Knights Knotes — May 21, 2018
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) will open an eight-game homestand today from BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte. The homestand starts with a four-game series against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) tonight at 7:04 p.m. The Knights will then open a four-game series against the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) starting on Friday with a 7:04 p.m. game. The Knights went 1–5 on the road trip (9–17 overall on the road this season).
CHARLOTTE VS. NORFOLK: The Knights and Norfolk Tides have already faced off in six games this season, with each team winning three of the six games. INF/OF Juan Perez has hit .375 (6-for-16) with one home run in four games against the Tides this season, while INF Patrick Leonard has posted a .292 (7-for-24) batting average with one home run in six games this season against the Tides. RHP Rob Scahill is 2–0 with a 1.80 ERA in three games against the Tides this season.
THE LAST KNIGHTS GAME: The Charlotte Knights fell to the Columbus Clippers by a score of 2–1 in the finale of their three-game series from Huntington Park in Columbus, OH on Sunday afternoon. The Clippers got a two-run home run from Yu Chang in the third inning, which propelled them to the victory. The Knights scored their one and only run of the game in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI single from third baseman Patrick Leonard. With two outs in the ninth and Leonard on first base, Columbus RHP Ben Taylor got right fielder Mason Robbins to ground out to end the game. Taylor earned his fifth save of the season. Columbus RHP Shane Bieber (1–1, 1.32) tossed eight shutout innings to earn the win.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP Jordan Stephens (0–1, 3.00) will make his second cared Triple-A start tonight with the Charlotte Knights. In his Triple-A debut, back on Wednesday, May 16, Stephens was solid despite being saddled with the loss. He allowed two runs in the first inning, but then settled in nicely over his next five frames. Stephens, who was promoted to the Knights from Double-A Birmingham on Sunday, May 13, did not allow a run over his final five innings of the day. Ranked as the number 16 prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization by Baseball America, Stephens gave up six hits and struck out five in his first career Triple-A start. He threw 83 pitches (60 for strikes) and did not allow a walk. Stephens, 25 posted a 4–3 record with a 2.95 ERA in seven starts (39.2 IP/40 SO) with the Double-A Birmingham Barons this season. The Houston, TX native has won each of his last four starts and is 4–0 with a 1.31 ERA over that four-game span (23.2 IP). He was drafted by the White Sox in the 15th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: OF/DH Michael Saunders on a minor league contract. Saunders, 31, appeared in 25 games with the Norfolk Tides this season and hit .161 (14-for-87) with 11 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one home run, and 14 RBIs. Saunders was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th round of the 2004 June Amateur Draft. The Canadian native has appeared in parts of nine seasons in the majors and hit .232 (570-for-2,455) with 324 runs scored, 123 doubles, 19 triples, 81 home runs, 263 RBIs, and 55 stolen bases in 775 big league games with Seattle (2009–16), Toronto (2015–17), and Philadelphia (2017). He was an American League All-Star in 2016 with the Blue Jays (.253–24–57). Additionally, 1B Casey Gillaspie was placed on the Temp. Inactive List.
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RODÓN ON REHAB: LHP Carlos Rodόn, who is currently on the Chicago White Sox 60-day disabled list, will make a major league rehab start with the Charlotte Knights on Thursday, May 24th at BB&T Ballpark. Rodόn underwent left shoulder surgery in September (2017). Rodόn, 25, started his rehab assignment last night and allowed just one run on three hits over five innings of work with Kannapolis (Low-A). He struck out six batters and tossed 65 pitches (42 for strikes). In parts of three seasons in the majors with the White Sox, Rodόn owns a 20–21 record with a 3.95 ERA in 66 games (63 starts). He has compiled 383 strikeouts over 373.2 innings pitched at the major league level.
ATTENDANCE KNIGHTS: Through 16 games at home this season, the Knights have welcomed 144,010 fans with an average attendance of 9,001. The Knights welcomed their eighth sell-out crowd of the season on Saturday, May 12th — a total of 10,512 fans to BB&T Ballpark. The Knights sold-out three consecutive home games (May 2, May 11, & May 12). The Knights have now welcomed eight sell-out crowds this season. The Knights actually outdrew the Miami Marlins during their last homestand. The Marlins, who were also home over that six-game stretch (April 27-May 2), were outdrawn by the Knights by a total 11,345 more fans. BB&T Ballpark has welcomed 118 sell-out Knights crowds since its opening on April 11, 2014
PEN PALS: Yesterday was a “bullpen” day for the Knights and the team’s bullpen, including RHP Tyler Danish, who started in place of RHP Dylan Covey (recalled on Saturday), allowed just two runs on the afternoon (8.0 IP). Danish gave up both of the runs. Four relievers combined to shut the door on the Clippers over the final four innings… After another scoreless inning yesterday, RHP Rob Scahill has not allowed an earned run over his last 12 games (12.0 IP). He has not allowed a run in nine games this month (8.2 IP)… LHP Xavier Cedeño has not allowed a run over his last nine games (8.2 IP) after a scoreless inning yesterday… RHP Jeanmar Gómez fanned three batters in a scoreless inning yesterday. He has not allowed a run in seven of his last eight games pitched (12.2 IP He did not allow a run over a stretch of five straight games (April 25-May 9) for a total of 9.2 straight scoreless innings pitched)… RHP Thyago Vieira has allowed just three runs over his last 10 games (12.2 IP) and has 33 strikeouts over 19.0 IP this season.
IL LEADERS: INF Matt Skole is tied for fourth in the IL this season in walks (20)… OF Jacob May is tied for third in stolen bases (9). May is also second in the IL in sacrifice hits (4)… In the pitching department, RHP Michael Kopech is second in the IL in strikeouts (53)… RHP Donny Roach is first in the IL in innings pitched (52.1) and first in games started (9)… LHP TJ House is tied for first in the IL in complete games (1)… RHP Rob Scahill is tied for second in games (18)… LHP Xavier Cedeño is second in holds with five… In the team department, the Knights are second in stolen bases with 38.
