Ever since two of the four full-season affiliates clinched postseason appearances, it seems we’re back to routine and dismal efforts down on the farm. Tonight was no different, with one win among five games.

There was org rotation movement on Tuesday, as Ky Bush is heading up to Charlotte from Birmingham and Riley Gowens from Winston-Salem to the Barons. Meanwhile Charlotte shortstop Colson Montgomery and Bham southpaw Noah Schultz were selected for July 13’s Futures Game in Arlington, Texas.

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8, Charlotte Knights 0 (Gameday box) (Statcast box)
We start with the worst game of tonight’s batch, as the Knights fell to 37-44 after suffering this doleful drubbing at the hands of the Shrimp. Nick Nastrini (4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, HR, loss to fall to 1-7) had a gen-u-ine Nuke LaLoosh game, wild enough for five walks but scary enough for seven Ks and a Triple-A high 17 swings-and-misses. But LaLoosh aside, the Charlotte offense (four hits, three walks, 13 Ks and an o-fer with RISP) assured that no amount of artful relief pitching was going to get it back into this game.

GAME MVP
Michael Chavis (3B) 2-for-4, 2B, two hard hits, K

RUNNERS-UP
Mark Payton (LF) 1-for-4, R, 2B, three hard hits
Zach DeLoach (CF) 1-for-3, BB, K
Fraser Ellard (RHRP) 1/3 IP, K, strikeout with the bases loaded to end 5th inning
Joe Barlow (RHRP) IP, K

Rocket City Trash Pandas 8, Birmingham Barons 5 (Gameday box)
No other way to say it, but our vaunted Barons are downright floundering over the past few weeks. It may turn out unbelievably fortunate that one postponed Tennessee Smokies game allowed them to back into the postseason, because Birmingham has continued its flat play into the second half and now have fallen out of first place in the Southern League North — and in fact are just 5 1/2 games out of third place as these Trash Pandas are smelling bamboo.

This one was an early giveaway, as Tyler Schweitzer (4 IP, 5 H, 6 R/4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 2 HB, loss to fall to 2-1) suffered his first poor start this year with the Barons. At the midpoint of the game it was 6-0,and though Birmingham scored some in bunches late, it only served to make this game seem closer in the history books than it appeared to 2,264 at Regions Field tonight.

GAME MVP
Michael Turner (DH) 3-for-4, RBI, 2 2B

RUNNERS-UP
Wilfred Veras (RF) 2-for-4, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Edgar Quero (C) 1-for-3, R, BB, 1-for-1 CS
Matt Hogan (CF) 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K
Alsander Womack (2B) 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Caleb Freeman (RHRP) IP, K, 9-of-11 strikes

Turns out, Wilfred probably should have ended up with the MVP and possibly a different game result down in Birmingham:

Wilfred Veras barely misses a 3R HR, and settles for a 2R double. Matt Hogan and Tim Elko both walked and come in to score. There were some questions from the dugout as to whether it was a HR. It looks like it probably was, ricochet on the rail. #Barons trail 7-3. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/1Ij89of3uX

— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 3, 2024

Hickory Crawdads 8, Winston-Salem Dash 2 (Gameday box)
The Dash keep pace with Charlotte as the worst team among the 2024 affiliates, and what a growth spurt it’s been for the system that seven games worse than .500 (Winston-Salem fell to 35-42 tonight) represents the basement.

Nobody on the Dash staff could solve Hickory in this one, as the staff collectively went crazy eights (Tanner McDougal/Johnny Ray/Ben Beutel combined for eight innings, eight hits, eight earned and eight Ks … sprinkling in six walks and three homers for a proper burial). Beyond that, the W-S bats battled but ultimately stopped short of any clutch play whatsoever (1-for-11 with RISP, 12 LOB).

GAME MVP
Wes Kath (3B) 3-for-4, 2B, 3B, RBI

Wes Kath with a triple that bounces off the wall bringing in Colby Smelley (BB). Wes is a HR shy of the cycle. #Dash trail 4-1. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/vLkGbLifn2

— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 3, 2024

RUNNERS-UP
DJ Gladney (CF) 2-for-4, BB, SB, 2 K
Loidel Chapelli (2B) 1-for-3, HBP, 2 K
Colby Smelley (C) 1-for-4, R, BB, PB, pickoff at 1B

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 11, Fayetteville Woodpeckers 4 (Gameday box)
Well, we did get one win on Tuesday, from a source you might expect: the playoff-bound CBs. But even Kanny has slumped into the second half, losing five of six to being the second half. However, the Kannapolis offense made sure this series started off right, sidestepping a shaky start from Jake Peppers (2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, balk) to get on base 24 times (11 hits, eight walks, HBP, four errors). Kannapolis was up, 6-2, halfway home and an inning later had extended things to 10-3.

GAME MVP
George Wolkow (RF) 2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, 2 BB, 2 K, 18.1% WPA

George Wolkow follows a 114MPH foul with a 109MPH triple in the gap. Ronny Hernandez (E6) comes in to score. 11-3 #Ballers. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/oquiutEJy3

— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 3, 2024

RUNNERS-UP
Ronny Hernández (DH) 2-for-6, 3 R, RBI, 19.2% WPA
Caden Connor (1B) 1-for-3, 2 R, 3 BB, 2B
Mikey Kane (2B) 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 K
Drake Logan (CF) 1-for-3, R, BB, HBP, 2 K
Wilber Sánchez (3B) 1-for-5, R, 3 RBI, 2 SB, 2 K
Connor Housley (RHRP) 2 1/3 IP, BB, 3 K, HOLD (1)

ACL Rockies 4, ACL White Sox 3 (Gameday box)
Christian Oppor (5 IP) felt a hot wind (108° at game time) on his shoulder, and that wind pushed him to his second five-inning, no-ER outing of the season. This one was a little sloppier, as the southpaw saw some shaky defense behind him that helped scratch two runs on his ticket. Three of the four relievers who followed Oppor also felt the heat and made Colorado hitters pay.

Offensively, the Complex Sox mustered just eight baserunners (five hits, two walks, one error) over nine innings and saw just one runner reach scoring position. Hard to win like that, no matter how solid the arms are.

GAME MVP
Christian Oppor (LHSP) 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R/0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, pickoff at 1B, loss to drop to 2-4)

RUNNERS-UP
Travis Lakins Sr. (RHRP) IP, 2 K
Nick Padilla (RHRP) IP, 2 K (rehab assignment from Charlotte)
Abraham Núñez (RF) 0-for-2, R, RBI, BB, SF
Guillermo Rodríguez (SS) 2-for-3, R, 2B

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Lead image of Christian Oppor: @TroyCollinsBaseballLife/Instagram