Knights Knotes — May 30, 2018
KNIGHT LIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) will continue a six-game road trip today as they continue a three-game series from East Allentown, PA against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies) from Coca-Cola Park. After this three-game series, which concludes with the finale on Thursday, the Knights will make the trek to Buffalo, NY to open a three-game series against the Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays).
THRICE IS NICE: The Charlotte Knights (21–30) wrapped up their eight-game homestand on Monday from BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte with a 7–5 win over the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates). That win was Charlotte’s second straight win over the Indians — closing out the series with a two-game win streak. The Knights made it three-in-a-row yesterday with a 5–1 win in the opener against the first place Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28–22) — their first three-game win streak of the season. The last time the Knights won three consecutive games in a season was August 18–22, 2017 when they strung together five-in-a-row. That win streak started with a three-game sweep of the IronPigs from BB&T Ballpark August (18–20) 2017.
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CHARLOTTE VS. LEHIGH VALLEY: The Knights went over the .500 mark all-time against the IronPigs with a 5–1 win last night. The team is now 40–39 all-time against the ‘Pigs. Last season, the Knights posted a 6–1 mark against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Charlotte went 3–1 at Coca-Cola Park and 3–0 at BB&T Ballpark. Lehigh Valley hitting coach, Sal Rende, managed the Charlotte Knights in 1995 and 1996 when the Knights were the Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins. Lehigh Valley Bench Coach, Wes Helms, is a native of Gastonia, NC and a member of the Gaston County Sports Hall of Fame. His uncle, Tommy Helms, a Charlotte, NC native, managed the Knights in 1990.
ABOUT LAST KNIGHT: Chicago White Sox LHP Carlos Rodόn looked sharp in his second rehab outing with the Charlotte Knights as the club went on to beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs by a score of 5–1 in the opening game of their three-game series from Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA on Tuesday. Rodon tossed five shutout innings, and the bullpen combined to allow one more run along the way. Charlotte Knights outfielders Michael Saunders and Mason Robbins both homered in last night’s game.
KNIGHTS VS. LIVELY: The Knights faced RHP Ben Lively (1–2, 2.74) last night for the third time in their history and once again had success. Charlotte scored four runs on five hits over six innings against the Lehigh Valley right-hander, who was saddled with his third career loss against the Knights. In his career against the Knights, Lively is 0–3 with a 9.77 ERA (15.2 IP, 23 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 3 HR, 8 BB, 10 SO).
TOKNIGHTS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Carson Fulmer (1–0, 1.80) will make his second start of the season with the Charlotte Knights tonight. Fulmer, who was optioned to Charlotte on May 19th after the Chicago White Sox game and added to Charlotte’s active roster on May 22, made his 2018 Charlotte Knights debut on Friday, May 25th. Fulmer allowed one run on three hits over five innings of work to earn the win. He walked six batters and struck-out five on the night. Fulmer made nine appearances this season with the White Sox (eight starts) and compiled a 2–4 record with an 8.07 ERA (32.1 IP). Fulmer, a native of Lakeland, FL, compiled a 7–9 record with a 5.79 ERA in 25 starts (126.0 innings pitched) with the Knights last season. The 24-year-old right-hander was selected as the eighth overall pick in the June 2015 First-Year Player Draft by the White Sox.
LEHIGH VALLEY STARTING PITCHER: LHP Cole Irvin (5–1, 3.17) will make his 10th start of the season today for the IronPigs. He has a win in each of his last four starts and has five-straight winning decisions (over his last six games). This is his first season at the Triple-A level. He spent the 2017 season with High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He posted a 4–6 mark with a 2.55 ERA with the Threshers (12 games, 11 starts) and posted a 5–3 mark with a 4.06 ERA in 13 games (all starts) with the Fightin’ Phils. .
RODÓN REHABS: HP Carlos Rodόn was impressive on Tuesday in his return to the hill. The hard-throwing left-handed pitcher gave up just three hits over five shutout innings to earn the win in his first start since taking a line drive off his head at BB&T Ballpark on May 24th in his first rehab start of the season with the Knights. Rodόn, a product of N.C. State University, struck-out eight batters and walked just two last night. Overall, it was his third rehab start on the season as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. He made his first rehab start on May 19th with Kannapolis (A). Rodόn, who is currently on the Chicago White Sox 60-day disabled list, underwent left shoulder surgery in September (2017). 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.
MASE IS ON THE CASE: OF Mason Robbins launched his first career Triple-A home run last night, a solo shot in the ninth inning off Lehigh Valley reliever Pedro Beato. He has hit safely in three straight games and five of his last six. He leads the Knights in triples with three. Robbins was promoted to Charlotte from Double-A Birmingham on May 7th (active on May 8th). The 25-year-old was hitting .350 (7-for-20) with one home run and three RBIs this season for the Barons. He began the 2018 campaign on the team’s DL and was activated off on April 24. The Leakesville, MS native was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 25th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Southern Mississippi University.
