Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/4): Iron Men McKendry and Kahle Lead Sounds to Walk-Off Win

Transactions:

• LHP Darrell Thompson activated by AAA Nashville (now recovered from offseason sports hernia surgery, Thompson pitched the 7th inning tonight, allowing an unearned run despite no hits or walks)
• OF Yhoswar Garcia signed by the Brewers and assigned to Low-A Carolina (former Phillies super-prospect with a top speed grade)

Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 4, St. Paul 3 (in 10 innings)
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Nick Kahle Hits Walk-Off in 10th Inning for Sounds Win

The Sounds rode a couple of Old School performances to grab their 4-3 walk-off victory over St. Paul on Thursday.

Exhibit A: Starting RHP Evan McKendry (6 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) threw 82 pitches after an 86-pitch effort five days earlier. The organization wouldn’t ask the same of a 22-year super-prospect or even their MLB starting pitchers at this stage of the season, but 26-year old McKendry was more than up to the task.

Exhibit B: C Nick Kahle started his fourth straight game behind the dish, including three nights in a row. Not even extra innings could phase him, with our beloved game then fittingly bringing him to the plate to deliver the game-winning, walk-off hit to the right field warning track.

The Sounds dominated in most facets of the game (e.g. 11 hits vs. 4 for the Saints), but lack of clutch hitting (2-for-16 with RISP at one point) and an untimely error made this a tight affair.

After a fielding error on right fielder Chavez Young gifted the Saints a 3-2 lead in the 7th inning, left fielder Brewer Hicklen (2-for-4, double, walk, RBI) blasted a double to right field in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly from 1B Owen Miller to re-knot the game.

Impressive RHP Enoli Paredes (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) wasn’t phased by an infield error to start the 9th inning of this tense game, calmly retiring six of the next seven batters to earn a deserved win.

Sounds’ Extras:

• In addition to Hicklen, credit goes to SS Yonny Hernandez (2-for-4, RBI) and DH Tyler Black (3-for-5, double) for solid offensive days.
• The team was apparently more comfortable having McKendry pitch on five days’ rest than sending RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez out for his second start of the season (on six days’ rest). With Rodriguez not listed to start Friday’s game either, we have to put our antenna up to see if there’s any injury concern.
• LHP Wade Miley is expected in Nashville any day now to make a rehab start as he builds back strength before returning to the Brewers.
• Similar to Eric Brown Jr. last year, patience is required with center fielder Joey Wiemer (1-for-4, walk, 2 Ks – .120 season average in a small sample size) after his significant swing change. Unlike Fangraphs, I believe that this is the first of Wiemer’s three option years, as he didn’t spend 20 days in the minors last season by my count.
• In addition to Kahle, two Saints players (C Jair Camargo, right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr.) were certainly clutch on this night: producing all of their hits and RBIs, with Keirsey also throwing out 3B Patrick Dorrian at home on a 2B Isaac Collins (1-for-3, double, 2 walks) double to end the 7th inning.

Friday’s outlook: AA Biloxi (home against Montgomery), High-A Wisconsin (hosting Peoria) and Low-A Carolina (at Salem) start their 2024 seasons, with exciting pitching prospects RHPs Jacob Misiorowski and Brett Wichrowski getting Opening Day starts – Misiorowski for the Shuckers, Wichrowski for the Timber Rattlers. Tobias Myers (0 ER in 4 IP in first start) is scheduled to start Game 4 of Nashville’s home series against St. Paul.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Enjoy the five(!) baseball games scheduled for Friday – Go Brewers, Sounds, Shuckers, Timber Rattlers and Mudcats!!

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Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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