Former Dash arms Sale, Doyle record big outings

Chris Sale compiled a 2.25 ERA in four innings with the Dash in 2010. (Dave Bilbrough/WS-Dash).

The White Sox organization is starting to reap the benefits of Dash alums who are making significant impact in Chicago and across the higher levels of the system. Two former Winston-Salem hurlers turned in spectacular outings on Memorial Day. Chris Sale and Terry Doyle both picked up wins in impressive fashion on Monday.

Sale’s blink-and-you-missed-him appearance in Winston-Salem during the 2010 season characterized his meteoric rise to the majors, becoming the first player from the 2010 MLB Draft to reach the big leagues. The White Sox moved him out of the bullpen and into the rotation to begin the 2012 season. On Monday, Sale delivered his finest performance to date, striking out 15 Rays batters in seven and one-third innings of work.  The 15 punchouts are one shy of a franchise record 16 by Jack Harshman in 1954 against Boston. Even more special for Sale is that fact he grew up in Lakeland, Fla., and became a Tampa Bay fan when the team joined MLB.

Terry Doyle pitched in 31 games with the Dash over the course of the 2010 and 2011 seasons (Kevin Hartley/WS-Dash).

Doyle’s performance Monday was equally impressive but might have been lost on the national landscape because it occurred at the Triple-A level. A member of the Dash in 2010 and 2011, Doyle took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before yielding a one-out double. He exited after giving up the hit, leaving after seven and one-third innings and getting the win for Charlotte against Minnesota’s Triple-A squad, the Rochester Red Wings.

It is a bit of redemption for Doyle, who was not protected by the White Sox and selected by the Twins in the Rule 5 draft in the offseason but was shipped back to Chicago after he didn’t make Minnesota’s major league roster. Doyle is 4-3 with a 3.05 ERA in nine starts this season with the Knights.

Speaking of good pitching, Matt Heidenreich is on the mound tonight for the Dash. The right-hander has been Winston-Salem’s most effective starter this season and brings a streak of 16 scoreless innings into the game.

Pregame coverage starts at 6:45 with the Pre-Game Dash, and first pitch is slated for 7:00.

-Mike