The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers needed to come out firing this week in order to salvage their hopes of a first-half title, but the pitching effort they put forth in the series opener against Charleston isn't going to cut it.
In a 14-8 loss to the RiverDogs, the Kannapolis staff combined to throw 214 pitches, and only 109 strikes as five pitches combined for 13 walks, two hit batters and eight wild pitches.
Blake Shepardson emerged as the only pitcher with a scoreless line, even though he was responsible for three of those walks and two of those wild pitches during a scoreless fifth. He walked the bases loaded over the course of the inning, but got a grounder to second that froze the runner at third for one out, then started an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play to get out of the jam.
Shepardson's line is still something: 9.2 IP, 6 H, 12 R, 8 ER, 19 BB, 10 K, 6 HBP
Charlotte 6, Gwinnett 3
- Brooks Baldwin picked up where he left off with two homers -- one on the first Gwinnett pitch of the game -- a triple and a walk.
- Colson Montgomery was 1-for-3 with a triple and a sac fly.
- Tim Elko, 1-for-4.
- Bryan Ramos was 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Fraser Ellard beginning his rehab stint: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Gus Varland: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- NIck Nastrini walked a batter, plunked another, then left with an injury.
- Peyton Pallette: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 9 of 12 pitches for strikes.
Highlights:
*Baldwin's night:
Birmingham 4, Columbus 1
- Rikuu Nishida went 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Ryan Galanie, 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Jacob Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a double, HBP and strikeout.
- Wilfred Veras went 1-for-4 with a K.
- Same for DJ Gladney, but his hit was a triple.
Rome 9, Winston-Salem 4
- Sam Antonacci went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Jeral Perez singled and struck out thrice.
- Samuel Zavala went 1-for-4 with a K.
Charleston 14, Kannapolis 8
- Caleb Bonemer went 2-for-4 with a walk, strikeout and his 20th stolen base.
- Ronny Hernandez was 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Geroge Wolkow was 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.
- Javier Mogollón struck out four times during an 0-for-5 night.
- Ryan Burrowes, 2-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Seth Keener: 4 IP 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 2 HR, 1 HBP
- Blake Shepardson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K, 2 WP, 8 of 25 pitches for strikes.
- Pierce George: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
ACL White Sox 5, ACL Mariners 2 (10 innings)
- Adrian Gíl went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Angelo Hernandez was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
- Jurdrick Profar, 1-for-4 with a K.
- Mathias LaCombe: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
DSL White Sox 4, DSL Arizona Black 3 (7 innings)
- Christian Gonzalez doubled and struck out twice.
- Orlando Patiño struck out all three times up.
- Frank Mieses was 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Eduardo Herrera, 1-for-3.
- Alejandro Cruz was 0-for-2 with an HBP.
- Diego Perez: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 WP
