White Sox Minor League Update: July 15, 2018

Though Dylan Cease and Luis Basabe starred in D.C., there were still games to play in the minor leagues

Futures Game

Luis Basabe brought a little bit of this with his bat ...

... and a little bit of that with his arm today.

Meanwhile, Dylan Cease pitched, too ...

Dylan Cease: ²⁄₃ IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Luis Basabe: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

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Durham Bulls 7, Charlotte Knights 6

Nicky Delmonico: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Eloy Jimenez: 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Matt Skole: 0-for-5, 0 BB, 2 K

Jose Rondon: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Jordan Stephens: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K **MVP**

Carson Fulmer: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Ian Hamilton: ²⁄₃ IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

The Knights got out to a quick 3-0 lead, but the Bulls climbed back to make it a one-run game after five innings. Stephens was taken out after five innings, as he had already run up 93 pitches. He was not being hit hard, but allowed nine baserunners. Eddy Alvarez provided a big hit in the sixth, with a two-run homer, but Carson Fulmer allowed two runs in the bottom of the inning. Nicky Delmonico and Eloy Jiménez both added a multi-hit game, which was especially impressive for Jiménez, as this was his first game back from the DL. The Knights were able to extend their lead, but then Ian Hamilton gave up three runs in the ninth to blow the save — his first BS in Charlotte.

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Tennessee Smokies 7, Birmingham Barons 6

Joel Booker: 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 SB

Alex Call: 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Zack Collins: 1-for-5, 0 BB, 3 K

Danny Mendick: 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 SB

Jameson Fisher: 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Keon Barnum: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Bernardo Flores: 4 ¹⁄₃ IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

The Barons were streaking towards the finish line through four innings, getting ahead 6-0 largely on the back of Keon Barnum’s two homers and Bernardo Flores’ pitching. However, Birmingham fell apart by the sixth inning. Flores allowed four runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and the Smokies tied the game at 6-6. It was not all Flores’ fault, but he was crushed in the fifth. The Barons were shut out the rest of the game, and eventually fell to the Smokies, 7-6.

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Winston-Salem Dash 6, Buies Creek Astros 4

Luis Gonzalez: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

Ti’Quan Forbes: 1-for-5, 0 BB, 1 K

Blake Rutherford: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K

Gavin Sheets: 4-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Laz Rivera: 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

Blake Battenfield: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

The Dash win again, this time with 13 hits and a quality start by Blake Battenfield. Battenfield was able to scuffle and keep two home runs allowed from beating him. He showed much better command this time out, with one walk and nine strikeouts, but he still got hit hard (three extra-base hits). Meanwhile, W-S tapping 13 hits without Blake Rutherford getting on was unexpected, but Luis Gonzalez was able to record two hits, keeping his average better than .300. Gavin Sheets reached base every time with a hit, including a double, and is sitting at .292 and creeping towards a .300 average. Sheets is still not flashing the power Sox fans expected, but he has found other ways to impact the team with his bat.

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Hagerstown Suns 6, Kannapolis Intimidators 4

Nolan Brown: 2-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Luis Curbelo: 0-for-3, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Craig Dedelow: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Justin Yurchak: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Evan Skoug: 0-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Yosmer Solorzano: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 0 K

Yosmer Solorzano did not have a good start, as he was hit hard and could not find the strike zone. It was not a good recipe for success. The I’s were down 5-0, but put a four-spot up in the fifth inning to make the game competitive. Nolan Brown hit a bases-clearing, three-run triple, and Luis Curbelo drove Brown in off of a sacrifice fly. After that, Kannapolis could not score again, mustering only five hits in the 6-4 loss.

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Grand Junction Rockies 5, Great Falls Voyagers 2

Ian Dawkins: 3-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K **MVP**

Lenyn Sosa: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Logan Sowers: 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Corey Zangari: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Ramon Beltre: 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Gunnar Troutwine: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 0 K

Spencer Moran: 5 ¹⁄₃ IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Spencer Moran was sailing through three innings, but he was finally tabbed for a run in the fourth, and then three more in the next two innings. Moran has been one of the few starters to pitch deeper into a game, because he was not a 2018 draft choice. The Voyagers could only muster two runs from their eight hits. Ian Dawkins raised his batting average to .333 after three singles. Corey Zangari had the lone extra-base hit, a double, to drive in Logan Sowers, but the Voyagers would fall, 5-2.

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AZL White Sox 2, AZL Athletics 1

Nick Madrigal: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Luis Mieses: 1-for-4, 0 BB, 0 K

Steele Walker: 1-for-4, 0 BB, 1 K

Bryce Bush: 1-for-2, 0 BB, 0 K

Kelvin Maldonado: 1-for-2, 0 BB, 0 K

Brayan Herrera: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Davis Martin: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Another low-scoring affair in Arizona. Brayan Herrera did not last long in the game, but only gave up one run in five innings. Herrera is now sporting a 1.50 ERA in Arizona. Davis Martin relieved Herrera in the sixth for his first professional appearance, and it was a perfect inning. Another first, but on the offensive side, Steel Walker collected his first career hit, and Nick Madrigal added his first RBI. Bryce Bush is hitting the best out of the recent signings, however. He added a double and is now hitting better than .300 in his early career.