White Sox Minor League Update: July 13, 2019

Gwinnett Stripers 8, Charlotte Knights 5

Odrisamer Despaigne: 5 ¹⁄₃ IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K (L, 3-4)
Carson Fulmer: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Luis Robert (CF): 2-for-5, 2B, 1 R, 1 K
Welington Castillo (C): 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
Adam Engel (LF): 1-for-2, 2B, 1 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Alcides Escobar (3B): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Ryan Goins (SS): 3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 K **MVP**

The Charlotte Knights kept it close with the Stripers, and even tied the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth. It was only in the sixth and seventh innings when Knights pitching let their guard down and allowed four more runs to score. Starter Odrisamer Despaigne took the game into the sixth and gave up five runs and four strikeouts.

Welington Castillo had another good night at the plate, collecting two RBIs with two singles. Danny Mendick had a sac fly and Ryan Goins an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game, 4-4. Braves Outfielder Ender Inciarte hit an RBI single in the sixth on a rehab assignment with the Stripers. All-Star Connor Walsh replaced Despaigne after Inciarte’s hit, and would end up giving up a three-run homer in the seventh. Shortstop Ryan Goins tried to get something going in the top of the ninth with a solo shot to right field, but nothing more came of it. The Knights play one more game against Gwinnett, and then hit the road for a week.

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Jackson Generals 6, Birmingham Barons 3 (5 innings, shortened, rain)

Lincoln Henzman: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR (L.2-4)
Luis Basabe (LF): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 0 K
Gavin Sheets (1B): 1-for-2, 0 K
Ti’Quan Forbes (3B): 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 0 K
Luis Gonzalez (CF): 1-for-2, 2B, 1 R, 0 K **MVP**
Laz Rivera (SS): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 K

The ballgame got called in the bottom of the fifth inning, when a massive rain storm came through and iced the game for the Generals. Starter Lincoln Henzman didn’t have his best outing tonight, allowing five earned runs. Four of the runs given up were on two-run homers in the bottom of the second and fourth. Ti’Quan Forbes got the Barons on the board early in the top of the first, with a sharp, line-drive single to score Blake Rutherford. Laz Rivera would get himself an RBI single in the second to score Luis Gonzalez (who ripped a double to left field). Newly-returned from the IL Luis Basabe had a RBI single in the top of the fifth, but that would be it for Birmingham. The Generals scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth before the rain came. After a hot start to the second half, the Barons have now lost four straight games. Tomorrow is another day, though.

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Down East Wood Ducks 4, Winston-Salem Dash 3

Jorgan Cavanerio: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Tyler Johnson: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Andrew Perez: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K (L, 0-2)
Tyler Frost (RF): 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K **MVP**
Mitch Roman (3B): 1-for-4, 2 K
Steele Walker (CF): 0-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 K
Craig Dedelow (LF): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 K
Jordan George (1B): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K

It started with a 30-minute rain delay, but once the ballgame got rolling, the Dash did, too. Tyler Frost led off the first with a towering shot to center field to get the Dash on the board. Starter Jorgan Cavanerio allowed three runs in his five innings. Dash first baseman Jordan George had an RBI double in the second, scoring Craig Dedelow. Another run would come in for the Dash on a Steele Walker sac fly in the third inning. That would be all the scoring that Winston-Salem would get tonight, though, as the Woodies rallied late. Pitcher Tyler Johnson took over for Cavanerio in the bottom of the sixth and had himself two scoreless innings. Andrew Perez took over for Johnson in the eighth while the game was still tied 3-3. Perez allowed a double, and a fielding error by Jordan George sent home a run in the bottom of the eighth, capping a tough 4-3 loss. Back at it tomorrow afternoon, for round two.

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Kannapolis Intimidators 6, Rome Braves 5

Jason Bilous: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Wilber Perez: 2 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR (BS, 2)
J.B. Olson: 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (W, 1-1) (BS, 2)
Lenyn Sosa (SS): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Johan Cruz (3B-SS): 2-for-4, 3B, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 K
Andrew Vaughn (DH): 2-for-5, 1 RBI, GWRBI, 0 K **MVP**
Alex Destino (LF): 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Corey Zangari (1B): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 K
Camilo Quinteiro (2B): 1-for-3, 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

An intense, but fun night in Kannapolis. Starter Jason Bilous was a little rocky coming in, giving up two runs in the top of the first on a two-run ground ball single. But the Intimidators were unleashed in the fifth inning, scoring four runs off of a Camilo Quinteiro double, Lenyn Sosa single, Johan Cruz triple, and another RBI single to center field from clutch man Alex Destino. Pitcher Wilber Perez replaced Bilous in the top of the sixth. Perez allowed a two-run bomb in the bottom of the seventh to tie the ballgame up, 4-4. Center fielder Romy Gonzalez put the Kannap boys back on top, though, with an RBI single sending home Johan Cruz in the bottom of the seventh.

J.B. Olson stepped in for Wilber Perez in the top of the eighth, along with many defensive switches for the Intimidators. Olson would unfortunately give up a run on a ground ball single, tying the game again. Kannapolis played some smart baseball in the bottom of the ninth. Ramon Beltre (who replaced leadoff batter Sosa in the eighth) walked, Cruz hit a sac bunt to move Beltre to second, and Andrew Vaughn came through with a walk-off single! What an exciting game to be at.

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Great Falls Voyagers 7, Grand Junction Rockies 3

Luis Curbelo (3B) 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI (4), HR (3), K (.268 BA, .828 OPS)
Harvin Mendoza (1B) 3-for-3, R, RBI (16), 2B (7), BB (.333 BA, .987 OPS) **MVP**
Dan Metzdorf (SP) 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R/0 ER, BB, 2 K, 2 E (2), 57 pitches/40 strikes (3.94 ERA)
Sammy Peralta (RP) 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, BB, 5 K, W (1-0) (0.00 ERA)
Pauly Milto (RP) 2 IP (0.90 ERA)

It took a late burst of three runs in the eighth inning to put this one away for good, but the Voyagers were in control pretty much throughout, earning a 2-2 series split with the Rockies. This in spite of four errors on the night. Starter Dan Metzdorf seems to be pursuing an odd strategy to keep his ERA down, by committing errors that lead to (unearned) runs. A sneaky and daring pursuit. Harvin Mendoza continues to make mincemeat of Pioneer League pitchers; The Most Dangerous Batter in Montana may not get a hit every at-bat, but when he doesn’t, he walks. And hey, kudos to what is quickly becoming a nice lockdown lefty-righty relief pairing in Great Falls, Sammy Peralta (2019’s 18th round) and Pauly Milto (23rd); tonight, they combined to suffocate Grand Junction with just two hits and walk against five Ks and no earned runs over five frames. Viva mid-late round value picks!

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AZL Cubs2 6, AZL White Sox 3

Tyler Osik (1B) 1-for-4, 2 RBI (7), 3B (1), K, (.276 BA, .709 OPS)
Victor Torres (C) 1-for-3, BB, K, SB (1), CS (1) (.273 BA, .636 OPS)
James Beard (CF) 0-for-2, BB, CS (3) (.185 BA, .557 OPS)
Cooper Bradford (SP) 5 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 4 K, HR, (7.31 ERA) **MVP**
Yoelvin Silven (RP) 2 IP, H, 2 R/0 ER, 3 K, BS (1) (1.96 ERA)
Caleb Freeman (RP) IP, 2 H, 3 R/2 ER, BB, 3 K, L (2-1) (6.75 ERA)

It was a pitcher’s duel to an extent, down in the 109 degree dry heat of Sloan Park tonight. The two clubs combined for just 10 hits — five apiece — and it was the White Sox who held 1-0 and 3-1 advantages before the seventh and eighth innings spelled late doom. In the seventh, Yoelvin Silven blew the save with an assist to DJ Gladney, who committed his sixth error of the young season on a throw to first. Caleb Freeman was saddled with the loss after a bases-clearing triple by Alexander Guerra, in part due to Samil Polanco’s fielding muff at second base. We’ll end today’s update by asking, once more, why the White Sox fail to field a second AZL club, as many clubs, like the Cubs, do.