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Dane Dunning is a level down from Michael Kopech and Alec Hansen, but he put up a season finale on Sunday that was on par with his fellow pitching prospects.
Dunning threw a seven-inning one-hitter against Salem in the front end of a doubleheader, throwing just 78 pitches even with nine strikeouts. The one measly hit was a measly infield single.
"Those things happen," he said. "It was one of those balls that was just out of my reach and just far enough from [Dash second baseman] Bryant Flete that he couldn't make a play on it. After the game, I joked with him and said, 'Come on, you couldn't have thrown him out?'"
The shutout lowered his ERA below 3.00 for the season -- 2.94 ERA, with a 3.51 ERA over 22 starts in Winston-Salem after a 0.35 ERA over four starts with Kannapolis. He struck out 168 batters to just 38 walks over a career-high 144 innings, although you probably have to add his HBP total (13) to his walks, as that may be a feature of his style.
He doesn’t turn 23 until December, so he’s on an age-appropriate track to be more than the third pitcher in the Adam Eaton deal.
Charlotte 4, Norfolk 3
- Jake Peter went 2-for-4.
- Jacob May, 1-for-3 with a sac bunt.
- Casey Gillaspie was 0-for-3 with a walk.
- D.J. Peterson was 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
- Eddy Alvarez was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Danny Hayes went 1-for-4 with a double.
Mississippi 7, Birmingham 2
- Eloy Jimenez went 1-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Nick Basto was 1-for-3 with a sac fly.
- Courtney Hawkins went 2-for-4 with a homer and a strikeout.
- Zack Collins was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Trey Michalczewski, 2-for-4.
- Jordan Stephens: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 10 K, 3 WP
Winston-Salem 2, Salem 0 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Jameson Fisher went 0-for-1 with a walk and an HBP.
- Seby Zavala was 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
- Ti’Quan Forbes, 1-for-3 with a double.
- Dane Dunning finished with a flourish: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K
Winston-Salem 3, Salem 2 (Game 2, 8 innings)
- Seby Zavala was 2-for-4.
- Ti’Quan Forbes, 0-for-4.
- Ian Clarkin: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Lakewood 8, Kannapolis 0
- Joel Booker was 0-for-4 with a K.
- Luis Gonzalez, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He was also caught stealing.
- Blake Rutherford was 0-for-4.
- Jake Burger, 0-for-3 with an HBP and a K.
- Gavin Sheets was 1-for-4.
- Alex Call, 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
- Evan Skoug went 0-for-3 with a K.
- Blake Hickman: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
- Andre Davis: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Missoula 9, Great Falls 2
- Craig Dedelow was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Jusin Yurchak went 2-for-4 with a homer.
- Franklin Reyes, 1-for-4 with a K.