Knights Knotes — 8/14/22
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (43–67) will conclude the six-game road series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (60–50), Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, tonight with the finale of the six-game series from Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. First pitch is 5:35 p.m. The Knights are 20–36 this season on the road this season. Despite the loss last night, the Knights have won nine of the team’s last 13 games dating back to July 30, going an impressive 9–4 over that 13-game stretch.
KNIGHTS VS. ‘PIGS: This is the second six-game meeting of the season between these two teams and first at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown since 2019. Earlier this year, the ‘Pigs won four of six games at Truist Field (July 12–17). The Knights have won three of five games in this series and go for the series win tonight. The last series between the two teams from Allentown, PA before this one was from August 9, 2019 to August 11, 2019 (three-game series). The Knights won two of three games in that series. This season, the Knights are now 5–6 against the ‘Pigs in 10 games played.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: Despite a strong, late-inning comeback, the Charlotte Knights dropped game five of the six-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs by a score of 9–7 on Saturday night from Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. The loss stopped Charlotte’s win streak at three consecutive games.
12-GAME HIT STREAK STOPPED: INF Yolbert Sánchez went 0-for-5 at the plate last night and had his hit streak stopped at 12 consecutive games (July 27-August 12). It tied OF Mark Payton for the longest streak on the Knights this season. Over that 12-game span, Sanchez is hitting .370 (17-for-46) with six runs scored, a home run, two RBIs and three stolen bases.
TO-KNIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP Tanner Banks (0–1, 1.93) will make his second start of the season today with the Knights and appear in just his third overall game with the club in 2022. His last appearance with the Knights came out of the bullpen three days ago (8/11 at LHV, 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO).
2022 SEASON: LHP Tanner Banks was optioned to Charlotte from the Chicago White Sox on August 7. In 29 appearances with the White Sox this season, Banks, 30, posted a 1–0 record with a 3.16 ERA (42.2 IP). He made his major-league debut on April 10, 2022 with the White Sox. He spent the entire 2021 season with the Charlotte Knights and posted a 3–3 record with a 4.53 ERA in 25 games (five starts) over 59.2 innings pitched.
ON THE MARK: OF Mark Payton had a team-best four RBIs last night. He currently leads the team in a number of offensive categories this season. He is the team leader in batting average (.286), hits (102), total bases (177), runs scored (58), doubles (23), triples (5), slugging percentage (.496) and OPS (.849). He currently ranks tied for eighth in the IL in hits, tied for seventh in triples, third in extra-base hits (41) and is sixth in total bases (177).
SOLID ROAD TRIP: OF Tyler Neslony has enjoyed a solid road trip to Lehigh Valley. Neslony, who had three hits on Thursday night, hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth inning of last night’s game and finished the night going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
BURGER TIME: INF Jake Burger enters tonight’s game with a four-game hitting streak and has hit safely in six of his last eight games. Over his four-game hitting streak, he has two multi-hit games and six total hits over that stretch.
