Knights Knotes: May 9, 2017
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) opened a seven-game road trip last night with the first game in a three-game series against the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates). The Knights traveled to Victory Field in Indianapolis, IN with a two-game winning streak, but dropped the opener 5–3. The Knights dropped to 4–10 on the season in road games. Last season, the Indians took the series overall — winning six of seven games — including all four at Victory Field.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: Outfielder Adam Engel continued his hot hitting, but the Charlotte Knights dropped the opening game of their three-game series to the Indianapolis Indians by a score of 5–3 on Monday from Victory Field in Indianapolis, IN. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Knights. RHP Lucas Giolito (0–5, 7.31) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings and was saddled with the loss. Giolito, who is ranked as the number two prospect in the Chicago White Sox system by Baseball America, struck out three in his sixth start of the 2017 season. Relievers Giovanni Soto (2.0 IP) and Gregory Infante (1.0 IP) did not allow a run over the final three innings.
GOOD MORNING CHARLOTTE: So far this season, the Knights are 1–1 in morning games. Charlotte won their first morning game of the season in Toledo as they beat the Mud Hens 6–5 on April 27. Last week, at BB&T Ballpark, the Knights lost their 11:05 a.m. morning game by a score of 5–4 to the Norfolk Tides (May 3). The Knights now will play back-to-back 11:05 a.m. morning games at Victory Field (Tuesday and Wednesday). The Knights went 1–1 in morning games last season and 2–2 in morning games in 2015.
MONCADA MANIA: Charlotte second baseman Yoan Moncada, who hit .500 (11-for-22) with eight runs scored, two home runs, and four RBIs over six games last week, was named as the International League’s Batter of the Week for the period of May 1–7, as announced by the International League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc. on Monday. Ranked as the number one prospect in Major League Baseball by MLB.com, Moncada is hitting .345 (39-for-113) with 24 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, six home runs, 11 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 28 games with the Charlotte Knights this season. The Cuban native currently leads the IL in runs scored, and is in the top five in the League in batting average, hits, total bases, and stolen bases, Moncada became the second player this season to earn IL Batter of the Week honors for the Knights. Outfielder Willy Garcia, who is now a member of the Chicago White Sox, was named as the IL Batter of the Week during the first week of the season (April 6–9). The Knights are the only team in the IL with multiple batters of the week so far this season. Earlier this season (May 1), the Chicago White Sox named Moncada as their Minor League Player of the Month for the month of April. During the first month of the season, Moncada hit .314 (27-for-86) with 16 runs scored, four home runs, seven RBIs, and six stolen bases in 21 games for the Charlotte Knights
KNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Tyler Danish (1–2, 3.14) will get the start for the Knights this morning against the Indianapolis Indians. Danish gave up five earned runs (eight runs total) over 5.2 innings pitched in his last outing back on May 4, 2017. Before that start, Danish was brilliant over his last six Knights starts dating back to 7/18/16. Over that span, Danish allowed just eight earned runs in 41 innings pitched (2–2, 1.76 ERA). He 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.
INDIANAPOLIS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Clay Holmes (01, 3.72) will get the start for the Indians in game two of the three-game series. Holmes is in search of his first win this season. The Dothan, AL native has started five games so far this season. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Slocomb (Ala.) High School. He was committed to play baseball at Auburn University before signing with the Pirates. The 24-yerar-old went 10–9 with a 4.22 ERA in 26 games (all starts) with the Altoona Curve (Double-A).
SMITTY: Catcher Kevan Smith is hitting .388 (19-for-49) this season. He has 14 RBIs in 13 games this season with the Knights and he’s put together three games of three or more RBIs for the Knights this season. The Pittsburgh, PA native is hitting .480 (12-for-25) in seven games at BB&T ballpark this year. He earned a promotion to the Chicago White Sox earlier this season on April 13.
FUL SPEEED AHEAD: RHP Carson Fulmer (4–1, 2.88) continued his winning ways on Sunday and allowed just one run on three hits over six innings en route to his third consecutive winning decision. The Vanderbilt University product struck-out four batters and improved to 3–0 with a 1.54 ERA over his last four games (23.1 IP). Fulmer has now won all four of his starts at BB&T Ballpark this season.
REY OF LIGHT: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (3–1, 3.94) got the start for the Knights on Saturday in game two of the three-game series and won for the third time in his last three games (3–0). Lopez allowed just two hits while striking out seven batters over 5.2 innings pitched last night. Over his last three starts, Lopez, 23, is 3–0 with a 2.55 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 Matt Purke continued his solid stretch out of the Charlotte bullpen on Saturday. Purke tossed 2.1 scoreless innings and struck-out five batters. The Charlotte lefty has not allowed a run in seven consecutive appearances (11.0 IP) and has 13 strikeouts over that span, including nine over his last two games (4.0 IP)… RHP Zack Burdi tossed another scoreless inning yesterday and has not allowed a run over his last six appearances (8.0 IP). He has 13 strikeouts over that stretch… LHP Brian Clark tossed a scoreless inning yesterday and has not allowed a run in any of his four appearances this season (3.2 IP). Dating back to last year with the Knights, Clark has not allowed an earned run in six straight Triple-A games (6.0 IP).
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 363 career Knights hits Bourgeois is also among the leaders in a number of other categories, including he is fifth in at-bats (1,254), sixth in games played (319) with Chris Clapinski, tied for third in triples (10), fourth in runs scored (175), 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.
ATTENDANCE LEADERS: The Knights have welcomed seven sell-out crowds this season and lead the International League in attendance with an 138,667 mark (9,244 fans per game). At yesterday’s game, the Knights welcomed their largest crowd of the season — 10,534 fans. BB&T Ballpark was sold out four times on the recent six-game homestand. On Saturday, May 6, the Knights played in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,202 fans on the 12th Annual Pink Knights presented by Charlotte Radiology and Belk. The special night raised a total of $26,590 for Carolinas Breast Cancer Fund. Charlotte Knights players wore pink jerseys, which were auctioned off to the highest bidder. 2B Yoan Moncada’s jersey was the highest with a total of $2,060.
FROM THE SOUTH TO THE SOUTH SIDE: On Thursday, LHP David Holmberg, 25, became the sixth Charlotte player promoted to the White Sox this season. RHP Tommy Kahnle (April 6), catcher Kevan Smith (April 13), outfielder Willy Garcia (April 14 & May 2), RHP Mike Pelfrey (April 22), and RHP Chris Beck (April 25), are the five others who have all received promotions this year.
