Braves Minor League Recap: Wilson and Anderson were dealing and Pache just keeps hitting

Friday was a day of great pitching performances in the minors. Luiz Gohara, Ian Anderson, Bryse Wilson, and Jose Montilla all started and did very well. Corbin Clouse, Thomas Burrows, as Brooks Wilson all did well out of the pen. It was also great to see a strong return to Triple A by Austin Riley, while Jean Carlos Encarnacion homered and Cristian Pache keeps hitting.

Norfolk Tides 5, Gwinnett Stripers 4- 10 innings

Box score

• Austin Riley, 3B: 2-4, BB, .291/.358/.427
• Dustin Peterson, RF: 2-4, 2 RBI, HR, .257/.325/.400
• Luiz Gohara, SP: 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 5.52 ERA

In a short stint in the minors before re-joining the Braves next week, Luiz Gohara couldn’t have had better results. His stuff may not have been at its best, but the results were certainly there as he allowed just two runs over six solid innings of work. Unfortunately the pen couldn’t stop anyone as Michael Mader and Jason Hursh each gave up a run, then Rex Brothers gave up the game winner without recording an out in the tenth.

Austin Riley’s return to Triple A went well as he had a pair of hits and a walk. Dustin Peterson had two hits and a pair of RBI, while hitting his eighth homer of the season. Xavier Avery added three hits, including a double, and stole a base in the loss.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 visiting Norfolk @ 7:05 PM. Probable Starters: Gwinnett-Lucas Sims, Norfolk-John Means

Mississippi Braves 3, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2 - 10 innings

Box score

• Daniel Lockhart, 3B: 3-5, 2 RBI, 3B, .247/.323/.368
• Bryse Wilson, SP: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 9 K, 4.57 ERA
• Corbin Clouse, RP: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2.03 ERA

Bryse Wilson struggled in the first inning and allowed a pair of runs. It looked like it was going to end up being a long day for him, but he came back out in the second inning and shut down Pensacola the rest of the night. Wilson went the next six innings without giving up another run and struck out nine over his seven innings of work. A locked in Corbin Clouse picked up the win after three scoreless frame, racking up four strikeouts. Clouse has been dominant since the start of June and the lefty could be closing in on a promotion.

Daniel Lockhart had a strong game at the plate, going three for five with a triple and scoring a run while batting in a pair. The only other player with a multi-hit game was Carlos Martinez, who went two for four and the only other extra base hit was a Luis Valenzuela double. Ray-Patrick Didder came off the bench with a hit as he tries to acclimate after a recent promotion.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 hosting Pensacola @ 7 PM. Probable Starters: Mississippi-Ricardo Sanchez, Pensacola-TBD

Florida Fire Frogs 5, Clearwater Threshers 2

Box score

• Cristian Pache, CF: 2-4, .284/.313/.444
• Ian Anderson, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 2.85 ERA
• Thomas Burrows, RP: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.59 ERA

On a night with big starting pitcher performances, Ian Anderson joined in on the action. Anderson went six innings and allowed just a single earned run while striking out eight. Anderson has a 2.85 ERA on the year, but in his 10 most recent starts it is actually a 2.29 mark. Two scoreless innings by Thomas Burrows got him the win, and Justin Kelly picked up a save with his scoreless ninth inning.

Cristian Pache stayed hot, going two for four and bringing his average to .284 on the year. Over his last 10 he is hitting .371/.436/.743 with six extra base hits, including three homers. Not bad for a guy with no power, huh? Braxton Davidson and Jordan Rodgers each had a pair of runs batted in, and Rodgers had a pair of hits including a triple. Riley Delgado doubled for the first time since his promotion.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 hosting Clearwater @ 6:31 PM. Probable Starters: Florida-Joey Wentz, Clearwater-Ramon Rosso

Greenville Drive 4, Rome Braves 1

Box score

• AJ Graffanino, SS: 2-4, .273/.333/.273
• Jean Carlos Encarnacion, 3B: 2-4, HR, .282/.310/.437
• Alan Rangel, RP: 6.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 5.42 ERA

This is the suspended game from Thursday. Freddy Tarnok started and had his turn wasted by a horrible decision to start this game on Thursday with a big storm coming, and he only got an inning and a third in. Alan Rangel pitched the rest of the way, giving up four runs, including three earned, over six and two thirds.

Jean Carlos Encarnacion went two for four with his eighth homer of the year, while Jefrey Ramos stayed hot with a two for four evening as well. Recent promotions were also having a good day as AJ Graffanino went two for four and Greyson Jenista added a hit as well.

Greenville Drive 6, Rome Braves 1

Box score

• Drew Waters, CF: 1-3, RBI, .288/.336/.505
• Drew Lugbauer, C: 2-3, .238/.323/.374
• John Curtis, SP: 3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 3.60 ERA

Reliever John Curtis got the start as Rome was trying to manage their innings after the rain suspension caused Freddy Tarnok’s start to be shortened. Curtis struggled in what was a tough assignment for him. He was relieved by Tyler Watson, who pulled the tough feat of striking out four guys in his inning of work. Kelvin Rodriguez and Walter Borkovich each pitched a scoreless frame.

The offense didn’t show up at all. The Drew’s were the only source of the offense, as Waters went one for three with the only RBI, and Lugbauer went two for three. No one else had a multi-hit game, RBI, or extra base hit outside of a Brendan Venter double.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 visiting Augusta @ 6:05 PM. Probable Starters: Rome-TBD, Augusta-TBD

Danville Braves 5, Burlington Royals 4

Box score

• Justin Dean, CF: 2-4, RBI, .301/.376/.422
• Jose Montilla, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 1.53 ERA
• Brooks Wilson, RP: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1.74 ERA

Jose Montilla keeps dominating at Danville, going six innings and allowing just one run as he dropped his ERA to 1.53. The 20 year old was the pitcher of the month last month and just keeps pitching well. Luis Gamez struggled as he gave up three runs and recorded just one out, but Brooks Wilson shut the door by going just shy of three shutout innings and picked up the win.

Another solid game from Justin Dean led the way. The small school draftee had two hits, a pair of runs scored, and an RBI while raising his average back over .300. CJ Alexander didn’t get a hit in his two official at bats, but he did walk twice. Both Rusber Estrada and Brett Langhorne had two hit evenings, with Estrada having a double and Langhorne a steal.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 visiting Bluefield @ 7:05 PM. Probable Starters: Danville-Tanner Lawson, Bluefield-TBD

GCL Yankees East 8, GCL Braves 3

Box score

• Ray Hernandez, DH: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, .255/.364/.511
• Jeremy Fernandez, CF: 1-4, .302/.338/.540
• Braulio Vasquez, 2B: 2-4, 2B, .264/.328/.396

This was ugly as the Yankees scored early and often. Rehabbing Estevan Florial, advanced college draftee Isaiah Pasteur, and top prep pick Ryder Green hit 1-2-3 and helped beat up on the Braves as Albinson Volquez never had a chance. Miguel Pena struggled a bit in relief, but it was good to see Victor Cavalieri and Alex Camacho combine to strike out six guys over the last four scoreless frames.

Ray Hernandez got the start at DH, and wasted little time hitting his third homer of the season. Unfortunately that was all of the offense as there just wasn’t much more. Braulio Vasquez had two hits including a double, while Jeremy Fernandez added a hit of his own...but that was it outside of a single apiece from Logan Brown and Mason Berne.

Next Game: Saturday 7/14 hosting GCL Phillies East @ 10 AM. Probable Starters: GCL Braves-TBD, GCL Phillies East-TBD