion of game one.

The Peoria lineup will feature the Cardinals’ #3 overall prospect Rainiel Rodriguez behind the plate. We may also see Tanner Franklin (#11 Cards’ prospect according to MLB Pipeline) who has 16K in 6.2 IP so far this season. The T-Rats will look to keep up with his 70-grade fastball.

Wilson pre-game media notes
Wilson 7, Hill City (Guardians) 5
Box Score

Early Offensive Outburst Gives Wilson Home-Opener Win

The Wilson Warbirds were victorious in their inaugural game at Wilson Park. Taylor Renz made his third start on the young season and went a season-high five scoreless innings, en route to earning the victory. Renz looked comfortable as he allowed just five baserunners (two hits and three walks), while striking out five.

Yannic Walther opened the scoring for the Warbirds in the third inning with a solo shot to left field. The first ever homer at the park was just the third professional for the 22-year-old, German-born catcher.

Brady Ebel would add a run on a sac fly to make it 2-0 through three innings. The Warbirds broke the game open in the following inning, giving the sellout crowd of 3,700 more reasons to cheer. Luiyin Alastre came up with a two-run double, and Jose Anderson had a two-run single to pad the lead to 7-0.

The Warbirds X Account didn’t post many highlights, so you can find a few of the big knocks here:

Walther Homerun

Anderson two-run single

It looked like the Warbirds would cruise to victory after Thomas Conrad (3IP 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 1K) held Hill City at bay in his second professional appearance. However, the Howlers made things interesting with four unearned runs in the ninth inning after a poor throw by pitcher Jose Meneses. All four runs came with two out, before Meneses was able to finally get the third out to seal the Warbirds first win in Wilson.

Miqueas Mercedes will take the mound for Wilson in game two on Wednesday.

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