Ro Mueller

Catching his fourth straight game, Nick Kahle fittingly delivered the walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th inning to send Nashville players and fans home happy. Transactions: LHP Darrell Thompson activated by AAA Nashville (now recovered from offseason sports hernia surgery, Thompson pitched the 7th inning tonight, allowing an unearned run despite no hits or walks) OF Yhoswar Garcia signed by the Brewers and assigned to Low-A Carolina (former Phillies super-prospect with a top speed grade) Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 4, St. Paul 3 (in 10 innings) Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Nick Kahle Hits Walk-Off in 10th Inning for Sounds Win The Sounds rode a couple of Old School performances to grab their 4-3 walk-off victory over St. Paul on Thursday. Exhibit A: Starting RHP Evan McKendry (6 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) threw 82 pitches after an 86-pitch effort five days earlier. The organization wouldn’t ask the same of a 22-year super-prospect or even their MLB starting pitchers at this stage of the season, but 26-year old McKendry was more than up to the task. Exhibit B: C Nick Kahle started his fourth straight game behind the dish, including three nights in a row. Not even extra innings could phase him, with our beloved game then fittingly bringing him to the plate to deliver the game-winning, walk-off hit to the right field warning track. The Sounds dominated in most facets of the game (e.g. 11 hits vs. 4 for the Saints), but lack of clutch hitting (2-for-16 with RISP at one point) and an untimely error made this a tight affair. After a fielding error on right fielder Chavez Young gifted the Saints a 3-2 lead in the 7th inning, left fielder Brewer Hicklen (2-for-4, double, walk, RBI) blasted a double to right field in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly from 1B Owen Miller to re-knot the game. Impressive RHP Enoli Paredes (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) wasn’t phased by an infield error to start the 9th inning of this tense game, calmly retiring six of the next seven batters to earn a deserved win. Sounds’ Extras: In addition to Hicklen, credit goes to SS Yonny Hernandez (2-for-4, RBI) and DH Tyler Black (3-for-5, double) for solid offensive days. The team was apparently more comfortable having McKendry pitch on five days’ rest than sending RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez out for his second start of the season (on six days’ rest). With Rodriguez not listed to start Friday’s game either, we have to put our antenna up to see if there’s any injury concern. LHP Wade Miley is expected in Nashville any day now to make a rehab start as he builds back strength before returning to the Brewers. Similar to Eric Brown Jr. last year, patience is required with center fielder Joey Wiemer (1-for-4, walk, 2 Ks – .120 season average in a small sample size) after his significant swing change. Unlike Fangraphs, I believe that this is the first of Wiemer’s three option years, as he didn’t spend 20 days in the minors last season by my count. In addition to Kahle, two Saints players (C Jair Camargo, right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr.) were certainly clutch on this night: producing all of their hits and RBIs, with Keirsey also throwing out 3B Patrick Dorrian at home on a 2B Isaac Collins (1-for-3, double, 2 walks) double to end the 7th inning. Friday’s outlook: AA Biloxi (home against Montgomery), High-A Wisconsin (hosting Peoria) and Low-A Carolina (at Salem) start their 2024 seasons, with exciting pitching prospects RHPs Jacob Misiorowski and Brett Wichrowski getting Opening Day starts – Misiorowski for the Shuckers, Wichrowski for the Timber Rattlers. Tobias Myers (0 ER in 4 IP in first start) is scheduled to start Game 4 of Nashville’s home series against St. Paul. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Enjoy the five(!) baseball games scheduled for Friday – Go Brewers, Sounds, Shuckers, Timber Rattlers and Mudcats!! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

Fitting that the game comes to Nick Kahle (after an intentional walk and a bunt single) and he ENDS it with a first pitch base hit to right field. Way to go!!! Sounds win 4-3. Let Kahle's body rest!

Enoli Paredes does a fabulous job, stranding the ghost runner and giving Nashville another chance to walk this thing off. We've got Isaac Collins, Yonny Hernandez and Nick Kahle due up. Poor Nick Kahle! He's caught 4 straight games and this one has gone to extra innings! Finish this!!

The Sounds are 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position, while the Saints are 1-for-8. The Sounds have 2 errors vs. 0 for the Saints. Enoli Paredes continues into the 10th inning.

...and 4 pitches later the Saints escape the inning. Hicklen ground out, Miller ground out, Dorrian fly out. Ugh. We head to the 10th inning tied 3-3.

Attaboy Tyler Black: he starts the bottom of the 9th inning by doubling the other way on a 1-2 pitch which Blewitt probably meant to throw as high heat (instead it was right down the middle).

Enoli Paredes helps himself out by striking out the next batter, then inducing a groundout and getting the lead runner caught between bases. And he induces another ground out. We head to the bottom of the 9th, tied 3-3, with Tyler Black, Brewer Hicklen and Owen Miller due up.

Weird situation (and troubling for Saints' fans) as Joey Wiemer fouls off 4 pitches with 1-on, 2-outs in the bottom of the 8th, then faces a new pitcher as Jeff Brigham exits due to injury with the count 2-and-2. He Ks on the 3rd pitch from Scott Blewit. And the 9th inning begins with the Sounds committing what may be their second costly error (Owen Miller fielding error at first base this time). Let's hope RHP Enoli Paredes can work around it.

C Jair Camargo and RF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. are the 2-man crew keeping the Saints in the game. Camargo has the clutch hits (solo HR, 2-out RBI double), while Keirsey Jr. has a double, single, stolen base, run scored and threw out Patrick Dorrian at home on an Isaac Collins double (yes, Collins continues to make the most of his opportunities) to end the 7th inning. The Sounds are out-hitting the Saints 8 to 4 and have left 10 men on base vs. 4 for the Saints. It's still tied 3-3 in the 8th inning now.

We all know that the reward for good work is more work and this obviously applies to McKendry as well, so he pitched the 6th inning and gave up his 2nd run of the game, exiting after throwing 82 pitches with the game tied 2-2. LHP Darrell Thompson has been activated and threw the 7th inning, being the unlucky victim of a Chavez Young error which allowed a baserunner to score all the way from first. 3-2 St. Paul led at that point. But Brewer Hicklen doubled (3rd time reaching base in 4 tries) and ultimately scored on an Owen Miller sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th inning. 3-3 affair.

LHP Darrell Thompson activated by AAA Nashville (presumably fully recovered from offseason sports hernia surgery) OF Yhoswar Garcia signed by the Brewers and assigned to Low-A Carolina 22-year old speedster Garcia was in the Phillies organization for four years, including putting up a .613 OPS with 29 stolen bases in just 146 PAs at Low-A Clearwater in 2022 before a knee injury slowed him down and he spent 2023 back in FCL Rookie ball (unimpressive .624 OPS in 151 PAs with 11 SBs).

Throwing on comparably short rest by today's standards, Evan McKendry has been a model of efficiency, giving up 1 run through 5 innings on 63 pitches (42 strikes). They're tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 5th inning.

RHP Evan McKendry makes his second start of the season as AAA Nashville looks to grab a 2-1 series lead at home over St. Paul. LF Brewer Hicklen is tearing it up in the early going: 6-for-16 with 4 extra base hits, 2 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.

Gonna have to call him Evan “Iron Man” McKendry if he goes far in this game, given that he threw 86 pitches 5 days ago. Old School me couldn’t help but imagine Freddy Peralta coming into yesterday’s game to handle 4 middle innings after pitching 5 days earlier, instead of giving him a full week between starts. Don’t mind me…

28-year old RHP Janson Junk (4.18 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 6.0 K/9 in 140.0 AAA IP in last year) and LF Chavez Young (.634 OPS in 365 AA/AAA PAs last season) each make their season debut for the Sounds, who aim to build a 2-0 series lead at home over St. Paul, facing old friend Caleb Boushley. Yesterday's hero, SS Yonny Hernandez is hitting 8th while C Nick Kahle starts his 3rd straight game behind the dish.

LHP Aaron Ashby makes his first start of 2024 as AAA Nashville (1-2) kicks off a 6-game series at home against Twins’ affiliate St. Paul (2-0). 1B Tyler Black will be thrilled to finally play in the field after DHing for 3 games.

- C Eric Haase outrighted from MLB Brewers to AAA Nashville - C Brian Navarreto placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list - C Blayberg Diaz assigned to AAA Nashville from Low-A Carolina

Old friend RHP Jake Cousins gets a chance to see his first big league action since June 3, 2023 with the Brewers.

Terrific outcome for the Crew. God are the Marlins cheap! Their catchers are a combined 0-for-13 with Zero walks. Swept 4 straight by the Pirates at home and they can’t even be bothered to claim a bat-first catcher. Hilarious! Our gain!

There’s a youth movement afoot, as four 18-year olds start the season on Low-A Carolina’s Opening Day roster: OF Yophery Rodriguez, RHP Josh Knoth (a 2023 draft pick), RHP Manuel Rodriguez and 3B/2B Juan Baez. Oh yeah, and they’ve also got five other 2023 draftees: RHP Ryan Birchard, SS Cooper Pratt, RHP Morris Austin, RHP Bishop Letson and RHP Josh Timmerman.

If I'm counting correctly, we've got 5 draft picks from last season on Wisconsin's Opening Day roster: Boeve, Wichrowski, Kuehner, Manfredi and Yoho...but no Ryan Birchard (well, he's still 20 years old). Luke Adams and Jadher Areinamo make the step up as expected, with Dylan O'Rae and Gregory Barrios joining them to add some exciting offense and defense. Adding Aquino, Rudy and Yerlin Rodriguez brings some serious talent to the pitching staff and I see Alexander Cornielle is returning. I wonder if Stiven Cruz is moving to the bullpen after not seeing his name listed as a starter in spring training. Let's hope they all thrive in the new season that's upon us.

The AA Biloxi Shuckers have rolled out a formidable 29-man Opening Day roster, including RHP Jacob Misiorowski, Brock Wilken, Wes Clarke and many other studs. Never mind that the player cap (I believe) is 28(!?):

Should we expect 2023 draftee Ryan Birchard to report to High-A Wisconsin?:

Hopefully Bradley Blalock has a terrific season ahead of him: