Saturday’s minor league recap involves just one game, as Triple-A is the only level that has started so far, with the rest of the full season leagues getting under way next week. So that means there was only one game in the Atlanta Braves system, and we got a throwback performance from the 39-year-old Carlos Carrasco, while Jim Jarvis tried to carry the offense.
Memphis RedBirds 3, Gwinnett Stripers 2
- Jim Jarvis, SS: 3-4, BB, RBI, SB
- Jose Azocar, CF: 2-4, R, SB
- Carlos Carrasco, SP: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
- James Karinchak, RP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
- Javy Guerra, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
The nearly-40-year-old Carrasco got the start in the second game of the season for the Stripers, and turned in a performance
reminiscent of his younger days. He lasted five innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while picking up two strikeouts to go with nine whiffs. He got the side in order in the first, before giving up two singles – and also picking up both strikeouts in the second, before allowing a double to score in the third inning. Carrasco gave up another pair of hits in the fourth but got out of it, before coming out in the fifth and giving up his lone walk, only to get out of that with a liner into a double play.
Anthony Molina followed and got into trouble quickly, walking the first batter, picking up a strikeout, then allowing each of the next two hitters to single, before a sac fly and caught stealing ended the inning with two more runs scored. Molina settled down in the next inning and sandwiched a pair of ground outs around a strikeout. He got to come back out for the eighth inning, and after a ground out to open the inning, he allowed another single before being lifted for James Karinchak. Karinchak picked up a strikeout and a fly out to center to finish the inning. Javy Guerra came in for the ninth and brought some heat, posting three of the top four velocities on the night, including 97.8 MPH. Guerra went ground out, strikeout, walk and stolen base, before a line out to left to finish the night for the Stripers arms.
The lineup managed eight hits and five walks in the loss, though five of those hits came off the bats of Jim Jarvis and Jose Azocar. Jarvis went three for four, with a walk, stolen base, and run batted in during his five trips to the plate, while Azocar was two for four with a run scored and a stolen base of his own. The only other Striper to reach base more than once was Chadwick Tromp, who was hitless in two at bats, but drew a pair of walks, and no one recorded an extra base hit. Nacho Alvarez went one for five with three strikeouts.
Still the Stripers had some good opportunities to score in this one. They left the bases loaded in the first, only managing to score one run in that inning. Jarvis got to second base with one out in the fifth, but was stranded there. Another runner was left on second in the sixth. Then they missed a golden opportunity in the ninth, as runners were on second and third with no outs, only for a strikeout, intentional walk to Jarvis, another strikeout, and a fly out to end the game at 3-2.
