Charlotte Knights 7, Norfolk Tides 6 (10 innings)
This one was quite the nail-biter, deadlocked at five through regulation and both ghost runners scoring in the 10th. The difference for the Knights (54-47) came due to the fact that birthday boy Korey Lee (happy 28th, KL!) drove in two, not just one, runs with his single in extras:
You see, Norfolk was in the same position in their top of the 10th as Charlotte, only Caden Connor gunned down a runner at home on an absolutely atrocious send by the Tides
third-base coach, preventing two runs from scoring on a single:
Some three hours earlier, Shane Murphy started the game for Charlotte and put together a nice one, stretching five innings and yielding just two runs, both on solo shots. Jalen Woods, who came over from Pittsburgh in the Jacob Gonzalez trade, had a second straight strong outing in relief after a disastrous debut for the Knights.
MVP
Korey Lee (C): 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, GWRBI, 1-for-5 CS, PB, 2 hard hits, 50.4% WPA
Runners-Up
Garrett Schoenle (LHRP): 2 IP, H, R, BB, 2 K, E, WIN (3-2), 40.8% WPA
Mario Camilletti (3B): 3-for-4, R, BB, K
Caden Connor (LF): 0-for-3, BB, R, LF assist to home to preserve tie in extras
Andy Weber (2B): 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K
Jason Matthews (SS): 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, E
Shane Murphy (LHSP): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, 2 HR
Jaden Woods (LHRP): 2 IP, H, BB, 4 K, HOLD (2)
Tanner McDougal (RHRP): IP, H, BB, 2 K, WP, HOLD (1)
Cold Cat
Tyler Davis (RHRP): 0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, WP, BALK, BLOWN SAVE (1)
Runners-Up
Nolan Jones (CF): 0-for-4, BB, 2 K, GIDP
Tim Elko (1B): 1-for-4, R, 3 K
Birmingham Barons 10, Montgomery Biscuits 6
The Barons (36-59) loped into the ninth inning down, 5-2, and in every way looking like a team about to put its 60th loss in the books in late July. Then came a top of the ninth for the ages, as Birmingham built a snowman on the Biscuits courtesy of an immediate assault of four singles and a walk to salt the lead down to 5-4. Dylan Campbell’s sacrifice fly evened things, and Colby Shelton’s RBI double put Birmingham ahead to stay:
In fact, ignoring the sac fly (which produced an out but also a run), the Barons tapped out nine straight hits to open the inning, with both Adam Fogel and Brenden Dixon singling twice in the frame. Bham tapped out 19 hits, 16 of them singles, with Samuel Zavala and Shelton both going 4-for-5.
MVP
Colby Shelton (3B-2B): 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B, 46.7% WPA
Runners-Up
Alec Briley (3B-1B): 2-for-5, R, RBI, K
Samuel Zavala (CF): 4-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI, 18.2% WPA
Grant Magill (C): 3-for-5, R, 3 RBI, K, 1-for-4 CS, GIDP
Adam Fogel (LF): 2-for-5, R, K
Brenden Dixon (SS): 2-for-5, R, K, GIDP
Anthony DePino (PH-1B): 1-for-2, R
Jonathan Clark (RHRP): 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, BB, K
Cold Cat
Eddie Park (RF): 0-for-3, K
Runners-Up
Boston Smith (DH): 0-for-4, R, RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Jackson Kelley (RHRP): 2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, BALK
Gabe Davis (RHSP): 3 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 6 K, HB
Morris Austin (RHRP): 2 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WIN (1-2)
Winston-Salem Dash 10, Carolina Reapers (Greensboro Grasshoppers) 3
Go figure, the Dash (53-42) are on such a roll, they can’t stop winning games, 10-3 — only this time, it took them nine innings to do it, instead of six. By mid-game, the hometown heroes were up, 9-1, and the cakewalk of a win was on.
For all of the hitting heroics (including a three-double game from catcher Calvin Harris in the 9-hole), it was starter Grant Umberger who set the tone and might well have righted his season in the process. Umberger pitched into the sixth inning, striking out seven and walking none.
We gotta share some sort of video to celebrate a rout like this and a push past 10 games better than .500 for our High-A guys, so here is Kyle Lodise with a three-run homer:
MVP
Grant Umberger (LHSP): 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R/1 ER, 7 K, WIN (7-7), 12.6% WPA
Runners-Up
Kyle Lodise (SS): 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, E, 13.3% WPA
Calvin Harris (C): 3-for-4, 3 2B, 3 R, 12.7% WPA
Ely Brown (CF): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
Ryan Burrowes (2B): 1-for-4, BB, GIDP, 2 SB
George Wolkow (RF): 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB, K
James Taussig (LF): 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
Cold Cat
Wes Kath (3B): 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
Runners-Up
Jeral Pérez (DH): 1-for-5, K
Christian Oppor (LHRP): 1/3 IP, 3 BB, K, 9-of-22 strikes
Columbia Fireflies 5, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 1
In contrast to the High-A game, the Cannon Ballers (47-48) were put away early, dropping back to worse than .500 in what has been a middling season down Carolina way. There were scant highlights in this one, but a small victory may have been Nick Pinto’s effort in his first rehab start (two earned in three innings, but throwing strikes all the way). This was one for laying down and avoided. Go get the finale tomorrow, CBs!
MVP
Alexander Albertus (3B): 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB, 8.7% WPA
Runners-Up
Grant Cleavinger (RHSP): IP, H, BB, 2 K
Andrew Berg (RHRP): IP, 2 K, 7-of-8 strikes
Cold Cat
Kendry Garcia (RHRP): 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR, WP
Runners-Up
Jaden Fauske (RF): 0-for-4, K
Javier Mogollón (2B): 1-for-4, 2 K
Nick McLain (DH): 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K
Christian Gonzalez (CF): 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
DSL White Sox 8, DSL Marlins 7 (7 innings)
The DSL fellas (14-23) won again, and this time in pretty dominant fashion in leading, 8-3, heading into the seventh. Nestor Perez was the hitting star, going 3-for-4 with two steals, two runs and three driven in. Starter Yordany Marte continued his outstanding season with four innings of one-run ball, winnowing his ERA down to 3.04.
