7-28-16
By: Drew Harris
(Birmingham,AL.) -After spending most of his young career in Single-A Winston-Salem, White County’s Spencer Adams was promoted to the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in Birmingham. He made his first start with his new team last Friday evening allowing just three earned runs in six innings against the Montgomery Biscuits. Birmingham would go on to lose the game 8-2. Adams had started 18 games this season for the Winston-Salem Dash compiling 107.2 innings pitched with 4.01 ERA and 74 strikeouts.
Adams, who is ranked as the second best prospect in the White Sox organization according to MLB.com, got the call to Birmingham late Wednesday. He had been schedule to pitch in Winston-Salem on Thursday, but the promotion meant Adams was to drive to Birmingham and prepare for a start Friday night.
“When I got the call, I was overwhelmed and excited. Got to tell my parents and family and they were all excited as well”, Adams said. The news spread quickly as around 30 family members and friends quickly made plans to attend his first start as a member of the Birmingham Barons. “It’s always great to look up in the stands and see so many family members and friends supporting me every time I pitch”, Adams said.
As for the game, Spencer showed no signs of nerves. He quickly turned in a perfect first inning against the Montgomery Biscuits. He ran into a little trouble in the second as he fell victim to a tight strike zone by walking the leadoff batter on a few very close pitches. That runner would come across to score later in the inning via sacrifice fly. Adams settled in nicely allowing just two baserunners over the next three innings. In the sixth inning, the Barons defense would let Adams down allowing the leadoff man to reach on a groundball to third that should have resulted in an out. The play was surprisingly ruled a hit. Later in the inning, the Baron’s left fielder let a grounder go through his legs all the way to the wall. It would be Spencer’s last inning as he finished with six complete innings, allowing just four hits and three earned runs. “My nerves were going a little bit before the game, but I was able to settle in.
This place is amazing, and I’m happy to be here”, Adams said after the game. “The strike zone is a little tighter here and my fastball command wasn’t there the first few innings, but I was able to get settled in.”
He is scheduled to start again this week against the Mississippi Braves.
