KNIGHTS KNOTES — May 12, 2021
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights will continue their six-game series against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) tonight at 7:04 p.m. from Truist Field.
CURRENT HOMESTAND: The Knights dropped five of their first six games of the season against the Gwinnett Stripers in their first six-game series of 2021 from Truist Field. The Knights are now 2–5 overall in 2021.
LAST KNIGHTS GAME: Infielders Jake Burger and Marco Hernández both homered to power the Charlotte Knights past the Norfolk Tides by a score of 6–4 on Tuesday evening from Truist Field. The home run was Burger’s second in as many games.
ROSTER MOVES: The Charlotte Knights announced two roster moves today. RHP Reynaldo López has been activated and will start tonight’s game for the Knights. RHP Will Carter was also added to Charlotte’s active roster today. Carter was claimed off waivers by the White Sox from the New York Yankees on December 12, 2019. Carter, 28, did not pitch in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season (COVID-19 pandemic). He has a 9–15 career record in the minors with a 4.61 ERA over 40 games from 2015–19. Charlotte’s active roster is at 28 players.
BURGER TO GO: Making his fourth start of the season for the Knights, Charlotte Knights 3B Jake Burger launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning last night. Burger, 25, also homered in Sunday’s game and has scored a run in all four games he’s played in this season. After missing the past three seasons (two due to injuries and last year due to the MiLB season being cancelled), Burger is off to a solid start to his Triple-A career. He entered the season ranked as the number 16 prospect in Chicago’s system by MLB.com.
HOME RUN KNIGHTS: Through seven games this season, the Knights have tallied 10 home runs on the year. Catcher Seby Zavala and Jake Burger lead the way with two apiece, while Tim Beckham, Matt Reynolds, Blake Rutherford, Gavin Sheets, Mikie Mahtook and Marco Hernández have one each. The home runs by Rutherford, Sheets and Burger were their first at the Triple-A level. For Beckham, it was his first home run as a member of the White Sox organization and the 99th of his professional career (36 in the minors and 63 in the majors).
HIT STREAK: Catcher Seby Zavala has recorded a hit in all six games he’s played in this season. He’s hitting .360 (9-for-25) with two home runs and seven RBIs. The current longest of the season in the Triple-A East is seven (six players tied).
TEAM LEADERS: C/INF Joe DeCarlo is leading the team in hitting with a .429 batting average… catcher Seby Zavala and Jake Burger are tied for the team lead in home runs (2)… INF Matt Reynolds has a team-high two stolen bases.
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Reynaldo López will make his first start of the 2021 season tonight and his first with the Knights since August 6, 2017. He went 6–7 with a 3.79 ERA in 22 starts (121.0 IP) with the Knights in 2017. López, 27, has compiled a 21–31 record and a 4.76 ERA with the Chicago White Sox over parts of four seasons (2017–20).
WE ARE FAMILY: Charlotte 1B/OF Gavin Sheets is the second member of his family to play in Charlotte, joining his dad, Larry Sheets. The elder Sheets played for the Charlotte O’s in 1980 and 1983. He hit 25 home runs with the O’s in 1983… On the other side of the diamond is Ryan Ripken, who’s dad is National Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. In 1980, Cal and Larry were teammates with the Charlotte O’s and later with the Baltimore Orioles.
