Knights Knotes: May 3, 2017
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) returned home to BB&T Ballpark — the most visited venue in Minor League Baseball — last night and opened a six-game homestand against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) and Gwinnett Braves (Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves). Last night, the Knights started a three-game series against the Tides, who they have now battled eight times this season and are 5–3 against them. Charlotte won all four home games against the Tides (April 6–9) earlier this season, but dropped all three road games to the Tides at Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA (April 14–16). Yesterday in the opener, the Knights picked up where they left off and won 8–3 — now going 5–0 at home against the Tides this season. As a team, the Knights are hitting .308 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs against the Tides in 2017. The Knights scored 39 runs against the Tides over their four-game stretch in Uptown Charlotte and added eight last night. They only scored a total of five runs over their three-game stretch in Norfolk. The Tides are hitting .257 against the Knights this season with seven home runs and 34 RBIs.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: The Knights used four home runs and solid pitching to beat RHP Chris Tillman and the Norfolk Tides last night by a score of 8–3. Tillman, a 2013 American League All-Star, allowed four home runs in his first major league rehab starts with the Tides this season. Charlotte’s offense ignited in the second inning with three home runs courtesy of Danny Hayes, Adam Engel, and Yoan Moncada. An inning later, Ryan Raburn homered off Tillman, who was saddled with the loss. Both Hayes and Moncada now have five home runs on the season, which is tied for the team lead and tied for second in the International League this season. Raburn had two hits — the home run and a triple — and added three RBIs. RHP Carson Fulmer (3–1, 3.18) earned his third win of the season after pitching 5.1 innings pitched and allowing just one run.
KINGS OF THE QUEEN CITY: In 10 home games this season, the Knights have won eight games at BB&T Ballpark (8–2) and have thrived in Uptown Charlotte this year. In those 10 home games, the team is hitting .313 (110-for-352) with 65 runs scored, 14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, and 58 RBIs. Charlotte pitching has posted a 3.03 ERA at BB&T Ballpark this season in 92.0 IP. The Knights have welcomed three sell-out crowds and lead the International League in attendance with an 89,391 mark (8,939 fans per game). The Knights lost an opening back on Sunday, April 23. On Friday, April 7, the Knights welcomed their two millionth fan. BB&T Ballpark is in its fourth season in Uptown Charlotte (2014 to present). The Knights spent 25 seasons in Fort Mill, SC including 24 total at Knights Stadium.
WHITE SOX MINOR LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH: 2B Yoan Moncada, who entered the 2017 season ranked as the number two prospect in all of Major League Baseball according to Baseball America and MLB.com, was named as the Chicago White Sox Player of the Month for the month of April on Monday. RHP Dane Dunning, who is currently with the Winston-Salem Dash (A+), was named as the organization’s Pitcher of the Month. For the season, Moncada is hitting .311 (28-for-90) with five home runs, eight RBIs and a team-high six stolen bases. He currently has an eight-game hitting streak and over that span is hitting .353 (12-for-34) with six runs scored, one home run, three RBIs, and two stolen bases. Currently, he has the third most runs scored in the IL (17), and the third most stolen bases with six. He has a .386 on base percentage. He was acquired by the White Sox from the Boston Red Sox on December 6, 2016 as part of a package that sent LHP Chris Sale to Boston. Moncada, a native of Cienfuegos, Cuba, made his professional debut during the 2015 season with Single-A Greenville. He made his Major League debut with the Red Sox on September 2, 2016. Following the 2016 campaign, Moncada was named as Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.
SONNY DAYS: RHP Carson Fulmer (3–1, 3.18) got the start last night and was solid over 5.1 innings in his fifth start of the 2017 season en route to his third win of the year. The Vanderbilt University product allowed just one run on two hits and improved to 3–0 with a 2.08 ERA in three home starts (17.1 IP) this year. He has allowed just three runs over his last two starts (17.1 IP) and has held lefties to a .174 (8-for-46) batting average this season. Over his last eight starts, he has compiled a 2.49 ERA over 43.1 innings pitched. Over that stretch, Fulmer has allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 34 hits while striking out 35 batters.
NICK AT NITE: 3B Nicky Delmonico continued his hot-hitting last night with two hits and an RBI. For the season, the Tennessee native is hitting .308 (26-for-87) with 15 runs scored, two home runs, and 12 RBIs this season in 23 games. He’s hit safely in 18 of 23 games and is hitting .342 (26-for-76) in 19 night games this season. He has a .133 batting average in four day games this season. Delmonico has also excelled at BB&T Ballpark this season. In 10 home games this year, Delmonico is hitting .474 (18-for-38) with one home run and seven RBIs. He has reached base in 12 consecutive home games dating back to 9/4/16.
KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Lucas Giolito (0–3, 6.63) will make his fifth start of the season today as he takes the ball for the Charlotte Knights in game two of their three game series. Giolito, along with Knights teammate Reynaldo Lopez, were acquired from the Washington Nationals at the Winter Meetings in exchange for Adam Eaton. The 22-year-old right-hander, who appeared in six games with the Nationals last season (four starts), entered the 2017 ranked as Chicago’s number two prospect by Baseball America. A first round pick (16th overall) of the Nats in the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft, Giolito has combined to compile a 25–18 record with a 2.92 ERA in 79 games (77 starts) over parts of six seasons in the minors. Tonight’s start will be Giolito’s second against the Tides this season. Giolito made his 2017 season debut against the Tides and did not earn a decision on April 8 at BB&T Ballpark (4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO). career. The Knights also faced LHP Chris Lee on April 8 — today’s Norfolk starter.
NORFOLK STARTING PITCHER: LHP Chris Lee (1–1, 5.94), the number 10 prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system, as rated by Baseball America, gets the nod today for the Tides. Today’s start is Lee’s second against the Knights this year and it is a rematch of the April 8th game against RHP Lucas Giolito. On that day, Lee allowed eight runs on nine hits over 3.1 innings and was saddled with the loss. Lee, a native of Savannah, GA, spent the 2016 season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and went 5–0 with a 2.98 ERA in eight games (seven starts). The Orioles acquired Lee from the Houston Astros for two international bonus slots worth $655,800. He joined Baltimore’s 40-man roster after the 2016 season.
ADAM BOMB: OF Adam Engel entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the number 19 prospect in the system. After recording just three hits over his first 10 games this season (38 at-bats), Engel has strung together a solid stretch. Over his last 10 games, he is batting .303 (10-for-33) with four runs scored, two home runs, and six RBIs. Engel launched his second home run of the season and second in three games last night. Over his last five games, he’s hitting .412 (7-for-17) with four runs scored, two home runs, and five RBIs.
REY OF LIGHT: RHP Reynaldo Lopez wrapped things up in the month of April with three consecutive solid starts — earning a win in each of the last two starts. Lopez, 23, went 2–0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last three starts. On April 30, Lopez allowed one run on three hits over six innings en route to his second win of the season. A native of the Dominican Republic, Lopez also struck out 10 batters in a game on April 11 in Durham. He entered the 2017 season ranked as the number three prospect in Chicago’s system by Baseball America. Lopez was obtained by the Chicago White Sox on December 7, 2016 with Charlotte teammate Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning from the Washington Nationals for outfielder Adam Eaton. Eaton was recently lost for the season with an ACL tear.
PEN PALS LHP Cory Luebke made his 2017 season debut last night after being activated off the DL before the game. Luebke, who was signed as free agent by the White Sox back in January, tossed a scoreless eighth inning — striking out two batters… LHP Matt Purke continued his solid stretch out of the Charlotte bullpen last night. Purke threw a scoreless inning last night and has not allowed a run in six consecutive appearances (8.0 IP)… RHP Zack Burdi notched his third save of the season in Friday’s suspended game. He has not allowed a run over his last four appearances (5.0 IP) and has nine strikeouts over that stretch… LHP Brian Clark allowed two hits and one walk in his first appearance with the Knights on April 26. Clark, who began the season on Charlotte’s disabled list, did not allow a run in the sixth inning.
GREAT DANISH: RHP Tyler Danish (1–1, 1.96) was effective in his fourth start of the season on Thursday against Toledo in Toledo, OH. He allowed one run in five innings. Over his last six Knights starts dating back to 7/18/16, Danish has allowed just eight earned runs in 41 innings pitched (2–2, 1.76 ERA). Danish entered the season ranked as the number 18 prospect in the Chicago White Sox system by Baseball America. Last season, Danish pitched over three levels, including in Birmingham (Double-A), Charlotte, and Chicago. He posted a 3–7 record with a 4.42 ERA in 12 starts for Birmingham before a promotion to Chicago and Charlotte. He went 0–0 with a 10.80 ERA in three games with the Sox and 1–3 with a 5.83 ERA in seven games (five starts ) with the Knights. Danish was selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2013 draft. Danish was ranked as the ninth-best prospect in Chicago’s system heading into the 2016 season.
ALL-TIME KNIGHT: OF Jason Bourgeois, 35, is in his fourth season with the Knights and ranks among the all-time franchise leaders in a number of categories. On Sunday, April 9, Bourgeois passed Yolmer Sanchez (347) for third place on Charlotte’s all-time hits list. He is just one of five players in franchise history with 300 or more hits (Jordan Danks, 449, Joe Borchard, 439, Bourgeois, Sanchez, and Josh Phegley, 312). He recorded his 350th career Knights hit on Friday, April 14 and now has a total of 359 career Knights hits Bourgeois is also among the leaders in a number of other categories, including he is fifth in at-bats (1,243), sixth in games played (316) with Chris Clapinski, tied for third in triples (10), fourth in runs scored (173), and second in stolen bases (67). A native of Houston, TX, Bourgeois rejoined the Knights last season after playing for the team in 2007 and 2008. In 2013, he was named to the All Knights Stadium Team.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: OF Willy Garcia became the latest Charlotte Knights player to earn a promotion to Chicago. Garcia was promoted to the White Sox yesterday when OF Jacob May was optioned. A total of five players have now been promoted this season. RHP Tommy Kahnle (April 6), catcher Kevan Smith (April 13), Garcia (April 14 & May 2), RHP Mike Pelfrey (April 22), and RHP Chris Beck (April 25).
