Earning Their Stripes: 5/9/21

The Marlins minor league affiliate system was in full swing on Sunday, and turned in three winning efforts in four contests.

Triple-A

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 9, Norfolk Tides 7

Attendance: 2,629, at 121 Financial Ballpark

Braxton Garrett collected his first win of the season, despite allowing four runs in five innings. He struck out three and allowed five hits and two walks, getting 53-of-83 pitches over the plate. Steven Okert earned his first save of the year by striking out the only batter he faced.

After spotting the Tides a run in the top of the first, the Shrimp struck for three in the bottom of the inning on a Lewin Díaz RBI-single and a Jesús Sánchez two-run triple. José Devers and Monte Harrison added RBI-singles in the second inning to put Jacksonville up 5-1. Rylan Bannon got Norfolk back into it with a bases-clearing double in the third inning, but Brian Navarreto added an RBI-single in the bottom of the frame to make it 6-4, Shrimp. He added a solo shot in the fifth.

Devers and Harrison added additional RBI-singles in the seventh inning. Harrison and Sánchez finished with three hits, while Devers, Eddy Alvarez, and Navarreto had two each. Jacksonville is now 4-2 for the season.

Double-A

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2, Mississippi Braves 6

Attendance: 1,706 at Trustmark Park

The Blue Wahoos were limited to three hits against the M-Braves on Sunday afternoon, and it wasn’t ever close. Mississippi touched Pensacola starter Will Stewart for three runs in the bottom of the first inning, and tagged him for five in total over five frames. Stewart struck out two and gave up seven hits, including two homers. He put 51-of-74 pitches in the strike zone. Reliever Sean Guenther gave up a run on two hits and a walk in one inning, striking out a pair.

The only Wahoos to notch hits were Lázaro Alonso, with two singles, and Jerar Encarnacíon, with a solo blast. The Wahoos drop to 4-2 for the season.

High-A

Beloit Snappers 7, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 2

Attendance: 2,016 at Fox Cities Stadium

Jake Walters made his first start of the season after appearing in relief on Wednesday, and pitched three shutout innings, striking out three before giving way to reliever and eventual game-winner Antonio Velez. Velez whiffed three in 3 ²⁄₃ innings, and gave up two runs on three hits, walking zero. Dylan Bice kept the Rattlers off the board in 1 ¹⁄₃ innings of relief, and Zach Leban struck out one in a perfect ninth despite it being a non-save situation.

Beloit didn’t wait long to strike, scoring three runs on a Bubba Hollins homer before Wisconsin could record their first out. The Snappers doubled their lead in the seventh on a Marcos Rivera RBI double and a Ricky Aracena two-run double. Catcher Dustin Skelton added a solo shot in the ninth to cap off the scoring. Hollins and Aracena were the only Fish to finish with two hits. The Snappers improved their record to 2-4 for the 2021 campaign.

Single-A

Jupiter Hammerheads 7, St. Lucie Mets 5

Attendance: 536 at Clover Park

The Hammerheads collected a dozen hits against the junior Mets on Sunday afternoon, crossing the plate seven times for their second victory against four losses thus far this season.

Josh Roberson started and pitched the first inning, keeping St. Lucie scoreless on two walks while striking out a pair as well. Jesús E. Sánchez took the hill for 2 ²⁄₃ innings, and gave up all five Mets runs on four hits and four walks, also whiffing four. Yeremin Lara was credited with the win by pitching 3 ¹⁄₃ scoreless innings, and Justin Sterner earned his second save of the year with 1 ¹⁄₃ clean innings, allowing only a walk.

Federico Polanco went deep for the Sharks, and Diowill Burgos collected a double. The other 10 hits were all singles, with two each from Victor Mesa Jr., Dalvy Rosario, J.D. Orr, and Troy Johnston.

Checking in with the Top 30

1. Sixto Sánchez (JAX IL)
2. J.J. Bleday (PEN) 0-for-3, 1 SO, .560 OPS
3. Max Meyer (PEN)
4. Edward Cabrera (JAX IL)
5. Lewin Díaz (JAX) 1-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1.110 OPS
6. Jesús Sánchez (JAX) 3-for-5, 1 3B, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1.646 OPS
7. Braxton Garrett (JAX) 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 B, 3 SO, 53-of-83 in the strike zone
8. José Devers (JAX) 2-for-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, .800 OPS
9. Dax Fulton (JUP)
10. Nick Neidert (JAX)
11. Victor Mesa Jr. (JUP) 2-for-5, 3 RBI, .646 OPS
12. Peyton Burdick (PEN) 0-for-2, 1 BB, 1 CS, .636 OPS
13. Nasim Nuñez (JUP) 1-for-3, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SB, .593 OPS
14. Monte Harrison (JAX) 3-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB, .812 OPS
15. Kameron Misner (BEL)
16. Connor Scott (BEL) 0-for-3, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 CS, 1.025 OPS
17. Kyle Nicolas (BEL)
18. Griffin Conine (BEL) 0-for-4, 3 SO, .620 OPS
19. José Salas (rookie)
20. Yiddi Cappe (rookie)
21. Jerar Encarnación (PEN) 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .850 OPS
22. Jordan Holloway (MIA)
23. Zach McCambley (BEL)
24. Jake Eder (PEN)
25. Eury Pérez (JUP)
26. Evan Fitterer (rookie)
27. Paul Campbell (suspended)
28. Will Banfield (BEL) 0-for-4, .257 OPS
29. Jorge Guzman (MIA IL)
30. Osiris Johnson (JUP) 0-for-4, 1 BB, 3 SO, .916 OPS

Next up

After taking Monday off, each of the four affiliates will commence their second six-game set of the season (each minor league team will be playing 20 six-game series’ this year). The Jumbo Shrimp will visit Durham and play the Bulls (TBR), Pensacola will play host to the Birmingham Barons (CWS), the South Bend Cubs (CHC) will visit Beloit, and The Hammerheads will host the Palm Beach Cardinals (STL). Thanks for reading.

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