Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/5): Pena Injured, Fischer Mashes (Again) and Cairone Debuts on Memorable Night

As eventful a minor league slate as we've had all season, we document it all and include a lookback at a 2017 injury scare that thankfully had a positive quality of life outcome.

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Louisville (Reds) 5, Nashville 3
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Nashville Drops First of Series to Louisville

Down 3-0 heading to the bottom of the 4th, (yeah, Orlando Arcia is still around), here are the two two-out doubles (Tyler Black, Ramon Rodriguez) that kicked off a two-run frame:

Those were followed by an Ethan Murray RBI infield single, with a break on the play that allowed Rodriguez to score.

The Sounds' final run tied the game in the 5th, with the "UT fans" reference apparently for Blake Burke crossing the plate (he had walked with two outs and advanced to second on an Akil Baddoo single).

As for the fateful 7th when Louisville plated the final two runs of the game, a reminder that a double play would have ended the inning, sigh -

Nashville struck out 11 times in the game, and after immediately falling behind in that 7th inning, this was not the response Manager Rick Sweet was looking for:

In fact, the Sounds (Eduardo Garcia, Brandon Lockridge, Jonathan Ornelas) each struck out as the side went down in order in the 9th vs. closer Hunter Parks.

It would be wonderful if we could learn for sure about the "4th option for Jeferson Quero" that my fellow Link Reporter "Ro" discusses here. It's going to be close as to whether Quero qualifies, pretty sure those in the Brewers' ivory tower have the answer:

As your box score review will show you, the pitching was "OK" in this one, a reminder about our "Rule 5 Eligible Tracker" - will LHP Tate Kuehner be added to the 40-man roster this fall?

Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final, Game One: Rocket City (Angels) 2, Biloxi 1, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Final, Game Two: Biloxi 8, Rocket City 5, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Fischer Hits 45th, 46th Home Runs, Ties Ryan Howard in Shuckers Doubleheader Split - Brewers No. 12 prospect moves into a tie for 5th-most home runs in an MiLB season with pair of home runs

The Shuckers' game summaries tend to focus on the run-scoring plays and does so again here. It's a fine writeup, and this edition makes sure we know not just about Andrew Fischer's continued eye-opening feats (eye-opening also as in eye at the plate, five walks), but we are also informed about LHP J.D. Thompson's fine outing, Dylan O'Rae's stolen base exploits, and another win for Jaron DeBerry, the Southern League leader in innings pitched, strikeouts, and batting average against.

One thing the summary does not detail is the key Luis Pena injury in the bottom of the 1st inning of the nightcap. That's understandable, as we've mentioned often that the affiliate write-ups won't speculate on injury status. 

At one point late last night, the video was available on the MiLB archive page, but it has since been taken down. That video did show Pena sliding in feet first, the third baseman had to jump to catch the ball and deftly avoided coming down spikes first on Pena. Initially it appeared that the landing may have been the source of the injury (which would have been painful but not as severe), but it soon became apparent that Pena had a serious injury.

There's no "bright spot" here, except to say that we are near season-end with months to recuperate. Not a way any player wishes to spend one's offseason. Our best to Luis.

Elsewhere in Biloxi on a busy night -

On a night in which the big-league club was out-homered 3-to-1 in a 5-3 loss, the cry among the fanbase to see Fischer in Milwaukee will only grow, and it's both fascinating and tempting (but also perplexing) to determine how things would work out, shake out, etc.

For now, enjoy the photo by Sierra Gatz that accompanied the Shuckers game summary Saturday night (Braylon Payne, Josh Adamczewski, Andrew Fischer) -

The Shuckers 'X' feed has additional video available, including from Matthew Wood (home run) and Payne.

NOTES: Because Jesús Made was the designated hitter in Game Two, it was Dylan O'Rae who entered as Luis Pena's replacement at shortstop. This was O'Rae's first action at shortstop since 2023, and as long as Made remains healthy for next week's final series, shouldn't impact the Biloxi playoff lineup.

RF Damon Keith was the only position player on the roster not to see action in either game; he sat out Thursday's game as well.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Beloit (Marlins) 5, Wisconsin 0
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers, game details:

Rattlers Shut Down by Sky Carp - Wisconsin drops 5-0 decision at Beloit

Shortstop Brady Ebel (on base three times - single, BB, HBP), and corner outfielders Luis Castillo and Tyler Rodriguez, who combined for five of the seven total walks the Rattlers worked, all (obviously) never crossed the plate in this shutout loss.

• Team RISP: 0-for-4.
• Team LOB: 8.

RHP Jarrette Bonet, working as the long reliever Saturday, was rightly given his due in the linked game summary. The recently turned 21-year-old, in just his second High-A appearance, faced just one over the minimum over four innings, fanning three.

In a way, with so much going on at the other Brewers affiliate outposts, oddly thankful so little happened here in Wisconsin's penultimate 2026 contest, here's to many positive events Sunday.

IMPORTANT MEMORY:  This one is for longtime Link Report followers. The name of Beloit's starter in this game was Julio Mendez, which immediately had me revisiting one of the scariest on-field moments in Brewers minor league history. In October 2017, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy provided details and a promising update. We followed the Milwaukee Julio Mendez story as closely as we could as it occurred and, in the months, and years that followed.

Three years later, in 2021, we received another positive report that Mendez was doing well. That specific link appears to no longer be accessible at our forum, but every indication is Julio remains well to this day.

Speaking of overcoming hardship, on to the Wilson game...

Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 6, Wilson 3
Box Score and Game Log

Warbirds Offense Goes Quiet in Loss - Cairone Makes First Start

Yes, the Warbirds have now lost 11 games in a row. They won't get a chance to match Biloxi's recent 13-game skid, primarily because the season ends for Wilson on Sunday. At 64-65, the boys need to snap the brutal stretch to avoid a losing season, and to enjoy the bus ride home, for that matter.

In a game delayed at the start by nearly an hour, the listed attendance was 3,538.

We all could speculate that this would be a brief appearance for Cairone, whose road to recovery was most thoroughly covered by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (JS subscription required).

Let's all celebrate the first inning - to be honest, this could have been a blow-up frame, and we still would have celebrated it:

The young southpaw would come back out for a second inning:

• Line drive single to right
• Strikeout swinging
• Line drive single to center
• Walk to load the bases
• (Another) strikeout swinging - so close to escaping!
• Walk to force in a run

Cairone was lifted after 48 pitches, and RHP Enderson Mercado would balk in a run, meaning two earned runs total on Cairone's ledger, but that doesn't matter. Looking forward to Cairone perhaps starting the season-opener for these Warbirds in 2027. Congrats, Frank!

You can see Carsten Sabathia and Brailyn Antunez drive in runs on very similar base hits here and here.

Whew, that was quite a report this morning!

We say goodbye to the Wisconsin and Wilson seasons on Sunday, Nashville has two weeks of play yet to go, and Biloxi one regular season series before their playoff run begins. Biloxi has the lone evening game today.

Thanks for reading, and here's hoping you all enjoy a wonderful and safe remainder of your Labor Day weekend.

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