White Sox Minor League Update: August 1, 2019

Durham Bulls 7, Charlotte Knights 6

Luis Robert: 0-for-5, 0 BB, 0 K (.329 BA, 1.069 OPS)
Nick Madrigal: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K (.250 BA, .500 OPS)
Zack Collins: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K (.280 BA, .897 OPS) **MVP**
Yermin Mercedes: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K (.296 BA, .983 OPS)
Danny Mendick: 3-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K (.280 BA, .820 OPS)
Donn Roach: 6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K (8.30 ERA, 2.01 WHIP)

After a long rain delay, the Knights got off to a terrible start. By the end of the fourth inning, they were down by five as Donn Roach did not have his stuff today. He allowed 12 runners on base (and one homer) that helped lead to those five earned runs. However, the offense came right back, all the way back, with a five-run fifth inning. Nick Madrigal, with his first Triple-A hit, opened up the scoring for the inning with a single the other way. After Daniel Palka drove in a run, Zack Collins came up to the plate and tied the game at five. He hit a three-run homer, his 10th home run with Charlotte. The pitching just ran into trouble again, as Zach Thompson allowed two solo homers that put the Bulls up two, and the Knights could not come back.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 11, Birmingham Barons 8

Luis Basabe: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K (.251 BA, .660 OPS) **MVP**
Gavin Sheets: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K (.274 BA, .763 OPS)
Luis Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K (.246 BA, .662 OPS)
Lincoln Henzman: 3 ²⁄₃ IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (5.95 ERA, 1.47 WHIP)

The offense showed out today in Birmingham, but a bad night for the pitching — especially from the struggling Lincoln Henzman — doomed the Barons. In total, they had 17 hits and Gavin Sheets added one walk, for a total of 18 runners. Every single Baron collected a hit, and eight of the nine in the lineup reached base twice. Yet, Birmingham still lost. Obviously, the Barons did not capitalize on all of the runners who reached, but a 7-for-15 batting average with RISP usually leads to a win. The Barons got off to a 5-0 lead thanks to a five-run second, but Henzman (seven) and Luis Martinez (one) allowed eight earned runs the next two innings to lose the lead. Birmingham clawed back to tie the game, thanks to RBIs from Joel Booker, Luis Basabe, and Damek Tomscha (Tomscha’s tied the game at eight). But Vince Arobio allowed a three-run homer that eventually won the game for Pensacola.

Winston-Salem Dash 9, Lynchburg Hillcats 7

Steele Walker: 3-for-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K (.273 BA, .778 OPS) **MVP**
Andrew Vaughn: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K (.333 BA, 1.277 OPS)
Jacob Lindgren: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP)
Bennett Sousa: ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (2.41 ERA, 0.75 WHIP)

Another offensive onslaught by both teams, but this time it led to a White Sox affiliate win, and it was decided early. The Hillcats started out the game with a three-run first, but the Dash came back with a six-run bottom half. The runs came in all shape and sizes in that first inning: Andrew Vaughn started it out with a sacrifice fly, and the scoring followed as a wild pitch, single, single, force out, single. So there was not a lot of big power, but it worked for a six-spot. The big power would come later, but the Dash would never trail the rest of the game. Jacob Lindgren came in relief and looked like a pitcher that should be in the majors. He threw three perfect innings and struck out five over that time, so it seems like the rust is off for the lefty. That power came out for Steele Walker while Lindgren dominated, as Walker hit his eighth homer of the year to put the Dash at nine runs for the game.

Kannapolis Intimidators

Missoula Osprey 7, Great Falls Voyagers 4

Caberea Weaver: 2-for-5, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K (.240 BA, .635 OPS)
Harvin Mendoza: 0-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K (.321 BA, .946 OPS)
Lency Delgado: 1-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K (.303 BA, .800 OPS)
Anderson Comas: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K (.225 BA, .620 OPS) **MVP**
Jason Morgan: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (5.65 ERA, 1.60 WHIP)

Unfortunately, the game was over quickly for the Voyagers. The Missoula Osprey scored twice in the first inning, and held the lead for the entire game. They drove out Jason Morgan after just three innings and five earned, as Missoula sprinted out to an early, four-run lead. The offense would make it a game near the end, but the Voyagers lost out on many chances. They were 1-for-10 with RISP but still somehow added four runs without a homer. That is pretty impressive. Caberea Weaver and Anderson Comas both had two hits and Luis Mieses added one more, as the outfield led the way. But they were unable to make up enough ground for the win.

DSL Blue Jays 7, DSL White Sox 2

Yolbert Sanchez: 1-for-5, 0 BB, 0 K (.279 BA, .743 OPS)
Benyamin Bailey: 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K (.348 BA, .965 OPS)
Juan Mercedes: 1-for-1, 3 BB, 0 K (.245 BA, .650 OPS) **MVP**
Jendersson Caraballo: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP)

The DSL Sox got off to a very poor start and just never was able to recover. First off, Jendersson Caraballo, who made his first professional appearance since 2017 today, did not have great control; understandable, as he had not pitched in a long time. Edgar Navarro replaced Caraballo after one inning and really did not do well, either, without any rust as an excuse. Navarro allowed five runs over five innings and essentially put the game out of reach, but the offense did not provide any suspense. Though the Sox reached base 12 times with six hits and six walks, they were 1-for-7 with RISP and only scored two runs. Yolbert Sánchez and Benyamin Bailey added two of those hits, both singles. Elijah Tatís also started the game, but was taken out after one at-bat. Somehow, Juan Mercedes reached base four times (one hit and three walks), and still never scored.