Link Report for Sat. 7/7 - Peralta strong again, leaves on comebacker to ankle (precaution); Maryvale explodes with a 17-run 1st inning; Manatees walk-off walk

[battlekow]

Final: AZL Brewers 23, @AZL Royals 8

 

AZL Brewers box score

On a beautiful 105-degree night in the Arizona desert, the Baby Brewers got together and beat the living hell out of the Royals. As with many other games so far this year, the Brewers' pitching was [sarcasm]spot on[/sarcasm] in the early going, surrendering a six-spot in the 1st inning--but, gloriously, it barely registered on the scoreboard this time around, because as you can see from the slackened jaws and improbably long play-by-play above, the Maryvale Crew had already tallied 17 runs by that point. That's a magazine, not a 1st inning.

 

The offense was powered by twin terrors Tyrone Taylor and Jose Pena, each of whom reached three times before the opening frame was done. Taylor, who's certainly panning out pretty well so far, especially for a supposedly raw tools-goof type, finished 4-7 with three doubles and a triple. Boosting the ol' slugging percentage the Ty Cobb way (in fact, the Brewers hit precisely zero home runs tonight). Pena was 5-7 with a double and a triple each.

 

Angel Ortega also had four hits, including a triple, to instantly boost his batting average from a paltry .185 to a perfectly cromulent .265. Sadly, Clint Coulter's .088 entering the day will require more dramatic intervention, but he did his part by collecting as many hits today (three) as he had in his entire pro career to this point; he also walked and committed his sixth passed ball (this is just his tenth game!).

 

Jalen Harris had two hits, including a triple, and walked twice, and Renaldo Jenkins both doubled and walked twice, while Malcolm Dowell tallied a single, three walks, and a HBP; continue taking your walks and eating your vegetables, young gents. Alan Sharkey singled and doubled. Last and also least, Dionis Hinojosa did not see any of the Brewers' 23 hits fall his way, though he did draw two walks and both drove in and score two runs; each starter managed at least one RBI. No truth to the rumor that Dustin Houle locked Coulter in the clubhouse bathroom in an effort to get in on the fun.

 

Oh, you say there are pitchers, too? I'd rather not. Well, okay, actually Danny Keller was awful--eight runs on 12 hits in three innings--but Taylor Mangum and Zach Quintana were both resplendent, allowing just two baserunners over the final six frames. Pitching coaches everywhere nod approvingly: the Brewers, clearly having read the Pitching in a Blowout section of the HR manual, issued zero free passes.

 

AZL Brewers play-by-play

Scroll up for gory details.

[TheCrew07]

Gindl, Peralta Lead Sounds To 5-2 Victory In Memphis

Victory Nets Nashville Its Third Straight Series Win

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Outfielder Caleb Gindl homered and drove in three runs as the Nashville Sounds topped the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds, 5-2, on Saturday night at AutoZone Park. Nashville (39-51) has won three of the first four games of the series.

 

Nashville starter Wily Peralta(5-8) allowed one unearned run on six hits while fanning six in 5 2/3 innings for the win. While also scoring and driving in a run while reaching base in both of his at-bats, the 23-year old exited early as a precaution after being struck in the leg with a comebacker. Peralta now has four victories in his last five starts (4-0, 1.82 ERA, 5er/24.2ip) from the hill.

 

Second baseman Eric Farris added three hits and scored a run. Outfielder Corey Patterson went hitless to snap a season-best seven-game hitting streak.

 

The game remained scoreless until Memphis starter and Cardinals top prospect Shelby Miller began the fourth inning by walking Peralta and Patterson. After Farris loaded the bases with his first hit, Gindl smoked a two-run double to right field. Third baseman Andy Gonzalez then brought home the third run with a fly ball single to left field.

 

· AUDIO: Gindl Two-Run Double

 

The Redbirds got a run in fourth to snap Peralta's scoreless streak of 16/3 innings over his last three starts, a season-best for Sounds starters this season. Lou Montanez singled, moved to second on a throwing error, and scored on a Zach Cox RBI base hit.

 

Peralta helped his own cause as Nashville added to its lead with another run in the top of the sixth. After shortstop Edwin Maysonet tripled, Peralta successfully got a bunt down to convert a safety squeeze while reaching first base.

 

· AUDIO: Peralta Safety Squeeze

 

Gindl led off the seventh frame with a solo homer to extend Nashville's lead to 5-1. The long ball was his sixth of the year and second game in a row with a dinger.

 

· AUDIO: Gindl Solo Homer

 

Memphis added their other run in the ninth after Eugenio Velez tripled and scored on a infield groundout.

Donovan Hand tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to extend his shutout streak of 20.1 IP over his last 12 outings. Jesus Sanchez struck out two in an inning. Mike McClendon gave up one run on two hits in one frame.

 

Miller (4-8) lasted only 2 1/3 innings in the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with four walks.

 

The Sounds and Redbirds conclude their five-game series at 6:05 pm CT on Sunday night at AutoZone Park. Nashville right-hander Mark Rogers (3-6, 5.66) will take the hill against Memphis righty Scott Gorgen (0-0, 6.43).

 

Nashville Box Score

Good for Wily! Well except getting smacked square in the leg by the line drive, hopefully he's alright. I'm not sure if I mentioned it from the radio broadcast a couple of starts ago but Jeff did mention that the Brewers were concerned enough that Lee Tunnell and Co. made a special trip just to work with him and see what was going on, apparently it helped because Peralta has been good since. Tunnell is just such an excellent pitching resource, to bad we can't clone him and have him be the pitching coach at every level.

 

Wily wasn't exactly super efficient throwing 54 of 89 pitches for strikes but he did post a 6:2 ratio, and still leads the PCL in that category (he was a leader in some negative categories as well). I was concerned about Miller being able to step in right away this season for the Cards and make an impact, but it just hasn't happened for him, which on the surface would seem to be a good thing for us. However with the division still up for grabs it may ultimately be a bad thing if we finish 3rd and don't cycle any fresh talent back into our system because we still had a shot.

 

Nashville Play By Play

[TheCrew07]

Final: DSL Brewers 12, DSL Braves 10 (10 Innings)

 

DSL Brewers Box Score

I spent all day/night at my niece's birthday so forgive me for Addy speak but the pitching in this one was just "ucky". 21 year old Eduard Reyes gave up 10 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned, in only 4.1 innings pitched and his ballooned his ERA to only 1.95, he's been that good previously. Angel Ventura replaced Reyes in the 5th and wasn't much better, he was charged with 2 of his own runs in only .2 IP plus allowing Ventura's inherited runners to score. Junior Flores also struggled giving up 3 runs in his 2 innings. Melvin Tejada came up clutch though getting the win pitching a scoreless final 3 innings. He allowed just 1 hit and a walk while striking 3.

 

Every starter but 1 recorded a hit and the Brewers also recorded a total of 7 walks. Elvis Rubio led the way going 2-4 with a double and a walk, slightly overshadowing Francisco Castillo's 2-4 with 2BB day. Though maybe I should lean towards the higher OBP, tough call either way, both were excellent but Rubio's double won the game. Carlos Belonis also posted a 2-6 effort which was the final multi-hit game of the day. Castillo and Belonis were caught stealing but Castillo did also steal a base as did Mendoza. Unfortunately the Brewers also had 3 more errors and another passed ball, so the defense was shakey for a 2nd day in a row.

 

DSL Brewers Play By Player

The Brewers put 6 runs on the board in the 2nd, this should have been laugher.

DSL Brewers Top of the 2nd

• Yunior De La Cruz singles on a line drive to right fielder Miguel Rivero.
  Carlos Pena reaches on fielding error by third baseman Juruengelo Tielman. Yunior De La Cruz to 2nd.
  Pitcher Change: Ramon Sauceda replaces Victor Constanzo.
  Alejandro Mendoza singles on a line drive to left fielder Iosif Bernal. Yunior De La Cruz to 3rd. Carlos Pena to 2nd.
  Francisco Castillo singles on a fly ball to right fielder Miguel Rivero. Yunior De La Cruz scores. Carlos Pena out at home on the throw, right fielder Miguel Rivero to second baseman Luis Monasterio to catcher Eugenio Diaz. Alejandro Mendoza to 3rd on the throw.
  Raphachel Colatosti hit by pitch. Francisco Castillo to 2nd.
  Carlos Belonis singles on a line drive to center fielder Jose Morel. Alejandro Mendoza scores. Francisco Castillo to 3rd. Raphachel Colatosti to 2nd.
  Elvis Rubio hit by pitch. Francisco Castillo scores. Raphachel Colatosti to 3rd. Carlos Belonis to 2nd.
  Jose Dicent singles on a line drive to second baseman Luis Monasterio. Raphachel Colatosti scores. Carlos Belonis to 3rd. Elvis Rubio to 2nd.
  Yunior Santana singles on a line drive to first baseman Ibrahim McKenzie. Carlos Belonis scores. Elvis Rubio to 3rd. Jose Dicent to 2nd.
  Pitcher Change: Adrian Rivero replaces Ramon Sauceda.
  Yunior De La Cruz out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Iosif Bernal. Elvis Rubio scores. Jose Dicent to 3rd.
  Carlos Pena pops out to shortstop Johan Camargo.

 

The pitching gave up 2 in the 1st and all the rest back in the 5th.

DSL Braves Bottom of the 5th

• Miguel Rivero singles on a line drive to right fielder Yunior Santana.
  Victor Reyes singles on a pop up to third baseman Jose Dicent. Miguel Rivero to 2nd.
  Juruengelo Tielman singles on a line drive to right fielder Yunior Santana. Miguel Rivero scores. Victor Reyes to 2nd. Fielding error by right fielder Yunior Santana.
  Jose Morel lines out to left fielder Elvis Rubio.
  Eugenio Diaz doubles (3) on a fly ball to right fielder Yunior Santana. Victor Reyes scores. Juruengelo Tielman to 3rd.
  Pitcher Change: Angel Ventura replaces Eduard Reyes.
  Ibrahim McKenzie strikes out swinging, catcher Carlos Pena to first baseman Yunior De La Cruz.
  Iosif Bernal doubles (6) on a fly ball to right fielder Yunior Santana. Juruengelo Tielman scores. Eugenio Diaz scores.
  Luis Monasterio singles on a line drive to right fielder Yunior Santana. Iosif Bernal scores. Luis Monasterio to 2nd on the throw.
  Johan Camargo grounds out, second baseman Alejandro Mendoza to first baseman Yunior De La Cruz.

 

Rubio came through in a big way for the win, despite trying to stretch his double for another insurance run.

DSL Brewers Top of the 10th

• Francisco Castillo singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jesus Heredia.
  Juan Ortiz walks. Francisco Castillo to 2nd.
  Carlos Belonis grounds into a force out, first baseman Ibrahim McKenzie to third baseman Johan Camargo. Francisco Castillo out at 3rd. Juan Ortiz to 2nd. Carlos Belonis to 1st.
  Elvis Rubio doubles (8) on a fly ball to center fielder Jose Morel. Juan Ortiz scores. Carlos Belonis scores. Elvis Rubio out at 3rd, center fielder Jose Morel to shortstop Omar Obregon to third baseman Johan Camargo.
  Jose Dicent grounds out, third baseman Johan Camargo to first baseman Ibrahim McKenzie.

[TheCrew07]

damn this guy, go back to the bullpen!

Cingrani's run of zeros reaches 20 2/3

Reds prospect hurls six solid innings, extends shutout streak

By Sam Dykstra / Special to MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/07/08/yCSDyako.jpg

Tony Cingrani is 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA in seven starts since joining Pensacola last month. (Chris Nelson)

The book on Tony Cingrani's season already was a great read, but he added another chapter Saturday night.

 

The Reds' No. 10 prospect scattered two hits and three walks over six scoreless innings to lead the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos past the Mobile BayBears, 8-2.

 

The outing extended Cingrani's shutout streak to 20 2/3 innings and marks the second time this season he's gone three straight starts without allowing a run. He also achieved the feat from April 20-May 2 with Class A Advanced Bakersfield.

 

"It's done a lot for my confidence," Cingrani said of his recent run. "I'm always going to be confident out there, no matter what, though. If they hit the ball, hopefully, I can keep from letting them hit it too hard. That's always been my job and it's something I'm always working on."

 

The left-hander, who turned 23 on Thursday, ran into some trouble against Mobile. In the third, he walked Evan Frey with one out and gave up a single to Chris Owings. Owings was nailed on the back end of a double-steal, but Matt Davidson also walked to put runners on the corners. Blue Wahoos catcher Mark Fleury again came to Cingrani's aid, throwing out Davidson on another steal attempt.

 

That sequence served as a wake-up call.

 

"There was a little spark of excitement there in the third," Cingrani said. "So all I wanted to do from there on out was throw harder. I was rushing a little bit, too. So I tried sitting back on my leg a little longer, and that helped me stay back and throw more pitches in the zone."

 

The strategy worked.

 

The former closer at Rice University retired the final nine batters he faced, three on strikeouts after he failed to fan a single batter over the first three frames.

 

However, Cingrani noted he still longs to twirl a game like the one on June 27 that started his shutout streak.

 

"That 15-K game was the best one I've had here so far," he said. "My off-speed [stuff] was really working in that game, I think. I'm always trying to repeat things I did then, but all I can do is go out there and compete like I always do."

 

Cingrani's 1.28 ERA between Bakersfield (10 starts) and Pensacola (seven) leads all full-season Minor Leaguers. He also ranks second in the Minors with 121 strikeouts, sixth with a 0.94 WHIP and seventh with a .186 opponents' batting average.

 

As gaudy as those numbers may appear, Cingrani knows the streak will come to an end. And he acknowledges that he still has work to do on his changeup and slider.

 

"If it happens, it happens," he said. "I've been happy with my performances. As long as I don't go out there and give up, say, seven runs or something, I'll be happy with where I'm at."

 

Beau Mills homered, doubled and drove in four runs for the Blue Wahoos. Bryson Smith added two RBIs, while Reds No. 4 prospect Didi Gregorius was 2-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored.

 

Ed Easley went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBIs for the BayBears.

[TheCrew07]

Geiger continues home run binge

Cubs third base prospect goes deep in fourth straight game

By Jonathan Raymond / Special to MLB.com

 

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Dustin Geiger has raised his slugging percentage 139 points in four games. (Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com)

 

Dustin Geiger can safely say the broken hamate bone in his left hand that kept him out of action until early June isn't sapping him of any power.

 

The Cubs third base prospect homered for the fourth straight game Saturday, tying a club record and powering the Class A Peoria Chiefs to a 5-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

 

"I don't think I've ever [played like this]. This is the first time, even in high school," said Geiger, who's gone deep five times during the streak. "I've done back-to-back days with a home run before but never anything like this. It feels great when everything clicks and you can help the team win ballgames."

 

Jordan Robison (May 9-14, 2002) and Josh Vitters (May 16-19, 2009) also homered in four straight games for the Chiefs.

 

Geiger didn't make his season debut until June 7 after breaking the bone in his hand during Minor League camp. After going 0-for-11 in his first three games, he's been on a tear, hitting safely in 20 of his last 22 games.

 

The 2010 24th-round Draft pick chalked up his productive run to the work he put in at extended spring training and with Chiefs hitting coach Barbaro Garbey.

 

"I'm seeing the ball well, working on my approach with [Garbey] and everything's clicking. Luckily, I've been able to hit this way," Geiger said. "Now I'm just hitting pitches that the pitchers make mistakes with."

 

Geiger batted .342 in 19 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League last season before a promotion to the Midwest League, where he hit .227 in 43 games with Peoria.

 

In 25 games with the Chiefs this season, though, the 20-year-old is batting .313 with eight homers, 21 RBIs, a .367 on-base percentage and .586 slugging percentage. He's raised that slugging number 139 points since Tuesday.

 

Geiger stressed how well the Cubs' training staff in Arizona prepared him for his return.

 

"Everyone took great care of me and I was able to make a pretty speedy recovery," he said. "Everything's doing fantastic."

 

A native of Merritt Island, Fla., Geiger said he hopes he can continue to produce at this level and hopefully move up to Class A Advanced Daytona Beach, a 45-minute drive from his hometown.

 

"You always want to take it one step at a time, not look too far in advance, but obviously the goal is to get to [Class A Advanced]," he said. "It'd be nice to get the parents and friends and family to come see me."

 

On Saturday, Cubs No. 3 prospect Javier Baez also homered, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. The ninth overall pick in last year's Draft is hitting .305 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 33 games. The 19-year-old shortstop also sports a .379 OBP and .492 slugging percentage.

 

Geiger said Baez has been as impressive in person as his numbers suggest.

 

"While I was rehabbing, he was playing in extended [spring training], demolishing the ball, hitting it out to every part of the field," he said. "The kid has incredible power. He has incredible range on defense, too, just a great player."

[Mass Haas]

Stars Win Second Straight

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In the opener of a three-game series, the Huntsville Stars beat the Jacksonville Suns by a score of 7-4 on Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

Building off the momentum from a win on Friday night, the Stars offense struck first on Saturday night against Suns starting pitcher Alan Oaks. In the first inning, a two-run home run from first baseman Hunter Morris gave the Stars a 2-0 lead. One inning later, another home run, this one a solo shot from right fielder Kentrail Davis, put Huntsville up by a score of 3-0.

 

After retiring the side in order through his first two innings, Stars starting pitching Evan Anundsen made one of his only mistakes of the night in the third inning. To begin the frame, third baseman Shawn Bowman connected on a solo home run, cutting the Stars lead to two.

 

However, the Stars offense was able to put the game out of reach and secure the win for Anundsen in the fifth inning. With former Stars pitcher Bobby Bramhall coming into the game, catcher Anderson De La Rosa greeted him with a solo home run. Bramhall then gave up a double to Anundsen and a bloop single to left fielder Lee Haydel to put runners on first and third with no outs. The next at-bat, a sacrifice fly by center fielder Josh Prince plated Haydel to make the score 5-1. Then, with two outs, an RBI triple from Morris and an RBI double from Hainley Statia gave the Stars a 7-1 lead.

 

The six-run advantage was plenty for the 2012 Southern League All-Star. Anundsen improved to 5-4 on the season after giving up just two runs on six hits through six innings. The victory was his first in four starts over the second half of the season.

 

Following a solo home run by second baseman Paul Gran in the sixth inning, Jacksonville scored their final two runs in the eighth inning off of Stars reliever Kyle Heckathorn. In the ninth, reliever Brandon Kintzler sent down the Suns in order for his second save in as many nights.

 

On offense, the Stars were paced again by Morris, who went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. His first inning round tripper was his second homer in as many nights. The three long balls on the night for Huntsville was the most they’ve had in any game this season.

 

Game two of a three-game series will begin on Sunday as the Stars will send RHP Johnnie Lowe (first game with Stars) out to the mound to square off against Suns RHP Bryan Evans (2-5, 3.61 ERA). First pitch is at 4:03 PM.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville rotation of Burgos - Baker - Stinson - Anundsen - Lowe (awaiting Jimmy Nelson's return)

 

Has supplemental first round pick Kyle Heckathorn now been relegated to the Eric Arnett middle relief bargain bin?

 

Heckathorn's 2009 supplemental first round draft partner, Kentrail Davis, just won't be budged from that 7 spot in the Stars' lineup, no matter how much others struggle above him. At least he's on a bit of a power surge lately...

[Mass Haas]

Interesting note on the Maryvale 17-run 1st inning -- the A-Crew left the bases loaded.

[Mass Haas]

Clutch hitting lifts Brewers past Missoula

by Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Consistent pitching and clutch hitting paid off in a big way for the Helena Brewers on Saturday night.

 

Brent Suter was strong for 5 1/3 innings to earn his first win of the season, Helena pounded out four two-out RBIs and the Brewers topped Missoula 8-1 in front of 1,266 fans – the second largest crowd of the season at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Stranding runners in scoring position had been the story for the Brewers in recent weeks, but the bats came alive late Saturday. Emmanuel Quiles’ two-run double in the seventh inning broke up what had been a 1-0 pitchers’ duel, and the hosts tacked on four more insurance runs in the eighth. Quiles and Alfredo Rodriguez both finished the game 3 for 4 and five different Brewers players recorded RBIs, erasing any doubts about how the offense might fair after Helena’s hot-hitting third baseman Michael Garza was promoted Saturday morning. Garza, who was batting just over .400, had been the heart and soul of the lineup and led the Brewers in several statistical categories before getting called up to Class-A Wisconsin.

 

“We lost Garza, and he was one of the top hitters in this league,” Helena manager Jeff Isom said. “So we said everybody’s going to have to step up, not just one. A number of guys did that tonight, and it was good to see we had balance throughout our lineup.”

 

After what was arguably Helena’s most well-rounded outing of the season, Isom also had high praise for his pitchers. Suter came in at the top of the fourth following quick outings by Tyler Wagner and Preston Gainey, who combined for a one-hit shutout early on. The southpaw out of Harvard gave up just four hits through his first five innings of work and, as if that wasn’t enough, made the game’s finest defensive play to end the eighth. Following a pretty pickoff throw to get Justin Bianco out at second, Suter reacted quickly on a beautiful bunt by John Leonard, coming off the mound to stab the ball low by the third-base line and making a bullet throw to first — seemingly without even turning his head. The ball came out of the long arm of the 6-foot-5 lefty and right into the glove of first baseman Adam Giacalone, drawing cheers from the crowd and an excited reaction from his teammates.

 

“With nobody on and two out I figured I might as well go for it,” a still-stoked Suter described after the game. “I knew it was fast so if I did the plant-step I wouldn’t get him so I just decided to go all Derek Jeter on it I guess.

 

“At first when I threw it up I thought it was going over the right-field fence. But topspin came through for me. That was a fun inning.”

 

Isom said Suter’s acrobatics were difficult to describe to someone not at the game.

 

“It was a great play; it was one that I haven’t seen,” he said. “It’s something that you might see on ESPN occasionally. I have to write the game report after the game and I don’t know how to even explain what he did. It was a crazy play.”

 

The Osprey spoiled Suter’s shutout bid in the ninth, when the Brewers lost back-to-back balls in the lights that would have been routine outs and a run came in. But Martin Viramontes came to the mound after Suter allowed his fourth hit of the inning and struck out back-to-back batters whilst Brewers fans stomped their feet in unison. Game over.

 

“It was a well pitched game, I don’t think we walked anybody tonight,” Isom said. “That’s what we’ve been talking about with our pitchers – go out there and be aggressive in the zone, use what your strengths are and go right after ’em.”

 

The Brewers (6-14) did just that, fanning nine and walking none. Suter said it was exactly what the pitchers had grouped together and discussed, and he hopes it’s a sign of more good things to come for a staff that entered the game with the worst ERA (6.45) in the Pioneer League.

 

“I think pitchers still need to work on throwing more strikes. Today was a good day, but we need to be like this every time out — consistently pounding the zone, hitting the knees,” he said. “Offensively, what we showed those last couple innings is exactly what we need to do: being clutch with guys on base and two outs. That’s what we’ve kind of been struggling with the last couple weeks.”

 

Helena will try to string together a pair of wins for the first time this season when they again host the second-place Osprey. Left-hander Will West is slated to start for the Brewers in the matinee contest, while RHP Ross Gerdman takes the mound for Missoula. First pitch is 1:05 PM (2:05 Central).

 

NOTES: Garza wasn’t the only Brewer promoted to Class-A Wisconsin this weekend. Infielder Adrian Williams was also called up to Appleton to join the Timber Rattlers. It will be Williams’ second stint with the team this season, as he played in 18 games and had seven hits through 42 at-bats. … Infielder Andres Martinez was promoted to Helena from the Arizona League, and fifth-round draft pick Damien Magnifico (RHP) was also assigned to Helena.

 

Brewer Alfredo Rodriguez tries to put the first score on the board Saturday night but was greated with a hard hit at home plate by Missoula Osprey Yosbel Gutierrez in the top of the fifth inning.

 

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[bkrause2]

Coulter, Crew score 17 -- in first inning

Brewers' first-round pick helps AZL club trounce Royals, 23-8

By Andrew Pentis / Special to MLB.com

 

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Clint Coulter, the Brewers' top pick last month, recorded three hits Saturday. (Getty Images)

 

Baseball lineups aim to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard every inning. In their first frame Saturday night, the Arizona League Brewers nearly put up two crooked numbers.

 

Milwaukee's Rookie-level affiliate scored 17 runs before making the game's first three outs and went on to crush the host Royals, 23-8.

 

The Brewers sent 22 batters to the plate in the opening inning, collecting 12 hits and drawing five walks. The Royals also hit a batter, committed two errors and a balk.

 

The Royals burned through three pitchers -- rehabbing Major League reliever Juan Gutierrez (0-1) and 2011 draftees Christian Witt and Christian Witt each recorded one out -- and made two defensive switches in the frame.

 

A bit of context: No Minor League team has scored more than 17 runs in a single inning this season. Plus, the 23 runs overall represent an Arizona League season high, besting the AZL Diamondbacks' 22-run total on June 24.

 

At the forefront of the victorious lineup was first-round Draft pick Clint Coulter, who was selected 27th overall last month. The 18-year-old catcher singled three times in five at-bats and caught six innings before leaving his 10th game as a pro.

 

Coulter, who signed four days after the Draft, singled twice and grounded out in the first, while leadoff man -- and second-round pick -- Tyrone Taylor tripled, doubled and reached on an error, all in the space of one inning.

 

In his seventh pro game, Taylor finished 4-for-7 with three RBIs and four runs scored -- all career highs.

 

No. 3 hitter Jose Pena recorded five hits in seven at-bats and fell a home run short of the cycle. He doubled and singled twice in the first inning alone.

 

Taylor opened the game with a double, Coulter singled and Pena followed with an RBI base hit. With one out, a throwing error by shortstop Ramon Torres produced another run and Angel Ortega singled to chase Gutierrez.

 

Renaldo Jenkins greeted Witt with an RBI double before Malcolm Dowell and Dionis Hinojosa walked to force in a run. Third baseman Diego Goris' error allowed two more runs to score, but Coulter was retired on a ground ball for the second out.

 

Pena doubled to make it 9-0, then scored on Jalen Harris' triple. Alan Sharkey and Angel Ortega singled and Jenkins walked against Lumpkins to load the bases. Dowell was plunked and Hinojosa walked to force in two runs and Taylor emptied the bases with his third triple of the season. Coulter capped the inning with an RBI single to center field.

 

The Brewers also posted a crooked digit in the third (two runs) and seventh innings (three runs) before scoring their final run in the eighth.

 

The Royals rallied for six runs in the bottom of the first against starter Daniel Keller, who was charged with all eight runs on 12 hits over three frames. Brewers relievers Taylor Magnum (1-1) and Zachary Quintana each allowed one hit over three scoreless innings, with Quintana recording his first save.

[TooLiveBrew]

Kind of an odd way to frame the game to say Coulter was the linchpin