Charlotte Knights 12, Durham Bulls 5 To close out the series, the Knights (35-28) defeated the Bulls (24-39), 12-5, for the sixth game in a row to begin June with a sweep, also extending Charlotte’s dominance over Durham to 9-0 this season. Both teams posted 11 hits, but the Knights had ample opportunities with runners in scoring position (19) and out-powered Durham with seven extra-base hits, including two home runs. Charlotte provided five runs of support for lefthander Hagen Smith, who went for 4 2/3
scoreless in his 13th start, with just three hits, three walks, and nine strikeouts, tying his season high from his previous start.
First baseman Michael Turner was one of several hot hitters for the Knights, posting a 3-for-5 day with three RBIs with two doubles. Both Jason Matthews and Korey Lee decided it would be helpful to add a few insurance runs in the top of the eighth, with both mashing bombs to add five to the Good Guys total with a two-run and three-run shot. While not necessarily having a big hit on the day, Braden Montgomery managed to get on base four times with a base hit and three walks, scoring three of those times and even accounting for an RBI on a ground out in the sixth.
These homers made up for the five runs that Zach Franklin and Tyler Schweitzer allowed out of the bullpen, but Schweitzer ended up with the win after a clean ninth from Chase Plymell. The Knights will head home to Charlotte to take on the Oklahoma City Comets, the Triple-A squad for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who the White Sox will also be hosting this upcoming weekend.
Knoxville Smokies 7, Birmingham Barons 4
Yet another Barons (21-35) loss to the Smokies (30-26) marks four in a row for Birmingham, who dropped the six-game series after starting the week off with two wins. The Barons used four pitchers to get through this one, and all but Carson Jacobs allowed at least one run. Righthander Connor McCullough manned the first four frames and held Knoxville to two runs, allowing Birmingham to take the lead in the third before the Smokies ran away with the game.
Morris Austin made his second appearance out of the bullpen since joining the Double-A squad Tuesday, but unfortunately gave up two in the fifth and two in the sixth, ending up with his first loss at the next level. Driving in two of the Barons’ four runs, Wilfred Veras posted a two-hit day, including a two-run shot in the third that initially tied the game at two. Jordan Sprinkle ripped a liner out to left to keep the third-inning rally alive, and Colby Shelton doubled to drive him in. Birmingham attempted to string some runs together in the top of the seventh, but outside of a sacrifice fly from Sprinkle, the bats fell flat.
Birmingham now sits at a season-worst 14 games worse than .500.
Hub City Spartanburgers 11, Winston-Salem Dash 8
Despite beginning the series with three straight wins, the Dash (33-24) dropped the final three games to the Spartanburgers (28-28), including today’s 11-8 loss. Hub City outhit Winston-Salem, 15-10, and a six-run fourth inning was the main difference in the game. Righthander Mason Adams made his fifth rehab start with the Dash, and though he started the game with a leadoff homer, he battled through his three frames and navigated through any jams without surrendering another run.
Once Adams exited, it took three relievers to make it through the nightmare that was the fourth. Righthander Seth Keener was first out of the arm barn, and he ended up with the loss in part because he wasn’t able to record a single out. Keener accounted for three runs, but just two were earned as the leadoff runner reached on a throwing error. With Keener seemingly on a short leash, Trey Cooper replaced him after just three batters but wasn’t much better himself. However, he did record one out. A bases loaded, two-run single tagged on two more for the Spartanburgers, 6-2, which prompted Winston-Salem to head to the bullpen for the second time, bringing Jack Young in to clean up the mess and secure the next eight outs. Five more Dash pitchers would make an appearance in this one
While the offense put up eight runs, it still wasn’t enough to come all the way back. Four W-S batters put up two hits apiece, with six of the 10 hits going for extra bases. It’s a shame they ended with the L, as Bryce Eblin could have been the offensive hero for the Dash after blasting two homers to drive in three runs. Scoring twice alongside Eblin, Caleb Bonemer smashed a two-bagger and a homer, with the other two multi-hit days coming from Boston Smith and George Wolkow.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 5, Hickory Crawdads 3
The Cannon Ballers (29-28) capped off their series against the Crawdads (31-24) with a win, 5-3, to even the six-game set at three and climb back to a game above .500. Kanny was outhit by Hickory, 8-6, but the Ballers were more efficient overall: The CBs pitching staff allowed just three runs while the bats went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, compared to the Crawdads going 1-for-13. Left fielder Jaden Fauske drove in 40% of Kanny’s runs (two) with an RBI double in the first and another base hit in the eighth that helped the Ballers tie the game at three before taking the lead. To ensure that Kannapolis could hang on, Adrian Gil blasted a solo homer in the top of the ninth.
Righthander Truman Pauley made his 11th start, and in 4 2/3 innings of work, he ended up giving up three runs on three hits and 2 walks, while striking out seven. Thankfully the bullpen was on point today, allowing just five more hits without any additional runs ceded to the Crawdads, and Marco Barrios recorded his fourth win of the season while Landen Payne sealed his fourth save.
