Another 1-for-4 day among the White Sox affiliates put all four teams at the 1-3 mark on the season.
Durham 6, Charlotte 4
Jacob Turner posted an encouraging first start (4 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K), but for a second straight game the Knights’ bullpen faltered. Terance Marin saw his first action of the year and it didn’t go well, as he gave up four earned runs on three hits and three walks in two frames.
Hector Sanchez hit his second home run in as many nights, while Carlos Sanchez (no relation that we’re aware of) had a double in five trips but also struck out three times. The only Knight with multiple hits was Jason Coats, who went 2-for-4 and is hitting a team-leading .412 on the season thus far. Jacob May and Matt Davidson each added a hit, with May’s going for two bases.
NOTE: Tim Anderson has missed the last two games for Charlotte. We don’t yet know why but are trying to find out.
Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who the Sox acquired just as the season was getting underway, will take the hill against Norfolk on Monday.
Jacksonville 8, Birmingham 3
Joey DeMichele had a nice game at the plate, hitting a home run and a double while adding a walk. Adam Engel reached base three times with a hit and a pair of walks, and stole his second bag of the season. Jake Peter was 2-for-4 and has hit .375 in this first series of the year, with no other regular on the Barons hitting above .267 in the same stretch.
Unfortunately those bases weren’t enough, as David Holmberg had a shaky first inning en route to 5 innings of 3-run ball. Peter Tago struggled for a second straight outing, giving up three runs in 1.1 innings that featured only 2 hits, but also a pair of walks and a matching pair of wild pitches.
Brandon Brennan makes his season debut next, starting for Birmingham as they close their set at Jacksonville.
Lynchburg 2, Winston-Salem 0
The Dash have gotten some solid pitching so far, but the offense just hasn’t been there since their opening day 14-run glut and they were shut out in this one. Gerson Montilla did record three singles in his four plate appearances, and Hunter Jones added a double for the team’s only extra base hit.
Jordan Stephens made his High-A debut (after skipping Low-A) and ended up with a mostly decent pitching line (4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) but struggled with control at times. Nolan Sanburn and Andre Wheeler combined for 4 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball with 6 punch-outs to keep the Dash within striking distance.
Blair Walters makes his first appearance returning to the White Sox organization Monday as the Dash open a series at Myrtle Beach.
Kannapolis 10, Hickory 3
The Intimidators’ lineup, which looked like a potential force coming into the season, finally broke out in this blow-out. After scoring just 4 runs in their first 3 games, they put up a 10-spot on 14 hits, 9 of which came from the team’s outfielders. Landon Lassiter, who missed the first two games of the season, had the best overall day at the plate: A double, two singles, a walk and a stolen base. Tyler Sullivan continues to be effective in the leadoff spot (.500 OBP so far in 4 games), with a triple and a pair of singles in this contest. Antonio Rodriguez also had three hits in his five at bats, adding a stolen base of his own. Zach Fish, the DH in this contest, hit a 3-run blast as part of his 2-4 day.
Seby Zavala hasn’t gotten going yet offensively (0-for-12, 8 K, 1 BB), but he’s provided some value from behind the plate. Against a Hickory team that clearly likes to run, Zavala has thrown out 5 of 13 attempted base-stealers (38.5%) and additionally back-picked a runner off first base in this most recent contest.
Tanner Banks booked a solid first start, allowing 3 earned runs in 5 innings, striking out 5 while walking 1. Matt Ball and Taylore Cherry split the other four innings, not allowing a run and striking out eight.
Johnathan Frebis makes his first start of the year Monday night as the I’s host Delmarva.
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