By all accounts, Charlotte should not only be in first place in the International League North, but the entire International League, boasting a +62 run differential. As it stands, the Knights are a mere third-place team at 29-27, 5 ½ games out of first place. Given its high-powered offense, perhaps the playoffs will still be in the offing for the club. Meanwhile the chances of a Southern League threepeat for the Barons are dissolving by the day, given their league-worst -43 run differential and absolute-basement 18-31 record.
Down A-ball way, things are a bit brighter. Winston-Salem sits in second place in the Sally South, albeit 7 ½ games back in spite of a Sox org-best 29-21 record. Kannapolis, after throwing away most of April, has rebounded to make a season of it, at 26-24 and just three games out of first place.
And back in Arizona, the Complex Sox just don’t have it this year, at a league-worst 7-14, good for last in the ACL West (although merely tied with the ACL Cubs in the basement).
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 15, Charlotte Knights 6
The buff Knights took one on the chin, with each one of their four pitchers in the game (plus Mario Camilletti, in a mop-up ninth) getting hit with a crooked number. Charlotte actually led in this game, 5-3, and was tied, 5-5, heading into the massacre of a final third of the game. It was Ben Peoples, popular choice for call-up if ever Chris Getz runs some AAAA outfielders off of the 40-man, who arrived with one out in the seventh to ostensibly rescue Chase Plymell from duress; instead the righty doused the fire with gasoline, tossing 20 off the plate among 32 pitches and ending up not only with the loss but the odd score line of four earned runs off of ZERO hits. His final three walks — the last of which gave the J. Shrimp what would be their GWRBI — consisted of 12 balls and one strike.
Here’s that thrilling GWRBI for Jax:
The offense had it going, as six runs/14 hits usually gets it done, even at Truist Field. Alas, not tonight.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 7, Birmingham Barons 2
The Barons were down, 5-0, before touching the plate for the first time, in the fifth inning. Yeah, just one of first five Pensacola runs were earned, but let’s not be too generous to starter Gabe Davis — he had one of the errors that led to two unearned scores.
So, the pitching and defense was weak tonight, how about the offense? Well, eight hits, but with just three walks against 14 Ks, not a good showing. OK, except for Drake Logan, who owned the two Barons XBHs in the game, including a homer:
Winston-Salem Dash 6, Rome Emperors 2
Hey, dig it, a win! And a particularly well-pitched one, as starter Justin Sinibaldi went six strong and was backed by scoreless efforts from Mathias LaCombe and Prince George. On the batting side, what new, Caleb Bonemer had three hits, including two doubles.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2, Augusta GreenJackets 1
The sole nail-biter of today’s action came in Kannapolis, as the Cannon Ballers scored single runs in the first and second innings and had them stand up for seven innings thereafter. A-ball arms were boss today, as in this one it was Riley Eikhoff leading the way with 6 ⅓ scoreless. Pro tip: You can get away with just five hits, no walks and 10 strikeouts on offense if your pitching is that hot.
The first run was mundane, a ground out from Javier Mogollón (no offense, Javier). But the eventual decider was pretty exciting, as missing-in-action prime prospect Alexander Albertus sent one flying out.
That is Alexander’s first career home run in the White Sox organization, a blast we’ve waited two years to see.