White Sox MiLB Report: Michael Kopech Has Impressive Outing

Feb 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech (78) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech (78) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

White Sox third ranked prospect records third win of season for Double-A Birmingham. The young pitcher lasted seven innings for the Barons.

Chicago White Sox third ranked prospect Michael Kopech had a great start on Friday for the Double-A Birmingham Barons. Kopech pitched seven strong innings while recording eight strikeouts and allowing just one earned run.

Kopech was able to help the Barons defeat the Tennessee Smokies 3-2 at Regions Field. The victory was Kopech’s third of the season and he lowered his ERA to 2.76 with his impressive outing.

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The start for Kopech was his longest of the 2017 campaign and quite possibly his best. Kopech only allowed two walks and just three hits to the Smokies. The 21-year-old hurler hasn’t given up more than four hits in any of his eight starts this season for the Barons.

Another Sox pitching prospect, Dane Dunning wasn’t able to have similar luck as Kopech on Friday. In fact, Dunning, the Sox tenth ranked prospect was ejected before the end of the third inning in his start for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem. Dunning threw a pitch over the head of Lucas Erceg of the Carolina Mudcats and was tossed out. Erceg hit a three-run home run off Dunning in the first inning.

The Dash would lose in 10 innings to the Mudcats 8-6. Zack Collins, the Sox sixth top prospect hit his sixth home run of the season against the Mudcats and was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. With the loss, the Dash are now 13-29 on the season.

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While the Dash lost on Friday, Triple-A Charlotte won and Class A Kannapolis split its doubleheader. The Knights defeated the Norfolk Tides 3-1 on the road as Tyler Danish had another solid outing pitching five innings and giving up one earned run. The Intimidators won its first game of a doubleheader over the Hickory Crawdads 9-1. Kannapolis would lose the second game 5-4.

Click on links below for box scores:

Charlotte Knights 3-Norfolk Tides 1

Birmingham Barons 3-Tennessee Smokies 2

Carolina Mudcats 8-Winston-Salem Dash 6 (10 innings)

Kannapolis Intimidators 9-Hickory Crawdads 1 (Game 1 of doubleheader)

Hickory Crawdads 5-Kannapolis Intimidators 4