KNIGHTS KNOTES — August 8, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights will continue their road trip through Pennsylvania tonight with the finale of their three-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders from Moosic, PA. After this three-game series, the Knights will head to Allentown, PA for a three-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Friday through Sunday). The Knights return home next week to BB&T Ballpark for a three-game series against the RailRiders (Tuesday, August 13 through Thursday, August 15). The Knights will then face the Columbus Clippers for four games from Friday, August 16 to Sunday, August 18.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: With home runs from 1B Seby Zavala (17th) and INF Ramon Torres (1st), along with a total of 11 hits, the Charlotte Knights beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders last night in the middle game of their three-game series by a score of 12–2. RHP Donny Roach (3–6, 7.98) earned the win after he allowed just two runs over five innings of work. The Charlotte bullpen held the ‘Riders scoreless over the final four innings.
THIS ROAD TRIP: With their win last night, the Knights are now 3–1 so far on the road trip with four more games left to be played. The Knights took one of two games against the Gwinnett Stripers in Lawrenceville, GA at the start of this road trip, which was scheduled to feature nine games in 10 days. Sunday’s finale was cancelled due to rain, making that series a rain-shortened two-game series.
IL STANDINGS: Entering play today, the Knights are six games back in the IL South Division behind the first place Gwinnett Stripers and 3.5 games back in the IL Wild Card race behind the Durham Bulls. The Knights are 2.5 games ahead of the Buffalo Bisons, who are in third place in the IL Wild Card race.
WINNING WAYS: With their 12–2 win last night, the Knights have now won three-straight games and seven of their last nine games. Over that span, the Knights have scored 77 runs and have hit 20 home runs. For the season, the Knights are third in the IL in runs scored with 655, three behind Gwinnett (658) and eight behind IL leader, Rochester (663).
HOME RUN KNIGHTS:. As a team, the Knights have combined to hit 166 home runs this season, which is good for fourth-best in the International League in 2019–63 more than they hit all of last year (103). The most home runs in a season combined for the Knights in their history is 185, which was set back in 1993 — their first as a Triple-A franchise. They are just 21 homers away from tying that 26-year-old record.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: LHP Justin Nicolino (6–6, 6.09) will get the start tonight for the Knights. In his last outing, back on August 2nd, he came started the second inning after he piggybacked RHP Kelvin Herrera, who made a MLB Rehab start. With the Knights this season, Nicolino is 5–5 with a 6.29 ERA in 93.0 IP. Nicolino was signed by the Chicago White Sox as a free agent on May 5. He began the season in the Minnesota organization and was released by the club after he went 1–1 with a 5.12 ERA in four games (three starts) with the Rochester Red Wings (19.1 IP).
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: In all, 23 players that have played for the Charlotte Knights this season have now been promoted to the Chicago White Sox in 2019. Those players, in order of their promotion(s) to Chicago: RHP Carson Fulmer (April 8, April 18, May 28, June 19, & July 30), LHP Josh Osich (April 12), OF Ryan Cordell (April 18 & August 1), OF Nicky Delmonico (April 22), LHP Aaron Bummer (April 28), RHP Thyago Vieira (April 28, May 1, May 22, & June 9), RHP Dylan Covey (April 30 & August 3), RHP Evan Marshall (May 1), RHP Juan Minaya (May 5), LHP Caleb Frare (May 5), OF Charlie Tilson (May 6), RHP José Ruiz (May 17 & May 28), C Seby Zavala (May 25 & August 2), RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (June 10), C Zack Collins (June 17), OF Daniel Palka (June 28), LHP Ross Detwiler (June 28), RHP Dylan Cease (July 3), INF Ryan Goins (July 17), OF Adam Engel (July 19), RHP Jimmy Cordero (July 20), 1B Matt Skole (August 2), and LHP Héctor Santiago (August 6).
