Rodon Moved to Triple-A Charlotte & The Dash Fall to Blue Rocks

By Staff

 

The Chicago White Sox and the Winston-Salem Dash have announced that left-hander Carlos Rodon has been promoted to Triple-A Charlotte.

Rodon made four appearances with Winston-Salem and posted a 1.86 earned run average in nine and two-thirds innings, during which he struck out 15. He surrendered three runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits.

The White Sox drafted Rodon out of North Carolina State University with the third overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. This was the highest draft pick by the franchise since the club tabbed Harold Baines with the top selection in 1977.

MLB.com lists the all-time strikeouts leader in Wolfpack history as the top prospect in the White Sox system and the 23rd-best among all current Minor Leaguers.

Courtney Hawkins’ four-RBI effort sparked a late rally that forced extras, but the Wilmington Blue Rocks walked off with a 6-5 win on Saturday at Frawley Stadium thanks to a 10th-inning RBI single from Cody Stubbs.

Wilmington (26-26, 59-61) enjoyed a 5-2 lead through six, but Hawkins pulled the Dash within a run in the seventh. With two on and two down, the former first round pick lashed an 0-2 pitch to the wall in left for a two-run double.

Two frames later, Hawkins was Winston-Salem’s last hope. Keenyn Walker coaxed a leadoff walk and reached third with two away, and Hawkins delivered with another scalded double down the left field line that ultimately forced extra innings.

Thanks to those two run-producing doubles and a third-inning sacrifice fly, Hawkins plated four runs to push his RBI total to 76, thrusting him past former Myrtle Beach catcher Jorge Alfaro for the Carolina League’s lead.

However, the Blue Rocks loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning of a tie game, and Cody Stubbs collected the game-winning hit to left-center to send the Dash (25-30, 55-69) to their 10th loss in the last 11 games. Winston is now three games back of Salem for the final Southern Division playoff spot with 15 to go. The Red Sox pummeled Myrtle Beach 17-9 on Saturday for their seventh straight win.

The Blue Crew struck with four runs in the first inning. Raul Mondesi, whose one-out triple started the 10th-inning rally, doubled home the game’s first run. Later in the big frame, Cam Gallagher snuck a three-run blast inside the left field foul pole.

Cleuluis Rondon dented the scoreboard for the Dash in the third inning. His run-scoring triple made it 4-1, and Hawkins aforementioned sacrifice fly chased home Rondon.

Winston-Salem starter J.B. Wendelken overcame the rocky first to post a six-inning showing, during which the right-hander whiffed nine. Nick Blount replaced Wendelken and turned in three scoreless frames in his High-A debut before Zach Isler (1-6) surrendered the game-winning run.

Winston-Salem will attempt to avoid a sweep on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. in the final regular season meeting between these two squads. The Dash send James Dykstra (2-2, 5.82 ERA) to the mound against fellow right-hander Luis Santos (3-3, 5.70 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 4:50 pm  HERE.