KNIGHTS KNOTES — July 6, 2021
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (21–31, 6th) will open a six-game road trip tonight against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (29–23, 3rd) from Jacksonville, FL with first pitch on tap for 7:05 p.m. The Knights are 6–17 this season the road and 15–14 at home.
KNIGHTS VS. SHRIMP: The Knights and Jumbo Shrimp met for the first-time ever at Truist Field earlier this season from June 15 to June 19. The Knights won three of the five games in the five-game, rain-shortened series. The game on Sunday, June 20 (Father’s Day) was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader at Truist Field on Thursday, July 29th (two seven-inning games with first pitch of game one on tap for 6:05 p.m.).
SELL-OUT CROWDS: The Knights welcomed back-to-back sell-out crowds to Truist Field on Saturday night and Sunday night (July 4th). Saturday’s sell-out crowd of 10,282 fans was the first for the Knights since August 28, 2019 — the final home game of the 2019 season. With the 2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19 and this season not at 100% capacity at the start, the Knights went 675 days between sell-out crowds. On Sunday, the Knights welcomed the largest crowd ever since moving Uptown on April 11, 2014. A total of 10,969 fans packed Truist Field on Independence Day 2021.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: The Charlotte Knights dropped the finale of the six-game series against the Norfolk Tides by a score of 2–1 on Sunday, July 4th in front of a record-crowd of 10,969 fans. INF Zach Remillard provided Charlotte’s lone run of the game with a solo home run in the eighth inning, his fourth of the season. C/DH Yermín Mercedes and INF Matt Reynolds chipped in with two hits apiece. RHP Alex McRae (2–3, 4.54) was sharp over six strong innings, but was saddled with the loss. McRae allowed two runs on three hits and struck-out 10 batters on the evening. DeCarlo has appeared in 16 games with the Knights this season and hit .182 (8-for-44) with six runs scored and one RBI.
ROSTER MOVES: The Knights announced two roster moves ahead of tonight’s opener from Jacksonville. C Seby Zavala was recalled by the Chicago White Sox and C/INF Joe DeCarlo was assigned to Double-A Birmingham today. Zavala, 27, has appeared in 33 games this season with the Knights and is hitting .178 (21-for-118) with 15 runs scored, four doubles, five home runs and 15 RBIs. Zavala, a member of Chicago’s 40-man roster, hit 20 home runs with the Knights in 2019. Baseball America tabbed him as the Best Defensive Catcher in the organization in each of the past two years (2020 and 2021).
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: The Knights have sent 11 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), 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).
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP Mike Wright (5–1, 2.77) will get the start tonight in the opening game of the six-game series. Wright will be on tap to start two games in this series (currently scheduled for the finale on Sunday). This is his second start of the season against the Jumbo Shrimp. He beat the team at Truist Field on June 17 (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO).
THE WRIGHT STUFF: Most recently, RHP Mike Wright (5–1, 2.77), who posted a 4–0 record with a 2.78 ERA in five starts last month, was named Triple-A East Pitcher of the Month for June (announced last week). He is currently among the Triple-A East leaders in a number of categories. His 2.77 ERA is tops in the Triple-A East. He is also tied for fourth in strikeouts (58), second in batting average against (.190), second in WHIP (0.90), sixth in IP (55.1) and tied for third in win percentage (.833).
