Atlanta Braves Week 7 Farm Report: Home runs and No-hitters

(19-24) Flordia Fire Frogs (A+)

WEEK 7 RECORD: 5-2

Players of the Week

(2B) Kevin Josephina

6 games, .478 BA, double, 5 RBI

(RF) Greyson Jenista

7 games, .259 BA, HR, triple, 2 2B, 5 RBI, SB

I had to pick two batters this week as Jenista needed a mention. This is probably the first week that he’s played well all seven days, so hopefully this is a sign that he’s getting going as a professional player.

Jenista now has 40 games under his belt in High-A, currently hitting .229 with 3 home runs and 9 doubles. This week could be the start!

Kevin Josephina was signed by the Braves in 2014 out of Curacao, and while he has always possessed speed, he’s never been much with the bat.

Well, on Saturday Josephina proved otherwise, racking up 5 hits in Florida’s win. I wouldn’t get too excited yet, as a player putting up a .480 average over 25 at-bats can basically mean diddly squat.

But, with 6 seasons already in the organization (he signed at 17-years-old), Josephina might have figured something out.

(SP) Jasseel De La Cruz

9 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K

The guy threw a no-hitter. Enough said. Read below for details regarding his start Saturday.

The Week at a Glance

(5/13) Monday: Postponed (RAIN)

(5/14) Tuesday: Postponed (RAIN)

(5/15) Wednesday: (DOUBLEHEADER)

Game 1: Won 6-5 (F/9) vs. St. Lucie Mets – FULL RECAP 

• (P) N. Kingham: 4 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, BB, 3 K
• (C) W. Contreras: 1-4, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
• (3B) D. Lugbauer: 1-4, 3B, RBI, K

In Game 1 the Fire Frogs found themselves down 5-0 after four innings, due to some poor pitching by starter Nolan Kingham. But the offense prevailed and chipped away at the lead, forcing the scheduled 7-inning game into nine innings and beating the Mets.

Right fielder Greyson Jenista (#14 prospect) provided a hit in his 4 at-bats, scoring a run, walking once and striking out once. Jefrey Ramos also picked up a hit and scored a run.

First baseman Kevin Josephina finished 3-for-5 with an RBI, a run scored and a strikeout in Game 1. Josephina’s RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Jenista, walked it off for the Fire Frogs.

Reliever Sean McLaughlin picked up the win, pitching 3 innings of one-hit ball and punching out three. It was his first win of 2019.

Game 2: Won 5-4 vs. St. Lucie Mets – FULL RECAP

• (P) M. Withrow: 3.1 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K
• (RF) G. Jenista: 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R, BB, K
• (1B) K. Josephina: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI

Game 2 featured a better start for Florida, as they had a 5-2 lead going into the 6th inning. However, St. Lucie would score two runs in the top of the 6th, making it a one-run game.

Starter Matt Withrow certainly pitched well enough for the win, throwing 52 pitches (37 strikes) and keeping the ball on the ground with no flyouts during his outing. Reliever Lukas Young picked up the win with 2.2 innings of work and a strikeout.

DH Brett Langhorne plated the other run for Florida (other than Jenista and Josephina above), finishing 0-for-3 with an RBI-groundout in the 4th. He also struck out once.

The save went to Kurt Hoekstra (his first). Hoekstra worked the final inning and allowed a hit, walked two and struck out one. The Fire Frogs finished Wednesday sweeping the Mets in their doubleheader.

(5/16) Thursday: (DOUBLEHEADER)

Game 1: Won 3-2 (F/8) vs. St. Lucie Mets – FULL RECAP

• (P) P. Pfeifer: 5.2 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• (RF) J. Ramos: 1-3, 2B, RBI
• (C) W. Contreras: 1-3, RBI, BB, K

The downfall of Florida Fire Frogs baseball is well… baseball in Florida is hard to achieve with so much rain this time of year. So Thursday required another doubleheader for the Frogs and Mets, and Florida’s Game 1 starter (Philip Pfeifer) pitched his longest outing of his career.

Pfeifer went the distance with 94 pitches (55 strikes) and only surrendered 4 hits in his outing.

In the 8th inning (the game was scheduled for seven), with a runner on, Riley Delgado popped a single and William Contreras (#7 prospect) received an intentional walk, loading the bases for outfielder Greyson Jenista. That led to a crazy finish as Jenista drew a walk, winning the game with his patience at the plate. Florida wins Game 1.

Game 2: Lost 2-1 vs. St. Lucie Mets – FULL RECAP

• (P) B. Wilson: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• (RF) G. Jenista: 1-3, HR, RBI
• (2B) B. Langhorne: 1-2, 2B, K

Game 2 started off tight as neither team could muster much offense. Florida’s starter, Brooks Wilson, pitched a strong four innings, facing 13 batters and walking none.

With Florida up 1-0 in the 6th, St. Lucie rallied and scored two runs on reliever Brandon S. White.

Florida’s third baseman Jordan Rodgers finished 1-for-2 with a strikeout and catcher Rusber Estrada went 1-for-3, rounding out the offense for the Fire Frogs (except for Jenista and Langhorne above).

The Fire Frogs and Mets split the doubleheader on Thursday.

(5/17) Friday: Lost 8-6 vs. Jupiter Hammerheads – FULL RECAP

• (P) F. Tarnok: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, BB, 5 K
• (C) W. Contreras: 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K
• (SS) R. Unroe: 2-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 K

Before the game Friday, some roster moves were made: right-handed pitcher, Ryan Shetter, was transferred from Extended Spring Training to the Fire Frogs (he pitched for Florida in late April this season). To make room, righty Brooks Wilson was moved to Danville (Rookie ball team).

Friday’s gamed ended up being wild. It was a normal 2-0 lead for Jupiter going into the top of the 6th until the Hammerheads broke out with four runs.

Answering back, Florida scored four runs of their own in their half of the 6th; thanks to Riley Unroe‘s RBI-double, William Contreras‘ two-run double and Garrison Schwartz’s RBI-single.

The teams also matched runs in the 7th inning, with Florida scoring from a Greyson Jenista two-run double. The inning ended with Jupiter up 8-6.

The Fire Frogs couldn’t muster any more runs, but shortstop Riley Unroe did make an excellent play in the 9th, throwing out Jupiter’s Nick Fortes as he was going home attempting an inside-the-park home run.

(5/18) Saturday: Won 12-0 vs. Jupiter Hammerheads – FULL RECAP

• (P) De La Cruz: 9 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• (LF) J. Ramos: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• (1B) K. Josephina: 5-5, 2 RBI, 3 R

All it took was 89 pitches Saturday night for starter Jasseel De La Cruz.

In a tremendously efficient outing, De La Cruz threw a no-hitter and blanked the Hammerheads, and the Florida offense broke out as well.

Eight out of nine Fire Frogs hitters recorded a hit, with Greyson Jenista finishing with three hits, including a double and two runs, plus a stolen base. Garrison Schwartz also added two doubles, to go with two RBI.

Catcher William Contreras finished 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run, while Riley Delgado picked up a hit, a walk and a strikeout.

All together, it was 3 doubles, a homer and 18 total hits for Rome on Saturday.

(5/19) Sunday: Won 2-1 (F/10) vs. Jupiter Hammerheads – FULL RECAP

• (P) H. Deal: 6 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 3 K
• (SS) R. Delgado: 2-5, 2B, RBI
• (CF) G. Schwartz: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, K

One of the Fire Frogs leaders this season, shortstop Riley Delgado, came through Sunday and hit a walk-off double to beat Jupiter and win the series.

The pitching was excellent as well, with starter Hayden Deal providing Florida his sixth quality-start of the season with a 3-hit outing Sunday.

Greyson Jenista and Izzy Wilson were both hitless, but first baseman Drew Lugbauer added a base-hit and two strikeouts. Kevin Josephina continues to rake, as he finished with a double and a run, but three strikeouts.