Braves Minor League Recap: Braden Shewmake hits for cycle

It was a so-so day down on the farm for Atlanta’s MiLB affiliates, as two clubs brought home wins while two others fell. The big highlight of the day came at the Triple-A level, as Braden Shewmake had a game to remember.

(33-43) Gwinnett Stripers 9, (44-31) St. Paul Saints 12

• Braden Shewmake, 2B: 4-4, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, 3 R
• Forrest Wall, RF: 2-4, 2B, 5 RBI
• Vaughn Grissom, SS: 2-5, RBI
• Nick Margevicius, SP: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Box Score

Gwinnett was subject to a heartbreaking loss on Wednesday, despite getting a career performance from Braden Shewmake as he hit for the cycle and a five RBI night from Forrest Wall.

It was a bit of a rough go of it for Stripers’ starter Nick Margevicius, who allowed eight runs — seven earned — across just 2.2 innings. However, the Gwinnett offense was able to keep up the pace to an extent. St. Paul jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but the Stripers bounced back and put up a four spot in the next half frame. After Luke Williams struck out to leadoff the inning, Shewmake doubled into center field. Yolmer Sanchez drew a walk before Joshua Fuentes grounded out for the second out of the inning. Dominic Miroglio then drew another walk to load the bases before Eli White tallied a bases-loaded walk, scoring Shewmake to tie the game at 1-1. Wall would then unload the bases with a double into right field, scoring three runs to give Gwinnett a 4-1 lead.

The Saints would get two of those runs back in the home half of the second inning, before the Stripers plated an additional run of their own in the top of the third as Shewmake homered over the left center field fence, making it 5-3.

While Margevicius struggled, Nolan Kingham stepped up to stop the bleeding. After taking over with two gone in the second inning, Kingham spun three scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing just one hit.

That lead would soon dissipate for the Stripers, as St. Paul scored five runs in the bottom of the third to take an 8-5 lead.

Both squads would go scoreless in the fourth inning, as Luke Williams homered in the top of the fifth to cut the Stripers deficit to 8-6.

Trailing by a pair of runs headed into the eighth inning, the Gwinnett offense went on a tear, reclaiming the lead. Shewmake was hit by a pitch to leadoff as both Sanchez and Fuentes were retired for the first two outs of the inning. With two gone, Miroglio singled Shewmake to second and White drew a walk to load the bases. Wall then singled into center field, scoring Shewmake and Miroglio to tie the game at 8-8. Grissom put Gwinnett ahead with a single into right field, scoring White.

In the ninth, Shewmake needed a triple to complete the cycle and got one, with one out in the inning. It’s the first cycle in Stripers history.

Needing just three outs to get the win, the bottom of the ninth was a disaster for the Stripers and reliever Joe Harvey. Harvey managed to get two of the first three batters of the inning out before issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases. Saints hitter Jair Camargo then sent the first pitch he saw from Harvey over the center field wall for a walkoff grand slam, handing the Stripers the 12-9 loss.

(33-36) Mississippi Braves 3, (35-35) Biloxi Shuckers 9

• Luke Waddell, 2B: 1-4, 2 RBI
• Cade Bunnell, 3B: 2-4, RBI
• Cal Conley, SS: 1-5, R
• Alan Rangel, SP: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K

Box Score

A late collapse by the Mississippi bullpen led to the team’s fourth straight loss.

Alan Rangel got the start for the Braves in this one and despite giving up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning, bounced back quite nicely and tossed four scoreless innings after the first frame.

Offensively, things were relatively quiet for Mississippi. Despite loading the bases in the second inning, the Braves were held scoreless headed into the top of the fifth inning. Trailing 2-0, Mississippi would take their first and only lead of the game by plating three runs in the inning. Hudson Potts singled to leadoff and Cal Conley doubled him to third, two batters later. After Justin Dean struck out for the second out of the inning, Luke Waddell singled to bring Potts and Conley home to tie the game at 2-2. Jesse Franklin V was hit by a pitch and Tyler Tolve walked to load the bases before Cade Bunnell singled Waddell home. Franklin would be thrown out at home to end the frame as the Braves carried a 3-2 lead into the home half of the inning.

Rangel continued his fine work into the sixth inning before giving up a two-run homer, allowing Biloxi to retake the lead at 4-3. He would give way to Domingo Gonzalez, who would subsequently retire the next two batters to end the inning.

From that point forward, it was all downhill for Mississippi. The Shuckers scored one run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth to extend their lead to 9-3 which would hold as the final.

(32-38) Rome Braves 1, (33-32) Bowling Green Hot Rods 0

• Keshawn Ogans, 2B: 1-2, RBI
• Kadon Morton, RF: 1-3, 2B
• Cedric De Grandpre, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 9 K

Box Score

It was a low-scoring affair in Rome on Wednesday, but the Braves found a way to come out on top.

With only 11 hits and one run scored the entire game, things expectedly moved slow for both squads. Rome registered its first base runner until there were two outs in the third inning when Kadon Morton doubled for the only extra-base hit for Rome on the day.

Despite the offensive struggles for the Braves, Bowling Green had just as many problems. Starter Cedric De Grandpre put up a stellar outing, keeping the Hot Rods at bay. Going five scoreless innings, De Grandpre scattered just four hits and issued one walk while striking out nine batters.

The lone run of the game would come in the bottom of the sixth inning, courtesy of the Braves. Nacho Alvarez singled to leadoff the inning and then advanced to second on a groundout. Keshawn Ogans then singled Alvarez home, giving the Braves a `1-0 lead.

While De Grandpre gave way to the bullpen, the relievers for Rome continued the good work. Patrick Halligan and Jose Monilla came on and tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. That would be enough to hold Bowling Green, as the Braves came away with the 1-0 lead.

(33-36) Augusta GreenJackets 5, (38-31) Columbia Fireflies 1

• Tyler Collins, CF: 3-4, 2B, R
• Jair Casanova, LF: 1-4, 2 RBI
• Jorge Bautista, SP: 6 IP, 3 H, R, 4 K

Box Score

It was a good day down on the farm on Wednesday as far as Augusta is concerned.

For a lineup with only one player with an OPS north of .700, the GreenJackets put up a solid offensive outing.

However, it was Columbia who got on the board first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning off of Augusta starter Jorge Bautista. That would be the only blemish on the day from Bautista as he would follow the first frame with five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out four. Ronaldo Alesandro, Landon Harper, and Jason Franks picked up right where Bautista left off, as the trio combined to toss three scoreless innings of their own to keep the Columbia offense off the board the rest of the way home.

As mentioned above, the GreenJacket offense showed out, particularly in two innings. In the top of the fourth inning, Augusta got two runs. E.J. Exposito doubled to kick the frame off and Jeremy Celedonio walked to put runners at first and second. Jair Casanova then singled home both Exposito and Celedonio, staking Bautista and the GreenJackets to a larger lead.

In the top of the fifth, Augusta got three more runs to extend their lead to 5-1. Tyler Collins singled before Justin Janas doubled him to third. Exposito then walked to load the bases. Celedonio then brought Collins home via single to make it 3-1. Bryson Worrell singled Janas home, making it 4-1. With the bases still loaded, Cory Acton walked to bring Exposito across to score.

Augusta would win by a final of 5-1 as the aforementioned bullpen stepped up to close out the game.