Even with Bryan Ramos called up to the White Sox and Edgar Quero getting the night off, the Birmingham Barons continued streaking Saturday night. They walked off Rocket City for the second consecutive game, as Brooks Baldwin's sac fly scored Duke Ellis for a 4-3 victory to improve to a Southern League-best 19-7.
FutureSox captured the highlight, but I was confused as to why it didn't appear on the Barons' page until I saw what happened in the top of the ninth, as Angels prospect Cole Fontenelle suffered an immediately apparent leg injury sliding into second base on a grounder to first in the top of the ninth.
Nothing about the play appeared remarkable -- it was a basic feet-first slide without a throw, as Michael Turner ended up taking the 3-unassisted instead -- but Fontenelle writhed in pain immediately after landing, and once Brooks Baldwin noticed, he urgently waved at the Rocket City dugout for aid. The initial view from the camera behind home plate didn't show the severity, but the Barons didn't show any replays, and Fontenelle ended up being carried off the field on a stretcher, so chances are that nobody would want to see a closer look.
The Trash Pandas didn't issue an immediate update on the injury, but the club thanked Birmingham's training staff for additional assistance.
Memphis 9, Charlotte 2
- Colson Montgomery went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Oscar Colás, 1-for-3 with a double, walk and strikeout.
- Jared Walsh made his organizational debut, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Zach DeLoach was 2-for-4 with a double.
- Jonathan Cannon: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 49 of 90 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*The White Sox released Brett Phillips to make room for Walsh. Phillips hit .120/.228/.280 with 27 strikeouts in 57 plate appearances over 17 games with the Knights.
Birmingham 4, Rocket City 3
- Terrell Tatum singled twice, walked once, struck out twice and stole his 11th base.
- Brooks Baldwin's average dropped to .391 after going 0-for-4, but he provided the walk-off sac fly.
- Wilfred Veras went 1-for-4.
- Jacob Burks, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Duke Ellis stole three bases while going 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Ky Bush: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 53 of 84 pitches for strikes.
Greensboro 5, Winston-Salem 4
- Samuel Zavala went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Jacob Gonzalez, 2-for-4 with a double.
- DJ Gladney was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Wes Kath, 1-for-4 with a double.
- Calvin Harris was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Noah Schultz: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, 39 of 67 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*Both of Schultz's runs scored after he departed the game, as José Ramírez let in both on wild pitches.
Lynchburg 6, Kannapolis 5
- Rikuu Nishida went 2-for-4 with an HBP and a stolen base.
- Eddie Park, 1-for-5.
- Lucas Gordon: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 54 of 83 pitches for strikes.
