White Sox Minor Keys: April 14, 2018
I’ll break out Michael Kopech‘s start for Sunday morning, because the Winston-Salem Dash deserve to be the focus of this one.
Joel Booker once again delivered the late-game heroics, executing the suicide squeeze in the 10th inning for a 6-5 victory over Carolina. Considering Booker’s walk-off (Dash-off) steal of home made the national highlights, he’s had himself a helluva week.
But it’s more remarkable how the Dash tied this one up, because the Dash trailed 5-0 as late as one out in the eighth inning.
And then this happened:
- Joel Booker homer
- Blake Rutherford double
- Luis Alexander Basabe homer
- Micker Adolfo homer
- Pitching change
- Gavin Sheets popout
- Yermin Mercedes homer
We told you this team was special.
Trailing 5-0, @joelbooker28, Luis Basabe, @MickerAdolfoZap and Yermin Mercedes played long ball at BB&T Ballpark in the eighth.
🎙️: @JakeEisenberg_ pic.twitter.com/rHgbv4SMfo
— Winston-Salem Dash (@WSDashBaseball) April 15, 2018
Booker had the chance to put the Sox ahead before the 10th, but he popped out with runners on second and third to end the four-dinger frame.
The Dash are now 7-3, and Basabe has a lot to do with it. He’s hitting .410/.467/.667 over nine games.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10, Charlotte 5
- Ryan Cordell went 2-for-5 with a double and two strikeouts.
- Charlie Tilson was 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Daniel Palka homered for the third straight game, going 1-for-4 with a K.
- Casey Gillaspie was also 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Michael Kopech: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 11 groundouts, zero flyouts.
- Thyago Vieira: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Winston-Salem 6, Carolina 5 (10 innings)
- Joel Booker went 2-for-5 with a homer and a walk.
- Blake Rutherford, 2-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Luis Alexander Basabe, 2-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
- Micker Adolfo was 1-for-4 with a homer, walk and strikeout.
- Gavin Sheets was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and an HBP.
- Yermin Mercedes, 2-for-5 with a homer and a strikeout.
- Yeyson Yrizarri went 2-for-5 with a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Ricardo Pinto: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Kannapolis 4, Charleston 3
- Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-2 with three walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Justin Yurchak went 1-for-4 with a walk.
- Carlos Perez, 2-for-4 with a double.
- Tyler Johnson: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Birmingham vs. Montgomery PPD
Is it too early to begin speculating on a Birmingham call-up for Booker in the next month or so? Especially with Robert coming back in a few weeks and W-S being his destination.
I second that. Booker or Micker or Rutherford or Basabe – one of them will need to move somewhere. It will be interesting to see who. My guess is that when Adolfo hit 100 ab, they DL him and get him his surgery – and that frees up the room for Robert. Maybe they rotate their outfielders into that DH slot then.
Btw Jim – wrong links for Gonzalez and Tyler Johnson.
At this point wouldn’t you just wait for the off-season for Adolfo’s surgery… if he needs it at all ?
Doesn’t hurt his swing. Quite a blast by Micker.
I think he’ll get it this season so he’s back in the field next March/April.
The TJ recovery timeline for position players is ~8 months, so if he needs surgery it’ll likely happen in June.
I’d bet Basabe gets first crack at AA if he continues hitting, since he’s already spent a full year at Winston-Salem.
No K’s for Basabe. Nice.
Did anyone else notice how many grown ass men were sprinting after minor league home run balls in that clip? Some were even trying to beat a bunch of kids on the last one.