White Sox Minor League Update: May 8, 2019

Columbus Clippers 6, Charlotte Knights 2

Danny Mendick: 3-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 SB **MVP** (.278 BA, .840 OPS)
Daniel Palka: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K (.254 BA, .947 OPS)
Zack Collins: 0-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K (.256 BA, .951 OPS)
Adam Engel: 0-for-3, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K (.375 BA, .944 OPS)
Jordan Guerrero: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 9 K (8.31 ERA, 2.41 WHIP)
Carson Fulmer: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (3.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP)
Caleb Frare: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (4.22 ERA, 1.59 WHIP)
Ian Hamilton: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (12.34 ERA, 2.06 WHIP)

Jordan Guerrero was much better in tonight’s game, as it was his best start since April 16. It is just not a good sign that five innings of three-run ball is one of the better starts for a pitcher. Alas, it was for Guerrero, but the offense did not do much behind him — nor did Carson Fulmer. All three runs allowed by Guerrero came in the first inning, so he was able to shut out the Clippers for the next four. Meanwhile, the offense could not get on the board until the sixth inning, and the tallies came from very weird RBI. With the bases loaded, Zack Collins walked to “drive in” Danny Mendick. One batter later, Adam Engel was hit by a pitch to score Daniel Palka, and just like that, it was a one-run game.

However, Carson Fulmer entered the game and erased the one-run deficit. He did not have his command, as he threw 10 balls compared to 14 strikes, and allowed two runs. Caleb Frare came in for Fulmer the next inning, but Frare too allowed a run, extending the Columbus lead to 6-2, and that is how it would end. In total, only two Knights collected a hit: Danny Mendick and Palka. Mendick had three of them, including the lone extra-base hit.

Jackson Generals 10, Birmingham Barons 3

Luis Basabe: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K (.125 BA, .388 OPS)
Luis Gonzalez: 2-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K (.217 BA, .617 OPS)
Blake Rutherford: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K (.177 BA, .506 OPS)
Gavin Sheets: 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K (.225 BA, ,598 OPS)
Trey Michalczewski: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K **MVP** (.234 BA, .679 OPS)
Kodi Medeiros: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (6.94 ERA, 2.14 WHIP)
Hunter Schryver: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (0.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP)

It was another early dud for Kodi Medeiros and the Barons, this one coming in the early afternoon. While Birmingham was unable to generate offense for most of the game, the Generals, like all good military leaders, took advantage of their opponent’s defensive shortcomings. Medeiros was knocked around all game long, including two home runs. He did catch a bit of an ERA break, as two runs were deemed unearned because of an error.

Things did not really improve for the Barons once Medeiros was pulled. The bullpen would allow two more runs, one of which was by Hunter Schryver — his first run allowed of the season. The Barons offense reached base enough to garner runs, with nine hits, but eight of them were singles. The lone big hit belonged to Trey Michalczewski, whose three-run homer provided the only offense in the 10-3 loss.

Winston-Salem Dash 9, Lynchburg Hillcats 8

Nick Madrigal: 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K (.284 BA, .754 OPS)
Steele Walker: 3-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 0 K (.250 BA, 7.12 OPS)
Jameson Fisher: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K **MVP** (.279 BA, .811 OPS)
Evan Skoug: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB (.000 BA, .500 OPS)
Zach Lewis: 3 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (6.91 ERA, 1.76 WHIP)

It was not a great start for the Dash this morning, as they found themselves in a quick 7-1 hole. Lewis was hit often, and those hits were hard: five extra-base hits in just three innings. However, the Dash were able to draw up some offense of their own to lessen the deficit quickly. They scored four runs in the bottom of the third, thanks to Jameson Fisher’s second RBI of the game and a two-run triple from Zach Remillard. Remillard later scored on a wild pitch. After the Hillcats scored again in the top of the fourth, the Dash matched that with an RBI base knock from Tyler Frost. After a crazy first four innings, the score was 8-6 Hillcats.

Fisher was not done providing offense, though. He hit his third home run of the season (all of which have come the past two weeks) to tie the game at eight and earn his second straight SSS MVP nod. After 14 total runs on the board in just five innings, it figures that the teams would combine for just one more the last five, and thankfully, the Dash got that run. In the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Perez drove in Fisher for the game-winner. The six-run comeback was complete!

Lexington Legends 3, Kannapolis Intimidators 2

Lenyn Sosa: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K (.193 BA, .458 OPS)
Romy Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K (.321 BA, .831 OPS)
Bryce Bush: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K (.219 BA, .651 OPS)
Corey Zangari: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K (.200 BA, .785 OPS)
Luis Curbelo: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 2 K (.177 BA, .523 OPS)
Gunnar Troutwine: 0-for-3, 0 BB, 1 K (.269 BA, .782 OPS)
Kade McClure: 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K **MVP** (3.48 ERA, 1.35 WHIP)
Bennett Sousa: 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (1.76 ERA, 1.50 WHIP)

Kade McClure was on fire in this one. The lone blemish for him in this one was a home run allowed that did not count as an earned run because of an error. With a 10:1 K/B ratio, pitchers are bound to dominate, and McClure did just that with seven brilliant innings. Of the 89 pitches, McClure threw 65 for strikes — his command was on point. Meanwhile, the Kanny offense did not help McClure, scoring two runs in 10 innings. Ian Dawkins and Romy Gonzalez both drove in runs to get to two. However, the bullpen, with the help of runners starting on second base in extra innings, were not able to keep the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th; the Legends walked it off, 3-2.