Link Report for Thurs. 4/6 - Opening Night on the Farm (Convenient Big League Matinee)

[And That]

Wisconsin Shut Out to Open 2017

Quad Cities beats Wisconsin 3-0 to start the season

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

(Photo: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

 

The 2017 version of the T-Rats didn't exactly come steamrolling out of the gates on day one, but baseball is back, so who cares? Demi Orimoloye paced the offense with 2 hits, and Tucker Neuhaus added the only extra base knock of the night, a 6th inning double. The "position player unit" had all sorts of trouble making contact, striking out 15 times on the night. Trever Morrison took a golden sombrero in the leadoff spot. Ronnie Gideon struck out three times, though he did also manage a walk and made a really nice defensive play, an over the shoulder catch in foul territory, and a dart back into the infield to keep a River Bandit at second base.

 

There were also a handful of defensive miscues, two of which resulted in errors: SS Gilbert Lara made an errant throw and 3B Jose Cuas dropped a pop fly. And two batters after the Cuas dropped pop fly, Demi dropped a fly ball in shallow left, but got the force at third base and thusly received no error. Joantgel Segovia sounded like he had some issues in RF as well. I found it somewhat curious that Orimoloye was in LF and Segovia was in RF - their profiles would suggest the opposite. Versatility, eh?

 

As for the pitching, Zack Brown is one of two non-tandem starters for the team to open the season. He was on a pitch count of 75, and made it through 4 innings on 69. It looked like he was on pace to go at least 5, but ran into command problems in the 4th and made almost 30 pitches. Brown had 8 K's in those 4 innings, a career high, and got at least one strike out on each of his fastball, curveball, and changeup, a great sign. He only walked two, but command started to falter a bit after the second inning. Miguel Sanchez was fine in his two innings, and Aaron Myers, making his full season debut, worked around the Cuas error in the 7th and had a 1-2-3 8th. Much like he did the last few years, Myers generated lots of weak contact. For pitchers with at least 20 IP, he lead Brewers minor leaguers last year in pop up%, and although there's not a ton of year to year correlation in pop up rates, it wouldn't shock me to see him be above average there again.

 

Wisconsin Log

 

The 3 runs of doom:

 

Quad Cities Bottom of the 4th

Taylor Jones homers (1) on a fly ball to left field.

Randy Cesar pops out to first baseman Ronnie Gideon.

Alexander De Goti singles on a line drive to center fielder Monte Harrison.

Jake Rogers walks. Alexander De Goti to 2nd.

Anibal Sierra singles on a ground ball to left fielder Demi Orimoloye. Alexander De Goti scores. Jake Rogers to 3rd. Anibal Sierra to 2nd on the throw.

Carmen Benedetti strikes out swinging.

With Daz Cameron batting, wild pitch by Zack Brown, Jake Rogers scores. Anibal Sierra to 3rd.

Daz Cameron called out on strikes.

[reillymcshane]

Cordell Powers Sox to Opening Day 2-1 Win

Pitching staff combines to two-hit Omaha

By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

(Photo: Paat Kelly)

 

Colorado Springs Box Score

 

Josh Hader is doing Josh Hader-like things. Thursday night, he kicked off the 2017 season by throwing one hit ball over five innings. He struck out six and didn’t surrender any runs, however he did walk five batters. As we said, a very Josh Hader-like game.

 

David Goforth threw two scoreless innings and Rob Scahill got out of a bases loaded jam and retired the last four batters in order to get the save.

 

Amongst the hitters, Ryan Cordell (2-4) continued his hot spring with two hits, including a home run and a double. He drove in both Sky Sox runs.

 

Lewis Brinson (1-2 with a walk) was pulled after injuring his hand sliding into 2B. Early reports are that he jammed or dislocated a finger.

 

Sky Sox hitters managed eight hits, but only one walk as they struck out 11 times.

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

 

Omaha threatened in the top of the 8th when the Sky Sox committed two errors and Damien Magnifico surrender a hit and a walk. However, Omaha could manage only a single run when Rob Scahill got Jorge Bonifacio to ground into a force out with the bases loaded.

 

Omaha Top of the 8th

 

Pitching Change: Damien Magnifico replaces David Goforth.

Cam Gallagher reaches on a throwing error by third baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. Cam Gallagher to 2nd.

Corey Toups strikes out swinging.

Billy Burns walks.

Ramon Torres singles on a fly ball to left fielder Ryan Cordell. Cam Gallagher to 3rd. Billy Burns to 2nd.

Whit Merrifield reaches on a force attempt, fielding error by second baseman Eric Sogard. Cam Gallagher scores. Billy Burns to 3rd. Ramon Torres to 2nd.

Peter O'Brien strikes out swinging.

Pitching Change: Rob Scahill replaces Damien Magnifico.

Jorge Bonifacio grounds into a force out, shortstop Yadiel Rivera to second baseman Eric Sogard. Whit Merrifield out at 2nd.

[Mass Haas]

Shuckers take third straight season opener with 6-2 win over Biscuits on Thursday

Aaron Wilkerson struck out eight over 5.2 innings to pick up the win

 

 

Angel Ortega was 2-for-4 on Thursday night a two-run single in the fourth inning (Michael Krebs photo)

 

Biloxi Box Score

 

As usual, we suggest you read the game summary linked above, and then we'll try and supplement notes about the box score link. Chris Harris also provided the audio highlights at the summary.

 

Shucker batters fanned 16 times -- for those scoring at home that's Sky Sox 10 K's, Shuckers 16, Rattlers 15. Game summary mentioned 4-of-5 on the basepaths, looks like it was 3-for-4.

 

Jacob Nottingham was on base three times, adding an HBP to his two singles. Victor Roache was also plunked, he was the DH. (Four of the ten Southern League teams are American League-based). Allemand, Iskenderian, and Charles didn't see action.

 

Aaron Wilkerson is going to love (and likely dominate) the Southern League, an 8-to-0 K-to-BB night here. Tristan Archer deserved his first crack at AAA, and despite allowing a run in his two innings here, was effective as all three Biloxi relievers retired the baserunner(s) they inherited.

 

Biloxi Game Log

 

Angel Ortega bailed out Clint Coulter for the early lead --

 

Biloxi Top of the 4th

 

Michael Reed walks.

Victor Roache hit by pitch. Michael Reed to 2nd.

Dustin DeMuth strikes out swinging.

Jacob Nottingham hit by pitch. Michael Reed to 3rd. Victor Roache to 2nd.

Clint Coulter strikes out swinging.

Angel Ortega singles on a soft line drive to right fielder Justin Williams. Michael Reed scores. Victor Roache scores. Jacob Nottingham to 3rd.

 

The four-run 8th to make it a 6-1 score at the time --

 

Biloxi Top of the 8th

 

Mauricio Dubon strikes out swinging.

Johnny Davis singles on a line drive to right fielder Justin Williams.

Michael Reed singles on a line drive to left fielder Granden Goetzman. Johnny Davis to 3rd.

With Victor Roache batting, Johnny Davis steals (1) home. Michael Reed steals (1) 2nd base.

Victor Roache reaches on a throwing error by shortstop Andrew Velazquez. Michael Reed scores. Victor Roache to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Jordan Harrison replaces Brad Schreiber.

Dustin DeMuth singles on a line drive to right fielder Justin Williams. Victor Roache to 3rd.

Jacob Nottingham singles on a ground ball to center fielder Cade Gotta. Victor Roache scores. Dustin DeMuth to 2nd.

Clint Coulter walks. Dustin DeMuth to 3rd. Jacob Nottingham to 2nd.

Angel Ortega grounds into a force out, shortstop Andrew Velazquez to second baseman Riley Unroe. Dustin DeMuth scores. Jacob Nottingham to 3rd. Clint Coulter out at 2nd. Angel Ortega to 1st.

Javier Betancourt strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Standout shortstop is a boost for the Biloxi Shuckers, announcer says

By Daniel Dubuisson, Special to the Sun Herald

 

With this season’s version of the Biloxi Shuckers, spectators really will need a scorecard to keep track of the players.

 

The Milwaukee Brewers’ Double-A affiliate will see a lot of turn over with a few crowd favorites moving up and a passel of potential stars joining the team. But even with these changes Chris Harris, communications director and game announcer, still feels optimistic about the new season.

 

“We’re going to have a lot of players that should be playing at a higher level,” Harris said. “That makes us look a lot better on paper.”

 

One of those potential stars is Mauricio Dubón, a 22-year-old shortstop acquired in a trade with Boston. Last year, Dubón hit .339 with a .909 on base slugging percentage (OPS) and stole six bases for the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox Double- A affiliate. Baseball America called him the best defensive player in Boston’s 2013 draft and if called up, he would become the first native Honduran to play major league baseball.

 

His presence on the Shuckers’ infield will provide something that Harris says the team was missing last year.

 

“We lacked consistent play up the middle and didn’t make some of the plays we should have...but his glove is really good and I’m looking forward to seeing him in action,” Harris said.

 

The clubhouse takes a hit with the loss of star outfielder Brett Phillips. A fan favorite for much of the last two seasons, he is now on his way up to Triple-A.

 

“The second most popular guy in the entire Milwaukee Brewers organization right now is Brett,” Harris said. “He is considered one of the premier young outfielders.”

 

The Shuckers kicked off their inaugural season back in 2015 with a 54-game road trip, so fans had to support them from afar. Some baseball-starved fans actually followed them, going from ballpark to ballpark to take in the games.

 

The completion of MGM Park meant the team finally had a place to call home.

 

“When we finally arrived at the field, it was kind of like a rallying cry for everyone,” Harris said.

 

Since then, the Biloxi Shuckers have been a symbol of recovery for coast residents post-Katrina. The team made it to the finals of the Southern League playoffs in their first season and had a winning record in 2016.

 

Now Harris says he’s excited to get on with the new season.

 

“I’m ready to get back into the grind. It’s a brutal schedule. We play 140 games total but when we get into that routine, it’s a lot of fun.”

[Mass Haas]

Sky Sox prospects flash talent in victory

Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Ryan Cordell fouled off a pitch off the end of the bat and the Sky Sox outfielder's fingers paid the numbing price on a frigid night at Security Service Field.

 

"I told the catcher, 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to hold onto my bat,'" Cordell said.

 

He then slammed the next pitch over the left-field wall.

 

"Maybe I should try to do that more often," added Cordell, whose first two Triple-A at-bats included an RBI double and the solo home run.

 

Cordell's blast and a 2-1 Colorado Springs victory over Omaha in Thursday's season opener provided a fitting glimpse at a collection of touted - if yet unvarnished - prospects and hinted that this group's raw ability might sometimes be enough to help it through some stretches that don't go perfectly to script.

 

The best example was starting pitcher Josh Hader, considered Milwaukee's No. 2 prospect and a top-35 player in the minor leagues.

 

Hader cruised through the first two innings, striking out three of the first six batters as a 95 MPH fastball from the left side proved overpowering. But then his control wavered, as to be expected as fingers grow cold for a pitcher who's been tossing for the past eight weeks in the Arizona's 80-degree weather.

 

But Hader coaxed a double play to escape a jam in the third, then stranded runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth en route to five scoreless innings that included just one hit, six strikeouts and five walks.

 

"He struggled with (his control), but you could tell he had his composure and he had control of what he was doing," manager Rick Sweet said. "He didn't just blow up. He stayed focused and made pitches when he had to."

 

Cordell provided all the run support, but other top prospects contributed. Center fielder Lewis Brinson had a single, drew a walk and stole a base.

 

Right fielder Brett Phillips went 1-for-3 in his first game at this level. The Sky Sox out hit Omaha 8-2.

 

Then, this new team celebrated together.

 

"It's a new group of guys and this is their thing," Sweet said. "Every team I've ever had, they come up with something when they win. They come up with a song or they've got something going on. I saw they pulled out the ball. This is not a spur of the moment thing, they put some thought into this."

 

BRINSON LEAVES WITH INJURY

 

Sky Sox center fielder Lewis Brinson, the top prospect in the Brewers' organization, left Thursday's season opener after a stolen base in the fifth inning.

 

Brinson slid headfirst into second base and immediately called for a trainer to look at his left (non-throwing) pinkie before exiting.

 

Sweet said the team wouldn't know the extent of the injury until X-rays were performed on Friday.

 

Brinson went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base from the leadoff spot. He was also picked off in the third inning.

[Mass Haas]

In this Christian Murdock photo from the Gazette, somehow Tim Dillard seems particularly blessed, don't you think?

 

[Mass Haas]

Via KKTV: Video highlights from the Springs and Ryan Cordell comments

[Mass Haas]

Via WBAY: Brief video glimpse at the Rattlers' road game

 

***

 

PHOTOS: Some Rattlers sneak into the River Bandits' gallery, including a leaping Tucker Neuhaus, mis-identified in the caption

 

***

 

Quad Cities' Taylor Jones on Wisconsin starter Zack Brown --

 

"Their starter was doing the right things (the first time through the order)," Jones said. "His pitches looked pretty crisp and sharp. He was throwing the ball where he wanted. ... Once we came around a second time, we had a better idea of what we were doing."

[Mass Haas]

The one MiLB video in the system tonight was Biloxi's Dustin DeMuth's full at-bat vs. Brett Honeywell, unfortunately resulting in a K (no audio on the clip)

[Mass Haas]

Check out the Twitter timeline of "Brewers Prospects" for his self-compiled video clips, nice work, sir

[AKCheesehead]

Funny little anomaly from the Shuckers box- each catcher (Nottingham, O'Connor) picked the other off 3rd base.

[brwrsfan]

Any update on Brinson today? Really hoping it's something minor.