White Sox Minor League Update: May 13, 2022

It’s Friday the 13th, all right.

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Charlotte clawed out of an early hole to eventually tie it in the ninth, but almost instantly lost it in extras, falling 7-5 to the Indianapolis Indians. While they did only have five hits all night, they were economical; two were solo home runs, one by the newly healthy Yermín Mercedes in the fifth and one by Seby Zavala to tie it up in the ninth. They also scored a couple in the third when Mark Payton tripled in Zavala from a walk, then a Romy González ground out scored Payton (González was removed after six innings). The only other Knights run was also Seby-involved, his seventh-inning single knocking in Blake Rutherford, who reached on error.

Wes Benjamin was not at his best on the mound, but he was not helped by Yolbert Sánchez, who at least is safely back in the lineup after mysteriously being removed yesterday after two innings. Sánchez doubled his error output at second base with two, both of them leading to unearned runs for Benjamin, who would give up five runs total.

The bullpen kept it together long enough for the Knights to struggle their way back. Jhan Mariñez, Zach Muckenhirn, Kyle Crick, Anderson Severino, and Yacksel Ríos combined for a line of 6 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K. The 10th was up to Brody Koerner, a minor league free agent who signed about two weeks ago; he gave up a two-run home run on the first pitch, although only one of those runs was earned thanks to being scored by a ghost. The Knights did not have an answer in the bottom half of the inning.

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One way to get knocked out of a game early is to spend 83 pitches (42 strikes) walking seven guys, among other things, which is what Jason Bilous did today for the Barons. Usually dependable, he exited in the third in his second straight subpar start. Upon his departure, Garrett Davila pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam, but then gave up a run in a two-single, one-walk fifth.

This one wasn’t well and truly lost until the sixth, though. Hansen Butler replaced Davila and walked the first two batters faced, got a force out, then allowed a two-run single immediately followed by a two-run dinger. After one more out, he allowed a second bomb, making it 9-4 Shuckers. Brian Glowicki and Theo Denlinger both pitched scoreless innings.

The Barons weren’t totally stymied at the plate, every starter except JJ Muno reaching via hit at least once. Xavier Fernández went deep for the first time all season, a two-run blast in the first that also scored Lenyn Sosa. Their other two runs came in the fourth; José Rodríguez singled, stole second (his fifth of the year), and scored on Raudy Read’s double. Jagger Rusconi singled Read to third, then DJ Burt hit into a double play, Read managing to cross the plate before the final out.

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Bad situational hitting and a ninth-inning meltdown caused the Dash to fall to Rome 5-4, although they did turn five double plays. Freshly promoted Luis Moncada made his season debut as a starter after pitching out of the bullpen a couple of times for Kannapolis and pitched serviceably well, walking three and only striking out one but lasting into the fifth inning. The two runs he gave up were on a walk and home run to the first two batters of the game.

It took the Dash until the fifth to tie it, scoring two on a Luis Mieses RBI single and a passed ball. They pulled ahead with two more in the sixth, an inning that featured zero hits, five walks, a balk, and two stolen bases. Tyler Osik would be the last Dash batter to reach base, hitting a one-out single in the ninth and ending up at second after a wild pitch, but that is where he possibly remains to this day. The Dash went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

It was a brutal bottom of the ninth, one that started with the Dash leading 4-2. Ty Madrigal allowed a one-out single and was replaced with Zach Cable who retired one batter before allowing two straight singles to tie the game. It was Cable or nothing, and he walked the next batter, then gave up a walk-off single to the next.

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The Cannon Ballers have roared back above .500, scoring four late to end the Fredericksburg Nationals. 2021 10th-rounder Tommy Sommer pitched well, striking out seven over five innings. We here at South Side Sox are also SO pleased to report that his control looks good; after this game, nobody can say that he can’t even hit the broad side of a House.

Garrett Schoenle’s excellent season continued; the 6’5” lefty earned the win with three scoreless innings, striking out four. In 17 innings this year, he has 24 strikeouts and eight walks; he’s allowed four earned runs for a 2.12 ERA. Frander Veras was called upon to close it out, which he did, but not before the Nationals strung together three hits for a run.

Thanks to a four-run eighth, though, that run didn’t matter. The bats had been quiet since scoring one run in the second on a Samil Polanco double, Logan Glass single, and Nationals error. Wes Kath kickstarted things with a one-out HBP, advancing to second when DJ Gladney walked and scoring on Wilfred Veras’ single. Chase Krogman singled to load the bases and Alsander Womack singled to keep them loaded and put the Dash up 3-1.

After Polanco struck out, the Ballers did their best last-night’s-Knights impression, Glass with the RBI strikeout that ended with him safely at first. The final run came with catcher Nick Thornquist’s bases-loaded walk before Misael González was the fourth strikeout victim of the inning.