KNIGHTS KNOTES — July 31, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights wrapped up a quick two-game series at Norfolk, VA against the Norfolk Tides last night with a 15–5 win. The Knights, who swept the two-game series, outscored the Tides 21–10 in the series. The Knights return home tonight with a 35–21 home record, the second-best in the IL this season behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (36–17). Tonight’s game is the first of two head-to-head games against the Durham Bulls at BB&T Ballpark (Wednesday-Thursday). The Knights head to Gwinnett County, GA on Friday for a three-game series against the first place Gwinnett Stripers (Knights are seven games back in the IL South Division).
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Knights finished off the two-game sweep of the Norfolk Tides last night with an impressive 15–5 win from Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA. DH Zack Collins tied a career-best with six RBIs in the game. As a team, the Knights swatted 17 hits (tied for their third-highest mark of the season) and scored double-digit runs for the second time in three days. INF Alcides Escobar had four of the 17 hits, while INF Danny Mendick recorded his 14th home run of the season. LHP Kyle Kubat (3–1, 5.91) earned his second consecutive win after getting the start and working five innings last night.
THREE-GAME WIN STREAK: With their win last night, the Knights have won three-straight games as they enter tonight’s two-game series against the Durham Bulls. The win-streak has put the Knights just 4.5 games back of Durham in the IL Wild Card Standings.If the Knights could sweep this two-game series, they would be just 2.5 games back of the Bulls. The Knights have scored 34 runs over their last three games.
KNIGHTS VS. BULLS: The Knights are 6–8 so far this season against the Bulls. As a team, the Knights are hitting .250 (115-for-460) against the Bulls in 14 games this season with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs. The Knights have been outscored in the season series 88–71. The Knights and Bulls tied their season series in 2018 going 12–12 head-to-head.
HOME RUN KNIGHTS:. As a team, the Knights have combined to hit 155 home runs this season, which is good for fourth-best in the International League in 2019–52 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.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES:
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: LHP Héctor Santiago (3–5 4.08), who was signed by the Chicago White Sox organization and was officially added to Charlotte’s active roster on Monday, June 24, will make his seventh start of the season with the Knights today. In his debut, he was sharp over five innings on June 25, but did not factor in the decision (ND, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 72 pitches). It was his first start with the Knights since August 13, 2012 when he earned a win over the Norfolk Tides at Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, SC (W, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO). He made three starts that season with the Knights (1–0, 0.00 ERA in 14.2 IP). Earlier this season, he posted a 3–1 record with a 3.35 ERA in eight games (seven starts) with the Syracuse Mets (43.0 IP).
TOP PROSPECT: OF Luis Robert — the fifth-best prospect in all of Major League Baseball by MLB Pipeline — extended his hit streak to seven-straight games last night and has now hit safely in 15 of his 17 games with the Knights this season. He is now batting .356 (26-for-73) with five home runs, 14 RBIs, and five stolen bases since his promotion from Double-A Birmingham on Tuesday, July 9 (17 games). He made his Triple-A debut on Thursday, July 11 and hit two home runs, including his first career Triple-A hit — a grand slam. Robert began the 2019 campaign with the Winston-Salem Dash (High-A) and hit .453 (34-for-75) with 21 runs scored, five doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 24 RBIs, and eight stolen bases over 19 games. He was promoted to Double-A Birmingham on April 30th and hit .314 (71-for-226) with 43 runs scored, 16 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 29 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases over 56 games with the Barons.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: In all, 21 players that have played for the Charlotte Knights this season have been promoted to the Chicago White Sox. Those players, in order of their promotion(s) to Chicago: RHP Carson Fulmer (April 8, April 18, May 28, June 19, & July 29), LHP Josh Osich (April 12), OF Ryan Cordell (April 18), 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), 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), 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), and RHP Jimmy Cordero (July 20).
