KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 3, 2021
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (28–49, 7th) will play 12 games over the next 13 days on the road starting with tonight’s opener of a six-game series against the Gwinnett Stripers (41–37, 4th) from Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, GA. Since July 10, the Knights are 3–18.
KNIGHTS VS. STRIPERS: Head-to-head this season, the Knights are just 1–11 against the Stripers with all 12 of the games coming from Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte. This six-game series at Coolray Field is the first and only matchup between the two teams this season there. Charlotte’s lone win of the season against Gwinnett came on May 5 at Truist Field in a 9–6 victory. LHP Tanner Banks, tonight’s starter, earned the win for the Knights in relief.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: The Charlotte Knights walked-off with an exciting 4–3 win in 10 innings over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the finale of the seven-game series from Truist Field on Sunday evening. C Nate Nolan scored the game-winning run from third base on a sacrifice fly by INF Marco Hernández in the bottom of the 10th inning to complete Charlotte’s thrilling come-from-behind win. The Knights scored all four runs over the final five innings of the game.
HOME RUN KNIGHTS: The Knights added two home runs in Sunday’s game and now have 108 on the season, good for the fourth-best total this season in the Triple-A East. C Nate Nolan had a solid game for the Knights on Sunday as he also launched his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning. INF Matt Reynolds also provided some power as he homered in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 3–3. It was his third home run of the season.
ROSTER MOVES: RHP Connor Sadzeck and OF Nick Williams were both released by the Chicago White Sox organization. Sadzeck was 2–2 with one save and a 5.86 ERA in 23 games (27.2 IP). Williams appeared in 39 games with the Knights this season and hit .262 (33-for-126) with 15 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBIs and four stolen bases.
PROMOTED TODAY: RHP Matt Foster was recalled today by the Chicago White Sox. In six games with the Knights this season, Foster went 0–1 with a 1.42 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. With the White Sox this season, Foster is 2–1 with one save and a 6.04 ERA in 27 games (28.1 IP).
REHABBING ROBERT: Chicago White Sox OF Luis Robert joined the Charlotte Knights on MLB Rehab on Tuesday, July 27. In four games with the Knights, he is hitting .385 (5-for-13) with a double. He began his rehab stint with High-A Winston-Salem on Wednesday, July 21 and appeared in four games with the Dash. The Cuban native hit .250 (3-for-12) with one run scored, one double and three RBIs. The 23-year-old is currently on the Chicago White Sox 60-day Injured List with a right hip flexor strain. He won an American League Gold Glove Award during his rookie campaign in 2020.
BE LIKE MIKIE: OF Mikie Mahtook is Charlotte’s leader in home runs with 15 and is tied for seventh in the Triple-A East in that category. Mahtook is also tied for fourth on the Knights in RBIs (32) and tied for second on the team in runs scored (32).
TOKNIGHTS STARTER: LHP Tanner Banks (3–2, 3.93) will make his fourth start of the season today and appear in his 16th overall game. He made his first start of the season on July 18 against Gwinnett and allowed three runs on five hits over 2.2 innings pitched. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: The Knights have sent 13 players to the Chicago White Sox. Those players in order are: INF Danny Mendick (May 4), RHP Alex McRae (May 14), RHP Ryan Burr (May 27), 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) and C Seby Zavala (July 6), RHP Reynaldo López (July 16) and RHP Matt Foster (July 19 & August 3).
