I didn't have time to get into it for Sunday morning's Minor Keys, but I just want to draw attention to what Jonathan Stiever has done in Winston-Salem since his promotion a month ago.
Stiever is 6-for-6 in quality starts, which is more impressive than it sounds considering pitching prospects aren't a lock to go six innings the same way more mature pitchers can be relied upon.
But if that still doesn't impress you, everything else should. He has a 2.08 ERA because he's allowed just 34 baserunners (25 hits, eight walks, one HBP) over 39 innings while striking out 45. The only thing that he could stand to improve is his home run rate -- four over 39 innings -- but that's 1) not terrible and 2) an improvement over his half-season in Kannapolis, which is a harder place to hit homers.
If you really want to damn Stiever with faint praise, you can say he's made more progress than any other White Sox pitching prospect this season.
Pawtucket 3, Charlotte 1
- Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Yermin Mercedes, 0-for-2 with an HBP and a K.
- Seby Zavala was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Danny Mendick went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
Birmingham 7, Tennessee 6
- Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Nick Madrigal was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
- Blake Rutherford went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- So did Gavin Sheets, but his hit was a double.
- Ti'Quan Forbes went 0-for-2 with a walk, strikeout and two HBPs.
- Laz Rivera bunted twice and struck out twice.
Winston-Salem 7, Down East 6 (11 innings)
- Steele Walker went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Craig Dedelow had a massive game, going 3-for-5 with two homers, including a game-tying shot in the 10th.
- Carlos Perez was 2-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Kade McClure: 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Kannapolis 5, Lakewood 4
- Andrew Vaughn went 0-for-2 with a walk, strikeout and HBP.
- Romy Gonzalez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Amado Nunez went 1-for-4 with a K.
- Camilo Quintero singled and walked thrice.
- Davis Martin: 6 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP
Missoula 6, Great Falls 1
- Kelvin Maldonado went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Harvin Mendoza was 1-for-4 with a K.
- Lency Delgado wore the golden sombrero.
- Luis Mieses went 1-for-3 with his third homer and a walk.
- Sam Abbott went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Cabera Weaver was 0-for-3 with a K.
AZL Padres2 3, AZL White Sox 2
- Samil Polanco and Jose Rodriguez both were 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- So was DJ Gladney, but his hit was his sixth homer.
- Same for Anthony Coronado, except his hit was a double.
- Josue Guerrero went 0-for-3 with a K.
- Misael Gonzalez was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Bernardo Flores: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
