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Libertyville’s own Evan Skoug hit a grand slam in Charlotte’s runaway win on Tuesday.
Norm Hall/Getty Images

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White Sox Minor League Update: June 19-20, 2023

It’s Freaky Tuesday, as W-S loses but everyone else gets a win

By Brett Ballantini
/ new

A reminder, we are bypassing DSL coverage for the remainder of the year (exceptions for prospect news, particularly notable games) and will be doubling up our ACL coverage on Tuesday reports to accommodate Monday and Tuesday contests.

The Knights outclubbed the Bats in a game short on pitching, heavy on traffic for Louisville pitching, and weighty with Charlotte scoring.

The Knights put 22 runners on by hit or walk, and though a 6-of-16 LOB rate is all right, the offense could have topped 20 runs, easy.

Newcomer Kean Wong got the start at second base, batting cleanup, and got his first Charlotte hit.

But the big output came from Yolbert Sánchez (2-for-5, 3 RBIs, and looking every bit the player who should have been called up to Chicago instead of José Rodríguez):

Lenyn Sosa (two hits in his first game back from the IL) chimed in, as did Carlos Pérez (two hits, including his 11th homer, tying him for third among Sox MiLBers and fifth in the entire org):

Alejandro Mateo (win) and Bryan Shaw (save) were the only two Knights pitchers with scoreless outings. But for one game, at least, heavy Charlotte lumber paved over any blemishes.

Poll

Who was the Charlotte MVP in Tuesday’s runaway win?

This poll is closed

  • 34%
    Yolbert Sánchez: 2-for-5, 3 RBI, SF, K, 2 LOB
    (10 votes)
  • 48%
    Carlos Pérez: 2-for-4, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 3 LOB, GIDP, 0-for-2 CS
    (14 votes)
  • 0%
    Adam Haseley: 2-for-6, R, 2B, SB, 2 K, 6 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 17%
    Evan Skoug: 1-for-2, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB, K
    (5 votes)
  • 0%
    Bryan Shaw: 2 IP, 2 BB, K, SAVE
    (0 votes)
29 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was Charlotte’s Cold Cat in the big win?

This poll is closed

  • 66%
    Nate Fisher: 3 2⁄3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
    (14 votes)
  • 33%
    Edgar Navarro: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K
    (7 votes)
21 votes total Vote Now

This win starts with an outstanding effort from Cristian Mena, ends with an outstanding bullpen effort, and had just enough offense sprinkled in for Birmingham to shock the Braves.

Mena was looking much more like his May self, going five innings with five Ks to earn the win. The plate jumped around a bit on him (three walks), but his fourth win (and possible next call-up to start for Chicago, Touki Toussaint pending) was well-earned.

The big stick came from Bryan Ramos, getting his feet under him after a late season start. His three-run blast with two out in the fourth made the difference in the game.

Poll

Who was Birmingham’s MVP on Tuesday?

This poll is closed

  • 35%
    Cristian Mena: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K, WIN
    (10 votes)
  • 10%
    Haylen Green: 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K, HOLD
    (3 votes)
  • 3%
    Jerry Burke: IP, H, K, SAVE
    (1 vote)
  • 46%
    Bryan Ramos: 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R, K, LOB
    (13 votes)
  • 0%
    Xavier Fernández: 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI
    (0 votes)
  • 3%
    Moisés Castillo: 2-for-4, R, RBI, 2 LOB
    (1 vote)
28 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Birmingham upsets Montgomery, but who was the Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 5%
    Jonah Scolaro: IP, 2 H, ER, BB, K
    (1 vote)
  • 10%
    Adam Hackenberg: 1-for-4, 2B, R, 3 K, 3 LOB, 1-for-2 CS
    (2 votes)
  • 15%
    Alsander Womack: 0-for-4, BB, 3 LOB
    (3 votes)
  • 70%
    Yoelqui Céspedes: 0-for-4, 3 LOB
    (14 votes)
20 votes total Vote Now

It’s Freaky Tuesday, as the top-level teams win, the killer Dash lose. Huh?

It was a crash to Earth of sorts for Jonathan Cannon, who really has been pitching like a guy who somehow wants to see the South Side in 2023. He still racked up 10 Ks in his start tonight, but the bats he didn’t miss for Ks slapped him hard: eight hits and five runs (four earned) over 5 2⁄3 innings.

Now at 66 innings on the season, Cannon trails only the rotation churn lefty Nate Fisher in Charlotte for most frames recorded on the season in the White Sox minors, so the organization sees JC as a dependable workhorse potentially on the fast track. If he sees Birmingham in 2023 (a statistical certainty), he’s in line to fill one of three open rotation spots right out of 2024 Spring Training for the White Sox.

Anyhow, this loss (including a rain delay of nearly an hour), hinged on the poor pitching of Cannon and Chase Plymell, as well as the general lack of clutch from the bats (5-of-19 with RISP, 14 LOB). Andy Atwood tapped out four hits and two doubles, Caberea Weaver homered again, and Taishi Nakawake rapped three safeties and matched Atwood’s two two-baggers.

Poll

The Dash dropped a soggy one. Who was the MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 0%
    Taishi Nakawake: 3-for-5, R, RBI, 2 2B, K, LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 8%
    Caberea Weaver: 2-for-5, 2 R, HR, RBI, K, 3 LOB
    (2 votes)
  • 91%
    Andy Atwood: 4-for-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, K, LOB
    (21 votes)
  • 0%
    Tristan Stivors: 1⁄3 IP, K
    (0 votes)
23 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Winston-Salem Cold Cat?

This poll is closed

  • 12%
    Jonathan Cannon: 5 2⁄3 IP, 8 H, 5 R/4 ER, BB, 10 K, HR, WP
    (3 votes)
  • 84%
    Chase Plymell: IP, 2 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, HR, 22-of-45 strikes, LOSS
    (21 votes)
  • 4%
    Shawn Goosenberg: 0-for-5, R, 9 LOB
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    DJ Gladney: 0-for-3, BB, HBP, K, 5 LOB
    (0 votes)
25 votes total Vote Now

Monday’s ACL win saw the debut of Colson Montgomery, who went 1-for-4 with a triple. But it was fellow shortstop Ryan Burrowes who stole the show, going 2-for-4 with a triple and home run. Baserunners were sparse, with no walks and just seven hits, but with pitching the way the Complex Sox ran it up, hits were almost unnecessary. Notable among the arms, another good performance from outfielder-turned-reliever Anderson Comás, whose 1.93 ERA ranks eighth in the Sox minors among pitchers with at least nine innings this season.

Poll

Who was Monday’s MVP for the Complex Sox win?

This poll is closed

  • 69%
    Ryan Burrowes: 2-for-4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K
    (16 votes)
  • 17%
    Colson Montgomery: 1-for-4, R, 3B, welcome back!
    (4 votes)
  • 0%
    Arnold Prado: 1-for-3, LOB, CS, CF assist at 2B
    (0 votes)
  • 8%
    José Jimenez: 4 IP, H, 3 BB, 2 K, WIN
    (2 votes)
  • 4%
    Anderson Comás: IP, H, K, HOLD
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    Jesus Mendez: IP, K, SAVE
    (0 votes)
23 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Cold Cat in Monday’s ACL win?

This poll is closed

  • 29%
    Gabriel Rodriguez: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
    (5 votes)
  • 11%
    Ronny Hernandez: 1-for-3, K, 0-for-4 CS
    (2 votes)
  • 58%
    Matt Archer: 0-for-3, K, 2 LOB
    (10 votes)
17 votes total Vote Now

Boy howdy this must have been a fun one to watch, 100° at game time or otherwise, as the Complex Sox put up a seven-spot in the first inning en route to a romp. Chase Krogman, this year’s Anderson Comás converting from OF to P, threw a scoreless inning, while Will Kincanon, pitching some of his first pro games in forever, gave up a run but earned the victory.

There were a number of fine offensive efforts, but right fielder Godwin Bennett had a doozy of an all-around game: tripling, stealing a base, cutting down a runner at third base.

Poll

Whoa, another win for the Complex Sox, let’s choose an MVP.

This poll is closed

  • 50%
    Godwin Bennett: 2-for-3, 2 R, 3B, 2 BB, K, SB, CS, RF assist at 3B
    (6 votes)
  • 8%
    Arxy Hernández: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, GIDP, 2 LOB, SB
    (1 vote)
  • 25%
    Alvaro Agüero: 3-for-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K, 3 LOB, SB
    (3 votes)
  • 8%
    Logan Lyle: 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, HB
    (1 vote)
  • 8%
    Chase Krogman: IP, BB, K
    (1 vote)
12 votes total Vote Now

Poll

One final Cold Cat of the day’s slate.

This poll is closed

  • 5%
    Frankeli Arias: 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR, HOLD
    (1 vote)
  • 57%
    Ronny Robles: 1⁄3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 WP
    (11 votes)
  • 36%
    Colson Montgomery: 0-for-4, 3 K, 2 LOB
    (7 votes)
19 votes total Vote Now

Offbeat

Into the valley of death ...

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