White Sox Minor League Update: June 2, 2018

Buffalo Bisons 9, Charlotte Knights 2

Alex Presley: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

Dustin Garneau: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Michael Saunders: 1-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K

Patrick Leonard: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Casey Gillaspie: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 K **MVP**

Michael Kopech: 2 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Tyler Danish: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

It was an abysmal day for Michael Kopech. His control was all over the place, with nine runners on base and seven runs scored. He threw 53 total pitches and only 23 for strikes. Kopech has gotten into the habit of walking too many batters. This season, he has walked at least one batter every game, and in only one of 13 starts has he has walked just one batter. Meanwhile, the lineup did nothing to help. The Knights were able to only score two runs, off seven hits: Casey Gillaspie had a solo home run in the seventh inning, and Alex Presley batted in a run on a single.

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Chattanooga Lookouts 7, Birmingham Barons 2

Danny Mendick: 0-for-5, 0 BB, 3 K

Eloy Jimenez: 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Seby Zavala: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K **MVP**

Jameson Fisher: 0-for-3, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Zack Collins: 0-for-1, 0 BB, 1 K — entered the game as a pinch runner

Connor Walsh: 2 ²⁄₃ IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

The Barons were doomed early in this one. Connor Walsh gave up three runs in the first, and four runs in the third. Seby Zavala added his league-leading 11th home run in the first to provide some glimmer of hope, but it was all for naught after the third inning. The bullpen tried to help the Barons back in the game by only allowing one hit and no runs over 6 ¹⁄₃ innings. Eloy Jiménez now has a 12-game hitting streak now after his single, and should be getting a call to Charlotte or Chicago soon.

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Game 1 Resumed: Winston-Salem Dash 2, Carolina Mudcats 1

Luis Alexander Basabe: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 0 K

Alex Call: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 3 K

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Micker Adolfo: 1-for-3, 0 BB, 0 K

Yermin Mercedes: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Jimmy Lambert: 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

After the game was called in the second inning last night, the Dash quickly got on the board. Yermin Mercedes hit a two-run shot to give W-S the lead, and the Dash bullpen never looked back. The relief stalwarts were by Kyle Kubat, Drew Hasler, and Zach Thompson, with Hasler the lone pitcher to allow a run. Kubat threw 3 ²⁄₃ perfect innings and Thompson added two more perfect innings to close down the game. Kubat has pitched well all season and lowered his ERA to 1.20. Thompson has also put together a good season as his ERA was down to 2.30 after his outing. It is too bad for Jimmy Lambert, last night’s starter; he was on track for a phenomenal outing, allowing two hits but every one of his four outs was a strikeout.

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Game 2: Winston-Salem Dash 11, Carolina Mudcats 3

Joel Booker: 3-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Yermin Mercedes: 2-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB

Alex Call: 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

Micker Adolfo: 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Tanner Banks: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K

Let’s play and win two! The Dash won the nightcap, 11-3, in a full team win. Winston-Salem combined for 11 hits and six walks in the seven inning contest. Joel Booker led the team in hits with three as he accounted for four runs. After a terrible May, Booker has had a nice start so far in June, as he’s raised his batting average to .282. With a three-run shot and a 2-for-3 nightcap, Yermin Mercedes could easily have claimed back-to-back MVPs for the day. All-in-all, every hitter in the lineup reached base once in Game 2. And the pitching was solid as well, with Tanner Banks almost throwing a complete game (abridged) in his quality start. This was only his seventh start, but Banks has a 2.86 ERA on the season.

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Hagerstown Suns 3, Kannapolis Intimidators 2

Luis Gonzalez: 1-for-5, 0 BB, 3 K

Laz Rivera: 1-for-5, 0 BB, 0 K

Craig Dedelow: 0-for-4, 1 BB, 3 K

Tate Blackman: 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K **MVP**

Evan Skoug: 2-for-3, 0 BB, 0 K

Luis Curbelo: 1-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K

Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

The I’s had to lose at some point, and that point was today. The Intimidators did not do well with situational hitting in the 3-2 loss. The I’s combined to to reach base 13 times, but only two runners crossed the plate. Tate Blackman scored once and added two hits (double and a single). Evan Skoug was the other hitter to add two hits to the game. He has still yet to find his stroke, but hopefully today’s game will lead to improvement. Skoug’s BABIP is .287, so his average should improve. Blake Battenfield also added another good start for his season. He was charged with just one of the three runs that crossed the plate, raising his ERA (to only 1.59).