Bullpen Dogs Banks

Salt River Rafters 4, Glendale Desert Dogs 3

Luis Basabe (leadoff, DH): 0-for-4, 3 K, BB (.178)

Luis Robert (cleanup, RF): 1-for-4, R, 2 SB (5) K (.324)

Laz Rivera (batting ninth, 2B): 0-for-4, 2 K (.215)

Tanner Banks (starter): 5 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, K, 52 game score, 57 pitches/36 strikes (4.43)

Well, this game was generally a bummer.

Banks started, pitched five fairly strong innings, and left with the score knotted 1-1. Unfortunately, Desert Dogs relievers Tyler Erwin (Baltimore Orioles) and Jordan Sheffield (Los Angeles Dodgers) conspired to evaporate Glendale’s late lead.

All three White Sox position players on the Desert Dogs played the full game, and mustered just one hit (and six Ks) among them. I guess it’s not as bad, contextually: Glendale had just four hits total, and whiffed an hefty 14 times.

Robert provided one big highlight, a bit of a one-man show scene in the second inning. First, he slapped a sharp single to left, for Glendale’s first hit. Then, on successive batters, Robert stole second and third base, and scored the first Desert Dogs run on a ground out to second base.

MLB Pipeline provides some deets on the feats, and yeah, they are tasty:

Chuck Chuck’s Famous Chuck provides another angle on Robert’s single, and his steal of third: