Charlotte Knights: off day
Mississippi Braves 6, Birmingham Barons 1
Kodi Medeiros: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (L, 0-6)
Connor Walsh: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Luis Robert (CF): 0-for-4, 2 K
Luis Basabe (LF): 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 CS **MVP**
Gavin Sheets (1B): 0-for-2, 1 BB
Ti’Quan Forbes (3B): 0-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB
Kodi Medeiros continued to struggle in 2019, although it could have been worse; he gave up six runs (five earned, one unearned after a Trey Michalczewski error at second base) in four innings and walked none. This is notable for a pitcher who has walked at least two in each outing so far this season, peaking at five but with multiple three-and-four-walk games as well. So, silver lining!
The Mississippi Braves, on the other hand, threw a no-hitter at the Barons. OK, a no-hitter at all Barons not named Luis Basabe.
Luis Basabe gets the Barons on the board with his third RBI of the season!
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 21, 2019
After 3⃣ innings: Barons trail the Braves 4⃣-1⃣ pic.twitter.com/YiYsEKDIO5
Yep, save for L.A.B. safeties in the first, third and sixth, Birmingham squelched offensively. Gavin Sheets and Ti’Quan Forbes were the only other Barons to reach base (both walked) in a tepid night for the Double-A team. Connor Walsh continues to put his no-out-five-run outing the other day behind him and probably would like for me to stop bringing it up, please. Mauricio Cabrera threw two scoreless, walking two and striking out three, and Danny Dopico pitched a scoreless ninth.
Winston-Salem Dash 6, Fayetteville Woodpeckers 2
Cristian Castillo: 6 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (W, 2-5)
Nick Madrigal (2B): 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R
Steele Walker (CF): 1-for-5, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB
Jameson Fisher (1B): 0-for-1, 2 R, 4 BB, 1 K
Zach Remillard (SS): 3-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB **MVP**
Craig Dedelow (LF): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Jordan George (DH): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Yeyson Yrizzari (3B): 1-for-4, 1 K
The Dash were 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position! This one could have broken open a lot wider than it did, and when the Dash scored three in the first inning it seemed like it was going that way. The bats quieted down, though, but not too much, and six runs were enough to win it in support of Cristian Castillo’s third straight strong start.
Castillo employed his offspeed arsenal and pitched around baserunners quite well the entire game. Luis Ledo, in relief, is a name to watch out for if he can keep his control under, well, you know. He has made 14 appearances and has given up earned runs in just three of them.
The Fisher-Remillard-Dedelow spine of the order continued producing most of the Dash’s offense. Jameson Fisher walked four — four!! — times. Zach Remillard had three hits and his batting .308/.392/.411 on the season. Craig Dedelow either doesn’t hit the ball at all or hits it a mile (or, if you’re Craig Dedelow in today’s game, either hits it a mile or gets an infield hit).
Dedelow loads the bases with an infield hit that I could not actually see through my phone pic.twitter.com/yu6LHjyQaX
— Julie Brady (@DestroyBaseball) May 20, 2019
These three have been holding the Dash together; Fisher and Remillard are both repeating the level, but let me enjoy watching this, dammit.
Zach Remillard, an unstoppable baseball hitting machine, hit this wacky ground ball to drive in a run in the eighth with the bases loaded. Dash up 6-2. pic.twitter.com/PLxWfKBocy
— Julie Brady (@DestroyBaseball) May 21, 2019
Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Kannapolis Intimidators 3
Taylor Varnell: 5 ⅓ IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Sam Long: 2 ⅔ IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Lane Ramsey: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (L, 0-3)(BS, 2)
Ian Dawkins (CF): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Lenyn Sosa (SS): 1-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K
Romy González (LF): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HBP **MVP**
Luis Curbelo (DH): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 HBP
Ramon Beltre (2B): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
It was all happening for the Intimidators on Monday, at least for the first eight innings. Starter Taylor Varnell gave up a dinger to the second batter of the game, but settled in as nicely as anyone can after such an experience. He teetered on the verge of disaster (“disaster,” here, used loosely) at least once, pitching out of a three-single, two-steal inning with only one run given up. Notably, he struck out the side in the fifth, all swinging. Sam Long replaced him in the sixth and pitched out of trouble, striking out two swinging. Lane Ramsey and catcher Jhoandro Alfaro blew it in the ninth, with one earned run and one unearned due to a passed ball.
As for the I’s O, three wild pitches in the first inning, accompanied by Dawkins and González singles and a Luis Curbelo double, helped score two. One wild pitch in the third, accompanied by a Sosa double, González hit by pitch, and Destino sac fly, helped score one. Shorebird Hector Guance threw four total wild pitches and hit three batsmen, including Curbelo and Johan Cruz in back-to-back at-bats.
Luis Curbelo double scores Romy Gonzalez. Kannapolis leads Delmarva 2-1 B1.. pic.twitter.com/bUdzRSuul2
— Jonathan Lee (@followmefor3) May 20, 2019
Shockingly, Ian Dawkins reached base twice, via single and walk. He’s hitting .343/.408/.446 on the year and is the owner of a 10-game average of .438. He is playing baseball at a ludicrous level right now and it’s worth paying attention to this team for … well, for many reasons, and he’s a big one.