CarL Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Cannon Baller Chronicle: Ballers Win Five in a Row, Tied for First Place in Second Half of Division

Published on July 12, 2022 under Carolina League (CarL)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Despite dropping the series opener on July 4, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers worked to earn one of their best weeks of baseball in 2022, winning five of six over the Carolina Mudcats at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the five consecutive wins, Kannapolis moves to 11-4, tied for first place in the second half of the Carolina League South Division.

TOMMY'S TIME

With a six-inning shutout outing on Wednesday night, LHP Tommy Sommer has been named as Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for July 4-10. The lefty allowed no runs on one hit, walking none and striking out two. Despite not striking out at least six in an outing for only the second time all year, Sommer put together one of the best starts of any Ballers starter in 2022.

PACKED HOUSE

The Ballers welcomed a record 5,391 fans to their July 4 matchup with Carolina on Monday, wearing special 4th of July jerseys and putting on the biggest fireworks show in the area. The 5,391 fans that entered Atrium Health Ballpark endured a 58-minute delay and an early outburst of offense from the Mudcats helped gather the largest crowd at Atrium Health Ballpark history.

YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME

Newcomer INF Andy Atwood made his presence felt in his four games of action against Carolina, crushing two home runs and tallying four RBI, with his two home runs coming on Saturday and Sunday. Atwood struck out just once in 16 plate appearances, using a patient approach to find his pitches to hit and earn back-to-back Five Star Transmission and Total Auto Care Star of the Game awards.

ON TO THE NEXT

The Red Sox, Low-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, return home after dropping four of six in Delmarva in a six-game set with the Shorebirds. Salem fell short of a playoff spot in the first half via a tiebreaker with the Lynchburg Hillcats and have stumbled into the second half with an overall record of 7-8.

This will be the first time ever that Kannapolis visits Salem, and the second time these two sides have faced off. Salem came to Kannapolis in late July of 2021, winning four of six against the Ballers.

Salem holds five of the Red Sox' top 30 prospects in INF Marcelo Mayer (No. 1), INF Blaze Jordan (No. 6), RHP Wikelman Gonzalez (No. 9), INF Eddinson Paulino (No. 19), and INF Brainer Bonaci (No. 20).

With the exception of the month of June, Mayer has tallied monthly batting averages of at least .300. The No. 10 overall prospect in MLB and the 2021 No. 4 overall pick is batting .286 with seven home runs, holding a perfect 12-for-12 record in stolen base attempts. Jordan brings a reputation as a massive power-bat, crushing 500-foot home runs as a 13-year-old. The social media sensation lands in the Red Sox top prospect list for his offensive ability. The third-round pick from Southaven, Mississippi is second on the team in home runs with eight.

Gonzalez, the only top pitching prospect on Salem's roster, has allowed runs in each of his last nine starts. The righty from Maracay, Venezuela has made 16 starts, owning a 3-2 record with a 4.85 ERA. Paulino is second in the Carolina League with 8 triples, leading the Red Sox as well. The lefty bat from Santiago, Dominican Republic leads Salem with 17 stolen bases. Bonaci is second with 14, contributing with a four-hit game versus Lynchburg on July 1. Bonaci played 13 games in 2021 with Salem, and is in his second season of action with the Red Sox.

The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers head on the road for a six-game series with the Salem Red Sox, Low-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, July 12-17. The Ballers return home after the road trip and a four-day All-Star break for a nine game homestand, beginning July 22-24 with three games against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, followed by a six-game set July 26-31 with the Columbia Fireflies, Low-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.

Tickets can be purchased for any upcoming home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark. Fans can also keep up with the action on the team's social media outlets, with live in-game updates being provided on Twitter at @kcannonballers. All Cannon Ballers home games, as well as select road games, will have a free audio broadcast on kcballers.com, with all home games also being broadcasted on MiLB.tv.

Check out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 12, 2022


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