KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 27, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Knights returned home to BB&T Ballpark on Friday night to open a six-game homestand against the Norfolk Tides (Friday through Sunday) and the Durham Bulls (Monday through Wednesday). Their home opener was postponed due to inclement weather on Friday and the two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday with each team winning a game. The Knights dropped the finale on Sunday and dropped their opener last night to the Bulls. They are 1–3 on the homestand.
3rd ANNUAL WOMEN IN BASEBALL NIGHT: The Knights will welcome Megan Cavanagh along with five women who played in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League — Maybelle Blair, Shirley Burkovich, Dolly “Lippy” Vanderlip (Charlotte, NC native), Sister Toni Ann Palermo, and Jean Faut (Rock Hill, SC resident). Additionally, the Knights will also welcome two Gold Medal winners from the 2019 USA Baseball Women’s National Team — Anna Kimbrell (Fort Mill, SC native) and Marti Sementelli. Their team won the gold medal game against Venezuela on Sunday, August 25. Also, Charlotte O’s legendary GM and a member of the Charlotte Baseball Hall of Fame/Charlotte Baseball Round Table of Honor, Frances Crockett, will be honored for the pre-game ceremony. The Rowan County Little League Softball World Series Champions will also be honored on the field before the game. They will take the field with the 2019 Knights players.
TO-KNIGHT: The Knights, who are down to their final six games of the 2019 regular season, opened their final 2019 regular season home series at BB&T Ballpark last night with game one of a three-game set against the Durham Bulls. The Knights are 11–10 this season against the Bulls and would hold a tie-breaker over the team if they win one of the three games.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Charlotte Knights dropped the opening game of their three-game series to the Durham Bulls on Monday night by a score of 7–3 from BB&T Ballpark. Charlotte catcher Zack Collins launched his 18th home run, a solo shot in the ninth inning. The home run was one of Charlotte’s seven hits in the contest. RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (7–6, 3.53) was saddled with the loss after he allowed three runs over five innings of work.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: Chicago White Sox LHP Manny Bañuelos will continue his MLB Rehab Assignment and will get the start for the Charlotte Knights tonight against the Durham Bulls at 7:04 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte, NC. Banuelos, who joins the Knights today, has already made four rehab starts this season. The 28-year-old lefthander made two rehab starts with the AZL White Sox (0–1, 4.76) and most recently, two rehab starts with the High-A Winston-Salem Dash (0–0, 4.15). In all, he has thrown 14.1 innings on rehab this season. Banuelos is currently on the White Sox 60-Day Injured List (left shoulder inflammation).
STANDINGS TALL: With their 7–3 loss last night, the Knights are three full games ahead of the Durham Bulls in the IL Wild Card standings. The Knights are also now three full game ahead of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and the Syracuse Chiefs. They are also 2.5 games back of the first-place Gwinnett Stripers in the IL South Division.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC: Charlotte’s magic number is currently at four. The Knights could clinch a playoff berth if they win each of the next two games of this series.
WINNING WAYS: The Knights are 13–6 over their last 19 games, 16–6 over their last 22 games, and 20–8 over their last 28 games. The Knights won a season-high six-straight games from August 3 to August 10. As a team in August, the Knights are 16–8 and are hitting .279 (223-for-798) with 44 home runs and 143 RBIs.
ONE WIN AWAY FROM 200 WINS: With one more win this season, Charlotte Knights manager Mark Grudzielanek (199) will join an exclusive club in franchise history. Grudzielanek, who is managing the Knights for the third-straight season, currently has 198 wins. With two more wins, he will become one of just three managers in franchise history with 200 wins behind Joel Skinner (285) and Nick Leyva (202).
HOME RUN KNIGHTS: On Saturday, Luis Robert connected on Charlotte’s 200th team home run of the season. The Knights are second in the International League in home runs (201), four behind Columbus (205). INF Yoán Moncada’s fourth-inning home run in game two of the August 17th twin bill broke the Charlotte Knights’ franchise record for home runs in a season (185) with the 186th home run of the season. The the all-time mark, set back in 1993, came during Charlotte’s first as a Triple-A franchise. Charlotte’s 200 home runs this season are now 97 more than they hit all of last year (103). This year, 28 different players have hit a home run, which is a franchise record.
