Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/20): Affiliates Sweep Three Games in Easter Sunday Series Finales

For the week, Nashville (5-1), Carolina (5-1) and Biloxi (4-2) each captured their series, while Wisconsin (1-5) looks for better results ahead.

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Game Action:

Final: Nashville 14, Charlotte 11
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Set Franchise Record with Seven Home Runs

It was a homer-fest on Easter Sunday in Charlotte, with 3 of the first 6 Sounds going long in the 1st inning for a quick 6-0 lead (chasing the Knights’ starter) as 2B Anthony Seigler (1-for-5, HR, walk, 2 RBIs), C Jorge Alfaro (2-for-5, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs) and SS Andruw Monasterio (3-for-5, 2 HRs, 2 RBIs) set the tone for the contest.

As you’ve read at the game report link, the teams combined on 13 dingers in this 9-inning affair, even though winds were just 7mph. Congrats to the 3,587 fans who got to see this spectacle on a lovely 81-degree day.

Leading 12-1 by the 3rd inning, one would have never imagined that Charlotte would ultimately get the potential game-tying batter to the plate in the form of dangerous Kyle Teel (who of course went long earlier) – Sounds leading 13-9 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th inning. Thankfully RHP Vinny Nittoli induced an infield popout to stifle that threat.

Starting RHP Elvin Rodriguez made his first Minor League appearance since July 2023, having spent the subsequent 16 months in Japan, but he was unfortunately not able to carry over positive momentum from his April 14 Major League outing, conceding 4 solo homers (including 3 in a row) in 4 innings: 6 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks.

Six Sounds collected multiple hits in this offensive explosion, with OF Daz Cameron going 2-for-4 with a homer (107.1mph, 421 feet), 4 RBIs, 2 walks, 2 SBs to lift his Nashville OPS to 1.115.

Kudos to LHP Tyler Jay for putting up the best Nashville pitching line of the day, covering 1 2/3 scoreless innings with 2 Ks. He calmed the 7th and 8th innings after the Knights had cut the deficit to 13-9.

Sounds’ Extras:

• OF Adam Hall also had a solid day, reaching base 4 times (3-for-4, 2B, HBP), including a bunt single to lead off the 9th inning. DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. also got in on the fun with a 2-for-5 effort, including a 385-foot solo homer. For the record, Alfaro registered the two longest blasts: 431 feet, 427 feet.
• Likely the only Nashville position to rue his day was 1B Wes Clarke, who notched an 0-for-5 line and also had a fielding error which helped contribute to 3 unearned runs off of RHP Deivi Garcia in the 6th inning.
• RHP Elvis Peguero was not immune to the day’s offensive surge, surrendering an infield single, 2-run homer and another single in one inning of work.

Next week’s outlook: Nashville returns home to take on Rays’ affiliate Durham. Although no starter has been announced for the series opener, RHP Jacob Misiorowski (2.89 ERA, 21 Ks in 18 2/3 IP) is the most likely option.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 5, Birmingham 3 (in 11 innings)
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Bullpen Tosses 8.1 Shutout Innings, Lifts Shuckers to 5-3 Comeback Win

Given the thin margins in the offensive-challenged Southern League, it was likely to require excellent pitching and timely hitting for Biloxi to collect its first road series win and that’s exactly what came together for the team on Sunday.

What an effort by the Shuckers’ staff(!), conceding only one earned run over 11 innings of work, while also preventing any ghost runner or other Baron from scoring in the 10th and 11th frames. Starting RHP Alexander Cornielle tried to lead the way, but three walks, an error and some patient Birmingham plate appearances limited his day to 2 2/3 innings (3 R (1 ER), 1 H, 3 Ks) and 64 pitches (40 strikes). This was Cornielle’s 2nd start of the week.

Credit to perseverance: OF Garrett Spain was 0-for-5 before his 11th inning RBI triple gave Biloxi its first lead of the contest and C Darrien Miller was 0-for-4 with a .059 season batting average when he drew the game-tying walk with the Shuckers down to their final strike two innings earlier.

RHP Josh Maciejewski may have felt he started poorly by allowing an RBI single to his first batter, but he calmly retired the next 7 hitters in a row to keep Biloxi in the game down 3-0. LHP Mark Manfredi followed a similar route, allowing back-to-back singles after entering in the bottom of the 6th inning before inducing a line out and registering 2 Ks.

Although the Shuckers had cut the deficit to 3-2, it felt like it simply may not be their day when 3B Brock Wilken lined into a double play to end the top of the 7th inning, after having men on 2nd and 3rd base with 1 out.

Things looked even more grim with 2 outs and nobody on in the top of the 9th inning, still trailing 3-2, but DH Luis Lara dumped a first pitch single into center field before back-to-back-to-back walks by SS Cooper Pratt, Wilken and Miller knotted things up. Kudos to Miller for getting the job done despite his early season offensive struggles.

Shuckers’ Extras:

• RHPs Chase Costello, Justin Yeager and Will Childers, along with LHP Brian Fitzpatrick contributed the other 4 scoreless bullpen innings, actually registering 12 outs versus the final 11 Birmingham batters (including a GIDP to end the 8th inning).
• Per the linked game report, Pratt (2-for-3, 2 doubles) reached base 5 times, Lara (2-for-4) 4 times and 1B Zavier Warren (2-for-4, SB) 3 times. In fact, every Shucker position player reached base via hit or walk over the 11-inning comeback win.
• For the game, Biloxi out-hit Birmingham 10-4 and left 14 men on base (vs. 8 for Birmingham), but the Barons certainly had their chances to do more damage, as the opposition went 2-for-19 with runners in score position.

Next week’s outlook: The Shuckers also return home next week, in their case hosting Rays’ AA affiliate Montgomery. LHP Tate Kuehner (3.29 ERA, 4 Ks in 13 2/3 IP) is listed as the opening game starter.

Final: Carolina 8, Delmarva 0
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Mudcats Shutout Delmarva in Series Finale

I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting Mudcats’ 22-year old starting RHP John Holobetz to throw 5 2/3 innings and 78 pitches (56 strikes) while operating on the traditional (but now relatively rare) 4 days’ rest, but Brewers’ brass gave Holobetz the rope and he dominated: 0 R, 3 singles, 1 BB, 8 Ks.

Holobetz exited after an infield single put 2 aboard for the Shorebirds with Carolina leading 4-0, then intriguing LHP Bjorn Johnson (season ERA 0.00 with 14 Ks through 9 IP) dispatched that threat (fly out) as well as the next 3 hitters he faced.

Big Congratulations to 21-year old, 6’6” LHP Caden Vire on his full season affiliate debut! Injuries had limited the Brewers’ 2021 twelfth round pick to just 24 innings pitched since Draft Day, but Vire stayed the course and turned some heads with his solid 8th inning here: 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 Ks.

Per @biedergb who was watching and actively posting in our Brewer Fanatic Minor League Forum: “Tall, and throws hard, but not a ton of command. He walks two and hit a batter, and in 21 pitches this inning he only had 10 strikes. BUT... With the bases loaded and no one out - he goes 3 pitch strike out, and then 4 pitch strike out with the last pitch at 96 mph!!! Mr. Vire is a "live wire", tall, with velocity, and long moving parts, but he looked good once he started to find the strike zone”.

On the offensive side, the Mudcats won the hit battle (8-3), walk game (7-4) and even the HBP one (2-1). Of course, 2B Josh Adamczewski (2-for-4, 2B, walk, 2 RBIs, SB) was smack dab in the middle of it, contributing a 2-run double to extend Carolina’s lead to 4-0 in the 5th inning. That is one smooth stroke:

DH/INF Luis Pena had a day to remember as he lodged his first Low-A homer (a 2-run shot) and 11th stolen base as part of a 2-for-4 effort (plus a walk). He may only be 18 years old, but he knows when he’s gotten ahold of one (102mph):

Mudcats’ Extras:

• OF Braylon Payne may also remember his day, both for the 4 consecutive strikeouts (baseball is hard!), but also for the resiliency he showed to come through with an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch to extend the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the 8th inning.
• 1B Eric Bitonti (1-for-4, walk, RBI, SB) and 3B Luiyin Alastre (1-for-3, triple, HBP, RBI) also did their part in the win.
• We don’t yet have news on the availability of SS Jesus Made (exited early Saturday) and INF/OF Demetrio Nadal (left early on Wednesday), but hopefully they’ll magically re-appear in the lineup on Tuesday or later during the week.

Next week’s outlook: Carolina heads over to Columbia, South Carolina this week for 6 games against the Royals’ affiliate. I’d venture to guess that LHP Wande Torres (3.86 ERA, 2 Ks in 4 2/3 IP) and RHP Jesus Flores (3.24 ERA, 6 Ks in 8 1/3 IP) are likely to cover the most innings in the series opener on Tuesday.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. As usual, the affiliates won’t return to action until Tuesday, including High-A Wisconsin driving over to Cedar Rapids to take on the Twins’ affiliate (19-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez (1.69 ERA, 19 Ks in 16 IP) is scheduled to start the series opener for the Timber Rattlers). And don’t forget the Brewers-Giants game at 8:45pm CST on Monday evening!

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