White Sox Minor League Update: April 20, 2019

Game 1 : Charlotte Knights 6, Norfolk Tides 5

Dylan Cease: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Colton Turner: 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K (W, 1-0)
Charlie Tilson (CF): 1-for-4, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K
Daniel Palka (LF): 0-for-1, 1 R, 3 BB, 0 K
D.J. Peterson (3B): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K **MVP**
Zack Collins (C): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Ryan Goins (2B): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 R, 2 K

The Knights had themselves a comeback victory in Game 1 of today’s doubleheader against the Norfolk Tides! Dylan Cease was on the mound for Charlotte and started the doubleheader with a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the first. He didn’t look as good as his last outing, allowing three earned runs in 4 ²⁄₃ innings and giving up a two-run bomb in the bottom of the fifth. Cease did have five strikeouts, showing off some heat. The Tides built a 5-0 lead going into the sixth inning.

Knights left fielder Daniel Palka got on the basepaths in the sixth to start the comeback fire. Nicky Delmonico than singled, and with runners on first and third, D.J. Peterson blasted a three-run homer to left-center field.

The Knights scored three more runs in the seventh off a two-run double by Charlie Tilson, then and a sac fly from Peterson. Pitcher Thyago Vieira and the Charlotte Boys held on to the win with a fly out, single, and a double play to end Game 1. Colton Turner got the W for the Knight,s allowing only one hit, a double, and had two strikeouts.

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Game 2: Norfolk Tides 5, Charlotte Knights 2

Donn Roach: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 3 K (L, 0-2)
Aaron Bummer: 1 IP, 1 H , 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Seby Zavala (C): 2-for-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI **MVP**
Nicky Delmonico (LF): 1-for-3, 0 BB, 0 K
Alcides Escobar (SS): 1-for-3, 0 BB, 0 K
Brandon Guyer (RF): 1-for-2, 0 BB, 0 K

The Knights couldn’t come back in Game 2. Norfolk started off hot with an RBI double in the bottom of the first, but catcher Seby Zavala brought the boys back with a solo homer to left-center in the top of the second.

The Tides took over in the bottom of the third, with a fielding error by Charlie Tilson that scored a run, an RBI single, and an RBI triple off of starter Donn Roach. The Knights just fell apart early. Zavala tried to get something going again in the top of the seventh, with another solo bomb, to left-center field, but all we had were two fly outs and a line out to end the ballgame at 5-2 Tides. Even after the doubleheader split, the Knights are still first in their division with an 11-6 record!

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Jackson Generals 5, Birmingham Barons 1

Kodi Medeiros: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR (L, 0-2)
Luis Martinez: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Yermin Mercedes (C): 2-for-4, 0 BB, 2 K
Gavin Sheets (1B): 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K **MVP**
Micker Adolfo (DH): 2-for-4, 2B, 0 BB, 0 K
Ramon Torres (LF): 1-for-3, 2B, 0 BB, 0 K

Birmingham was unable to get the win against the Generals to start off their home series. It’s hard when you don’t have Joel Booker (day off) in the lineup. Starter Kodi Medeiros allowed eight hits, one of which was a homer to right field in the top of the second. He just couldn’t corral the Generals.

First baseman Gavin Sheets scored the Barons only run with a solo home run to right-center, his first homer of the season. Yermin Merecedes was a mixed bag in the third inning; he had a passed ball that allowed a run to score in the top of the frame, but also an RBI double to center field in the bottom. The Generals got few more runs off of pitcher Luis Martinez in the seventh, with a two-run Homer to right. The Barons bats produced nothing beyond the Sheets blast. The Barons are back at it tomorrow evening.

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Game 1: Potomac Nationals 6, Winston-Salem Dash 2

Cristian Castillo: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR (L, 0-2)
Codi Heuer: 2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Luis Robert (CF): 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K **MVP**
Tyler Frost (RF): 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K
Craig Dedelow (LF): 1-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K
Carlos Perez (C): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Tate Blackman (DH): 1-for-3, 0 BB, 1 K

Winston-Salem pitching was a big problem in Game 1 of the double header. Right away in the first, starter Cristian Castillo allowed a solo shot to left field, and followed that with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. He was getting hit up by the Nationals.

Right fielder Tyler Frost tried to generate some heat for the Dash with an RBI double in the top of the first (extending his hitting streak to 10 games). Luis Robert did his job with an RBI single in the top of the second, a hit by pitch, and a walk. The Dash team as a whole couldn’t bring in those runs, and couldn’t stop Nationals hitters, either, resulting in a 6-2 loss.

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Game 2: Winston-Salem Dash 5, Potomac Nationals 2

Lincoln Henzman: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Zack Lewis: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Craig Dedelow (DH): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Jameson Fisher (1B): 2-for-4, 2B, 0 K
Tyler Frost (CF): 0-for-1, 2 BB, 0 K, HBP
Jordan George (RF): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K **MVP**

It was short and sweet for the Dash in the nightcap. Nice to see Lincoln Henzman off the injured list and back at it! Henzman had a strong outing, allowing no runs and collecting three strikeouts for Winston in three perfect innings pitched.

The star of the game was right fielder Jordan George with the Dash’s first grand slam of the season in the top of the fourth! Craig Dedelow (who pinch-hit for Robert in the third) had an RBI double in the fourth inning. The Dash were up 5-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.

Pitcher Zach Lewis allowed a two runs in the bottom of the frame due to a sac fly and a solo blast to center field. The Dash held on tight with very good pitching, and that George grand slam was enough to gain the victory over the Nationals. Don’t ever give up on the Dash Boys.

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Kannapolis Intimidators 6, Hagerstown Suns 4

Kade McClure: 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Vince Arobio: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Ian Dawkins (CF): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 K **MVP**
Ramon Beltre (2B): 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
Gunnar Troutwine (DH): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Amado Nuñez (1B): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K
Logan Sowers (RF): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K

What a relief that the Intimidators got themselves out of that horrible, six-game losing streak to come up top against Hagerstown with some good pitching and bats on fire. The White Sox have been taking it nice and slow with starter Kade McClure after coming back from his offseason rehab. He has been showing great recovery his last few starts. McClure went a full six innings this time out, allowing only three earned runs and getting his first win of the season.

The Intimidators started their scoring in the bottom of the fourth with a wild pitch sending Alex Destino home. Amado Nuñez had an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Gunnar Troutwine. Another wild pitch, a Logan Sowers RBI single, and a Ramon Beltre two-run double followed in the inning. In fact, a total of four wild pitches by the Suns really helped out the struggling Intimidators in the game.

Tonight, I saw the Vince Arobio I know. Arobio had two perfect innings, with three strikeouts. Arobio (hold) and Austin Conway (save) both held down shop for the K-Town Boys to get them out of their slump. The Intimidators have an Off-Day Sunday. Let’s hope they can get back at it again on Monday and start a winning streak.