Knights Knotes: Knights @ Bulls — April 10, 2016
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox)
conclude their opening series of the 2016 season tonight with the finale of their four-game series at 5:05 p.m. from Durham, NC against the Durham Bulls (Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays). The Knights dropped the opening game of the series — and of the season — on Thursday by a score of 7–3, but charged back against the Bulls with an 8–6 win on Friday in game two. Last night, the Bulls came-from-behind to take game three by a score of 3–2. The Knights will look for a series split with a win in tonight’s game. The Knights then hit the road and head to Norfolk, VA to open a three-game series against the Tides. Opening Knight in Uptown Charlotte is set for Thursday, April 14th.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: Charlotte RHP Phillippe Aumont (0–1, 18.00) uncorked three wild pitches in the eighth inning, which helped lead the Durham Bulls to a 3–2 come-from-behind win over the Charlotte Knights on Saturday night from Durham, NC. The Knights went to the eighth up by a score of 2–1 courtesy of solo home runs from Hector Sanchez and Jacob May, but the Bulls charged back to earn their second win in as many days. Charlotte RHP Chris Beck started and fanned seven over five innings, but did not factor in the decision.
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU: OF Jacob May launched his first career Triple-A home run last night — a solo home run — which gave the Knights a 2–1 lead over the Bulls in game three. May entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the fifth-best prospect in Chicago’s system. May was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 2013 draft. He hit .275 with 37 stolen bases last season for Double-A Birmingham.
#400: C Hector Sanchez launched a solo home run last night, his first since August 20, 2015 while playing for Triple-A Sacramento. The hit was the 400th of his minor league career, which has spanned 10 seasons (including 2016), even though he is only 26 years old (signed by Giants as 16-year-old in 2007). Sanchez was signed by the White Sox as a free agent on December 22, 2015.
COATS OF ARMOR: OF Jason Coats had a three-hit night on Friday and added a single in last night’s game to extend his hit streak to nine consecutive games dating back to 9/2/15. He has reached base in 13 straight games dating back to 8/29/15. Over that span, Coats is hitting .351 (13-for-37) with four doubles and four RBIs. Coats, who had 81 RBIs last season with the Knights, is in his fourth professional season since being drafted by the White Sox in the 29th round of the 2012 draft. He has compiled at least 80 RBIs in each of his first three campaigns. He entered this season ranked by MLB.com as the number 17 prospect in the Chicago White Sox system.
TODAY’S PROBABLES:
CHA RHP Jacob Turner (1–1, 2.00 w/TEN, 2015)
@ DUR RHP Austin Pruitt (10–7, 3.09 w/MTG, 2015)
Knights Starter: RHP Jacob Turner makes his Charlotte Knights debut tonight in the finale of the four-game series. Turner, who was claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs on October 27, 2015, made just two rehab starts last season for Double-A Tennessee due to inflammation in his right shoulder. Turner went 1–1 with a 2.00 ERA in those two starts last year. Turner has appeared in parts of six major league seasons since being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 2009 draft. In 2011, he became the youngest Detroit pitcher to make a start at Comerica Park (20 years, 69 days old). He made a career high 20 starts with the Marlins in 2013 and posted a 3–8 record with a 3.74 ERA (118.0 IP). He went 4–7 with a 5.97 ERA in 20 games (12 starts) with the Marlins in 2014.
Bulls Starter: RHP Austin Pruitt will get the ball in tonight’s four-game series finale for the Durham Bulls. Tonight’s start will be his first at the Triple-A level for the 26-year-old right-hander. Pruitt, a native of Plano, TX, posted a 10–7 record with a 3.09 ERA in 26 games last season with Double-A Montgomery. He led Montgomery in wins, losses, complete games (2), shutouts (1), innings pitched (160.0), runs (60), and double plays (13). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 9th round of the 2013 draft. Among some of his accomplishments in 2013, Pruitt was named to the 2013 All-Conference USA Second Team, the 2013 ABCA South Central All-Region Second Team, the 2013 All-Silver Glove Series Team, a 2013 Semifinalist for the Gregg Olson Award for Breakout Player of the Year. He led the University of Houston pitching staff in wins (10), ERA (2.55), games started (15), innings pitched (113.2) and strikeouts (92).
LOS IS MORE: 2B Carlos Sanchez, who returned to the Knights for his fifth season with the club on Thursday (2012-pres.), launched his first home run of the season on Friday and continued with a single on Saturday. Sanchez has hit safely in all three games so far this season. Just 23 years old, Sanchez is ranked among some of the Charlotte Knights all-time franchise leaders in a number of categories. Sanchez is now fourth in hits (291), fifth in at-bats (1,052), and 11th in runs scored (134). He is just nine games (265) away from 10th place in games (Matt Davidson has 274 for 10th place) and is in a tie for fifth place with eight triples.
