White Sox Minor Keys: Aug. 25, 2023

Between the pandemic that reduced his high school career and Tommy John surgery that ended his first pro season one out short of 10 innings and cost him all of 2022, this season is Tanner McDougal's first chance to build up anything resembling a real workload.

To that end, McDougal's 2023 has been a success. The 2021 seventh-rounder crossed the 60-inning mark in his 19th start of the season on Friday, so he's getting the first thing he needed out of the season. The rest of his numbers are so-so -- a 4.48 ERA, 41 walks against 73 strikeouts, but only five homers -- but they're good enough to serve the immediate goal of taking the ball every week.

Jeff Cohen asked him about coming back from Tommy John surgery, and McDougal said the curveball was the tough pitch to trust when rediscovering his release points.

Rocket City 5, Birmingham 4 (10 innings)

• José Rodriguez struck out four times during an 0-for-5 night.
• Brayn Ramos also went 0-for-5, but only struck out thrice.
• Colson Montgomery was 0-for-4 with a walk.
• Wilfred Veras went 1-for-5 with a K.
• Edgar Quero, 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Tim Elko was 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Alsander Womack was 2-for-4.
• Luis Mieses hit two sac flies while going 0-for-2.
• Yoelqui Céspedes was 1-for-4 with a homer and a strikeout.
• Matthew Thompson: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
• Jared Kelley: 0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Bowling Green 10, Winston-Salem 5

• Loidel Chapelli went 1-for-4 with a homer, HBP and strikeout.
• Jacob Burke, 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Brooks Baldwin was 0-for-4 with one K.
• Juan Carela: 4 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

Kannapolis 10, Myrtle Beach 8

• Rikuu Nishida went 2-for-5 with a triple and a stolen base.
• Jacob Gonzalez, 0-for-2 with two walks and a strikeout.
• Calvin Harris went 1-for-3 with two walks.
• Jordan Sprinkle singled twice and struck out thrice.
• Tanner McDougal: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K