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Clint Frazier mashed two balls for Charlotte tonight, including one that nearly capped a Knights comeback.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

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White Sox Minor League Update: July 22, 2023

The South Side farm system jumped on the struggle bus Saturday, and got stuck

By Kristina Airdo
/ new

If not for the rookie-leaguers, it would be a day full of L’s in the White Sox farm system today. The Dash seemed to forget how to hit and field today — and Charlotte tried to come back in the ninth to save face, but the damage was already done.

To really sum up the day, both Double-A Birmingham and Low-A Kannapolis got blown out by nine or more runs. Yikes.

Let’s (reluctantly) take a look, shall we?

The Knights and Memphis Redbirds traded the lead early on, but the Charlotte bullpen didn’t have what it took tonight, spoiling a five-inning, six-hit, quality start from Nate Fisher. Lefthander Ben Holmes gave up the lead with four runs on four hits in the seventh, and Edgar Navarro nearly matched that by allowing another three insurance runs for Memphis in the ninth, ultimately giving the Redbirds the victory.

The offense still put up eight hits, including Clint Frazier’s clutch, two-run single to bring the Knights within one in the bottom of the seventh. His single was the hardest-hit ball of the night, flying off of the bat at 104.7 mph.

Although Yoán Moncada is still working through his back issues, he, too, put a couple of hits on the board — including an RBI double in the ninth — but it wasn’t enough to spark a three-run rally for the win.

Poll

Who was the MVP for the Knights?

This poll is closed

  • 10%
    Yolbert Sánchez (2B): 2-or-4, RBI, 2 R, BB
    (5 votes)
  • 38%
    Yoán Moncada (3B): 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, 2 BB
    (18 votes)
  • 2%
    Clint Frazier (CF): 1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, K
    (1 vote)
  • 48%
    Nate Fisher: 5 IP, 6H, ER, BB, 4 K
    (23 votes)
47 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Knights’ least valuable player?

This poll is closed

  • 87%
    Ben Holmes: 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, HR, BB, K
    (28 votes)
  • 6%
    Edgar Navarro: IP, 4 H, 3 ER
    (2 votes)
  • 6%
    Lenyn Sosa (DH): 0-for-4, 2 K, 4 LOB
    (2 votes)
  • 0%
    Erik González (SS): 0-for-4, 2 K, 2 LOB
    (0 votes)
32 votes total Vote Now

Matt Thompson started out the game with a six-inning gem, keeping the the game tied 1-1 going into the seventh before giving up another couple of runs to be credited with the loss. The bats were nonexistent, and a chaotic ninth inning led to Chattanooga tagging on six more runs to end the game, 9-1.

Alsander Womack had a phenomenal day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with an RBI (himself). He went deep in the third to put Birmingham up early, 1-0, but it was nap time for the offense after that, as Womack would be the only Baron to score today.

Before getting ejected in the last inning, Xavier Fernández also smoked a double in the eighth, extending his hit streak to 14!

Poll

Who was the MVP for the Barons?

This poll is closed

  • 94%
    Alsander Womack (1B): 4-for-4, HR, RBI, R
    (33 votes)
  • 5%
    Haylen Green: 2 IP, H, BB, K
    (2 votes)
35 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the least valuable player for the Barons?

This poll is closed

  • 0%
    Matt Thompson: 6 IP, L, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
    (0 votes)
  • 74%
    Fraser Ellard: 5 H, 6 ER ninth inning
    (23 votes)
  • 0%
    Luis Mieses (LF): 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K, 5 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Xavier Fernández: 1-for-4, 2B, 3 K, 3 LOB, ejection, passed ball
    (0 votes)
  • 25%
    6, 7, 8, 9 batters: 0-for-14, BB, 4 K, 7 LOB
    (8 votes)
31 votes total Vote Now

Jacob Burke went 0-for-4 with a K tonight, marking the first time in 53 games he hasn’t gotten on base. Yes, the center fielder’s stunningly-good on-base streak is over, ending at 52 games. Hats off, JB!

It was mostly a pitching duel in Winston-Salem, who got shutout by the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, 3-0. Outside of five sporadic hits, the Dash didn’t have much to say at the plate, striking out 10 times and going 1-for-7 with RISP.

Connor McCullough was on the mound for the Dash, and he was able to sling nine K’s despite being saddled with the loss. A White Sox pitcher not getting any run support? Color me shocked! The defense put up three errors behind him as well, so the cards were stacked against McCullough tonight.

Everhett Hazelwood closed out the last three innings very nicely, giving up just two hits while shutting down the BlueClaws. Tough break for the pitching staff tonight, all around.

Poll

Who was the Dash’s MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 72%
    Connor McCullough: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, HR BB, 9 K
    (21 votes)
  • 27%
    Everhett Hazelwood: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K
    (8 votes)
29 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the Dash’s least valuable player?

This poll is closed

  • 38%
    Wes Kath (3B): 0-for-2, BB, 2 K, E, 3 LOB
    (10 votes)
  • 38%
    Tim Elko (1B): 0-for-4, K, E, LOB
    (10 votes)
  • 15%
    Caberea Weaver (LF): 0-for-3, 2 K, 2 LOB
    (4 votes)
  • 7%
    Jacob Burke (CF): 0-for-4, K, but ease up, he’s been on base every game this season until now
    (2 votes)
26 votes total Vote Now

Things started out much better than they ended in Kannapolis, going up, 1-0, in the first inning. I will let the win probability chart below do the talking for how the rest of the game went. Spoiler alert: It was all downhill from there. Literally.

Noah Schultz was untouchable through his first 14-odd innings marking his pro debut, unscored upon and practically unhittable. But that zilch ERA ballooned to 2.30 ERA tonight, as he just didn’t have it, giving up six runs — including three bombs — to the Mudcats in his 1 1⁄3 innings. The defense was subpar at best, with three fielding errors, one being a throwing error from Schultz himself.

Offensively, there was nothing to write home about: Four total hits, including a double, 0-for-6 with RISP, and 11 K’s. It’s really no wonder why they lost this game. Let’s try again tomorrow.

Poll

Who was the Cannon Ballers’ MVP?

This poll is closed

  • 76%
    Yohemy Nolasco: 3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 4 K, only pitcher to not give up a run
    (19 votes)
  • 12%
    Mario Camilletti (DH): 1-for-3, 2B, R, BB, K
    (3 votes)
  • 12%
    Chris Lanzilli (LF): 1-for-3, RBI
    (3 votes)
25 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the least valuable player for the Cannon Ballers?

This poll is closed

  • 79%
    Noah Schultz: 1 1⁄3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 6 R, 3 HR, K
    (19 votes)
  • 12%
    Bullpen sans Nolasco: 3 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 7 R, 3 BB (1-each), 0 K, PK, HR
    (3 votes)
  • 0%
    Brooks Baldwin (3B): 0-for-4, K, E, 3 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Bryce Willits (1B): 0-for-3, 2 K, 2 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 8%
    Drake Logan (RF): 0-for-4, 3 K, 3 LOB
    (2 votes)
24 votes total Vote Now

Finally, we can finally talk about a win today. But first, some important news from the ACL White Sox, who released five players this afternoon — including Enoy Jiménez, the brother of White Sox big-league slugger Eloy.

The ACL Sox played a pretty sound game all around, scoring all of their runs in the third inning — an RBI single from Alvaro Agüero, and a two-run bomb from Guillermo Rodríguez.

The pitching staff was able to hold the ACL Dodgers off, as Jordan Mikel’s second rehab start — still new off of the 60-day IL — went far better than his first. Mikel threw two quality innings, and the rest of the bullpen (mostly) followed suit. Being the lucky pitcher throwing in the third inning, Cole Duensing was credited for the win. Now with three appearances in 2023, Duensing has yet to give up a hit.

Poll

Who was the MVP for the ACL White Sox?

This poll is closed

  • 0%
    Jordan Mikel: 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K
    (0 votes)
  • 23%
    Bullpen: 5 IP, H, ER, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K
    (4 votes)
  • 0%
    Alvaro Agüero (LF): 1-for-4, RBI, R, H
    (0 votes)
  • 76%
    Guillermo Rodríguez (SS): 2-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, K
    (13 votes)
17 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who was the least valuable player for the ACL Sox?

This poll is closed

  • 100%
    Luis Pineda (DH): 0-for-3, K, 2 LOB
    (7 votes)
  • 0%
    Carlos Jiménez: 0-for-3, K, 2 LOB
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Godwin Bennett (RF): 0-for-2 BB, K, 1 LOB
    (0 votes)
7 votes total Vote Now
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