Braves Minor League Recap: Beau Philip has big game, Huascar Ynoa tries to get on track

Thanks to a doubleheader down in Mississippi, there was quite the full night of games in the Braves’ minor league system on Wednesday. Atlanta’s farm squads went a very respectable 3-2 in those games. Gwinnett had a big inning, Mississippi split their doubleheader despite very strong pitching, Beau Philip had a big game for Rome, and EJ Exposito continued his hot start to his time in Augusta. Lets get into the games.

Gwinnett Stripers 8, Memphis Redbirds 4

Box Score

• Delino DeShields, CF: 3-4, RBI, BB, SB, 2 R, .676 OPS
• Pat Valaika, SS: 2-4, 2 RBI, BB, 2 R, .712 OPS
• Hernan Perez, LF: 2-3, 2B, 4 RBI, .624 OPS
• Huascar Ynoa, SP: 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 5.83 ERA

Gwinnett’s five run fourth inning gave them a very healthy early lead and the Stripers ultimately prevailed over Memphis by the final score of 8-4. Huascar Ynoa got the start for Gwinnett and like most of his starts this season, it was a mixed bag. He did only give up one earned run and struck out a batter per inning, but he also only went three innings which took him 71 pitches to get through those three innings. He also walked a batter per inning as well. It is becoming harder and harder to see his future with the big league club and a change of scenery may be the wisest course. Three of the five relievers that Gwinnett deployed rest of the game gave up an earned run, but fortunately the Striper offense had given them a lot of room to work with.

Gwinnett only had two extra-base hits on the evening: a solo homer off the bat of Ryan Casteel and a two-run double from Hernan Perez, both of which came in Gwinnett’s five run fourth inning that staked Gwinnett to a 7-1 lead. Delino DeShields and Pat Valaika were instrumental in keeping the offense rolling as each had multi-hit games. Between their efforts and Gwinnett going 5-11 with runners in scoring position, well...generally that leads to a good overall night at the plate.

Mississippi Braves 1, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2 - Game One

Box Score

• Cody Milligan, CF: 2-4, .683 OPS
• Drew Lugbauer, 1B: 2-4, 2B, RBI, .798 OPS
• Allan Winans, SP: 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 2.91 ERA

Mississippi Braves 2, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 1 - Game Two

Box Score

• Jalen Miller, LF: 0-1, 2 BB, 2 SB, R, .699 OPS
• Cody Milligan, 2B: 1-3, .682 OPS
• Tanner Gordon, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 5.94 ERA

Despite some really strong pitching performances from both Allan Winans and Tanner Gordon, Mississippi was only able to get a split in their doubleheader with Pensacola. Allan Winans got the start in game one and even though Mississippi lost the game, Winans was still very good in throwing a complete 7 inning game on 84 pitches and only being charged with a single earned run. Winans had been on the IL for most of the season, but since his return at the end of July, he has been putting up some strong performances. Game two saw Tanner Gordon take the mound and he looked very much like the guy that dominated early this season for Rome in striking out seven guys in five innings of work.

There was not much in the way of offense from Mississippi on Wednesday, however, as they scored a combined three runs in the doubleheader. Cody Milligan and Drew Lugbauer each had multi-hit games in game one which was nice, but Mississippi failed to do much with the opportunities they provided. Game two was arguably a worse offensive game even though it was the game they won. Jalen Miller was a terror on the basepaths, though, as he drew a pair of walks and also stole a pair of bases.

Rome Braves 4, Greensboro Grasshoppers 3

Box Score

• Beau Philip, 3B: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, .679 OPS
• Geraldo Quintero, 2B: 2-5, RBI
• Luis De Avila, SP: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 3.87 ERA

It was a tight game throughout against Greensboro, but a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth from Geraldo Quintero gave Rome a 4-3 win. Luis De Avila got the start for Rome and through the first five innings, he was absolutely excellent as he had six strikeouts and had only given up a solo homer. Unfortunately, things went a little sideways in the sixth inning, but Davis Schwab came in after a couple runs had scored and was able to put out the fire with an inning-ending strikeout. Schwab and Austin Smith would then shut down Greensboro’s offense the rest of the way which set the stage for Rome to steal the game.

Beau Philip was the start of the show for Rome on offense as he had a solo homer as well as a two-run single on a flare to the outfield that somehow found grass that tied the game in the sixth inning. Things were quiet for a couple of innings, but in the bottom of the ninth inning, a couple walks and an error gave Rome the bases loaded with one out with Geraldo Quintero at the plate. Quintero would come through with a single to walk off the Grasshoppers.

Augusta GreenJackets 1, Charleston RiverDogs 5

Box Score

• EJ Exposito, SS: 1-4, HR, RBI
• David McCabe, 3B: 1-4, 2B
• Landon Harper, SP: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Tough night for Augusta which, given how well they have played of late, they were probably due for as they fell to Charleston by the score of 5-1. Landon Harper, the Braves’ 14th round pick in the 2022 draft out of Southern Mississippi, made his full season debut for Augusta and started Wednesday night’s game. It is safe to say that he probably would have preferred to have a better result, but at least he struck out a couple of batters. Over the next five innings, the Augusta bullpen would give up three runs before settling down in the late innings.

There wasn’t a ton of action on the scoreboard for Augusta as they scattered six hits throughout the game. EJ Exposito, the Braves’ 16th round pick out of Long Island University, did connect for his second home run during his short stint so far with Augusta. David McCabe, their 4th round pick, had a double in the game to continue his hot start to his full season debut as well. Justin Janas and Keshawn Ogans each had multi-hit games to add to the highlights from the 2022 draft class for Augusta. Unfortunately, that was it as the rest of the lineup did not cash in on the opportunities they had.