Earning Their Stripes: 5/23/21

While the Marlins went victorious at the major league level on Sunday, their top four minor league affiliates posted a 3-1 record.

Recent Roster Moves

May 18

RHP Anthony Maldonado (PNS) placed on the seven-day injured list

RHP Zack Leban transferred from Beloit to Pensacola

RHP Jackson Rose assigned to Beloit from Jupiter

RHP Cody Poteet recalled from Jacksonville by Miami

RHP Elieser Hernandez joined Jumbo Shrimp on a rehab assignment

LHP Eliezer Rodriguez assigned to GCL Marlins from Jupiter

C Luis Arcaya assigned to Jupiter from GCL Marlins

C Casey Combs (JUP) placed on 7-day injured list

May 19

SS Devin Hairston assigned to Pensacola from Beloit

SS Demetrius Sims (PNS) placed on 7-day injured list

SS Yelinson Pena assigned to DSL Marlins.

May 22

Miami selected LHP Shawn Morimando’s contract from Jacksonville

May 23

The Marlins recalled SS Jose Devers from Jacksonville

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Triple-A

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 3, Norfolk Tides 4 (11 innings)

In the six-game series finale, the Tides defeated Jacksonville in extra innings to avoid a sweep with 3,188 at Harbor Park.

Elieser Hernandez, with the team on a rehab stint, struck out eight in 4 ²⁄₃ innings, giving up no runs on two hits and zero walks while putting 39-of-55 pitches in the strike-zone. Parker Bugg relieved and struck out four over 2 ¹⁄₃ scoreless frames. Steven Okert whiffed a pair in 1 ²⁄₃ innings.

Neither team got on the board until the seventh inning, when Eddy Alvarez went deep for the first time this season with a solo shot. Later in the inning, Brian Miller bunted Jesús Sánchez home to double Jacksonville’s lead. The score held until the bottom of the ninth, when Preston Guilmet allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.

After a scoreless 10th for both sides, Monte Harrison brought a run home in the top of the 11th with a line drive into left field. In the bottom of the inning, Seth Mejias-Brean drove in a run by taking an HBP from reliever Brett Eibner. The winning run crossed the plate later in the inning when Austin Wynns drove home Brean with a single.

Sánchez led the Shrimp offense with a pair of hits. Luis Marté also collected a single in the setback, which dropped Jacksonville to 13-5 for the season.

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Double-A

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 7, Rocket City Trash Pandas 4

The Blue Wahoos topped the Pandas by a 7-4 final with 5,038 in the house at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola improved to 11-7 for the season by taking five-of-six from Rocket City, losing only the contest I was able to attend in person. I may be an unlucky charm...but I digress.

Pensacola didn’t take long to strike, scoring four runs in the first inning on a bases loaded Tristan Pompey walk, a Lorenzo Hampton two-run double, and a Connor Justus sacrifice fly. Peyton Burdick added another run in the second with an RBI-double, and after the Raccoons hit a solo homer in the third, Justus delivered a shot of his own in the bottom of the frame. The seven runs were all that Pensacola would get, but it was more than they would need.

Burdick (2b, 3b) and Lorenzo Hampton (two singles) led Pensacola’s offense with two hits apiece. Brian McKenna earned his second win of the season against zero losses by striking out two over two perfect relief innings. Colton Hock notched his third save, whiffing a pair in the ninth and keeping the Pandas scoreless.

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High-A

Beloit Snappers 10, Cedar Rapids Kernels 5

Beloit improved to 10-8 for the year by dropping a 10-spot on Kernels pitching, taking four-of-six against Cedar Rapids through the week.

Nine of Beloit’s 10 base-hits were for extra bases. Griffin Conine went deep for the fifth time this year, including four this week, and Nic Ready collected a pair of home runs as each totaled three RBI. Zach Owings added two doubles, while Ynmanol Marinez stole his first base of the season in front of 1,200 at Perfect Game Field.

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Single-A

Jupiter Hammerheads 3, Daytona Tortugas 1

Jupiter scored three runs in the fifth inning to earn a six-game series split against the Tortugas. With 917 fans on-hand at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, M.D. Johnson followed a bad start with a stellar one. Johnson struck out 10 in six shutout two-hit innings, putting 64-of-97 pitches in the black.

Diowill Burgos opened the scoring with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. Federico Polanco knocked a two-run single later in the inning. Daytona could only answer with one run in the eighth — too little, too late.

Jupiter improved to 8-10 for the season.

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Checking in with the Top 30 MLB Pipeline Prospects

1. Sixto Sánchez (JAX IL)
2. J.J. Bleday (PEN) 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, .541 OPS
3. Max Meyer (PEN)
4. Edward Cabrera (JAX IL)
5. Lewin Díaz (JAX) 0-for-5, 1 SO, .753 OPS
6. Jesús Sánchez (JAX) 2-for-4, 2 2b, 1 R, 1.438 OPS
7. Braxton Garrett (JAX)
8. José Devers (JAX)
9. Dax Fulton (JUP)
10. Nick Neidert (JAX)
11. Victor Mesa Jr. (JUP) 0-for-4, .705 OPS
12. Peyton Burdick (PEN) 2-for-5, 1 2b, 1 3b, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .762 OPS
13. Nasim Nuñez (JUP) 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 SB, .468 OPS
14. Monte Harrison (JAX) 1-for-5, 1 2b, 1 RBI, 2 SO, .721 OPS
15. Kameron Misner (BEL) 0-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, .565 OPS
16. Connor Scott (BEL) 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 SO, .804 OPS
17. Kyle Nicolas (BEL)
18. Griffin Conine (BEL) 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 SO, .939 OPS
19. José Salas (rookie)
20. Yiddi Cappe (rookie)
21. Jerar Encarnación (PEN)
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) 2-for-5, 1 2b, 1 R, 2 RBI, .433 OPS
29. Jorge Guzman (MIA IL)
30. Osiris Johnson (JUP) 0-for-4, 3 SO, .535 OPS

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After taking Monday off, the four affiliates will each begin their fourth six-game sets of the season (of 20). The Triple-A Shrimp will host the Durham Bulls, starting 7:05 PM, The Double-A Blue Wahoos will visit the Biloxi Shuckers starting at 7:35 PM, Beloit will host the Peoria Chiefs starting at 7:35 PM, and Jupiter will host the Clearwater Threshers, starting at 6:30 PM, all on Tuesday.