Charlotte Knights 5, Buffalo Bisons 3 (Statcast Box)
All the scoring in this one came bunched early, including back-to-back jacks from Tim Elko and Kyle Teel to tie the game up, 2-2, in the second —
until the very end, when Charlotte (26-29) decided to up and win this game, way up Buffalo way.
With the game deadlocked, 3-3, for a full five innings, Bryan Ramos led off the ninth with a single. Ramos then waited for Brooks Baldwin, with two down, to take his hero turn — a single for the eventual game-winning RBI:
Jacob Amaya added to Buffalo’s distress with a run-scoring single. Caleb Freeman came on in the ninth to earn the save, although not without (two walks) a bit of drama.
Of note, Colson Montgomery took a pitch directly off of his knee in the third inning and was removed from the game:
Poll
Who takes the MVP honors for Charlotte tonight?
Brooks Baldwin: 1-for-5, R, GWRBI, GIDP, 17.2% WPA
Jacob Amaya: 1-for-2, RBI, BB
Kyle Teel: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR, 2 BB, K, SB, 1-for-1 CS
Keone Kela: 1 1⁄3 IP, BB, 2 K
Justin Anderson: IP, 3 K, WIN (3-2)
Andrew Vaughn: 1-for-4, BB, K, 2 hard hits
Dominic Fletcher: 1-for-3, RBI, K
0%
Brooks Baldwin: 1-for-5, R, GWRBI, GIDP, 17.2% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Amaya: 1-for-2, RBI, BB
(0 votes)
0%
Kyle Teel: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR, 2 BB, K, SB, 1-for-1 CS
(0 votes)
0%
Keone Kela: 1 1⁄3 IP, BB, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Justin Anderson: IP, 3 K, WIN (3-2)
(0 votes)
0%
Andrew Vaughn: 1-for-4, BB, K, 2 hard hits
(0 votes)
0%
Dominic Fletcher: 1-for-3, RBI, K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Who is Charlotte’s Cold Cat for Friday?
0%
Owen White: 5 2⁄3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, BALK, 2 HB
(0 votes)
0%
Corey Julks: 0-for-4, 3 K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Knoxville Smokies 8, Birmingham Barons 7
It was a hard-fought, but ultimately brutal game for the Barons (26-21), who saw the Smokies rally to tie the game three times, in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings. Then, with the game tied, 7-7, Knoxville walked off the visitors thanks to an Ethan Hearn single. Shame, that, as Tommy Vail’s Double-A debut was wasted — and what a debut it was, the longest (5 1⁄3 innings) and arguably best effort of 2025 for the southpaw. Eric Adler was the goat of this game, and there’s no two bits about it, it’s been a brutal year so far for a closer starting the season as arguably the short man who had the best shot to make the majors among the young arms.
Poll
It was a heartbreaker in Knoxville, but let’s still pick a Barons MVP.
Tommy Vail: 5 1⁄3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 18 swings-and-misses 2nd-best in AA today
Rikuu Nishida: 2-for-4, 2 BB, R, RBI, K, 2B
William Bergolla: 3-for-5, 2B,
Jacob Gonzalez: 3-for-5, R, RBI, K, 2B, CS
Mario Camilletti: 1-for-2, R, 3 BB
Jacob Burke: 1-for-2, HBP, R, RBI, BB, SF, SB, CF assist at 2B
0%
Tommy Vail: 5 1⁄3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 18 swings-and-misses 2nd-best in AA today
(0 votes)
0%
Rikuu Nishida: 2-for-4, 2 BB, R, RBI, K, 2B
(0 votes)
0%
William Bergolla: 3-for-5, 2B,
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Gonzalez: 3-for-5, R, RBI, K, 2B, CS
(0 votes)
0%
Mario Camilletti: 1-for-2, R, 3 BB
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Burke: 1-for-2, HBP, R, RBI, BB, SF, SB, CF assist at 2B
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Heartbreaking loss in Knoxville, so we gotta point out a Cold Cat.
Eric Adler: 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, K, LOSS (0-1), BLOWN SAVE (1)
Jared Kelley: 1 2⁄3 IP, H, R, WP, BB, 3 K, BLOWN SAVE (1)
Max Roberts: IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB, HR, BLOWN SAVE (1), 8-of-21 strikes
DJ Gladney: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 GIDP, SB, RF assist at 2B
The Offense: 4-for-19 with RISP
0%
Eric Adler: 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, K, LOSS (0-1), BLOWN SAVE (1)
(0 votes)
0%
Jared Kelley: 1 2⁄3 IP, H, R, WP, BB, 3 K, BLOWN SAVE (1)
(0 votes)
0%
Max Roberts: IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB, HR, BLOWN SAVE (1), 8-of-21 strikes
(0 votes)
0%
DJ Gladney: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 GIDP, SB, RF assist at 2B
(0 votes)
0%
The Offense: 4-for-19 with RISP
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Hub City Spartanburgers 12, Winston-Salem Dash 2
Hey, let’s credit the Dash (17-32) for at least emulating the .333-ish winning percentage of the parent club White Sox. This was a good, old-fashioned mauling, although to be fair up until the eighth inning the score was just 7-2. Starter Jake Bockenstedt missed a lot of bats (a High-A second-best 17 on Friday) but when he didn’t miss, oof, the ball go far.
Injury note: Aric McAtee left in-game, during his appearance, after an injury delay in the box score. Seems less than ideal.
PPP note: Catcher Weston Eberly entered the bottom of the eighth with the bases full and two outs, and escaped:
Poll
Let’s see if we can find a Dash MVP.
0%
Jordan Sprinkle: 2-for-4, K
(0 votes)
0%
Alec Makarewicz: 2-for-4, RBI, K
(0 votes)
0%
Wes Kath: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
(0 votes)
0%
Manuel Veloz: 2 IP, BB, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Weston Eberly (catcher): 1⁄3 IP, escaped a bases-loaded jam
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Gonna be a tough battle, but let’s pick a Dash Cold Cat.
Cole McConnell: 0-for-4, R, BB, 3 K
Jake Bockenstedt: 5 IP, 11 H, 7 ER, BB, 4 K, HR, LOSS (1-4)
Aric McAtee: 0 IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB
Madison Jeffrey: 2⁄3 IP, H, 3 ER, 4 BB, HB, 16-of-37 strikes
Luis Pineda: 0-for-4, 4 K, E, PB, 1-for-4 CS
Braden Montgomery: 0-for-4, 3 K
Matt Hogan: 0-for-3, BB, K
0%
Cole McConnell: 0-for-4, R, BB, 3 K
(0 votes)
0%
Jake Bockenstedt: 5 IP, 11 H, 7 ER, BB, 4 K, HR, LOSS (1-4)
(0 votes)
0%
Aric McAtee: 0 IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB
(0 votes)
0%
Madison Jeffrey: 2⁄3 IP, H, 3 ER, 4 BB, HB, 16-of-37 strikes
(0 votes)
0%
Luis Pineda: 0-for-4, 4 K, E, PB, 1-for-4 CS
(0 votes)
0%
Braden Montgomery: 0-for-4, 3 K
(0 votes)
0%
Matt Hogan: 0-for-3, BB, K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2, Charleston RiverDogs 1
What an amazing find Grant Umberger has been so far: He’s now three starts into his pro career, and he just keeps getting better. Tonight he needed just 76 pitches to navigate seven innings, giving up just one run on five hits. Wow! There weren’t many hitting heroes trotted out in Charleston tonight, but when you’re as good as Umberger was, you don’t need ’em.
Poll
Do you dare pick an MVP not named Grant Umberger for the Cannon Ballers?
Grant Umberger: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, WP, WIN (3-0), 20.5% WPA
Caleb Bonemer: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, BB, SF, 31.0% WPA
Javier Mogollón: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2B, BB
Nick Altermatt: IP, H, SAVE (1), 6-of-7 strikes, 19.4% WPA
Carlton Perkins: IP, K, HOLD (4), 9-of-12 strikes
Jorge Corona: 1-for-3, BB, K
0%
Grant Umberger: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, WP, WIN (3-0), 20.5% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Caleb Bonemer: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, BB, SF, 31.0% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Javier Mogollón: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2B, BB
(0 votes)
0%
Nick Altermatt: IP, H, SAVE (1), 6-of-7 strikes, 19.4% WPA
(0 votes)
0%
Carlton Perkins: IP, K, HOLD (4), 9-of-12 strikes
(0 votes)
0%
Jorge Corona: 1-for-3, BB, K
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Poll
Who you got for Kanny Cold Cat?
0%
Abraham Núñez: 0-for-4, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Mikey Kane: 0-for-4, K
(0 votes)
0%
Arnold Prado: 0-for-3, K, GIDP
(0 votes)
0%
George Wolkow: 0-for-4
(0 votes)
0 votes total
ACL White Sox 4, ACL Diamondbacks 1
Box score inaccessible, will write up Saturday a.m.