Game 2 of the Carolina Southern League Championship was a seven-inning beauty. Kanny starter Tanner McDougal and reliever Aaron Combs combined to toss a one-hit-wonder. McDougal, the No. 28 White Sox prospect, was brilliant. He blanked the FredNats for five innings, surrendering only a walk. With his cutter and slider working in a melodic tandem, he struck out nine FredNats and secured the W for what was one of the best performances by the righthander this season.

Combs, Chicago’s 2024 Round 8 draft pick this summer, earned the save for his two innings of work. He gave up the Nationals’ only hit and walked one while striking out six. The 22-year-old did pitch out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh: After walking the leadoff batter, Kevin Bazzell, and then hitting Brandon Pimentel on the foot, he struck out the next three men to end the game.

Fredericksburg starter Alex Clemmey was equally as sharp through the first three frames, but ran into the Kanny offensive bulldozer in the fourth. Some small-ball started off the scoring when Arxy Hernández led off with a double, and Jackson Appel moved him over on a ground out to short. Drake Logan drove the run in with a deep sacrifice fly to right, giving the Ballers a 1-0 advantage. Jeral Perez followed with a single, and Ryan Burrowes smacked a double. Then Albertson Asigen came through with a HUGE three-bagger, which plated Perez and Burrowes, upping the lead to 3-0.

That was plenty enough offense for Kanny to take the victory and force a Game 3 (also a seven-inning affair due to Tuesday’s rainout). Stay tuned; we’ll have that recap for you as soon as the game is finished tonight.

Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts by clicking this Patreon link.

Tanner McDougal Photo/Tanner McDougal Instagram