Yes, Tim Elko’s bat lodged an official protest with the White Sox having called up the eminently less worthy Colson Montgomery to the majors, but meanwhile Noah Schultz continues to make the case that he was simply not ready to face Triple-A hitters, even less so in the bandbox of Truist Field.
All in all, a mixed day, and we simply pray that the best starter in the system, Shane Murphy, heads straight to the majors instead of stopping off in Charlotte.
Charlotte Knights 10, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 5 (Statcast box)
Charlotte (42-42) broke out to 6-1 and 9-4 leads early, so this one was never much in doubt. Call this Tim Elko’s HEY WAIT THERE IS AN EXTRA SEAT ON THE PLANE NEXT TO COLSON game, because he went ham on the Shrimp (3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB) to the tune of this game-breaking grand slam:
However again burying the lede, Noah Schultz established himself for a third straight start as eminently unworthy of that open seat next to Colson, in this start lasting four innings but taking 75 pitches, four earned, three walks and two homers to get there. The Mush Top Prospects’ Hearts and Brains at Charlotte paradox lives on in the and despite the absence of Colson.
Poll
A big win for Charlotte and .500, finally. Who was the MVP?
Tim Elko: 3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, legit beef that he’s not back in Chicago instead of Colson Montgomery, 3 hard hits, 23.3% WPA
Jacob Amaya: 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2B, K, 3 hard hits, 15.5% WPA
Dru Baker: 1-for-4, R, 2B, 2 hard hits
Andre Lipcius: 2-for-5, RBI, 2B, 2 hard hits
Corey Julks: 2-for-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, HR, SB
Dominic Fletcher: 2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 K, RF assist at 2B
Bryse Wilson: 2 IP, 2 K, WIN (2-0)
Adam Hackenberg: 1-for-4, R, K, 2-of-3 CS
0%
Tim Elko: 3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, legit beef that he’s not back in Chicago instead of Colson Montgomery, 3 hard hits, 23.3% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Amaya: 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2B, K, 3 hard hits, 15.5% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Dru Baker: 1-for-4, R, 2B, 2 hard hits
(0 votes)
0%
Andre Lipcius: 2-for-5, RBI, 2B, 2 hard hits
(0 votes)
0%
Corey Julks: 2-for-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, HR, SB
(0 votes)
0%
Dominic Fletcher: 2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 K, RF assist at 2B
(0 votes)
0%
Bryse Wilson: 2 IP, 2 K, WIN (2-0)
(0 votes)
0%
Adam Hackenberg: 1-for-4, R, K, 2-of-3 CS
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Who snags the Cold Cat for Charlotte?
0%
Noah Schultz: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
(0 votes)
0%
Garrett Schoenle: IP, 3 H, ER, K
(0 votes)
0%
Bryan Ramos: 0-for-4, HBP
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Birmingham Barons 2, Chattanooga Lookouts 1
Shane Murphy Shane Murphy Shane Murphy Shane Murphy for the love of all that’s holy don’t call the southpaw up to Charlotte, please. Murphy played the buff end of this pitchers’ duel, going EIGHT innings on an ultra-efficient 83 pitches. But as it the Murphy Way, a brilliant starts begets a no-decision, at best. Murph’s ERA gets chiseled down to 1.44, yet his record remains stalled at 6-3.
Bham fell behind, 1-0, in the top of the eighth but tied the contest on a Colby Smelley long ball …
…and won it in walk-off fashion: Jacob Gonzalez single, DJ Gladney HBP, Caden Connor single.
Poll
Even though it’s gotta be Murphy again, let’s still vote on the Barons MVP.
Colby Smelley: 1-for-3, R, RBI, HR, 27.4% WPA
Shane Murphy: 8 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 23.2% WPA, pickoff at 1B
Zach Franklin: IP, K, WIN (2-0), 9-of-13 strikes
Caden Connor: 2-for-4, RBI
Shawn Goosenberg: 1-for-2, BB, 2B, SB
DJ Gladney: 1-for-3, K, HBP
0%
Colby Smelley: 1-for-3, R, RBI, HR, 27.4% WPA
(0 votes)
100%
Shane Murphy: 8 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 23.2% WPA, pickoff at 1B
(1 vote)
0%
Zach Franklin: IP, K, WIN (2-0), 9-of-13 strikes
(0 votes)
0%
Caden Connor: 2-for-4, RBI
(0 votes)
0%
Shawn Goosenberg: 1-for-2, BB, 2B, SB
(0 votes)
0%
DJ Gladney: 1-for-3, K, HBP
(0 votes)
1 vote total
Poll
Who was the Birmingham Cold Cat on Thursday?
0%
Rikuu Nishida: 0-for-3, HBP
(0 votes)
0%
William Bergolla: 1-for-4, CS, GIDP
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Burke: 0-for-3, 2 K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Hub City Spartanburgers 9, Winston-Salem Dash 7 (10 innings)
This was just a 5-5 game heading into overtime, where things went haywire in the 10th in an explosion of six runs. W-S (29-48) tied the game in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth, as two hit batsmen sandwiched around a single loaded the bases, with a balk and then a Matt Hogan single tying it.
With two outs and runners at first and second, Braden Montgomery could not keep his Captain Clutch rep going, striking out. In the 10th, now down 9-5, the Dash crawled back to 9-7 and sat with the sacks packed and two outs; Sam Antonacci, absolutely the man you want at the plate to push the game to the 11th, grounded to second to end the affair.
Poll
OK, crazy game for the Dash, who takes their MVP?
Matt Hogan: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K, 34.8% WPA
Sam Antonacci: 1-for-4, R, 2 BB, 2 SB
Samuel Zavala: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Alec Makarewicz: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K, SB
Luke Bell: IP, K
Carson Jacobs: 1 1⁄3 IP, 3 H, 2 K
0%
Matt Hogan: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K, 34.8% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Sam Antonacci: 1-for-4, R, 2 BB, 2 SB
(0 votes)
0%
Samuel Zavala: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K
(0 votes)
0%
Alec Makarewicz: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K, SB
(0 votes)
0%
Luke Bell: IP, K
(0 votes)
0%
Carson Jacobs: 1 1⁄3 IP, 3 H, 2 K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Give us the Dash Cold Cat in Thursday’s loss.
Frankeli Arias: 4 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 5 R/3 ER, BB, K
Jack Young: IP, 4 H, 4 R/3 ER, BB, K, LOSS (0-1)
Braden Montgomery: 0-for-4, R, BB, 3 K
Jackson Appel: 0-for-4, R, HBP, 1-for-4 CS
0%
Frankeli Arias: 4 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 5 R/3 ER, BB, K
(0 votes)
0%
Jack Young: IP, 4 H, 4 R/3 ER, BB, K, LOSS (0-1)
(0 votes)
0%
Braden Montgomery: 0-for-4, R, BB, 3 K
(0 votes)
0%
Jackson Appel: 0-for-4, R, HBP, 1-for-4 CS
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Hickory Crawdads 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2
The Crawdads were up, 4-0, before the CBs (36-42) managed even to stop hitting the snooze alarm and suit up for the game. By then, pfft, game over. A miserable game was reflective of the downturn Kanny has taken over the past month, with the bulk pitchers falling short and as many runs scored (two) as errors.
Poll
Another tough loss for Kannapolis, but who was the club’s MVP?
Ryan Burrowes: 2-for-4, BB, K
T.J. McCants: 2-for-4, RBI, K
Miguel Santos: 0-for-1, RBI, 2 HBP, SF
Nathan Archer: 1-for-3, R, BB, K, E
Blake Shepardson: IP, 2 BB, 3 K
Joseph Yabbour: 1 1⁄3 IP, H, 2 K, HB
Jonathan Clark: 1 2⁄3 IP, 3 K, 13-of-16 strikes
0%
Ryan Burrowes: 2-for-4, BB, K
(0 votes)
0%
T.J. McCants: 2-for-4, RBI, K
(0 votes)
0%
Miguel Santos: 0-for-1, RBI, 2 HBP, SF
(0 votes)
0%
Nathan Archer: 1-for-3, R, BB, K, E
(0 votes)
0%
Blake Shepardson: IP, 2 BB, 3 K
(0 votes)
0%
Joseph Yabbour: 1 1⁄3 IP, H, 2 K, HB
(0 votes)
0%
Jonathan Clark: 1 2⁄3 IP, 3 K, 13-of-16 strikes
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Let’s pick a Cold Cat for Kanny.
Justin Sinibaldi: 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 K, E, LOSS (2-5)
Gabriel Rodriguez: 3 ⅓ IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB
Carlton Perkins: IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K, WP, 11-of-23 strikes
Jordan Sprinkle: 0-for-5, K
Grant Magill: 1-for-4, 2 K
Abraham Núñez: 0-for-3, R, BB, GIDP
0%
Justin Sinibaldi: 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 K, E, LOSS (2-5)
(0 votes)
0%
Gabriel Rodriguez: 3 ⅓ IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB
(0 votes)
0%
Carlton Perkins: IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K, WP, 11-of-23 strikes
(0 votes)
0%
Jordan Sprinkle: 0-for-5, K
(0 votes)
0%
Grant Magill: 1-for-4, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Abraham Núñez: 0-for-3, R, BB, GIDP
(0 votes)
0 votes total
ACL Dodgers 7, ACL White Sox 2 (7 innings)
The good news is that the ACL Sox remain in first place. The bad? This one was a laffer in all the wrong ways, with the Doyers scoring in three of their six innings at the plate and efficiently stifling the Complex Sox’s run production (2-for-7 with RISP, seven left on base).
Poll
The Complex Sox lost but are still a first-place team, so let’s happily name an MVP!
Arnold Prado: 2-for-4, RBI, K, E
Drake Logan: 2-for-4, K, SB, GIDP
Angelo Hernandez: 1-for-3, R, K
Gray Thomas: IP, K
Leandro Alsinois: 0-for-2, BB, K, SB
0%
Arnold Prado: 2-for-4, RBI, K, E
(0 votes)
0%
Drake Logan: 2-for-4, K, SB, GIDP
(0 votes)
0%
Angelo Hernandez: 1-for-3, R, K
(0 votes)
0%
Gray Thomas: IP, K
(0 votes)
0%
Leandro Alsinois: 0-for-2, BB, K, SB
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Tough loss for the ACL White Sox, though. Who was the Cold Cat?
Jordany Chirinos: 3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, K, 2 HR, LOSS (1-2)
Stiven Flores: 0-for-3, BB
Adrian Gil: 0-for-2, BB, K, 0-for-3 CS
0%
Jordany Chirinos: 3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, K, 2 HR, LOSS (1-2)
(0 votes)
0%
Stiven Flores: 0-for-3, BB
(0 votes)
0%
Adrian Gil: 0-for-2, BB, K, 0-for-3 CS
(0 votes)
0 votes total