KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 18, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights returned home to BB&T Ballpark on Tuesday night to open a six-day, seven-game homestand in Uptown Charlotte. The Knights concluded their three-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Thursday with a 7–5 win to earn a three-game series sweep. The homestand continued on Friday with game one of a four game matchup in three days against the Columbus Clippers (Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians). The Knights are 1–2 in this series and 4–2 on the homestand with the finale on tap today.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Knights and Columbus Clippers split their doubleheader on Saturday with the Knights winning game one by a score of 7–6, and losing game two by score of 3–2,. In game one, home runs from OF Daniel Palka and DH Yemin Mercedes proved to be the difference. Palka’s home run was his team-leading 25th of the season, while the homer from Mercedes was his 13th. In the nightcap, INF Yoán Moncada launched his first home run on his rehab assignment.
TIED FOR FIRST: With a split of their doubleheader yesterday, and a 9–2 loss by the Durham Bulls to the Buffalo Bisons last night, the Knights find themselves tied atop the International League Wild Card Standings. The Knights, who still have 15 games left during the 2019 regular season, will begin an important four-game series against the Bulls on Monday from Durham, NC. Both teams are 68–56 this season. The Knights are also 4.5 back of the first-place Gwinnett Stripers in the IL South Division.
WINNING WAYS: The Knights are 7–3 over their last 10 games, 10–3 over their last 13 games, and 14–5 over their last 19 games. The Knights won a season-high six-straight games from August 3 to August 10. As a team in August, the Knights are 10–5 and are hitting .287 (145-for-506) with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs.
HOME RUN RECORD:. INF Yoán Moncada’s fourth-inning home run in game two of Saturday’s twin bill broke the Charlotte Knights’ franchise record for home runs in a season with 186. In game one of the twin bill, it was the home run by C/INF Yermin Mercedes in the fifth inning which tied the all-time mark, set back in 1993 — Charlotte’s first as a Triple-A franchise. Charlotte’s 186 home runs this season are now 83 more than they hit all of last year (103). This year, 28 different players have hit a home run, which is a franchise record.
KLUBER REHAB START: Two-time American League Cy Young Award-winner, Corey Kluber, will get the start today with the Columbus Clippers. Kluber, 33, is on Cleveland’s 60-day disabled list with a non-displaced ulna fracture in his right arm. Today’s start will be his second rehab start with the Clippers and third overall. On August 8, he allowed two runs on two hits over three innings of work with Columbus against Pawtucket. Five days later, he made his second rehab start and first with Akron. He allowed one run on two hits over four innings against Trenton.
MONCADA REHABBING: INF Yoán Moncada, who is currently on the Chicago White Sox 10-Day Injured List with a right hamstring strain, began a Major League Baseball Rehab Assignment with the Charlotte Knights on Friday at BB&T Ballpark. Yesterday, Moncada played both games of the twin bill. In three games with the Knights on rehab, he is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a home run and two RBIs. For the season, the 24-year-old is hitting .301 (112-for-372) with 58 runs scored, 21 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 59 RBIs, and seven stolen bases in 97 games with the White Sox this season.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: LHP Matt Tomshaw (2–1, 5.49) will get the start in today’s finale, his third of the season with the Knights. Tomshaw was promoted to the Knights from Double-A Birmingham on August 8. Tomshaw, 30, posted a 5–5 record with a 2.40 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) with the Double-A Birmingham Barons this season. He was promoted to Charlotte earlier this season (May 3) and went 2–1 with a 7.90 ERA in seven games (one game started) with the Knights this season (13.2 IP). He was assigned back to Birmingham on June 1.
