Leading off: A little bit of information on one of the prospects the White Sox acquired in Thursday’s trade that sent closer Joakim Soria to the Brewers.
With the #WhiteSox acquiring Kodi Medeiros in the Joakim Soria deal, here's where the 22-year-old lefty lands on the @WhiteSox Top 30 Prospects list: https://t.co/WZTfDOi21k pic.twitter.com/DIHBEhBiTQ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 26, 2018
In today's @freightliner #RoadTripReport, your #CLTKnights split the series with the RailRiders.
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) July 26, 2018
RHP Michael Kopech earned the win, OF Eloy Jiménez homered.
READ: https://t.co/yuF0Wsidi0
: @laurawolffphoto pic.twitter.com/0y53R6JBVx
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 5, Charlotte Knights 4
(Conclusion of Tuesday’s suspended game)
Charlie Tilson (.254): 1-for-2, 1 R
Ryan LaMarre (.304): 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI
Eloy Jimenez (.346): 1-for-4
Matt Skole (.244): 1-for-4, 1 R
Patrick Leonard (.230): 1-for-4, HR (7), 1 RBI
Dustin Garneau (.211): 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI ***MVP***
L: Carson Fulmer (5-6, 5.68 ERA), 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Rain on Tuesday and Wednesday just wouldn’t let this game complete itself until Thursday when the Knights had a 3-1 lead as play resumed. But, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wasted no time flipping the script with a four-run fifth inning to put the Knights in a 5-3 hole. C Dustin Garneau’s fourth home run -- a solo shot in the seventh inning -- brought the Knights within a run, but they couldn’t draw even. Carson Fulmer gets hit with the loss after struggling with his control and walking three in one inning of work. Fulmer threw 32 pitches, but only 17 for strikes. 3B Patrick Leonard also homered in this one, No. 7 on the season for him.
Eloy Jimenez takes Domingo German deep to CF. He’s ready. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/fJYCxxPT7W
— Ryan Mensch ® (@RMensch53) July 26, 2018
Eloy, goodbye.
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 27, 2018
Top @whitesox prospect (and No. 3 overall) Eloy Jimenez (@Lamantha21) drills his 16 homer of the season, sixth with @KnightsBaseball.
https://t.co/htjkDGxQtD pic.twitter.com/tQWw0IwRgI
Charlotte Knights 8, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 2 in 7 innings
Ryan LaMarre (.333): 3-for-4, 3B, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB (3)
Jake Elmore (.288): 3-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R
Eloy Jimenez (.354): 2-for-4, HR (6), 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R ***MVP***
Matt Skole (.244): 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Jose Rondon (.248): 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Trayce Thompson (.169): 1-for-3, HR (1), 1 RBI, 1 BB
Patrick Leonard (.230): 1-for-4, 2B, 1 R, 1 SB (2)
W: Michael Kopech (4-7, 4.26 ERA), 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Eloy Jimenez is ready for the show. There is simply nothing left for him to prove to White Sox GM Rick Hahn at this point. In Game 2 of Thursday’s twin bill, Jimenez had a pair of hits to raise his batting average to .354 at Triple-A, including home run No. 6 with the Knights (No. 16 when adding in the 10 he hit at Birmingham before the promotion). Meanwhile, Michael Kopech appears to have turned a corner with his control issues as he walked none in five innings, struck out four and allowed two runs. Over his last three starts, Kopech has allowed just four earned runs over 17 innings while walking two and striking out 24. Jimenez wasn’t the only offensive star in this one, however. Ryan LaMarre was a home run shy of the cycle, drove in one run, scored two runs and added a stolen base for good measure. Jake Elmore also had a three-hit day with a double, one RBI and two runs scored. OF Trayce Thompson hit his first home run at Charlotte.
Luis Basabe extends his hitting streak to 14 games in a row with that 402-foot, 2-run blast in B6!
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) July 27, 2018
B6 - Tennessee 4, Birmingham 2 pic.twitter.com/T91vZ5s1qJ
Tennessee Smokies 7, Birmingham Barons 3
Joel Booker (.274): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB
Luis Basabe (.254): 1-for-5, HR (3), 2 RBI ***MVP***
Danny Mendick (.245): 4-for-4
Alex Call (.298): 2-for-4, 2B, 1 R
Alfredo Gonzalez (.396): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI
L: Matt Tomshaw (4-5, 5.32 ERA), 7 2/3 IP, 13 H, 7 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K
Luis Basabe hit a two-run homer -- his third at Double-A -- to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, but it wasn’t enough as the Barons fell on Thursday. Alex Call and Alfredo Gonzalez hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh inning to plate the other run. Defense played a key role in the loss as the Barons committed two errors leading to three unearned runs for Tennessee.
Alright, bravo @FrederickKeys. You did what no one else could do.
— Winston-Salem Dash (@WSDashBaseball) July 27, 2018
The Keys complete the first sweep of Winston this season, taking the series finale 6-1 on Thursday.
Frederick Keys 6, Winston-Salem Dash 1
Luis Gonzalez (.312): 2-for-4, 1 SB (3) ***MVP***
Blake Rutherford (.307): 1-for-4, 1 R
Yermin Mercedes (.283): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB
L: Blake Battenfield (3-2, 4.91 ERA), 5 1/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
No comeback or late-inning heroics by the Dash this time as they entered the ninth inning trailing 6-0 and could only plate one run when Yermin Mercedes’ single drove in Blake Rutherford. Starting pitcher Blake Battenfield struggled, allowing six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Battenfield has hit a rough patch since being promoted, allowing at least three earned runs in four of his last five starts. Luis Gonzalez continues to hit, adding two more to raise his batting average to .312 and stealing his third base.
Intimidators win!! pic.twitter.com/c0SSkDvKQF
— Kannapolis Intimidators (@Intimidators) July 26, 2018
Game 1: Kannapolis Intimidators 3, West Virginia Power 2 in 7 innings
Tate Blackman (.260): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
Tyler Frost (.222): 2-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI ***MVP***
Parker Rigler (4.19 ERA): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 7 K
W: Luis Ledo (6-1, 4.15 ERA), 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Locked in a 2-2 game in the sixth inning, Nick Madrigal reached base on an error and scored the winning run on a wild pitch in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader. Tate Blackman and Tyler Frost each contributed RBI doubles in the fourth inning to give the I’s a 2-1 lead at the time. Strong pitching was the true hero in this one as Parker Rigler allowed just one earned run over five innings while striking out seven. Luis Ledo earned win No. 6 in relief with two scoreless innings.
Ian Dawkins shows off the wheels by tagging up on a ball hit into shallow right to give the I’s a 2-1 lead in the 6th! pic.twitter.com/AreoVOMpZR
— Kannapolis Intimidators (@Intimidators) July 27, 2018
Game 2: Kannapolis Intimidators 2, West Virginia Power 1 in 7 innings
Nick Madrigal (.448): 2-for-2, 2B, 1 RBI
Tyler Frost (.224): 1-for-2, HR (14), 1 RBI ***MVP***
Jake Elliott (3.62 ERA): 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 6 K
W: Kevin Escorcia (1-2, 3.69 ERA), 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, Nick Madrigal popped up into shallow right field and Ian Dawkins raced home from third to score the eventual winning run as the I’s swept the doubleheader for the second straight day. Tyler Frost’s 14th home run of the season, a solo blast in the second inning, provided some fireworks as well. Intimidators pitching was dominant yet again with Jake Elliott allowing one unearned run on two hits over four innings while striking out six. Kevin Escorcia followed with three shut out innings of work, striking out four.
Helena Brewers 5, Great Falls Voyagers 2
Steele Walker (.231): 1-for-5, 1 R
Lenyn Sosa (.316): 2-for-5
Logan Sowers (.328): 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Ryan Fitzpatrick (.291): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB
Gunnar Troutwine (.232): 1-for-2, 2 BB
Ramon Beltre (.291): 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Codi Heuer (6.75 ERA): 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
L: Vince Arobio (1-4, 5.06 ERA), 1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
The Voyagers held a one-run lead after the first and second innings but Helena tied it in the sixth inning and opened it up with a three-run eighth inning against Vince Arobio. The normally lethal Voyagers offense managed just eight hits -- none for extra bases -- while striking out 12 times. OF Logan Sowers and 3B Ramon Beltre drove in the only Voyagers runs of the night. SS Lenyn Sosa was the only batter with more than one hit.
AZL Indians 11, AZL White Sox 2
Bryce Bush (.394): 2-for-4
Harvin Mendoza (.296): 2-for-4, 1 R
Anderson Comas (.307): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 R, 1 BB
Brayant Nova (.178): 1-for-4, 2 RBI ***MVP***
L: Mauricio Cabrera (0-1, 9.00 ERA), 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
A couple of errors, silent bats and a bullpen game spelled disaster for the AZL White Sox on Thursday. Their only runs came with 2 outs in the ninth inning when Brayant Nova singled home Harvin Mendoza and Anderson Comas to avoid the shut out. Things got out of hand after a four-run third inning for the AZL Indians as relief pitcher Carter Love worked four innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits but due to two errors, only three of the runs were earned. Mendoza and Bryce Bush (two hits apiece) combined for four of the AZL White Sox’s nine hits on the night.
DSL White Sox 12, DSL Blue Jays 11
Jorgen Rosas (.242): 1-for-4, 2B
Jhoneiker Betancourt (.250): 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 1 BB
Jefferson Mendoza (.189): 1-for-5, HR (1), 3 RBI
Johnabiell Laureano (.217): 2-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
Ulises Martinez (.261): 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Samil Polanco (.263): 3-for-4, HR (1), 5 RBI, 2 R ***MVP***
Dionicio Jimenez (7.14 ERA): 2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 5 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 4 K
W: Luis Nin (2-2, 1.69 ERA), 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Plenty of offensive fireworks in this one, ending in DSL White Sox outscoring the DSL Blue Jays with 12 runs on 13 hits and hanging on for victory despite committing four errors. 2B Samil Polanco’s three hits, including his first home run, and five RBI led the way. C Jefferson Mendoza also belted his first home run of the season and drove in three. 1B Ulises Martinez had three hits, including a double, two RBI and two runs scored. DSL White Sox pitching struggled all game until Luis Nin was able to hold DSL Blue Jays to one run over the final two innings to seal the deal. But, overall, DSL White Sox pitching struck out 17 batters.