Rochester Red Wings 9, Charlotte Knights 4 Charlotte’s pitching started rough and ended the same way, surrendering five runs to the Red Wings (49-30) in the final two innings, giving the Knights (44-37) both the game and series loss. The offense wasn’t much better for the Good Guys, who only managed to get three hits compared to Rochester’s 13, while also going just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Lefthander Joe Rock came back down to the Knights just a few days ago, and had a rocky 2 1/3-inning
start, giving up four runs – three earned – on six hits, which included a home run, two walks, and just one strikeout. The unearned run was also due to an error on his part while attempting a pickoff; it just was not his day.
Charlotte scored their first run in the bottom of the second on an RBI ground out from Nolan Jones, but the bats took a few innings before they were able to capitalize on some free bases. The Red Wings hit Ryan Galanie and walked Jones to put two on with one out, and Andy Weber came up with a huge game-tying, three-run, inside-the-park homer to make it 4-4.
The game remained tied for a couple more innings, as both Peyton Pallette and Ben Peoples recorded clean innings (Peoples striking out the side). Replacing Peoples, Javy Guerra quickly gave up two consecutive hits to begin the eighth, struck out the next two batters, then gave up a two-run single to hand the lead over to Rochester. Charlotte couldn’t buy a hit to save their lives in the last couple of frames, but Tyler Davis gave up back-to-back home runs in the ninth anyways, with the loss going to Guerra. On to the next one.
Birmingham Barons 10, Knoxville Smokies 5
FINALLY! The Barons (27-48) managed to win the series finale against the Smokies (43-22), 10-5, avoiding the sweep while also snapping an eight-game losing streak that dated back to June 19. They were outhit by Knoxville, 17-9, and even traded the lead back-and-forth through five, until the Barons were able to run away with it later in the game. Designated hitter Alex Briley tied the game up at five in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run bomb, keeping Birmingham in the game as starter Jake Palisch fumbled through his five innings.
It also helped that Caleb Bonemer had a monstrous day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, and added a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to end the day with five batted in. Today’s homer was Bonemer’s first since being promoted to Double-A, and he seems to be settling in nicely.
Palisch had gotten knocked around for five runs on 13 hits with a home run, though he tends to walk a lot of guys and made it through today with zero of those with one K. Phil Fox had entered the game in place of Palisch entering the sixth, but worked right into a jam before Pierce George came in with two outs to clean up the mess. With just the one out and two pitches thrown, George ended up with his first win of the season thanks to the Bonemer blast.
Hub City Spartanburgers 4, Winston-Salem Dash 1
The Dash (42-33) only put up two hits in the series finale against the Spartanburgers (38-37), while making three errors, taking the loss before heading back home. Righthander Drew McDaniel made his 13th start of the season, and struggled through his 3 2/3 frames, allowing three runs on two hits, including a solo homer in the second, with three walks and five strikeouts. The bullpen was overall fairly solid, with the fourth run scoring in the seventh off of lefthander Frankeli Arias, but it ended up being unearned after a throwing error from Ryan Burrowes at third.
Scoring the sole run of the day for Winston-Salem, Jeral Perez poked a base hit out to right in the top of the fourth after the Dash got a bit of a rally going, but it unfortunately ended there. Ryan Burrowes had attempted to start something up again in the fifth with a base hit, but the offense was otherwise flat. As a team, the Dash went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position while leaving six on base, but it wasn’t in the cards for them today.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4, Columbia Fireflies 1
Giving me a bit of déjà vu, the Cannon Ballers (37-38) defeated the Fireflies (38-37), 4-1, which was the same score as Saturday’s contest. Kannapolis still dropped the series, but Sunday’s pitching was rock-solid across the board, only giving up one run as a team with nine hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Righthander Gabe Tanner made his third start with the Ballers since being signed June 16 out of the Pioneer League, and despite not striking out anyone, he tossed five scoreless with just four hits and one walk while earning his first MiLB win.
Kanny had taken an early one-run lead in the bottom of the first after Stiven Flores ripped an RBI double to left, which gave Tanner a tiny bit of wiggle room. They tagged on three insurance runs in the third after both Jaden Fauske and Matthew Boughton reached and pulled off a double steal to get into scoring position, and Alexander Albertus hit a grounder to the shortstop which led to both runs scoring off a fielder’s choice and throwing error, 3-0. Flores then grounded out to third, but snagged his second RBI of the game after Albertus scored as the fourth and final run for the Ballers.
The bullpen continued to cruise, and all four relievers each threw a clean inning, though one unearned run scored off of Daniel Wright after he, himself, made a throwing error on a bunt and gave up an RBI single on the next at-bat. Wright worked around it, however, and that was the only run scored for Columbia as Landen Payne closed it out for his sixth save of the season.
