KNIGHTS KNOTES — May 28, 2019
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights concluded a four-game homestand against the Durham Bulls (May 24–27) yesterday with a 10–0 loss. The Knights and Bulls split the series, 2–2. The Knights are 5–3 this season against the Bulls with all eight games coming at BB&T Ballpark. Despite the loss yesterday, the Knights enter play today with nine wins over their last 13 games.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Beginning today, the Knights hit the road for a six-game road trip to Indianapolis (May 28–30) and Toledo (May 31-June 2). The Knights have won 17 of their 27 wins at BB&T Ballpark this season and are 10–12 on the road in 2019. The Knights are 1–4 this season at Victory Field in Indianapolis, IN. The two teams met from April 11 to April 14. The Knights won the finale on April 14 by a score of 7–4. Over the course of the past two seasons, the Knights are 2–7 at Victory Field.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Charlotte Knights dropped the finale of their four-game series against the Durham Bulls yesterday on Memorial Day by a score of 10–0. LHP Jordan Guerrero was saddled with the loss after he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits over five innings of work. RHP Zach Thompson tossed three scoreless innings out of the Charlotte bullpen. The Knights managed just three hits on the day.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: In all, the Knights have sent 13 players to the Chicago White Sox this season. Those players, in order of their promotion(s) to Chicago: RHP Carson Fulmer (April 8, April 18,& May 28), LHP Josh Osich (April 12), OF Ryan Cordell (April 18), OF Nicky Delmonico (April 22), LHP Aaron Bummer (April 28), RHP Thyago Vieira (April 28, May 1 & May 22), RHP Dylan Covey (April 30), RHP Evan Marshall (May 1), RHP Juan Minaya (May 5), LHP Caleb Frare (May 5), OF Charlie Tilson (May 6), RHP José Ruiz (May 17 & May 28), and C Seby Zavala (May 25).
AIN’T IT GRAND: C Zack Collins launched a grand slam over the left field fence on Sunday night to put the Knights ahead by a score of 10–3. The grand slam was his first since August 10, 2018 when he was a member of the Double-A Birmingham Barons. He finished Sunday’s game 2-for-4 with two runs scored, the grand slam, and four RBIs. It was Charlotte’s first grand slam since July 28, 2017 when catcher Rob Brantly recorded one.
HOME RUN KNIGHTS: As a team, the Knights now have 75 home runs in 2019, which is good for second in the IL behind Gwinnett (88). The Knights hit three home runs in the sixth inning on Sunday and launched a total of four home runs in the game. First, INF Iván De Jesús Jr. hit a solo home run in the third inning — his first as a member of the Knights. OF Paulo Orlando hit the first home run of the sixth inning, a two-run shot, which tied the game at 3–3. OF Adam Engel, the next batter of the inning, followed with a go-ahead, solo home run. After the Knights scored two more runs on bases-loaded walks, C Zack Collins launched a grand slam.
ROLE WITH SKOLL: 1B Matt Skole swatted his team-leading 14th home run of the season on Saturday — tying his entire 2018 mark. Skole is now batting .270 (40-for-148) on the season. He is third in the IL in home runs and tied for fourth in slugging percentage (.615). Skole actually has 15 home runs this season, but the home run he hit in the May 5th suspended game will not count until that game is resumed and completed on June 28. He would be tied for the IL lead in that category with Austin Riley and Adam Duvall (15 each).
DAN THE MAN: INF Danny Mendick had one of Charlotte’s three hits yesterday and has now hit safely in 10 consecutive home games. During that stretch, Mendick is hitting .366 (15-for-41) with two home runs and eight RBIs (May 1 to present).
TO-KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: LHP Colton Turner (2–2 5.34) will make his fourth start of the season tonight in the opener of the three-game set. Turner has appeared in 10 games this season out of Charlotte’s bullpen (17.2 IP). Turner, 28, was a non-roster invitee to major league camp this spring. Last season, he went 7–2 with a 0.86 ERA in 27 games for Double-A Birmingham — earning the team’s “Pitcher of the Year” Award.
LOOKING AHEAD: RHP Dylan Cease (4–1, 3.38), who earned his second consecutive win on Thursday with six strong innings over the Gwinnett Stripers (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO), will get the start tomorrow for game two at Indianapolis. He is 2–0 with a 3.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts over his last two starts (12.0 IP). 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).
