Slow starts are one thing every Braves team has in common for the second half of the 2013 season. But the early returns from the 2013 draft -- with the qualifier that top pick Jason Hursh has yet to appear --- are downroght alarming.
No team is colder than Danville, which has lost six straight after a 3-1 start. The D-Braves are managed by Jon Schuerholz, son of Braves president.
His team lacks anything resembling an offense after a 14-run Opening Day. The D-Braves are hitting .226 as a team with only five homers in 11 games and a league-worst 5.30 ERA. Its pitching staff leads the league in hits allowed and walks.
The Gulf Coast League Braves (2-4) aren't doing much better. A team batting average of .227 ranks 15th among 16 teams with zero home runs. Their 4.47 team ERA ranks 14th among 16 teams in the league, and one thing the GCL pitching staff has in common with Danville's is that neither staff has a save.
Might explain why the Braves have signed a half-dozen free agents, both undrafted and indy league, and continue to do so.
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Is this a record? Should be. The Rome Braves Monday night were a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases as part of a 7-3 win over Charleston. Jose Peraza had four, putting him at 30 for the year, but Kyile Wren had three -- giving him seven in 10 pro games at Danville (three) and Rome (four).
Charleston catcher Jackson Valera allowed all 10 SBs, and also had two passed balls in the game.
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Props to Jesus Jones earning his first pro win Monday in relief for the DSL Braves. He still has not allowed a run in 7.1 pro innings (six appearances).
MONDAY'S SCORES
CLASS AAA
Gwinnett (37-49) 2, Norfolk 1
WP: Hale (3-3) 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K. Obispo (Save, 3) 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.
Mejia 2-4, HR (21st), RBI; Pagnozzi 1-4, HR (4th), RBI; Gosselin 1-4.
CLASS AA
Mobile 7, Mississippi (5-8) 0
LP: Thomas (3-5) 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K.
La Stella 1-3 (left game early); Martinez 1-4.
ADVANCED CLASS A
Lynchburg (2-7) 10, Carolina 0
WP: Weber (5-3) 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K.
Lipka 1-2, HR (5th), RBI; Moses 2-3, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI; Elander 2-4, 2 R, SB; McGill 2-4, R.
CLASS A
Rome (4-8) 7, Charleston 3
WP: Lafreniere (4-6) 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. Pfisterer (Save, 1) 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.
Peraza 1-3, R, RBI, 4 SB (30); Franco 2-5, R, RBI; Marte 1-3, 2 R, 2 SB, BB; Edmondson 1-4, 2 RBI; Wren 1-3, R, RBI, 3 SB.
SHORT-SEASON
Bluefield 3, Danville (3-8) 0
LP: Ubiera (1-1) 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. Gunther 1 IP, 2 K.
De La Rosa 3-3; Laumann 1-4.
GCL Braves @ GCL Yankees, ppd.
DSL Braves (10-13) 3, DSL Brewers 2
SP: Santiago 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K.
WP: Jesus Jones (1-0) 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Miranda (Save, 3) 1 IP, 2 K.
Estevez 1-3; Flores 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Chin 1-3, R, RBI; Car. Martinez 1-3, 2B, R.