Cannon Baller Chronicle: Kannapolis Back on Track with Series Split vs. Down East

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – In a series that saw multiple pitching duels, low amounts of offense, and fast ballgames, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers put together a solid week at Atrium Health Ballpark with a series split against the Down East Wood Ducks. With the three wins, Kannapolis moves to 23-34, 9-9 on the season against the Woodies.

SOMMER’S SOLSTICE

LHP Tommy Sommer became just the second Baller to start twice in a week, earning starts on Tuesday and Sunday against the Wood Ducks. The former Indiana Hoosier southpaw shutout Down East in 9.2 innings, striking out 13 to mark now 10 of his 11 starts in 2022 in which he has tallied over six strikeouts. Sommer also earned the victory on Sunday and has lowered his ERA in each of his last four starts.

VERA VERA NICE

RHP Norge Vera made his Cannon Ballers debut on Thursday night, tossing a brilliant 2.2 innings of work. The No. 5 overall prospect in the White Sox organization from Santiago de Cuba, Cuba struck out three and walking one, allowing two hits and no runs. With the addition of Vera to the Ballers roster, Kannapolis now holds three of the top six Chicago White Sox prospects.

ON HIS GAME AND ON BASE

IF Colson Montgomery continued his scorching 2022 season, reaching base in every game to push his on-base streak to now 24 consecutive games. The Southridge High School product tallied a home run on Tuesday and a three-hit night on Thursday to raise his batting average to as high as .311 on the season.

PLYMELL IS PLIABLE

RHP Chase Plymell gathered two amazing outings on the week against the Wood Ducks. The righty from Nevada, Missouri tallied his longest outing Tuesday, earning the victory with 4.1 innings and six strikeouts. Plymell then appeared on Sunday in his second relief stint of the series, tossing a 2.1 inning save to ensure victory in the series finale for Kannapolis.

ON TO THE NEXT

The Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, are coming off of a great trip to Delmarva. Fayetteville took four of the five games against the Shorebirds, Low-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, in a week that was supposed to see six games, however had Sunday’s finale cancelled due to weather in Maryland. On the season, the Woodpeckers are 27-29, one spot ahead of Kannapolis in the Carolina League South Division.

Against the Ballers, Fayetteville owns a record of 9-6, most recently sweeping Kannapolis at Atrium Health Ballpark in a six-game series from May 17-22.

Fayetteville holds just three of the top 30 prospect in the Astros organization in RHP Alex Santos (No. 9), OF Tyler Whitaker (No. 10), and OF Logan Cerny (No. 25).

In three starts against Kannapolis, Santos is 0-2 with an 8.38 ERA, allowing 11 runs on 12 hits in 9.2 innings. Whitaker is far and away the leader in strikeouts for the Woodpeckers, striking out 89 times in 208 at-bats, batting .159 on the season. Finally, Cerny is on an offensive tear in the month of June, batting .429 in his last 12 games with four home runs and 19 RBI.

The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers hit the road for a six-game series versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, June 14-19 at Segra Stadium. The Ballers return home to Atrium Health Ballpark June 21-26 for a six-game series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Low-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

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.