Knights Knotes — April 6, 2023
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights began the 2023 season on Friday, March 31 opening up Truist Field with a 7:04 p.m. game against the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals). The three-game series was the first of the season for the Knights, who won two of three games.
ON THE ROAD: The Knights are in Columbus, OH to play a six-game road series against the Columbus Clippers through Sunday. Columbus (Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians) last hosted the Knights during the 2019 season (5/7/19–5/8/19). The third game of that series was postponed and later played at Truist Field on 8/17/19. The Knights went 3–3 against the Clippers in 2019.
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: Yesterday’s game was postponed due to rain and the two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 4:35 p.m. in Columbus, OH. Last season, the Knights went 2–4 overall in doubleheaders.
THIS ROAD TRIP: The Knights opened up the road trip on Tuesday with a 6–2 win over the Columbus Clippers — Charlotte’s first win over the Clippers since 8/18/19. The Knights are now 4–3 over the last seven games played against the Clippers (dating back to 2019).
THREE-STRAIGHT WINS: With a win tonight, the Knights will tie a 2022 season-high win-streak of four consecutive games (8/19/22–8/23/22).
OVER .500: The last time the Knights were two or more games over .500 was back in 2019. The team finished the season 75–64 that year.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: INF Lenyn Sosa launched two home runs to power the Charlotte Knights past the Columbus Clippers by a score of 6–2 on Tuesday night in the opening game of a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers from Huntington Park in Columbus, OH.
‘LOS IS MORE: Catcher Carlos Pérez tied the Knights team lead in home runs last night with a solo home run — his second of the season. He’s in a three-way tie for the top spot with INF Lenyn Sosa and OF Adam Haseley. On Opening Knight, Pérez launched a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to end the Memphis shutout. Pérez, who hit a season-high 21 home runs last season with the Knights, paced the Charlotte offense with two hits and the home run in Friday’s 9–1 loss.
TOKNIGHTS STARTER: LHP Nate Fisher (0–1, 9.00), Charlotte’s Opening Knight starter from Friday, March 31, will make his second start of the season tonight as he takes the ball against the Clippers. He was saddled with the loss despite a solid effort in his Charlotte debut. Fisher, 26, struck-out eight batters over four innings of work. He allowed a solo home run in the top of the second inning to Luken Baker, which put the Redbirds on the scoreboard first, 1–0. He allowed three more runs along the way, going four innings on Opening Knight.
SÁNCHEZ ADDED: LHP Ricardo Sánchez was activated off the Extended Spring Training roster yesterday and added to the team. He was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox as a free agent on February 17, 2023. The 25-year-old posted a 6–4 record with a 4.79 ERA in 21 games (21 starts) in 92.0 innings pitched with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season. He also went 1–1 with a 5.55 ERA in five games (all starts) with Triple-A Toledo last season (24.1 IP). He is expected to make his Knights debut and start the finale on Sunday.
