Knights Knotes — April 21, 2015
KNIGHT LIGHTS: After coming off their shortest game of the season (2:14) in their previous outing (Saturday), and being rained out on Sunday, the Knights had their longest night of the season last night after a one-hour and 29-minute rain delay got things started. After the delay, the Knights and Bulls battled in a two-hour and 43-minute game. The two teams will have an early start today as the Knights and Bulls will play an 11:05 a.m. game. The Knights will host an 11:05 a.m. game at BB&T Ballpark on Wednesday, April 29 against Toledo.
LAST KNIGHTS GAME: The Charlotte Knights (7–4) had their four-game winning streak snapped by their in-state rival Durham Bulls (5–7), falling 5–1 on Monday night. The Bulls pitching staff was able to keep the Knights offense — who had tallied at least five runs in seven of their first 10 games — to only one run on six hits; both season-lows. Durham starter Everett Teaford allowed one run on five hits over six innings for the win. With the loss, the Knights enter today’s game 0.5 games behind Norfolk for first place in the IL South.
KNIGHTS STARTER: RHP Chris Beck (0–0, 3.72), who is ranked as the number 11 prospect in the Chicago White Sox system by Baseball America, toes the rubber this morning for the Knights in his third start of the season. Beck, 24, last pitched for the Knights on April 15 in Gwinnett and was solid over five innings of one-run ball in a no-decision. In seven starts with the Knights last season, Beck posted a 1–3 record with a 4.05 ERA (33.1 IP, 36 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 13 BB, 28 SO). He began the 2014 campaign with the Double-A Birmingham Barons and posted a 5–8 mark with a 3.39 ERA in 20 starts before a promotion to Charlotte on June 26. He started his first career Triple-A game on June 26 against Louisville and was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits over 4.2 innings pitched. He was sent back to Birmingham the next day. He was promoted back to Charlotte on July 28. He went a combined 6–11 with a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts between both stops. He ranked among the White Sox minor leaguers in shutouts (T-1st), ERA (4th) and IP (4th). He entered the 2014 season ranked by Baseball America as the number nine prospect in Chicago’s system and as possessing the Best Changeup in the organization. Beck was selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2012 draft out of Georgia Southern University.
BATTING AVERAGE LEADER: Speaking of hit-streaks, Carlos Sanchez continued his impressive 2015 season last night. Sanchez, who was named as the IL Player of the Week for the period of April 13–19, earlier in the day, hit safely in his eighth game of the season and ninth-straight overall dating back to August 20, 2014. Sanchez, who began the season in Chicago with the White Sox, went 1-for-4 with an RBI last night and is now hitting .439 over his nine-game hit-streak. He is hitting an IL best .459 in eight games this season. Last week, he appeared in six games for the Knights and hit a stunning .536 (15-for-28) with six runs scored, four doubles, six RBIs, and one stolen base. The 22-year-old infielder is currently tied for first overall in the IL in hits (17) and ranked third in on-base percentage (.474).
THRICE IS NICE: 3B Matt Davidson had three of Charlotte’s six hits last night, finishing 3-for-4 on the evening. It was his first three-hit game since August 11, 2014 at Syracuse. He had six three-hit games last season. Davidson has hit safely in seven of his 10 games this year and has an RBI in five of his 10 games.
10-GAMERS: CF Trayce Thompson’s 10-game hit streak came to an end last night after he went 0-for-4 on the evening. Thompson entered play last night as the only IL player this season to hit safely in all 10 games played in. Teammate Tyler Saladino had a 10-game hit streak that was snapped back on April 11, 2015. He started that streak back on July 4, 2014. Last season, the Knights saw five different players accumulate hit streaks of 10 games or more, including catcher Josh Phegley, who hit in a team-high 17-straight games from June 30-July 24.
