KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 19, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights wrapped up a successful, seven-game, six-day stretch at BB&T Ballpark with an 8–2 win yesterday. With the victory, the Knights finished their homestand with a 5–2 record and improved to 41–23 at BB&T Ballpark this season. The 41 wins are the most by an International League team at home this season. The Knights are down to their final six home games of the 2019 regular season, with eight games on the road still to play.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: With five home runs and eight runs scored, the Knights once again put on an offensive showing in front of their hometown fans en route to a commanding 8–2 win over the Columbus Clippers from BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte on Sunday. OF Luis Robert hit two of Charlotte’s home runs on Sunday and LHP Matt Tomshaw (3–1, 4.39) allowed just one run over seven impressive innings to earn the win.
TIED FOR FIRST: With their win yesterday, combined with a 10–7 win by the Durham Bulls over the Buffalo Bisons, the Knights find themselves tied atop the International League Wild Card Standings. The Knights, who still have 14 games left during the 2019 regular season, have seven games left against the Bulls (beginning tonight) and seven games left against the Norfolk Tides. The Knights are also 3.5 back of the first-place Gwinnett Stripers in the IL South Division.
BIG SERIES: The Knights and Durham Bulls play the first of a four-game series tonight from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The two teams, who are tied for first in the IL Wild Card race, will meet seven times over the final month of the season. The Knights are 7–9 against the Bulls this season and hitting .260 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs as a team. C/1B Zack Collins has hit five home runs against the Bulls in nine games this season.
WINNING WAYS: The Knights are 8–3 over their last 11 games, 11–3 over their last 14 games, and 15–5 over their last 20 games. The Knights won a season-high six-straight games from August 3 to August 10. As a team in August, the Knights are 11–5 and are hitting .287 (155-for-540) with 34 home runs and 106 RBIs.
IL BATTER OF THE WEEK: C/1B Zack Collins, who hit .538 (14-for-26) with eight runs scored, three doubles, four home runs, and nine RBIs over seven games with the Charlotte Knights last week, was named as the International League’s Batter of the Week for the period of August 12–18. Collins is Charlotte’s third player this season to earn IL Batter of the Week honors and second in as many weeks. Last week, the IL rewarded INF Ramón Torres with the weekly honor. OF Daniel Palka was named IL Batter of the Week earlier this season (May 13–20).
HOME RUN KNIGHTS: The Knights combined to hit five home runs in yesterday’s game giving them 191 homers this season, which is tied for second in the IL with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. 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 (185) with the 186th home run of the season. 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 191 home runs this season are now 88 more than they hit all of last year (103). This year, 28 different players have hit a home run, which is a franchise record.
ROSTER MOVES: The Knights announced two moves before today’s game. LHP Caleb Frare was promoted to the Charlotte Knights today from High-A Winston-Salem. Frare took the roster spot of OF Paulo Orlando, who was released by the Chicago White Sox organization. Charlotte’s active roster is at 25. Frare is 2–1 with a 7.13 ERA in 17 games with the Knights this season (17.2 IP). Orlando appeared in 69 games with the Knights this season and hit .242 (62-for-256) with 38 runs scored, 15 doubles, one triple, with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs, and five stolen bases.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: LHP Kyle Kubat (4–1, 4.81) will make his 10th career Triple-A start tonight as he gets the ball for the Knights in tonight’s opener. Kubat, 26, has won three of his last four starts. He earned the win in his first career Triple-A start back on June 22 against Louisville. He began the 2019 season with High-A Winston-Salem and posted a 2–0 record with a 1.23 ERA in four starts (22.0 IP). He was promoted to Double-A Birmingham on April 30 and went 4–2 with a 2.42 ERA and one complete game in eight starts with the Barons this season.
