From staff reports
Jerry Sands (Catawba) had a monster Sunday night for Triple-A Albuquerque. Sands belted two grand slams in the second game of a doubleheader. His boxscore for the seven-inning game was one you don’t see every day — or every year — 4-2-2-8.
Sands, 24, homered to right-center in the first inning, then homered to left field in the fourth to lead an 11-0 win at Nashville. Both of his slams came against hurler Seth McClung, who has worked in the big leagues for the Rays and Brewers.
In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, Sands had the game-deciding hit with a two-run double to right in the eighth.
Sands also was fairly destructive on Saturday night. He went 4-for-6 with a homer to lead a 13-3 romp against Nashville.
Sands finished Sunday with a .274 batting average, 18 homers and 72 RBIs.
Nashville is the Triple-A affiliate of Milwaukee.
Two grand slams in a game at any level is an ultra-rare feat. It’s happened only 13 times in MLB history and only three times in the National League. Boston’s Bill Mueller did it in 2003 and was the last A.L. player to accomplish the feat. Josh Willingham, who was with Washington at the time, was the last to hit two slams in a National League contest in 2009.
Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) had two hits and scored twice for Winston-Salem in Sunday’s 8-2 Carolina League win against Myrtle Beach.
The Kannapolis Intimidators had their game at Delmarva suspended by weather on Sunday. Kannapolis leads 1-0 in the second inning. The game is expected to be completed when the teams meet again in August.
The Intimidators play at Hickory tonight.
Corey Seager (NW Cabarrus) had a run-scoring double for Ogden on Saturday.
Major leagues
Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) closed Sunday’s 5-1 win by the New York Mets against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It wasn’t a save situation, but Parnell had a good ninth inning. After allowing a leadoff walk, he got a strikeout, a groundout and another strikeout. He fanned Miguel Montero and Gerardo Parra.
While it’s uncertain whether Parnell will continue to close games when Frank Francisco returns from the disabled list, Parnell’s numbers are very solid.
He is 2-2 with a 2.95 ERA and three saves. He’s struck out 44 in 422/3 innings while walking 11. He’s been credited with 15 holds.
Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus) enjoyed a big Sunday with three hits, two RBIs and a stolen base to lead Seattle to a 7-6 win against Kansas City. Seager has 11 homers and 62 RBIs and is batting .245 as Seattle’s regular third baseman.
Seager has not had a good July as far as batting average (.198), but he’s still driving in runs. He’s tied for 14th in that category in the American League.
Throwback tournament
In Sunday’s third-place game in Scooter Sherrill’s third annual Alumni Throwback Tournament, North Rowan rallied to beat Carson 93-84.
Bryan McCullough scored 24 points to lead the Cavaliers. Pierre Givens and Tristan Rankin scored 21 apiece.
Rankin, who played college ball at St. Paul’s, poured in 18 in the second half and keyed North’s comeback.
Sam Starks and Jimmy Kesler had nine points each for North. Former Catawba football hero James House added eight.
North was down 44-34 at halftime and trailed by 11 points early in the second half when Carson finally cooled off and Rankin heated up.
North, which went 2-1 in the tournament, caught up at 49-all on a 3-pointer by McCullough,. Then McCullough hit another 3 for a 52-51 lead.
Givens made the backbreaking bucket on a layup after he freed himself with a slick crossover dribble with a minute left to play.
Darius Moose was slowed down, at times, by Kesler’s post defense, but he still finished with 27 efficient points to lead the Cougars, who went 1-2 in the event.
Nick Houston scored 21 points. Justin Basinger contributed 13 points. Devon Heggins had 11 — all in the first half.
Josh Doby threw down a pair of dunks, and Nard Adams contributed a 3-pointer.
South knocked off West 65-61 in the fifth-place game. The Raiders went 2-1 in the event, with the only loss by one point to Carson in the first round. West, the two-time defending champ, finished 1-2.
Local golf
The McCanless Couples played with a five-man Captain’s Choice format on Sunday.
Winning team members were Roy Green, Carlos Garcia, David Huneycutt, Sharon Miller and Don Goodnight. The team of Ty and Bev Cobb, Ricky and Treva Honeycutt, and Frank Foster placed second. Longest putt was won by Carlos Garcia and Closest to the pin was won by Ricky Honeycutt.
Joey Boley outlasted Chris Owen and Scott Fagg in a four-hole sudden death playoff to claim the Warrior Club Championship.
All three players finished the two-day event at even par 142. Dean Harwood successfully defended his Senior Club Championship.