Knights Knotes — June 30, 2015
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) will continue a 10-game road trip today and play game two of their three-game series against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) at Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA at 12:05 p.m. this afternoon — the first of two 12:05 games this week (Friday is the other). With yesterday’s 6–2 win, the Knights have taken over first place in the IL South Division and are now a half-game ahead of second place Norfolk in the IL South Division and 3.5 games ahead of the Durham Bulls. The Knights are 11–4 over their last 15 games.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: 1B Chris Curley launched his first career Triple-A home run, LHP Jarrett Casey earned his seventh win of the season after retiring one batter in the sixth, and the Charlotte Knights beat the Norfolk Tides by a score of 6–2 on Monday in the opener of their three-game series from Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA. OF Matt Tuiasosopo went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The win snapped Norfolk’s six-game win-streak and knocked Norfolk from first place in the IL South. The first place Knights are 4–4 on the current road trip.
KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Terance Marin (2–0, 0.00),
who was reinstated by the Chicago White Sox from Mexico and assigned to Charlotte on Friday, June 5, will make his fourth start of the season with the Knights today and appear in his fifth game. Marin has not allowed a run in 22.0 innings pitched this season with the Knights since coming back to the United States. He has tossed back-to-back seven innings of shutout baseball. Marin, who was on loan to the Toros de Tijuana, posted a 2–5 record with a 4.94 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) this season with the Toros (47.1 IP). Other notable names on that Toros team with Marin this season were Jose Contreras, Miguel Olivo, and Yuniesky Betancourt. Before returning this season, Marin last pitched in Chicago’s organization last season — going 4–3 with a 4.24 ERA in 14 games (70.0 IP) for the Winston-Salem Dash. He also spent time last season with Double-A Birmingham and was 0–2 with a 5.11 ERA in two games (12.1 IP). Marin, who was originally signed by the White Sox as a free agent on July 12, 2010, was released by the organization last year. He then signed with the Frontier League’s Evansville Otters, made six starts, and then was re-signed by the White Sox on June 19, 2014. Marin is a native of Modesto, CA and was undrafted out of Modesto Junior College.
CURLEY HOMERS: 1B Chris Curley was promoted to Charlotte from Double-A Birmingham on June 24 and has now appeared in five games with the Knights. On Monday, Curley went 2-for-3 and launched his first career Triple-A home run. In five games with Charlotte, the Kentucky native is hitting .429 (6-for-14). Curley was the Carolina League’s MVP in 2013 after hitting .280 with 24 home runs and 92 RBIs.
ZACH ATTACK: LHP Zach Phillips (1–0, 2.14) tossed another scoreless inning on Monday. Phillips has allowed just three earned runs over his last 17 games (20.1 IP) and has not allowed a run in 21 of his 27 games this season. After going 1–0 with a 3.86 ERA in April (7 games), Phillips has gone 0–0 with a 1.32 ERA in May (10 games), and 0–0 with a 1.69 ERA in June (10 games). He has four saves on the season in five opportunities.
IL LEADERBOARD: 3B Matt Davidson launched his 12th and 13th home runs of the season to re-take the IL lead in home runs this season on June 21. Davidson’s 13 are one more than Kyle Roller, Jefry Marte, and J.P. Arencibia’s 12… Outfielder Trayce Thompson is first in the IL in games played (77), fourth in slugging percentage (.458), second in IL in extra-base hits (31), and third in IL in total bases (132)… Infielder Leury Garcia, who is now on the DL, is third in the IL in stolen bases (23)… Kyle Drabek (3–4, 2.85) won his second consecutive decision on Thursday after allowing just one run over six innings. Drabek is eighth in the IL in ERA (2.85) and tied for third in WHIP (1.13) this season in 12 starts with the Knights this year.
LAST SIX : RHP Shawn Haviland (3–4, 4.60) started Monday’s game and allowed two runs on three hits over 5.2 innings, but did not factor in the decision. Haviland has allowed two earned runs or less over his last six starts. He is 2–4 with a 3.57 ERA in 10 starts this year and is 2–1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts during the month of June (27.2 IP, 25 SO).
REHABBING: Chicago RHP Matt Albers, who was placed on Chicago’s 15-day disabled list with a broken little finger on his right hand on April 26 (retroactive to April 20), began a Major League Rehab assignment with the Charlotte Knights on Friday — tossing a scoreless eighth inning for the club. Albers, 32, was back on the mound last night and threw two shutout innings (2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO). He went 0–0 with a 1.59 ERA in four games out of Chicago’s bullpen (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) before being placed on the DL. Chicago White Sox LHP Dan Jennings, who was placed on the team’s 15-day disabled list with inflammation on the left side of his neck on June 7 (retroactive to June 5), began a MLB rehab assignment with the Knights on Monday, June 22 and continued his rehab in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader. Jennings allowed just two hits over two scoreless innings and has now appeared in three games with the Knights this season on his rehab (0–0, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 SO).
KNIGHTS TEAM RANKS: As a team, the Knights are tied with Durham for the IL lead in home runs (62) … The Knights are tied for third in the IL this season in runs scored (335)… Charlotte’s 316 RBIs are second in the IL behind Toledo (320)… Charlotte’s .393 slugging percentage is tops in the IL… Their 84 stolen bases are second in the IL to Gwinnett (85).
CAN’T SPELL KNIGHTS WITHOUT “K”: Charlotte Knights pitchers have combined to strike out 627 batters this season — tops in Triple-A this year — 28 more than Sacramento (599) — the top PCL team(s) and 63 more than Durham (564).
CHARLOTTE’S PEN: RHP Matt Lindstrom (2–0, 4.50) extended his scoreless innings streak to nine games and 12.2 innings pitched on Sunday in game two of the doubleheader. He last allowed a run on May 28 against the Clippers. He has not allowed a run in 11 of his 16 appearances this season… RHP Maikel Cleto has the fourth lowest batting average against (.168) among relievers in the IL…LHP Onelki Garcia has 22 strikeouts over 15.1 innings pitched this season with the Knights.
WHO’S HOT AT THE PLATE: Over his last 10 games, Charlotte 3B Matt Davidson is hitting .333 (13-for-39) with three home runs and four RBIs… Outfielder Chris Marrero is hitting .360 (9-for-25) in eight games this season with the Knights… Catcher George Kottaras went 1-for-4 on Thursday with his fifth home run of the season — a solo shot off Chiefs RHP Joe Ross. He now has four home runs and 13 RBIs over his last five games. In 21 games this season, he is hitting .311 (19-for-61) with five home runs, 21 walks, and a .482 on-base percentage… Catcher Kevan Smith is hitting .600 (6-for-10) over his last four games
