White Sox Minor League Update: June 10, 2019

Durham Bulls 7, Charlotte Knights 3

Jordan Guerrero: 5 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K (L, 2-6)
Zach Thompson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 E
Adam Engel (CF): 1-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Jon Jay (RF): 1-for-4, 1 R
Paulo Orlando (LF): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI **MVP**
Zack Collins (DH): 0-for-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Seby Zavala (C): 1-for-4, 2 K
Danny Mendick (SS): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K

Jordan Guerrero’s struggles continue, as the lefty took 93 pitches to get through five innings (54 of those pitches going for strikes). His BB/9, which was 4.89 entering tonight’s game, is only rising; he’s now walked 31 batters in 54 ⅔ innings. Zach Thompson had another good appearance in relief; he’s only given up one run over his last five appearances, totaling nine innings. He does have seven walks in that span. My advice to all White Sox pitchers would be to simply stop walking so many batters. It’s easy!

When Rick Hahn signed Paulo Orlando in the beginning of May, he looked him dead in the eye and said “Paulo Orlando, we are signing you to hit as many dingers as physically possible.” He said this with the voice of prophecy, and the power of these words spoke into reality eight dongs in 26 games for Orlando, including two more tonight. Thank you, Rick.

That was all the scoring for the Knights today; Adam Engel and Danny Mendick were the only other batters to reach base twice, with a hit and a walk apiece. Jon Jay has gathered at least one hit in all four rehab games he’s played with Charlotte.

Birmingham Barons/Mobile BayBears — rainout

Winston-Salem Dash/Salem Red Sox — rainout

Greenville Drive 9, Kannapolis Intimidators 2

Jonathan Stiever: 3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP (L, 4-5)
Tyler Watson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Ian Dawkins (CF): 1-for-4, 1 E
Lenyn Sosa (SS): 1-for-4, 1 K
Alex Destino (LF): 0-for-4, 3 K
Bryce Bush (RF): 0-for-2, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 CS
Corey Zangari (1B): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI **MVP**
Jhoandro Alfaro (C): 1-for-3, 1 K

For a summary of the offensive side of this game for the Intimidators, please refer to the Paulo Orlando paragraph above, but replace “Paulo Orlando” with “Corey Zangari” and “signing” with “drafting.” The other main difference is that Zangari’s two dingers tonight were his fifth and sixth of the season, but they were indeed the only scoring for Kannapolis all night. Thank you, Rick.

Ian Dawkins made his first error of the season in the outfield. After batting .419/.473/.564/1.037 in May, things are clearly falling apart for him; his June average is a mere .290/.371/.387/.759 over the first eight games played, dragging his season line down to .344/.408/.465/.873. Sad.

Last year’s fifth-round pick, Jonathan Stiever, has shown flashes of dominance in his first full professional season, but today was not one of those days. While he only walked one, he threw a wild pitch, hit a batter, and gave up eight hits, all singles. Stretched over seven innings, this would be perfectly decent, but Stiever did it all in three. Kevin Folman, a minor league free agent signing from last season, came in for his second Kannapolis appearance in relief. This, too, could have gone better, as Folman gave up three runs in his three innings (no walks though). Another minor league free agent signing, Tyler Watson, had his third outing with the team and gave up just one hit over two innings, striking out three.

DSL White Sox 5, DSL Orioles 1

Homer Cruz: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP (W-0)
Oriel Castro: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (H, 1)
Wilber Sánchez (SS): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Anthony Espinoza (2B): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K **MVP**
Lazaro Leál (DH): 1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB
Alberto Bernal (1B): 1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB
Benyamin Bailey (LF): 0-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Luis Pineda (C): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Juan Mercedes (RF): 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Johnabiell Laureano (CF): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

Today’s DSL Sox lineup walked all over opposing pitcher Jesus Chavez, drawing six free passes from him and three others for a total of nine (South Side Sox: we can do math). Wilber Sánchez, who was born in 2002, walked once, got a hit, and stole his third base of the season. He was born in 2002, and is batting .324/.395/.471/.865. The team’s big offensive moment came in the third, when Lazaro Leál, Alberto Bernal, and Benyamin Bailey all walked to start the inning, then Luis Pineda singled in Leál and Juan Mercedes singled in Bernal. Johnabiell Laureano went deep for the first time this season. Anthony Espinoza, who is also 17 years old, doubled in a run in the sixth inning, one of his two doubles on the day.

Homer Cruz continued to defy his name, as the sole run he gave up in today’s game came after a single, wild pitch, and double. Cruz has given up a homer this season, but it wasn’t on my recap day, so I will pretend it didn’t happen. Oriel Castro, who turned 18 last month, threw three strong scoreless innings; he has yet to give up a run in his 6 ⅓ IP (we’re still in small sample size territory here).