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White Sox Minor League Update: August 26, 2021

Full-season teams sweep; rookie teams weep

By Julie Brady
Blake Rutherford #9 takes a swing and is on his follow-through, viewed from the open side
B. Ruth technically could have asked for a better night, but two home runs and a double is acceptable
Bulls/Knights linescore
Batter box score
Batter box score
Misc info

Box score link

Come for Romy González, stay for Blake Rutherford. What a night for those two: it didn’t take very long for them to combine for two runs, Rutherford hitting his 26th double to lead off the second inning and González immediately following up with a dong, his third of the year for Charlotte. That would be González’s only hit, but he also walked and stole a base. In five AAA games, he is 8-for-19 with four doubles and three home runs (.421/.450/1.015. Yes, that is slugging and not OPS).

Rutherford, meanwhile, went 3-for-5; in addition to the second-inning double, he also hit a two-run homer in the third, scoring Gavin Sheets from a walk, and then hit another two-run homer in the fifth, scoring Gavin Sheets from a walk. Unfortunately, in the seventh, he did not hit a two-run homer to score Gavin Sheets from a walk; he did, though reach on a fielding error that scored Jake Burger and advanced Gavin Sheets to third after Sheets doubled. Sheets did score that inning, but on a wild pitch instead.

In any event, Rutherford was pretty much all the Knights needed to win this one, Matt Reynolds fitting an RBI single in there somewhere as well. It was a bullpen day for the Knights, but a good one; starter Will Carter and third-in-line Kyle Kubat were the only two to allow runs, just one apiece over multiple innings. Evan Marshall struck out two in a scoreless rehab inning, and Ryan Burr, Anderson Severino, and Kyle Crick each tossed a scoreless frame.

Yasmani Grandal, whom we all miss very much, started this game at first base and was ejected almost immediately, tossed by the home plate umpire after striking out swinging in the bottom of the first. Now we miss him even more. Billy Hamilton is also rehabbing with the Knights and went 0-for-5.

Poll

Who was the Knights MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 96%
    Blake Rutherford: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI
    (106 votes)
  • 0%
    Romy González: 1-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB, GIDP
    (1 vote)
  • 2%
    Gavin Sheets: 1-for-2, 2B, 3 R, 2 BB
    (3 votes)
  • 0%
    Matt Reynolds: 1-for-4, RBI, K
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Nate Nolan: 2-for-4, K
    (0 votes)
110 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Knights Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 77%
    Billy Hamilton: 0-for-5, 2 K
    (68 votes)
  • 4%
    Zach Remillard: 0-for-4, K
    (4 votes)
  • 18%
    Yasmani Grandal: 0-for-1, K, ejection
    (16 votes)
88 votes total Vote Now
Biscuits/Barons linescore
Batter box score
Pitching box score
Misc info

Box score link

Birmingham squeaked out this win on just five hits, limiting the dreaded Montgomery Biscuits to zero runs on a banner day for pitching. There was no score on either side in this one until the bottom of the sixth, when—with two outs—Jagger Rusconi singled, Yoelqui Céspedes was hit by a pitch, and Yolbert Sánchez singled to drive in Rusconi. Céspedes was stranded at third.

They added two more in the eighth, Rusconi, Céspedes, and Sánchez also heavily involved as they lead off the inning single, single, sac bunt to put runners on second and third. Catcher Carlos Pérez reached on a fielder’s choice, and then three consecutive two-out walks—Jameson Fisher, Joe DeCarlo, and Craig Dedelow—forced in two runs. This was Rusconi’s first game with the Barons after spending about a month hitting well for the Dash.

On the mound, Blake Battenfield excelled, absolutely dominating for five innings to the tune of two hits, zero runs, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Both walks were in the same inning, and Battenfield had to pitch around an error that contributed to loading the bases, but he escaped unscathed. The bullpen behind him was nails: Declan Cronin made his Barons debut, earning the win in a scoreless inning. Jake Elliott went two, allowing a hit and a walk but no runs. Caleb Freeman walked something of a thin line in the ninth, but despite two singles, a wild pitch, and a stolen base, he shut the Biscuits down on three strikeouts. He has now pitched nine innings with the Barons: 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 14 K.

Poll

Who was the Barons MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 86%
    Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
    (75 votes)
  • 5%
    Yoelqui Céspedes: 1-for-2, R, BB, HBP
    (5 votes)
  • 1%
    Yolbert Sánchez: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 sac
    (1 vote)
  • 1%
    Craig Dedelow: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K, SB
    (1 vote)
  • 5%
    Jagger Rusconi: 2-for-3, R, K
    (5 votes)
87 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Barons Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 75%
    Ian Dawkins: 0-for-4, 3 K
    (39 votes)
  • 23%
    Mitch Roman: 0-for-3, 2 K, E
    (12 votes)
  • 0%
    Jameson Fisher: 0-for-3, BB
    (0 votes)
  • 1%
    Carlos Pérez: 0-for-4, R
    (1 vote)
52 votes total Vote Now
Renegades/Dash linescore
Batter box score
Pitching box score
misc info

Box score link

Things were working across the board for Winston-Salem. Scoring started in the first and never really stopped; Luis Curbelo’s 20th home run was the exclamation point in that inning. They would have scored in the second if Samir Dueñez hadn’t been caught stealing after his single, Jeremiah Burks tripling right after. They added one more in the third, José Rodriguez singling, stealing second, advancing to third on a Luis Mieses fly ball, then scoring when ball four to Alex Destino was a wild pitch.

In the fifth, a tie game at this point, Mieses was hit by a pitch with two outs and was doubled in by Destino, who was then caught in a rundown between second and third for the last out of the inning. Then came the sixth, the Dash in a precarious spot, leading by just one and facing the prospect of trying to hold onto that margin for three more innings. It again took until there were two outs, but big hits by Evan Skoug (double advancing Mendoza to third), Burks (two-run single), and Caberea Weaver (RBI triple) put four runs on the board.

Still not out of the danger zone yet, they put up another crooked number in the seventh, when Mieses and Destino walked back-to-back to start things off and both scored when Curbelo screamed a liner halfway up the monstrous center-field wall. He then scored after a passed ball and a Mendoza groundout.

Rodriguez was 2-for-2 in the leadoff spot and also made an excellent grab on a liner to short.

Starting pitcher Jerry Burke made his fourth appearance after missing two months with an unspecified injury; his last three starts have also been abbreviated, but they were also much worse. Tonight, he only got two innings, but they were perfect; he struck out two. He was relieved by Cooper Bradford, who walked two but escaped scoreless; Jordan Mikel, who gets a blown save for allowing a game-tying three-run dong in the fifth; Trey Jeans, who is up to five straight scoreless innings with two more today; and Sammy Peralta, who was scathed by a two-single eighth inning for a run but finished the ninth with no problem.

Before the game, the team held a ceremony honoring José Rodriguez and Edgar Navarro for earning their GEDs. Their team was absolutely losing their minds behind them as this happened. We are very proud.

Poll

Who was the Dash MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 85%
    Luis Curbelo: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI
    (49 votes)
  • 8%
    José Rodriguez: 2-for-5, R, K, SB, GIDP
    (5 votes)
  • 3%
    Alex Destino: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB
    (2 votes)
  • 1%
    Jeremiah Burks: 2-for-4, 3B, R, 2 RBI
    (1 vote)
57 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Dash Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 10%
    Luis Mieses: 0-for-3, 2 R, BB, HBP, outfield assist at 2B
    (4 votes)
  • 90%
    Jordan Mikel (W, BS): 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, BB, 2 K, WP
    (36 votes)
40 votes total Vote Now
Hillcats/Cannon Ballers linescore
Batter box score
Pitcher box score
misc info

Box score link

What a come-from-behind victory for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, a four-run seventh their salvation. Sean Burke, the third Burke or Burks to play in the system today but the only one whose given name is not Jeremiah, had an absolutely serviceable Baller debut; this year’s third-round draft pick went two innings and didn’t allow a hit, but walked three, one of which scored on a first-inning sacrifice fly. He struck out four. Angel Acevedo allowed two runs in four innings, both on a home run, one unearned on Shawn Goosenberg’s error at second. Gavin Alston gave up one run over two innings of work, and Zach Cable’s one-inning debut was scoreless.

The Ballers scored their first run in typical low-minors way, with Bryan Ramos doubling for the 19th time, advancing to third on Adam Hackenberg’s ground-out, then scoring on the pitcher’s throwing error trying to corral a Jayson Gonzalez ground ball. The seventh inning, though, was much more offensive and effectively cancelled the Hillcats. After two foul-tip strikeouts to start the inning, James Beard walked, 19-year-old Wilber Sanchez hit an infield single, and Goosenberg singled in Beard. In one of those box-scores-aren’t-enough moments, two runs then scored as Ramos singled… to the catcher. A throwing error was involved and Ramos ended up on second base. He then scored when Hackenberg singled him in, that run proving the difference.

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 95%
    Bryan Ramos: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
    (46 votes)
  • 0%
    Shawn Goosenberg: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K, E, CS
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Adam Hackenberg: 1-for-4, RBI
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Jayson Gonzalez: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
    (0 votes)
  • 4%
    Misael Gonzalez: 2-for-3, BB, K
    (2 votes)
48 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 45%
    AJ Gill: 0-for-4, 3 K
    (17 votes)
  • 54%
    DJ Gladney: 0-for-4, 3 K
    (20 votes)
37 votes total Vote Now
ACL Sox/Royals linescore
Batter box score
Pitcher and misc info

Box score link

A good start from Cristian Mena wasn’t enough for the ACL Sox, the 18-year-old giving up one run on two hits and two walks in four innings. Dilmer Mejia struggled in relief almost immediately upon entering; he handled a bunt ground attempt with no trouble for the first out of the inning, but then went homer-walk-Wes Kath error-homer for a quick four-run frame (three earned).

The ACL Sox struck out 16 times and scrounged up five hits, which normally isn’t a winning recipe and wasn’t today. Their one run scored on a wild pitch in the eighth; Elijah Tatís reached via error, advanced to second when Terrell Tatum was hit by a pitch, then to third on Wilfred Veras’s single that loaded the bases. Kath struck out, but a wild pitch allowed Tatís to score.

Kath was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts; Colson Montgomery did not play. Victor Torres was the only Sox with multiple hits with, two singles.

Poll

Who was the ACL Sox MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 68%
    Cristian Mena (L): 4 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 4 K
    (28 votes)
  • 24%
    Victor Torres: 2-for-4, K
    (10 votes)
  • 0%
    Wilfred Veras: 1-for-3, BB, K
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Benyamin Bailey: 1-for-3, BB, K
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Ruben Benavides: 1-for-4, 2 K
    (0 votes)
  • 7%
    Elijah Tatís: 0-for-4, R, 2 K
    (3 votes)
41 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the ACL Sox Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 88%
    Wes Kath: 0-for-4, 3 K, E
    (31 votes)
  • 0%
    Johnabiell Laureano: 0-for-4, K
    (0 votes)
  • 2%
    Cameron Butler: 0-for-4, 3 K
    (1 vote)
  • 8%
    Dilmer Mejia: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), BB, 4 K
    (3 votes)
35 votes total Vote Now
Sox/Padres linescore
Batter box score
Pitching box score
Misc info

Box score link

The DSL Sox came so close to pulling this one out in the ninth, but their five-run outburst was one short of what they needed to tie. Starting pitcher Guillermo Cuevas went 4 ⅔, allowing two runs, certainly enough to keep the team in it. It got a little bit away from Daniel Gonzalez in relief, though; he pitched Cuevas out of a jam in the fifth, but was stuck in a jam of his own in the sixth. He allowed a leadoff home run, then entered a sequence where he struck out the next batter, walked the next, then balked twice during the next batter and ended up hitting him with a pitch. A sacrifice fly, error, and second home run of the inning ended up tagging Gonzalez for five runs (four earned). This was all the DSL Padres scoring for the day as Francisco Benitez tied it up with 2 ⅔ scoreless innings, striking out three.

Scoring didn’t start for the Sox until the seventh inning, when Victor Quezada hit a solo dong. Then they ran wild in the ninth, although not quite wild enough; first Manuel Guariman singled to lead the inning off, trailing 7-2; Randel Mondesi flied out, and Guarman took second on a wild pitch. Quezada walked, and a wild pitch made it runners on second and third. Luis Pineda singled in one run, Carlos Jiménez drew a walk, and Arxy Hernandez singled in two runs. After another wild pitch (the DSL!), Alvaro Aguero doubled in the fifth and final run of the inning. While there was no more scoring, there were definitely chances: Aguero then stole third with one out, then had to stay there when a fly ball was not deep enough; Layant Tapia walked and stole a base, but Guariman lined out to end the threat and the game.

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 54%
    Victor Quezada: 2-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, E
    (17 votes)
  • 0%
    Alvaro Aguero: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, 3 K
    (0 votes)
  • 45%
    Luis Pineda: 3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI
    (14 votes)
  • 0%
    Carlos Jiménez: 2-for-3, 2B, R, BB
    (0 votes)
31 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 96%
    Daniel Gonzalez: ⅔ IP, 2 H, 5 R (4 ER), BB, K, 2 balks, HBP
    (24 votes)
  • 4%
    Layant Tapia: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    Randel Mondesi: 0-for-4, K, E
    (0 votes)
25 votes total Vote Now

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