And then there was one White Sox affiliate still playing.
And hopefully it has just one game left.
The Charlotte Knights closed out their season with one extra inning, falling to the Syracuse Mets in 10, 5-4. They finished the season at 68-79, but their 35-38 second half featured a positive run differential (+1), so they're winners in one sense.
The Birmingham Barons were winners in a greater sense, beating the Biscuits in Montgomery 7-2 in Game 1 of the Southern League Championship Series.
Wilfred Veras returned to the lineup after injuring his leg in Game 2 of the Division Series and missing Game 3, and went 4-for-5 with a triple. Jacob Gonzalez delivered the big blow, as he thwarted an intentional walk that set up a bases-loaded lefty-lefty situation by doubling to the left-center gap and scoring them all.
The series now pivots to Birmingham for the remainder of the best-of-three schedule, with Game 2 on Tuesday, and Game 3 on Wednesday if necessary. The Barons hope it won't be.
Syracuse 10, Charlotte 3 (Saturday)
- Corey Julks and Tim Elko both were 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Colson Montgomery was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and an HBP.
- Oscar Colás, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Touki Toussaint: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 18 of 40 pitches for strikes.
Syracuse 5, Charlotte 4 (10 innings)
- Edgar Quero was 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Tim Elko went 2-for-4 with a walk and a CS.
- Colson Montgomery was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Oscar Colás, 2-for-5 with a double and two strikeouts, and was caught stealing.
- Nick Nastrini: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2 WP, 20 of 43 pitches for strikes.
Birmingham 7, Montgomery 2
- Rikuu Nishida went 0-for-5 with a walk.
- Wilfred Veras tripled, singled thrice and struck out once.
- DJ Gladney was 1-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Jacob Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a double and a stolen base.
- Terrell Tatum was 1-for-2 with three walks and two stolen bases.
- Noah Schultz: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 HBP, 35 of 53 pitches for strikes.
