Memphis Redbirds 3, Charlotte Knights 2 (10 innings)
Davis Martin looked terrific in his first rehab start, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts. Here’s hoping it was a preview of what he can provide when he returns to Chicago.
The Knights (68-61) gave Martin a little support in the second when Andy Weber launched a two-run homer, but that was the beginning and end of Charlotte’s offensive production. The Knights managed only three more hits
and failed to score again because apparently two runs were plenty — until they weren’t.
Tanner McDougal surrendered two tallies in the sixth to earn his second blown save, continuing a rough return to Charlotte in which he has allowed seven earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. The 2-2 tie held through nine before Jaden Woods took over in the 10th. Memphis bunted the ghost runner to third and brought him home with a single to take a 3-2 lead. Charlotte attempted the same strategy in the bottom half, but Edgar Quero could not get the bunt down and Ryan Galanie followed with a fielder’s choice that erased Mario Camilletti at third. A wild pitch moved Galanie into scoring position, but Michael Turner popped out to end the game — and the Knights’ brief tutorial on how not to manufacture an extra-inning run.
Postseason watch: There’s little to no chance at the playoffs for the Knights. They are in eighth place and eight games out of first.
MVP
Davis Martin: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Runners-Up
Andy Weber: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2B
Caden Connor: 1-for-3, BB, 2 SB
Aidan Anderson: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB
Cold Cat
Tanner McDougal: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, BB, BS
Runners-Up
Jaden Woods: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), BB, 4 K, L
Mario Camilletti: 0-for-4, K
Michael Turner: 0-for-5, 2 K
Rocket City Trash Pandas 7, Birmingham Barons 4
The Trash Pandas tapped Connor McCullough for three runs in the first, but then he settled in to toss three scoreless frames. Birmingham (53-70) got on the board in the second when Jorge Corona smashed a solo shot to center, and the Barons pulled within one in the fourth when Ryan Burrowes singled and Corona drove him home with a three-bagger. The comeback was complete in the fifth. Caleb Bonemer worked a two-out walk, and Alec Briley followed with a two-run homer to right field, putting the Barons ahead, 4-3.
That lead survived until the ninth, when Rocket City dropped four runs on Jonathan Clark, handing him the unfortunate double whammy of his sixth blown save and the loss. Birmingham went down in order in the bottom half, ending the night with a 7-4 defeat and no last-minute heroics to soften the landing.
Postseason watch: The Barons are 27-27 in the second half and sit two games out of first place with 15 games remaining as they chase a chance to defend their back-to-back Southern League championships. There’s plenty of runway left, but setting the plane on fire in the ninth is generally discouraged.
MVP
Jorge Corona: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 3B, HR, 2 K
Runners-Up
Alec Briley: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, K, E
Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Pierce George: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K, H
Cold Cat
Jonathan Clark: 1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 BB, K, BS, L
Runners-Up
Connor McCullough: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, BB, 6 K
Dylan Campbell: 0-for-4, K
Anthony DePino: 0-for-4, 2 K
Winston-Salem Dash 10, Bowling Green Hot Rods 7
The Hot Rods zoomed out to a two-run lead on a two-out blast off Dylan Carmouche in the first, but the Dash (68-54) answered with a crooked number in the third. Jackson Appel drew a leadoff walk, Derek Cerda singled and the pair pulled off a double steal before Ely Brown ripped a two-run double. A wild pitch brought Brown home two outs later, giving Winston-Salem a brief 3-2 edge. Brief was the operative word. Bowling Green reclaimed the lead with two runs in the fourth, only for the Dash to take it right back in the bottom half, with Kaleb Freeman’s RBI single helping put Winston-Salem ahead, 5-4.
The Dash finally stopped trading punches in the sixth, erupting for five runs to blow the game open. James Taussig and Cerda each doubled, and George Wolkow cleared the bases with a triple to stretch the advantage to 10-4.
As it turned out, Winston-Salem needed nearly every one of those insurance runs. Aric McAtee loaded the bases on three straight singles in the seventh before allowing a two-run knock, and Jarold Rosado surrendered another RBI single after taking over to make it 10-7. Thankfully, Rosado put out the fire, and Jake Curtis silenced the Hot Rods over the final two frames to secure the Dash victory — because apparently a relaxing finish would have been too much to ask.
Postseason watch: With the win, the Dash are tied with the Hot Rods for first place in the division. Bowling Green has already secured its playoff spot, and if the season ended today, Winston-Salem would claim the division’s other postseason berth. The Dash hold a 2 1/2-game lead over the third-place Greenville Drive with nine games remaining.
MVP
George Wolkow: 1-for-5, 3 RBI, 3B, 2 K
Runners-Up
Ely Brown: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B, SB
Javier Mogollón: 2-for-5, R, RBI, PO, 2 K, CS
Derek Cerda: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, SB
Jake Curtis: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, S
Cold Cat
Aric McAtee: 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, K
Runners-Up
Dylan Carmouche: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K, W
Hill City Howlers 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6
Gabe Tanner dug the Cannon Ballers (65-58) an early hole, serving up five runs over the first two frames. Abraham Núñez opened the game with a single, but Kannapolis did not muster another hit until the seventh inning. By then, Hill City had also smacked a solo homer in the sixth to stretch the deficit to 6-0. The Ballers finally broke up the shutout in the seventh, scoring on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch before Steven Lancia launched a two-run homer in the eighth to pull Kannapolis within two.
Unwilling to go quietly, the Ballers completed the comeback in the ninth. Núñez delivered an RBI single, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch forced home the tying run as Kannapolis stormed all the way back from six runs down. Unfortunately, the bullpen had other plans. Marco Barrios packed the sacks in the bottom half before surrendering a walk-off single. All that work climbing out of the crater, only to step on a rake at the finish line.
Postseason watch: Despite slotting in at second place, the Ballers are 7 1/2 games behind the Hickory Crawdads with only nine games remaining.
MVP
Steven Lancia: 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, HR, K
Runners-Up
Abraham Núñez: 2-for-4, RBI, BB
Clay Burdette: 1-for-4, R, RBI, 2 K
Jake Berkland: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
Cold Cat
Marco Barrios: no outs, 2 H, R, 2 BB, L
Runners-Up
Gabe Tanner: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, BB, K
Alexander Albertus: 0-for-3, 2 K
