White Sox Minor League Update: July 30, 2021

Let’s just look ahead to tomorrow!

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It’s been a rough week or so for the Knights, despite the presence of a revolving assortment of rehabbing major leaguers. Luis Robert and Jake Lamb combined to reach base four teams—Robert singled and walked and Lamb walked twice—but the Knights struck out 16 times en route to a 4-2 loss. Nate Nolan’s second inning solo home run was the only scoring in the game until the sixth, when the wheels came off the usually reliable Mike Wright; he allowed a double, single, then home run, and the Knights were unable to retake the lead.

Yermín Mercedes played first base apparently ably and laid down a bunt for a single. Blake Rutherford hit a double and a sac fly. Jake Burger and Micker Adolfo both exited early on what would have been a terrible day to do so had it been a day game; both have injuries believed to be minor, according to Jeff Cohen. In relief, Jace Fry and Matt Foster both dominated, combining for 2 ⅓ scoreless innings with no hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.

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The Dash are also not having an excellent week. Today, they were two-hit by their geographic rivals, the Greensboro Grasshoppers. One was a home run by Samil Dueñez, who’s on a rehab assignment from the Barons; the other was a single by Gunnar Troutwine, who went 1-for-6 in throwing out runners on the basepaths. He was also behind the plate for three of the four Dash wild pitches (all three of those by Edgar Navarro). Brandon Bossard walked twice and Yoelqui Céspedes and Alex Destino both drew a free pass each as well.

Dan Metzdorf didn’t have too bad of a start, the only two runs he gave up coming on solo shots. Vince Arobio, who has been all over the place with assignments this season, threw his first inning with the Dash since 2019 and allowed a run. Navarro and McKinley Moore gave up three runs apiece on four hits, five walks, and four wild pitches (one strikeout). Cooper Bradford was the only reliever to escape unscathed, tossing a scoreless seventh to lower his ERA to 7.24.

Dash manager Ryan Newman was ejected for the fifth time this season in the fifth inning after Lázaro Leal grounded out.

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Like the Knights and the Dash, the Cannon Ballers have had better stretches of baseball (really, they have). Starting pitcher Angel Acevedo was lit up for two doubles to score a run in the first inning but then cruised until the fifth, when six of the first seven batters that faced him reached, five runs crossing the plate. Yoelvin Silven gave up two more, one earned, and Jordan Mikel pitched two scoreless innings far too late to matter.

All seven Ballers hits today were singles, Harvin Mendoza and Caberea Weaver picking up two apiece. Mendoza was also caught stealing and Weaver threw a runner out at third base (the highs, the lows). The first Kannapolis run came in the fourth when they loaded the bases with one out and then Samil Polanco hit a sac fly that turned into an inning-ending double play, although Bryan Ramos was able to score before DJ Gladney was thrown out at second. They also scored a run in the ninth, Luis Mieses singling to lead off the frame, advancing to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball, then scoring on Weaver’s second single.

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The ACL Sox led this game 4-0, 5-1, and 7-2, but the pitching couldn’t hold on and they let it slip away in the ninth despite chances to walk it off, final score 8-7 ACL Reds. Logan Glass led off Sox scoring with his second home run of the season in the first inning. Wilber Sanchez also hit a dinger, the first of his career, which is in its second professional season (he’s 19). Johnabiell Laureano had a good day, going 3-for-5, scoring a pair of runs, and throwing out a runner at second; Anderson Comas matched him at the plate and added a couple of RBIs, hitting two doubles on the day. Laureano led off the Sox ninth with a single, advanced to second on an error, was bunted by Comas to third, then was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice.

Cristian Mena threw 4 ⅔ solid enough innings, striking out seven, walking one, and letting Fidel Castro single in one run and Wilfred Astudillo (yes, Willians’ brother) single in another. Castro went 3-for-5 with four RBI for the Reds in a truly vintage performance. Despite giving up four runs in one inning of work, Frander Veras wasn’t hung with the loss; it was Fraser Ellard with the blown save and Theo Denlinger with the L, the first professional appearance for both of them. Both teams struck out 17 times and walked five times.

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Today’s DSL Sox come-from-behind win catapulted them to the best win percentage in the system at .571, which is scientifically accurate regardless of whether they’ve only played 14 games or not. 18-year-old Godwin Bennett hit his first career home run, a three-run shot, in the bottom of the seventh (a DSL ninth) to walk it off. Catcher Manuel Guariman, age 17, hit a run-scoring double and is 6-for-14 with five walks and two strikeouts to start his extremely young career. Alberto Bernal contributed a sacrifice fly.

The ominously named Brian Carrion went three innings and allowed two hits. Francisco Benitez pitched three innings of one-run relief, and Gabriel Rodriguez throw a scoreless seventh to earn the win. Right fielder Fernando Vargas and Cesar Jiménez combined to throw out a runner at home to end a scoring threat in the third inning.