White Sox Minor League Update: August 13, 2021

The minors play six doubleheader games and lose every single one; a redistribution of Fisher home runs might have helped

By Julie Brady@DestroyBaseball Aug 13, 2021, 11:54pm CDT

Jameson Fisher took matters into his own hands in Birmingham.

Box score game one

There were six doubleheader games played in the system today and the White Sox lost all of them. Game one between the Knights and the Jumbo Shrimp was an offensively absent affair for both teams, who picked up just two hits apiece. Unfortunately for the Knights, their hits were merely a Blake Rutherford triple and a Micker Adolfo single, but the two Jumbo Shrimp hits were both home runs.

Jace Fry allowed two runs and struck out three over two innings, one run on a solo dinger and the other on a sac fly. Zack Burdi gave up a run in two innings of work and Alex McRae and Bennett Sousa both struck out two in a perfect inning apiece.

While the offense was tepid, the Knights did walk five times, two each for Gavin Sheets and Ti’Quan Forbes, one for Nate Nolan. Their sole run came in the third, Rutherford’s triple leading off the inning and Sheets sending a fly ball deep enough for him to tag up and score.

Poll

Who was the Knights MVP in game one?

This poll is closed

53%

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-3, 3B, R, 2 K

(31 votes)
46%

Gavin Sheets: 0-for-0, RBI, 2 BB, SF

(27 votes)
0%

Micker Adolfo: 1-for-3

(0 votes)

58 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Knights Cold Cat in game one?

This poll is closed

52%

Laz Rivera: 0-for-4, 2 K, E

(28 votes)
5%

Mikie Mahtook: 0-for-3, 2 K

(3 votes)
41%

Zach Remillard: 0-for-3, 3 K

(22 votes)

53 votes total Vote Now

Box score game two

John Parke made both his third start for the Knights and his third good start for the Knights, working his way around seven baserunners to only allow two runs (one earned) in four innings. Relievers Ofreidy Gómez and Tanner Banks couldn’t keep it close enough for the bats, though, each surrendering a run in one inning apiece.

Charlotte actually led this one early; the game started with Laz Rivera singling and advancing to third on Rutherford’s single, then scoring on Yermín Mercedes’ sac fly. An error put Rutherford on third and he was scored by a Sheets single. That was pretty much it for the rest of the game; Sheets had a second single but was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. Adolfo did successfully hit a double, but nobody reached before it and nobody reached after it, so did it really even happen?

Poll

Who was the Knights MVP in game two?

This poll is closed

81%

Gavin Sheets: 2-for-3, RBI, K

(52 votes)
4%

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-2, R, BB

(3 votes)
0%

Laz Rivera: 1-for-3, R, E

(0 votes)
1%

Micker Adolfo: 1-for-3, 2B

(1 vote)
12%

John Parke: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K

(8 votes)

64 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Knights Cold Cat in game two?

This poll is closed

38%

Mikie Mahtook: 0-for-3, K

(18 votes)
36%

Matt Reynolds: 0-for-3, K

(17 votes)
0%

Zach Remillard: 0-for-3

(0 votes)
21%

Ofreidy Gómez (L): IP, 2 H, R, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP, PO

(10 votes)
4%

Tanner Banks: IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 2 K

(2 votes)

47 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

“Jameson Fisher was the difference for the Barons on Friday” is probably an understatement. Jameson Fisher hit not just his eighth home run, not just his ninth, but also his 10th home run of the season in this game, the first a three-run shot in the first inning and the other two solo blasts in the sixth and eighth. He also drew a walk, because he is well-rounded. Yasmani Grandal is thriving on rehab, or at least surviving; he singled in the first after Carlos Pérez was hit by a pitch and both scored on Fisher’s first dong. Yaz went 1-for-4 and DHed. His Double-A OPS is 1.000.

Do you have any jacks? Go, Fisher!@whitesox prospect @_Fish23 slugs three homers -- one to each field -- for @BhamBarons. pic.twitter.com/7EQcoKlNm3
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 14, 2021

There was still somehow a non-Fisher-related run scored; Craig Dedelow walked in the sixth and stole second, his second steal of the year and not something you’d expect from a 6’4” masher. It paid off when Tyler Neslony singled him in, that single itself not paying off when Neslony was nailed at second on the throw.

Barons starter Taylor Varnell is trying to figure out Double-A, something he’s only had five starts to do with some excellent and some not great results. Today, Double-A figured him out and torched him for five runs over five innings; the nine hits he allowed set a season high for him by two. Blake Battenfield is either transitioning to a bullpen role or is getting his innings managed, as he appeared in relief for just the third time in 18 games this year. He pitched three scoreless for the win, though, and Anderson Severino closed it out with a perfect ninth.

Poll

Who was the Barons MVP?

This poll is closed

19%

Jameson Fisher first home run (3R)

(13 votes)
0%

Jameson Fisher second home run (solo, brought score within one)

(0 votes)
79%

Jameson Fisher third home run (eventual game-winning run)

(53 votes)
1%

Tyler Neslony: 1-for-3, RBI, K

(1 vote)

67 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Barons Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

55%

Taylor Varnell: 5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, BB, 2 K, HBP

(26 votes)
40%

Romy González: 0-for-4, 3 K

(19 votes)
4%

Ian Dawkins: 0-for-3

(2 votes)
0%

JJ Muno: 0-for-3

(0 votes)

47 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

The Dash dropped to 7-15 on the season against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, their eighth consecutive loss against their geographic rivals. Today was actually the best bullpen day for the team in a while. Starting pitcher Jeremiah Burke gave up one run in his first inning of work, which was also his first inning in a couple of months as he returns from injury. Then the newly-promoted Ty Madrigal, the organization’s lone remaining Madrigal, threw three scoreless innings in his Dash debut, and Declan Cronin and Vince Arobio combined behind him for three more. At this point, it was still a 1-0 game; the last time the Dash allowed one or fewer runs was July 20, when they shut out the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Here, though, Wilber Perez entered in the eighth and allowed two runs on three hits, then one more in the ninth on a leadoff home run. He was replaced by Edgar Navarro, who gave up a triple but finished the ninth without other incident.

The Dash had the bad luck to face Quinn Priester, the Pirates’ first-round pick in 2019, and he certainly pitched like the top prospect he is, striking out 10 batters in seven innings, scattering six hits and two walks effectively to not let in a run. Alex Destino struck back in the ninth, hitting his 18th home run of the year to lead off the inning, but that was it for scoring. Jagger Rusconi had three of the seven Dash hits; Samir Dueñez had two. Yoelquis Céspedes and José Rodriguez both went 0-for-3 with a walk.

Poll

Who was the Dash MVP?

This poll is closed

85%

Jagger Rusconi: 3-for-4, K

(34 votes)
0%

Samir Dueñez: 2-for-4, K

(0 votes)
15%

Alex Destino: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 3 K

(6 votes)

40 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Dash Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

81%

Wilber Perez: IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, K

(31 votes)
5%

Gunnar Troutwine: 0-for-3, E

(2 votes)
2%

Caberea Weaver: 0-for-3, 2 K

(1 vote)
10%

Luis Mieses: 0-for-4, 2 K

(4 votes)

38 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

Matthew Thompson’s learning year continues; the 2019 second-rounder was burned for five runs, four of those coming on a pair of two-run blasts by the Augusta GreenJackets. He drops to 1-6 on the season, while the GreenJackets’ Thompson improved to 3-1 with the win. The bullpen walked a fine line behind Thompson (the Baller), but allowed no further runs. Hunter Speer walked three but kept it scoreless, Theo Denlinger pitched around a one-out single, and The Incredible Taylor Broadway (2021 sixth-rounder) walked a batter and struck out two. Three innings into his professional career, he has yet to be scored on.

Kannapolis hitting had some trouble, as Kannapolis hitting has tended to do. They scored one in the third, an inning that could have been much bigger; James Beard drew a leadoff walk, Samil Polanco singled him to third, and then Bryan Ramos was called out on strikes and subsequently ejected. Harvin Mendoza followed this by doubling for the 14th time, scoring Beard but failing to score Polanco, who was thrown out at the plate. They also couldn’t capitalize much in the sixth inning; Misael Gonzalez ended up at second base after a leadoff error, Chase Krogman singled him to third, and Wilber Sánchez grounded into a force out that scored him. Despite Sánchez’s steal of third and James Beard’s walk, no further runs crossed the plate.

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers MVP?

This poll is closed

91%

Harvin Mendoza: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI

(32 votes)
0%

Samil Polanco: 2-for-5, K

(0 votes)
8%

Chase Krogman: 2-for-3, BB, K

(3 votes)
0%

James Beard: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, 2 K

(0 votes)

35 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

83%

Matthew Thompson (L): 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, BB, 4 K

(30 votes)
5%

Misael Gonzalez: 0-for-4, R, K

(2 votes)
8%

Wilber Sanchez: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K, SB

(3 votes)
2%

Victor Torres: 1-for-4, PB

(1 vote)

36 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

In case you’re wondering, if a league that already plays seven-inning games has to play a doubleheader, both games will still be seven innings, not five or three or even just not played at all. That means the ACL Sox lost 7-3 in seven innings in game one, Homer Cruz’s solid four-inning-one-earned-run start crumbling to dust under the arms of Brandon Jenkins and Johnny Ray, who both allowed multiple runs to put the game out of reach. Both can be forgiven; Jenkins was signed last year and has only recently started coming back from an injury, this likely functioning like a rehab assignment in practice if not name, and Ray was drafted in the 12th round just a few weeks ago and has exactly two professional innings to his name. Everhett Hazelwood came in to retire the last batter of the seventh, which he did ably.

The Sox scored three runs on six hits; technically, they scored three runs on just one hit, Johnabiell Laureano’s fourth-inning three-run bomb, but you get the idea. Top two draft picks Colson Montgomery and Wes Kath have been playing at the top of the order, in the order they were drafted; Montgomery’s 1-for-2 with a walk and HBP today makes him 6-for-19 on the season (.316/.458/.421) and Kath went 0-for-3 (also with a walk), which only dropped him to 7-for-22 (.318/.375/.455). Wilfred Veras and Benyamin Bailey both reached twice, both drawing walks, Veras singling, and Bailey doubling.

Poll

Who was the ACL Sox MVP in game one?

This poll is closed

53%

Johnabiell Laureano: 1-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI

(17 votes)
6%

Benyamin Bailey: 1-for-3, 2B, R, BB, K

(2 votes)
0%

Logan Glass: 1-for-3, R, K, HBP

(0 votes)
0%

Jefferson Mendoza: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K

(0 votes)
40%

Homer Cruz: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 7 K, WP, balk, E

(13 votes)

32 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the ACL Cold Cat in game one?

This poll is closed

8%

Brandon Jenkins (L): 1 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K

(3 votes)
50%

Johnny Ray: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, K, WP

(18 votes)
8%

Adam Hackenberg: 0-for-4

(3 votes)
33%

Elijah Tatís: 0-for-3, 3 K

(12 votes)

36 votes total Vote Now

You knew the outcome the moment you saw “game one” above. The ACL Sox did not cover themselves in glory, scrounging up five hits—three doubles, at least—and erring four times. Terrell Tatum, 16th rounder, played in his second professional game and hit his first professional double, knocking in his fifth professional RBI (he hit a three-run home run and singled in another run in his first game). Ruben Benavides drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the Sox’ second run, and the third came in the seventh when Veras singled in Glass. Neither Montgomery nor Kath played.

Ronaldo Guzman, who honestly held his own pretty well as a 16-year-old pitching in the DSL in 2019, is having a little harder of a time as an 18-year-old in the ACL. Those struggles continued today, some attributable to the errors behind him, but some—like the five walks, three wild pitches, and balk over 2 ⅓ innings—within his control. Zach Cable, a very recent signee, allowed an unearned run, and Noah Owen, 14th rounder, pitched two scoreless innings in his second professional outing.

Also, the hitting coach, Devin De Young, was ejected by the home plate umpire in the top of the seventh after Shawn Goosenberg flew out to center. This unusual move came after first baseman Edwin Peralta was ejected by the same umpire in the fourth after a swinging strikeout, and after manager Mike Gellinger was ejected—by the same umpire—in the fifth after Goosenberg struck out looking. It’s times like these when the inadequacy of box scores becomes apparent.

Poll

Who was the ACL MVP in game two?

This poll is closed

21%

Terrell Tatum: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI

(6 votes)
7%

Jayson Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 2B, R, 2 K, HBP

(2 votes)
67%

Sam Abbott: 1-for-1, 2B, BB, 2 HBP

(19 votes)
3%

Wilfred Veras: 1-for-2, RBI, E

(1 vote)

28 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the ACL Cold Cat in game two?

This poll is closed

55%

Ronaldo Guzman (L): 2 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 6 R (4 ER), 5 BB, 4 K, 3 WP

(15 votes)
14%

Shawn Goosenberg: 0-for-4, K, E

(4 votes)
29%

Cameron Butler: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K, 2 E

(8 votes)
0%

Edwin Peralta: 0-for-2, K

(0 votes)

27 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

The DSL Sox got swept in their doubleheader just like everyone else in the system today, scoring six runs on four hits in the first game and six runs on 10 hits in the second. Game one featured five errors between the teams; game two had them combine for six. There were 12 total wild pitches and five hit-by-pitches, all five of those in game one. Eight players stole a base and three were victims of outfield assists, two at third base and one at home. The home and away teams flip-flopped between the games, so the Sox were the road team for game one and the home team for game two. All this to say, I love the DSL and hope to one day see a game there.

It seems inconceivable in a game where the team had four hits, but the Sox managed to go 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position in game one. This was largely due to six walks (two apiece drawn by Fernando Vargas, Luis Pineda, and Victor Quezada), four of the HBPs, and four DSL Blue Jays errors. The first two runs scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error on a stolen base. The next came on an RBI single, and if that sounds too normal to you for the DSL, at least it was an infield single. They scored traditionally in the seventh (a doubleheader ninth) as well, a three-run comeback falling short; Alberto Bernal homered for the second time, a two-run shot, and after two walks, a HBP, and a wild pitch, Quezada grounded out to drive in the sixth and final run for the Sox.

Starting pitcher Guillermo Cuevas entered today with an ERA of 1.89 and WHIP of 0.947 over 19 innings, walking only three and striking out 31. These numbers have since undergone a great equalization after he threw 3 ⅓ innings, allowing nine runs (all earned) on six hits, walking five and striking out just one. His ERA is now 5.24 and his WHIP 1.34. Francisco Benitez, pitching in his third DSL season, entered after Cuevas issued a bases-loaded walk in the fourth. Benitez immediately walked the first guy he faced to force in another run, gave up a sac fly to the second batter, and then allowed a double to the third to score the last of the inherited runners and one of Benitez’s own. To his credit, he pitched the two final innings of the game without allowing a baserunner.

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox MVP in game one?

This poll is closed

88%

Alberto Bernal: 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K, HBP

(23 votes)
7%

Layant Tapia: 2-for-4, 2B, R, K

(2 votes)
3%

Roberth Gutierrez: 1-for-3, RBI, K, HBP, SB

(1 vote)

26 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox Cold Cat in game one?

This poll is closed

91%

Guillermo Cuevas (L): 3 ⅓ IP, 7 H, 9 R, 5 BB, K

(22 votes)
4%

Alvaro Aguero: 0-for-4, K, SB, outfield assist at 3B

(1 vote)
4%

Arxy Hernandez: 0-for-2, 2 K, E, SB, HBP

(1 vote)
0%

Randel Mondesi: 0-for-3, 2 K, HBP

(0 votes)

24 votes total Vote Now

Box score link

Perhaps the most impressive part of this loss was the failure of the DSL Sox pitching staff to strike out a single DSL Blue Jay. Starting pitcher Manuel Veloz had the highly unusual line of 4 ⅓ IP, 9 H, 9 R (4 ER), BB, 0 K (and a wild pitch); his own pickoff error contributed to some of those unearned runs. Gabriel Rodriguez and Daniel Gonzalez both pitched well in relief, no runs and three baserunners on two walks and a hit in 2 ⅔ innings between them, but nary a strikeout to be found.

The offense was able to string together some hits to score runs in this one, Manuel Guariman’s fourth-inning single opening the scoring for the Sox, who were already in a 7-0 hole out from which they would not climb. Cesar Jiménez hit a sac fly a couple batters later and went 2-for-3 overall. For tradition’s sake, another run came on back-to-back errors in the fifth following a Layant Tapia walk; Tapia would walk and score again in the seventh as they rallied for three runs for the second straight game. Javier Mora singled to lead the inning off, Tapia did his thing, and Juan Mercedes walked to load the bases. Ricardo Aguilar hit a run-scoring single and Quezada hit his fourth double of the year to cap off the scoring.

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox MVP in game two?

This poll is closed

11%

Victor Quezada: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, K, E

(3 votes)
48%

Cesar Jiménez: 2-for-3, RBI, K, E, SF, SB

(13 votes)
29%

Layant Tapia: 1-for-2, 3 R, 2 BB

(8 votes)
11%

Ricardo Aguilar: 1-for-2, 2 RBI

(3 votes)
0%

Manuel Guariman: 1-for-2, R, RBI

(0 votes)

27 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox Cold Cat in game two?

This poll is closed

90%

Manuel Veloz (L): 4 ⅓ IP, 9 H, 9 R (4 ER), BB, 0 K, WP

(20 votes)
4%

Carlos Gomez: 0-for-3, BB, K, GIDP

(1 vote)
4%

Alvaro Aguero: 0-for-2

(1 vote)
0%

Godwin Bennett: 0-for-2, 2 K

(0 votes)

22 votes total Vote Now

White Sox Minor League Update: August 13, 2021

Share this story

Share All sharing options for: White Sox Minor League Update: August 13, 2021

Poll

Who was the Knights MVP in game one?

53%

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-3, 3B, R, 2 K

46%

Gavin Sheets: 0-for-0, RBI, 2 BB, SF

0%

Micker Adolfo: 1-for-3

Poll

Who was the Knights Cold Cat in game one?

52%

Laz Rivera: 0-for-4, 2 K, E

5%

Mikie Mahtook: 0-for-3, 2 K

41%

Zach Remillard: 0-for-3, 3 K

Poll

Who was the Knights MVP in game two?

81%

Gavin Sheets: 2-for-3, RBI, K

4%

Blake Rutherford: 1-for-2, R, BB

0%

Laz Rivera: 1-for-3, R, E

1%

Micker Adolfo: 1-for-3, 2B

12%

John Parke: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K

Poll

Who was the Knights Cold Cat in game two?

38%

Mikie Mahtook: 0-for-3, K

36%

Matt Reynolds: 0-for-3, K

0%

Zach Remillard: 0-for-3

21%

Ofreidy Gómez (L): IP, 2 H, R, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP, PO

4%

Tanner Banks: IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 2 K

Poll

Who was the Barons MVP?

19%

Jameson Fisher first home run (3R)

0%

Jameson Fisher second home run (solo, brought score within one)

79%

Jameson Fisher third home run (eventual game-winning run)

1%

Tyler Neslony: 1-for-3, RBI, K

Poll

Who was the Barons Cold Cat?

55%

Taylor Varnell: 5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, BB, 2 K, HBP

40%

Romy González: 0-for-4, 3 K

4%

Ian Dawkins: 0-for-3

0%

JJ Muno: 0-for-3

Poll

Who was the Dash MVP?

85%

Jagger Rusconi: 3-for-4, K

0%

Samir Dueñez: 2-for-4, K

15%

Alex Destino: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 3 K

Poll

Who was the Dash Cold Cat?

81%

Wilber Perez: IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, K

5%

Gunnar Troutwine: 0-for-3, E

2%

Caberea Weaver: 0-for-3, 2 K

10%

All sharing options for: White Sox Minor League Update: August 13, 2021