White Sox Minor League Update: July 19-25

If you wonder why the White Sox prefer to have their minor-league affiliates bunched together in North Carolina, Spencer Adams' High-A debut is a good example.

The Winston-Salem Dash were short a starter in a doubleheader, so Adams made the drive from Kannapolis to pitch Game 2. It was a rousing success, as he held Lynchburg scoreless over six innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out four. Nevertheless, it's merely a one-night stand, as his next start will be back with the Intimidators.

MiLB.com has a good review of Adams' outing:

The 19-year-old right-hander's thing was making quick work of the Hillcats, mostly on the ground. He retired the first four batters he faced before Mike Papi singled with one out in the second. Adams only allowed more than one baserunner in the fourth, when Clint Frazier singled and Nellie Rodriguez reached on third baseman Trey Michalczewski's error, then worked around Paul Hendrix's leadoff double in the sixth.

Of the 18 outs Adams recorded, 10 were on the ground. Although he's been given high grades for his hard-sinking fastball, the he credited his other offerings for his one-night success with the Dash.

"What worked out for me was the off-speed stuff," he said. "I was using a circle change and a slider, and the slider's been more of my go-to pitch when I'm ahead. I've been spotting up with it more, throwing it in the backdoor, keeping it in the zone but not up in the zone. It's been working really well here."

Sunday's box scores will appear below shortly.