Cannon Baller Chronicle: Kannapolis Slips to Second Place, Returns Home After Two Wins on Road 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Early offense with multiple runs in the first inning of multiple games helped the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers earn two victories in their six-game road trip against the Carolina Mudcats in Zebulon last week. The Ballers now return home with just five weeks left in the 2022 Carolina League season remaining.

With the two victories in Zebulon last week, Kannapolis moves to 20-16 in the second half, 2.5 games behind the Charleston RiverDogs in the Carolina League South Division.

SAMIL STRIKES AGAIN

INF Samil Polanco had a fun week of baseball at home against Columbia, continuing it into Tuesday’s win against the Mudcats with an RBI base knock in the first inning. Polanco picked up RBI in both of his games against Carolina, adding to his season total of now 30 on the year.

BULLPEN BACKS UP THE EARLY LEAD

After the Ballers put up five runs in the first inning and two in the second inning of Friday’s win, Carolina came charging back to put up six runs in a comeback effort. Despite the success off of Ballers starter Brooks Gosswein, the Mudcats failed to figure it out against Kannapolis’ bullpen, who earned two holds and a save in the win. RHP Frander Veras made his return for Cannon City, earning a hold in his first game back, before the duo of Liam Jenkins and Adisyn Coffey helped seal the deal and give the Ballers their second win of the week.

BAILEY DOING WORK DAILY

OF Benyamin Bailey is on one of his best streaks of the season, batting .303 in his last 10 games with eight RBI and four walks. The young outfielder from Vista Alegre, Panama is slowly becoming a true threat in the lineup after a rough start to 2022 and a season filled with struggles in 2021. Bailey is notably becoming more patient at the plate, drawing eight walks in his last 15 games.

ON TO THE NEXT

The Red Sox, Low-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, arrive in Kannapolis coming off of a series loss at home against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Salem is currently 16-19 in the second half, holding onto fourth place of the Carolina League North Division entering this week’s action.

Against Kannapolis, Salem is 4-2 in 2022, picking up a series win in mid-July at Carillion Clinic Field. This is the second time in franchise history that the Red Sox have paid a visit to Atrium Health Ballpark, with the Ballers owning a 2-4 overall record at home against Salem.

Salem holds just three of the top 30 prospects in the Red Sox system in RHP Wikelman Gonzalez (No. 9), INF Eddinson Paulino (No. 18), and INF Brainer Bonaci (No. 19).

Gonzalez, an international free agent signee in 2018 by Boston, has made 20 starts in 2022, holding a 3-3 record with a 4.90 ERA. Gonzalez made two starts last week against Fayetteville, tossing at least five innings in each outing. Paulino contributes in the early part of the lineup for Salem, however, has struggled as of late, batting just .143 to begin his month of August. Finally, Bonaci is second on the team only to Paulino in stolen bases with 21. Bonaci is in his second season with Salem, batting .265 with 37 RBI in 86 games this season.

The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers return home August 9-14 for a six-game matchup with the Salem Red Sox, Low-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, at Atrium Health Ballpark. Following the homestand, the Ballers are due for their next-to-last road trip of the season, a six-game series against the Columbia Fireflies, Low-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, at Segra Park August 16-21.

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.