Before we get into Wednesday's box scores for a farm system that keeps winning despite some sluggish or nonexistent starts, a couple of updates:
*Loidel Chapelli returned to the lineup for the first time since Friday. He left that game with a hand injury that he suffered sliding into second base, but he picked up where he left off by reaching base three times against Asheville.
*Ben Norman, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the White Sox after an outstanding season as a fifth-year senior with Iowa and big 40 games with the now-independent Great Falls Voyagers, received a promotion to Birmingham.
Norman was intriguing early for Winston-Salem in 2022 -- it's where he made his affiliated debut in June -- but he faded over the last six weeks or so to finish at .229/.312/.410. He returned to the Dash, but after an impressive first five games, he's now making his Double-A debut. He's 25, but in the event he slipped through the cracks due to the pandemic and shortened drafts, it's worth at least knowing his name.
Louisville 7, Charlotte 6
- AJ Alexy remains a curiosity: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 HBP, 30 of 65 pitches for strikes.
Birmingham 4, Pensacola 1
- José Rodríguez went 2-for-5 with a K.
- Yoelqui Céspedes was 2-for-4.
- Matthew Thompson was effectively wild: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 43 of 77 pitches for strikes.
- Luke Shilling is dialing it in: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 8 of 12 pitches for strikes.
Winston-Salem 7, Asheville 5
- Terrell Tatum went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and three stolen bases.
- Loidel Chapellí returned to the lineup, going 1-for-3 with two walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
- DJ Gladney and Wes Kath both were 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Wilfred Veras homered, singled, walked and struck out twice.
- Norge Vera: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 11 of 24 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*Asheville still doesn't have a feed, so there aren't any reports on why Vera didn't make it out of the first inning once again.
Kannapolis 8, Charleston 7
- Jordan Sprinkle went 0-for-2 with two walks and an HBP.
- Brooks Baldwin was 0-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout.
- Shane Murphy: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP
