Carlos Rodon looked just about ready to return to the majors, because he looked way too good for Triple-A. Here's what he did to the first seven Norfolk Tides he saw:
- Strikeout looking
- Single
- Fielder's choice
- Strikeout swinging
- Strikeout swinging
- Strikeout swinging
- Strikeout swinging
- Strikeout swinging
Unfortunately, the ninth batter hit a line drive directly back at Rodon, hitting him in the forehead.
Rodon bounced back up immediately and tried to downplay concern from the training staff, but he ended up leaving the game. The White Sox didn't provide an update on his situation tonight.
Norfolk 5, Charlotte 4
- Carlos Rodon: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
- Thyago Vieira: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
More:
*What if Michael Kopech's idea of a changeup was the slow reveal of a curveball?
“That was just overpowered, overmatched,” Charlotte Knights pitching coach Steve McCatty said. “His curveball is a plus pitch. It’s not just a get-me-over. It’s a plus pitch. That’s the best way to put it. It’s a plus pitch. We talked with the other staff when we were in Columbus. They liked his fastball–dominant. They liked his slider–really good. But talking to their pitching coach ‘Whatever it was he was throwing at 82, 81 mph, they had no chance.’ And that’s his curveball. I’m not saying the other ones won’t. The slider still, plus pitch, but this was…it’s not just more back and forth and change of speeds, it’s good!”
Birmingham 9, Jackson 8
- Danny Mendick went 1-for-4 with a homer, two walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Zack Collins had a night: 3-for-3 with three walks and a stolen base.
- Eloy Jimenez was 1-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Tito Polo was 0-for-2.
- Dane Dunning: 5 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP
- Ryan Burr: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP
- Ian Hamilton: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Winston-Salem 3, Buies Creek 1
- Luis Alexander Basabe went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Alex Call, 0-for-4.
- Micker Adolfo went 1-for-4.
- Gavin Sheets was 1-for-4 with a K.
- Yeyson Yrizarri went 1-for-3.
- Joel Booker, 0-for-2 with a walk.
- Dylan Cease: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 67 of 103 pitches for strikes.
More:
*James Fegan was in Winston-Salem and said that Cease benefited from a wide zone, but also threw plenty of changeups to go along with a high-90s fastball he maintained to the end.
Greensboro 5, Kannapolis 2
- Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
- Justin Yurchak, 1-for-4.
- Carlos Perez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
