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White Sox Minor League Update: September 10, 2021

Just in a nick of time, the org starts winning ... wait, the season doesn’t play until December?

By Brett Ballantini and Julie Brady
On Friday, Davis Martin was a bad, bad man for the Barons.
Tiffany Wintz/South Side Sox

Backing into an award is no way to win it, but with Konnor Pilkington packed off to the Wahoos and Taylor Varnell hanging up spikes, the top pitcher in the system is there for the taking, Kade McClure. And with a third straight stellar start, the tall footballer may be locking things up with fewer than 100 innings pitched on the season. And if possible, the four-man mix of relief backing McClure raised the ante on the starter’s effort; just a superlative effort from the arms tonight, against Jacksonville offense that’s rarely shrimpy.

In his second start in Charlotte, Ruben Tejada notched his first three hits, all singles, driving in two runs.

Poll

A win for Charlotte? Who’s the MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 56%
    Kade McClure: 5 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 5 K, HR, WIN
    (49 votes)
  • 0%
    Kodi Medeiros: IP, 2 K, 12 pitches/8 strikes
    (0 votes)
  • 13%
    Ruben Tejada: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, K
    (12 votes)
  • 29%
    Jake Burger: 2-for-5, R, 3B, 2 RBI, K, 2 LOB
    (25 votes)
86 votes total Vote Now

Poll

A win for Charlotte! Who struggled as the Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 6%
    Adam Engel: 0-for-4, R, HBP, K, 3 LOB, SB
    (5 votes)
  • 91%
    Zack Collins: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K, 6 LOB
    (71 votes)
  • 1%
    Marco Hernández: 1-for-4, K, 4 LOB, GIDP
    (1 vote)
  • 1%
    Ti’quan Forbes: 1-for-4, 2 K, 4 LOB
    (1 vote)
78 votes total Vote Now

All told, Birmingham’s season has been a surprise almost from start to finish. While the rotation paced things early in the season and then faded, the arms are picking things back up again. Yet another strong effort came tonight from Davis Martin, this a scoreless game chiseling ERA down to 2.00. As in Charlotte, every chucker in tonight’s tilt chucked real good, although in this case three hurlers not quite topping Martin’s ballgame. Just three Ks out of the offense, so balls were in play, continuing an inspiringly strong season for the batsmen at Regions Field.

Poll

Birmingham wins again, so who was their MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 78%
    Davis Martin: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K
    (55 votes)
  • 2%
    Jameson Fisher: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI
    (2 votes)
  • 14%
    Yolbert Sánchez: 2-for-4, SB, LOB, GIDP
    (10 votes)
  • 0%
    Craig Dedelow: 0-for-1, R, 2 BB
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Zach Muckenhirn: 1 2⁄3 IP, H, 2 K, HOLD
    (0 votes)
  • 4%
    Caleb Freeman: 1 1⁄3 IP, BB, 2 K, SAVE
    (3 votes)
70 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Birmingham won, but who was its Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 59%
    Carlos Pérez: 0-for-4, 4 LOB, GIDP
    (34 votes)
  • 3%
    Xavier Fernández: 0-for-3, 2 LOB, GIDP
    (2 votes)
  • 36%
    I like the Barons a lot and choose no Cold Cats tonight.
    (21 votes)
57 votes total Vote Now

With three swipes tonight, José Rodríguez reaches the 30-swipes threshold, and while his relatively low power output (13) precludes a 20-30 season, hats off to Popeye, who has wheels to match his hitting forearms. And the ascendant star hasn’t just racked up bags because of a perpetual green light; his swipes have come smartly, with just 10 CSs on the year.

At age 25 in High-A, Alex Destino needed to find another gear to grind his way onto the Chisox prospect scene, and he has not done that in 2021. But tonight marked his 20th home run, a career high and a milestone no one can ever snatch away.

Poll

The Dash fell short on Friday, but who should be their MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 80%
    José Rodríguez: 2-for-5, R, 2 LOB, 3 SB, CS, seriously isn’t this getting a little tiring?
    (51 votes)
  • 14%
    Alex Destino: 1-for-4, 2 R, 20th HR, RBI, BB, K, 2 LOB
    (9 votes)
  • 0%
    Luis Curbelo: 1-for-3, RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K
    (0 votes)
  • 4%
    Jeremiah Burks: 2-for-4, K, 2 LOB
    (3 votes)
63 votes total Vote Now

Poll

The Dash fell short on Friday, so who should be their Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 10%
    Karan Patel: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR
    (4 votes)
  • 12%
    Cooper Bradford: 2 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 2 K, LOSS
    (5 votes)
  • 5%
    Samir Dueñez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K, 3 LOB
    (2 votes)
  • 62%
    Luis Mieses: 0-for-5, K, 4 LOB
    (25 votes)
  • 10%
    Harvin Mendoza: 0-for-4, 2 LOB, E
    (4 votes)
40 votes total Vote Now

With little help from gilded star starter Drew Dalquist, Kanny nonetheless rallied, with just enough arm and bat power to eke out a rare win. Gil Luna Jr. was a standout not only for two scoreless frames, but murdering the two baserunners (walks) he allowed by immediately picking them off of first base. While the Cannon Ballers were more wheels than bombs tonight, with five steals, DJ Gladney’s double doubles provided nearly all the necessary run-driving work.

Poll

Watch out world, the Cannon Ballers won! Who’s their MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 84%
    DJ Gladney: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 LOB
    (38 votes)
  • 2%
    Shawn Goosenberg: 0-for-2, R, 3 BB, K, 2 LOB, SB
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    AJ Gill: 0-for-1, 2 R, 2 BB, K
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Chase Krogman: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K, 4 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 4%
    Fraser Ellard: 2 1⁄3 IP, BB, 3 K, WIN
    (2 votes)
  • 8%
    Gil Luna Jr.: 2 IP, 2 BB, K, 2 pickoffs at 1B, HOLD
    (4 votes)
45 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Watch out world, the Cannon Ballers won! Who’s their Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 62%
    Drew Dalquist: 3 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K
    (23 votes)
  • 18%
    Jayson González: 0-for-3, 2 K, 3 LOB
    (7 votes)
  • 18%
    Bryan Ramos: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 4 LOB, 2 CS
    (7 votes)
37 votes total Vote Now

Joy all around in Arizona, where the White Sox Complexers are really starting to put things together as the heat tries to trip up to 110. Tanner McDougal had the longest outing of his career, and he survived it. It was the pen — yes there is a theme tonight, people — that stood out, particularly Noah Owen. Hitting was divine — 15 hits and 10 runs make 14 Ks easier to swallow — with the first four batters in the order combining for 12-for-20, with nine runs and six ribbies.

Poll

The ACL White Sox are hot, and not just literally. Who was their MVP on Friday?

This poll is closed

  • 4%
    Cristian Guzman: 3 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 3 K, E, WP, HB, WIN
    (2 votes)
  • 17%
    Noah Owen: 2 IP, H, 5 K
    (8 votes)
  • 0%
    Terrell Tatum: 2-for-5, 2 2B 2 R, 2 K, 2 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 2%
    Anthony Espinoza: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 3 LOB
    (1 vote)
  • 70%
    Wilfred Veras: 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR
    (33 votes)
  • 4%
    Johnabiell Laureano: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K
    (2 votes)
  • 2%
    Sam Abbott: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, K, 4 LOB
    (1 vote)
47 votes total Vote Now

Poll

The ACL White Sox are hot, and not just literally. Who was their Cold Cat on Friday?

This poll is closed

  • 63%
    Elijah Tatís: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K, E
    (30 votes)
  • 27%
    Edwin Peralta: 0-for-4, 2 K, 5 LOB
    (13 votes)
  • 8%
    Colby Smelley: 0-for-4, 2 K, 4 LOB, 1-for-2 CS
    (4 votes)
47 votes total Vote Now
DSL Reds/Sox linescore
Batter linescore
Pitcher box score
Misc info

Box score link

This game was tied at two headed into the top of the eighth inning (today’s DSL 10th), and when the DSL Sox went to the plate for the bottom of the inning, they trailed, 8-2. They did manage a rebuttal attempt, Godwin Bennett hammering a three-run dong to score ghost runner Layant Tapia and force-outer Victor Quezada, but the scoring stopped there. Earlier, Quezada had hit an important dong of his own, a game-tying solo blast in the fourth inning. Alvaro Aguero also drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.

Top pitching prospect Norge Vera gave up a run for the first time in his professional career (he sucks!) but it was unearned (he’s good again!). This was his sixth start and, at three innings, is tied with his previous start for his longest outing. So far, his career line: 11 ⅔ IP, 4 H, R (0 ER), 3 BB, 21 K. Experts are meeting behind closed doors to determine whether or not this is good.

In relief, Manuel Veloz cruised, until he didn’t. It was fairly smooth sailing for him until the seventh, when three straight singles led to a tie-breaking run and put the DSL Reds up, 2-1. Then in the eighth — counted as an extra inning, so a Manfred Man on second — the leadoff man hit a bunt that Veloz handled so poorly that not only did the MM score from second, the sacrifice bunter made it to third. Veloz walked the next batter and that was it for him; Francisco Benitez entered and allowed a charcuterie board of singles, RBI ground outs, walks, and wild pitches (well, OK, one of each) to score both inherited runners and two of his own.

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 93%
    Godwin Bennett: 2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
    (27 votes)
  • 6%
    Victor Quezada: 1-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
    (2 votes)
  • 0%
    Javier Mora: 2-for-4, 2B
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Roberth Gutierrez: 2-for-4, K, E
    (0 votes)
29 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the DSL Sox Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 60%
    Layant Tapia: 0-for-4, R, 3 K
    (15 votes)
  • 0%
    Carlos Gomez: 0-for-2, BB
    (0 votes)
  • 40%
    Luis Pineda: 0-for-4, K, E
    (10 votes)
25 votes total Vote Now

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