Micah Johnson plays well in return from disabled list despite Knights loss

Micah Johnson’s return from the disabled list and Jordan Danks’ four-hit game highlighted what was otherwise a dreary afternoon for the Charlotte Knights, who dropped a rain-delayed 13-9 decision to the Clippers on Sunday.

Johnson laced a standup triple in his second at-bat since being sidelined with a hamstring strain on May 23 and followed up the effort with a double in the fifth.

  

The 23-year-old, who batted in the Knights’ leadoff spot, finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

In his fourth at-bat, Johnson hit a chopper to second and narrowly missed legging out an infield single, while showing no signs of holding back.  

  

Danks’ connected on his fifth home run in five days (six games) – a three-run shot in the ninth – as well as a double and finished the game with four runs knocked in and a run scored.

The four-hit performance by Danks’ brought his average up 23 points to .233. Over the last 10 games, the centerfielder is hitting .395 (15-for-38) with 10 runs scored, six doubles and 13 knocked in.

   

Lost in the shuffle was a three-hit afternoon by Carlos Sanchez – his seventh of the season – that raised the 21-year-old’s batting average to a team-high .305, one point ahead of Tyler Saladino.

Charlotte starter Tommy Hanson put his club in the hole early, allowing six runs in his first two innings of work and not making it out of the fifth.

In 4 and 2/3 innings, Hanson allowed nine runs on six hits. He walked five and threw a season-high 111 pitches (61 for strikes).

Charlotte reliever Taylor Thompson saw his scoreless-inning streak come to an end at 16, when the clippers touched the right-hander up for two runs on two hits and three walks in the ninth.

The loss was the Knights sixth in their last seven games and second straight to the Clippers, who they will host for game three of a four-game series on Monday.

For the full game story with quotes from Johnson, Danks and Joel Skinner, CLICK HERE.