Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/22): DSL Brewers Play Rain-Shortened Games; Bitonti Earns Reverse Golden Sombrero (4 BB) in Birchard's 2nd Rehab Start

Transactions:

• RHP/1B Quinton Low was transferred to the full-season IL (from the 60-Day IL) by the Carolina Mudcats

Final: DSL Brewers #1 4, DSL Rojas (Reds) 1 - Final / 5 Innings 
Box Score / Game Log

After falling behind 1-0 in the first frame via a single; SB; SB; and catching throwing error (Kevin Garcia), the DSL Brewers Uno managed to take the lead in the bottom of the second frame with two runs of their own. LF Engel Paulino (2-for-2, 1 R, 1 2B - his 6th of his season) began things with a one out single. C Kevin Garcia (1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 3B) then knocked him home with his first triple of his summer. RF Danny Puerta (1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 K) then sent Garcia home with a single of his own. It was 2-1 Brewers and they never looked back - well, for three more innings in the abbreviated but recorded affair. Recently returned DSL All-Stars, SS Jesus Made (0-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB) and Luis Pena (2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB) each made their mark on this one as well scoring a run apiece. Made grabbed his 17th stolen base on the season while Pena grabbed his League leading 32nd and 33rd. Pena is also fresh off his hardest hit ball of his summer, and the lone long ball in the DSL All-Star knock, this past weekend:

Back to the game at hand, on the pitching side of things specifically, two second-year DSL Brewers did the heavy lifting. Venezuelan 18-year-old RHP Gabriel Colemenarez picked up his first 'W' of his summer in his fifth GS. He managed 4 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 1 HB, 3 K, 1 R (unearned) ball. The young hurler has only conceded eight hits overall in his 11 1/3 IP to date but he has put 11 runner aboard via free pass (9 BB and 2 HB). Hence, he continues to sport a 1.50 WHIP despite a mere 0.195 BAA and a highly functional 2.38 ERA. Picking up the save, in his first opportunity, Nicaraguan 17-year-old RHP Saul Sanchez pitched a scoreless fifth inning - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Whereas Colmenarez is more or less replicating his success of last summer (albeit, with the ongoing free pass issues mentioned), Sanchez has really made strides in his second year. I encourage you to take a peak at his MiLB player page HERE to compare the two season - night and day in the best of ways. With the win, the Brewers Uno (21-11) maintained a 1/2 G lead over the DSL Orioles Orange (21-12) atop the DSL Northwest division.  

(NOT) Final: DSL Brewers #2 5, DSL Cleveland Mendoza 2 - suspended; bottom of 4th, bases loaded, one out Mendoza AB
Box Score / Game Log

I post this here should you want to peruse the box score and game log of a game to be completed at a future date. There is some intrigue within. Mainly, for me specifically, it continues to inspire wonder in what the Brewers might just have in OF Frandy Lafond. I wrote about him, specifically, in the evening's game thread:

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Lafond continues to, week-by-week, lure me in deeper to believing in his talent pool. 16 1/2 G and 43 AB: 13 BB / 6 K / 2 2B / 1 HR / 10 RBI / 9 R / 9 SB / 0 CS / 0.326 BA / 0.950 OPS / 2 OF Asst. 

Lots to be intrigued by as he gets his legs further under him. It's a small sample but it's a very very good small sample. 

For a player who received little to no mention from reputable outlets like Baseball America, Lafond is absolutely catching my eye as he consistently demonstrates a disciplined offensive approach game-in and game-out. Obviously, the Brewers knew something here. C Luis Corobo also tallied the lone Brewers #2 XBH with his fifth two-bagger of his summer in what was a 1-for-2, 1 R outing through four innings. Feel free to peruse the box and game log above - to be continued...

Final: ACL Brewers 7, ACL Padres 3
Box Score / Game Log

Rehabbing RHP Ryan Birchard was the opener in this late night tilt. He doubled the work of his inaugural rehab debut going 2.0 IP allowing 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K, and 1 ER. He was picked up by ascending Venezuelan 19-year-old LHP Anthony Flores who did the majority of the heavy lifting in his 6 IP of 3 H, 1 BB, 1 Balk, 3 K, 2 R (unearned) work. You have to love the recent work and results from Flores who seems to be getting some luck with balls in play as of late for a change - we know the strikeouts will typically always be there but this recent mini-trend is a splendid sight. Rehabbing RHP Rafael Garcia (who missed all of 2023 with injury) managed a flawless two punch out scoreless ninth inning of work - you absolutely love to see that for the 23-year-old as he aims to stay healthy and build off some success. Several offensive storylines adorn this ACL Brewers box score. DH Eric Bitonti has put his recent 3 K outing on the back burner of late and tonight really put it on the back burner - 0-for-0, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 HBP. He continues to elevate his walk totals as he nears a marriage of his K and BB percentages on the season (42 BB-to-59 K in 174 official AB). RF Gery Holguin managed to impact the game with key hits in a 3-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 K evening at the dish. As you further peruse the box score and game logs you'll likely point yourselves toward 2B Josh Adamczewski and 1B Johan Barrios. In his prototypical lead-off spot for the Crew, Adamczewski put forth one knock and two free passes. Yet, he was caught stealing twice and was charged with a throwing error. Barrios, on the other hand put forth two pokes of his own - grabbing two RBI in the process, striking out once, and earning a 'missed catch' error (his seventh error on his season). With the ACL season winding down, the Crew moved back to six games under 0.500 - a familiar place the past month. They improved to 26-32 overall. 

All clubs will be back at it tomorrow - we have seven games scheduled; weather permitting. As of the time of submitting this report, we only know of RHP Garrett Stallings slinging the white rat for the Sounds while RHP Alexander Cornielle will look to keep his fantastic bounce back season humming for the Timber Rattlers. 

As always, thank you for reading and thank you for supporting these rookie ball players as they seek to earn their way up that Brewers affiliate ladder. 

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