Atlanta Braves Minor League Monday, August 17
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Andrew Thurman
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Atlanta Braves Minor League Monday
To start the week, we’ll review the transactions of the last week:
Promoted to Atlanta: P Peter Moylan
Demoted to Gwinnett: P Jake Brigham, P Ryan Kelly
Promoted to Gwinnett: 1B Freddie Freeman (on rehab)
Promoted to Mississippi: P Andrew Thurman
Promoted to Carolina: P Yean Carlos Gill
Assigned to Rome: IF Hector Olivera
Promoted to Rome: P Trevor Belicek
Promoted to Danville: OF Ronald Acuna
Demoted to GCL: OF Kelvin Estevez, P Fernando Miranda
Placed on DL: Mississippi OF David Rohm, Carolina P Rob Whalen, Rome 3B Jordan Edgerton
Highlight Player of the Week:
Signed from independent ball before the season, Seth Webster wasn’t a likely guy to be the Braves winningest (yeah, I made up a word – enjoy!) pitcher on the season. Instead, Webster has easily been the most consistent guy in Carolina’s rotation this year. Webster has thrown all but one start (on rehab at Rome after the bus crash) for the Mudcats this year, hurling 16 games, 15 of them starts, and 103 2/3 innings for the Mudcats this year. His game Sunday was a pure gem, going 7 scoreless innings and striking out 8. On the season, Webster has recorded a remarkable 82/7 K/BB ratio. You read that right, 7 total walks on the whole season!
Webster is a guy who didn’t get a lot of attention out of Louisiana College in the draft because his velocity is certainly nothing to write home about, and with average to below-average velocity and being right-handed, he was easy to pass over. Instead, the 26 year-old has shown this season that the plane of his extremely heavy sinker located at the bottom of the zone will cause ball upon ball to be pounded into the dirt for easy outs. It helps that Webster doesn’t hurt himself with walks or wildness. Webster is 6’5 and is listed at 205 pounds, which seems about right if perhaps 5-10 pounds on the light side, but he does have a very wide frame to work from.
Webster may never be a guy who makes the majors and leads the rotation, but then again, I would have told you that he wouldn’t have even made the Mudcat rotation to start the 2015 season, and here he is leading the entire Braves system in wins, so it’s probably best not to sell him short!
Let’s look at the weekend’s games!
Next: Gwinnett Braves Report
Gwinnett Braves (65-57)
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Thursday
Charlotte took an early lead and held on to defeat Gwinnett 4-2 on Thursday. Victor Mateo got the start, and he went 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Gwinnett’s offense was pretty meh on the day, striking out 13 times and only collecting 7 hits and a single walk. Mallex Smith was the only Brave on base multiple times with two singles. He also stole 2 bases on the day. Barrett Kleinknecht and Jose Yepez each had a double.
Friday
The Columbus Clippers and Braves split a pair on Friday. Gwinnett won the opener, a completion of their May 31 game, and the Gwinnett bullpen held ff a late Clippers rally to secure the 5-4 win. Greg Smith got the start back in May, but Sugar Ray Marimon took the ball upon resuming the game in the bottom of the 1st inning. He threw 6 1/3 innings for the win, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2. Peter Moylan recorded the last 5 outs for the save. Mallex Smith had two doubles. Cedric Hunter had a double, a single, a walk, and a stolen base. Eric Young, Jr. had two singles. Luis Mateo and Sean Kazmar each homered for the Braves.
In the second game, Ryan Weber struggled in a rare start this season as Columbus took the 5-3 victory. Weber went 3 2/3 innings, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 1 and allowing 2 home runs, bringing his season total to only 6 in over 80 innings, so it was a very rare “off” game for Weber. Eric Young, Jr. had two singles, two walks, and stole a base. Mallex Smith had a single, a walk, and a stolen base. Luis Mateo had two singles.
Saturday
Gwinnett defeated Columbus on Saturday 6-4. Kanekoa Texeira threw 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3. Christian Bethancourt had 3 hits, including his 4th home run, driving in 3 runs. Mallex Smith had three hits, including a double. Cedric Hunter had two singles and a walk. Luis Mateo had a triple, a single, and a stolen base. Eric Young, Jr. had a single and a walk. Sean Kazmar added a double.
Sunday
Columbus scored 3 in the bottom of the 2nd inning and held on to defeat the Braves 4-3 on Sunday. Tyrell Jenkins went 2 innings before leaving with an injury, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1. Luis Mateo had three hits on the day. Cedric Hunter had a double, 2 walks, and stole his 9th base. Mallex Smith had two singles. Sean Kazmar had a double and a walk. Eric Young, Jr. had two walks.
Leaders
BA: Christian Bethancourt .326
OBP: Christian Bethancourt .359
SLG: Christian Bethancourt .481
HR: Cedric Hunter 11
SB: Mallex Smith 25
W: Greg Smith, Kanekoa Texeira 6
SV: Ryan Kelly 9
SO: Kanekoa Texeira 58
ERA: Jason Hursh 0.00
WHIP: Jason Hursh 0.53
Next: Mississippi Braves Report
Braves players in pre-game warmups
Mississippi Braves (60-57)
Thursday
Zack Bird struggled with his control, and Mississippi couldn’t overcome his rough start, losing to Mobile 9-1 on Thursday. Bird went only 2 innings, allowing 5 runs on 3 hits and 5 walks, striking out 4. The M-Braves offense couldn’t push any runs over the plate. Emerson Landoni had two singles. KD Kang had a solo home run. Rio Ruiz and Matt Lipka each had 2 walks.
Friday
Mobile jumped all over Mississippi starter Andrew Thurman in his AA debut after started the game with three scoreless innings, and the BayBears offense didn’t let up, defeating the M-Braves 9-3 on Friday. Thurman went 4 2/3 innings, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4. Emerson Landoni had a single, a double, and a walk on the day. Levi Hyams and Rio Ruiz each had a double.
Saturday
Mississippi starter Stephen Janas pitched well, but the offense couldn’t push across the runs as Mobile beat the M-Braves 2-1. Janas went 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3. Janas displayed the issues the offense was having as he was the only Braves hitter with multiple hits. KD Kang was the only other M-Brave on base twice with two walks. Rio Ruiz and Eric Garcia each had a double.
Sunday
Mississippi was rained out on Sunday.
Leaders
BA: Emerson Landoni .291
OBP: Levi Hyams .358
SLG: KD Kang .402
HR: Kevin Ahrens 8
SB: Matt Lipka 15
W: Greg Ross 7
SV: Tyler Jones 13
SO: Greg Ross 70
ERA: Mitch Lambson 0.79
WHIP: John Gant 0.87
Next: Carolina Mudcats Report
Carolina Mudcats (61-58)
Thursday
The game went to extras, and an exciting 10th inning capped off the game between Carolina and Wilmington on Thursday, with Carolina taking the win 4-3. Brandon Barker started the game, and he went 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. Jacob Schrader had a big day, with a double, a single, and a walk. Tanner Krietemeier and Keith Curcio each had a double and a single. Joey Meneses and Sal Giardina each had two singles on the day.
Friday
All the scoring was done in the 3rd inning for both teams on Friday as Frederick took the game from Carolina, 3-2. Recent signee from independent ball, Matt Bywater made his debut for the Mudcats, but a pair of 3rd inning errors led to the loss for him. Bywater went 5 innings, allowing 3 unearned runs on 5 hits and 5 walks, striking out 8. Dustin Peterson only had one hit, a single, but he did draw 3 walks on the day, a great sign for Peterson, who’s been mired in a slump really since the bus crash earlier this year. Carlos Franco and Keith Curcio each had a single and a walk, though Franco’s fielding error in the 3rd inning really opened the floodgates that cost the Mudcats the game. Joseph Odom had a double.
Saturday
Blair Walters pitched a gem, but the Mudcats couldn’t push a single run across, losing to Frederick on Saturday 1-0. Walters went 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 5. Dustin Peterson followed up his big Friday with two singles. Sal Giardina also had two singles. Tanner Krietemeier had a double and Keith Curcio stole his 14th base for the Mudcats.
Sunday
Seth Webster picked up his 8th win as Carolina defeated Frederick 6-1 on Sunday. Webster went 7 strong innings, allowing only an unearned run on 6 hits, striking out 8. The Mudcats powered out 3 home runs on the day. Johan Camargo had 3 hits, including a home run. Joseph Odom had a single and 2 walks. Jacob Schrader had a single and a walk. Keith Curcio and Reed Harper each had home runs on the day.
Leaders
BA: Connor Lien .285
OBP: Connor Lien .338
SLG: Jacob Schrader .458
HR: Jacob Schrader 12
SB: Connor Lien 30
W: Seth Webster 8
SV: Richie Tate 4
SO: Seth Webster 75
ERA: Brad Roney 0.79
WHIP: Seth Webster 1.05
Next: Rome Braves Report
Rome Braves (51-68)
Thursday
Savannah scored 3 in the first inning and held on to win 9-4 on Thursday. Sean Furney got the start and went 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and 5 walks with 2 strikeouts. Erison Mendez had 3 hits, including 2 doubles. Stephen Gaylor and Matt Tellor each had a single and a walk. Leudys Baez had a double.
Friday
Rome scored a run each in the 7th and 8th innings to win 2-1 over Lexington on Friday night. Yean Carlos Gil went the distance for the Braves, throwing 9 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 4. Wigberto Nevarez had a single and a double. Joseph Daris had two singles and a stolen base. Braxton Davidson had a single and a walk. Bryan De La Rosa had two walks. Luke Dykstra and Leudys Baez each stole a base.
Saturday
Rome swept a twin bill on Saturday from Lexington. In the first game, Zach Quintana went all 7 innings, as the Braves defeated the Legends 8-2. Quintana allowed 2 runs on 8 hits, striking out 2. Omar Obregon had a single, walked twice, and stole a base, but the offensive highlights were provided by Braxton Davidson and Stephen Gaylor. Davidson had two hits, including an incredible 3rd inning home run, his 8th, driving in 3 runs. Gaylor was on base twice with two singles, and when he was on the bases, he drove Legends starter Corey Ray crazy on the base paths, stealing 3 bases on the day. Matt Tellor had two singles. Leudys Baez, Wigberto Nevarez, and Tanner Murphy each had doubles.
Rome went to a bullpen game for the second game of the double header. The bullpen held it together for a 3-2 victory. Felix Marte followed starter Sean McLaughlin and got the win by pitching 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only one hit and striking out two. Omar Obregon had 3 singles. Joseph Daris had two hits. Braxton Davidson had two walks. Bryan De La Rosa and Leudys Baez each had a double.
Sunday
Rome pulled off the win over Lexington 3-1 on Sunday. Oriel Caicedo started the game and went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, striking out 4. Matt Tellor had a home run and a walk. Omar Obregon had a single and a walk. Stephen Gaylor and Tanner Murphy each had a double.
Leaders
BA: Ozhaino Albies .310
OBP: Braxton Davidson .392
SLG: Joseph Daris .408
HR: Braxton Davidson 7
SB: Ozhaino Albies 29
W: Sean Furney 6
SV: Dustin Emmons 4
SO: Sean Furney, Zach Quintana 55
ERA: Sean McLaughlin 2.25
WHIP: Sean McLaughlin 0.88
Next: Danville Braves Report
Danville Braves (26-27)
Thursday
Danville defeated Burlington on Thursday, 6-3. Trevor Belicek had a nice start, going 5 innings of 1 run ball, allowing 4 hits and a walk. Carlos Castro had 4 singles and Carlos Martinez had 3 singles to lead the offense. Ray-Patrick Didder had a double and a single along with a stolen base. Ronald Acuna had a single and a walk. Juan Yepez had a double. Luke Hoekstra had a stolen base.
Friday
Danville played two against Burlington on Friday. In the early game, Matt Withrow got the start and went 3 innings, allowing only 2 unearned runs on a hit and a walk while striking out 2, but the Braves could only push one run across as they lost to the Royals 3-1. Ray-Patrick Didder and Jose Morel each had two singles. Ronald Acuna had two walks. Trey Keegan added a double.
The Braves came out on the good side of a pitching duel in the late game, defeating Burlington 2-1. Luis Gamez threw 5 innings, allowing only one unearned run on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 4. Ray-Patrick Didder had a triple that drove in both runs on the day. No Brave reached base twice on the day.
Saturday
Danville moved back to .500 with a solid victory on Saturday, defeating Burlington 2-1. Ryan Clark ran his record to a sparkling 5-0 with 5 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 3. Justin Ellison had a triple, single, and a walk. Ronald Acuna had a double, single, walk, and a stolen base. Austin Riley had two singles and provided a glimmer of hope for Braves fans hoping he can stick at third base with a very nice turn on a hot shot to start a double play. It wasn’t a highlight play by any means, but it’s a play he’s had trouble making previously, so this was a nice showing.
Sunday
Elizabethton walked off on Danville Sunday, winning 6-5. Patrick Weigel got the start, throwing 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 5 walks. Jose Morel had two singles and a double. Kurt Hoekstra had two doubles. Justin Ellison had a home run and a double. Juan Yepez had a triple. Carlos Castro stole a base, but he also had two errors on the day at first base.
Leaders
BA: Carlos Castro .328
OBP: Austin Riley .400
SLG: Justin Ellison .611
HR: Three with 2
SB: Kurt Hoekstra, Ray-Patrick Didder 8
W: Ryan Clark 5
SV: Chase Johnson-Mullins 6
SO: Three with 33
ERA: Matthew Custred 1.08
WHIP: Matthew Custred 0.60
Next: GCL Braves Report
GCL Braves (17-22)
Thursday
The Braves finished with a flurry to defeat the Tigers 8-4 on Thursday. Jeret Hellinger got the start and went 4 2/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5. Hector Olivera made his debut for the Braves system and Freddie Freeman made a rehab start, though they went a combined 0-5 on the night. Alejandro Salazar had a double, a single, and a walk. Elias Arias had his first productive day at the plate since returning to the lineup with a single, a walk, and a stolen base. Jonathan Morales and Angel Perez each had a single and a walk. Isranel Wilson hit his 6th home run of the season.
Friday
The Braves were on the short end of a pitcher’s duel on Friday, losing to the Blue Jays 3-1. Felix Falcon started for the Braves, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing only 2 unearned runs on a hit and 4 walks, striking out 6. Bradley Keller had two singles. Jonathan Morales had a pinch hit double.
Saturday
The Blue Jays scored two in the bottom of the ninth inning to steal the victory from the Braves, 3-2. Kolby Allard started the game and was no less impressive than his first appearance, going 2 perfect innings, striking out 5. Jonathan Morales had a home run and a single. Collin Yelich had two singles. Elias Arias had two walks. Isranel Wilson stole a base as well.
Sunday
The Braves had Sunday off.
Leaders
BA: Alejandro Salazar .303
OBP: Alejandro Salazar .376
SLG: Bradley Keller .434
HR: Isranel Wilson 6
SB: Ronald Acuna 11
W: Evertz Orozco 4
SV: Three with 1
SO: Jhon Martinez 28
ERA: Kolby Allard 0.00
WHIP: Kolby Allard 0.00
Next: DSL Braves Report
DSL Braves (34-32)
Thursday
The Braves had a big offensive day on Thursday, defeating the Pirates 13-5. Luis Mora had a tremendous start, going 3 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Anthony Concepcion had two home runs among his four hits. Terrence Josephina had 4 hits as well, and he also clubbed a home run and added a double as well. Randy Ventura and Alex Aquino each had three singles. Ventura added his 50th stolen base on the season. Ildion Martina had a single and a double. William Contreras had a double, and Luis Mejia had a triple.
Friday
The Braves were down by two runs at the end of the 6th inning, but they rallied to defeat the Yankees2 squad 6-5 on Friday. Gabriel Henry started for the Braves and went 3 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and 3 walks, striking out 2. Luis Mejia had a double and two walks. Randy Ventura had two singles, a walk, and stole his 51st base of the season. Jeremy Fernandez had two singles and a walk. Sander Boeldak had two singles, and William Contreras added two walks.
Saturday
The Braves used a 5-run 6th inning to get back into the game, but the Yankees2 still came away with the victory 7-6. Ali Pantoja went 3 innings to start, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 1 walk, striking out 2. No Braves hitter was on base twice. Grendis Ferrer had a double.
Sunday
The Braves had Sunday off.
Leaders
BA: Randy Ventura .341
OBP: Randy Ventura .430
SLG: Anthony Concepcion .440
HR: Anthony Concepcion 5
SB: Randy Ventura 51
W: Alexander Sanchez 6
SV: Ramon Taveras 7
SO: Luis Mora 40
ERA: Ramon Taveras 2.08
WHIP: Ramon Taveras 0.86