White Sox Minor League Update: April 23, 2018

Eloy Jimenez got Birmingham’s party started but he and the Barons were far from done for the day. The Barons combined to hit six homers on Monday after hitting seven over their first 16 games of the season.

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Charlotte Knights 5, Louisville Bats 3

Jose Rondon: 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Patrick Leonard: 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, 1 BB

Alfredo Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 2B, 1 R, 1 BB

Eddy Alvarez: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R

Jacob May: 2-for-4, 2B, 1 R

W: Donn Roach (3-0), 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K ***MVP***

S: Rob Scahill (1), 1 1/3 IP, 2 K

Donny Roach, a candidate for call-up with the White Sox rotation in flux and a spot-start necessary on Saturday, turned in another terrific outing with six innings of two-run ball to lower his ERA to 1.88 this season. The 28-year-old RHP notched his fourth-consecutive quality start to pick up his team-high third win of the season. Charlotte put up a crooked number in the fourth inning, capped by Leonard’s first home run of the season, and never looked back. Alvarez recorded a hit for his third-straight game since being activated off the disabled list. Scahill struck out two Bats for his first save.

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Pensacola Blue Wahoos 9, Birmingham Barons 5 (conclusion of Sunday’s suspended game)

Tito Polo: 2-for-4

Eloy Jimenez: 2-for-4, 2 HR (2), 2 RBI ***MVP***

Trey Michalczewski: 1-for-4, 1 R

Bryant Flete: 2-for-3, 2B, 1 R

Danny Mendick: 1-for-2, HR (2), 2 RBI, 1 BB

Jorge Rondon: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

The Barons and Blue Wahoos pick up where they left off on Sunday, with Birmingham trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Jorge Rondón got the “start” as the suspended game resumed. Eloy Jimenez wasted no time starting the comeback effort, launching a solo home run in the fourth inning of his fourth game of the season. But Jimenez didn’t stop there, crushing his second homer of the game (and season) in the eighth inning. Danny Mendick belted one out to left for his second home run in as many games.

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Birmingham Barons 6, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 0 in 7 innings

Eloy Jimenez: 1-for-3, 1 R

Seby Zavala: 1-for-2, HR (4), 2 RBI, 2 R ***MVP***

Trey Michalczewski: 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI

Nick Basto: 1-for-3, 3B

Danny Mendick: 1-for-3, HR (3), 2 RBI

W: Jordan Stephens (1-3), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K

The Barons plated a pair in the second and two more in the fourth inning, allowing Stephens to settle in and pitch six shutout innings for his first win of the season. Danny Mendick hit his third home run in as many games and second of the doubleheader, a two-run blast, to give the Barons a 6-0 lead in the seventh inning. C Zavala, providing protection for Eloy Jimenez in the lineup, hit his team-leading fourth home run.

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Kannapolis Intimidators 3, Delmarva Shorebirds 0

Anthony Villa: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB

Michael Hickman: 1-for-4, 2B

Laz Rivera: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 SB

Tyler Frost: 1-for-3, 2B

W: Blake Battenfield (1-1), 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K ***MVP***

Jake Elliott: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K

S: Jose Nin (1), 1 IP, 2 H

Battenfield was simply sensational in this one, dominating the Shorebirds with eight strikeouts while allowing just two hits in six innings of work. He was followed by a pair of relievers, Elliott and Nin, who kept the I’s shutout intact. 3B Villa delivered a pair of hits and RBI to lead the performances at the plate, where the I’s struck out a dozen times but managed to plate three runs on six hits. The victory puts the Intimidators in sole possession of first place in the South Atlantic League Northern division.