Link Report for Wednesday 4/13 - Enjoy those matinees!

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's game --

 

 

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And defensive fun, too.

[Mass Haas]

The Biloxi Sun-Herald's Patrick Ochs with Chattanooga Manager Doug Mientkiewicz --

 

It should be said the Lookouts (1-4) had nearly been no-hit two nights in a row when I interviewed Mientkiewicz. Still, the reigning Southern League championship manager has seen plenty of the Shuckers since they moved to the Coast. Plenty of folks have asked why Kyle Wren is back in Double-A after dismantling the Southern League a year ago. Mientkiewicz pointed to the Brewers building organizational depth as to why Wren is on his second tour with the Shuckers.

 

"Last year, you blink and don't think they can have the same type of talent and then they're right back in your face six months later," he said. "They're coached well, do the little things well, they have good arms -- a lot of good arms. They have some holdovers from last year, which means they're getting deeper as a system.

 

"When your system is deeper you back the guys up and you end up seeing guys like (Nate) Orf, who should probably be in Triple-A. (Brett) Phillips, too. It won't be long. They're top prospects for a reason.

 

I asked Mientkiewicz if Phillips or new catcher Jacob Nottingham reminded him of anyone he'd played with or against. He didn't bite, saying he doesn't like to do that to kids. Fair enough. Still, he heaped plenty of praise on the Shuckers pair.

 

"They're young and still have a ways to go, but you can see why they're highly touted," he said. "Phillips, in three games you saw him hit a homer to the opposite field, saw him lay a bunt down against the shift and steal second. He's just a baseball player. He's fun to watch."

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com gets their first Brewers feature in today, quotes within --

 

Diaz leads way at plate for Timber Rattlers

Brewers No. 11 prospect gets four hits, three doubles from top spot

By Sam Dykstra / MiLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 3, Colorado Springs 1

 

Late Home Run Stuns Sox In 3-1 Loss

Junior Guerra's dominant start not enough as Sky Sox fall in Nashville

By Aaron Cheris / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

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Colorado Springs Box Score

 

Super efficient, super effective Junior Guerra, that'll get you a two hour, 17 minute game. Offense strugging...

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

[Eye Black]

Final: Fort Myers 3, Brevard County 0

 

Brevard County blanked by Fort Myers

Donald Rieber, Jr., Manatees Examiner

 

Game recap at the link above, random musings below.

 

*****

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

It is often said if you don't have anything good to say, say nothing at all. Well I won't follow that advice, but the Brevard County offense hasn't exactly provided fodder for Link Report positivity the past couple of nights. The Manatees followed up yesterday's four hit performance with only three hits this evening, and once again all were singles. To be fair they have faced two of the better starting pitchers in the Twins system the past two nights. Clint Coulter registered his third hit this season and finished the game 1-for-3.

 

In his first start of the season (second outing), Angel Ventura went 4.0 innings (81 pitches) allowing four hits, one run, two walks, and collecting six strikeouts. Ventura was working the 91-92 mph range with his fastball and his cutter was mentioned as 87 mph. At one point the umpire told Ventura to speed things up between pitches as he was repeatedly going beyond the time allotted by the pitch clock.

 

Brevard County pitchers have combined for 66 strikeouts on the season in 62 innings pitched. That total is the second highest strikeout total among pitching staffs in the Florida State League.

 

Brevard County Game Log

 

The Manatees looked like they had something cooking versus Gonsalves in the 2nd inning with bases loaded and only one out. Unfortunately Omar Garcia hit into a double play and the Manatees wouldn't manage another hit until the 9th inning.

 

Brevard County Top of the 2nd

Clint Coulter singles on a ground ball to center fielder Tanner English.

George Iskenderian called out on strikes.

Fidel Pena singles on a ground ball to right fielder Chad Christensen. Clint Coulter to 2nd.

Jose Cuas walks. Clint Coulter to 3rd. Fidel Pena to 2nd.

Omar Garcia grounds into a double play, second baseman Ryan Walker to shortstop Nick Gordon to first baseman Trey Vavra. Jose Cuas out at 2nd.

 

*****

 

Kodi Medeiros returns to the mound for the Manatees tomorrow in the series finale versus Twins prospect RHP Kohl Stewart.

[CheezWizHed]

Ouch. Salas and Bradley to be horrible tonight. I'm surprised Bradley remains with the team

[DHonks]

In fairness, 2 of Salas' 4 runs were allowed once Bradley came in to throw batting practice. Does he have any decent pitches?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mobile 9, Biloxi 3

 

Guerrero's two-homer game downs Shuckers

Shuckers end seven-game homestand at 5-2

 

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VIDEO from WLOX: Despite the lopsided score, some highlights

 

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MiLB.com gave Vlad's nephew (deservedly) the feature article treatment

 

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Gabriel Guerrero does nice impression of uncle, Vladimir, with two three-run homers

Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald

 

BILOXI – Gabriel Guerrero did quite the impression of his future Hall-of-Famer uncle, Vladimir, Wednesday night at MGM Park.

 

Gabriel Guerrero had a .111 batting average entering Wednesday night, but his early struggles at the plate are a distant memory after Mobile's 9-3 win over the Shuckers. The native of the Dominican Republic hit two three-run home runs for six RBIs on a 3-for-4 night at the plate.

 

“It's been a rough start, but I'm starting to feel good,” the right fielder said. “That gave me a breather. Hopefully, everything keeps going good.”

 

His first homer was a third-inning line drive that rattled off the video board in left.

 

“Yeah, I got that pretty good,” he said with a smile. “I tried to look for a good pitch and tried to drive it. That's all I tried to do.”

 

His second three-run bomb easily cleared the right field fence in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach for the Shuckers at 9-2.

 

“Sometimes, it just happens,” Gabriel Guerrero said. “I saw a pitch away and I just go with the pitch.”

 

Vladimir Guerrero spent 16 years in the majors, batting .318 with 449 homers.

 

Gabriel Guerrero, 22, is in his fifth year in the minors and has a .276 career average with 45 homers.

 

The Shuckers finished their seven-game homestand to begin the season with a record of 5-2. They are in a three-way tie for first in the Southern League South with Jacksonville and Pensacola.

 

“I take it one day at a time,” Shuckers manager Mike Guerrero said. “We didn't have too much pitching available. We did what we can. They did what's necessary and took advantage of big counts and didn't miss it.”

 

Wednesday night's crowd was 1,219 at MGM Park.

 

Mobile right-hander Yoan Lopez (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings to get the win. He struck out two and walked three.

 

Shuckers starting pitcher Javier Salas (1-1) allowed four runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three.

 

“He just ran big counts,” Mike Guerrero said of Salas. “Once we run big counts, hitters can just sit. They had good pitches and took advantage. He had a couple of walks and a 3-run homer. It was a 3-1 count to a fastball hitter. He fell behind in the count and (Gabriel Guerrero) took advantage.”

 

After Gabriel Guerrero's first 3-run bomb, the Shuckers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth after Nate Orf was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Brett Phillips followed with a double down the right field line.

 

Jacob Nottingham pushed home Orf on a grounder to shortstop Ildemaro Vargas, who threw Phillips out at third.

 

Javier Betancourt later brought home Nottingham on a single through the left side of the infield to set the score at 3-2 after four innings.

 

Mobile stretched its lead to 4-2 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to right field by Gabriel Noriega to score Kevin Cron from third.

 

The BayBears put the game to rest with five runs in the seventh inning.

 

The Shuckers travel to Mobile (4-3) for a 6:35 p.m. game on Thursday at Hank Aaron Stadium. It will be the first of a three-game series in Mobile.

 

Right-hander Adrian Houser (0-1, 10.50) will be the starting pitcher for the Shuckers and right-hander Matt Koch (0-1, 1.29) will go for the BayBears.

 

Rare occurrence: There were a pair of double plays that originated in the outfield in the first inning. Shuckers left fielder Kyle Wren caught a hard hit liner and threw to second to catch Jamie Westbrook off the bag for the double play to end the top of the first.

 

In the bottom of the first, Wren flew out to right fielder Gabriel Guerrero, who caught Orf off first base to end the inning.

 

Favre apperance: NFL and Southern Miss legend Brett Favre will throw out the first pitch for Sunday's 1:10 p.m. Biloxi-Pensacola game at MGM Park. Sunday will be Favre 4 Hope Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the ballpark.

 

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Biloxi Box Score

 

SS Javier Betancourt, not 21 until May, had the Shuckers' lone two -hit game -- no walks yet (7-for-22).

 

Biloxi Game Log

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Sky Sox pre-game interview with Eric Young, Jr.

[homer]

isandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiazisandiaz

[battlekow]

LHP Trevor Seidenberger (San Diego, High-A)

Did you notice who got the save for Fort Myers against the 'Tees? I did a double-take. They're the only two Trevor *bergers in baseball history.