KNIGHTS KNOTES — June 3, 2021
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights returned home on Tuesday to open a six-game homestand against the Nashville Sounds, Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Sounds (20–5) have the best record in all of Triple-A and have a 14-game winning streak after taking the first two games of the series. The Knights (8–17) have lost 11 of their last 13 games.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: Tuesday’s game was the Charlotte Knights first-ever against the Nashville Sounds in their team history (Knights began in 1988). Before last night, the last time a Charlotte team played a Nashville team was in 1984 when the Charlotte O’s (Double-A Baltimore Orioles) played the Nashville Sounds (Double-A New York Yankees). Both franchises were members of the Southern League.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Charlotte Knights dropped game two of their six-game series against the Nashville Sounds by a score of 7–4 on Wednesday evening from Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte. The Knights brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning but fell just short in the end. The Knights jumped out to a quick 2–0 lead in the first inning with some help from right fielder Gavin Sheets, who drove home his team-high 20th run of the season. Charlotte added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to an RBI single from designated hitter Luis González and an RBI double from third baseman Jake Burger.
SHEETS PROMOTED: 1B/OF Gavin Sheets was recalled by the Chicago White Sox today. The 25-year-old appeared in 23 games with the Knights this season and was hitting .319 (30-for-94) with 11 runs scored, five doubles, four home runs and 20 RBIs. He was among the Triple-A East league leaders in hits (T-6th) and RBIs (T-6th). Sheets recorded his first career two-homer game on Sunday, May 16th. Sheets, a member of Chicago’s 40-man roster, entered the 2021 season ranked as the 10th best prospect in the White Sox system by Baseball America. He was originally drafted by Chicago in the second round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Wake Forest University. His dad, Larry, played for the Charlotte O’s in 1980 and 1983
ROSTER MOVE: C Evan Skoug (SCOW-g) was promoted to the Charlotte Knights today from High-A Winston-Salem. Skoug, 25, appeared in 13 games with the Dash this season and was hitting .139 (5-for-36) with three runs scored, one double and two RBIs. He was drafted by the White Sox in the seventh round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of TCU.
REHABBING: OF Adam Engel has appeared in six games on the assignment and is hitting .292 (7-for-24) with one home run and three RBIs. He hit .295 (26-for-88) with 11 runs scored, five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 12 RBIs and a stolen base in 36 games with the Chicago White Sox last season. He is currently on Chicago’s 10-day injured list… Chicago White Sox LHP Jace Fry made his third rehab appearance on Tuesday with the Knights and tossed a scoreless inning. Fry has fanned five batters over three scoreless innings pitched. He is on Chicago’s 60-day injured list.
LEADING THE WAY: 2B Marco Hernández is tied for sixth in the Triple-A East in batting average with a .355 mark. He is also third in hits (33) and tied for third in doubles (7) with teammates 1B/OF Gavin Sheets and 3B Jake Burger… 1B/OF Gavin Sheets is tied for sixth in hits (30) and tied for ninth in total bases (47)… RHP Mike Wright is eighth in the Triple-A East in ERA (2.74)… LHP Matt Tomshaw is fourth in WHIP (0.86).
BURGER KING: 3B Jake Burger is the team leader in home runs with six and has hit safely in 15 of his last 18 games. He is also tied for the team lead on the Knights in doubles with seven and is tied for third in the Triple-A East in that category. He is second behind Gavin Sheets in RBIs with 17. Ranked as the number 16 prospect in Chicago’s system by MLB.com, Burger is playing for the first time since 2017. He missed 2018 & 2019 to injuries and 2020 to the cancellation of the MiLB season.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Félix Paulino (1–1, 9.00) will get the start today in game three of the series. Despite a quick exit in his last start back on May 27th (2.0 IP), Paulino posted an impressive stretch over his previous two starts. He went 1–1 with a 1.80 ERA (10.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO) over a two-start span (May 14 & May 20). Paulino did not pitch last season due to the cancellation of the season (COVID-19 pandemic). He appeared in just six games (five starts) in 2019 with the Double-A Birmingham Barons due to suffering a strained right biceps. He went 3–2 with a 3.86 ERA (35.0 IP).
