Record
2-3 (last five games)
67-60 (overall)
26-35 (second half)

During this five-game stretch, Kannapolis played three games against the Fredericksburg Nationals, the first-place team in Carolina North and affiliated with the Washington Nationals. The Ballers went toe-to-toe and battled with the No. 1 squad with the exception of Saturday night’s blowout, which we’ll get to soon enough. Next up were the Salem Red Sox, the third-place team in Carolina North, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Despite losing both contests, the Ballers stayed competitive. Scoring runs was not an issue during this stretch for the Ballers. Unfortunately, it was the volatile pitching that led to more losses than wins.

August 29: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 8, Fredericksburg Nationals 7
A brilliant pitching performance by Manuel Veloz helped the Ballers earn their second straight victory over the Nationals with a walk-off thriller. After starter Justin Sinibaldi tossed three innings of one-run ball, Veloz came on and completely dominated with four innings of almost-perfect baseball, including six punchouts. The only blip for the 23-year-old was a sixth-inning, two-out walk. Jesús Méndez struggled, surrendering three runs in the top of the ninth, allowing the Nats to knot the game at 7-7.

The Ballers offense was firing on all cylinders, collecting 12 knocks, including a 3-for-6 night from ninth-inning hero Drake Logan, who tapped a dribbler in the infield to win the game. Red-hot Alec Makarewicz just keeps on hitting with another two-out double that drove in two of the four runs Kanny put up in the sixth. Third baseman Arxy Hernández drove in the other two tallies with a clutch single.

Game MVP
Manuel Veloz 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K

August 30: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4, Fredericksburg Nationals 3
Good, solid pitching and situational hitting were the keys to this victory. Salem hurlers held Kanny to three walks and only one hit through the first six innings. Then the Ballers put up a three-spot in the seventh off Jackson Appel’s first bomb. After T.J. McCants led off with a single, Arxy Hernández followed with a walk, and then with one out, Appel let it fly out to left. That big swing knotted the game at 3-3 until Kannapolis broke the tie in the eighth. Hernández again had the big hit, a two-out single that drove home George Wolkow, who led off the frame with a base hit.

Frankeli Arias tossed four innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two. The 21-year-old has been with Kannapolis all season and owns a 2-4 record with a 5.00 ERA and an impressive 10.01 K/9. However, his 4.35 BB/9 is what still needs some work. Reliever Aaron Combs, a Round 8 (No. 229) pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, earned his first professional win. The 22-year-old out of the University of Tennessee has made five appearances with the Ballers since being called up on August 20 and has yet to surrender a run over 6 2/3 innings.

Jackson Appel was tonight’s player of the game, which made him the recipient of his FIRST EVER K-Town Ballers Ice Baths! pic.twitter.com/bhdEuau87W

— Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (@Kcannonballers) August 31, 2024

Game MVP
Jackson Appel 1-for-3, 3 RBI, HR

August 31: Fredericksburg Nationals 21, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 5
I know, yikes! After playing so well against the top team and taking 3-of-4, the Ballers pitching staff made a complete mess of this one. The Nationals clobbered reliever Daniel González for eight runs in only 1/3 of an inning. The southpaw came out for the fourth and did well, ending the inning with a sweet strike ’em out, throw ’em out after hitting Brenner Cox. Then came the dreaded fifth frame, where he hit another batter, threw a wild pitch, gave up four hits, and walked three.

Skipper Patrick Leyland called on Jesús Méndez to mop up the mess, but he only added to the problems, giving up one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth. It was Pierce George’s turn next, and while he wasn’t great, his defense didn’t help him out, either. The 2024 Round 13 (No. 379) pick, who was making his third appearance with the Ballers, gave up four runs (two earned) in his one inning of work. The only pitcher on the evening who didn’t implode was position player Mason Dinesen, who worked the last two frames and only gave up a walk and struck out two.

Kanny scored five in the contest, which might typically be enough to win a game, but it was definitely not tonight. TJ McCants hit his second triple, and infielder Jeral Perez continues to look promising at the plate, going 2-for-4. The 19-year-old came to the White Sox in the Dodgers/Cardinals trade on July 29. The Dominican Republic native is currently Chicago’s No. 13 prospect, played in the 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game, and went 1-for-2 with a run scored. He’s slashing .260/.351/.430 with a .781 OPS with the Ballers.

Game MVP
Jeral Perez 2-for-4, R

September 2: Salem Red Sox 8, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7
It was a late-inning steal in this walk-off for the Red Sox. Although Salem ranks ninth in the league for batting average, they didn’t have any trouble at all getting the hits they needed to capture the W.

Tanner McDougal had a nice start for the Ballers, lowering his season ERA to 4.05 while only surrendering one earned run over four innings. Most impressive were his eight strikeouts, but less remarkable were his three walks. The 5.65 BB/9 almost overshadows the outstanding 11.31 K/9. If he has hopes to be a starter, it’s critical for him to improve his control and command.

Reliever Hale Sims took the L in this one with a terrible bottom of the ninth. He entered the frame with a 7-3 lead but completely blew it, allowing five runs on five hits with a walk. The righthander has struggled since being called up from the ACL Sox in August. He owns a 10.32 ERA and a 2.21 WHIP over 11 1/3 innings.

Again, Kanny had enough offense, scoring seven runs off 13 hits. They put up a three-spot in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by George Wolkow and a double by Alec Makarewicz, who just keeps hitting. I feel like a broken record here. They added two more runs in the seventh with a triple by Sam Antonacci and a fielder’s choice by Wolkow. Then, another two in the ninth off the second double of the game from Makarewicz and a single by T.J. McCants.

Game MVP
Alec Makarewicz 3-for-5, 3 RBI, R

September 4: Salem Red Sox 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6
It was another close game and a tough loss for the Ballers. It might have been nerves for newly promoted starter Mason Moore in his debut for Kannapolis as he surrendered five runs in the first inning. Chicago selected the 6´4´´, 215-pound righthander in Round 15 (No. 439) of this year’s MLB Draft.

The 22-year-old played three seasons at the University of Kentucky. After a fantastic year out of the pen in his second season with a 1.80 ERA over 55 innings, he moved into the UK starting rotation for 2024. He couldn’t duplicate his success there, going 9-4 with a 5.05 ERA in 18 starts. Tonight, he settled nicely after the five-run first and retired the Red Sox in order in the second. Out of the pen, Carlton Perkins and Pierce George combined to shut down Salem for 4 2/3 innings, but Connery Peters took the loss for surrendering the winning run in the eighth.

Kanny plated plenty, beginning with two tallies in the fourth on base hits by Ronny Hernandez and Luis Pineda. They then recorded another two in the fifth on a two-bagger by Makarewicz and another RBI single by Hernandez. The Ballers kept clawing their way back with a run in the seventh, a homer by Makarewicz, and another one in the eighth, eventually knotting the score 6-6. Unfortunately, Salem re-took the lead in the bottom of the frame, and that’s how this one ended.

Game MVP
Ronny Hernandez 3-for-3, RBI, R, 2 BB

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Alec Makarewicz photo: North Carolina State University Twitter @NCStateBaseball