For the second time in four days, a No. 1 overall pick happened to be playing in my vicinity. On Sunday it was Casey Mize, and on Wednesday it was Adley Rutschman, playing for Aberdeen against Ozney Guillen's Tri-City ValleyCats in the New York-Penn League.
Rutschman put on a better show, even though he was selective with his swings. He took his way into a 1-2 count before drawing an eight-pitch walk his first time up, then got plunked with the second pitch his second time up. But he eventually got to attack pitches over his final three plate appearances, and with success. He smashed this double inside the first-base line to score a runner from first in the fifth inning:
And after lining out on a 1-2 count to left field in the seventh, the IronBirds created one more plate appearance for him in the ninth, and he ended up smoking a double to left field.
Rutschman's night: Walk, HBP, double, lineout, double. pic.twitter.com/Ae3TbF73bD
— Jim Margalus (@SoxMachine) August 15, 2019
He had to deal with typical NYPL erratic command, including a couple pitches in the dirt he blocked, after which the runner on first tested him. He made strong throws both times, but one was a little high, and the other a lot high.
His night reminded me of the time Andrew Benintendi passed through here. He hit a no-doubt homer his first time up, and I'm pretty sure that's the first time I felt a Carson Fulmer regret, even if Benintendi didn't fall to the White Sox. The quality of at-bats that I saw reminds me of what people who watch Andrew Vaughn at Winston-Salem say about his, two levels higher. Here's hoping.
Charlotte 13, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 12 (10 innings)
- Nick Madrigal went 0-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Luis Robert was 2-for-5 with an HBP and a strikeout.
- Zack Collins went 4-for-5 with two homers and a bases-loaded walk, driving in six.
- Yermin Mercedes went 2-for-5 with a homer and a strikeout.
- Danny Mendick was 1-for-4 with a walk.
More:
*Zack Collins after his big game:
Mississippi 4, Birmingham 0
- Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-4 and was caught stealing.
- Luis Basabe and Gavin Sheets both were 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Blake Rutherford went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Ti'Quan Forbes had the other hit, going 1-for-3.
- Laz Rivera went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Bernardo Flores: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
- Alec Hansen: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Winston-Salem 4, Carolina 2
- Steele Walker went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Andrew Vaughn was 1-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Caleb Frare: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Kannapolis 10, Greensboro 0
- Lenyn Sosa went 2-for-5 with a double.
- Romy Gonzalez was 0-for-3 with a walk, HBP, strikeout and stolen base.
- Corey Zangari was 2-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Camilo Quinteiro, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Davis Martin: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Great Falls 5, Rocky Mountain 3
- Cabera Weaver went 3-for-4 with two triples.
- Kelvin Maldonado went 2-for-4.
- Harvin Mendoza, 1-for-4.
- Luis Mieses was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Sam Abbott wore the collar with a silver sombrero.
AZL Dodgers Lasorda 4, AZL White Sox 0
- Jose Rodriguez went 0-for-4.
- Sidney Pimentel was 1-for-4 with a K.
- Bryce Bush, 0-for-2.
- Anthony Coronado replaced him and went 1-for-2.
- Micker Adolfo was 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
- DJ Gladney, 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Bryan Ramos was 1-for-3 with a triple and K.
- Josue Guerrero went 1-for-3.
- Misael Gonzalez, 0-for-3.
DSL White Sox 4, DSL Reds 2
- Anthony Espinoza singled twice and walked twice.
- Yolbert Sanchez went 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Jefferson Mendoza was 0-for-4 with a K.
