Atlanta Braves Week 9 Farm Report: Rome Struggles, Drew Waters Thrives

(26-30) Rome Braves (A)

WEEK 9 RECORD: 1-5

Players of the Week

(C) Hagen Owenby

5 games, 10-for-22 (.454 BA), 3B, 2 RBI

Owenby is still relatively new to the Rome Braves team. After spending only four games with the Florida Fire Frogs he was transferred down to Rome, and let me tell ya, he’s been hitting ever since he got there.

In the seven games that Owenby has played with Rome, he’s batting .433 with a 1.033 OPS. He has 13 hits in his first 30 at-bats, and has four multi-hit games already, not to mention a five-game hitting streak currently. Remember, he has only played seven games so far.

He has already had three 3-hit games, with two of them coming in Week 9. Granted, he only has one extra-base hit and three RBI, but the amount of contact he’s making is pretty impressive.

(SP) Gabriel Noguera

1 start, 0-1, 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K 

Sporting a 4.24 ERA and only 28 strikeouts in seven starts (34 innings-pitched), Noguera doesn’t have too fancy of numbers at the moment. But what he does have is consistency.

In those seven starts to begin the season, Noguera has only given up more than three runs once (May 19).

What he lacks in strikeouts he makes up for in run prevention, which is a valuable tool to have on a rotation that lacks really any standout pitchers.

He has also been solid in terms of limiting walks, giving up only 14 free passes thus far. A starting pitcher that doesn’t give up a ton of runs and doesn’t walk a lot of batters… yes please.

Week At A Glance

(May 27 – June 2)

(5/27) Monday: Lost 5-2 vs. Asheville Tourists – FULL RECAP

• (P) O. Javier: 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 0 BB, 8 K
• (3B) D. Florentino: 1-3, R, 2 K
• (SS) A. Montesino: 1-2, R, BB, K

The Rome offense spoiled a terrific start from Odalvi Javier, only mustering three hits in Monday’s loss to Asheville.

Javier forced seven ground outs and one fly out, throwing 89 pitches (57 strikes) in his second-straight start with 8 strikeouts. His only blemish was a solo-homer by Asheville’s Grant Lavigne in the 2nd inning.

Other than Darling Florentino and Ariel Montesino listed above, only center fielder Jose Bermudez recorded a hit, finishing Monday’s game with hits from the 7th, 8th and 9th hitters in the Rome lineup.

Reliever Luis Mora suffered the blown save when he threw a wild pitch, allowing a runner to score and tie the game at two apiece.

Then in the 9th, Asheville piled it on by scoring three runs in the final inning on reliever Jose Montilla. Montilla gave up 5 hits in his two innings of work and was pegged with the loss.

Injury Note: Outfielder Justin Dean was placed on the 7-day I.L. (May 25th)

(5/28) Tuesday: Lost 4-3 vs. Asheville Tourists – FULL RECAP

• (P) A. Rangel: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• (1B) G. Benson: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• (SS) C. Paraguate: 1-4, RBI

Rome fell short of a comeback on Tuesday, scoring two runs in the 9th from Griffin Benson‘s RBI-double. Overall the R-Braves outhit Asheville (12-8), but couldn’t generate enough offense from only two extra-base hits all game.

Alan Rangel suffered the loss, but Rome’s bullpen made a strong statement by only allowing two hits in 3.1 innings combined. Relievers Jake Higginbotham and Tanner Lawson combined to strike out four and walk none, also allowing zero runs.

Left fielder Andrew Moritz led off for Rome and finished 1-for-3 with a run and a walk, while also stealing his eighth base of the season, swiping 2nd base.

(5/29) Wednesday: OFF DAY

Rome was off on Wednesday, but there was an update to MLB.com’s top-30 Atlanta Braves prospect list:

Harris is now ranked #28 on the list, jumping in front of teammate Justin Dean and behind Mississippi’s Ray-Patrick Didder. Harris is certainly deserving of making the prospect list, as he hasn’t stopped hitting and still boasts a plus-1.000 OPS in Rome.

(5/30) Thursday: Lost 4-2 vs. Hagerstown Suns – FULL RECAP

• (P) G. Noguera: 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• (C) L. Brown: 1-3, RBI, BB
• (2B) G. Cullen: 2-4, R

On Thursday another Rome player was included in MLB.com’s updated Braves top-30 prospect list:

As far as Thursday’s game, Gabriel Noguera pitched a strong five innings, but Rome dropped their series opener against Hagerstown.

The R-Braves outhit the Suns 10-6 as every Rome batter recorded a hit except for Griffin Benson.

Trey Harris picked up a hit, as usual, going 1-for-3 with a walk. No one was able to manage an XBH for the Braves, though two players did finish with a multi-hit day: Cullen above and third baseman Darling Florentino.

Victor Vodnik was the only reliever to work on Thursday. He pitched three innings and struck out four, only allowing two hits.

Rome committed four errors in the game: Benson, Logan Brown, and two from Florentino.

(5/31) Friday: Won 6-0 vs. Hagerstown Suns – FULL RECAP

• (P) J. Olague: 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• (LF) T. Harris: 4-5, 2 RBI, R
• (CF) H. Quintero: 3-5, 2B, 2 R

Trey Harris led Rome to victory on Friday with his four-hit performance, giving him three multi-hit games in his last 10 contests. The man has a .377 batting average (1.054 OPS) through 53 games now. Wow.

Starter Javier Olague was a ground ball machine in his outing, generating 12 ground ball outs compared to only two fly outs. He only needed 89 pitches to get through his six frames.

Outfielder Andrew Moritz — who is now batting 9th for some reason after being absent — finished the evening 3-for-4 with a stolen base (his 9th SB of the season).

Catcher Logan Brown and Hagen Owenby also had multi-hit finishes, giving Rome five such finishes on Friday.

Behind the plate, Brown also picked off a runner at second base in Friday’s game. Greg Cullen scored two runs but was hitless, though he did draw a walk.

(6/1) Saturday: Lost 2-1 vs. Hagerstown Suns – FULL RECAP

• (P) T. Riley: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• (C) L. Brown: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R
• (RF) A. Moritz: 2-2, 2 BB, SB

Rome and Hagerstown provided a low scoring affair, as both teams combined for three runs and only one XBH on Saturday.

The Braves only picked up four hits all night, and left 10 men on base, going 0-for-4 with RISP.

Hagen Owenby, Saturday’s DH, was the only other Rome batter to record a hit, other than the two hitters listed above. Owenby finished 1-for-4 with a run and a strikeout.

Starter Trey Riley dropped to 2-6 on the year, as he’s only stuck out more than four batters twice this season.

Reliever Matt Hartman relieved Riley in the 6th inning and pitched three strong frames. Hartman didn’t allow any runs, while surrendering two hits, walking two and striking out three.

(6/2) Sunday: Lost 5-4 vs. Hagerstown Suns – FULL RECAP

• (P) O. Javier: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
• (3B) D. Florentino: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI
• (RF) H. Quintero: 2-5, HR, RBI

The Rome offense put together 11 hits on Sunday, slugging two homers and four extra-base hits; but it was all for not. Starter Odalvi Javier didn’t have his best stuff and walked five batters for the first time this season.

Javier’s run-prevention has been strong this season, only giving up more than three runs twice this year, but timely hitting has cost him. He’ll carry a 4.47 ERA and a 2-2 record into Week 10.

Henry Quintero started the scoring for Rome with a solo home run in the 3rd inning. Quintero had himself a solid week, and improved his average to a solid .327 mark this season.

Trey Harris and Hagen Owenby contributed with hits as well. Harris finished 1-for-4 and Owenby 2-for-4, as the former hit a double and the latter a triple. Harris is up to a .367 batting average.

Darling Florentino’s three-hit night pushed his numbers up to .234 (BA) and .645 (OPS). Florentino now has two home runs and nine RBI in 22 games.