Luis Robert finally surfaced in a stateside regular-season minor league game, although not at the affiliate most expected. He joined the Kannapolis Intimidators, which makes a lot of sense when factoring in Robert's rust and Winston-Salem's super-crowded outfield.
He figures to get off to a slow start, and his A-ball career opened with an 0-for-4 night in the second game of a doubleheader against Hickory. Intimidators broadcaster Trevor Wilt took videos of his plate appearances:
- First PA: Tap back to the mound.
- Second PA: Walk.
- Third PA: 5-3 chopper on a bang-bang play.
- Fourth PA: Strikeout on a high fastball.
- Fifth PA: A flyout to the warning track.
https://twitter.com/Trevor_Wilt10/status/1004157677818335234
Robert said after the game that he feels good. His thumb is fine, but there's a little tightness in the wrist from being in the cast, and his rhythm overall isn't quite there yet.
Charlotte 4, Syracuse 1
- Carson Fulmer: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 58 of 105 pitches for strikes.
More:
*Fulmer felt OK about these walks:
https://twitter.com/followmefor3/status/1004183800446939137
Jacksonville 2, Birmingham 1
- Danny Mendick went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Zack Collins, 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Eloy Jimenez and Seby Zavala both were 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Jameson Fisher went 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Tito Polo struck out in his only plate appearance, and was replaced the following inning.
- Spencer Adams is experiencing a renaissance: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Winston-Salem 6, Salem 5
- Joel Booker went 1-for-4 with a homer, walk and strikeout. He was caught stealing tryin to swipe home.
- Ti'Quan Forbes was 1-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Luis Alexander Basabe and Alex Call both were 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. Both were caught stealing, with Call being picked off.
- Blake Rutherford, 2-for-4.
- Yeyson Yrizarri went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base.
More:
*Call's single was a walk-off job, and not the usual kind.
https://twitter.com/WSDashBaseball/status/1004197643491430402
Hickory 8, Kannapolis 6 (Game 1, 9 innings)
- Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-5.
- Evan Skoug, 1-for-4.
- Justin Yurchak was 2-for-4 with a triple and a strikeout.
- Carlos Perez was 0-for-3 with a sac fly.
- Tyler Johnson: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
- Will Kincanon: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Hickory 11, Kannapolis 10 (Game 2, 9 innings)
- Luis Gonzalez drove in five while going 2-for-6 with a double and two strikeouts.
- Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Evan Skoug was 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Justin Yurchak went 2-for-3 with two walks.
- Luis Curbelo went 1-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
DSL Orioles 9, DSL White Sox 5
- Jose Rodriguez went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases. He's 17 years old, so there's that.
