CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Dash Gets New Pitcher

May 20, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, NC (MAY 20, 2010) - In the wake of yesterday's 29 innings of baseball, the Winston-Salem Dash today has received relief pitcher Brandon Kloess (rhymes with "hose") from low-A Kannapolis. To make room for Kloess on the roster, catcher Chase Blackwood has been sent to extended spring training.

Kloess pitched primarily as a multiple-inning reliever for the Kannapolis Intimidators this season. He was 1-0 with two saves and a 1.16 ERA in 23.1 innings with Kannapolis. He allowed just 17 hits and four walks while piling up 28 strikeouts. Batters in the South Atlantic League hit just .200 against the Boca Raton, Florida native.

Kloess was picked up by the White Sox as an un-drafted free agent last year. In his first professional season, he went 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 18 games (two starts) for Advanced Rookie-Level Great Falls. He struck out 72 batters in 58.2 innings and only gave up 49 hits. He finished the year third in the Pioneer League in strikeouts.

An alumnus of Florida Atlantic University, Kloess briefly played for the independent Windy City Thunderbolts (Frontier League) last summer before signing with Chicago. Windy City is the same indy team that both Dan Remenowsky and Kyle Shelton played for before signing with the White Sox.

Kloess was traded to Windy City from the Texarkana Gunslingers of the Continental League for a player to be named later. He signed with Texarkana after finishing his eligibility at FAU, but never played in a game for the Gunslingers. Kloess was 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA in three games (one start) for the Thunderbolts.

A five-year player at FAU (one redshirt season), Kloess' best season came in his sophomore year, when he went 8-2 with a 4.17 ERA. He posted an ERA over six in each of his three other college seasons.

In high school, Kloess was Alabama's 4A Player of the Year at St. James HS in 2001-02. He threw a perfect game in 2001, retiring all 21 batters he faced.

Blackwood started and caught all 20 innings of last night's game against the Pelicans. He singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 20th to give Winston-Salem a 4-3 win in the second-longest game in Carolina League history. Blackwood spent roughly a month on the Winston-Salem roster in two stints, but last night's game was the only contest he played in for the Dash. He finished last night 1 for 9 with six strikeouts.

The Dash roster remains at the Carolina League limit of 25 active players.

Winston-Salem finishes its four-game series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tonight at 7 p.m. RHP Nevin Griffith goes for his fifth win of the season against LHP Brett Oberholzter.

The Winston-Salem Dash is the Class-A Advanced minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 336-714-2287 or visit www.wsdash.com.

Check out the Winston-Salem Dash Statistics



Carolina League Stories from May 20, 2010


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