And That

Final: Wisconsin 6, Beloit 5 Rattlers Beat Beloit 6-5 in Home Finale on 11th Walkoff Victory of 2018 Wisconsin keeps their playoff hopes alive By Chris Mehring GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-5, walkoff win over the Beloit Snappers in the regular-season finale at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Both teams scored three runs in their respective first innings to start the game with some offense. Beloit (67-68 overall, 35-31 second half) jumped in front on a two-run single by Logan Farrar and an RBI double by Jack Meggs against Wisconsin starter Nelson Hernández. The Rattlers (66-70, 35-32) responded in the bottom of the first inning as Keon Broxton drew a lead-off walk against Bryce Conley. Then, Broxton stole second and stole third. Eddie Silva was at the plate with two outs and lined a 2-0 pitch to left for a homer…eventually. The initial call was a foul ball, but Silva got to complete his circuit around the bases after the umpires conferred and overturned the call. Later in the bottom of the first, Payton Henry's bloop single to right dropped in to score Gabriel García from third with two outs to tie the game. However, the Snappers went back in front in the top of the second. Two errors and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Hunter Hargrove got the go-ahead run home with a single. Beloit added another unearned run in their half of the third. A poor throw from short for what should have been the final out of the inning allowed Meggs to score from second base for a 5-3 lead. Wisconsin tied the game in the bottom of the third. Chad McClanahan doubled to right-center to drive in Silva. Kenny Corey, who had three hits in the game, delivered a two-out single to center to score McClanahan with the tying run. Neither starting pitcher went back out for the fourth inning. The bullpens settled down the game and kept the scored tied 5-5 until the bottom of the ninth. Michael Petersen retired the only two batters he faced in the top of the fourth before needing to leave after a grounder hit him in the leg. Sal Biasi came into the game for Petersen and tossed 2-2/3 scoreless innings. Clayton Andrews took over for Biasi and got the final two outs in the seventh. He had two runners on base after a pair of two-out singles in the eighth, but kept the game tied with an inning-ending strikeout of Armenteros. Robbie Hitt tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to set the stage for the walkoff win. Ivan Andueza was the second reliever of the game for the Snappers and he worked three scoreless innings before heading back out for the ninth and getting the first out. He would not get a second out in the ninth. Silva started the game-winning rally with a walk. García was next and he ripped a single to left. McClanahan stepped into the batters' box next and was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Henry worked the count to 2-2 and fouled off a pair of pitches. Andueza hit him on the left elbow with the next pitch and Silva trotted home with the winning run to keep the Timber Rattlers playoff hopes alive. It was the third walkoff RBI for Henry this season. He also had an RBI single to beat Burlington in the tenth inning on May 20 and an RBI sacrifice fly to beat Dayton on July 19. The walkoff victory was the eleventh of the regular season for the 2018 Timber Rattlers. That breaks the regular season record for the franchise. The 2012 Timber Rattlers had ten walkoff wins during the regular season and had one more in their postseason run to the Midwest League Championship. In the second half Western Division Wild Card Race, the Kane County Cougars defeated the Peoria Chiefs 10-3. That win puts the Cougars at 35-30 in the second half. They have a one game lead over the 35-31 Snappers. Wisconsin is 1-1/2 games behind Kane County. There are three games left in the season. The Timber Rattlers must sweep their three-game series at Kane County and Cedar Rapids must win one of the games in their three-game series at Beloit this weekend to get into the Midwest League Playoffs. The Timber Rattlers begin their final road trip of the regular season on Saturday night with a game against the Kane County Cougars. Scott Sunitsch (2-0, 1.69) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Cougars have named Cole Bartlett (5-3, 3.93) as their starter. Game time at Northwestern Medicine Field is set for 6:30pm. *** Wisconsin Box Score Wisconsin Game Log

Final: Colorado Springs 8, Oklahoma City 2 SKY SOX ONE WIN SHY OF CLINCHING AMERICAN NORTH DIVISION By Sky Sox PR COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Sky Sox are one win away from clinching as American Northern Division champions for a second consecutive season after an 8-2 game one victory Friday night in front of a sellout crowd of 8,998 over division rivals, the Oklahoma City Dodgers, at Security Service Field. Oklahoma City struck first in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Will Smith drew a walk and starting pitcher Kyle Lobstein supported his cause with a double to left field. In the top of the third, they took a 2-0 advantage after Edwin Rios hit an RBI single to centerfield to plate Donovan Solano who led off the frame with a double. The Sky Sox missed out on scoring opportunities early on in the first and second innings, stranding a pair of runners in each frame. Following the third inning, the contest would only see a total of four base runners as a pitching duel rallied deep into the night. Dodgers Kyle Lobstein finished his night after six shutout frames and allowed just five hits with two walks surrendered and seven strikeouts. Sky Sox Aaron Wilkerson competed against Lobstein, allowing two runs on four hits over seven frames with five strikeouts. In the bottom of the seventh, offensive support for Wilkerson came to life and Colorado Springs battled back with four late runs to take advantage of the ballgame for the first time. After Julio Urias replaced Lobstein for Oklahoma City, two consecutive walks started the momentum. With one out and Zach McCallister in for Urias, Nate Orf loaded the bases after he was hit by a pitch. Dylan Moore followed up with a single to centerfield just in front of centerfielder Henry Ramos to tie the game at 2-2. From there, a sacrifice fly ball from Tyrone Taylor and a wild pitch plated two additional runs to extend the Sky Sox lead to 4-2. After a quick top of the eighth inning delivered by reliever Mike Zagurski, the Sky Sox went back to work, matching with another four-run frame to take the reigns in the opening contest. Clint Coulter led off with a laser double to right field while Richie Shaffer walked behind him. Following Andres Blanco's bunt groundball single to load the bases, Rymer Liriano singled to plate one. An infield groundout and single by Orf tallied the additional three runs. Right-hander Corey Knebel, in his first appearance for the Sky Sox this season, closed out the ninth unscathed despite allowing a double and a walk in the frame, making it an 8-2 final. The Sky Sox head into a doubleheader against the Oklahoma City Dodgers at home in Security Service Field tomorrow with a 4:00 p.m. MT first pitch in game one. Colorado Springs Box Score Colorado Springs Game Log

Not that either is a tremendous player, but that seems steep (relatively speaking) for Gio Gonzalez.

No reaction around here? Did everyone see Kratz tag Soto at the plate with his glove...with no ball in it?? Would guess everyone looking at Soto's hand. I think primarily because this isn’t the the in-game thread.

Harrison made very limited progress behind the dish this year. He’ll be a 1B, perhaps LF bat going forward.

“Brewers active on a number of fronts.” That would seem to mean... anything. Including a bat or arm. Maybe even Chris Archer!

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Final: Helena 10, Great Falls 5 Brewers Double Up Voyagers To Win Second Straight Helena Scores Ten Of Last 11 Plated In The Game By Greg Mroz / Helena Brewers Helena, MT - Down 4-0 after half an inning, the Helena Brewers offense put the pedal to the floor and never stopped, scoring at least one run in each of the first four innings. The Brewers took their first lead in the third, and after Great Falls tied it in the fourth, Helena took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Helena doubled up Great Falls 10-5 and are now 6-1 against the Voyagers at home this season. Great Falls jumped on Michele Vassalotti with a four run first inning, capped off by a two run home run from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Helena though cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning, as back to back walks from Voyagers starter Jason Bilous started the rally. After a Yeison Coca sacrifice bunt, David Fry drove home the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly, and Bryan Torres followed with an RBI single. Helena cut the Great Falls lead to one in the second as a one out double from Je'Von Ward scored on a Brice Turang ground out. The Brewers then took the lead thanks to a two out two RBI single from Jose Sibrian in the third, making it 5-4 Brew Crew. Romy Gonzalez tied the game at five for Great Falls with a solo home run against Roberto Delgado in the top of the fourth, but the tie didn't last long. A leadoff single from Ward scored on a two out single from Fry, and two batters latter Pablo Abreu singled Fry home, making it 7-5 Brewers. Tyler Tungate came on in relief in the fifth and retired all nine batters that he faced. Helena added on a run in the sixth on a wild pitch and two in the eighth on RBI singles from Torres and Abreu. Fry, Torres, Abreu and Sibrian each finished the night with two RBI games. Fry has also now driven home multiple runs in each game of the series with Great Falls. The Brewers look to take the series tomorrow as Max Lazar takes the hill for his final home start of the year. First pitch is at 7:05 PM. *** An additional game story from 406 MT Sports. *** Helena Box Score Helena Game Log

Final: Beloit 7, Wisconsin 3 Snappers Pull Away Late for 7-3 Win Over Wisconsin Beloit's victory pushes Wisconsin to the brink in playoff chase By Chris Mehring GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Beloit Snappers had the final rally of a back-and-forth game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for a 7-3 win on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Snappers (67-67 overall, 35-30 second half) scored first with a run in the top of the fifth. They had runners on first and second with one out against Wisconsin starting pitcher Aaron Ashby. But, Ashby got the second out with a strikeout and was ahead of Austin Beck with two quick strikes. Beck fought off the 0-2 pitch and flared it into right field for a single. Gabriel García fielded the ball cleanly and came up firing to the plate. However, Jordan Devencenzi, the runner at second, was able to just beat the throw and Beloit had the 1-0 lead. The Rattlers (65-70, 34-31) answered in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kenny Corey drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a groundout. Darren Seferina brought the Rattlers even with an RBI double to right-center. Eddie Silva put Wisconsin up with a bloop single to center for the 2-1 lead. Beloit went back in front on an odd play in the top of the seventh. JT Hintzen gave up a leadoff walk and a one out single before giving way to reliever Christian Meister. Meister got the second out of the inning on a weak grounder off the bat of Lazaro Armenteros that allowed both runners on base to move into scoring position. Meister's first pitch to Hunter Hargrove was in the dirt and Hargrove swung and missed, but the ball got past catcher Payton Henry and he couldn't find it right away. That allowed both runners to score and the Snappers were back in front. Wisconsin tied the game with a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. García drew a walk with two outs against reliever Jesus Zambrano. Corey followed with a walk and Keon Broxton drew a walk to load the bases and chase Zambrano from the game in favor of reliever Seth Martinez. The first pitch Martinez threw upon entering the game was a wild pitch to allow García to score the tying run. Beloit went back in front in the top of the eighth inning. The frame started with a walk, a sacrifice bunt and another walk. Jack Meggs worked the count full against Meister and drove a ground-rule double to right to score the go-ahead run. Nick Allen was next and he lined a two-run single to left on a 1-2 pitch to give the Snappers a 6-3 lead. Beloit added to their lead in the top of the ninth inning as they loaded the bases against reliever Carlos Herrera on a hit batsman, a single, and a walk. Allen's sacrifice fly to left was deep enough to score the run from third and the Rattlers trailed 7-3. Wisconsin could not rally against Martinez who allowed a single in the eighth and ninth innings, but did not let a runner reach second base as he closed out the game. In the second half Western Division Wild Card Race, the Kane County Cougars won 3-1 at Peoria. The Cougars and Beloit are tied at 35-30. The Rattlers fall to 1-1/2 games behind both teams with four games remaining in the season. The final game of this series is Friday night. Nelson Hernández (10-10, 4.85) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has named Bryce Conley (3-7, 4.19) as their starter. Game time is 7:05pm. *** In tonight’s Podcast, Mehring & Kyle discuss the game, some odd plays, an ejection of the Beloit manager, and Aaron Ashby’s start. Hear from Matt Erickson and Ashby in the clubhouse comments and stick around to hear how hard Keon Broxton hit his ground ball single in the third inning (Hint: It was really fast) and a few other things, too. *** Wisconsin Box Score Wisconsin Game Log

Final: Omaha 11, Colorado Springs 5 Colorado Springs Box Score Tim Dillard gave up 10 runs over the first 5 outs of the game and the Sky Sox could not muster enough offense to come all the way back as their lead in the division slips to 1.5 games, with the decisive season-ending series coming up with the Oklahoma City Dodgers beginning on Friday. Tom Jankins was promoted to AAA for this game and finished and the game with 5 scoreless innings. I do wonder if he was meant to start and was later arriving than expected. Perhaps the game would have turned out differently had he started. Oh well. Nate Orf the only Sock to have a multi-hit effort. He went 3-4 with a double and a walk. Tyrone Taylor hit his 19th home run. Colorado Springs Game Log

Liriano back on the active roster with the Sky Sox as of yesterday. Also, Erik Davis was activated off of Colorado Springs' DL and Tom Jankins was promoted from Biloxi to Colorado Springs.

I've been high on McDowell since he was drafted. He's turned himself into a really good defensive catcher because he's athletic and intelligent behind the plate. Honestly, his athleticism would probably play anywhere on the field beside SS and CF. He hit well in the AZL and Wisconsin in '15/'16 before struggling in Carolina. To his credit, as his offense got worse, his defense got that much better. And now the worm is starting to turn a little bit at the plate in Biloxi. I do believe he has untapped offensive potential in him, and as long as his defense doesn't regress, he easily has second-division starting catcher upside.

Not for nothing, Hummel has the 10th-best wRC+ in the Carolina League this year among players with at least 300 PAs.

Now 22 walks in 57.2 innings. Second most valuable Brewers' starter by bWAR after today's start. It's almost like he's not a terrible, incompetent hack.

Wade Miley tho.

Olczak has a plus curveball and pretty good control on that and an adequate fastball. I absolutely think he has a future as an MLB middle reliever, though perhaps not a high-leverage type. Throws strikes. Miguel Sanchez gets good movement on his fastball/slider/change combo. Fastball gets up to 94-95. Throws from a low 3/4 arm angle with crossfire, which adds deception to the movement. Throws a few different kinds of sliders, one sweeping and the other tighter. The tighter slider can be a plus offering. Changeup isn't plus, but he's not afraid to use it either. Been one of my favorites since early last year. Same as with Olczak, I think he's a big league pitcher and has a bit more upside than Jon. When he keeps the ball down, he's been straight dominant at times. Wilson is a long-limbed, relatively lean RHB with average hand speed and a tick above-average raw power. Has had trouble making consistent contact, though he'll go on tears and is able to launch the ball when he gets ahold of one. He's ok at third base and the corner outfield.

So does Hiura's, but that doesn't mean he should catch either.

Tim Dillard activated off of Colorado Spring's DL prior to yesterday's doubleheader, with Rymer Liriano being transferred to the AZL roster.

C Mario Feliciano transferred from Carolina to the AZL roster. C Robie Rojas activated off of the Carolina DL in his stead. A bit of a lost season for the 19-year-old catcher sees him limited to to less than 200 PAs. Then again, he's just 19.

If Hummel is a passable catcher, they would keep him there. You'd think. That he's not playing there might tell you something.

If they want to bring Coulter back, I don't think they'd have to protect him on the 40-man/offer him an MLB deal. He's not going to get an MLB deal on the open market, so the Brewers could make a pre-emptive lucrative AAA offer to him. Then again, he might be frustrated with how the organization literally started him in A-ball this year and might look to play elsewhere.

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Final: Helena 6, Great Falls 2 Brewers Put Voyagers In Orbit To Snap Losing Streak Helena Breaks Tie With Four Run Third Inning By Greg Mroz / Helena Brewers Helena, MT - Needing a win to keep their playoff hopes realistic, the Helena Brewers got a solid all around performance in the second game of their series against the Great Falls Voyagers. Starter Caden Lemons earned the win with five innings of one run baseball, while the Brewers offense put up four runs in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie. The Brewers cruised to a 6-2 victory, snapping their three game losing streak and evening their four game series with the Voyagers at a game apiece. For the first time in five games, the Brewers got on the board before the fourth inning. With two out and nobody on in the first, Yeison Coca blooped a single into shallow right, and David Fry followed with a ringing triple off the batters eye, easily scoring Coca to make it 1-0 Brewers. Lemons worked in and out of trouble in the first two innings, stranding three runners on against him, but the Voyagers tied the game with two outs in the third. Lemons plunked Lenyn Sosa with one out and he scored on a two out single from Amado Nunez. Helena responded in a big way in the bottom of the third, as Je'Von Ward and Pablo Abreu started the frame with singles. Coca then squared to bunt and got the bunt down. The pitcher Davis Martin picked up the ball and his throw to first was late, loading the bases with nobody out. Fry then popped a single into center field, scoring Ward, giving Helena the lead and moving everyone up a base. Bryan Torres then hit into a double play, but it scored Abreu and moved Coca to third. LG Castillo then singled home Coca, making it 4-1 Brewers. Castillo with Connor McVey up stole second, and got to third on a throwing error from Jhoandro Alfaro on the steal. McVey then reached on an error that scored Castillo, making it 5-1. Lemons after the third retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings, ending his night after a career long five innings. He allowed just five hits, walked just one while striking out three. The win was the first in his professional career. Great Falls scored a run in the sixth against Lun Zhao but Helena got the run back with an RBI double from Luis Avila in the sixth. Victor Castaneda pitched two scoreless innings while Logan Gillaspie finished the game with a scoreless inning. The Brewers bullpen retired the last 10 Voyagers in the game. Tomorrow the Brewers look for their second win of the series as Michele Vassalotti takes the hill. First pitch is at 7:05. *** An additional game story from 406 MT Sports, including photos. *** Helena Box Score Helena Game Log

Additional game story and photos from Tuesday's Helena game that opened their final homestand as a franchise.

Final: Beloit 5, Wisconsin 3 Rattlers Fall Out of Wild Card Lead with Loss to Beloit Snappers beat Wisconsin 5-3 By Chris Mehring GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Beloit Snappers defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-3 on Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities in game one of a three-game series. The win allowed the Snappers and the Kane County Cougars to move back in front of the Timber Rattlers in the second half Western Division Wild Card race. The Snappers (66-67 overall, 34-30 second half) broke open the pitchers' duel with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Dylan File had allowed just one hit through the first five innings, but back-to-back singles to start the sixth set up Nick Allen, who tripled to right to score both runners and give Beloit a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Lazaro Armenteros drove in Allen with a sacrifice fly. The Rattlers (65-69, 34-31) cut into the deficit with a little help from the Snappers. Darren Seferina and Kenny Corey singled with one out in the sixth. Eddie Silva sent a grounder to third that looked like it would be an inning-ending double play. Beloit got the force at second, but the throw to first was wild and Seferina would score on the play. Beloit got that run back in the top of the seventh as the first three batters of the inning singled off reliever Robbie Hitt to load the bases. Jordan Devencenzi drove in the runner from third with a sacrifice fly and the Snappers were up 4-1. Wisconsin closed the gap again with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gilbert Lara and Chad McClanahan started the inning with singles. Gabriel García doubled to the corner in left with one out to drive in both runners and the Rattlers were down 4-3. However, the Snappers added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning on a double by Devencenzi. Kane County won 6-0 at Peoria on Wednesday night to put their second half record at 34-30. The Cougars and the Snappers are tied for the Wild Card lead and the Rattlers are now a half game behind the leaders. There are five games left in the regular season. Game two of the series is scheduled for Thursday night. Aaron Ashby (1-1, 2.23) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has named Jared Poche (8-6, 4.45) as their starter. Game time is 7:05pm. *** On tonight’s Postgame Podcast, Mehring and Kyle discuss (after a brief reaction to Jesus Aguilar’s tenth-inning homer in Cincinnati) Wednesday’s 5–3 loss to the Beloit Snappers, how Gabriel García wound up in right field and Kenny Corey started playing at first base, some of the turning points, and where the Rattlers stand in the playoff picture. Then, here from García and Matt Erickson with the clubhouse comments. *** Wisconsin Box Score Wisconsin Game Log