The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers couldn’t nab the series victory against the Carolina Mudcats as they lose 6-2, splitting the 6-game series.
White Sox top-30 prospect Bailey Horn faced the Mudcats for a 2nd time this week and was looking ready to roll the team he had carved up with five strikeouts on Tuesday. Sunday, Horn didn’t look quite as sharp as he did last outing; the difference this time was that the Mudcats made Horn work for his outs.
Across his first two innings of work, the left-hander accumulated 34 pitches and two walks. Not only were the Mudcats making Horn work, but they were able to barrel up the ball to the Cannon Ballers defense, where the game fell apart for Kannapolis.
Coming off a dismal 8-error showing last night in a 12-5 loss, the Cannon Ballers accounted for three crucial errors that cost them a chance at the win. The first was made by Jose Rodriguez in the 2nd inning on a routine grounder. Rodriguez’s throw was high and right of first baseman Harvin Mendoza, allowing the batter to reach. While this error may have not contributed to a run for the Mudcats, it made Horn work an extra two batters to finish the frame.
I had talked about Lency Delgado looking quite comfortable at 3rd base recently. Sunday, Delgado got the start there and his day didn’t last too long. The 2018 draftee, coming off an error from last night, accounted for another error and a fielding blunder that came in the 3rd inning.
The error came on a weak dribbler that bounced off and over his glove, allowing the first batter of the inning to reach. The fielding mistake came when another grounder came to Delgado with a chance at a double play. He was slow to make the turn to 2nd base and both runners were safe at their respective bases. The Cannon Ballers already had an out in the inning and could’ve had another if Delgado went to first base.
As of late, Delgado had been looking better with the glove, going 14 games between errors in the field before last night. The infielder looked like he did at the start of the year — pressing for plays that aren’t quite there and over-thinking fielding decisions. Manager Guillermo Quiroz had seen enough from Lency and pulled him in favor of D.J. Gladney when his spot in the lineup came around in the bottom half of the 3rd inning.
With Delgado putting runners on 1st and 2nd, Mudcats second baseman Felix Valerio doubled and plated two runs to get the visitors on the board. Later in the inning with runners on the corners, Ernesto Martinez went for a steal attempt at 2nd base. Catcher Daniel Millwee, who returns to Kannapolis after a short stint with the Winston-Salem Dash, went for the throw to nab Martinez, allowing Valerio to try for home and succeeded on a Samil Polanco error that threw Millwee off at a chance for the out. With the Mudcats putting up three on advantageous errors and Horn off his game a little, the Cannon Baller offense had to step up for a chance at the win.
Kannapolis had a scoring opportunity early in the 1st with the bases-loaded, but couldn’t capitalize as Mendoza popped out to end the inning. The team was able to push across their first run in the 3rd inning with a Rodriguez bomb to left field, his 5th home run of the year. Rodriguez continues to show that he can mash right-handed pitching, coming into the contest with a .877 OPS and 12 of his 16 extra-base hits against righties.
Rodriguez wasn’t the only one to go yard today as Chase Krogman pulled a homer to right-field at the outfield bar in the 6th inning. The homers from Rogriguez and Krogman accounted for the only runs for the Cannon Ballers on the day as both went 2-for-4 with a home run, single and walk respectively. These two have been spark plugs for this young, scrappy team and it’s good to see them bolstering their status as players to watch for.
Before the Krogman home run, Horn’s day was finished after the 4th inning and reliever Jesus Valles came in to pitch the 5th. Horn’s final line wasn’t flashy and shows how quiet of a day he had: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER (3 UER), 3K, 2 BB on 68 pitches.
Valles sent the Mudcats down 1-2-3 in the 5th and rolled into the 6th inning. In that frame, Valles gave up a home run to Valerio that pushed the score to 4-1 in favor of the Mudcats. Valerio crushed Kannapolis today going 2-for-3 with the home run, the double from the 3rd inning, batted in three runs, and drew a walk.
The Mudcats went on to score another two runs on an Andre Nnebe single in the 8th where he was thrown out trying to advance to 2nd base. Those runs came off of Marcus Evey who only threw one inning of work, giving up two hits and two walks. Evey hasn’t looked great to start the year as he ballooned to an 11.25 ERA after today.
Kannapolis had their chances to strike for runs with runners in scoring position in five different innings, including a bases-loaded scenario for hot-bat Cabera Weaver which eventually saw the outfielder strikeout to end the game. They couldn’t ball out when it mattered, going a disappointing 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Errors and missed opportunities encompassed the last two days for Kannapolis, but they have to hold their head high knowing they split the series against the best team in their division.
The Cannon Ballers return to action on Tuesday as they go on the road to face the Texas Rangers affiliate, Down East Wood Ducks.
Photo credit: Michael Guariglia/FutureSox
Want to know right away when we publish a new article? Type your email address in the box on the right-side bar (or at the bottom on a mobile device) and click create subscription. Our list is completely spam free and you can opt out at any time. Also, consider supporting FutureSox on Patreon! You can get early access to special articles and Patreon-only posts, in addition to more benefits.
Shop our exclusive merchandise! Show your support with FutureSox apparel.