Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/5): Nashville Wins on a Walkoff, but Blown Leads and Missed Chances Cost Other Affiliates

Although promising nights turned sour for Carolina, Biloxi and Wisconsin on Thursday night, that means there were a number of solid performances as well. Hopefully the young men can take some inspiration from Nashville, which put men on base all night and eventually snatched victory from defeat.

The stars of the night were Wisconsin’s exciting prospect LHP Antoine Kelly, who dutifully bounced back from his shortest stint of the season (3 IP on April 29th) to dominate the TinCaps for 5 innings and AAA Nashville’s bullpen which blanked Norfolk for 5 1/3 innings to give the offense a chance.

Game Balls go to Kelly, C Jeferson Quero, 1B Thomas Dillard, RHP Trevor Kelley and OF Jonathan Davis.

Transactions:

• C Jesus Garcia assigned back to ACL Brewers Gold from AAA Nashville (he’d been moved to Nashville 6 days earlier, but didn’t see any action)

Game Action:

Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Augusta 10, Carolina 5
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: Mudcats Waste Early Lead in 10-5 Loss Things looked rosy early in this game, as RHP Edwin Jimenez worked around a first-inning triple and walk, then six of the first seven Mudcats reached base in the bottom of the inning. The inning’s big hit was C Jeferson Quero’s first home run of 2022, a 3-run blast to score CF Jackson Chourio and 1B Jesus Chirinos. In all, Carolina led 5-0 after the first.

Things looked rosy early in this game, as RHP Edwin Jimenez worked around a first-inning triple and walk, then six of the first seven Mudcats reached base in the bottom of the inning. The inning’s big hit was C Jeferson Quero’s first home run of 2022, a 3-run blast to score CF Jackson Chourio and 1B Jesus Chirinos. In all, Carolina led 5-0 after the first.

Unfortunately, the Mudcat bats went to sleep from there and could not be awoken when needed, as the team failed to register any hits from the 2^nd through the 9^th inning, going 0-for-24 in that span. 

Meanwhile, Augusta clawed it back to 5-3 by the 5^th inning and the dam burst against RHP Israel Puello in the top of the 7^th inning, when 4 hits and 2 walks gave the GreenJackets a 7-5 lead which it would not relinquish.

On some other positive notes, it was great to see RF Hendry Mendez back in action after departing Tuesday’s game early and LHP Jakob Brustoski threw a clean inning to put some early season struggles behind him.

Performances of Note:

• Jeferson Quero – 1-4, HR, 3 RBIs
• Hendry Mendez – 1-3, BB
• Jackson Chourio – 1-4, double
• Jheremy Vargas – 1-4, RBI
• Edwin Jimenez – 5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 BBs, 1 WP, 2 Ks
• Israel Puello (Loss) – 1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks
• Jakob Brustoski – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 Ks

Friday’s outlook: RHP Alexander Cornielle (1.56 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8.3 K/9 in 17 1/3 IP) is expected to make his 5th start, still searching for his first victory of 2022, as the Mudcats aim to take a 3-1 series lead at home against Augusta.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Fort Wayne 4, Wisconsin 3
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: TinCaps Hold Off Late Rattler Rally

It was a classic pitchers’ duel in Appleton, as Wisconsin’s LHP Antoine Kelly and Fort Wayne’s LHP Noel Vela posted nearly identical lines: 5 innings each, zero runs each, 10 strikeouts each. The two young studs didn’t even throw a wild pitch or hit a batter, so the only difference was the 3 hits yielded by Vela and the 1 hit and 1 walk given up by Kelly.

This left it to the bullpens and unfortunately the TinCaps had the advantage on this night, though Wisconsin certainly had its chances, leaving 10 men on base and going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

With Kelly’s exit after 5 innings, Fort Wayne quickly seized its chance, with the second batter (OF Corey Rosier) that RHP Miguel Guerrero faced hitting a first-pitch home run to right center field.

Excellent work by RHP Joey Matulovich kept the game at 1-0 until the bottom of the 8th inning, when Wisconsin took 4 walks (the last a full count RBI walk by Miller) to tie it up.

However, RHP James Meeker is still searching for his 2020/2021 form and hasn’t found it yet. He opened the 9th inning with a hit-by-pitch, then issued a full count walk and a gave up an infield single to load the bases. Meeker nearly escaped the inning by getting a swinging strike out for the 2nd out. Unfortunately, consecutive singles gave Fort Wayne a 4-1 lead and RHP Robbie Baker came in to strand the remaining two runners, which he successfully did.

The Wisconsin half of the 9th inning actually mirrored Fort Wayne’s, with leadoff man Carlos D. Rodriguez reaching via a hit-by-pitch, then 3 walks and another hit-by-pitch bringing the game to 4-3, bases loaded with two outs, before Miller struck out swinging to end the interesting affair.

Here’s a summary of the squandered chances on the night:

• A leadoff first inning single by OF Tristan Peters was wiped out by a strike-em-out, throw-em-out
• 2nd and 3rd, 2-out situations in the 4th inning and 6th inning both went for naught
• A bases loaded, 2-out chance in the 8th inning mustered only 1 run
• The game finished with the bases loaded, Rattlers' unable to get the key hit this time

In other notes:

• It’s great to see Joe Gray Jr. keeping at it while he slowly rediscovers his bat. On this night, he recorded 3 walks, a single and his 7th stolen base of the young season
• Darrien Miller caught his 4th straight game, as Manager Joe Ayrault must have decided he can benefit from more consistent work behind the plate
• Recently promoted Micah Bello had a night to forget, going 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts

Performances of Note:

• Joe Gray Jr. – 1-2, 3 BBs, RBI, SB
• Darrien Miller – 1-4, RBI, SB
• Antonio Pinero – 1-3, BB
• Antoine Kelly – 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 10 Ks
• Joey Matulovich – 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks
• James Meeker (Loss) – 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Friday’s outlook: RHP Justin Jarvis (7.91 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 7.0 K/9 in 19 1/3 IP) seeks to get on track after yielding 5 earned runs and taking losses in each of his last two appearances, as the Timber Rattlers strive for a 3-1 series lead at home against Fort Wayne.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Montgomery 14, Biloxi 5
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Biloxi’s Early Lead Evaporates in 14-5 Loss

Biloxi’s contest in Montgomery paralleled the events in Zebulon, with our squad jumping out to a 4-0 lead by the 4th inning and 5-4 lead in the 6th inning, before the Biscuit deluge.

LHP Nick Bennett escaped a bases loaded, 1-out jam in the first inning by inducing a ground ball double play. Consecutive hits to lead off the second inning by OF Joey Wiemer (10th double of the season) and 2B Felix Valerio set up Thomas Dillard to smash his first home run of 2022, a 3-run blast.

OF Sal Frelick added an RBI single in the 4th inning, as he continues to hit at every level, stretching the lead to 4-0, but Montgomery got to Bennett to even things up in the bottom half of the inning with 3 hits, a walk, a sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice which couldn’t catch a runner at home.

C Jakson Reetz continues to surprise, parking his 4th home run in just 44 at bats this year to help the club re-take the lead in the 6th inning, but RHP JT Hintzen wasn’t able to hold it in the bottom half.

Reetz actually left the game before the bottom of the 7th inning with Biloxi down 7-5, so we’ll need to see whether this was an injury or just a case of Nick Kahle sharing catching duties on the night. After Hintzen exited, Montgomery didn’t let up against the Shuckers’ next three relievers, adding 7 runs to turn it into a rout.

Performances of Note:

• Sal Frelick – 2-5, RBI, BB
• Cam Devanney – 2-4
• Jakson Reetz – 1-3, HR, RBI
• Thomas Dillard – 1-4, HR, 3 RBIs
• Joey Wiemer – 1-4, double
• Felix Valerio – 1-3, BB
• Nick Bennett – 4 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 4 BBs, 3 Ks
• JT Hintzen (Loss) – 1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• Robbi Hitt, Zach Vennaro, Nash Walters – combined 2 1/3 IP, 7 R, 8 H, 4 BBs, 1 WP, 2 Ks

Friday’s outlook: RHP Carlos Luna (2.12 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, in 17 IP) takes his turn, as Biloxi seeks to halt its 4-game losing skid and win its first game in the series in Montgomery.

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 4, Norfolk 3
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details: Sounds Walk Off on Jonathan Davis’ Base Hit

The men in Nashville simply enjoy winning too much to give up on this one, with terrific bullpen work keeping the team in it throughout.

After the Sounds stranded the bases loaded in the first inning, Norfolk grabbed the lead with a 2nd inning double and then 2-run shot by Rylan Bannon off Nashville starter RHP Caleb Boushley.

Nashville tied it back up in the 3rd inning on a 2-run single by C Alex Jackson, plating 2B Mark Mathias and 1B Tyler White who had both singled.

Boushley exited with 2-on, 2-out in the 5^th inning, but JC Mejia gave up an infield single and walk to allow the Tides to re-take the lead.

In the bottom of the 8^th inning, Nashville loaded the bases with nobody out on two walks and a Jonathan Davis bunt, but only managed one run on a Brice Turang sacrifice fly.

RHP Trevor Kelley was excellent, covering scoreless 9^th and 10^th innings, with Mathias throwing out Manfred’s ghost at home.

xVictory came with Nashville’s own ghost (Weston Wilson) moving to 3rd base on a wild pitch, then scoring on a Jonathan Davis single to left

Performances of Note:

• Alex Jackson – 2-5, double, 2 RBIs
• Mike Brosseau – 2-5, double
• Jonathan Davis – 2-4, BB, RBI, SB
• Caleb Boushley – 4 2/3 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 Ks
• JC Mejia – 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BBs, 2 Ks
• Luke Barker – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• Thomas Jankins – 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks
• Trevor Kelley (Win) – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks

Friday’s outlook: April’s International League Pitcher of the Month LHP Ethan Small (0.77 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 13.1 K/9 in 23 1/3 IP) makes his first May start as Nashville tries to build a 3-1 series lead at home against Norfolk.

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

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