Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/30): A Handful of "Firsts" Lead the way in a two-win day for DSL Brewers; Made named to Futures Game

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Final: DSL Brewers Blue 2, DSL Red Sox Red 1

Box Score

Runs were at a premium in Monday’s matchup between the DSL Brewers and Red Sox squads. Both teams swapped runs in the opening frame with the Red Sox socking back-to-back doubles off of Brewers’ starter Lonell Downs to start the scoring. In the bottom half of the inning, Leonard Rijo reached base on a fielding error by the Red Sox pitcher Berny Ortiz. Rijo then stole second and third base, and eventually scored on Yoneiker Lugo’s RBI ground out.

That lone run would be about all the Brewers could muster over the first six innings, as the Red Sox pitchers held the Brewers to just one a hit, a single in the fourth inning by Carlos Done. The Brewers’ pitching staff was also up to the task with Downs, Johan Zapata, and Jhosep Ospino working the final six innings scoreless, while striking out five. Ospino earned the win by working 2.1IP scoreless, which gives him 10 scoreless innings on the season.

The seventh (and final) inning was a bit of an adventure in the top half of the inning. The Sox got two singles to lead off the inning. The Brewers’ then got a ground out to force a runner at third, then Lugo cut down a would-be base stealer at third for the second out. After a walk put the go-ahead run back into scoring position, Ospino finished the inning with a groundout to escape any damage.

In the bottom of the seventh, Angel Gonzalez led off the final frame with a triple, which was just the second hit (and only one for extra bases) of the game for the Brewers. After a ground out, Rijo walked it off with a ground ball to right field, The 2-1 victory brings the Brewers Blue's record back to .500 at 10-10.

Final: DSL Brewers Gold 8, DSL Rojos 6

Box Score

After the Brewers failed to tally a run in the top of the first, despite two walks and three steals, the DSL Rojos jumped all over Brewers’ starter Gabriel Colmenarez in the bottom half of the inning thanks in part to some shoddy defense. The Rojos used a single, throwing error, triple, and another throwing error to stake themselves to a 3-0 lead after one. Colemenarez would keep the Rojos in check from there, allowing just a single run in the fourth inning to finish with a respectable line of 4IP, 4H, 4R, 2ER, 0BB, and 6K.

The Brewers offense went to work starting in the fourth inning ignited by a pair of seventeen year old players. Isais Chavez drew a one out walk and scored on Matthew Moses two run blast, the first homer of his professional career. The Brewers kept the heat on in the fifth, with a three run rally that gave them their first lead of the game.  After a single by Alexander Frias and a walk to Cristopher Acosta, Kenny Fenelon hit his second double of the season to score Frias, who was making his DSL debut and also stole two bases in the game. Acosta and Fenelon later came around to score on a fielding error to give the Brewers a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, Juan Martinez hit his first professional homer (in 232 ABs) to pad the lead to 6-4.

The Rojos responded and rallied to tie the game at 6-6 in the sixth off reliever Fabian Reyes. However, in the top of the seventh, another very “on the island” inning led to the Brewers final two runs: an error, wild pitch, walk, strikeout, walk, and another wild pitch all preceded a two run double by Chavez. That proved to be the final margin as Reyes worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to close the door on the Rojos.

Derlin Garcia also made his professional debut for the Brewers in this game and tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts.

Final: ACL Royals 6, ACL Brewers 2

Box Score

The Brewers fell behind early in Monday's Arizona Complex League game with the Royals, with Hayden Robinson on the bump to start the game. A two out walk, a wild pitch, and a single put the Royals ahead 1-0. Robinson, in his fourth appearance since returning from surgery on his UCL, threw three wild pitches in the first inning, but then settled in for a 1-2-3 second inning.

Nick Merkel, on a rehab assignment from Biloxi, worked a scoreless third inning, before giving way to Griffin Tobias.  Tobias provided the Crew five solid innings of work allowing four hits, three runs (only one earned) while striking out five. 

The Brewers' offense did too little, too late in this game, pushing across solo tallies in each of the final two innings. The team managed just five hits, all singles. In the eighth inning, the Brewers scored without the aid of a base hit, as Kevin Ereu turned a HBP, a throwing error, and then a wild pitch into the first run of the game for the Brewers. In the ninth, the Brewers got consecutive singles from Jadyn Fielder and Roderick Flores to setup a sac fly from Demetrio Nadal. That would be all for the Brewers, who finished 1 for 8 with RISP, as they fell to 22-21 on the season with the 6-2 defeat.

And now a quick lap around the affiliates:

The Mudcats won their first week-long series of the second have by winning four of six against lowly Delmarva. In case you missed it, top prospect Jesus Made was selected to represent the Brewers in the All-Star Futures Game:

It marks the second consecutive season a Mudcats' infielder will represent the team in the midseason classic, as Made follows in Cooper Pratt’s footsteps. Luis Pena, who had a solid case for Futures Game selection himself, had a 1.120 OPS last week, with eight hits, two doubles, and a triple. With some shuffling and injuries occurring upstream in the organization, Made and Pena’s days in the Carolina League might be numbered. For reference, Jackson Chourio was promoted from Carolina on July 25.

Carolina holds a two-game lead in the second half standings and will face Fayetteville in a six-game home and home series this week.

In Appleton, the Timber Rattlers are off to a slow start in the second half, with a 2-7 record after taking on the Midwest League’s top two teams. Wisconsin will look to get back on track this week when they travel to in-state rival Beloit to square off with the Marlins’ affiliate for another home and home series. 

Blake Burke was named to MLB’s Prospect Team of the Week after going 9 for 21 with two doubles, two homers, two steals, seven RBI and a 1.330 OPS last week:

On Tuesday, Brewers 19 year old right hander Manuel Rodgriguez will toe the slab for the Rattlers and look to continue his brilliant season. Rodriquez came off the IL last week and with two scoreless innings, now sports a tidy 1.67 ERA and .93 WHIP in 27IP in High A ball this season.

Unfortunately the Rattlers also had some tough injury news late on Sunday, as it sounds like fast-rising catching prospect Marco Dinges has suffered a significant hamstring injury:

The Rattlers weekly pod caught up with former Brewer (and Beloit Snapper) Bill Hall:

Down in Mississippi, the Shuckers kept their winning ways going by starting the second half winning four of six versus Columbus. This despite losing the Southern League’s two best hitters, Brock Wilken and Luke Adams to injury in a one-week span. 

Tyson Hardin was featured on Baseball America’s hot sheet this week (subscription required), drawing praise for his four-pitch mix after he posted a two-start performance of 11IP, 8H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, and 11K. Hardin should be back on the mound this weekend as the Shuckers take on Pensacola in Southern League action.

Finally, in Nashville, the Sounds have limped out of the gate to a 2-4 start in the season’s second half, after facing first half champ Jacksonville.

We should get the official announcement from the Brewers on Tuesday, but reports are that Anthony Seigler is getting the call to The Show:

It’s not the best timing, as Seigler had cooled off of late, hitting just 6 for 36 over the last 15 days. Blake Perkins was 2 for 8 with four walks and a homer as he began ramping up in his first three games back at Nashville last week. Might Oliver Dunn finally be figuring things out? Dunn slugged his way to a 1.302 OPS last week, while hitting for the cycle over the course of six games. 

The Sounds have a home and home series with Memphis this week.

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!