Cannon Baller Chronicle: Week Eleven

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. –The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers have completed week eleven of the 2021 season, being swept at home by the Carolina Mudcats, the leaders in the Low-A East Central Division. Despite the six losses at home, here are a few standout performers from the series:

(All stats are reflective of games from 7/13 to 7/18)

LHP Garvin Alston:

0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Alston’s father Garvin Sr. was not the only one to have a successful week. While the elder Garvin was a pitching coach in the Futures Game, Garvin Jr. shut down Mudcat bats in his two appearances. The USC-Aiken alumnus allowed just two hits over 4.2 frames, working to create outs on contact and getting through innings in key spots.

LHP Sammy Peralta:

0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Peralta’s only outing the week set the tone out of the bullpen in Thursday night’s matchup. The southpaw from the University of Tampa fired six strikeouts in four frames, a series-high for any Baller out of the bullpen. Peralta has quickly solidified his role for skipper Guillermo Quiroz as a left-handed innings-eater.

1B Harvin Mendoza:

8-20, .400, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 6 BB

Since joining the club in the beginning of June, Mendoza has quickly developed into a leader on and off the field. The lefty bat from Venezuela mashed all week at the plate, reaching base in all six games, with hits in five. Add a few RBIs and only three strikeouts in 26 plate appearances, and Mendoza is making a case for opponents to fear his turn in the lineup.

OF Caberea Weaver:

4-12, .333, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 9 BB

Weaver’s up-and-down 2021 season trended upward this past week against the Mudcats. The Snellville, Georgia native walked in each of his five games against Carolina, tallying hits in three games, including a two-hit, two-RBI night on Saturday. Weaver has now reached base in his last six games, just one short of his longest 2021 on-base streak.

LOOKING AHEAD:

*07/20-07/25 *

Fayetteville Woodpeckers (3rd Low-A East Central Division, 29-36)

The Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, meet Kannapolis for the fourth time this season and third time at Segra Stadium after splitting a road series with the Salem Red Sox. Fayetteville won three straight from July 15-17, dropping the first two and the finale in the week. The Woodpeckers are 10-7 against the Ballers this season, with an 8-3 record at home.

The Woodpeckers hold three of the top 30 prospects in the Astros system in RHP Alex Santos (No.9), OF Jordan Brewer (No.14), and C Nate Perry (No.24).

Santos made his 2021 debut against Kannapolis at Atrium Health Ballpark. In two games against the Ballers, the righty from New York City is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 3.2 frames of work. Brewer joined the lineup in mid-June and has been an immediate contributor in the offense, batting .250 with 16 RBIs in 28 games. Perry matched Santos by making his 2021 debut on the road against the Cannon Ballers. After a slow start to the year, the catcher has heated up, tallying all three of his home runs on the year in the month of July.

OF Justin Dirden has made quick work of pitchers in the month of July, batting a scorching .366 with 12 RBIs. The Southeast Missouri State alumnus leads the team in RBIs and triples. As a team, the Woodpeckers lead all of Low-A East in hits with 564, tied for the league lead in stolen bases with 147, and tied with Charleston for the lead in overall batting average at .260.

On the mound, Fayetteville has struggled with command, leading the league in walks with 398. Woodpecker arms are averaging 5.18 earned runs per outing and letting opponents bat just .228 over the 2021 season. Out of the bullpen, six different arms have recorded a save. RHP Jose Betances has an opponent batting average of just .136 against him, going 4.2 frames but allowing four runs in four appearances.

The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers face the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, July 20-25 at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville before returning home July 27-August 1 to host the Salem Red Sox, Low-A East affiliate of the Salem Red Sox.

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 while the Ballers are on the road on the team’s social media outlets, with live in-game updates being provided on Twitter at @kcannonballers.