Article: Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/30): Sounds Stay In Tune After Five-Run Eighth-Inning Rally

[Joseph Zarr]

With Nashville our sole affiliate playing a Memorial Day game, I was afforded the opportunity to see Dylan File complete his longest outing of the year - six complete innings for the young hurler. What a game from Dylan! Abraham Almonte stayed scorching hot, Zach Brown escaped trouble in the bottom of the eighth, and Andy Otero secured his first official Save in seven years. Off the heels of their first three-game losing streak of the season in Toledo, the Sounds have now won two games in a row and are 18 games above .500. Let's get into the recap!

Transactions: (Take a breath...lots of them on a beautiful Memorial Day) 

LHP Ethan Small's contract was selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville...later in the day, Ethan Small was optioned back to Nashville from Milwaukee. Taking his place, RHP Luke Barker's contract was selected from Nashville (there were rumors of gleeful fist pumps from several a Brewer Fanatic when this news was heard). 

 RHP Peter Strzelecki's contract was selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville.

IF Mark Mathias was optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers, but he remained available for the Brewers' doubleheader as the designated 27th man (a very 2022 roster move). INF Willy Adames was sent from Carolina to Nashville to continue his rehab assignment - though, it should be noted, he did not play in today's game.

Elsewhere in the system, LHP Nick Bennett was assigned to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi, OF Garrett Whitley was activated from AAA Nashville's 7-day injured list, RHP Jolon Lun Zhao was placed on Low-A Carolina's 7-day injured list. And, finally, INF Jose Acosta was acquired from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations and assigned to Low-A Carolina.

For thoughts and a brief write-up by our very own @damuelle, please visit our ongoing 'Transactions' thread: Jose Acosta write-up here

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes         

Final:   Nashville 7, Durham (Rays) 5
Box Score / Game Log 

Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review:

Sounds Rally Past Durham in Opener - Abraham Almonte Homers in Fourth Straight as Sounds Roll

Facing the Rays #1 rated prospect and third-rated RHP prospect in all of MiLB (according to MLB Pipeline) in uber-talented 22-year-old RHP Shane Baz, Dylan File was not afraid of the moment. Going for the longest outing of his 2022 season (five previous five-inning outings), File completed the 5th having given up a lone two-run mistake. In that inning, having retired ten batters in a row at that point, Bulls' left fielder Luke Raley executed an unexpected bunt single to lead off the frame. Three batters later, and with two down, File sent a breaking pitch catching too much middle before it broke away from the left-handed hitting and red hot Tristan Gray. He parked that ball over the right-field wall (his eighth home run since May 13th) and it was suddenly 2-0 Durham.

File managed to close his outing with wonderful poise keeping his team within striking distance. After conceding a well-hit leadoff single to Miles Mastrobuoni, Dylan sent him to second on an uncharacteristic wild pitch. Miles made it to third on the ensuing ground out to first base. Like Shane Baz in the third inning with Brice Turang on third and one down, File proceeded to lock it down. He threw the best curveball of his afternoon to get the punch out for the second out. He followed with a gorgeous slider off the edge of the plate for strike two on Rene Pinto, then threw a spectacular in-rising heater for the swing and the miss and his fifth strikeout of the afternoon. File left the game with his team trailing 2-1 but he must have felt good about his outing. This was definitely the best work I've seen from Dylan in 2022.

Here's to many more such outings! In total, File finished his day with six complete innings of four-hit, two-run, five-strikeout ball. That type of performance will play anywhere and any time.

Further Viewing Notes:

• How good was the Sounds' five-run eighth inning? Abraham Almonte led off with a walk as a left-handed batter. He closed the inning as a right-handed batter striking out on a well-executed curveball from the previously red-hot (RHP) Phoenix Sanders. That's a complete trip through the batting order. And, that is what you call a 'fun inning to watch!' In total, we saw: a two-run single by Tyler White to left field, and RBI singles apiece for David Dahl, Mario Feliciano, and Brice Turang. ..
• Speaking of Brice Turang, he came into this game hitting left-handed pitching to a tune of .318 but he hadn't faced lefty specialist Zack Erwin who has kept lefty bats hitting a paltry .161. Brice struck out on three pitches. However, patient at-bats by Almonte and Singleton to lead off the five-run eighth saw Erwin booted from the mound. 
• Not to be outdone, the Bulls came to the plate in the bottom half of the eighth with a couple seeing-eye bloop singles to right field. Zack Brown followed that unfortunate luck by hitting two straight batters on inside pitches - the second of which bounced about a foot in front of the batter and caromed off said batter's lead leg. Kudos to Brown for navigating the choppy waters. The line-drive single up the middle, under his glove hand, and straight into the waiting glove of Weston Wilson, and the Sounds' shift was karmic double play justice for some bad luck and a couple of bad pitches overall.
• Jon Singleton continues to see a worthy OBP and OPS but it's fair to say he finds himself in a bit of a rut. He seems to be hitting too many moon-shot pop-ups of late. He's still getting walks here and there, as he's repeatedly shown he's capable of, but after a tough Toledo series he started the Durham series 0-for-4 (with a walk today as well). Let's hope he can find that familiar power stroke, some more well-hit balls, and get back above .200. This being said, perhaps Jon's muscles are tired from pumping so much iron:
• The Sounds managed to grab six free passes. Against a Durham pitching staff that had come in dialed, this was quite a feat. And, honestly, we shouldn't be surprised: the Sounds are extremely disciplined at the plate. They showed it again today as they stayed off many an extremely close pitch.
• Andy Otero grabbed his first save in seven years as he took the Bulls down in order to complete the ninth and secure the 7-5 victory. Where did he grab that save, you might ask yourself? The Carolina Mudcats - then, an Atlanta Brave affiliate (2015). There's your little piece of Minor League trivia on this beautiful Memorial Day. Otero continues to thrive in Nashville proving yet again the Mike Guerrero adage: If you can find success in Biloxi, you're a Big League player. Will Andy's time come in 2022?! Stay tuned. It is worth saying since his promotion to Nashville Otero has pitched lights out in his bullpen role. 
• We had a brief scary moment when Connor Sadzeck was on the mound. In a 2-2 count, Connor appeared to find some unworked dirt on his lead leg side and slipped and buckled to the ground during his pitch delivery. It looked quite awkward and painful at first, and Connor was writhing in a bit of pain in the early moments. But, after some consultation with the training staff and Mario Feliciano at the mound, it was clear it was just a hiccup and nothing serious. Connor closed his inning with a strikeout and a fist pump and he ultimately grabbed the victory.
• Speaking of Feliciano, in that same inning he executed a gorgeous throw-out at second base off a high heater from Sadzeck. The runner had a really good lead but Mario's throw was one-hop flawlessness directly into the patiently waiting and strategically placed glove of Turang. It was a bang-bang much needed second out.
• If we're going to tout Almonte's incredible bat work of late, let's laud his play in left field: he made a heck of a grab in deep left center with a beautiful direct route on an extremely well-hit ball to grab out number two in the bottom of the ninth. The Durham announcers sure didn't think he'd get there. Quite an impressive play as there was no room for error. 
• Let's return to Almonte's switch-hitting bat: You'll be hard-pressed to find a hotter hitter in Triple-A right now. He has now hit safely in five straight, reached safely in seven straight, and has hit two doubles, six home runs, and drove in 14 runs in the process. Sizzling! Today's key home run to pull the Sounds within 2-1 was his fourth in four games. Let's go for five Wednesday, Abraham! His explosive hip flip and pull shots are truly things of beauty.
• Not to be outdone in the on base department, with his walk today Jonathan Davis has now reached base safely in 14 games. That's some fine lead-off work, Jonny!
• Finishing his evening 2-for-5 at the plate, Turang has now achieved 15 multi-hit games in 2022. We'd love to see some more of that gap power he showed earlier in his season but we are certainly not complaining about the incredible season he's putting together through late May. 

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What an active, wild n' wooly, Memorial Day for the Brewers organization. An abundance of roster moves, Ethan Small's first start at the Major League level, Dylan File going his deepest yet in 2022, and Andy Otero nabbing his first save in seven long years! Great stuff. Remember, Nashville is off until Wednesday when Tyler Herb will try to rebound from his worst outing of 2022. Our three other beloved affiliates will play evening contests tomorrow and I'll provide your coverage. 

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