If you've been listening to the Minor League Reports in the Sox Machine Podcast the last few weeks, you know I've been tracking with great interest whether any of Birmingham's full-season outfielders can get to a .700 OPS. Luis Gonzalez, Blake Rutherford and Luis Basabe have all made runs at that number, only to go into a slump that knocks them back down several steps.
But Gonzalez is making the boldest play yet. He went 4-for-5 in Birmingham's victory over Jacksonville, which was good enough to raise his OPS to .691. The components are a .317 OPS and .374 slugging, neither of which are good, but better than they were thanks to a .289/.353/.438 performance over 66 games in the second half. He and the Barons have 10 days to close the gap, and with Rutherford at .672 and Basabe at .620, Gonzalez is the lone hope.
Charlotte 4, Durham 2
- Nick Madrigal went 2-for-3 with a triple, double and two walks.
- Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with a sac fly and two strikeouts.
- Yermin Mercedes was 0-for-4.
- Zack Collins, 1-for-3 with a homer and two walks.
- Seby Zavala was 0-for-3 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
- Danny Mendick was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Caleb Frare's return to Triple-A: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 WP
More:
*The Knights' magic number for the wild card spot is 7.
Birmingham 6, Jacksonville 0
- Luis Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with a stolen base.
- Luis Basabe and Blake Rutherford both were 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Gavin Sheets went 1-for-4.
- Ti'Quan Forbes was 1-for-3 with a double, walk and stolen base.
- Laz Rivera went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a strikeout.
Winston-Salem 9, Lynchburg 4
- Steele Walker went 0-for-3 with two walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Andrew Vaughn woke up, going 2-for-4 with a homer, walk and strikeout.
- Carlos Perez, 1-for-4 with a double.
- Manny Bañuelos: 4 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Rome 14, Kannapolis 4
- Lenyn Sosa went 0-for-5.
- Corey Zangari was 2-for-4 with a homer and two strikeouts.
- Camilo Quinteiro was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
Great Falls 7, Missoula 6 (10 innings)
- Kelvin Maldonado went 1-for-6 with a double and two strikeouts.
- Harvin Mendoza went 1-for-4 with a double and an HBP.
- Lency Delgado went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Luis Mieses, 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Anderson Comas went 4-for-5 with a triple.
AZL White Sox 16, AZL Brewers Blue 15 (10 innings)
- James Beard went 2-for-7 with a double, three strikeouts and a stolen base.
- Samil Polanco was 4-for-6 with a walk and a stolen base.
- Jose Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a double, walk, sac bunt, strikeout and stolen base.
- Bryan Ramos, 4-for-6 with a strikeout and a stolen base.
- DJ Gladney was 3-for-6 with two strikeouts.
- Josue Guerrero, 0-for-4 with two walks and a strikeout.
- Logan Glass went 3-for-4 with two HBPs and a strikeout.
- Victor Torres went 3-for-6 with a K.
- Sidney Pimentel, 2-for-6 with three strikeouts.
- Matthew Thompson: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
- Yoelvin Silven's ERA took a hit: 4 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 4 HR, 2 WP
DSL D-backs1 6, DSL White Sox 2
- Wilber Sanchez went 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Yolbert Sanchez was 3-for-5 with two doubles and a strikeout.
- Jefferson Mendoza was 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter.
- Alberto Bernal wore the collar and silver sombrero.
