White Sox Minor League Update: April 16, 2017

The Charlotte Knights get a much-needed day off after going winless on a seven-day road trip between Durham and Norfolk. Zack Burdi capped off the stretch by blowing a 4-2 lead on Sunday.

Yet looking at the team’s nosedive, the problem has been more about the offense. The Knights lost Kevan Smith and Willy Garcia to Chicago to explain part of it, but the bigger problem is with three other everyday players.

Adam Engel has had difficulties all season, starting his 2017 by going 2-for-35 with five walks and 13 strikeouts.

But Nicky Delmonico and Danny Hayes fell into a similar ditch over the course of the road trip. Delmonico was 4-for-27 with no walks and six strikeouts, while Hayes went 4-for-24 with three walks and a whopping 14 strikeouts. Regression was going to hit, but it came in a hurry.

At any rate, Garcia will rejoin the Knights on Tuesday, as Melky Cabrera is back with the White Sox. So there’s that.

Top prospects at a glance

• Reynaldo Lopez: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.
• Zack Burdi: 0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP
• Zack Collins doubled, walked and struck out twice.

Norfolk 5, Charlotte 4

• Yoan Moncada had the day off.
• Nicky Delmonico was 0-for-5 with a strikeout.
• Danny Hayes was 0-for-4 with two K’s.
• Rymer Liriano was better in his second game back: 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.
• Roberto Pena went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Reynaldo Lopez: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
• Zack Burdi blew the save without recording an out: 0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP

Birmingham 5, Montgomery 4

• Eddy Alvarez went 0-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base.
• Trey Michalczewski went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
• Courtney Hawkins went 1-for-3 with his third homer and a strikeout.
• Nick Basto homered, walked and struck out twice.
• Alfredo Gonzalez went 0-for-2 wit ha walk.
• Matt Cooper: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP

Winston-Salem 6, Buies Creek 2

• Zack Collins doubled, walked and struck out twice.
• Aaron Schnurbusch was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.