News and notes from Tuesday for the Braves’ farm system
The Atlanta Braves minor league affiliates offense largely slept walked through yesterday scoring by three or fewer runs in three of their five games yesterday. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though as despite the struggles their pitching was strong enough for them to scratch out two wins.
(13-20) Charlotte Knights 4, (16-17) Gwinnett Stripers 7
- Yuli Gurriel 1-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
- Eli White 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB
- AJ Smith Shawver, SP, 4 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Through 10 games, Yuli Gurriel has struggled. He did pick up a hit today which did bring his batting average up to .229, raising it .003 points. The former Astro did make some hard contact with three of his batted balls coming in at 95.2 MPH or higher with two of them, including his home run at 101.1 MPH or higher. Forrest Wall went 0 for 2, but his strong start to the season continued as he picked up three walks. However, with a strikeout yesterday he has now been punched out in nine consecutive games.
AJSS has been shaky to start off the year. He has only thrown five innings twice this season, whilst throwing 2 ⅓ or fewer frames two times. In four of his six starts, yesterday included, he has allowed three earned runs. The home run ball bug has bit him as he allowed two long balls yesterday, bringing his season total five, one more than he allowed across 62 frames last season.
(9-19) Mississippi Braves 3, (14-13) Rocket City Trash Pandas 4
- Nacho Alvarez 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B
- Drake Baldwin 0-4, 1 K
- Drew Parrish, SP, 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
The Braves started hot, picking up five hits and scoring three runs through the first two innings. After that though, it was a whole lot of nothing as they didn’t score again and tacked on just two more hits. Keshawn Ogans struggles continued as he went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .190.
Drew Parrish was poor last night. The four runs he allowed were the most he has allowed in the early going this season. He did carry some swing and miss stuff as he was able to force 13 whiffs.
(16-12) Brooklyn Cyclones 6, (14-12) Rome Emperors 2
- Ethan Workinger 2-4, 1 SB
- E.J. Exposito 1-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
- Lucas Braun, SP, 4 ⅓ IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
The Emperor’s offense was pitiful. Their only two runs came via the Exposito home run which happened in the bottom of the ninth when the game was largely out of reach. Besides Workinger and Exposito, Rome hitters went a combined 1 for 24 with 10 punchouts. I feel like I write this every single week but Ambioris Tavarez yet again struck out, meaning he has struck out in eight consecutive games and in all but one this season.
Braun destroyed all of the positive momentum he built with his last start where he threw 6 ⅔ innings, allowing one run. His clunker increased his ERA to 7.15. He struggled with his command as highlighted by his four walks on 33 balls compared to 52 strikes. After Braun, the Emperor bullpen held their own with Cory Wall and Samuel Strickland combining to throw 4 ⅔ scoreless innings with Wall racking up six strikeouts.
(13-14) Augusta GreenJackets 5, (10-17) Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2
- Jace Grady 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 K
- Will Verdung 1-3, 1 RBI, 2 K
- Riley Frey, SP, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
The GreenJacket bats did not want to wake up until the eighth inning where they exploded for five runs. Six of the first seven batters reached base safely with the first run scoring on the second throwing error of the inning by pitcher Garrett Brown. Despite scoring five runs in the frame they did not have a single extra base hit doing all of their damage via the walks and singles. They did make some noise on the base paths as well picking up three stolen bases.
Starting pitcher Riley Frey threw the best game of his professional career against the Pelicans. Thanks to a third inning double play, the 19th round pick faced the minimum through five innings as the only base runner against him through five came via a leadoff walk in the third. Frey put an exclamation mark on his start as four of the final six outs he recorded came via the strikeout. He was also extremely economical with his pitches as he threw just 78 pitches.
(0-3) FCL Braves 2, (2-1) FCL Red Sox 3
- Mario Baez 0-3
- Douglas Glod 0-3, 2K
- Jhonly Tavares, SP, ⅔ IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER
After coming off a year where he hit .224, Glod’s struggles have carried into 2024 as he struck out two times bringing his early season K total to 4.
Johnly Tavares served as the opener, throwing just two thirds of an inning, with Rolando Gutierrez and Juan Sanchez combining to throw 4 ⅓ frames whilst allowing a combined two runs and 3 hits.