White Sox Minor League Update: May 8, 2018

Leading off: Good read above on Dash RHP Blake Hickman, whose connections with the White Sox go back further than getting drafted by the organization in 2015. Hickman, born and raised in Chicago, has been a White Sox fan since he was a kid and began involvement with the franchise at age 12 by participating in the team’s Amateur City Elite (ACE) program. Hickman, who holds a 2.92 ERA with 18 strikeouts and four earned runs allowed in 12 1/3 innings this season, discusses his childhood as a Sox fan and the potential to live his dream of taking the mound at 35th & Shields.

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Gwinnett Stripers 8, Charlotte Knights 1

Charlie Tilson (.219): 2-for-5, 1 R

Matt Skole (.277): 1-for-4, 2B

Patrick Leonard (.267): 2-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI ***MVP***

Todd Cunningham (.159): 1-for-4, 2B

L: Donn Roach (3-2, 4.46 ERA), 3 1/3 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Tyler Danish (3.72 ERA), 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Patrick Leonard put the Knights on the board in the first inning, but that was all she wrote for Charlotte’s offense in this one. 2B Eddy Alvarez reached base three times with a single and two walks, and has now reached base safely in eight straight road games. Alvarez is now batting .317 through 13 games this season. That first inning lead didn’t last long, as Roach gave up three runs in the bottom half and struggled for his second start in the last three, with seven runs and 10 hits allowed in less than four innings of work.

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Birmingham Barons 5, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2

Tito Polo (.241): 1-for-4, 2B

Eloy Jimenez (.333): 2-for-4, HR (7), 1 RBI ***MVP***

Seby Zavala (.278): 1-for-3, HR (8), 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB

Trey Michalczewski (.295): 2-for-4, 3B, 2 R

Ryan Brett (.279): 1-for-2, 3 RBI

W: Spencer Adams (2-3, 6.68 ERA), 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

S: Ian Hamilton (6, 0.69 ERA), 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K

The fireworks came early, with LF Eloy Jiménez hitting a solo home run in the first inning. That Jiménez homer briefly tied him with DH Seby Zavala for the team lead — until Zavala stepped to the plate right after Jiménez and made it back-to-back homers with his eighth deep fly of the season. Jiménez extended his hitting streak to 12 games and has multiple hits in his last eight contests. RF Ryan Brett drove in three, giving him four RBI for the season. Spencer Adams turned in a quality start after three straight difficult outings. Ian Hamilton picked up save No. 6 by allowing just one hit and striking out three in 1 2/3 innings as his ERA dipped to 0.69 on the season.

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Winston-Salem Dash 10, Salem Red Sox 2

Joel Booker (.326): 1-for-5, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB

Alex Call (.244): 2-for-6, 2B, 4 RBI (career high) ***CO-MVP***

Blake Rutherford (.330): 2-for-6, SB (6)

Micker Adolfo (.325): 0-for-2, 2 R, 3 BB (career high)

Gavin Sheets (.293): 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R ***CO-MVP***

Yermin Mercedes (.243): 1-for-5, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R

Yeyson Yrizarri (.283): 4-for-5 (tied career-high in hits), 2B, 2 R ***CO-MVP***

Zach Remillard (.292): 2-for-5

Ti’Quan Forbes (.261): 4-for-5 (tied career-high in hits), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (1) ***CO-MVP***

W: Jimmy Lambert (3-2, 3.16 ERA), 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

The Dash earned their fourth straight win with a season-high 19 hits, resulting in 10 runs scored. This means several MVPs for the Dash tonight. RF Alex Call had four RBI, so he deserves it, right? 1B Gavin Sheets had three hits, including two doubles, with two RBI and one run scored, so he deserves it too, right? What about SS Yeyson Yrizarri, with four hits and two runs scored? Or how about 3B Ti’Quan Forbes who also had four hits as well as two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base — pretty good MVP candidate, right? And getting completely overlooked here is starting pitcher Jimmy Lambert, who struck out seven and allowed just one run on three hits in six innings for a quality start.