Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/28): Walling's Go-Ahead Two-Run Blast Carries Mudcats to Victory; Barrios' Walk-Off Single Bests Tin Caps

Transactions:

• The DSL Brewers #2 released OF Christopher Vasquez - more details from Daniel HERE
• The Brewers signed INF/OF Adam Hall from the Winnipeg Goldeyes (American Association) - more details from Jim HERE
• OF Brewer Hicklen was placed on the 7-Day IL (retroactive to 5/27) by the Nashville Sounds
• OF Luis Lara was placed on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' 7-Day IL (retroactive to 5/25)
• OF Angel Pereira was placed on the 7-Day IL by the ACL Brewers (retroactive to 5/25)

Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 2, Nashville 0

Via the Sounds' 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):

Sounds Shut Out by Redbirds in Series Opener - Taylor Clarke and Evan McKendry Combine for Six Scoreless Innings

Box Score / Game Log

Pre-Game Media Notes

Game 1 in Memphis was a planned bullpen game from the start. RHP Taylor Clarke took the hill to open the game and pitched an effective three innings - 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 ER. He handed the ball to RHP Evan McKendry who continues his short-inning stints with three scoreless innings himself: 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K. Ultimately, it was RHP Janson Junk who took the loss - the victim of a 1B Tyler Black throwing error 🫢 - Junk proceeded to give up consecutive very hard hit balls to the outfield grass to plate the Redbirds only runs. He finished with 2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 R (unearned).

As for the Sounds bats? Yeah. If OF Joey Wiemer hadn't poked a single in the top of the 8th, the Sounds would have been no hit. Despite their five walks, it was a tough day at the dish. All six men were LOB victims. They'll look to get back at it tomorrow. 'Three Quick Strikes'? How about three quick sentences. That'll do.

Final: Pensacola (Marlins) 4, Biloxi 0

Shuckers Fall to Blue Wahoos in Series Opener - Taylor Clarke and Evan McKendry Combine for Six Scoreless Innings

Box Score / Game Log

Pre-Game Media Notes

I can't put lipstick on this current proverbial baseball pig, folks. Every time I tune into the Shuckers in their most recent stretch of challenge (and there have been more than one in 2024), I feel like Bill Murray in 'Groundhog Day'. It truly feels eerily familiar nearly every single outing I tune in.

Kudos to Javik Blake for his resilience in both calling these games and maintaining a positive attitude in the booth! A true professional. The Shuckers moved to ten games under 0.500 losing their seventh straight at home and eighth overall. The ugly got uglier. They are 8.0 GB first place Montgomery. 

LHP Nate Peterson certainly did more than enough to keep his team in the game with a chance to make something (anything) happen: 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 2 ER. Then again, this is the Shuckers offense I'm writing about here: 0-for-7 with RISP. 11 men LOB. Not fun stuff. Just about the only thing I've gleaned during this woeful losing streak: INF Ethan Murray is sort of starting to hit. That's really all I have for you, folks. 3B Brock Wilken's tough luck return from the facial fracture continued in this one - 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K. There's just not all that much to write about here. Oh wait, with the assistance of that highly coveted home plate 50-foot-high camera, we can confirm yet again: C Darrien Miller has vastly improved throwing out runners on the base paths. There is also that.

Final: Wisconsin 4, Fort Wayne (Padres) 3

Barrios Completes Wisconsin Comeback with Game-Winning Hit in Ninth - T-Rats Return to First Place

Box Score / Game Log  

Pre-Game Media Notes

RHP Patricio Aquino was cruising through four innings but the wheels started falling off when he opened the fifth frame by conceding two singles lined to Dylan O'Rae in center field. He then saw a perfectly executed bunt single load the bases. He hit the next batter scoring the Tin Caps first run. And, he then gave up a two-run double. Manager Victor Estevez had seen enough. With nobody down, and the T-Rats locked in a tight divisional race with Cedar Rapids, Estevez did what really good managers do: he called upon his Ace. You can't get to the ninth inning with a meaningful chance if you see the game get away from you in the fifth frame. It ultimately proved to be a winning decision. Yoho escaped the jam - because, of course he did. He's RHP Craig Yoho! LHP Rob Manfredi shut the door from there - 4 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 6 K, 0 R.

Full Game Highlights:

Three Quick Strikes:

1) C Matt Wood has definitely had a tough luck May at the dish. There's no getting around that. But, he's still finding ways to help his team win games. An inning after this game-tying double, Wood caught the tying runner attempting to steal second base. When a player is struggling but still having impactful moments like these, he deserves every opportunity he gets.

2) Speaking of winning plays, INF Gregory Barrios came into his ninth inning AB 0-for-4 with 1 K on his tab. He exited a clutch game-winning performer. It was a heck of an AB in an 0-2 count. He absolutely earned this game-winning RBI. He willed this ball into the shallow right center field grass. What a season for this young man! 

3) In addition to his 1-for-3 (1BB) evening at the dish, 1B Tayden Hall also lined out quite sharply to center field in the eighth frame. The transition to High-A has been a slow grind for Hall but I firmly believe the tools will ultimately translate as he gets more accustomed to the level up. There's simply too much innate athleticism and smooth fluid agility to keep him down for long. We're only 50 High-A AB's into this current leg of the journey. Miles to go.

Final: Carolina 6, Delmarva (Orioles) 5

Walling Home Run Propels Mudcats Past Shorebirds - Mudcats Remain Atop Carolina League North Division in Tight Race

Box Score / Game Log  

RHP Manuel Rodriguez pitched five innings for the sixth time in his eight 2024 starts. The young hurler just continues to give his team and manager dependability and reliability beyond his years. He wasn't as sharp as I've seen him, but he was certainly solid. A solo home run shot in the first was a sign of a rough inning - 27 pitches total to exit; including a HBP and walk for the second run scored. However, he regrouped quite nicely from there needing only 11 and 13 pitches to complete the second and third frames, respectively. All told, Rodriguez did more than enough to help his squad get to the place they needed to get to: the Shorebirds bullpen. Delmarva's 21-year-old Cuban RHP Eccel Correa was extremely impressive. This was my first look. This is a young player I would covet as a 'throw in' in any deadline deals with the Orioles - off the radar, but absolutely has tools a pitching staff would love to develop further. 

Three Quick Strikes:

1) INF Juan Baez makes mistakes on the base paths. He has the occasional brain fart in the field (though, I should add, his defense as a whole is far better than advertised). But, my oh my, he just plays such an enjoyable brand of baseball. He's overly aggressive at the dish, for one, because he has such advanced bat-to-ball skills. His hand-eye coordination is truly ridiculous and, at just a quick glance, you would not suspect it. Before Reece Walling's blast, Baez was absolutely clutch plating three runs late to essentially tie the game himself. This is what I mean when I speak to 'advanced bat-to-ball skills'. Take a quick look at this ripped double down the left field line to plate the Muddies very first runs: 

That is a very difficult place to hit that pitch to. Baez has a little bit of Jadher Areinamo over-aggression but with even better plate savvy and a bit more pop. Easily one of the most enjoyable players to watch in the system. 

2) Let's all just enjoy OF Reece Walling's first platinum moment. This was a huge AB. And, my what a simple easy swing producing that hefty result! 

Walling has quite a bit of refinement ahead of him but you can literally see all the tools when he takes the field. He's a very smooth athlete given his size. He has above-average coordination and agility. He has a very good arm. Developing power. And improving patience at the dish. Four of his nine hits since his Low-A promotion are for extra bases. He's still very much a ball of clay but you can definitely see the possible end results even at his young age of twenty.

3) RHP Bayden Root certainly made it interesting. Three hits. One walk. And the bases were juiced with only one down. Yet, he buckled down and induced the game-ending double play to seal the Mudcats victory. Whewwww. The bullpen effort as a whole wasn't all that impressive but it ultimately proved enough as the offense did the rest.

(5/27) ACL Brewers 5, ACL Mariners 2
Box Score / Game Log

We more than aptly covered the gist of Monday's game in our game thread. I'm going to copy and paste from well-known forum members @sveumrules and @damuelle:

The ACL Crew picked up a pair of runs in the first via Antony Gomez double, Eric Bitonti walk, Gery Holguin walk, Luiyin Alastre RBI fielder’s choice, and a Johan Barrios bases loaded walk. Eric Prado allowed a pair of runs over four frames with 3 H | 2 BB | 2 K before Osbriel Mogollon put up a scoreless fifth (1 K) working around 2 H and 1 BB.

The Crew is rallying top of six with Johan Barrios ROE, Luis Lameda single, Ramon Moreno walk, Antony Gomez walk and Eric Bitonti walk netting them another pair of runs. Fillipo Di Turi offered a brief respite with a rare strikeout before a Gery Holguin fielder’s choice netted one more run.

Now 5-2 heading to bottom of six with Mogollon still on the mound. Never a dull moment in the ACL, unless you think wild twenty year olds walking the bases juiced is dull.

Osbriel came back out to try and finish the game but went K, BB before getting pulled.

So now it was up to Anfernny Reyes who walked the first two batters he faced before getting a pop out and K to secure his second save of the season in a 5-2 Crew victory.

The teams were a combined 0-for-18 with RISP, with 21 left on base and all 7 runs scoring without the benefit of an RBI hit.

This year’s ACL box scores are looking a bit more like the DSL.

Eric Martinez was likely our sole healthy bench bat.

I’m impressed we’ve gotten back to a record of 7-10. It looked bleaker than that. Players are stepping up.

(5/28) ACL Rangers 8, ACL Brewers 1
Box Score / Game Log

Before we get into the nitty gritty of this particular game, let me share a post I made earlier today in our Game Thread:

Quote

At 7-10, the ACL Cerveceros are only 4.5 GB of Cincinnati. However, they have allowed the most runs in the entire ACL @ 136 runs allowed in only 17 contests. Yikes. That's six more runs than the the ACL League West last place ACL Royals. The Crew are top five in runs scored but if you are giving up that amount of runs consistently a 0.500 ball club is likely the highest aspirations we can hope for as fans. Interestingly, the staff has the 3rd highest K total @ 191 but they possess an extremely unsightly team WHIP of 1.91. Whew...where they've hit the most batters in the League (26) and walked the most batters (103). That's 10 more walks than the next low rung on the ladder - the only squad to manage to break that not so coveted century mark. Which doesn't even broach their head spinning team ERA of 7.90. 

The ACL Crew certainly matched the eye test again in these pitching statistical categories. LHP Anthony Flores continues struggling to adjust to the challenges of the Complex League - 3 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 6 ER. He now holds a 9.26 ERA in just 11 2/3 IP. He does still demonstrate the ability to strike batters out (17 K in these same innings). Let's hope he adjusts as he grows more accustomed to everything in the states. A much needed solid outing from RHP Bryan Rivera - 4 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 ER. RHP Isaiah Jackson is still struggling to fine-tune his control - two walks, 1 WP, and a HB are part and parcel adding shine to his season WHIP of 2.05. My sense here is Jackson has quite a bit of athleticism and raw tools but his injury absences in years past have hindered his overall development. Time will tell. Not a whole lot to speak of offensively in this one. Unfortunately, Eric Bitonti K'd three times though we should acknowledge this has actually been the exception to the rule of late. Let's hope it's a mere blip.

The Timber Rattlers and LHP Tate Kuehner will be featured as the MiLB.TV free 'Game of the Day' in their mid-day matinee tomorrow. Tune in and enjoy some first place T-Rats baseball! Elsewhere, in the evening, we will see RHP Chad Patrick look to continue building on his fantastic season. In Biloxi, RHP Shane Smith will continue testing his wares as a starter as he looks to help the Shuckers end their skid. And, in Carolina another youngster in RHP Daniel Corniel will take the hill as the Mudcats look to take a 2-0 series lead versus Delmarva.

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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