Monday, June 30, 2014

Matt Davidson's walk-off home run highlights long day of baseball for Charlotte Knights

It’s getting to the point where the fans in the outfield at BB&T BallPark – which measures just 330 feet to left and 315’ to right – might want to consider borrowing hard hats from the construction crew working on Fourth Street.

Before Monday’s double-header against the Gwinnett Braves, Knights outfielder Jordan Danks took a look at the flag blowing out and offered a bit of advice to his teammates.

“It’s a good day to put the ball in the air boys,” he said.

Two games and a combined 10 home runs – including a walk-off shot by Matt Davidson in the 10th inning of Game 2 – later and it’s safe to say Danks had a good grasp on how BB&T BallPark was going to play.

There have now been 115 long balls (59 by opponents, 56 by the Knights) hit in Charlotte in 41 games this season – 31 more than Columbus’ Huntington Park, which ranks second in the International League with 84, while the league average stands at 60.0.

Davidson’s was the first of the 115 to be of the walk-off variety and gave the Knights a 7-5 Game 2 win. It was his second of the night and is a lock to become the answer to a Knights’ trivia question someday.

“Things feel good,” said Davidson, who is hitting .353 (12-for-34) over his last 10 games. “But I’m never going to act like I’ve figured it out again in my whole life. Coming out of spring (training) I felt great and then all of the sudden I lost it. I’m just going to keep on working and really focus every single at-bat.”  

The 2-for-4 showing brought the White Sox top prospect’s average up to .201 on the season.

In his second start in Charlotte since being acquired from the Blue Jays organization, Knights right-hander Shawn Hill found out first hand in Game 1, just how small the park can play.

Hill (2-3) allowed three home runs in six innings of work in an eventual 11-5 loss to the Braves, but two of the long balls likely wouldn’t have left any other park in the IL.  

Hill struggled to hide his frustrations after a short home run by Mark Hamilton gave the Braves an 8-2 lead in the fifth. He finished the afternoon with an ugly stat line, which read: six innings pitched, 10 hits, eight runs (all earned), one walk and three strikeouts.  

“He’s just happened to give up some lazy fly balls that have turned into home runs in this ballpark,” said Danks, who recorded three doubles and scored three runs on Monday. “I don’t think it’s intimidating for him or anything, but it’s definitely frustrating at times for the pitchers.” 

In Game 2, Tyler Saladino (who also homered in Game 1), Blake Tekotte and Davidson each went yard to help Charlotte take a 5-5 game into the tenth inning before Davidson’s heroics.

"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and he hung a cutter, which got in on me a little bit, but luckily the fence is a little short (to left) and it got over," Davidson said. "I’m just trying to keep things simple, get a good pitch to hit, and just frickin' hit it." 

Matt Zaleski got the nod on the mound for Charlotte and tossed three innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Three Knights relievers then combined to hold the Braves to one run over the game’s next seven innings.

Ryan Kussmaul (2-3) recorded the win after tossing two scoreless, hitless, innings. He struck out three.

Charlotte – which entered the day with the highest total attendance in the IL – packed 16,946 fans into BB&T BallPark over the course of the day and went over 400,000 for the year (402,723).  

The double-header split also secured a .500 (15-15) month of June for the Knights, who appear to be on the rebound after an 8-22 May.

“The timing (of Davidson’s home run) was great,” said Knights manager Joel Skinner, who was coaching third after Ryan Newman earned an early exit for arguing a foul ball in the seventh. “I got to high-five him, or high-10 him actually as he rounded the bases.”

Game 85: Charlotte Knights vs. Gwinnett Braves (Game 2)

Here are the lineups for Game 2:

Knights (32-52)
Micah Johnson 2B
Carlos Sanchez SS
Tyler Saladino 1B
Jordan Danks CF
Matt Davidson 3B
Andy Wilkins DH
Michael Taylor RF
Blake Tekotte LF
Miguel Gonzalez C
Pitching: RHP Matt Zaleski (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Braves (40-43)
Jose Constanza LF
Elmer Reyes SS
Joey Terdoslavich DH
Mark Hamilton 1B
Brandon Boggs CF
Edward Salcedo RF
Steve Lerud C
Joe Leonard 3B
Ozzie Martinez 2B
Pitching: RHP Cody Martin (5-6, 3.02 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Lookout! Knights drop 11-5 decision to Braves in Game 1

It’s getting to the point where the fans in the outfield at BB&T BallPark – which measures just 330 feet to left and 315’ to right – might want to consider borrowing the hard hats from the construction crew working on Fourth Street.

In his second start in Charlotte since being acquired from the Blue Jays organization, Knights right-hander Shawn Hill found out first hand in Game 1 of Monday’s double-header against Gwinnett, just how small the park can play.

Hill (2-3) allowed three home runs in six innings of work in an eventual 11-5 loss to the Braves, but two of the long balls likely wouldn’t have left any other park in the International League.  

In total, there have been 110 home runs hit in Charlotte (58 by opponents, 52 by the Knights) in 41 games this season – 26 more than Columbus’ Huntington Park, which ranks second in the IL with 84.

The league average is 60.0.

“It’s no secret that this is a good hitter’s park,” Knights outfielder Jordan Danks said. “I mentioned a couple of times before the game to our guys, that it was going to be a good day to put the ball in the air.”

While Charlotte (32-52) hit two home runs of it’s own, it was the Braves (40-43) that really took advantage.

Gwinnett’s Joey Terdoslavich got jammed on a ball in the second inning, but still managed to muscle it out to left to put the Braves up 2-0.

In the fifth, Gwinnett added another run on a Mark Hamilton fly that Charlotte left fielder, Marcus Semien, could have caught without much trouble if it weren’t for that pesky 13-foot green wall.

Hill, who struggled to hide his frustration after Hamilton’s ball left the field of play, finished the afternoon with an ugly stat line, that read: six innings pitched, 10 hits, eight runs (all earned), one walk and three strikeouts.  

Team / Home Runs Hit
“He’s just happened to give up some lazy fly balls that have turned into home runs in this ballpark,” Danks said. “I don’t think it’s intimidating for him or anything, but it’s definitely frustrating at times for the pitchers.” 

Hill’s major mistake came in the third inning, when he allowed a deep home run to Edward Salcedo with two ducks on the pond, leaving the Knights in a 7-2 hole.

Charlotte entered Monday leading the IL in home runs with 94 (20 more than second-placed Toledo) and received long balls from Josh Phegley (3-for-4, 3 RBI) in the sixth inning and Tyler Saladino (2-for-4) in the ninth.

Danks (2-for-3, 2 2B, BB) and Phegley accounted for five of the Knights 10 hits in the game and four of their five runs, while Jose Constanza, Terdoslavich and Elmer Reyes each had three-hit games for the Braves.

“When you hit balls in the air here, that’s just the way it is,” Knights manager Joel Skinner said. “That’s where we are at; both teams are playing in the same ballpark. “They didn’t crush those balls, but again, this is where we are.”

Game 84: Charlotte Knights vs. Gwinnett Braves (Game 1)

Here are the lineups for Game 1:

Knights (32-51)
Micah Johnson DH
Carlos Sanchez 2B
Marcus Semien 3B
Jordan Danks CF
Josh Phegley C
Andy Wilkins 1B
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Blake Tekotte RF
Tyler Saladino SS
Pitching: RHP Shawn Hill (2-2, 4.24 ERA)

Braves (39-43)
Jose Constanza LF
Todd Cunningham CF
Phil Gosselin 2B
Mark Hamilton DH
Joey Terdoslavich 1B
Elmer Reyes SS
Edward Salcedo RF
Joe Leonard 3B
Jose Yepez C
Pitching: RHP David Carpenter (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game time: 12:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: The Knights are fresh off a two-game sweep of the Braves in Gwinnett this weekend and have now won seven of their last 10 games. … The Knights have 43 home runs in June – 12 more than any other team in the International League. … The Braves lead the season series, five games to two.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Game 82: Charlotte Knights vs. Louisville Bats

Here are the lineups:

Knights (30-50)
Micah Johnson 2B
Carlos Sanchez SS
Marcus Semien CF
Josh Phegley C
Matt Davidson 3B
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Andy Wilkins DH
Michael Taylor RF
Tyler Saladino 1B
Pitching: RHP Erik Johnson (1-5, 6.38 ERA)

Bats (40-40)
Jason Bourgeois CF
Hernan Iribarren RF
Ruben Gotay DH
Thomas Neal 1B
Donald Lutz LF
Rey Navaro 2B
Tucker Barnhart C
Juan Silverio 3B
Kristopher Negron SS
Pitching: RHP David Holmberg (0-4, 6.88 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: With Jordan Danks getting the night off, Marcus Semien is making his first professional start in centerfield. … Earlier today, the Knights activated Dan Black from the disable list (rib strain) and optioned him, along with last night’s starter, Chris Beck to the Class AA Birmingham Barons. … Eric Surkamp tossed 1.1 innings in last night’s 7-0 White Sox loss to Toronto. He allowed one run, walked a batter and fanned one. It was an all-former Knights effort in Chicago, with Scott Carroll getting the start and Andre Rienzo appearing in relief. … A win tonight would give the Knights back-to-back series wins for the first time this season.

Knights fall to Bats 6-4 in Chris Beck debut

Chris Beck had things on cruise control on Thursday against the Louisville Bats, until he didn’t.

A late night phone call from the White Sox led to an early morning flight from Class AA Birmingham to Charlotte for Beck, who made his first career start with the Knights in the place of Eric Surkamp, whose assistance was required in Chicago.

Riding high on the adrenaline of the morning, Beck, 23,  retired 11 of the first 13 batters he faced, including a stretch of nine in a row, while working between 92 and 96 miles per hour.

Beck caught Donald Lutz looking at an inside fastball for strike three with a runner on and hopped off the mound, rolling the ball on the grass, as he headed for the dugout with another clean inning in tow.

But there was a problem.

“As soon as I (rolled it), I was like man, ‘That’s a bonehead move.’” said Beck, who had just recorded second out of the inning. “It showed that I lost a little focus and you can’t do that.”

The BB&T BallPark scoreboard had been malfunctioning all game and was completely blank at the time of the mix up.

Beck was never the same and the Bats took advantage, knocking the White Sox No. 9 ranked prospect around and handing the Knights a 6-4 loss in front of 10,231 at BB&T BallPark.

The next batter Beck faced, sent a run-scoring single to right and then the first pitch he threw to Rey Navarro landed in the bleachers,  giving the Bats a 3-0 lead in the blink of an eye.

“As a starting pitcher you should know how many outs there are, whether the board’s out or not,” Beck said. “That was a lapse in focus for me and that usually doesn’t happen. I tried to laugh it off, but you know the end result."

The 41-pitch inning did a number on Beck, who issued three walks sandwiched around a strikeout and a fly out in the fifth before heading to the showers.

A two-run single allowed by the Knights pen inflated Beck’s final line to 4.2 innings pitched, five hits, five runs, four walks and four strikeouts.

Opposite Beck was one-time New York Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang, who pitched like in was 2007 again, holding Charlotte to three hits and no earned runs in 7 and 2/3 innings of work.  

With Wang out of the game, the Knights rallied for four runs thanks to two Bats errors and a two-run home run from Matt Tuiasosopo, but the five-run lead Louisville had built was too much.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Charlotte (30-51), which will host the Bats (41-40) again on Friday for the final game of their four-game set.

“It’s good to get the feet wet,” said Beck who was reassigned to Birmingham following the start. “It was a good experience. I learned some things out there that I’m going to take back with me. It was almost like a blink, but hopefully, I’ll be back soon.”

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Game 81: Charlotte Knights vs. Louisville Bats

Here are the lineups:

Knights (30-50)
Micah Johnson 2B
Carlos Sanchez SS
Marcus Semien 3B
Jordan Danks CF
Josh Phegley C
Matt Davidson DH
Andy Wilkins 1B
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Blake Tekotte RF
Pitching: RHP Chris Beck (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Bats (40-40)
Jason Bourgeois CF
Hernan Iribarren LF
Ruben Gotay 3B
Donald Lutz 1B
Neftali Soto DH
Rey Navaro 2B
Tucker Barnhart C
Steve Selsky RF
Kristopher Negron SS
Pitching: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (7-5, 3.76 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: LHP Eric Surkamp was originally scheduled to start today’s ballgame for the Knights. However, he was promoted to the White Sox this morning following Scott Downs being designated for assignment. … Starting in Surkamp’s place is 23-year-old right-hander Chris Beck, who entered the season as the No. 9 prospect in the organization according to Baseball America. Beck was promoted from the Class AA Birmingham Barons this morning, where he was 3-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 15 starts. It’s expected that he will return to Birmingham following the start. … Jordan Danks recorded hits No. 400 and 401 with Charlotte last night. … Tyler Saladino still leads IL shortstops in All-Star votes. Carlos Sanchez has moved into fifth place among second baseman. … Hearing Marcus Semien will give centerfield a try tomorrow night.


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Game 80: Charlotte Knights vs. Louisville Bats

Here are the lineups:

Knights (29-50)
Micah Johnson 2B
Tyler Saladino LF
Marcus Semien SS
Jordan Danks CF
Josh Phegley C
Matt Davidson 3B
Andy Wilkins 1B
Michael Taylor DH
Blake Tekotte RF
Pitching: RHP Deunte Heath (3-1, 2.61 ERA)

Bats (40-39)
Jason Bourgeois CF
Ruben Gotay 2B
Thomas Neal 1B
Donald Lutz LF
Neftali Soto DH
Bryan Anderson C
Rey Navaro SS
Hernan Iribarren 3B
Kristopher Negron RF
Pitching: RHP Brett Marshall (0-2, 8.10 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: The plan today is for Carlos Sanchez to get his fifth day off this season. He's third in the International League in at-bats with 292. ... After a 3-for-28 stretch at the plate, Tyler Saladino has turned it around and is 4-for-his-last-11 with two runs scored (including last night's game-winner) and two knocked in. ... Andy Wilkins is hitting a team-best .379 (11-for-29) over the last 10 games with two home runs and six runs batted in. ... Deunte Heath picked up his third win in his last start, holding the Mud Hens to one run on five hits over six innings of work. 

UPDATE: For the Observer's game story, click here

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Charlotte Knights rally for rainy 9-8 win over Bats in Shawn Hill's BB&T debut

It’s one of those things in baseball that you can’t really explain. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, but anyone who watches the game enough will swear by it.

More times than not, the player who makes a spectacular defensive play to end an inning, will invariably leadoff the next. Ask around if you’re not familiar with the phenomenon.

It was Jordan Danks who did the honors in an eventual (there was an 1:17 rain delay) Knights 9-8 win over the Louisville Bats in front of a group of 8,548 Tuesday night diehards at BB&T Ballpark.

With a run already home in the top of the sixth inning and the tying run on first, Bats catcher Tucker Barnhart barreled up a ball to dead center.

“It’s kind of a graveyard out there,” Danks had said of his domain earlier this week. “It’s probably one of the areas in the park that really does play true.”

As the ball traveled towards the triangle just below the batter’s eye, so too did the 6-foot-4-inch Danks, his long legs looking giraffe-esk, as they made up ground with each step.

Danks reached out and pulled the ball in over his right shoulder as he hit the warning track.

He then made his way back to the dugout, grabbed his helmet, stepped to the plate and cracked his 11th home run of the season to put Charlotte up 4-2 moments before the skies opened up.

“It’s a one-out-of-nine chance (of Danks leading off),” Knights manager Joel Skinner said with a chuckle. “That’s the odds. That’s something that people talk about, but that’s always my candid answer. Sometimes I’ll ask the players what the odds are and then say, ‘they’re one-in-nine!’”

Following the delay, things got sloppy.

The Knights added two more runs in what ended up being a two-hour sixth inning on a two-run shot off the bat of Matt Tuiasosopo. Charlotte then allowed four runs in the top of the seventh when Mitchell Boggs came on and was worse than the weather, allowing three hits and a walk while failing to retire a batter.

The four-run inning erased Knights starter Shawn Hill -- who made his BB&T BallPark debut -- from the decision after he had tossed six innings and allowed two runs on five hits and four Ks.

In the bottom half, Charlotte re-took a one-run lead, only to give it back in the top of the eighth and then, once more, reclaim it in the bottom of the eighth. (Are you keeping up?!?)

The game-winning hit came on a two-out RBI single by Carlos Sanchez with two runners aboard that got past the Louisville right fielder, allowing Tyler Saladino to score all the way from first.  

“Give credit to Saladino,” Skinner said. “He kept his head down and gave (third base coach) Ryan (Newman) something to work with coming around third. It was just great base running all around."

Saladino slid into home head first, narrowly beating the throw. 

"I didn’t see much because my back was to the ball and I was running to third," he said. "I was only expecting to go to third and (even at that) I was expecting it to be close because the ball was going to be taking (the outfielder) in that direction. I looked up and Newman was just waving like crazy so I kept on going and got in there safe."

In total, the two teams combined for 12 hits, three walks, and 11 runs after the delay, before Ryan Kussmaul was able to retire the Bats in order in the ninth to record his third save of the season.

Charlotte finished the game with 13 hits, three each by Saladino (3-for-5, 2R) and Micahel Taylor (3-for-4, 2R, RBI). Catcher Miguel Gonzalez hit his first home run with the Knights in the fifth inning.

“We just had good at-bats,” Saladino said. “That’s what it came down to. We swung at good pitches, barreled them up and it worked out.”

Game 79: Charlotte Knights vs. Louisville Bats

Here are the lineups:

Knights (28-50)
Tyler Saladino SS
Carlos Sanchez 2B
Marcus Semien DH
Jordan Danks CF
Matt Davidson 3B
Andy Wilkins 1B
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Michael Taylor RF
Miguel Gonzalez C
Pitching: RHP Shawn Hill (0-1, 3.27 ERA)

Bats (40-38)
Jason Bourgeois CF
Ruben Gotay 2B
Thomas Neal 1B
Donald Lutz LF
Neftali Soto DH
Steve Selsky RF
Tucker Barnhart C
Juan Silverio 3B
Rey Navaro SS
Pitching: RHP Josh Smith (8-1, 3.83 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: Before today's game, it was announced that Charlotte Knights second baseman Micah Johnson has been selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game on July 13 in Minneapolis. ... Jordan Danks, who hit a two-run home run and knocked in four runs last night, is hitting .346 in 22 games this June. … Today is Shawn Hill’s first start at BB&T BallPark. The right-hander was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays organization on June 11. He has made two starts with the Knights this season, going 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA. … Matt Davidson’s home run last night was his 12th of the season and sixth this month. He is now averaging one long ball every 20.50 at-bats. … The Knights lead all of Minor League baseball in attendance (357,638). If the season were to end today, it would be the fourth most successful in franchise history from a gates standpoint. … Bats CF Jason Bourgeois appeared in 211 games for Charlotte over parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons and was named to the All-Knights Stadium Team last season. He is hitting .276 in 75 games with Louisville.

Charlotte Knights vs. Louisville Bats probables and notes

Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.
RHP Shawn Hill (0-1, 3.27 ERA)
RHP Josh Smith (8-1, 3.83 ERA)

Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
RHP Deunte Heath (3-1, 2.61 ERA)
RHP Brett Marshall (0-2, 8.10 ERA)

Thursday 7:05 p.m.
LHP Eric Surkamp (3-4, 4.54)
RHP Chien-Ming Wang (7-5, 3.76)

Friday 7:05 p.m.
RHP Erik Johnson (1-5, 6.38 ERA)
LHP David Holmberg (0-4, 6.88 ERA)

Head to head: This is the first of two four-game series between the Knights and Bats. The Knights will play four games in Louisville July 25-28.

Briefly: Carlos Sanchez currently leads the Knights in average (.299), hits (86), RBI (34) and stolen bases (11). … The Knights entered Monday leading the IL in home runs with 81. They finished the day with 84 after Matt Davidson (12), Andy Wilkins (12) and Jordan Danks (10) went deep. … Bats top catching prospect (and No. 10 prospect overall according to Baseball America) Tucker Barnhart is hitting .367 over his last 10 games. ... The Observer put together a ~1,400 word feature on Knights second baseman Micah Johnson over the last road trip and David Foster got some great pictures

As always, thanks for reading. 

Monday, June 23, 2014

Dylan Axelrod tosses six scoreless; Knights slug way to 8-6 series-clinching win over Toledo


The escape artist formally known, as Dylan Axelrod, was on point in the first inning of Monday’s 8-6 Charlotte Knights victory over the Toledo Mud Hens.

To the initial dismay of the crowd of 8,616 at BB&T BallPark, Axelrod began the game the game by allowing Toledo runners to second and third without recording an out.

Micah Johnson then saved a mistake when he went vertical to snag a line drive off the bat of Tyler Collins, who had turned on a hanging breaking ball.

With the game’s first out behind him, Axelrod went to work.

He began by coming inside on long-time minor leaguer Mike Hessman to induce a lazy fly to short and for his coupe de grace, Axe went to a 1-2 count on James McCann before generating a bouncing ball to second to complete the scoreless frame.

“Being able to get out of the first inning was big,” Axelrod said. “It could have gone the other way pretty easily if I had caved in and given up those runs.

“I really tried to bear down and throw my best stuff,” he continued. “I probably focused just a little bit more. It’s almost one of those things where you wish you did it before you got into trouble.”

From then on there was no touching Axelrod, who held Toledo in a state of arrested development over the game’s next five innings.

The former mainstay in the 2013 White Sox rotation finished the afternoon having allowed just three hits. He struck out five and walked two on his way to win No. 4 of the season.

“A lot of games are won and lost in the first inning,” Knights manager Joel Skinner said. “That was big. He didn’t get in a hurry and it worked out for him. He threw well today.”

On a night when centerfield doubled as a graveyard for well-hit fly balls, Matt Davidson, Andy Wilkins and Jordan Danks all managed to still go yard.

Davidson’s home run, which came in the second, was his 12th of the season and temporarily vaulted him into the team lead before Wilkins pulled even with a shot to leadoff the fourth.

Charlotte batters finished with 17 hits, three each by Johnson (3-for-5), Carlos Sanchez (3-for-4, 2R) and Wilkins (3-for-5, 2R, RBI).  

Danks’ home run came in the eighth and brought home two runs that eventually loomed large when Taylor Thompson ran into trouble in the top of the ninth.

Thompson allowed two runs on two walks and three hits before securing the game’s final out on a strikeout of Hessman with the bases juiced.

The win gave the Knights their first series win (3-1) since they took three of four games from Durham at BB&T BallPark April 22-25.

“I can’t really remember that last time we took three out of four from anyone,” said Jordan Danks, who was with the White Sox the last time it happened. “We’re rolling right now and hopefully that continues on to this next series.” 

Game 78: Charlotte Knights vs. Toledo Mud Hens

Here are the lineups:

Knights (27-50)
Micah Johnson 2B
Carlos Sanchez 3B
Marcus Semien SS
Jordan Danks CF
Josh Phegley C
Matt Davidson DH
Andy Wilkins DH
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Blake Tekotte RF
Pitching: RHP Dylan Axelrod (3-6, 4.64 ERA)

Mud Hens (37-40)
Ezequiel Carrera CF
Hernan Perez SS
Tyler Collins RF
Mike Hessman 3B
James McCann C
Trevor Crowe DH
Wade Gaynor LF
Jordan Lennerton 1B
Danny Worth 2B
Pitching: RHP Derek Hankins (3-7, 5.86 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: LHP Eric Surkamp earned IL Pitcher of the Week honors after going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts this past week. Over three starts in June, Surkamp is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts. For more on Surkamp’s strange path to the Knights, click HERE. … Tonight’s starter Dylan Axelrod beat the Mud Hens in his only start against Toledo earlier this season (June 2). He allowed two runs and scattered six hits over seven innings. … Charlotte leads the IL in home runs this season with 81. However, Toledo has held them without a long ball in the last three games. … Carlos Sanchez currently leads the Knights in average (.292), hits (83), RBI (34) and stolen bases (10). … This is the final game the Knights will play against the Mud Hens this season. Charlotte leads the season series four games to three.