Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/12): Nashville and Wisconsin Lead the Way Once Again

Keston Hiura (2) and Mark Mathis (1) hit three home runs over the first five innings to give Ethan Small plenty of cushion in a Nashville 10-1 rout in Jacksonville. The Timber Rattlers produced a similar scoreline 10-2 in Quad Cities, though the runs came late and without any long balls. I’m sure Wisconsin’s Tristan Peters and Tyler Black enjoyed some rest after recording a combined three triples in the game.

By contrast, Biloxi and Carolina missed several chances to knock in runs, with each dropping their second consecutive game of the week.

Game Balls go to Hiura, Mark Mathias, Ethan Small, Peters and Black.

Transactions:

• RHP Ryne Moore promoted to High-A Wisconsin from Low-A Carolina
• RHP Stiven Cruz promoted to Low-A Carolina from DSL Brewers1
• RHP Justin Bullock activated from AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list

Game Action:

Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Fayetteville 7, Carolina 2
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Mascai and Cerny Lead Fayetteville Offense to Second Win Over Mudcats

As is often the case in sports and life, you’ve got to take advantage of the chances when they come, lest you regret it later. In this one, the Mudcats stranded five runners over the first three innings and six more over the final three innings, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in their loss.

RHP Alexander Cornielle took the loss after yielding two runs in the first inning and then giving up a two-run jack to .194-hitting Victor Mascal in the 4th inning to fall behind 4-2. However, let's take strong encouragement from his eight strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings, which looks like a sign of progress for the young hurler.

That Woodpecker lead steadily grew to 7-2 by the 7th inning before the Mudcats loaded the bases with one out in the 8th inning. Credit must be given to Fayetteville’s Ian Foggo, who escaped that jam in his first appearance of the season, striking out six Carolina batters over the final two innings of the game.

Performances of Note:

• Oswel Leones – 2-5, double
• Arbert Cipion – 1-3, triple, BB, RBI
• Hendry Mendez – 1-3, 2 BBs, SB
• Alexander Cornielle (Loss) – 4 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, 2 BBs, 1 WP, 8 Ks
• Junior Montero – 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks

Friday’s outlook: RHP Miguel Segura (5.21 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 6.2 K/9 in 19 innings) is scheduled to start, as Carolina needs a win to tie up the series at two games apiece. However, let’s be on the lookout to see whether newly-promoted RHP Stiven Cruz gets his first full season action.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Wisconsin 10, Quad Cities 2
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Timber Rattlers Take Sixth Straight Win

Although the final score suggests a blowout, Wisconsin actually trailed 2-0 after three innings in this one before the bats came to life in a big way. Kudos to Joe Gray Jr. and Ethan Murray for gunning down a River Bandit at third base to end a first inning threat.

OF Tristan Peters collected Wisconsin’s first clutch hit, a triple in the 4th inning to score Zavier Warren (who’d walked), which 1B Wes Clarke followed up with a sacrifice fly to knot the contest at 2-2.

An infield single by 2B Tyler Black accompanied by a Quad Cities throwing error gave the Timber Rattlers a 3-2 lead in the 5th inning, with RHP Justin Jarvis ultimately earning the win, though supported by RHP Robbie Baker's excellent 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work.

Still tight heading into the 7th inning, Wisconsin opened the gap via an Alex Hall RBI-double, run scoring wild pitch and then a Tyler Black sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-2. In the bottom half, another solid defensive play (this time OF Micah Bello throwing out a River Bandit at home) wiped out another Quad Cities threat.

The 8th inning saw Peters (another triple), Clarke (run-scoring single) and Tyler Black (3-run triple) again combine to put the game out of reach.

Performances of Note:

• Tristan Peters – 3-5, 2 triples, RBI
• Tyler Black – 2-4, triple, SF, 4 RBIs
• Alex Hall – 2-3, double, BB, RBI
• Carlos D. Rodriguez – 1-3, double, BB, SB
• Wes Clarke – 1-4, SF, 2 RBIs
• Justin Jarvis (Win) – 5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 BBs, 2 WP, 6 Ks
• Robbie Baker – 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 WP, 3 Ks
• Brady Schanuel – 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 WP, 3 Ks

Friday’s outlook: RHP Max Lazar (3.31 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 5.5 K/9 in 16 1/3 innings) is prepared to make his 7th long appearance (4th start) and extend Wisconsin’s winning streak to 7 games.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Birmingham 5, Biloxi 3
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Biloxi Falls To Birmingham Despite 11 Hits

The return of RHP Justin Bullock, an early 3-1 lead and usually-solid RHP Carlos Luna on the mound for the middle innings looked like perfect ingredients for a Shuckers’ victory, but it was not to be on this day.

Bullock hadn’t appeared in a game since leaving his first start on April 8th early, so the team must have been excited to have their dependable starter back on the mound. Bullock was limited to 35 pitches over two innings, exiting tied at 1-1 thanks to a Felix Valerio solo shot.

Luna looked to have things in hand with a clean 3rd inning, followed by a two-run double by Jakson Reetz in the bottom half of the inning to score Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer (who’d both singled).

However, five consecutive Baron hits opened the top of the 5th inning to re-knot the game at 3-3 before Birmingham’s Jose Rodriguez produced a two-run, two-out single to take a 5-3 lead which held up the rest of the way. Credit goes to JT Hintzen, though, for entering with the bases loaded and one out, then stranded all three runners (soft infield line out, strikeout).

Unfortunately, Biloxi was unable to match that clutch hitting, failing to score despite a one-out single (Brent Diaz) in the 6th inning and leadoff 7th and 8th inning singles (Noah Campbell, Thomas Dillard respectively).

In addition to Hintzen, Nash Walters and Luis Contreras must also be recognized for giving their offense a chance, as the three relievers gave up zero runs over the final 4 2/3 innings.

Performances of Note:

• Joey Wiemer – 2-4, double
• Garrett Mitchell – 2-4
• Felix Valerio – 1-4, HR, RBI
• Jakson Reetz – 1-4, double, 2 RBIs
• Brock Holt – 1-4, SB
• Justin Bullock – 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BBs, 0 Ks
• Carlos Luna (Loss) – 2 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• JT Hintzen – 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K
• Nash Walters – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks
• Luis Contreras – 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks

Friday’s outlook: Biloxi is counting on LHP Andy Otero (2.86 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 9.2 K/9 in 28 1/3 innings) to come through win a dominant effort to end their two-game skid and tie up this week’s series with Birmingham at 2-2.

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 10, Jacksonville 1
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details: Small Shines, Hiura Homers Twice in Sounds Victory

If anyone needed a reminder that 2B Keston Hiura can hammer right-handed pitching, they certainly got it in this Nashville blowout.

After LHP Ethan Small once again avoided big hits despite struggling with walks (two in the first inning, one to lead off the second inning), the Nashville offense blew up the game in the 3rd inning, starting with Mark Mathias’ 3rd homer of the season. Then after young prospects Mario Feliciano and Brice Turang each singled, Hiura pulled a two-out, 0-1 pitch out to left field for a three-run blast, his first since recently being optioned to AAA.

Unfortunately, Hiura helped give a run back with a throwing error in the bottom of the 3rd inning, but he made up for it with a two-out, full count homer the other way in the 5th inning, scoring Weston Wilson (who’d doubled) and effectively putting the game out of reach at 6-1.

With Small striking out nine batters in just five innings, the Sounds were comfortable on this evening.

However, even with that large cushion, RHP Zack Brown and Luke Barker still took their work very seriously, combining to throw four hitless, scoreless innings to close it out.

Performances of Note:

• Keston Hiura – 3-4, 2 HR, HBP, 7 RBIs
• Mark Mathias – 3-4, HR, RBI
• Weston Wilson – 2-5, double
• Mario Feliciano – 2-4
• Brice Turang – 1-3, 2 BBs
• Ethan Small (Win) – 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 BBs, 1 WP, 1 balk, 9 Ks
• Zack Brown – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• Luke Barker – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks

Friday’s outlook: RHP Dylan File (3.95 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 6.3 K/9 in 27 1/3 innings), will try to replicate his last start, in which he gave up only three hits and no runs over five innings, as Nashville aims for a 3-1 series lead over Jacksonville.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Good luck tonight, Brewers’ affiliates!

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