The Brewers’ affiliate scoreboard was a split decision Friday night, with Nashville and Biloxi coming out on top while Wisconsin and Carolina were left looking for answers.
Nashville did its damage the loud way. The Sounds blasted the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in a one-sided win, and the box score had the kind of pop that makes a game feel over in a hurry: four home runs.
Brice Naylor launched one in the third, Anthony Baddoo followed in the same inning, Eddie Garcia added another in the fourth, and Jeferson Quero capped the barrage with a ninth-inning shot off position player G. Miller.
There was more offense beyond the long ball, too. Naylor and Ethan Murray chipped in RBI knocks against the position-player-on-the-mound portion of the night, and the Sounds kept stacking damage in a game that never really tightened up.
Kaleb Bowman helped steady things on the mound behind left-hander Tate Kuehner, while Joel Kuhnel made his 11th rehab appearance, with the last 10 of those scoreless. Tyson Hardin came on in the sixth and finished the game, with the work clearly geared toward keeping innings in check.
Nashville’s late push had a little flair as well. Damon Keith delivered a unique RBI single in the ninth, and Andrew Fischer walked and scored in the inning after striking out in his other three trips.
The game summary also gave proper credit to relievers Travis Smith and Garrett Hodges, and J.D. Thompson’s numbers still show the kind of command work he’ll need to tackle after walking 31 and hitting three batters in 46.1 innings between High-A and Double-A in his debut season.
In Wisconsin, the Timber Rattlers came up just short in a 7-6 loss to South Bend after a comeback bid fell apart. Luis Castillo provided the pop in a game that still ended in frustration, but there were encouraging signs elsewhere in the lineup. Sawyer Strosnider reached base three times and has settled in at .323/.440/.500 through his first 75 plate appearances, while Eric Bitonti, also just 21, has an OPS of .925.
Then there was Rylan Mills. The 19-year-old hit his 11th home run in 204 at-bats and has slugged .500, a total that fits the power profile Milwaukee saw coming.
The source material points back to the Brewers’ July 25 draft recap on Mills, where he was described as a catcher with big exit velocities, real bat speed, and “tremendous pop in the bat.” It also noted that his commitment to Southeast Missouri State could make him more likely to sign, and that his defensive work centered on cleaning up footwork and exchanges.
The scouting backstory on Mills only sharpened the intrigue. The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League writeup described him as a first-ever GLSCL draft pick straight out of high school, a recent Oran High graduate from Dexter, Missouri who had been headed to Southeast Missouri State before the Brewers selected him in the 18th round.
Biloxi also grabbed a win, and it came the walkoff way. Moises Polanco ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly, giving the Shuckers the kind of finish that makes a Saturday box score feel a lot better on the page than the previous night’s result.
The Crawdads, meanwhile, kept rolling against the Wilson arms they saw. Hickory moved to 42-17 in the second half, and the top of the highlight reel showed the damage against the three Wilson pitchers. Cesar Espinal did manage two scoreless innings, though he also issued four walks, which tells its own story.
As for the bigger affiliate picture, the Timber Rattlers and the Warbirds are still hoping to win their home game finales for 2026 on Sunday. The Shuckers are back at it with a 5:05 Central start in Biloxi after the big-league game.
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Brewers Bullpen Gets A Timely Boost Before A Tense Cubs Series
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Bryse Wilsons trip to the injured list opens a corresponding hole, but Uribes return adds some needed stability to a relief group that has leaned on him often this season. In 49 appearances, he has been one of Milwaukees more reliable weapons, and his availability now gives the Brewers another option for a series that still carries plenty of division weight even with the standings tilted their way. [Read more 🡒]