Jim Goulart

Final: DSL Braves 8, DSL Brewers 1 DSL Brewers Box Score 18-year-old Venezuelan RHP Nelson Hernandez, who was ultra-hittable but showed perhaps too-much control in his rookie 2014 year, had a similar outing to kick off 2015, unfortunately. Former Tampa Bay RHP Yomelbin Almonte, 22 years old, made his Brewer debut in spectacular no-hit fashion over five innings, facing the minimum. The conversion of OF Yunior Santana to a RHP did not go well in his 2nd outing, as he walked all three batters he faced. Former Phillie RHP Yan De La Cruz finished up in his 2nd outing of the five game-season. DSL Brewers Game Log Brewers were 1-for-12 with RISP -- ten hits but no walks led to just one run...there were four doubles, at least.

VIDEO and PHOTO GALLERY: Via WLOX, Late-inning rally helps Barons earn win over Shuckers (nice heads-up play by catcher Adam Weisenburger)

Offseason work turns Shuckers' Ramirez into complete hitter By Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald PHOTO GALLERY AT THAT LINK Also linked that in our season-long archive of Shuckers' features in our Biloxi thread...

Offseason work turns Shuckers' Ramirez into complete hitter By Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald PHOTO GALLERY AT THAT LINK Nick Ramirez has always hit the long ball and played a slick first base, but the Milwaukee Brewers farmhand needed to add one more facet to his game. Following a .231 batting average at Huntsville last year, the Biloxi Shuckers first baseman started the 2015 campaign hoping that off-season adjustments would help him become a tougher out at the plate. After a 4-for-5 effort in a 6-3 win at Birmingham on Wednesday, the former Cal State Fullerton star is batting .303 this season. "I think if anything, it's more of a mentality," Ramirez said of the reason for his improvement. "It's just knowing I'm not going to give up at-bats. I grind out every at-bat. In the long run, every at-bat is important. That's one of the things I didn't realize before. If you give away 20 at-bats, that's 20 possible hits you don't have. If you just gave away a walk, that's going to hurt the team." The Shuckers will play their first home game at MGM Park at 7:10 PM Saturday. With his batting average on the upswing, Ramirez has become one of the more complete batters in the Brewers' system this year. He leads the Shuckers in homers (eight) and RBIs (35) and ranks second behind Orlando Arcia in doubles with 10. Along with the healthier mental approach at the plate, Ramirez tweaked his stance in the offseason. "I've widened out a little bit and really worked on staying through the ball," he said. "I'm not worried about pulling the baseball. I'm not telling myself what I want to hit. I'm going to hit what's pitched to me." Ramirez has a .253 career batting average as a pro and his top season was a .271 campaign split between the Rookie and Class A levels in 2011. A wide stance has shortened Ramirez's stride and allowed him to be much more consistent with his swing. New confidence "Now with the way I think, I don't really worry about power," Ramirez said. "I know if I put a good swing on the ball, it's going to go over the fence." The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Ramirez has always had pop in his bat. He had back-to-back seasons of 19 homers at High-A Brevard County (Fla.) in 2013 and Huntsville in 2014. He has a career total of 73 homers as a pro. At Cal State Fullerton, he had 35 homers in three seasons before he was picked by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2011 Major League Draft. Ramirez was also an outstanding pitcher in college, registering 34 career saves. Southern Miss baseball fans may remember Ramirez as part of the 2009 Cal State Fullerton team that swept the Golden Eagles in a three-game series in Hattiesburg by a combined score of 37-11. In that series, Ramirez went 6-for-14 with two homers and five RBIs. Ramirez is just one piece of what has proven to be a potent lineup for the Shuckers. He ranks third in batting average on the team among Shuckers with at least 151 at-bats this season. Right fielder Michael Reed leads the way at .331 and shortstop Orlando Arcia checks in at .328. "I think it's a good lineup," Ramirez said. "If you look at our starting lineup up and down there are some impressive numbers in there. There's not really an easy out. We just have guys that are going to compete and battle and try to win." Ramirez has made a strong case for promotion and he's confident that day will come as long as he keeps up his current pace. Long term goals "I think if I continue to do what I'm doing, it will pay off dividends in the long run," Ramirez said. "I believe in myself a lot. It's a matter of staying consistent and showing them I can handle the bat. I feel like I play a pretty good first base. I just have to continue to be dependable."

VIDEO: Biloxi's Michael Reed slugs his fifth homer in the Shuckers' 6-3 win over Birmingham (Wednesday's game) It's Reed, not Red, Birmingham announcer boy...

Final: Birmingham 6, Biloxi 4 Late scoring frenzy results in 6-4 loss to Barons Thursday's loss forces the rubber match on Friday in road trip finale Biloxi Shuckers http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/0/4/128713104/cuts/shuckershuntsvillefullres_119_vua42xx3_c9oc839b.jpg Hiram Burgos tossed six scoreless innings in a no decision on Thursday night (Jason Clark Photo) BIRMINGHAM, AL. - Nine of the games' ten runs came across in the seventh and eighth innings on Thursday as Birmingham plated four of those in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the Shuckers 6-4 in front of 7,924 at Regions Field. The loss forces the rubber match of the set on Friday night, which is the final game of the opening 54-game road trip. In Thursday's game, Biloxi committed two errors for just the sixth time this season and fell to 27-4 when scoring four-or-more runs. The Shuckers' division lead shrank to 2.5 games and the magic number for a first half clinch remains at 14. Biloxi (32-21) entered the seventh down 1-0 and promptly greeted reliever Blake Smith with a leadoff single by Nathan Orf (2x3, R, BB), who advanced to second on an error by right fielder Brian Fletcher. Taylor Green (2x4, RBI) followed with an RBI single to plate Orf and tie the game at 1-1. Green attempted to take second on the play at the plate, but was thrown out by Barons' catcher Rob Brantly. Adam Weisenburger (2x3, RBI, R, 2 2B, BB) roped a double to left, Brandon Macias (0x3, R, BB) walked and Kyle Wren (0x5) reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases for Tyrone Taylor (2x5, 2 RBI, 2B). The centerfielder drove a double to right to bring in Weisenburger and Macias to give the Shuckers a 3-1 advantage. Birmingham (26-28) answered back with a run in the bottom-half of the seventh off of reliever Mike Strong (IP, R, 2 H, SO) with an RBI single off the bat of Brantly, scoring Jeremy Farrell. The Shuckers pushed their lead back to two in the eighth with an RBI double from Weisenburger that brought in Nick Ramirez (0x3, R, BB). Biloxi reliever Austin Ross (L, 3-2, 0.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 H) retired the first batter in the eighth, but six straight Barons reached base, which resulted in four runs to boost Birmingham back in the lead. The Shuckers' defense committed two errors in the frame. The Biloxi bullpen struggled again Thursday, giving up five runs and now 15 runs (14 ER) over the four games in the series. Trevor Seidenberger replaced Ross and needed just two pitches to get Marcus Lemon to fly out to left. Hiram Burgos allowed just one hit through the first four innings, but still faced the minimum before the Barons took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Farrell produced the third consecutive hit to start the frame, scoring Fletcher who had led off with a double. Fletcher collected four three hits in the game and an RBI. Burgos worked out of trouble in that fifth inning, as Birmingham loaded the bases with one out, but a double play ended the Barons' threat and only one runs came across. Biloxi will send out LHP Brent Suter (3-1, 2.43) in the rubber match on Friday. The Harvard lefty will make his second start of the year against Birmingham, picking up the win on May 22 with six innings of shut-out ball. The Barons will counter with RHP Tyler Danis (4-2, 4.36) who allowed seven runs - four earned - over four innings against the Shuckers on May 25. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM, with coverage beginning at 6:50 on 1240-AM WGCM and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com. Biloxi Box Score Five Shuckers had two hits; bullpen with rare struggles just as this road trip ends; SS Orlando Arcia with a stolen base, now 6-for-9 in that department... Biloxi Game Log

VIDEO: Scooter Gennett hits a double in Colorado Springs' 4-1 loss to Fresno (Wednesday's game)

Final: Colorado Springs 7, Fresno 3 Sox Explode For 15 Hits In 7-3 Win Over Fresno Colorado Springs' Offense Backs Up Roenicke's Strong Six-Inning Start In Victory By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/7/8/128709178/cuts/06_04_027sm_pk_g77cxs6a_jrxj5zas.jpg Robinzon Diaz led the offensive charge for the Sox, collecting three hits and two RBI in Thursday night's 7-3 win. (Photo by Paat Kelly) COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Sky Sox put their last two nights behind them as the offense came alive in a 7-3 win over the Fresno Grizzlies before a crowd of 6,401 on Thursday night at Security Service Field. Each starter would toss two clean innings before the Sky Sox broke through for the game's first run in the bottom of the third. Matt Clark got the Sox started with a one-out double against Grizzlies starter and former big leaguer Dan Straily (4-4, 4.44) before Robinzon Diaz moved him to third on a slow rolling grounder down the third base line that stayed fair just long enough to bounce off the bag for a base hit. Matt Long would come to the plate with runners on the corners and one out. The outfielder continued to produce with an RBI sacrifice fly, bringing Clark home to give the Sox an early 1-0 lead. Colorado Springs would head into the home fifth looking to break a 1-1 tie after Fresno got on the board in the top of the inning thanks to a Max Stassi solo shot to right-centerfield. The offense would break the tie in a big way, scoring five runs in the fifth to take a commanding 6-1 lead by inning's end. The Sox sent 10 batters to the plate in that explosive fifth inning, with the first six batters reaching safely en route to three quick runs. In fact, Diaz, Long and Logan Schafer would record three consecutive doubles to ultimately chase Straily from the game with just one out in the inning. Diaz's double plated Yadiel Rivera and Clark to give the Sox a then 3-1 lead. Schafer's extended the lead to 4-1 just before Fresno reliever Richard Rodriguez took over on the mound. Rodriguez quickly walked Chris Nelson before getting Pete Orr to fly out to right for the second out of the inning. After a double steal put Schafer and Nelson at third and second respectively, Juan Centeno would find himself in his best run-producing situation since his return to Colorado Springs. The catcher did not miss his opportunity, lining a base hit over the leaping try of Grizzlies second baseman Nolan Fontana to score both runners and extend the Sky Sox lead to 6-1. Fresno worked its way out of further trouble and promptly tacked on another run in the top of the sixth. The run was unearned however as Nelson's missed catch on an L.J. Hoes two-out liner extended Fresno's turn at the plate. Right fielder Domingo Santana ripped a double down the left field line in the following at bat to cut the Grizzlies deficit to four. Sox starter Josh Roenicke (3-2, 4.35) settled down to retire Matt Dominguez on a groundout to short, ending his night with a 6-2 lead after six. The right-hander would allow just two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out one over six impressive innings of work. Roenicke did not issue a single free pass, the first time he has done so in a start this season. The Sox would add one final run, scoring their seventh in the seventh thanks to a little small ball as Rivera brought Orr home from third on an infield single to extend the lead to 7-2. Fresno added a final run of their own in the top of the eighth against Sox reliever Ariel Peńa as RBI machine Jon Singleton drove home Alex Presley with a run-scoring double to cut the deficit to four once again. Colorado Springs' bullpen would shut it down from there as recently called up reliever Jaye Chapman came on to toss a scoreless ninth. The right-hander would allow two base hits in his Sox debut while striking out one to secure the 7-3 victory for the home squad. All but one Sox starter recorded a base hit in Thursday's 15 hit performance with four collecting multi-hit games. Rivera, Diaz and Long led the way with three hits apiece. Diaz and Centeno each drove home two in the strong offensive showing. The Sky Sox improve to 21-32 with the win as they knock Fresno down to a 31-23 record. The Sox will look to earn a series-split in Friday night's series finale against the Fresno Grizzlies. Drew Gagnon (1-7, 7.91) takes the mound for Colorado Springs in a matchup against Fresno right-hander Alex White (1-4, 5.56) with first pitch set for 7:05 PM MDT (8:05 Central) at Security Service Field. Colorado Springs Box Score Just one walk in 77 AB's for Yadiel Rivera, but hitting otherwise; one of the bigger games Logan Schafer has had at any level in some time... Colorado Springs Game Log The big frame re-visited -- Col. Springs Bottom of the 5th Yadiel Rivera singles on a ground ball to right fielder Domingo Santana. Matt Clark walks. Yadiel Rivera to 2nd. Robinzon Diaz doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder L. J. Hoes. Yadiel Rivera scores. Matt Clark scores. Robinzon Diaz out at 3rd, left fielder L. Hoes to shortstop Carlos Correa to third baseman Matt Dominguez. Matt Long doubles (14) on a fly ball to right fielder Domingo Santana. Logan Schafer doubles (6) on a fly ball to left fielder L. J. Hoes. Matt Long scores. Pitching Change: Richard Rodriguez replaces Dan Straily. Chris Nelson walks. With Pete Orr batting, Logan Schafer steals (2) 3rd base. Chris Nelson steals (1) 2nd base. Pete Orr flies out to center fielder Alex Presley. Juan Centeno singles on a ground ball to right fielder Domingo Santana. Logan Schafer scores. Chris Nelson scores. Scooter Gennett singles on a line drive to right fielder Domingo Santana. Juan Centeno to 3rd. Yadiel Rivera strikes out on a foul tip.

Sky Sox notes: Team working in the sunshine By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette Rick Sweet loves the great outdoors The Sky Sox manager has been on the field each day about six hours before first pitch, working through every imaginable drill with players looking to get the extra work they couldn’t get while the team has been cooped up in the clubhouse waiting out bad weather. “What we’re trying to do right now is catch up because we’ve gotten so little work,” Sweet said. “We got off to a rough start, we’ve lost a lot of players, not gained a lot of players. We need to catch up, and part of that is getting work on the field.” The Sky Sox entered Thursday 20-32, 14 games back in the PCL’s American North. Sweet isn’t blaming the weather on the team’s woes, and he praised the indoor batting cages available to his players at Security Service Field. But he’s happy to see the change. “There’s very few places in April and part of May where you aren’t going to run into some kind of weather problems,” he said. “It’s been fine, but we needed it to turn.” Up front money vs. gambling With Fresno’s Jon Singleton in town, the conversation with Sweet turned to money. Sweet has been around Triple-A clubhouses for nearly three decades – few know the pulse of this level quite like him – so he was asked about the reaction when Singleton signed a deal last year for a guaranteed $10 million before making his big league debut. The deal limited what Singleton might have been able to earn in arbitration, but it was money in his pocket. It also signaled what might be a change in pay structure in the minors now that draft bonuses and the funds to sign international free agents are being tightly restricted. “You talk to guys and they’ll be split,” Sweet said “Some would say he might have thrown away $50-$60 million. Other guys say, ‘Yep, he’s guaranteed 10.’ It’s all relative. It’s an individual thing – do you want to take a chance. Remember, he could blow out his shoulder, blow out his knee and be done and left $10 million on the table.” CarGo retrospective It was six years ago Thursday – June 4, 2009 – that Carlos Gonzalez was called up by the Rockies after spending two months in Colorado Springs. At the time, CarGo had 59 RBIs. The Pacific Coast League leader this year on June 4 was Singleton at 50.

Via this article, we know that Wooten will only be out about a week with biceps tendinitis.

Sky Sox pitcher, longtime friend in opposite dugouts for first time By Kristen Gowdy, Colorado Springs Gazette Relief pitcher Rob Wooten remembers a small hotel room in Omaha, Nebraska, where he and his roommate, fellow University of North Carolina pitcher Alex White, alternated filling the bathtub with hot and cold water. That was in 2008, when the teammates were trying to recover for the next day's College World Series game while trading pitching tips. When White, now a starter for the Fresno Grizzlies, takes the mound against the Sky Sox at Security Service Field Friday night, Wooten will be watching from the home team's bullpen. Despite growing up just 50 minutes apart, the North Carolina natives' high school teams never met, and though both have spent their fair share of time at the professional level - Wooten since 2008 and White since 2010 - the former Tar Heels have never faced each other. But that doesn't mean they haven't stayed in touch. "We work out together in the offseason, always attending weddings together and family functions together," Wooten said. "Anytime you play against guys that you grew up playing with, especially in college where we were all so close, that relationship is strong, it always is." The connection runs deeper than just winter workouts back home. When White had Tommy John surgery in 2013, he said he turned to Wooten, who had undergone the same procedure in 2010, for support. "I think having guys like him, people that know and have gone through it, we communicate about it," White said. While White will continue his quest to regain a spot in the majors Friday night - the former Rockies right-hander owns a 1-4 record and a 5.56 ERA in nine starts this season - Wooten will begin a recovery process of his own after landing on the DL on Thursday with bicep tendonitis. According to manager Rick Sweet, Wooten will be back on track in about a week. Hectic schedules haven't stopped Wooten and White from crossing enemy lines for the sake of friendship. The two managed to meet before Thursday's game, and plan to grab lunch before White's start Friday. For Wooten, the bond that grew from a collegiate friendship is the cornerstone of their mutual support. "He wants nothing but the best for me and I want the same for him," Wooten said.

Midwest League Press Release -- All-Star Teams Announced Congratulations to RHP Cy Sneed and catcher Carlos Leal!

Midwest League Press Release -- All-Star Teams Announced Congratulations to RHP Cy Sneed and catcher Carlos Leal!

FEATURE ARTICLE: A must-read from Tom Haudricourt, with plenty on LHP Kodi Medeiros, and the Helena plans for SS Jake Gatewood and OF Monte Harrison This was also linked in our season-long Timber Rattlers feature thread...

FEATURE ARTICLE: A must-read from Tom Haudricourt, with plenty on LHP Kodi Medeiros, and the Helena plans for SS Jake Gatewood and OF Monte Harrison

Catching Up: Via Manatees Examiner, linking to this game story from LHP Clint Terry's big effort Wednesday evening, which includes various quotes. *** AUDIO: LHP Clint Terry joins the Manatees Radio Network for Thursday's Pregame Show *** AUDIO, Game Highlights/Lowlights: Dunedin defeats Brevard County, 5-1

Cooper extends hitting streak in loss to Dunedin Michael Parsons, Florida Today http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/251e7ef136c0086eda706a9108ec76e946eee52c/c=339-0-3140-2101&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/2015/06/04/Brevard/B9317606711Z.1_20150604230117_000_GAVB06VAI.1-0.jpg Brevard County first baseman Garrett Cooper makes a play during a recent game. Cooper has a 13-game hitting streak heading into Friday's game with Dunedin. (Photo: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY) VIERA – The hits just keep on coming for Brevard County Manatees first baseman Garrett Cooper. On Thursday night the Manatees managed just five hits in a 5-1 loss to Dunedin, but Cooper extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a double to lead off the seventh inning. The Auburn, Alabama native has become much more selective at the plate and it has led to the third-year pro raising his average to .287 and has hits in 19 of the past 20 games. “I have been working with Ned (Yost, the hitting coach) on just picking my pitch to hit and not swinging at pitchers' pitches,” Cooper said. “I am seeing the ball well and hopefully that continues.” It didn’t look like Dunedin was going to give him a chance to extend the streak as he walked in his first at-bat, then was hit by a pitch in his second at-bat. It looked like he may walk again, but stroked an outside pitch down the first base line, hitting the base and ricocheting into right field for a double. “They were working around me a little, pitching me outside so I just tried to get something I could hit,” Cooper said. He would score the lone run of the game as teammate Paul Eshleman drove a ball 384 feet off the top of the wall in left-center field for an RBI double. “We just spread out our five knocks,” Manatees manager Joe Ayrault said. “We hit some balls hard tonight but spreading out the five hits hurt us.” Outfielder Clint Coulter finished with two of the five hits as he begins to snap out of a bit of a slump. Following an 0-for-22 spell, he now has eight hits in his last 23 at-bats, good for a .348 average in his last six games. Cooper said the team has been much more selective at the plate since Jonathan Lucroy’s weekend with the team. “He pulled us aside and had a few words about hitting and what he attacks and how you should look at pitches and what pitchers do to you specifically. Just going up there with a plan,” Cooper said. “We have done pretty well with that the past week and hopefully that continues.” The Manatees will look to get the offense going tonight as the face Dunedin in Game 2 of the series. Wei-Chung Wang will take the mound for Brevard County as Habitat for Humanity weekend continues. The special jerseys are currently being auctioned on the Manatees web site www.manatees.milbauctions.com (as linked earlier in this thread).

Another Manatees jerseys auction, all you collectible folks! http://manatees.milbauctions.com/images/stores/87/500/Front_500.jpg

Thursday's Farmhand Birthday -- Timber Rattler IF/OF Francisco Castillo turns 22.

AUDIO (Episode 14): While the latest version of Jeff Levering's "Brewers on Tap" podcast doesn't have a specific minor league interview this week, Jeff does pass along a very good question (at the 19:50 minute mark) to Michael Blazek from a certain yours truly (thanks, Jeff and Michael)! But actually, the whole podcast, as per usual, is worth your while.

Via Ryan Kaufman at Miller Park Prospects -- Feature Profile on Sky Sox catcher Nevin Ashley, who has been hot all season... This was also linked in our season-long Colorado Springs feature story archive thread... Every pitcher in the Sky Sox rotation has a better ERA with Nevin Ashley catching them. This is an excellent player profile article.

Via Ryan Kaufman at Miller Park Prospects -- Feature Profile on Sky Sox catcher Nevin Ashley, who has been hot all season...

As Biloxi's 55-game road adventure wraps up, one more feature article, via the American Sports Network, with a few more snippets and quotes.

Latest from Jeff Levering's Minor Details Blog -- The “Cravy Train”; Player of the Month Awards

Tweet via @BrewersPD: Brevard County RHP Jorge Ortega has been named Brewers Pitcher of the Month for May. 2-3 with a 1.54 ERA. 22 SO, 3 BB, 0.93 WHIP, .224 OPP BA *** Tweet via @BrewersPD: Biloxi OF Michael Reed has been named Brewers player of the month for May. .380/.463/.658 in May, 30 H, 15 R, 7 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 8x8 in SBs Congrats to both!