White Sox Minor League Update: July 19, 2018

Leading off: A roster note from the Charlotte Knights...

And Kannapolis gets another player from Great Falls:

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Charlotte Knights 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 3

Eloy Jimenez (.297): 2-for-4, 1 RBI

Mason Robbins (.267): 2-for-4, 2B, 1 R

Patrick Leonard (.224): 1-for-3, HR (6), 2 RBI, 1 BB

Jake Elmore (.277): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, walk-off BB

Michael Kopech (4.29 ERA): 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 9 K ***MVP***

W: Ricardo Pinto (1-1, 5.79 ERA), 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Michael Kopech held Pawtucket scoreless through five innings and entered the sixth with a 2-0 lead before running into just a bit of trouble, combined with an error by RF Trayce Thompson, allowing a pair of runs to score. Nonetheless, Kopech was brilliant, allowing just one earned run in six innings while striking out nine. He threw 70 of 102 pitches for strikes for a 63 game score. Trailing 3-2 in the eighth inning, Eloy Jimenez’s second single of the game -- this of the infield variety -- plated the tying run. Then, in the ninth inning, patience paid off for Jake Elmore, who drew a bases-loaded walk to win the game. Patrick Leonard hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, to briefly give the Knights a lead in the fifth inning.

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Jackson Generals 2, Birmingham Barons 1 in 10 innings

Trey Michalczewski (.265): 2-for-4, 3B, 1 RBI ***MVP***

Alex Call (.271): 2-for-4, 2B

Ryan Brett (.265): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 SB (3)

Jimmy Lambert (2.88 ERA): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

L: Matt Foster (0-2, 2.70 ERA), 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K

The Barons out-hit Jackson 7-5 but could only plate one run in the loss on Trey Michalczewski’s RBI single to center. Michalczewski also tripled but the Barons couldn’t bring him in to score. The bigger news out of this game is the apparent injury to starter Jimmy Lambert, who walked off the mound with the trainer before the third inning. He had not allowed a single baserunner and struck out two batters before he departed.

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Carolina Mudcats 6, Winston-Salem Dash 5 in 11 innings

Luis Gonzalez (.305): 1-for-5, 1 RBI ***MVP***

Laz Rivera (.298): 1-for-5, 2 R, 1 SB (6)

Blake Rutherford (.295): 1-for-5, 1 R

Mitch Roman (.285): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 BB

Gavin Sheets (.293): 2-for-4, 1 R

Ti’Quan Forbes (.283): 1-for-5, 2B, 1 RBI

Luis Martinez (4.40 ERA): 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 8 K

L: Danny Dopico (0-4, 3.70 ERA), 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K

The Dash held the lead on two separate occasions early but couldn’t hold on and needed OF Luis Gonzalez’s RBI single in the ninth inning to force extra innings where they came up short on Thursday. Starting pitcher Luis Martinez struggled with his control throughout his outing, walking six batters and giving up four runs on four hits, though he did have eight strikeouts. After the Dash grabbed a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th inning, Danny Dopico allowed Carolina to tie it and then gave up the winning run in the 11th. Laz Rivera scored two runs and stole his sixth base. Gavin Sheets has a pair of hits as his batting average now sits at .293 for the season.

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Hickory Crawdads 14, Kannapolis Intimidators 10

Ian Dawkins (.667): 4-for-6, 1 RBI, 4 R ***CO-MVP***

Luis Curbelo (.244): 1-for-5, 1 RBI

Nick Madrigal (.556): 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 R

Craig Dedelow (.267): 3-for-5, HR (7), 2B, 5 RBI ***CO-MVP***

Carlos Perez (.284): 2-for-5, 2B, 2 R

L: Jhoan Quijada (0-3, 5.28 ERA), 1 IP, 3 H, 8 R (7 ER), 4 BB, 1 K

Starting pitcher Jhoan Quijada buried the I’s on Thursday night, failing to record an out in a seven-run second inning by Hickory. The Intimidators trailed 13-3 after three innings. The bats would get it going, but never pulled closer than the final score indicates. Ian Dawkins and Craig Dedelow provided the biggest fireworks. Dawkins set the table all night with four hits and came around to score four times. Meanwhile, Dedelow homered and doubled, finishing with five RBI on the night. 2018 first-round draft pick 2B Nick Madrigal had two more hits, two RBI and two runs scored as he continues to impress and is hitting .556 since joining Kannapolis.

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Orem Owlz 5, Great Falls Voyagers 4 in 11 innings

Ramon Beltre (.312): 1-for-5, 2B

Lenyn Sosa (.313): 2-for-3, 2B, 1 BB

Logan Sowers (.346): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB

Alex Destino (.237): 1-for-5, HR (2), 2 RBI

Ryan Fitzpatrick (.279): 2-for-4, HR (1), 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R ***MVP***

Jhoandro Alfaro (.239): 1-for-5, 1 RBI

Codi Heuer (7.41 ERA): 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

L: Vince Arobio (1-3, 4.26 ERA), 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

The Voyagers fell behind twice but battled back both times before falling victim to a walk-off loss vs Orem. Trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning, the Voyagers put up three runs with a two-run home run by LF Alex Destino, followed two batters later by 1B Ryan Fitzpatrick’s first homer of the season. Then, down by a run in the sixth inning, C Jhoandro Alfaro singled to bring in Fitzpatrick and knot the score at four apiece. It would stay that way until the 11th inning.

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AZL Cubs 9, AZL White Sox 2

Steele Walker (.455): 2-for-3

Micah Coffey (.275): 2-for-4, 2 R ***MVP***

Harvin Mendoza (.308): 1-for-2, 2B, 1 RBI

Brayant Nova (.118): 1-for-4, 3B, 1 RBI

L: Hector Acosta (0-1, 8.31 ERA), 4 1/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Starting pitcher Hector Acosta struggled throughout, burying the AZL White Sox in a 9-0 hole they would never come close to digging out of as they were out-hit 15-7. CF Steele Walker and 3B Micah Coffey each had a pair of hits, with Coffey scoring two runs. 1B Harvin Mendoza had a RBI double, while 2B Brayant Nova came through with a RBI triple.

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DSL Reds 4, DSL White Sox 1

Samil Polanco (.224): 2-for-4

Jose Rodriguez (.274): 1-for-2, 1 BB

Johnabiell Laureano (.190): 1-for-2, 1 BB, 1 SB (4)

Andres Rosario (.170): 1-for-3, 1 R

Jerrick Francees (.245): 1-for-3, 1 RBI

Omar Martinez (.163): 1-for-2, 1 SB (4)

Yordi Rosario (2.28 ERA): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K ***MVP***

L: Pablo Yanes (0-2, 27.00 ERA), 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Starting pitcher Yordi Rosario was sensational for six innings and the DSL White Sox held a 1-0 lead going into the seventh inning when reliever Pablo Yanes allowed three runs on four hits and that proved to be too much for the DSL White Sox to overcome as they managed just one run on nine hits. The lone run came in the fifth inning when Johnabiell Laureano and Andres Rosario had back-to-back singles. After Laureano was thrown out trying to steal third base, a Jerrick Francees line drive to right field brought in Rosario. That started -- and ended -- the scoring on the afternoon.