Link Report for Tuesday 4/21 - Hall Shines for Shuckers; Roache and Eshleman with Final Inning Manatee Magic

[Mass Haas]

The Shuckers have already posted the pre-game media notes for Wednesday, and the link includes the following audio:

 

Chris Harris’ call of the Brooks Hall home run on Shuckers Radio Network

 

Pregame Interview with Brewers Infield Coordinator Bob Miscik

 

Game 2 Pregame Interview with Manager Carlos Subero

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattler and Idaho native RHP Cy Sneed (3rd round, 2014) tweeted a link to his wife Hannah's Baseball Bride Blog, providing some insights we might not normally see. A bit unique that she's also staying with a host family in Appleton.

[Mass Haas]

Mostly lowlights, but some highlights in the Timber Rattlers video package put together by the MyNew32 TV staff.

[Mass Haas]

Hall homers and gets win in game one on Tuesday night

Shuckers and Suns split doubleheader at Bragan Field

Biloxi Shuckers

 

JACKSONVILLE, FL - For the first time in the inaugural season, the Shuckers were the home team, batting last and wearing white pants and blue tops on Tuesday night, during both games of a doubleheader. Biloxi shutout the Suns on just one hit in game one, winning 6-0, but dropped the nightcap 5-2, after jumping out to an early 2-0 lead. In game one, Brooks Hall and Tanner Poppe combined for the first one-hit shutout in franchise history, while Hall helped himself out blasting his first career home run. At the end of the night, the Shuckers are 6-5 and sit a half game back of the first place Mississippi Braves in the South Division standings.

 

Game 1: Shuckers 6, Suns 0

 

Hall (W, 2-0) rolled through the Suns' lineup in game one, setting down 10 straight before walking the leadoff man in the fifth. The righty worked quickly and efficiently, striking out six and allowing only one hit in his six innings of work. Hall retired 18 of the 20 batters in the outing and Poppe added a 1-2-3 ninth seeing Biloxi pitching retire 21 of 23 Suns batters in the game. Jacksonville had no men reach second base and the lone hit came from the third batter of the game.

 

Biloxi's offense backed up their starter's outing, putting up three runs in the first two innings.

 

Orlando Arcia (2x3, R) stretched his on-base streak to 10 games with a single in the first and Nick Ramirez (1x2, RBI, R, 2B) promptly doubled him home to give Biloxi an early 1-0 lead. Michael Reed (1x2, 2 RBI) continued his torrid start to the season with a scorching shot up the middle that caromed off the glove of center fielder Kenny Wilson, allowing Ramirez to score easily. Reed is 11-for-25 (.440) to start the year.

 

The shot of the game came off the bat of Hall, who ripped a Trevor Williams (L, 0-1) pitch over the left field wall. The two-out blast in the second inning was Hall's first in 23 career at-bats in the minors.

 

Biloxi (6-5) added on to its tally with runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to secure the game one victory. Eight of Biloxi's nine in the starting lineup reached base safely with a hit and Arcia tallied his fifth multi-hit game going 2-for-3 at the dish.

 

Williams, the Marlins second round pick in 2013 out of Arizona State suffered the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings on the mound.

 

Biloxi Game One Box Score

 

Strongly suggest listening to the audio interviews from the Shuckers just above, as both Miscik and Subero (in particular Subero) provide analysis on individual players including Arcia, Rivera, and Reed...

 

Biloxi Game One Game Log

 

Game 2: Suns 5, Shuckers 2

 

Game two saw Biloxi jump out to another early lead, plating a pair in the first. Rivera (1x4, R) singled to extend his hitting streak to a league-leading nine games and was followed by an Arcia (1x3, R) single to stretch his on-base streak to 11 games. Reed then singled in both runners with a bloop single into center, giving the Shuckers a 2-0 lead.

 

Jacksonville (6-5) responded with a run in the second on an RBI double by Terrence Dayleg and took the lead for good in the fifth off of a two-run home run off the bat of Matt Juengel. The second homer of the year from Juengel gave the Suns a 3-2 lead.

 

Biloxi starter Jacob Barnes (L, 0-2) tossed five innings and struck out five while allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, suffering the loss.

 

Reliever Wirfin Obispo struggled in the seventh and allowed two more runs to score on a hit and two walks.

 

Suns' starter Chipper Smith (W, 2-0) was hit hard in the first, but settled down afterwards, giving up just five hits and striking out six in his five innings, earning the win. He struck out three of the last four batters he faced.

 

Sean Donatello (SV, 3) worked a perfect ninth to pick up the save.

 

The Shuckers look to RHP Tyler Wagner (2-0, 1.64) to get back in front in the five-game series against the Jacksonville Suns on Wednesday afternoon, while the Suns will counter with RHP Kendrys Flores (1-1, 3.60). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 PM, with coverage beginning at 11:50 AM on 1240-AM WGCM, 1580-AM WPMO 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. The game is also available on MiLB.tv.

 

Biloxi Game Two Box Score

 

Michael Reed now 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts, was 33-for-46 in 2014 with Brevard...

 

Biloxi Game Two Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Round Rock 8, Colorado Springs 2

 

Homers Down Sky Sox in 8-2 Loss to Express

Big Seventh Hurts Sox Again

By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/2/4/2/119779242/cuts/04_14_011_pk_kv64g1k1_3iy1us2i.jpg

 

Matt Long's leadoff triple in the fourth lead to the games first run. (File Photo by Paat Kelly)

 

The Sky Sox scored just two runs despite eight hits in Tuesday night's 8-2 loss to the Round Rock Express in front of 5,261 at Dell Diamond.

 

Express right-hander Luke Jackson (1-1, 4.40) got the start for Round Rock and would pitch well over 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out eight.

 

The Sky Sox would strike first however, scoring in the top of the fourth on the strength of a Matt Long leadoff triple and a Pete Orr sacrifice fly to centerfield.

 

Making his first start in place of the injured John Ely, Chris Leroux (0-2, 5.59) tossed three hitless innings to start the ballgame before running into trouble in the home fourth. Leroux would wind up allowing two runs on four hits in the inning. After consecutive doubles opened the frame, tying the game at one, former top prospect Michael Choice took a one-out 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to give Round Rock the 2-1 lead.

 

Leroux would work out of the inning without allowing another run, finishing his day with four innings pitched having allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four.

 

Relievers Ariel Pena, Chris Perez and Tim Dillard would piece together the next four inning for Colorado Springs. Pena allowed multiple runs in an outing for the first time this season, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks over 2.1 innings pitched.

 

With Round Rock holding a 3-2 lead, Perez would relieve Pena in the seventh with one out and two on. Perez would allow the runners to score with the help of some unfortunate luck in the field. The big blow in the inning, and the game, would come on an 0-2 pitch to Jared Hoying. The Express centerfielder blasted a three-run home run to right field, making the game 8-2 by the end of the seventh.

 

Round Rock deployed a bullpen duo of recently acquired Sam Freeman and Phil Klein. The lefty-righty combo would toss a combined 2.1 scoreless inning to shut down the Sky Sox offense in the late innings, securing the series-opening victory for the Express.

 

The Sky Sox will look to break a three-game skid on Wednesday at Dell Diamond, sending Nick Additon (0-1, 6.75) to the mound to square off with Wandy Rodriguez (0-0, 2.57) in a southpaw showdown. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM MDT (7:05 Central).

 

Colorado Springs Box Score

 

Combine the big league Crew (2-12) with the AAA Sky Sox (3-9) gives you an ugly 5-21; RHP Chris Leroux retired the first nine men he faced before tiring in his first start in the 4th...

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Eshleman Smacks Walk-off Homer in Doubleheader Split

By Jerry Durney, Brevard County Manatees

 

Viera, Fla. – Baseball was at its most exciting and unpredictable on Tuesday night as the Brevard County Manatees (6-6) and Lakeland Flying Tigers (4-9) split a doubleheader, 4-3 and 8-6 at Space Coast Stadium.

 

The Manatees opened the scoring in the third inning of Game 1. Clint Coulter, who had prevented Lakeland from scoring in the previous inning when he threw Dominic Ficociello at the plate to complete an inning-ending double play, deposited a Matt Davenport pitch into the Flying Tiger bullpen to give Brevard County a 1-0 lead. It was Coulter’s fourth home run of the season, and third in the last five games.

 

The lead would hold until the Flying Tigers mounted a rally in the top of the fifth. It started with an infield single by Francisco Martinez, who would advance on a Jared Reaves single to left. That would bring the number-nine hitter, Ben Verlander. During the opening pitches of the at-bat, Verlander appeared to be squaring up to sacrifice, however Lakeland manager had him pull the bat back; Wei-Chung Wang, still expecting the bunt, left one over the plate and Verlander launched a three-run homer, his first of the season, onto the berm deck in left. Wang would retire the next three hitters, closing what would be his final inning of work. In those five innings, he gave up three runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked none in a no-decision.

 

The ‘Tees would come storming back immediately, keyed by a leadoff double off of the wall in right by Chris McFarland. After Taylor Brennan struck out, Coulter would double to center, making it 3-2 Lakeland. Victor Roache then followed with a single to right to bring Brevard County level that chased Lakeland starting pitcher Jonathan Maciel from the game in the process. The Manatees appeared to take the lead against reliever Confesor Lara (1-0, 1.08 ERA) when Brandon Macias singled down the left field line to bring home Roache, but the Flying Tigers contested that Roache did not touch third base as he came home and the umpires ruled they were correct. Manatees manager Joe Ayrault was ejected for arguing the call. After Garrett Cooper walked, Cameron Garfield’s strikeout meant the inning would end tied at three.

 

The call would loom large when in the next half-inning, Ficociello ripped a home run to right center off of rehabbing Brewers reliever Jim Henderson (0-1, 4.50 ERA) to put Lakeland in front, 4-3.

 

Brevard County would get one last chance to equalize in the bottom of the seventh against Zac Reininger. Brennan opened with an infield single and then moved to second on a one-out single by Roache, but when Macias lined out to second and Cooper flied out to center, the Flying Tigers had stolen Game one.

 

***

 

The ever-changing momentum that filled the final three innings of that game would dominate Game Two.

 

The Flying Tigers took the lead three batters in when top prospect Steven Moya hit an opposite-field home run into the bullpen in left to put Lakeland in front, 1-0.

 

The Manatee offense continued its resurgence in the bottom half with McFarland once again lighting the touchpaper with a leadoff single to right and promptly stole second with Brennan at the plate. Brennan flared a single to right with the runner at second holding as he judged to see whether it would fall in. Coulter then hit a ball towards Francisco Martinez, who overthrew first base, allowing both McFarland and Brennan to score and Coulter to advance to second. Following a strikeout by Roache, Macias would double to left, plating Coulter to make it 3-1. After a lineout to third by Rafael Neda, a walk to Paul Eshleman and a pop out to second by Steven Halcomb, the frame came to a close.

 

Lakeland would respond immediately in the top of the third against Manatees starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff. Reaves reached on an infield single and moved to second on a walk to Drew Longley. Following a strikeout by Jiwan James, Javier Bentancourt singled to right to load the bases. Woodruff then struck out Moya on a call that led to the ejection of Lakeland manager Dave Huppert. It appeared the ‘Tees would escape further damage when Woodruff induced a groundball from Bobby Borchering to first, but Brennan’s throw to Woodruff at the bag would go wide and Reaves and Longley would come around to cut the Manatee lead to two. The inning ended shortly after when Borchering would get thrown out on a botched double steal.

 

Lakeland’s charge would continue in the fourth, started by a Ficociello single to center. Raph Rhymes then singled to center, but he would be erased on a fielder’s choice as Martinez beat the throw to first. After Reaves strikeout, Longley singled on a floater to center to bring home Ficociello and Martinez to make it 5-5. A Jiwan James flyout to left would keep the score at that temporarily.

 

The Flying Tigers appeared to land the deciding blow in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-out rally. Following a Bentancourt flyout and a Moya strikeout, Borchering singled to right and then moved to second on a walk to Ficociello. Raph Rhymes then worked a lengthy at-bat against Woodruff, fouling off several 2-2 pitches before finally getting his reward, a ground-rule double down the left field line to put Lakeland ahead 6-5. Trevor Seidenberger would come on in relief of Woodruff to get the final out of the inning and then threw a scoreless sixth, despite allowing the first two batters to reach.

 

The ‘Tees looked primed to tie it once again in the home half of the fifth when Coulter singled to center on the first pitch from Micah Kellogg. After Roache popped out to third, Macias singled to center, leading Kellogg to be replaced by Scott Sitz (0-1, 7.36 ERA). Neda would welcome him with a single to center, loading the bases for Eshleman. The threat would be extinguished when he grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

 

After a relatively uneventful sixth inning, Brevard County was down to their final three outs against Sitz and the outlook was not promising when Coulter lined out to second to start the final inning of regulation. Then, the reprieve came just in time, as Roache hit his third home run of the season to right center, assuring the ‘Tees of at least extra innings. After a long fly out to right by Macias, Neda reached on a ball that got away from Reaves at shortstop; Neda would be lifted for pinch-runner Angel Ortega. That brought Eshleman, playing in his first game with the team after being added to the roster earlier in the day, to the plate with a chance to win it. He couldn’t have picked a better time to get his first hit in a Manatee uniform as he smacked one down the line and over the wall in left for a walk-off, two-run home run to give the Manatees an 8-6 win.

 

Woodruff wound up throwing 4.2 innings, giving up six runs (four earned) on eight hits, walking two and striking out seven. Stephen Peterson (2-0, 1.59 ERA) picked up his second win in relief in three games by tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

 

There will be no rest for the weary as the two teams will play the rubber match of the series Wednesday morning at 10:35 A.M (9:35 Central). RHP Javi Salas (1-1, 0.69 ERA) will look to earn the Manatees their second straight series win. Left-hander Ryan Longstreth (0-2, 7.04 ERA) will get the start for the Flying Tigers.

[Mass Haas]

Express beat Knebel’s Sky Sox 8-2

Joe Harrington, Austin Community Newspapers Staff

 

ROUND ROCK — Corey Knebel was unpacking his new home in Cedar Park in January and preparing to drive back to Arlington for more offseason workouts with the Texas Rangers, the team he had just joined six months earlier.

 

As he was about to hit the road, he got the call.

 

“The (general manger) called me and said, ‘Hey, head back home; you’re not with us anymore,” Knebel said. “You just got traded.”

 

The 23-year-old former Georgetown High School and University of Texas standout pitcher was one of the key prospects in Texas’ biggest offseason move — the trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace and former All-Star Yovani Gallardo.

 

Four months later, Knebel returned to Central Texas, where he is still living in the offseason, on Tuesday, when the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate Colorado Springs Sky Sox landed at Dell Diamond for the opening night of a four-game series.

 

The Round Rock Express scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 8-2.

 

Knebel, the Brewers’ No. 10-rated prospect, according to Major League Baseball, and fellow former Longhorn Taylor Jungmann, the No. 10-rated Brewers prospect, according to Baseball America, both made Texas homecomings.

 

Neither was the highly rated pitching prospect who made an impact in the series opener. Express pitcher Luke Jackson made his most effective start since being promoted to Triple-A in 2014. Jackson went 6 2/3 innings — his longest Triple-A outing — and allowed two earned runs and six hits, with eight strikeouts and no walks.

 

He entered the game with an 0-1 record and a 5.87 ERA this season, and he was 1-3 with a 10.35 ERA in Triple-A in 2014.

 

Jackson, Baseball America’s No. 12 Rangers prospect, left the game with an apparent injury in the seventh inning with Express leading 3-1. Michael Choice’s two-run home run in the fourth and Thomas Field’s two doubles helped build the lead before Jackson’s exit.

 

Jared Hoying’s first home run of the season — a three-run shot to right field — highlighted the bottom of the seventh.

 

With a six-run deficit, the Sky Sox never turned to their closer, Knebel, who has two saves and a 1.80 ERA.

 

Unlike the first time he was dealt, Knebel didn’t take the trade personally.

 

“At first, when I got traded to the Rangers, I was like, ‘Man, I’m not wanted by the Tigers,’ ” Knebel said. “Then I started realizing that I am wanted. I got traded (with infielder Luis Sardinas and pitcher Marcos Diplan) for Yovani, and you know, it was fun.”

[WV Brew]

Unprecedented what Coulter and Roache are doing. I looked up OPS for Brevard County the past several years.

Right now, as mentioned before Coulter at 1.198, Roache is at .988

 

2014 Michael Reed was tops with .774, Nathan Orf .773

2013 D'Vontrey Richardson .788

2012 Jason Rogers .828

2011 Brock Kjeldgard .948

2010 Eric Komatsu .855

2009 Cole Gillespie 1.036 repeating the level

2008 Lucroy .843

2007 Mat Gamel .850

2006 Brendan Katin .813 (Ryan Braun .784)

 

Of course, it's still early. They would have to stay locked in all year.

[brewmann04]

they are trying Rivera @3rd.

[TooLiveBrew]

Coulter and Arcia are getting me way too excited. I still wish the Brewers would try Coulter out at 3B though. Outfield is always a simple fall back if he doesn't work out at 3B.

If they're willing to try obvious-first-baseman Jason Rogers at 3B, I think that if there was any chance Coulter could hypothetically stick there, they would've moved him there.

 

I'm glad that for once they're not wasting defensive development time by trying a guy at a position where he's not a good fit.

[JohnBriggs12]

Tweeted this earlier --

 

29 teams kicking themselves for not claiming #Brewers RHP Brooks Hall off waivers in March, esp. with 2 options left

 

With the rotations in Milwaukee and Colorado Springs being less than stellar, Hall has a chance to get to the big leagues faster than a lot imagined a month ago.

[LouisEly]

I noticed that Hall is now listed at 235 lbs. Has he added any velocity with the added weight on his frame?

[And That]

Pete Orr was the only member of the Sky Sox' lineup that was in the organization last year at this time. And he's Pete Orr, so that doesn't even really count. Go depth go.

 

Gross.