Charlotte Knights
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So many hits! So many runs! So many errors! Too much happened in this game.
First and foremost, Liam Hendriks made his second rehab appearance — one inning, with a run allowed. He should have three to four outings left before getting back to Chicago. Yoán Moncada played today as well, it what might be his last rehab assignment game. He casually went 3-for-3 with a homer, so he seems ready enough to me.
.@whitesox 3B Yoán Moncada goes YARD!!!! pic.twitter.com/zU6v0TPrq5
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) May 7, 2023
On a more MiLB focus, pretty much every hitter did well. Even Yolbert Sánchez, who replaced Moncada in the seventh inning, had a hit today, and every player who started had at least two hits. Oscar Colás has done really well since his demotion. He reached base three times today, as his Triple-A OPS stands at 1.171. Victor Reyes, who seems to be on the cusp of the MLB active roster now, had three hits to put his batting average better than .300. Nate Mondou had the second and last homer for the Knights, part of his two-hit afternoon. That is probably the most surprising aspect of this game for Charlotte: 18 runs, and just two homers.
The pitching was actually all right for the Knights, even given the 11-spot put on them. Five of those runs came unearned in the ninth. Erik González and Yolbert Sánchez each committed two errors in the game. Sammy Peralta bore the brunt of the poor fielding, with five unearned runs, and was eventually pulled from the game before the final out.
Oh, and Daniel Ponce de Leon started today. He did well over five innings and was only burned by the two homers he allowed. And he had some wiggle room to pitch worse; he left with a 15-3 lead!
Poll
Who was the Knights MVP?
This poll is closed
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91%
Yoán Moncada: 3-for-3, 1 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K
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2%
Nate Mondou: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
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5%
Victor Reyes: 3-for-6, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K
Poll
Who was the Knights Cold Cat?
This poll is closed
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17%
Yolbert Sánchez: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K - 2 Errors
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82%
Sammy Peralta: 1 2⁄3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER (7 R), 0 BB, 2 K
Birmingham Barons
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Four runs in the first two inning and four runs in the last two put the Lookouts on top, 8-6, over the Barons. There were not enough runners on base in general for the Barons, and certainly not enough in scoring position, putting the Barons in a tough position. They went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. That’s a shame, because the Barons rode three homers to all six of their runs. If only more people were on-base. First, José Rodríguez, who was the designated hitter today.
Jose Rodriguez cuts the deficit in half with a two-run blast
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 7, 2023
His fourth of the year!
Top 3rd
Barons: 2
Lookouts: 4 pic.twitter.com/AlF3DeuDc9
Yoelqui Céspedes had the second two-run homer for Birmingham. His power has been up so far this year and that continues today — though the two strikeouts aren’t great.
A two-run no-doubter from Yoelqui Céspedes ties the ball game
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 7, 2023
His fourth of the year!
Top 6th
Barons: 4
Lookouts: 4 pic.twitter.com/UnsVYKMOjC
Chris Shaw produced the last two runs of the game for Birmingham. He started the season in Charlotte and has shown good pop in Double-A. Just not much else, so far at least.
SHAW!!!
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 7, 2023
Chris Shaw goes deep on a two-run home run to bring the Barons to within on in the top of eighth
Top 8th
Barons: 6
Lookouts: 7 pic.twitter.com/k3RlaBSbd3
On the pitching side, only Hunter Dollander, the bullpen arm who manned the sixth inning, did well. Garrett Schoenle allowed those first four runs over the first and second innings. If there’s a positive side, he was able to calm things down over his next three frames. Unfortunately, Nash Walters was tagged by a three-run homer that put the Lookouts up for good in the seventh. Caleb Freeman allowed the final run in the next inning. He has still looked really good, with an ERA that remains less than three.
Poll
Who was the Barons MVP?
This poll is closed
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15%
José Rodríguez: 1-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K
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80%
Yoelqui Céspedes: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
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5%
Chris Shaw: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K
Poll
Who was the Barons Cold Cat?
This poll is closed
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61%
Ben Norman: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 4 K
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38%
Nash Walters: 1 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Winston-Salem Dash
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Five more hits than the opponent, and still the Winston-Salem Dash lose. Well, 14 runners left on base and a 3-for-16 performance with runners in scoring position will do that to you. A total meltdown of an inning in the sixth (eight runs allowed between Jerry Burke and Ernesto Jaquez) was the nail in that unfortunate coffin, given the lack of situational hitting.
Individually, quite a few guys did well. Wilfred Veras had four hits, including two doubles. He is just off to an unbelievable start in High-A, so good maybe he deserves a quick promotion to Double-A. Shawn Goosenberg was almost perfect from the batter’s box, with a couple of hits and a walk.
Outside of Burke and Jaquez, the pitching was really good. Drew Dalquist got the start and went four, no-hit, shutout innings. He still isn’t having a good season, but it is an improvement from 2022 so far.
Poll
Who was the Dash MVP?
This poll is closed
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53%
Drew Dalquist: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
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0%
Shawn Goosenberg: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K
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46%
Wilfred Veras: 4-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K
Poll
Who was the Dash Cold Cat?
This poll is closed
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11%
Wes Kath: 0-for-5, 0 BB, 2 K
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84%
Jerry Burke: 1 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
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3%
Ernesto Jaquez: 1 1⁄3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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The Cannon Ballers came back from a 5-0 hole to tie the game, and another two-run deficit later to tie the game for a second time. But they could not come up with that magical third comeback, as the CBs pitching staff loses this game.
It was a Peyton Pallette start gone wrong, with more runs (three) and walks (three) than outs (two), as he could not get out of the first. Pallette could not find the plate whatsoever, with 18 balls and just 11 recorded strikes. Just one of those type of games for a Low-A pitcher coming off a year without baseball. It happens.
The bullpen was not much better, to the chagrin of the lineup. Emerson Talavera allowed two more runs, over seven outs. Manuel Veloz was OK, as his 4.50 ERA with two runs over four innings was on track for a quality start. The team really needed a stellar bullpen stint in order to win after the hole Pallette left Kanny in. No arms provided that, which is unfortunate, because the bats were really good.
Only one hitter, Luis Pineda, did not reach base today and collect a hit. Tim Elko came away with two, including his seventh homer of the season (why is he still in Low-A?). His fellow multi-hit mate from today, Bryce Willits, hit a homer today as well. Both came in a big third inning, where Kannapolis erased that five-run GreenJackets lead. Brooks Baldwin, another Cannon Baller who is having an outstanding season (better than a .900 OPS so far), added the third and final homer for the squad in the seventh.
Poll
Who was the Cannon Ballers MVP?
This poll is closed
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52%
Tim Elko: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K
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47%
Bryce Willits: 3-for-3, 1 HR, 1 BB, 0 K
Poll
Who was the Cannon Ballers Cold Cat?
This poll is closed
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14%
Luis Pineda: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 3 K
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85%
Peyton Pallette: 2⁄3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
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