Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/01): Garcia Leads a Classic Mudcat Comeback, Followed by Two Losses and a Rainout

Our young Mudcats continue to show resiliency and savvy beyond their years, again coming out on top of a bleak game, this one a 6-4 victory at Down East in extra innings. Kudos to Coach Estevez and his young squad.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin took the opposite tack, squandering a 3-0 lead against Peoria, while Biloxi continues to search for its offense sans King Felix.

Game Balls go to SS Eduardo Garcia, RHP Miguel Segura, 3B Jheremy Vargas, LHP Andy Otero and LF Tristan Peters.

Transactions:

• IF Mike Brosseau was optioned from MLB Milwaukee to AAA Nashville
• C Alex Jackson was optioned from MLB Milwaukee to AAA Nashville
• Though unofficial, prospect whisperer @ARobsBrewCrew noted after the game that OF Sal Frelick is expected to be promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin and that 1B Ernesto Martinez is currently out of Wisconsin’s lineup with a sprained wrist

Game Action:

Final: Carolina 6, Down East 4
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: Garcia Leads Late Comeback in 6-4 Victory in Extras.

his was a series between the Down East Wood Ducks and our beloved Carolina Mudcats, with all six games decided by two runs or less and our team coming out with a 4-2 series victory.

Like Friday’s nightcap, the Mudcats faced a formidable deficit, this time down 4-0 entering the 8th inning.

But let’s go back to the beginning and acknowledge the work of RHP Miguel Segura, who gave up just three walks and three hits, including an RBI single in the second inning and an RBI double in the fifth inning. Though the Mudcat offense wasn’t ready to produce just yet, Segura was assisted defensively by CF Hedbert Perez throwing out a runner at second base and C Jose Sibrian catching an attempted base stealer in the fourth inning.

Trailing 2-0, Segura handed over to RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez, who started poorly (triple, wild pitch, home run) but retired six of the following seven batters to keep Carolina within striking distance, down 4-0.

Now back to the heroics. Walks by Sibrian and LF Arbert Cipion brought SS Eduardo Garcia to the place. Despite an 0-2 count, Garcia planted the next pitch over the left-field wall to cut the Wood Duck lead to 4-3.

Still down 4-3, this time with two outs and nobody in the top of the ninth inning, 3B Jheremy Vargas came to the plate, hitless to this point in the night. Facing Down East stud 22-year-old LHP Destin Dotson (0.00 ERA, 0.48 WHIP, 14.8 K/9 in 10 1/3 innings entering the contest), the 18-year-old Vargas blasted a 1-0 pitch to center field to knot the contest at 4-4.

HP Jakob Brustoski put in his best work of the year, striking out two in the eighth and working around a hit-by-pitch, stolen base, and walk in the ninth inning to bring the game to extra innings.

In the tenth, a double by Cipion brought Garcia to the plate with 2-on, 1-out. This time, Garcia again ripped a ball to left field, a 2-run double to deliver Carolina its first lead of the game, 6-4.

RHP Trevor Tietz then handled the tenth with aplomb, striking out three hitters around one walk to not even allow Manfred’s ghost to score. That’s Tietz’s 3rd save and fourth straight clean inning.

Performances of Note:

• Eduardo Garcia – 3-5, HR, double, 5 RBIs, SB
• Arbert Cipion – 2-4, double, walk
• Jheremy Vargas – 1-4, HR, RBI
• Miguel Segura – 5 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks, 4 Ks
• Jakob Brustoski (Win) – 1 2/3 innings, no runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 4 Ks
• Trevor Tietz (Save) – 1 inning, no runs, no hits, 1 walk, 3 Ks

Next week’s outlook: Our 11-10 Carolina Mudcats return home for a six-game series against the 12-9 Augusta GreenJackets. Expect RHP Brannon Jordan (3.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP in 16 innings) to start the opening game, though we’re still wondering about the status of RHP Jefferson Figueroa.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Peoria 6, Wisconsin 4
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Peoria Powers Past Wisconsin

Down 4-1 in the series, Wisconsin and LHP Russell Smith needed a strong game and initially appeared on course, up 3-0 in the fourth inning.

After Smith worked out of two-on situations in the first and third innings, the Timber Rattlers put together two doubles (Sal Frelick, Zavier Warren), a single (Joe Gray Jr.), a walk (Wes Clarke), two stolen bases (Gray twice) and a sacrifice fly (Carlos D. Rodriguez) to take a 3-0 lead.

However, Smith wasn’t quite able to work out of a three-on situation in the bottom of the fourth inning. Two walks and an infield single had loaded the bases for Peoria’s 20-year-old SS Masyn Winn, who hit the first pitch, a three-run triple to tie up the contest at 3-3. {Note: We’d have to see the video to understand whether the ball fell between three defenders in shallow right and rolled to the wall or exactly what transpired.}

Our shell-shocked Timber Rattlers then called upon RHP Zach Mort, who’d had an excellent month of April (0.00 ERA, 0.63 WHIP in 8 innings) but will want to forget this appearance immediately:

• Home run to right field
• Fly out to left field
• Home run to right-center field
• Home run to right-center field

The Rattlers’ appeared close to finding their inner Mudcat in the 7th inning, with a left field Tristan Peters triple bringing home 2B Ethan Murray with one out. However, the team couldn’t drive him home and fell 6-4 for a crushing series loss (one win, five losses).

As much as we emphasize the positives, it’s also important to note possible areas of concern. It is in this vein that we mention that the Chiefs stole another 4 bases in this contest, with nobody caught stealing. That brings Miller’s 2022 stats to an anemic two runners caught vs. 26 stolen bases. Obviously, this will be an area of focus for improvement going forward for the 21-year old.

Unfortunately, we’re lacking many video highlights for the good guys this night, so let me post this one of IF Ethan Murray hitting home runs in previous games:

Performances of Note:

• Tristan Peters – 2-4, triple, RBI
• Joe Gray Jr. – 2-5, double, 2 SBs
• Sal Frelick – 2-5, double
• Zavier Warren – 1-4, double, RBI
• Russell Smith – 4 innings, 3 runs, 3 hits, 5 walk, 1 balk, 2 Ks
• Zach Mort (Loss) – 1 inning, 3 run, 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 K
• Robbie Baker – 2 innings, no runs, 3 hits, 1 K
• Cam Robinson – 1 inning, no runs, no hits, 1 walk, 2 Ks

Next week’s outlook: The 12-9 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers return to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium to take on the 11-10 Fort Wayne TinCaps. RHP TJ Shook (1.37 ERA, 0.86 WHIP in 19 2/3 innings) is the expected starter for the first game, perhaps tag-teaming with RHP Max Lazar.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Pensacola 4, Biloxi 1
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Shuckers Fall in Sunday’s Game 4-1

LHP Andy Otero did his best to keep his team in the contest, only yielding one run (unearned) before exiting after issuing a full count walk with one out in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, Otero has to wear that unearned run however, as it was on the back of his own fielding error and two walks to load the bases with nobody out in the third inning, escaping with a run-scoring double play and a strikeout.

Offensively, some solid Shuckers’ chances came and went early in the contest, with CF Joey Wiemer and DH Luis Urias stranded at second and third after a Wiemer double (first inning) and LF Noah Campbell left at second base after his 1-out double (third inning).

Down 1-0, Otero handed over RHP JT Hintzen, who gave up a two-run homer to his first batter, then another double and single to leave Biloxi in a 4-0 hole.

The team clawed one run back in the bottom of the 8th inning on a Urias RBI groundout to score 2B Gabe Holt (who’d singled), but that was all the offense could muster on this night.

In all, Biloxi can be pleased with its pitching in the 3-3 series tie, giving up just nine runs in the last five games of the week.

To balance out the Sunday video highlights, here’s Holt making a nice play in the second inning:

Performances of Note:

• Noah Campbell – 1-3, double, walk
• Joey Wiemer – 1-3, double
• Gabe Holt – 1-3
• Andy Otero (Loss) – 5 1/3 innings, 2 runs (1 earned), 3 hits, 3 walks, 1 WP, 3 Ks
• Nash Walters – 1 inning, no runs, 1 hit, no walks
• Zach Vennaro – 1 inning, no runs, no hits, no walks, 2 Ks

Next week’s outlook: The 12-9 Biloxi Shuckers head out for the week to face the 9-11 Montgomery Biscuits. RHP Tyler Herb (1.96 ERA, 1.20 WHIP in 18 1/3 innings) is expected to start the first game in the series.

Nashville Pre-Rain Media Notes
Final: Cancelled due to wet grounds. Game will not be made up

Via the Sounds’ website, rain details: Sounds Finale in St. Paul Canceled Due to Wet Grounds

Next week’s outlook: First place Nashville (16-7) will be home this week, taking on the 12-12 Norfolk Tides. We’ll see which of RHPs Luis Perdomo, Jason Alexander (2.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP in 20 innings) or RHP Josh Lindblom gets the honor of starting the opening game.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Enjoy your travel day, young fellas!

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