KNIGHTS KNOTES — June 21, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights returned home to BB&T Ballpark on Tuesday to open a six-game, five-day homestand. Tonight, the Knights will open a two-day, three-game series against the Louisville Bats. So far on this homestand, the Knights are 2–1 and enter today’s game with a two-game winning streak. The Knights took two of three games from the Syracuse Mets at the start of the homestand.
KNIGHTS VS. BATS: The Knights enter this series today against the Louisville Bats with a 4–3 record this season. As a team head-to-head, the Knights are hitting .277 (62-for-224) with 34 runs scored, eight home runs, and 30 RBIs against the Bats in seven games this year. The two teams also faced off at Louisville Slugger Field from May 10–12 earlier this season.
HOME SWEET HOME: So far this season, the Knights are 24–13 this season at BB&T Ballpark, which is the best record in all of Triple-A this season at home. The Knights lead all IL team in home batting average (.288), home runs (68), and RBIs 237.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: RHP Donny Roach tossed five solid innings, and the Knights slugged out 12 hits en route to a 6–1 win over the Syracuse Mets last night in the finale of their three-game series from BB&T Ballpark. The win was Charlotte’s 24th at home this season and second-straight over the Mets.
REHABBING: Chicago White Sox outfielder Jon Jay, who signed with the Chicago White Sox as a free agent on January 10, 2019, began a Major League Baseball Rehab Assignment with the Charlotte Knights on June 7. Last night, Jay went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and is hitting .356 (16-for-45) with six runs scored, two doubles, six RBIs, and one stolen base in 11 games with the Knights on the rehab assignment.
ROLL WITH SKOLE: 1B Matt Skole launched his team-high 18th home run of the season on Wednesday night. Skole is tied for third in home runs (18) and tied for fifth in walks (38). He has one more home run yet to be added from the suspended game on May 5. That game will be resumed and completed on June 28.
ROSTER MOVES: OF Joel Booker was assigned to Double-A Birmingham today. Charlotte’s roster is at 24 active players. Booker appeared in 25 games with the Charlotte Knights and hit .205 (16-for-78) with eight runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one home run, and three RBIs this season. Booker, 25, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 22nd round of the June 2016 First-Year Player Draft. Born in Brandon, England, Booker was promoted to the Knights from the Barons on April 28, 2019. He was hitting .351 (26-for-74) with one home run and nine RBIs with the Barons (20 games) at the time of his promotion. He was also leading the Southern League in batting average and stolen bases (8) when he was promoted to Charlotte.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Dylan Cease (5–2, 4.37) will make his 12th start of the season today and third of the season against the Louisville Bats. He earned his fifth win of the season back on May 4 against the Gwinnett Stripers (W, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO). Cease is ranked eighth in the IL in ERA (4.37). Ranked as the third-best prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization by Baseball America, Cease started his Triple-A career this season by tossing 12.0 straight scoreless innings (2+ starts).
IL LEADERBOARD: INF Ryan Goins is fourth in the IL in batting average (.314)… INF Danny Mendick is tied for second in games played (67) and is tied for third in stolen bases (14)… RHP Dylan Cease is eighth in ERA (4.37) and tied for third in wins (5).
