VENICE, FLORIDA – MARCH 16, 2025: Owen Carey #30 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Detroit Tigers at CoolToday Park on March 16, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Saturday was a busy day in the Atlanta Braves farm system, with a total of six games played, that the Braves affiliates split. The headliner had to be Owen Carey hitting his first Double-A home run just a handful of games into his promotion. However we also got to see JR Ritchie throw five innings of one unearned run baseball, exciting DSL arm Martires Polanco with a big start, and positive performances from Alex Lodise, Eric Hartman, John Gil, Patrick Clohisy, and Carter Beck among the notables.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8, Gwinnett Stripers 4
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 1-4, 2B, .403/.465/.649
Rowdy Tellez, 1B: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, .262/.362/.488
Drue Hackenberg, SP: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 6.16 ERA
Duncan Davitt, RP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 6.23 ERA
Box Score
Statcast
Drue Hackenberg started the first half of the doubleheader and struggled in this one. Hackenberg allowed six runs on eight hits and a pair of walks, though did strike out seven and had 12 whiffs. Hackenberg allowed a run in the first, four in the third, and then the final run came during the fifth inning. Duncan Davitt, the return in the Joey Bart deal at the deadline, made his first appearance with the Braves organization and allowed a run in his inning and a third, but did strike out two with three whiffs. Rolddy Munoz pitched the final inning and also allowed a run to score.
The offense was led by Rowdy Tellez and Cal Conley in the first game. Tellez had a single, double, and two runs batted in during his four plate appearances, while Conley singled twice, stole a base, batted in a run, and scored two runs. Brewer Hicklen was the third Striper to reach base multiple times, as he walked, singled, and batted in a run. Patrick Clohisy was one for four, but that hit was a double.
Gwinnett Stripers 4, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 1
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 0-1, 2 BB, R, 2 SB, .397/.472/.641
Rowdy Tellez, DH: 2-2, BB, .268/.369/.492
JR Ritchie, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.52 ERA
Box Score
Statcast
In a second game that was already being shortened to seven innings, JR Ritchie got credit for a complete game when the game was called at five innings. Ritchie allowed a pair of hits and walks with one unearned run, striking out six and getting six swings and misses. It took him 80 pitches to get through five innings, with 47 of them for strikes.
The offense saw seven of the nine guys in the lineup reach base despite this being a five inning game. Patrick Clohisy walked twice, stole two bases, and scored a run to reach base three times between the two games. Rowdy Tellez also continued his strong day by going two for two with a walk, making him four for six on the day. Sandy Leon added a home run, while Brett Wisely had a pair of singles.
Columbus Clingstones 7, Biloxi Shuckers 0
Eric Hartman, LF: 1-4, BB, R, SB, .211/.348/.263
John Gil, SS: 0-2, 2 BB, R, SB, .222/.318/.333
Owen Carey, RF: 1-3, HR, BB, R, 3 RBI, .176/.333/.353
Garrett Baumann, SP: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K, 4.95 ERA
Box Score
Columbus got a dominant pitching effort as three pitchers combined to strike out 15 hitters in a shutout. Starter Garrett Baumann did the bulk of the work, going five innings and giving up just one hit and three walks with nine strikeouts and 22 whiffs. Then two relievers went two scoreless innings apiece. First was Isaac Gallegos, who allowed a hit and a walk as he struck out three to go with six whiffs. Then came Blane Abeyta, who allowed one hit with three strikeouts and eight whiffs. Biloxi hitters managed just three hits and four walks on the day, despite having a strong lineup led by the game’s top prospect in Jesus Made.
The bottom of the order led the way, but the recently promoted trio at the top certainly had their moments in this win. Owen Carey hit his first Double-A home run, going one for three with a walk and batting in three runs, while John Gil walked twice and stole a base, while Eric Hartman singled, walked, stole a base, and scored a run. The leaders at the bottom of the lineup included Will Verdung going three for three with a double, walk, and two runs scored, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. homering for the second straight day and batting in four on a two-hit night, and Luke Waddell also having a two-hit game that included a double.
Greensboro Grasshoppers 3, Rome Emperors 2
Alex Lodise, SS: 2-4, 2B, BB, RBI, .282/.383/.487
Dixon Williams, 2B: 0-3, 2 BB, SB, .219/.326/.410
Conor Essenburg, RF: 0-4, BB, R, .200/.304/.250
Cade Kuehler, SP: 4.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 1 K, 5.76 ERA
Box Score
Rome lost this one in the 11th inning after blowing a lead in the ninth inning. Cade Kuehler got the start and it was a bit of a weird one for him. On one hand he pitched four and two thirds no-hit innings, and allowed one run. However he also walked seven and struck out only one with three whiffs on his 81 pitches. Mathieu Curtis followed with two scoreless innings. Tyler Schoff went the next two and a third, and he was the pitcher who gave up that run in the top of the ninth. The 10th and 11th went to Jarret Whorff, who allowed only the inherited ghost runner to score in the 11th.
Alex Lodise put together another solid game, going two for four with a double, walk, and run batted in. That gives him an .870 OPS with four walks and only five strikeouts over 47 plate appearances through his first 10 games since being promoted. Dixon Williams was hitless in three at bats, but drew a pair of walks and stole a base, while Conor Essenburg walked and scored a run during his five plate appearances. Archer Brookman added a double and walk, while Dallas Macias had a single and a walk. Luis Guanipa was hitless in five at bats, while Cody Miller went one for five.
Hickory Crawdads 10, Augusta GreenJackets 1
Carter Beck, CF: 2-4, .471/.526/.471
Juan Mateo, SS: 1-4, 2B, RBI, .253/.332/.349
Caden Merritt, LF: 1-3, BB, SB, .200/.348/.273
Carter Lovasz, RP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.26 ERA
Box Score
This game didn’t start until almost 8:30 due to rain, and I’m guessing Augusta came away wishing this one never started as they lost 10-1. Luis Arestigueta got the start in what was a bullpen game, and went one inning allowing a pair of runs. Yander Pinero came in for the next inning and also gave up two runs. The next two and a third innings went to Lewis Sifontes, who allowed three runs (two earned). Then came Cristobal Abreu for an inning and a third, and he allowed three unearned runs. The only Augusta pitcher not to allow any runs to score was Carter Lovasz, who went the final two and a third innings in this loss.
The Augusta offense struggled to get anything going in this one, scoring just one run on five hits and four walks. Two of those five hits came from Carter Beck, who continues to be red hot to start out his professional career. Two more were doubles, from the bats of Juan Mateo and Cooper McMurray. The other came from Caden Merritt, who singled, walked, and stole a base, having him join Beck as players to reach base multiple times. It’s also worth noting that due to the recent promotions and sudden rash of injuries (Patrick Engskov and Manuel Campos this week alone), Juan Mateo played in just his third game of the season at shortstop defensively.
DSL Braves 4, DSL Red Sox Blue 2
Edelson Cabral, SS: 0-2, 2 BB, R, SB, .261/.412/.380
Jose Nelo, 1B: 1-2, 2B, BB, R, 3 RBI, .298/.388/.411
Martires Polanco, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 2.67 ERA
Box Score
Martires Polanco continued his excellent season in the first year of his professional career with another strong outing on Saturday. Polanco allowed just one unearned run on three hits and two walks over five innings, striking out eight. Diego Ramirez allowed a run over an inning and two thirds of relief, with Darren Pereira coming on to pick up the save by getting the final out of the game.
Catcher Jose Nelo was the leader today, playing first base and going one for two with a walk and double as he accounted for all four runs via one run scored and three batted in. Edelson Cabral was hitless in his two at bats, but walked twice, stole a base, and scored a run. Joan Hernandez also stood one as he singled in his only official at bat and also walked twice to reach base in all three plate appearances. The only other hit was a Luis Fortunato single.