White Sox Minor League Update: May 25, 2019

Durham Bulls 4, Charlotte Knights 3

Ross Detwiler: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR (L-1-1)
Matt Foster: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Carson Fulmer: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Alcides Escobar (SS): 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Matt Skole (DH): 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 K **MVP**
Paulo Orlando (LF): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 K
Adam Engel (CF): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Knights tonight against the Bulls, on NBCSCH in prime time to boot. Knights pitching wasn’t bad, allowing only three runs among three pitchers. Starter Ross Detwiler allowed two runs in the top of the first. But Matt Skole put the Knights on the board in the bottom of the frame, clocking a two-run homer to know the game 2-2. That makes it 14 home runs this season for Skole so far!

Detwiler gave up a solo shot in the top of the second, putting the Bulls back on top, 3-2, but he settled down from there, keeping Durham at bay before giving way to Matt Foster in the sixth. Foster stepped on Durham’s neck with a fabulous performance, going two solid innings with three strikeouts notched on his belt for the night. Carson Fulmer, who has been pitching very well in relief (2.70 ERA in nine games), allowed one run in his two innings, a solo homer in the eighth.

The Knights almost tied it in the ninth. They drew to within one when Adam Engel ripped a triple down the line to score Paulo Orlando to make the score 4-3 Bulls. With Engel at third and no outs, Durham closer Andrew Kittredge whiffed Ryan Goins, Joel Booker and Danny Mendick (with an intentional pass to Zack Collins mixed in) to snuff the rally.

Chattanooga Lookouts 7, Birmingham Barons 4

Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (L, 1-1)
Zack Burdi: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Luis Robert (RF): 1-for-5, 2B, 1 R, 3 K
Luis Basabe (CF): 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K
Trey Michalczewski (3B): 3-for-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K ** MVP**
Nate Nolan (C): 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Mitch Roman (2B): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 K

The Barons cannot catch any breaks this season. Starter Blake Battenfield was steady on the mound until a three-run homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the fifth. Birmingham had a brief answer, as Luis Basabe hit a two-run double in the top of the fifth to score Luis Robert and Mitch Roman.

Pitcher Zack Burdi replaced Battenfield in the sixth and allowed an unearned run in his outing. Nate Nolan tried to get the game tied in the eighth, with an RBI double that trimmed the deficit to 6-4, Lookouts, but Birmingham would be unable to score again.

Winston-Salem Dash 17, Salem Red Sox 3

Cristian Castillo: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR (W, 3-5) **CO-MVP**
Wyatt Burns: 3 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Tyler Frost (DH): 4-for-6, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Zach Remillard (SS): 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K
Jameson Fisher (1B): 4-for-5, 2B, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
JJ Muno (2B): 3-for-4, 3B, 2 R, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Evan Skoug (C): 3-for-6, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 K **CO-MVP**

What a crushing victory for the Dash over Salem! Winston-Salem’s offense was truly on fire tonight, and the pitching from the Cristian Castillo and Wyatt Burns was locked in. The Dash got on the board early, with RBI singles from both Yeyson Yrizarri and Tyler Frost in the second.

Starter Castillo gave up a solo homer in the bottom of the second, but that would be his only earned run. Jameson Fisher scored on a wild pitch in the third. And the top of the fifth was what I like to call the sacrifice inning, with Craig Dedelow hitting a sac fly and JJ Muno flying into a sacrifice double play, scoring Fisher. In the sixth, Zach Remillard had a two-run single, and by the end of the frame it was 7-2, Dash.

Evan Skoug showed off some power in the eighth with a grand slam, his second bomb with the Dash! Salem would score their last run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single off of Burns. Fisher would add to the scoreboard in the top of the ninth with an RBI double, while Muno hit a line-drive, two-run triple as well to end the ballgame 17-3! A stellar night for the Winston-Salem Dash. Hopefully the Dash Boys can keep it going.

Lakewood Blueclaws 3, Kannapolis Intimidators 2 (10)

Taylor Varnell: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K **MVP**
J.B. Olson: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Jason Bilous: 2 ¹⁄₃ IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (L, 2-2)
Ian Dawkins (CF): 1-for-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Alex Destino (RF): 2-for-4, 2 K
Luis Curbelo (3B): 1-for-4, 1 K
Ramon Beltre (2B): 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 K

Tiffany Wintz/ South Side Sox

This was a low-scoring, extra-inning game that the Intimidators hitters should have taken advantage of. Intimidators starter Taylor Varnell had a nice night on the mound, allowing only one run (an RBI single in the bottom of the first) and collecting seven strikeouts in his six innings pitched.

Pitcher J.B. Olson (newly back from TJ rehab) took over for Varnell in the bottom of the seventh and gave up a run on a line-drive single to center field. Ian Dawkins came through for Kannapolis with a two-run bomb in the top of the eighth to tie the ballgame, 2-2.

There would be free baseball in Lakewood. Second baseman Ramon Beltre started the 10th at second, and Dawkins played it smart with a sac bunt to move Beltre to third. But nothing came out of it because Lenyn Sosa popped out behind the plate and Romy Gonzalez struck out. I’s pitcher Jason Bilous had a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th that sent the Blueclaws runner to third, and Lakewood ended up scoring the winning run after a passed ball by Gunnar Troutwine (his 11th of the season). It was a rough night for the K-Town Boys.