Lehigh Valley IronPigs 6, Charlotte Knights 3
Dylan Covey (SP): 4 IP, 8 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 2.54 ERA
Colton Turner (RP): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 5.83 ERA
Luis Robert (CF): 1-for-4, BB, SB, .294 AVG, .948 OPS
Nick Madrigal (2B): 1-for-3, 2 BB, .243 AVG, .569 OPS
Yermin Mercedes (C): 2-for-4, BB, .298 AVG, .999 OPS
Ramón Torres (SS): 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, .650 AVG, 2.050 OPS (fifth game in Triple-A) *MVP*
Zack Collins (1B): 0-for-3, BB, RBI, .269 AVG, .891 OPS
Danny Mendick (LF): 0-for-2, .277 AVG, .818 OPS (ejected arguing balls and strikes)
This one got off to a rough start, and the Knights could never quite claw their way back. Dylan Covey stumbled out of the gate, as he ran into trouble with two outs in the first. After retiring the first two batters, he allowed a double and an RBI single to put the Knights in an early 1-0 hole. The second inning was no better, as Covey allowed two runs on five hits (all singles). Lehigh Valley had an early 3-0 lead, and the score would remain that way until the fourth inning.
In the top of the fourth, Ramón Torres crushed a two-run homer to trim the Knights’ deficit to one. This was his fourth home run in Triple-A in five games, as he continues his flaming hot start with the Knights. Oddly enough, Torres hit zero home runs in 58 games with the Barons. Sure, Triple-A is using juiced balls, and Birmingham’s stadium is pitcher-friendly, but that is still pretty bizarre.
Ramón Torres does it again!
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 11, 2019
This time it's a two-run blast to left for his fourth straight game with a home run to cut the IronPigs lead to 3-2 in the 4th!
In his fifth game with the Knights, Torres is hitting .667 (12-for-18) with 4 HR and 9 RBI! pic.twitter.com/rU25ASTImS
Congratulations to Torres for earning his second consecutive MVP award from South Side Sox.
While the Torres home run gave the Knights some momentum and made the score 3-2, that was as close as the Knights would get. A blast by Lehigh Valley outfielder Nick Williams off Zach Thompson gave the IronPigs a pair of insurance runs. The IronPigs added another run in the eighth, when Charlie Tilson made a fielding error that made the score 6-2. The Knights answered with one in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Zack Collins, but it was not enough. The Knights were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, which certainly hurt their cause.
The Knights will not play tomorrow, but they will return to play on Tuesday at 6:04 CST as they open a three-game series against Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
Montgomery Biscuits 12, Birmingham Barons 4
Tanner Banks (SP): 4+ IP, 9 H, 7 R (7 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 5.14 ERA
Luis Basabe (LF): 0-for-4, BB, .245 AVG, .655 OPS
Blake Rutherford (RF): 2-for-4, 2B, .260 AVG, .668 OPS
Ti’Quan Forbes (3B): 2-for-4, .242 AVG, .668 OPS
Joel Booker (CF): 1-for-3, BB, RBI, .255 AVG, .645 OPS
Laz Rivera (SS): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, .243 AVG, .581 OPS *MVP*
Despite a scoreless first inning, this game did not exactly turn into a pitchers’ duel. The Biscuits put together quite the rally in the top of the second to jump out to a 5-0 lead. They had five hits, two of which were home runs. The most damaging hit was a three-run blast by Montgomery catcher David Rodríguez. Banks’ start was tarnished badly by that one long inning.
However, the Barons stormed back in their half of the second. They loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. With one out, Joel Booker put them on the board with a single to make the score 5-1 and keep the bases juiced. With two outs, Laz Rivera had a timely hit of his own, smashing a bases-clearing double to pull the Barons within one.
We'll take bases-clearing doubles for $500, Alex.
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) August 11, 2019
Laz Rivera delivers a three-RBI double in a four-run frame for the Barons!#BuiltInBham | #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/7nGwdaViAB
Unfortunately, that was as close as the Barons would get, as the Biscuits ran away with it in the latter innings. Two more runs were charged to Banks in the fifth inning, as his start ended on a low note. Banks threw 45 of 65 pitches for strikes (69%), and he did not walk any, but he struggled to miss bats. The bullpen did not fare much better, however, as the relievers combined to allow five runs (all earned) in four innings of work.
Mauricio Cabrera and Alec Hansen combined to throw two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief (one and two-thirds for Cabrera, one for Hansen). Other than those two pitchers, the pitching staff had very few positives from today. Meanwhile, the offense could not get on the board after scoring four times in the second. Overall, not a great performance. On to the next one.
The Barons will not play tomorrow, but they will return to play on Tuesday at 6:35 CST as they open a five-game series in Mississippi.
Fayetteville Woodpeckers 4, Winston-Salem Dash 2
Taylor Varnell (SP): 4 2⁄3 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 5 BB, 7 K, 5.79 ERA
Andrew Vaughn (DH): 0-for-2, 2 BB, .243 AVG, .753 OPS
Steele Walker (CF): 1-for-4, BB, .282 AVG, .798 OPS
Craig Dedelow (LF): 1-for-4, 3B, .249 AVG, .755 OPS
Evan Skoug (C): 2-for-4, 2B, .196 AVG, .733 OPS *MVP*
The first two innings were scoreless, as Fayetteville starter Jojanse Torres and Dash starter Taylor Varnell were quite effective. However, the teams traded a run in the third. The Woodpeckers got their first run on a sacrifice fly after a walk and a single put runners on the corners with one out. The Dash answered with a sacrifice fly after loading the bases with no outs. The Dash had a good opportunity to score another that inning, but they could not cash in.
Evan Skoug, today’s MVP, gave the Dash the lead in the fourth, when he hit an RBI single to score Mitch Roman. Unfortunately, that lead would not last long, as the Woodpeckers answered with three in the top of the fifth. Fayetteville first baseman Scott Schreiber hit a bases-clearing single to score the final runs of the game for either side. The final run was able to score due to a throwing error by Tate Blackman, as Schreiber was credited with only two RBIs.
Despite the rough ending, our own Julie Brady, who attended this game, had some positive words about Varnell’s performance.
Trying this again: Varnell's final line: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 7 K. 2 WP. 100 pitches, 60 strikes. Three of those runs came on the last pitch he threw. Relied heavily on his offspeed stuff, and when it worked, it REALLY worked. Pitched better than the line indicates.
— Julie Brady (@DestroyBaseball) August 11, 2019
Credit to pitcher Andrew Perez, who had another excellent performance in relief. He was a major reason why the Dash stayed within striking distance in the latter innings. After this performance, his ERA with the Dash stands at 1.16.
We'll say it again.
— Winston-Salem Dash (@WSDashBaseball) August 11, 2019
️@El_PlatanoPerez ️ is ️ really ️ good ️ at ️ pitching
He strikes out four over 2.1 scoreless innings! pic.twitter.com/D652rLqG1S
The Dash will not play tomorrow, but they will return to play on Tuesday at 6:00 CST as they open a three-game series in Carolina.
Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Kannapolis Intimidators 2
Johan Dominguez (SP): 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 2.93 ERA
Ian Dawkins (CF): 0-for-4, .311 AVG, .788 OPS
Alex Destino (RF): 2-for-4, 2B, .311 AVG, .890 OPS
Tyler Osik (DH): 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, .125 AVG, .488 OPS (fifth game in Low-A) *MVP*
Lenyn Sosa (2B): 2-for-4, .241 AVG, .637 OPS
After a scoreless first inning, the Intimidators got on the board by taking advantage of a couple of questionable plays by Delmarva. Cameron Simmons led off the inning and reached on an error. Then, Corey Zangari hit a ground ball to the third baseman, who tried to get the lead runner at second. However, Simmons beat the throw to second, and both Intimidators were safe. Tyler Osik followed with his first hit with the Intimidators, which was a two-run double to put Kannapolis up by a score of 2-0.
On the other side of the ball, this is the last of four games of the day, and I am happy to inform you that we did have a good stat line from a starting pitcher. Johan Dominguez scattered six hits across five innings, he did not issue any walks, any he struck out seven. The only run he allowed came in the fifth inning, when Delmarva catcher Ben Breazeale singled to right to drive in a run and make the score 2-1.
Unfortunately, the strong start by Dominguez was not enough to secure the victory. The Intimidators’ bats went cold, as they failed to put any runs on the board after Osik’s double. As a result, the relievers had no margin for error, and they could not get the tough job done.
Declan Cronin pitched a scoreless sixth inning, but Hansen Butler allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh, as the Shorebirds took a late lead. After adding an insurance run in the ninth, the Intimidators went down quietly in the ninth. The Intimidators will open a three-game series against Greensboro tomorrow at 6:00 CST.
Great Falls Voyagers
The Voyagers’ game against the Grand Junction Rockies was postponed due to rain. The Voyagers will open a four-game series against Rocky Mountain tomorrow at 8:00 CST.
AZL White Sox
The AZL White Sox had the day off, but they will be back tomorrow as they face the AZL Cleveland Red at 7:00 CST.
DSL White Sox
The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays, so the DSL White Sox had the day off. They will return to play tomorrow morning against the DSL Blue Jays, and that game will start at 9:30 CST.