KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 28, 2021
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (37–61, 7th) will continue a 12-game homestand tonight and play a day/night doubleheader today against the Durham Bulls (63–35, 1st) from Truist Field with first pitch on tap for 1:05 p.m. for game one and 7:04 p.m. for game two. Both games will be seven-inning contests.
HOMESTAND REPORT: The Knights went 4–2 against the Norfolk Tides at the start of the homestand. Since then, the Knights have dropped two of three games in this series against the Bulls and are now 5–4 on the homestand. The Knights are 5–16 this season overall against the Bulls.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: The Knights and Bulls did not have a game yesterday, so the two teams last met on Thursday, with the Knights coming away with a solid 9–2 win. The Knights pounded out 10 hits on the night en route to a commanding win over Durham.
MENDICK ACTIVE: INF Danny Mendick was optioned to the Knights from the Chicago White Sox on August 26 and was added to Charlotte’s active roster today. In 66 games with the White Sox this season, Mendick hit .217 (33-for-152) with 13 runs scored, five doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs. In eight games with the Knights this season, Mendick is hitting .267 (8-for-30) with seven runs scored, one home run, two RBIs and one stolen base.
BLAKE RAKES: OF Blake Rutherford launched two home runs and helped lead the Knights past the Durham Bulls by a score of 9–2 from Truist Field in game three of the six-game series on Thursday night. Rutherford finished the night going 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored, a double, two home runs and five RBIs. His 26 doubles are tied for the most in the league this season. Thursday’s two-homer game was the first of his career.
BURGER KING: INF Jake Burger launched a homer on Sunday, two home runs in Tuesday’s game and one more on Wednesday. He hit four home runs over that three-game stretch. For the season, Burger now has 15 home runs with the Knights, which is good for second on the team. The 2021 season is his first season playing baseball since 2017 (injuries in 2018 & 2019 and no season in 2020 due to the pandemic).
REHABBING: Chicago White Sox RHP Evan Marshall, who is currently on the 60-Day Injured List with a strained right flexor pronator, began a major league rehab assignment on Thursday with the Knights and fanned two batters over a scoreless inning. Marshall, 31, has appeared in 27 games this season with the White Sox and is 0–2 with a 5.60 ERA (27.1 IP/26 SO). Last season, the California native posted a 2–1 record with a 2.38 ERA in 23 games with the White Sox (22.2 IP/30 SO). He finished tied for eighth in the American League in holds with eight and limited opponents to a .198 batting average. He began the 2019 season with the Knights and went 3–0 with two saves and a 0.00 ERA in nine games before being promoted to the White Sox on May 1, 2019. White Sox outfielder Billy Hamilton is also with Charlotte on rehab. Hamilton began a Major League Baseball Rehab Assignment with the Knights one week ago today. Hamilton, 30, was placed on Chicago’s 10-Day Injured List with a right oblique strain on August 1. White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal was activated off his rehab stint yesterday and hit two home runs with eight RBIs last night with Chicago.
TOKNIGHTS GAME 1 STARTER: RHP Alex McRae (2–5, 5.43) will get the start today in game one, his 13th start of the season with the Knights and 21st overall appearance this year with the Knights. As a starter this year, he is 2–3 with a 4.75 ERA in 12 starts (55.0 IP). As a reliever, 0–2 with a 9.31 ERA in eight games (9.2 IP).
TOKNIGHTS GAME 2 STARTER: RHP Jimmy Lambert (3–3, 5.13) will make his team-high 17th start of the season tonight. He has 69 strikeouts this season in 52.2 innings pitched. He entered the 2021 season ranked as the number 13 prospect in Chicago’s system by Baseball America.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: The Knights have sent 14 different players to the Chicago White Sox this year. Those players in order are: INF Danny Mendick (May 4, August 12 & August 15), RHP Alex McRae (May 14), RHP Ryan Burr (May 27 & August 16), RHP Zack Burdi (May 29 & June 17 ), RHP Jimmy Lambert (May 31, June 27 & August 1), 1B/OF Gavin Sheets (June 3 & June 29), OF Brian Goodwin (June 10), OF Luis González (June 22), LHP Jace Fry (June 30), INF Jake Burger (July 2), C Seby Zavala (July 6), RHP Reynaldo López (July 16), RHP Matt Foster (July 19, August 3 & August 11) and RHP Mike Wright (August 16).
