Three of the four full-season White Sox affiliates were shut out as part of a dismal showing on the farm today. However, a handful of individual performances and a promising rehab start by third baseman Yoán Moncada kept things interesting.

Durham Bulls 3, Charlotte Knights 0 (Gameday box) (Statcast Box)
It was another loss for the Knights tonight. Despite the pitching staff, spearheaded by Sean Burke, only allowing five hits, the offense failed to put a single run on the board. Center fielder Rafael Ortega managed to stroke Charlotte’s only extra-base hit on the night, with a double. He also flashed some leather!

WHATTA PLAY!

Rafael Ortega makes a diving catch 👏 pic.twitter.com/dBjUO9hqoU

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) July 11, 2024

Hulking righty Burke pitched five strong innings despite becoming the losing pitcher. He allowed just two runs on three hits and fanned six Bulls. A pair of struggling relievers bounced back with scoreless outings as well. Prelander Berroa, once touted as a premium starting/relief prospect, struck out two and walked one in his scoreless inning, lowering his ERA to a slightly more respectable 6.32. Former Texas Rangers closer Joe Barlow finished this game off with a scoreless ninth inning, getting all three outs via the strikeout and walking just one; his ERA stands at a less-than-pretty 10.03.

GAME MVP
Sean Burke (RHSP) 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, L

RUNNERS-UP
Rafael Ortega (CF) 1-for-3, 2B, K
Joe Barlow (RHRP) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Prelander Berroa (RHRP) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Mississippi Braves 2, Birmingham Barons 0 (Gameday Box)
Fans in Mississippi witnessed a remarkably similar game to Charlotte’s, but at the Double-A level. The boys from Birmingham were shut out by a trio of Braves pitchers, headlined by an 11-strikeout performance by Luis De Avila. Unlike the Knights, however, the Barons managed to outhit their opponents despite failing to notch a tally on the scoreboard.

Catcher Michael Turner, who had been on a dreadful cold streak to start the year, recorded the only multi-hit effort for the Barons, with a 2-for-4 showing that raised his batting average to .210 on the year (a far cry from the .309 he enjoyed at High-A last year). None of the hits recorded by Birmingham went for extra bases, which helps one rationalize how outhitting the opposition still results in a shutout.

On the mound, however, just-demoted starter Johan Domínguez was in fine form despite being saddled with the tough-luck loss. The minor-league journeyman threw seven strong innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits while striking out nine Braves. Perhaps more impressively, he walked nobody.

All in all, while there were some bright spots, there’s no sugarcoating another shutout. That said, there were some individual performances worthy of recognition!

GAME MVP
Johan Dominguez (RHRP) 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, L

RUNNERS-UP
Michael Turner (C) 2-for-4, K
Wilfred Veras (RF) 1-for-2, 2 BB, K

Greensboro Grasshoppers 3, Winston-Salem Dash 0 (Gameday Box)
Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me. Make it shutouts for the top THREE White Sox affiliates to begin this update. Despite the dismal showing offensively, outfield prospect Eddie Park recorded a 2-for-3 effort with a walk tacked on for good measure as if to say, “None of this is MY fault, I did my part.” None of Winston-Salem’s hits, by Park or anybody else, went for extra bases in this one, however.

Starter Tommy Vail, whose praises I have been singing all season long, tossed five strong innings of one-run ball. And though he struggled with command by issuing four walks, he also struck out seven Grasshoppers, building upon the absolutely OBSCENE 44% strikeout rate he’s pitched to with the Dash. In two starts for W-S, Vail has a 0.90 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 10 innings pitched.

Outside of those two individual performances, I’m afraid there wasn’t much to write home about in Greensboro. Let’s all hope for better news from Kannapolis at the next level of today’s update.

GAME MVP
Tommy Vail (LHSP) 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, L

RUNNER-UP
Eddie Park (RF) 2-for-3, BB

Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 1 (Gameday Box)
OK, listen. I know it wasn’t pretty. I know it wasn’t a win. I know Kannapolis only scored ONE run, but it’s time to celebrate! I need the entire Chicago White Sox fandom to thank catcher Luis Pineda for recording the only hit for Low-A Kannapolis, a double that drove in the only full-season affiliate run of the day. Despite no other member of the starting nine getting a hit, a duo of ballers worked walks in today’s effort, which … is something. Arxy Hernandez and Javier Mora share that distinction.

At least Kannapolis had the excuse of only getting seven innings with which to try to generate some offense; the game was delayed two hours by rain, and before first pitch was set as a seven-inning contest.

On the mound, Aldrin Batista got hit around a bit, which is uncharacteristic for the promising righty. Despite this, he lived in the zone the whole game and maintained the stuff to miss bats at an elite level. His final line would read five innings of six-run ball on eight hits and ZERO walks while fanning seven Pelicans. Jesús Mendez managed a scoreless inning in relief to finish things off.

GAME MVP
Luis Pineda (C) 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, K

RUNNERS-UP
Arxy Hernández (3B) 0-for-2, BB, R
Jesús Mendez (RHRP) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 1 K
Javier Mora (DH) 0-for-1, 1 BB

ACL Brewers 10, ACL White Sox 5 (Gameday Box)
This kid *checks notes* Yoán Moncada might be good someday. He went 3-for-3 out of the leadoff spot, driving his rookie-level rehab numbers to a gaudy .571/.625/.714 (1.339 OPS). We’ll have to keep an eye on this prospect to see if he becomes anything down the line. (However, there are rumors that he might be injury prone!)

Yoyo wasn’t the only Sox batter to go a perfect 3-for-3 in today’s seven-inning affair. Touted shortstop prospect Javier Mogollón continued to make his case for a call-up to full-season ball with a three-hit effort that included a double and his FIFTEENTH stolen base of the year.

On the mound, young righthanded starting prospect Luis Reyes fared decently with 4 2/3 innings of four-run ball (two earned) while walking one and punching six ACL Brewer tickets.

GAME MVP
Javier Mogollón (SS) 3-for-3, 2B, SB

RUNNERS-UP
Yoán Moncada (3B) 3-for-3, R, 2B, RBI
Leandro Alsinois (CF) 1-for-3, 2B, R, K
Stiven Flores (1B) 1-for-3, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K

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Johan Domínguez image: S.R. Silver/Sox Populi