Knights Knotes: April 10, 2017
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) hit the road beginning today and make the trek to face their in-state rival — the Durham Bulls — tonight in game one of a four-game series from Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC. The Knights are red-hot — having won each of their first four games. They currently lead the Bulls in the IL South by a game after their loss to the Gwinnett Braves yesterday. Tonight’s game is the first of seven road games on this trip, which continues with a three-game trip through Norfolk from April 14–16. The team has a scheduled off day on Monday, April 17.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: OF Willy Garcia launched his second home run of the season to help the Charlotte Knights beat the Norfolk Tides by a score of 4–3 on Sunday at BB&T Ballpark. With the win, the Knights earned a four-game series sweep over the Tides and improved to 4–0 to start the season. The sweep was Charlotte’s first since they swept the Durham Bulls at BB&T Ballpark in a three-game series from 8/23–8/25. Charlotte’s last four-game series sweep was against the Norfolk Tides from 5/10–5/12 (doubleheader sweep on 5/10 included).
GREAT DANISH: RHP Tyler Danish (1–0, 1,80) was sharp in his season debut on Sunday — allowing just one run over five innings of work. The Florida native walked one batter and struck-out two en route to his second win in eight games at the Triple-A level. His only blemish on the day was a third inning solo home run to Chris Dickerson. Over his last four Knights starts dating back to 7/18/16, Danish has allowed just four earned runs in 23 innings pitched (2–1, 1.57 ERA).
UNDEFEATED KNIGHTS: The Knights improved to 4–0 yesterday with the 4–3 win — winning their first four games to start the season for the first time since the 2011 season. In that year, the Knights began the year by going 5–0. With a win tonight, the Knights will tie that mark and move to 5–0.
BATTER OF THE WEEK: Charlotte outfielder Willy Garcia, who hit .533 (8-for-15) with two home runs, nine runs scored, and four RBIs over four games last week, was named as the International League’s Batter of the Week for the period of April 6–9, as announced by the International League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc. this morning. Garcia hit safely in all four games last week. He began the week with a two-hit night on Thursday, followed that up with a hit and three walks on Friday, and then added a home run in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday. The Dominican native has walked six times in four games and owns a .667 on base percentage through the first week. Claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 6, 2017, Garcia is in his first season in the Chicago White Sox organization. The 24-year-old spent the entire 2016 season with the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and hit .245 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 129 games. He led all IL outfielders in games played (128) and assists (17). For his efforts in the field last season, he was named as the Indianapolis Indians Defensive Player of the Year.
OFFENSIVE SHOWCASE: The Knights have recorded an International League high 60 hits in four games this season. Saturday’s 15-run output was a season-high, which also included a season-high of six home runs in the game. With four runs last night, they have now scored a total of 39 runs in four games, which is also tops in the IL this season. In addition, the Knights also lead the IL in batting average (.375), home runs (7), RBIs (35), and on base percentage (.442).
TOKNIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP Mike Pelfrey will make his season and organization debut tonight as he gets the ball for the Knights. Pelfrey and outfielder Ryan Raburn were signed by the Chicago White Sox and assigned to the Charlotte Knights on Saturday. Pelfrey took the spot of RHP Tommy Kahnle, who was promoted to Chicago on Thursday, while Raburn took the spot of outfielder Rymer Liriano, who was placed on the team’s disabled list on Saturday. Pelfrey, 33, was originally drafted in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. The 6’7” righty was recently released by the Detroit Tigers (March 30) after spending the 2016 campaign with the team. Last season, he compiled a 4–10 record with a 5.07 ERA in 24 games (22 starts). Over the course of his 11-year major league career, Pelfrey owns a 65–91 record with one save and a 4.57 ERA in 241 games (235 starts). He won a career-best 15 games in 2010 while pitching for the Mets.
DURHAM’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP Chase Whitley gets the nod for the Bulls in their home opener tonight. The 27-year-old owns a career minor league record of 26–17 with a 2.54 ERA in 166 career games (26 starts). Last season with the Tampa Bay Rays, Whitley posted a 0–0 mark with a 2.51 ERA in five games. Tonight’s start is his first for the Bulls, however Whitley is an International League veteran. The Ranburne, AL native pitched for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over parts of the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons. The Knights last faced Whitley on August 15, 2013 at SWB. On that day, Whitley allowed just two hits over four shutout innings. In 2012, Whitley faced the Knights twice and lost against the team on 7/18 (1.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER) and won on 7/24 (3.0, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER). In three games against the Knights, he is 1–1 with a 3.38 ERA in 8.0 innings pitched.
ALL-TIME KNIGHT: OF Jason Bourgeois, 35, is back for his fourth season with the Knights and ranks among the all-time franchise leaders in a number of categories. Yesterday, Bourgeois ripped two hits and moved into sole possession of third place on the Charlotte Knights all-time hits list with 348. He passed Yolmer Sanchez (347), who is now fourth. Bourgeois is one of five players in franchise history with 300 or more hits (Jordan Danks, 449, Joe Borchard, 439, Bourgeois, Sanchez, and Josh Phegley, 312). Bourgeois is also among the leaders in a number of other categories, including he is fifth in at-bats (1,200), eighth in games played (302), tied for third in triples (10), fourth in runs scored (170), and second in stolen bases (67). A native of Houston, TX, Bourgeois rejoined the Knights last season after playing for the team in 2007 and 2008. In 2013, he was named to the All Knights Stadium Team.
