Baez has made some really nice fundamental plays at 3B tonight. I again opine: extremely underrated at the hot corner. he has a really good arm and is quite adept at the bare-handed gather and throw. Bitonti, as well, with some very adept glove work at first.
I am watching, yes. THO, they are in a prolonged timeout after their starter took that line drive off his face. That was a scary moment. Since they cut away, they've been in a prolonged commercial loop.
LHP Anthony Flores has such a nice bender. He can absolutely paint that inner corner with such beauty to lefty bats. That's 3 consecutive K's as he grabs the first out in his second inning of work. His off-speed stuff is really filthy. I would love to see him develop a cutter.
AND, for the second consecutive outing he's allowed runs in the first inning. That batter rips a 2-2 oppo single into RF. 1-0 Jump Shrimp. Men on 1st and 2nd. Still one down. This is two consecutive outings with an elevated pitch count in the first frame and the opponent putting multiple runners aboard. Let's hope he can limit the damage.
T-Rats have runners on 1st and 2nd and we are going to an extended Timeout here. That was a scary moment. Let's hope he's ok!
Meanwhile, in Nashville Patrick has runners on first and 2nd with 1 down (swinging foul tip K). He has his fourth batter in a 2-2 count. Pitch count at 20.
Corniel has really buckled down through 4 IP - pitch count at 71 despite his 31 pitch first frame. Hasn't allowed a single run since the two in the first frame. Just worked around a one out single and WP to get a ground out to 2B and a pop up to SS. Mudcats to the dish. They lead 3-2.
Matt Wood works the count full and walks. Areinamo pokes a single through the right-side of the infield scoring Garcia. 1-0 T-Rats in the top of the first.
Briceno comes through in a big way with an oppo line drive double deep into the RF corner. Carolina suddenly leads 3-2 on their fourth hit of the frame. Briceno continues to come through. That's his 12th double of his season.
Castillo swings and misses on consecutive high inside heaters - both clearly balls. Undisciplined approach. First out is a K. Can Guilarte do differently?
Marco Dinges will go down as a first AB 110 mph ripped line drive single past the diving 1B to begin his Brewers career. Really nice piece of hitting.
Di Turi follow with an infield single past a diving 3B - SS rushed the throw and it went to the dugout rails and Dinges advanced to 3B. Men on corners. Nobody out. Castillo to the dish.
Corniel buckles down with a 13 pitch 2nd frame. 2 K's (4 K through 2 IP - off-speed on outer black vs a righty-heavy line-up is the difference). A CS by Diaz in there. Let's get those bats humming!