Braves Minor League Recap: FCL Season Opens

Aaron Schunk and Jose Azocar were the majority of the offense in this one. Schunk was two four with a double and a run batted in, while Azocar was a perfect three for three with a walk. Rehabbing Sean Murphy also went one for three with a walk, and scored the lone Stripers run.

Montgomery Biscuits 8, Columbus Clingstones 6

• David McCabe, DH: 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI
• Jordan Groshans, 3B: 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Ha-Seong Kim, SS: 1-1, 2 BB, 2 R
• Samuel Strickland, SP: 3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Box Score

Game one was a bullpen game with Samuel Strickland getting the first three innings, and allowing three runs in the process. Shay Schanaman went the next three innings, giving up two more runs. Finally LJ McDonough allowed three unearned runs during his inning of work. All three Clingstones arms were charged with multiple runs, but Columbus was actually winning this game headed into the seventh and final inning.

The Clingstones were hitting it hard in this one, as Jordan Groshans hit a pair of homers and both David McCabe and Archer Brookman also added homers as well. Those four homers accounted for five of the six runs scored, with McCabe’s ninth homer of the season being a two-run shot. A rehabbing Ha-Seong Kim came to the plate three times, registering a single and two walks, and scored a pair of runs before being removed later in the game.

Montgomery Biscuits 4, Columbus Clingstones 0

• Cal Conley, 2B: 1-2, HR, BB, R, 2 RBI, SB
• Owen Hackman, SP: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K
• Jhancarlos Lara, RP: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Box Score

Game two wasn’t much better for the Stones, as they fell down in the first inning and were trailing 4-0 until the final three outs of the game. Owen Hackman was called up from Rome to make this start after a strong start to the year pitching mostly in multi-inning relief appearances. Hackman allowed three runs over two and two thirds innings, giving up four hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Ryan Bourassa followed with two and a third scoreless innings before they turned it over to a pair of hard throwing relievers. Jhancarlos Lara got the sixth inning and allowed a run on three hits with one strikeout and five whiffs. Elison Joseph got the final inning, pitching a scoreless frame despite three walks and one strikeout.

Columbus was held to just one hit in this loss, a Cal Coney two-run homer. Conley was the star here, going one for two with the homer, walk, stolen base, run scored, and both batted in. Adam Zebrowski and Ethan Workinger were the only other guys to reach base, as each drew a walk.

Bowling Green Hot Rods 4, Rome Emperors 3

• Isaiah Drake, CF: 2-5, RBI
• Dixon Williams 3B: 1-3, BB
• Cody Miller, 2B: 1-4, 2B, R, RBI
• Jeremy Reyes, SP: 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Box Score

Jeremy Reyes made the start and threw six quality innings in this one, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts and nine whiffs. He was followed by Connor Thomas, who went two scoreless frames, before one final scoreless inning from Trent Buchanan.

The prospects were the story of the offense in this one. Isaiah Drake went two for five with a run batted in, while Dixon Williams also reached base multiple times as he went one for three with a walk. Third round pick Cody Miller doubled and picked up a run scored and one batted in, while John Gil also added a hit. Mason Guerra joined Drake and Williams in reaching base multiple times, as he doubled, walked, scored a run, and batted one in.

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3, Augusta GreenJackets 2

• Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-5, R
• Tate Southisene, SS: 1-4, 2B
• Zach Royse, SP: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K
• Carter Lovasz, RP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Box Score

Another strong start from Zach Royse, as this game was tied at one through nine innings. Royse allowed that run over six innings, giving up just two hits and a walk with five strikeouts, picking up nine whiffs. Carter Lovasz followed with two scoreless frames, where he didn’t allow a base runner and struck out three. Jaylen Paden pitched a scoreless ninth, before allowing the ghost runner to come in and score in the 10th inning. The 11th inning went to Kade Woods, who also allowed the ghost runner to score.

The GreenJackets didn’t have much offense at all in this one, but their two best prospects provided almost all of it. Luis Guanipa went two for five and scored one of the team’s two runs, while Tate Southisene doubled in four at bats. Cooper McMurray also added two singles and a walk in four plate appearances. The rest of the hits were a double from Dalton McIntyre, two singles from Junior Garcia, and a single apiece from Yamvier Carrero and Nick Montgomery.

FCL Rays 5, FCL Braves 4

• Michael Martinez, LF: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, R
• Manuel Campos, SS: 0-3, 2 BB, SB
• Gensi Angeles, SP: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Box Score

The FCL opener was played without star prospect Diego Tornes, but the FCL Braves still had plenty to like coming out of the first game. Starter Gensi Angeles pitched three and two thirds scoreless frames, allowing a pair of hits and pair of walks, while striking out five. Ryan Heppner followed with two and a third scoreless innings, keeping the Rays team off the board for the first six innings. Juan Olmos allowed three runs (two earned) over the next inning and two thirds, and the final two runs came off Will Eldridge in an inning of work, giving the Rays the walk off win.

With no Tornes, the two most recognizable names in the lineup were Michael Martinez and Manuel Campos, and each of them reached base multiple times. Martinez doubled in two at bats, drawing a pair of walks, and scoring a run, while also being caught stealing once. Campos was hitless in his three at bats, but drew two walks and successfully stole a base. The only other Brave to reach multiple times, or record an extra base knock, was catcher Johan Rodriguez – though he was playing first here. Rodriguez was two for four with a double, run scored, and one batted in. Gabriel Cesa, Yoelvis Betancourt, and Juan Elejandro also recorded singles in the loss.