Knights Knotes: April 18, 2017
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) will open a six-game homestand at BB&T Ballpark — the most visited venue in all of Minor League Baseball since 2014 — tonight with game one of a three-game series against the Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox). The Knights wrapped up their seven-game road trip through the International League South on Sunday with a 5–4 loss to the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles). The Knights, who lost all four games in their four-game series against the Durham Bulls (Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) from April 10–13 on the trip, dropped all three games of that series to the Tides. The Knights enter tonight’s game with a seven-game losing streak. The Knights are 4–0 at home this season — beating the Tides in their first and only home series of the season from April 6–9.
ABOUT THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: Catcher Carson Blair launched a three-run home run, but Johnny Giavotella’s two-run triple in the bottom of the ninth inning led the Norfolk Tides to a 5–4 walk-off win over the Charlotte Knights on Sunday in the finale of their three-game series from Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA. The home run was Blair’s first of the season. RHP Zack Burdi (0–1, 7.36) was charged with the loss after he allowed three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Burdi came on to close the game out with a 4–2 lead, but suffered the loss.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: OF Willy Garcia was optioned to the Knights from the Chicago White Sox after their game on Sunday, April 16th. Garcia is active for today’s game and will take the roster spot of catcher Chris O’Dowd, who was placed on Charlotte’s disabled list today. O’Dowd was promoted to Charlotte from Double-A Birmingham on April 14 and did not appear in a game with the Knights. Garcia is hitting .423 (11-for-26) with two home runs and six RBIs in seven games with the Knights.
REHABBING: Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., a 2016 American League All-Star, will begin a Major League Baseball rehab assignment tonight and take the field for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Joining Bradley Jr. with Pawtucket tonight will be infielder Josh Rutledge, who will also make a Major League Baseball rehab appearance. Bradley Jr. was a standout player at the University of South Carolina. The Richmond, VA native helped lead the Gamecocks to back-to-back national titles in 2010 and 2011. He was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 2010 College World Series. Drafted by the Red Sox in the first round (40th overall) of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft, Bradley Jr. had a breakout season last year with the Sox. The 26-year-old outfielder hit .267 with 94 runs scored, 26 home runs, 87 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. He earned American League Player of the Week honors on May 15, 2016 and later was named as the 2016 May Player of the Month. Bradley Jr. is currently on Boston’s 10-day disabled list as he recovers from a sprained right knee. He has appeared in four games this season with Boston and is hitting .286 (4-for-14).
350 AND COUNTING: 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. On Sunday, April 9, Bourgeois passed Yolmer Sanchez (347) for third place on Charlotte’s all-time hits list. He is just one of five players in franchise history with 300 or more hits (Jordan Danks, 449, Joe Borchard, 439, Bourgeois, Sanchez, and Josh Phegley, 312). He recorded his 350th career Knights hit on Friday, April 14 and now has 353 career Knights hits. Bourgeois is also among the leaders in a number of other categories, including he is fifth in at-bats (1,222), eighth in games played (308), 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.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: Outfielder Willy Garcia, who was recalled by the Chicago White Sox on Friday, became the third Charlotte player this season to earn a promotion to Chicago. Garcia was optioned back to Charlotte after Chicago’s game on Sunday. RHP Tommy Kahnle became the first player to earn a promotion when he was recalled on April 6th by the White Sox. On Thursday, catcher Kevan Smith had his contract purchased by the White Sox. At the time of his promotion, Smith was leading the team with a .438 (7-for-16) batting average and nine RBIs in four games this season.
HOLM SWEET HOLM: LHP David Holmberg (1–0, 0.00) has been sharp out of the bullpen this season for the Knights. The Houston, TX native has not allowed a run in three appearances (7.2 innings pitched) and has eight strikeouts over that span. He was the winning pitcher on April 8 after 3.2 scoreless innings. Lefties are 0-for-10 against him at the plate so far this year.
TO-KNIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP Carson Fulmer (1–1, 5.73) gets the nod to start tonight’s opener against the PawSox. Fulmer, a product of Vanderbilt University, will make just his seventh career Triple-A start tonight and third this season. He made his 2017 season debut on April 7 and beat the Tides with six solid innings (6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO). The 23-year-old hurler, who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2015 draft, started four games for the Knights last season and went 2–1 with a 3.94 ERA (16.0 IP). Fulmer began the 2016 campaign with Double-A Birmingham and posted a 4–9 record with a 4.76 ERA in 17 starts (87.0 IP). He made his major league debut on July 17, 2017 and struck-out two batters over two scoreless innings. He went 0–2 with an 8.49 ERA in eight games with the South Siders last season.
TONIGHT’S PAWTUCKET STARTING PITCHER: RHP Shawn Haviland (2–0, 3.09)– a former Charlotte Knights hurler — gets the ball tonight in the opener for the PawSox. Haviland has won each of his first two starts this season — beating Lehigh Valley (April 7) and Syracuse (April 12) in back-to-back starts. A product of Harvard University, Haviland has fanned 12 batters over 11.2 innings pitched this season. He appeared in 19 games (13 starts) with the Knights in 2015 and posted a 4–5 record with a 4.19 ERA (77.1 IP). He wrapped up the 2015 campaign with Pawtucket and went 1–5 with a 4.17 ERA (six games). Last season, he made 22 appearances and posted a 3–4 record with a 3.34 ERA with New Britain of the Independent Atlantic League. He signed with Cleveland on August 4, 2016 and went 2–2 with a 3.40 ERA in seven starts with Columbus (42.1 IP).
GREAT DANISH: Although he was saddled with the loss on Friday, RHP Tyler Danish (1–1, 2.25) was effective over seven strong innings. Danish allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over seven innings. Over his last five Knights starts dating back to 7/18/16, Danish has allowed just six earned runs in 30 innings pitched (2–2, 1.80 ERA).
MONCADA MANIA: Yoan Moncada, who entered the 2017 season ranked as the number two prospect in all of Major League Baseball according to Baseball America and MLB.com, is hitting .317 (13-for-41) with seven runs scored, two home runs, three RBIs, and two stolen bases over his first 10 games with the Knights this season. He has a .404 on base percentage. Moncada, 21, was acquired by the White Sox from the Boston Red Sox on December 6, 2016 as part of a package that sent LHP Chris Sale to Boston. Moncada, a native of Cienfuegos, Cuba, made his professional debut during the 2015 season with Single-A Greenville. Over the course of 190 games in the minors, Moncada owns a .290 batting average with 25 home runs, 103 RBIs, and 96 stolen bases. He made his Major League debut with the Red Sox on September 2, 2016. Following the 2016 campaign, Moncada was named as Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.
