Yuck.
Statcast
Rochester Red Wings 9, Charlotte Knights 8 (Statcast box)
It appears that Charlotte’s return to .500 was a snack and not a meal, as Saturday’s heartbreaker dropped the club to 51-55 — and in particularly heartbreaking fashion, at that. The Knights broke out to a 2-0 lead in the first and led 7-1 heading into the sixth — when Chester broke open a can and tied the game with a six-spot, chasing Jared Shuster from the game.
There were massive pluses in this one, though, including Martín Pérez’s first rehab start (who knew he was active again, the White Sox kept this quiet) and some big hitting. Pérez’s start didn’t really go well at all, but for anyone on the 60-day at any point in a season to make a comeback is meritorious.
Curtis Mead is doing his best to make me look like an idiot, grabbing three hits including a near-homer in the game. Tim Elko, Bryan Ramos, Vinny Capra and Jacob Gonzalez all chipped in with multi-hit games to boot.
Poll
Who do you got for Charlotte MVP in Saturday’s heartbreaker?
Jacob Gonzalez: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, HBP, SB, 3 hard hits, 18.6% WPA
Curtis Mead: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
Tim Elko: 2-for-5, R, RBI, K
Bryan Ramos: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, SB, E, 2B, 3 hard hits
Vinny Capra: 3-for-4, R, RBI, 3B
Chase Plymell: 2 1⁄3 IP, H, 2 K
Ben Peoples: 1 1⁄3 IP, BB, K, HB
20%
Jacob Gonzalez: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, HBP, SB, 3 hard hits, 18.6% WPA
(1 vote)
80%
Curtis Mead: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
(4 votes)
0%
Tim Elko: 2-for-5, R, RBI, K
(0 votes)
0%
Bryan Ramos: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, SB, E, 2B, 3 hard hits
(0 votes)
0%
Vinny Capra: 3-for-4, R, RBI, 3B
(0 votes)
0%
Chase Plymell: 2 1⁄3 IP, H, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Ben Peoples: 1 1⁄3 IP, BB, K, HB
(0 votes)
5 votes total
Poll
Who gets the Charlotte Cold Cat?
Jared Shuster: 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, K, 25-of-31 strikes, BLOWN SAVE (1)
Martín Pérez: 2 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, HR, E
Andre Lipcius: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
Blake Sabol: 0-for-5, 2 K
75%
Jared Shuster: 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, K, 25-of-31 strikes, BLOWN SAVE (1)
(3 votes)
0%
Martín Pérez: 2 2⁄3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, HR, E
(0 votes)
0%
Andre Lipcius: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
(0 votes)
25%
Blake Sabol: 0-for-5, 2 K
(1 vote)
4 votes total
Birmingham Barons 3, Rocket City Trash Pandas 2 (11 innings)
Birmingham (61-40) just can’t stop winning, as Mario Camilletti slapped a ground-rule double on an 0-2 count with two outs in the 11th for what amounted to the winning runs.
Mario Camilletti smokes a double over the CF’ers head off the wall. Ryan Galanie and Braden Montgomery (IBB) come in to score. #Barons take a 3-1 lead, and eventually take the game 3-2. pic.twitter.com/WBOJfAMiJi
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) August 3, 2025
But this game was less about one clutch hit than extraordinary pitching by Riley Gowens, Mark McLaughlin and Garrett Schoenle. Gowens, the starter, was massive, going seven innings while allowing just three baserunners and one run, chiseling his ERA down to 3.75.
Poll
Who gets the MVP for another thrilling Bham win?
Garrett Schoenle: 2 IP, 3 H, R, 4 K, WIN (4-0), 49.5% WPA
Riley Gowens: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 28.6% WPA
Mario Camilletti: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, GWRBI
Ryan Galanie: 2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 2B, K
William Bergolla: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Michael Turner: 2-for-5, 2 K, 0-for-2 CS
Braden Montgomery: 1-for-4, BB, K, SB
Mark McLaughlin: 2 IP, H, 10-of-13 strikes
0%
Garrett Schoenle: 2 IP, 3 H, R, 4 K, WIN (4-0), 49.5% WPA
(0 votes)
80%
Riley Gowens: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 28.6% WPA
(4 votes)
20%
Mario Camilletti: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, GWRBI
(1 vote)
0%
Ryan Galanie: 2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 2B, K
(0 votes)
0%
William Bergolla: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
(0 votes)
0%
Michael Turner: 2-for-5, 2 K, 0-for-2 CS
(0 votes)
0%
Braden Montgomery: 1-for-4, BB, K, SB
(0 votes)
0%
Mark McLaughlin: 2 IP, H, 10-of-13 strikes
(0 votes)
5 votes total
Poll
How about a Cold Cat for the Barons?
0%
Jason Matthews: 0-for-5, GIDP
(0 votes)
100%
Rikuu Nishida: 0-for-5, 2 K, GIDP
(3 votes)
0%
Wilfred Veras: 1-for-5, K
(0 votes)
3 votes total
Winston-Salem Dash 5, Greenville Hype Hens 3 (opener)
Winston-Salem glanced across the diamond at the fearsome Hype Hens and nonetheless mustered the strength to steal a win in the doubleheader opener on Saturday; in fact, the Dash were so nonplussed that they put up a five-spot in the first inning, enough to carry them through the next six for the win.
Poll
A Dash win! Let’s name an MVP before MiLB takes the victory away.
Phil Fox: 2 IP, 3 K, 14.3% WPA, 17-of-24 strikes, SAVE (5)
Jackson Appel: 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, 1-for-1 CS
Jacob Burke: 0-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
Jeral Perez: 2-for-4, R, SB
Cole McConnell: 2-for-2, R, HBP
66%
Phil Fox: 2 IP, 3 K, 14.3% WPA, 17-of-24 strikes, SAVE (5)
(2 votes)
0%
Jackson Appel: 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, 1-for-1 CS
(0 votes)
0%
Jacob Burke: 0-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
(0 votes)
0%
Jeral Perez: 2-for-4, R, SB
(0 votes)
33%
Cole McConnell: 2-for-2, R, HBP
(1 vote)
3 votes total
Poll
All right, who is the opener Cold Cat for the Dash?
33%
Christian Oppor: 3 1⁄3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, HR
(1 vote)
66%
Samuel Zavala: 0-for-3, RBI, K, BB
(2 votes)
3 votes total
Greenville Hype Hens 3, Winston-Salem Dash 2 (nightcap)
The Hype Hens exacted revenge, holding the Dash (39-60) scoreless from the second through the sixth. Gage Ziehl, the pitcher acquired from New York in the Austin Slater trade, did not have a sweet debut in W-S, coughing up three earned to wear the loss; on the bright side, even this poor outing moved his season ERA to just 3.24. The Dash offense produced roughly the same here as in the opener, but was even less clutch in spite of bigger hits.
Poll
Who gets the MVP in this Dash loss?
Samuel Zavala: 2-for-3, RBI, 2B, BB, K, 22.7% WPA
Jacob Burke: 2-for-4, R
Lyle Miller-Green: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR, BB
Carson Jacobs: IP, BB, 3 K
100%
Samuel Zavala: 2-for-3, RBI, 2B, BB, K, 22.7% WPA
(3 votes)
0%
Jacob Burke: 2-for-4, R
(0 votes)
0%
Lyle Miller-Green: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR, BB
(0 votes)
0%
Carson Jacobs: IP, BB, 3 K
(0 votes)
3 votes total
Poll
Where we at with Dash Cold Cats in the nightcap?
Gage Ziehl: 4 1⁄3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, LOSS (1-1)
Alec Makarewicz: 0-for-3, 2 K
T.J. McCants: 0-for-3, 2 K
Wilber Sánchez: 0-for-3, 2 K
Ryan Burrowes: 0-for-3, K, E
33%
Gage Ziehl: 4 1⁄3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, LOSS (1-1)
(1 vote)
33%
Alec Makarewicz: 0-for-3, 2 K
(1 vote)
0%
T.J. McCants: 0-for-3, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Wilber Sánchez: 0-for-3, 2 K
(0 votes)
33%
Ryan Burrowes: 0-for-3, K, E
(1 vote)
3 votes total
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 0
It was all Kanny (48-53), all the time in this Saturday mauling. Four pitchers combined on the shutout and 19-year-old Abraham Núñez had his best game of the season in the rout; his grand slam in the second inning turned this game into laffer right quick:
Poll
Who takes the MVP in Kannapolis’ rout?
Abraham Núñez: 2-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, K, SB, CF assists at 2B and 3B, 18.1% WPA
Ricardo Brizuela: 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K, 14.4% WPA
Caleb Bonemer: 3-for-4, 2B, R, BB, 7.1% WPA
George Wolkow: 2-for-5, 2 K
Nathan Archer: 1-for-3, R, BB, 2 K
Gabriel Rodriguez: 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K, WIN (2-2)
Kevin Davis: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K
66%
Abraham Núñez: 2-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, K, SB, CF assists at 2B and 3B, 18.1% WPA
(2 votes)
0%
Ricardo Brizuela: 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K, 14.4% WPA
(0 votes)
33%
Caleb Bonemer: 3-for-4, 2B, R, BB, 7.1% WPA
(1 vote)
0%
George Wolkow: 2-for-5, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Nathan Archer: 1-for-3, R, BB, 2 K
(0 votes)
0%
Gabriel Rodriguez: 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K, WIN (2-2)
(0 votes)
0%
Kevin Davis: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K
(0 votes)
3 votes total
Poll
Where’s the Cold Cat of Kanny’s win?
100%
They won 7-0, give the CBs a break.
(3 votes)
3 votes total