As the Charlotte Knights drew closer to the only postseason appearance by a White Sox affiliate this season, the White Sox broadcast booth was effusive in the value of the experience various prospects would gain during an International league playoff push.
Alas, as Hawk Harrelson used to say, experience was something the Knights got when they didn't want to get it.
Even though Gwinnett took care of the other half of the equation by beating Durham 8-5, the Knights missed out on a chance to play on, blowing a 5-1 lead and losing to Norfolk, 7-6. Dylan Covey did his job, but neither Matt Foster nor Jose Ruiz could say the same.
The Knights blew a four-game lead over the last week and a half, going 2-8 while Durham finished 6-4. That slide included a sweep at home against the Bulls, who ended up holding the tiebreaker by going 12-11 over the season series.
With the loss, Charlotte also lost its grip on the best winning percentage among White Sox affiliates, as Winston-Salem slipped ahead, .541 to .540.
- Charlotte: 75-63
- Birmingham: 64-72
- Winston-Salem: 72-61
- Kannapolis: 64-74
Norfolk 7, Charlotte 6 (10 innings)
- Luis Robert went 1-for-6 with a triple, but he tripled up on strikeouts.
- Nick Madrigal singled all five times up.
- Yermin Mercedes came up a triple short of the cycle while going 3-for-4, adding a sac fly.
- Zack Collins walked twice and struck out thrice.
- Danny Mendick went 0-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Seby Zavala, 2-for-5 with a stolen base.
Biloxi 6, Birmingham 1
- Blake Rutherford won the outfielder OPS crown, goign 1-for-4 with two strikeouts to finish at .684.
- Luis Gonzalez finished at .675 after going 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Luis Basabe settled at .660 after wearing the collar with a couple strikeouts.
- Laz Rivera went 0-for-3.
- John Parke: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
- Tyler Johnson: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Winston-Salem 3, Lynchburg 0
- Steele Walker went 0-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout.
- Andrew Vaughn, 2-for-4 with a double.
- Konnor Pilkington lowered his ERA to 4.99: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP
Delmarva 9, Kannapolis 5
- Lenyn Sosa went 1-for-4 with a homer and a sac fly.
- Romy Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with a walk.
- Corey Zagnari singled and struck out four times.
- Amado Nunez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
Great Falls 4, Billings 1
- Cabera Weaver went 2-for-5 with a stolen base.
- Kelvin Maldonado was 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Harvin Mendoza doubled, singled twice, walked and struck out.
- Luis Mieses went 2-for-3 with a walk.
