Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/4): Wood Powers Mudcats. Navaretto Drives in Four in Sounds’ Win

Thursday’s Game Balls go to Matt Wood, Abraham Toro, Noah Campbell, Brian Navaretto and Patricio Aquino with an honorable mention to Daniel Guilarte.

Transactions:

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Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 10, St. Paul 8
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review the affiliate write-up as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Fight Back, Take Down Saints

The Sounds showed terrific fight-back spirit on the road, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit and late 8-6 disadvantage to send the game to extra innings and ultimately win it.

C Brian Navaretto (3-for-4, double, walk, 4 RBIs) led both comeback efforts before 3B Abraham Toro (3-for-5, walk, 2 RBIs) won the game with a 2-run single in the top of the 10th inning.

Three Quick Strikes:

• The game could not have started worse, as three Sounds K’d in the top of the 1st inning, then two errors in the bottom half forced Nashville into a 4-0 hole out of the gate. Those errors contributed to starting RHP Janson Junk (5 IP, 5 R (2 ER), 6 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks) throwing 33 pitches in that opening frame, though he ultimately did well to get through five innings at 93 pitches.
• One cannot ask for more than C Brian Navaretto delivered: a 2-run, 4th inning double to close the gap to 4-3 and then an RBI single to bring the team to within 8-7 with two outs in the 9th inning. He also threw out the Saints’ only attempted basestealer. In that 9th inning, DH Payton Henry (2-for-5, double, RBI) followed with the game-tying single, while 2B Cam Devanney (2-for-5, HR, HBP, RBI) also had a productive game.
• Unfortunately, RH relievers JC Mejia and Gus Varland weren’t very effective (combined 3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks), but RHP JB Bukauskas (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks) showed what he’s capable of in locking down the final two innings and earning the victory.

Friday’s outlook: RHP Pedro Fernandez (1.50 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 7.5 K/9 in 18 IP) is scheduled to start Game 4 of the Sounds-Saints series, with Nashville seeking a 3-1 advantage.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 7, Montgomery 5
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Campbell, Quero Home Runs Lift Shuckers to 7-5 Win over Biscuits

While the Sounds were coming back from an early 4-0 deficit, AA Biloxi was dealing with and overcoming its own 3-0 disadvantage, with left fielder Noah Campbell (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs) tying things up with this monster 3-run blast in top of the 3rd inning.

From that point, the game was settled based on which club was able to cash in on opportunities. The Shuckers went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position versus 2-for-11 for the Biscuits, giving Biloxi the advantage as it built a 2-1 series lead.

Check out the Shuckers twitter account for many more road highlights, which we greatly appreciate.

Three Quick Strikes:

• RHP Justin Jarvis (5 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 8 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks) worked through more traffic than usual, ultimately earning a win as he battled through five innings. RHP Cam Robinson (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K) was again solid in closing out his second save since a return to AA ball.
• The early season has not been kind to 1B Wes Clarke (2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs; season AVG .151, OPS .546), but he came through with the big 2-run, 2-out single in the 5th inning to break a 4-4 tie. Unfortunately, he was thrown out going for second base on the play and also committed an error.
• DH/OF Jackson Chourio (2-for-3, 2 walks, SB; season AVG .270, OPS .712) may be lighting up the scoreboard at the moment, but he reached base four times in this game and added a stolen base. Fellow young prospect C Jeferson Quero (1-for-4, HR, RBI) also produced a homer and threw out two of five basestealers in an excellent game.

Friday’s outlook: LHP Adam Seminaris (7.85 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 12.8 K/9 in 18 1/3 IP) is due to make his 5th start of 2023, still trying to capture the superior form he displayed last season.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Peoria 7, Wisconsin 5
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Rattlers’ website, game details: Slow Start Costs Wisconsin Again

This game was a disaster from the onset, with 21-year old RHP Stiven Cruz (1 1/3 IP, 7 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K) having his worst outing ever, retiring just four of twelve batters faced. All seven runs were earned, as his season ERA ballooned to 6.52.

Three Quick Strikes:

• The Timber Rattlers, who’ve lost 9 of their last 11 games and now trail Peoria 3-0 in this series, at least made the home fans nervous by getting to within 7-5 and brining the potential game-tying run to the plate with 1-on, 1-out in the top of the 9th inning. Unfortunately, 2B Robert Moore grounded into a double play to end that final threat.
• Let’s credit the bullpen work of Luis Amaya, Ryan Brady, Taylor Floyd and Bo Bowman, who combined on 6 2/3 IP without conceding a run. This gave the offense, which entered the game with a league-worst .200 batting average, with a chance to come back.
• Let’s also credit the offense with collecting eight hits in the game, including homers from 1B Jesus Chirinos and left fielder Je’Von Ward to claw back to within 7-5. For Ward, who’s dealt with numerous injuries in recent seasons, this was his first minor league home run since August 12, 2021. SS Eric Brown Jr. (2-for-4, double, walk) collected two hits and walked in the top of the 9th inning.

Friday’s outlook: RHP Tyler Woessner (2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 7.8 K/9 in 22 IP) is expected to start today’s contest, aiming to build on a solid start to the year.

Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Carolina 6, Delmarva 2
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Wood and Guilarte Lead The Way in 6-2 Victory

Like their older counterparts, Carolina also trailed after one inning of this game, but it was only a 1-0 deficit which mainstays 2B Daniel Guilarte (2-for-4, walk, 3 RBIs) and C Matt Wood (3-for-4, HR, double, 3 RBIs) immediately turned around in the next half inning via an RBI single and 3-run homer.

Find these and more road highlights of the Mudcats' win at the twitter feed.

20-year old RHP Patricio Aquino (5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 Ks; season ERA 1.96) continues to excel, despite going down with an injury in Arizona in late July 2022 which curtailed his first season stateside. He earned his first win as a Mudcat on Thursday.

Three Quick Strikes:

• Is it time to promote Wood (1.028 season OPS) and Guilarte (21-game on-base streak) to High-A ball? Wood was a 4th round pick in 2022 and is already 22 years old. Guilarte’s only 19 years old, but maybe a swap with 20-year old INF Eduardo Garcia (.189 AVG, .588 OPS with 34 Ks in 86 PAs at Wisconsin) is necessary.
• Undrafted 2022 signee RHP Tyler Wehrle (4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks; season ERA 2.25) is looking like a quality find, bouncing back from a rough last outing to earn a 4-inning save.
• 19-year old 3B Luke Adams has found himself in a bit of a funk: a pop out, ground out, GIDP and strikeout in this game. As such, his season average has plummeted to .190, but his OPS remains solid at .794. Hopefully he can quickly straighten things out and see the results improve. Certainly, his low .222 BABIP merits a turnaround in lucky bounces.

Friday’s outlook: The starter has not yet been named, but any of RHP Alexander Vallecillo, Will Rudy (organizational debut?) or Aidan Maldonado could get the opportunity to grow the series lead to 3-1.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report! Good luck to all squads in their Friday night games.

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