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White Sox Minor League Update: July 4, 2021

The organization was only able to get one win (the Cannon Ballers) but some prospects, like Yoelqui Céspedes, had big days

By Darren Black
Yoelqui Céspedes hit his fourth homer of the year as the Dash come up.
Tiffany Wintz/South Side Sox

Like the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Knights prospects won the day while the team lost. Yermín Mercedes, in his second game back in Charlotte, had a two-hit day that included a double. He tied for the most hits on the day, for either team, with Matt Reynolds. Ti’Quan Forbes, who was promoted after Jake Burger got the call to the bigs, also had a hit on the day, first first career Triple-A safety. The lone run came from the bat of Zach Remillard, who hit his fourth homer of the season.

That was it for runs, as Charlotte had trouble once on base. They had more hits than Norfolk but were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base.

The pitching was much better.

Alex McRae had a quality start with 10 strikeouts, but the big-name bullpen arms were even better. Zack Burdi, Kodi Medeiros, and Ofreidy Gómez combined for three perfect innings. Burdi and Gómez did the best, with basically the same game: one scoreless inning with a couple of strikeouts.

It was not the result that Charlotte wanted, but like Bunker Hill, it left the good guys with a successful feeling.

Poll

Who was the Knights’ George Washington?

This poll is closed

  • 96%
    Alex McRae: 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 10 K
    (61 votes)
  • 3%
    Zach Remillard: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 0 BB, 1 K
    (2 votes)
63 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Knights’ King George?

This poll is closed

  • 71%
    Nate Nolan: 0-for-3, 0 BB, 3 K
    (38 votes)
  • 28%
    Nick Williams: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K
    (15 votes)
53 votes total Vote Now

A string of losses for the White Sox organization continues here with the Barons. With the Battle of Charleston, an unquestioned loss happened for the Barons, as they were no-hit for six innings. In the seventh inning, Micker Adolfo broke up the no-hitter with a single. It kept a rally going that gave the Barons their best chance to win. With no outs and the bases loaded, they went strikeout, strikeout, and ... strikeout. That was ... not great.

It really wasn’t great all day for the offense, but the pitching was pretty good. Blake Battenfield had a decent night, with just three runs allowed in five innings. Jake Elliott was much better in his two scoreless innings, as he led the bullpen’s scoreless effort. Andrew Pérez and Lane Ramsey each went one inning with two strikeouts and helped keep the game close, in case the offense woke up. It didn’t.

JJ Muno at least ended the shutout with a solo homer in the eighth. That was it for offense, though.

Poll

Who was the Barons’ Salem Poor?

This poll is closed

  • 26%
    Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K
    (13 votes)
  • 66%
    Jake Elliott: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K
    (33 votes)
  • 8%
    Andrew Pérez: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
    (4 votes)
  • 0%
    Lane Ramsey: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
    (0 votes)
50 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Barons’ Benedict Arnold?

This poll is closed

  • 92%
    Craig Dedelow: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 4 K
    (47 votes)
  • 3%
    Zack Granite: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K
    (2 votes)
  • 3%
    Jameson Fisher: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K
    (2 votes)
51 votes total Vote Now

The Battle of New York was a tough loss for the colonies, as it was here in Winston-Salem in an 11-1 loss. The offense was actually fine, with seven hits and three walks. It was just the pitching was not up to snuff and the defense combined for four errors. Yoelqui Céspedes had a couple of hits, including a home run — already his fourth of his American professional career.

Gunnar Troutwine had a good day to continue his great start with the bat in W-S. He is hitting .310 for the Dash, with a 1.032 OPS in eight games. He had two hits on the day, including a double.

Kaleb Roper got the start, and then Ryan Williamson was in right after Roper. They saw eight runs cross the plate in just six innings, as both pitchers have ERAs of more than seven. It was not pretty: 12 hits and four walks between the two, and maybe the offense was just demoralized. Of course, the errors did not help, but Williamson accounted for one of them, so some of it was his fault on defense.

The good thing from the Battle of New York, though, is that it did not lead to a defeat in the Revolutionary War, and because Céspedes homered in this game it really was OK in the end.

Poll

Who was the Dash’s Nathanael Greene?

This poll is closed

  • 92%
    Yoelqui Céspedes: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 0 BB, 1 K
    (60 votes)
  • 7%
    Gunnar Troutwine: 2-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K
    (5 votes)
65 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Dash’s Charles Cornwallis?

This poll is closed

  • 31%
    AJ Gill: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 error
    (14 votes)
  • 28%
    Ryan Williamson: 2 1⁄3 IP, 3 ER (4 R) 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K
    (13 votes)
  • 40%
    Kaleb Roper: 3 2⁄3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K
    (18 votes)
45 votes total Vote Now

It was a surprise to everyone when the colonies had a surprise win back during Christmas 1777 in Trenton, and it was pretty similar to the win for the Cannon Ballers (and not just because of the nickname). So far this season, Kannapolis has been in a long and hard, Valley Forge-like winter, since they were 15-37 heading into game play. They were able to make it 16 wins, with a 6-4 victory in the series finale.

The offense was great, 14 hits on the day, and José Rodríguez had one of his best games of the season. Rodríguez went 3-for-5, and they were all extra-base hits. He had his sixth homer of the year, along with his 14th and 15th doubles. As you can see in the tweet below, the home run was a line shot into the stands in left field.

DJ Gladney also had three hits on the day, but they were all singles, though he can now say he is hitting above the Mendoza Line. Bryan Ramos, Samil Polanco, Luis Mieses, Caberea Weaver, and Victor Torres had hits as well to get to that 13 number.

On the whole, the pitching was not great with four runs allowed, but Chase Solesky and Ty Madrigal had very good days on the mound. Solesky went three innings with just one run allowed. Madrigal, who has a 6.18 ERA now, got seven outs to end the game; he did walk a batter but kept the rest hitless for his first save of the season.

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers’ Abigail Adams

This poll is closed

  • 12%
    Ty Madrigal: 2 1⁄3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K
    (6 votes)
  • 87%
    José Rodríguez: 3-for-5, 1 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K
    (43 votes)
49 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers’ Henry Clinton?

This poll is closed

  • 42%
    Harvin Mendoza: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 2 K
    (17 votes)
  • 57%
    Jesus Valles: 3 2⁄3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K
    (23 votes)
40 votes total Vote Now

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