Norfolk Tides 4, Charlotte Knights 1 (Statcast Box)
The Knights (57-66) saw their series evened with the Tides (53-67) at two apiece in their boring loss. Sean Burke was unimpressive on the bump in his first game back in Triple-A since 2024, with eight hits, four runs, and three walks in five innings. While the bullpen pitched four clean frames, the offense couldn’t clean up Burke’s mess. The Knights collected just six hits and failed to move runners around the bases, getting just five batters in scoring position all night. Dominic Fletcher supplied Charlotte’s only run with his 16th home run of the season in the seventh, but by then morale was clearly shot.
Knights MVP
Dominic Fletcher (CF): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Other Notables
Bryan Hudson (RP): 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Dan Altavilla (RP): 1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Blake Sabol (C): 1-for-3, 1 BB
Knights Cold Cat
Sean Burke (SP): 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Others Chilled
Corey Julks: 0-for-3, 1 BB
Bryan Ramos (3B): 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Tim Elko (1B): 0-for-4
Birmingham Barons 1, Rocket City Trash Pandas 0 (7 innings, Game 1)
Like many nights in August, pitching carried the Barons (71-46) in their opener against the Trash Pandas (39-77). Riley Gowens and Garrett Schoenle combined for two hits, a walk, and 10 strikeouts in Bham’s shutout. Like their opponents’, the Barons offense was also quiet. Rikuu Nishida squeaked the only run of the game off a sac fly in the seventh. The lineup went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left six on base, but it didn’t matter as Bham’s pitching had Rocket City on lockdown.
Birmingham Barons 4, Rocket City Trash Pandas 3 (7 innings, Game 2)
Bham (72-46) came back to life in the nightcap to sweep their doubleheader against Rocket City (39-78). Shane Murphy continued his steady string of five-inning starts, keeping the Trash Pandas to four hits and a run. Luckily, the offense backed him up for a change. Although they tallied two fewer hits, the Barons were more efficient. Sam Antonacci’s extra-base hit got the offense started in the second, claiming the lead for the rest of the night. Braden Montgomery followed with an RBI single of his own immediately after to pad the lead to 3-1. Caden Connor’s RBI single later in the sixth provided what would be much-needed insurance, as Mark McLaughlin allowed the Trash Pandas to nearly tie the game in the ninth by giving up a two-run homer with no outs.
Barons MVP
Riley Gowens (SP): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K (opener)
Other Notables
Garrett Schoenle (RP): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (opener)
Shane Murphy (SP): 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K (nightcap)
Sam Antonacci (2B): 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 BB (opener)
Caden Connor (1B): 1-for-1, 1 RBI, 3 BB (nightcap)
Barons Cold Cat
Mark McLaughlin (RP): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, 1 HR (nightcap)
Others Chilled
DJ Gladney (LF): 0-for-3, 2 K (nightcap)
Wilfred Veras (RF): 0-for-3 (opener)
Mario Camilletti (3B): 0-for-3 (nightcap)
Winston-Salem Dash 9, Wilmington Blue Rocks 0
The Dash (48-68) were unstoppable against the Blue Rocks (50-67). Nick Altermatt, who is excelling in the bullpen with Winston-Salem, earned the win with his two-inning, one-hit, four-strikeout outing. However, the pitching was a team effort, as it held Wilmington to five hits, one walk, and 11 strikeouts throughout the night. On the other side, every Winston-Salem hitter reached base via walk or hit at least once in the game. Ryan Burrowes had the most productive night, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Lyle Miller-Green also offered plenty of run support, two runs and four RBIs primarily off his three-run blast in the seventh.
Winston-Salem, you may be in last place in the division, but you were in first place in our hearts with this blowout.
Dash MVP
Ryan Burrowes (SS): 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 K
Other Notables
Lyle Miller-Green (1B): 1-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR
Nick Altermatt (RP) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Samuel Zavala (DH): 3-for-5, 1 RBI
Frankeli Arias (SP): 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Dash Cold Cat
Cole McConnell (LF): 0-for-4, 1 BB, 2 K
Others Chilled
Alec Makarewicz (3B) 0-for-4, 1 BB
Jeral Perez (2B): 1-for-5, 1 K
Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2
It wouldn’t be a night on the farm without an affiliate bullpen blowing a game, but surprisingly it was Kanny’s turn (53-65) instead of Charlotte’s. Tied at 2-2, Lucas Sims gave up a leadoff home run in the eighth and put a man on second with no outs before departing. That’s when things got hairy. Carlton Perkins, who has an ERA of five and change and a 29% save rate, entered the game; despite hurling some competitive pitches and not having a couple of calls go his way, he walked the first two batters he saw. Perkins got some reprieve with a strikeout, but immediately walked the Shorebirds’ (44-73) fourth run in. Raylin Ramos’ two-run RBI did the final damage of the night, blowing Kanny’s chances of evening the series.
Ballers MVP
Grant Umberger (RP): 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K
Other Notables
Arxy Hernandez (3B):
Anthony DePino (DH): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
Ballers Cold Cat
Carlton Perkins (RP): 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 K
Others Chilled
Ely Brown (CF): 0-for-4, 3 K
Caleb Bonemer (SS): 0-for-4, 3 K
Kaleb Freeman(RF): 0-for-4, 2 K
Lucas Sims (RP): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, 1 HR