Minors Recap 8/22: Davidson and Ellison go deep

Louisville Bats 2 vs. Gwinnett Braves 10

• Bethancourt - 4-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI, throwing error on pickoff - .327/.359/.480
• Smith - 1-4, R, BB, SB - .281/.322/.371
• Victor Mateo - W (2-2), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 0 BB - 5.47 ERA, 5.52 FIP
• Sean Kazmar - 2-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, K - .280/.314/.390
• Olivera - 0-5, K

Gwinnett fell behind by 2 runs in the top of the first, but then exploded for 10 unanswered to rout the Bats. Five of those runs came in the bottom of the first, when the G-Braves batted around. Bethancourt's 4-hit game was the 5th of his minor league career. Pretty much everyone but Olivera got in the fun in the laugher.

Birmingham Barons 1 vs. Mississippi Braves 5

• Andrew Barbosa - W (5-2), 5 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 7 K, 1 R (0 ER) - 2.15 ERA, 2.46 FIP
• Kevin Ahrens - 1-2, 2B, R, HBP - .235/.312/.358
• Barrett Kleinknecht - 1-3, 2B, RBI - .167/.286/.333
• Ruiz - 1-3, 2B, R, RBI - .223/.328/.286

The M-Braves sequenced well, getting five runs on six hits, pulling away with a three-run seventh where all the runs were unearned due to Steve Rodriguez and Matt Lipka reaching base on back-to-back errors. Just like in the Gwinnett game, all five runs were unearned after the M-Braves fell behind. Andrew Barbosa allowed just one hit in five innings, and the run he allowed was unearned due to an Emerson Landoni fielding error.

Carolina Mudcats 5 vs. Winston-Salem Dash 8

• Seth Webster - L (8-7), 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K - 2.85 ERA, 2.41 FIP
• Keith Curcio - 2-4, 3B, BB, 2 R - .234/.298/.334
• Lien - 2-5, 2B, RBI, K - .284/.343/.414
• Peterson - 1-4, BB, K - .250/.323/.352

The Dash scored six runs on five hits in the fourth off of Seth Webster to pull ahead from a lead they would not relinquish. The Mudcats would score 4 runs to try to claw back, but pitching with a one-run deficit in the 8th, Carlos Salazar walked three straight hitters and was pulled. Two of those would come around to score, and the Mudcats went quietly in the 9th.

Asheville Tourists 4 vs. Rome Braves 7

• Davidson - 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI - .242/.385/.376
• Omar Obregon - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, SF, fielding error - .267/.333/.311
• Ryan Gebhardt - 1-3, R, RBI, SF - .100/.091/.100
• Oriel Caicedo - W (4-7), 9 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 K - 3.51 ERA, 4.03 FIP

A four-run seventh saw the R-Braves pull ahead of the Tourists after trailing by two. It was yet another minor league affiliate that scored a bunch of unanswered runs to secure the victory on Saturday. Braxton Davidson got the run-scoring starter for the R-Braves with an RBI double, and the four-run seventh consisted of a bunch of hits, with Wigberto Nevarez's 2-RBI single capping the frame. Oriel Caicedo allowed three earned runs on nine hits in seven frames to benefit from the offensive outburst and secure the W. Davidson would hit an add-on solo homer in the eighth.

Greeneville Astros 5 vs. Danville Braves 6

• Patrick Weigel - 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K - 4.19 ERA, 4.25 FIP
• Riley - 2-5, 2B, R, 2 K - .303/.398/.461
• Yepez - 3-4, R, K - .206/.250/.317
• Elllison - 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI - .264/.304/.566

Danville prevailed in a back-and-forth affair: they first scored three runs in the third to tie the game, and then after Greeneville scored two in the seventh, Danville struck for three in the bottom of the frame for the win. The first three runs for the D-Braves were scored in the small ball-est of fashions: reach on a dropped third strike, reach on a sacrifice bunt, reach on an infield chopper, two-run double with bases loaded, score on wild pitch. In the seventh, singles by Austin Riley and Juan Yepez preceded a big three-run blast from Justin Ellison to right field (his third in 56 PAs). Matthew Custred, who eventually came in to close out the game, allowed a hit and two walks but struck out the last two batters he faced to nail down a save.

GCL Astros 5 vs. GCL Braves 7

• Isranel Wilson - 2-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K, CS, .226/.351/.492
• Manny Banuelos - 2 IP, 3 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 3 K

The GCL Braves struck for three-run frames in the second and fourth to top the GCL Astros. Manny Banuelos made a rehab start for the club and allowed three unearned runs in two innings. He allowed two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts before giving way to Gabino Avalos, who struck out eight in five frames for the victory. Isranel Wilson filled up the box score to the extreme, and Alejandro Salazar added an inside-the-park homer of his own.

DSL Braves 7 vs. DSL Rangers2 6

Seven different players had RBIs for the DSL Braves who pounded out 13 hits, 3 of which were triples. There were nine errors in the game, six of which were made by the DSL Braves.