Former FAU pitcher Brandon Kloess, shown here pitching for the Kannapolis Intimidators earlier this season, has been promoted to Class A Winston-Salem. (Photo courtesy Kannapolis Intimidators)
Kloess call
After a stint on the disabled list, former FAU pitcher Brandon Kloess found out this week he is promoted to Class A Winston-Salem.
Originally published on
7/30/2010
by
Chuck King
Everyone has made a poor fashion statement at one point. Unfortunately for former FAU pitcher Brandon Kloess, he’s now reminded of it every time he takes the mound.
Kloess grew a mustache last season that corresponded with a successful winning streak. At the start of the 2010 season, he brought it back, figuring don’t mess with success.
The mustache was still present in May, when he was moved up to high Class A Winston-Salem for a brief four-game stint to help rest a tired bullpen. During that time the Dash took a quick mug shot for the scoreboard.
After his short stop in the Carolina League, Kloess spent the next couple of months back with Kannapolis.
A clean-shaven Kloess earned a performance-based promotion to Winston-Salem this week, but his scoreboard photo has yet to be updated.
“It’s a little embarrassing,” said Kloess who is 1-0 after allowing three hits, three walks and two earned runs while striking out four in 1 2/3 innings since his promotion. “I knew it wouldn’t look good from the start.”
The move to Winston-Salem capped what had been a difficult month for Kloess. A pulled intercostal muscle land the righthanded reliever on the disabled list in the final days of June.
The South Atlantic League All-Star experienced several setbacks during rehab before finally making his return on July 24. The White Sox organization liked what they saw.
“After I threw they told me that night on the bus ride home from the game that I was moving up,” Kloess said. “I didn’t realize it would happen that quickly once I came off the DL. It kind of threw me for a loop.”
Kloess left Kannapolis – likely for good this time – with a 1-1 record, nine saves, and 1.18 ERA in 25 appearances.
Stepping up: Ryan Bernal now has four scoreless appearances since returning to the rookie level Pioneer League’s Helena Brewers on July 24 after back issues. …Mike Gipson is now 2-0 with a 3.38 era after winning his last two outings for the short season New York-Penn League’s Staten Island Yankees. …Mickey Storey seems to have worked through his rough stretch with the Class AA Midland Rockhounds. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last four appearances.
Low and away: Travis Ozga has hit his first rough stretch of the season for the Class A Savannah Sand Gnats, going 9-for-43 (.209) with one extra base hit in his last 10 games. …Alex Pepe’s stellar start to the season has taken a tough turn. He allowed five earned runs in an inning of work for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays on Tuesday. That followed an outing where he gave up four earned runs in a 1 1/3 innings.
Indy ins and outs: Chris Salberg saved one of his roughest outings of the year for when it didn’t count. The Sioux Falls Pheasants pitcher who owns a 9-0 regular season record allowed two runs on three hits in an inning of work in the American Association’s All-Star game.