Carlos Rodon's promotion highlights a busy day for Charlotte Knights

Carlos Rodon, who was the No. 3 overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft, has been promoted to the Charlotte Knights and is slated to make his first start with the team on Tuesday, August 19 against the Gwinnett Braves at BB&T Ballpark.

Rodon, 21, appeared in four games (two starts) for Winston-Salem (A+) and posted a 0-0 mark with a 1.86 ERA (9.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 15 SO). Should Rodon perform well, there's every chance that he could see time with the White Sox in September.

The team also placed right-handed pitcher Erik Johnson on the disabled list today with what was described to reporters in Chicago as right shoulder fatigue.

Johnson, who entered the season as the White Sox top pitching prospect, is 5-7 with a 6.73 ERA in 20 starts for the Knights this season. He allowed seven runs on eight hits over 2.2 innings pitched in his last start back on August 12 at Syracuse.

Avisail Garcia's rehab stint with the Knights has also come to an end. The outfielder -- who is recovering from a torn labrum -- hit .340 (17-40) with three doubles, one home run and three RBIs in 13 games with the Knights on his Major League rehab assignment.

Notes: RHP Matt Zaleski has been activated off the DL. He is tied for first in Knights' history in games started (73) with Charlie Haeger and second all-time in franchise history in innings pitched (425.2) and walks (150). ... LHP Eric Surkamp was recalled to Chicago by the White Sox ... LHP Charlie Leesman has been designated for assignment. Leesman went 2-6 with a 4.10 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) for the Knights this season. ... Outfielder Josh Richmond has also been added to Charlotte’s active roster. Richmond was promoted from Double-A Birmingham, where he posted a .247 batting average with nine home runs and 51 RBIs in 100 games for the Barons. ... The Knights roster is now at 24.

Knights start game on a high, but fall for third-straight night to Pawtucket, 5-2

There are many ways for a baseball game to begin, but the way in which Saturday’s 5-2 Charlotte Knights loss to the Pawtucket Red Sox got underway might be the most exciting.

On a 3-2 pitch, Knights leadoff-man Jared Mitchell lined a fastball sharply to centerfield. 

As Mookie Betts raced over to cut the ball off on one bounce, his footing failed on the slick BB&T BallPark outfield grass.

Betts made a last-second lunge at the ball, but came up empty and watched helplessly as the liner went skidding all the way to the wall – 400 feet from home plate.

It was at that moment that Mitchell, who was a wide receiver on the football team at Louisiana State University, as well as an outfielder on the baseball team, turned on the jets.

“I literally didn’t know the ball got by him,” said Mitchell, who has an extra-base hit in four consecutive games. “I was turning first, thinking about trying to stretch it into a double, and then I saw that the ball had gotten by him. I initially thought he dove and caught it, so that kind of surprised me."

As Mitchell rounded second, you could hear the crowd of 9,964 pick up in anticipation as it saw him staring down third-base coach Ryan Newman, who never once stopped waving him home.

Mitchell would slide in just before the tag from PawSox catcher Blake Swihart to complete his second inside-the-park home run this season. He also hit one while playing for Class AA Birmingham.

Following the 340-foot trip around the bases, Knights’ second baseman Carlos Sanchez could be seen in the dugout fanning Mitchell with a towel.

“It was funny,” Mitchell said. “(Sanchez) was just having fun. It was a good way to start the game and it kind of got our team excited.”  

While Saturday’s game started off with a bang, it ultimately wound up being one of the better starting-pitching duels of the season, with Chris Beck holding the PawSox scoreless through six innings and Matt Barnes limiting Charlotte to two runs over the same span.

The Knights pushed across a second run in the fifth inning thanks to a Matt Tuiasosopo leadoff double. A wild pitch by Barnes allowed Tuiasosopo to move to third, and an RBI-groundout by Sanchez brought him home.

However, Pawtucket, as it did in Game 1 of the series, would rally to tie the score in the eighth, with two runs off Parker Frazier, and then go ahead in the ninth on a two-run home run from Bryce Brentz off of Ryan Kussmaul (2-5).

Brian Villarreal (1-0) picked up the win for the PawSox, who were aided by three Charlotte errors on the night.  

“I think we played well early on,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t finish the game. We didn’t play a complete game, but I think we played well, up until probably the last three innings.”

Charlotte will attempt to avoid the sweep in its four-gamer series with the PawSox on Sunday. Shawn Hill faces Pawtucket left-hander Henry Owens, who is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in the game.

Notes: Avisail Garcia, with the Knights on a Major League rehab assignment, finished the night 0-for-4 with a strikeout. ... Matt Lindstrom, also with the Knights on a rehab assignment, tossed a scoreless seventh inning, working around a one-out Mookie Betts double. ... Prior to the game, the White Sox recalled Knights' outfielder Jordan Danks. ... Charlotte's current roster now sits at 24.  

Game 120: Charlotte Knights vs. Pawtucket Red Sox

Here are the lineups:

Knights (55-64)

Jared Mitchell LF

Micah Johnson 2B

Avisail Garcia RF*

Jordan Danks CF

Josh Phegley C

Andy Wilkins 1B

Matt Davidson 3B
Matt Tuiasosopo DH
Marcus Semien SS

Pitching: RHP Erik Johnson (5-6, 6.40 ERA)

Red Sox (64-54)

Mookie Betts CF
Alex Hassan RF
Ryan Lavarnway DH
Travis Shaw 1B
Bryce Brentz LF
Garin Cecchini 3B
Deven Marrero SS
Justin Henry 2B
Matt Spring C
Pitching: RHP Steven Wright (5-2, 2.80 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Probables for the rest of the series:

Friday, 12:05 p.m.
CHA - RHP Chien-Ming Wang (11-6, 3.98)
PAW - RHP Anthony Ranaudo (12-4, 2.41)

Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
CHA - RHP Chris Beck (1-2, 4.86)
PAW - RHP Matt Barnes (5-8, 4.45)

Sunday, 2:05 p.m.
CHA - RHP Shawn Hill (4-5, 4.83)
PAW - LHP Henry Owens (1-0, 0.00)

How Avisail Garcia torched the Gwinnett Braves

In four games over the past five days, the Gwinnett Braves have done a nice job of showing the rest of the International League how not to pitch to Avisail Garcia.

Braves pitchers have fed the White Sox slugger, who’s been with the Charlotte Knights on a Major League rehab assignment since Thursday, a steady diet of fastballs away.

The philosophy being, that after four months of rehabbing a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Garcia shouldn’t have the strength -- or bat speed -- to cover the outer-half of the plate.

While there’s certainly logic behind that approach, the reality was: it didn’t work.

In Wednesday’s 12-10 Knights win in front of 9,760 at BB&T BallPark, Garcia collected two hits – each on fastballs on the outer-half of the plate – and scored two runs before being pinch-hit for in the seven inning after reaching his scheduled four at-bats.  

The two-hit night improved the 23-year-old outfielder to 8-for-15 with a home run, a double, and five runs scored against the Braves and 10-for-19 since he joined the Knights.

“I knew how they were going to try to pitch me a little bit, so I was just trying to make good contact,” Garcia had said following Tuesday’s game. “They were throwing me a lot of fastballs away, so I was ready for that.” 

News of his post-game press conference must not have made its way to the Braves’ dugout because on Wednesday Gwinnett’s “hard and away” mantra trudged onward for Garcia's first three at-bats.

After striking out on a fastball up around his chest in his first plate appearance, Garcia sent an 0-2 fastball on the outer-third of the plate right back up the box for a single in the third inning.

In what became a general theme in Wednesday’s game, Garcia trotted home two batters later on a Josh Phegley (3-for-4, HR, 2B, BB, 6 RBI) double.

In his third at-bat, Garcia took what the Braves were giving him, and laced a line drive right down the first-base line for a double.

"I felt real comfortable when I hit the double because I knew I was going to get that fastball outside because he’d thrown me a breaking pitch right before," Garcia said. 

Once again, Garcia came in to score on a Phegley extra-base hit – this time on the Knights catcher’s 18^th home run of the season, which highlighted a five-run fourth inning for Charlotte.

Seemingly learning from its mistakes, Gwinnett chose to pound the 6-foot-4-inch outfielder inside in his final at-bat, which led to the right-hander topping a ball off his left shin and an eventual groundout to short.

The win, which featured 18 Knights' hits (at least one by every starter) and a combined 378 pitches between the two teams, completed a short (in games NOT time) two-game series sweep for the Knights and evened their overall record against the Braves to 7-7 this season.

“I feel great,” said Garcia, who is slated to move from strictly designated hitting to the outfield on Thursday. “I’m just going to keep working hard everyday. I’m trying to enjoy myself and have fun and we’ll see what happens going forward.”  

Ryan Kussmaul came on to toss a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the season and preserve the win for Knights’ starter Bobby Doran (3-1), who allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings.

The Knights will begin a four-game series at BB&T against the Pawtucket Red Sox on Thursday. It'll be interesting to see how they approach Garcia.   

Probables: Charlotte Knights vs. Gwinnett Braves

Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.

CHA - RHP Shawn Hill (3-5, 5.07)

GWN - RHP Gus Schlosser (7-5, 3.48)

Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.

CHA - RHP Bobby Doran (2-1, 6.88)

GWN - LHP Daniel Rodriguez (6-12, 4.63)

Head to head: The Braves lead the season-series, 7-5.

Briefly: The Charlotte Knights fell to the Gwinnett Braves 5-4 on Sunday in the finale of their two-game series from Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, GA. The two teams split the series and will now open a two-game series from BB&T Ballpark . … Matt Lindstrom (on his rehab assignment from the Chicago White Sox) has allowed three runs on five hits over two innings pitched (two appearances). … Avisail Garcia (also with the Knights on rehab assignment from the White Sox) had to be removed from Sunday’s game after being hit by a pitch in the left-elbow area in his second at-bat. Garcia had gone 5-for-10 in three appearances (all at designated hitter) with Charlotte. He’s currently listed as day-to-day. … Maikel Cleto has been recalled by the White Sox. To make room for him on the roster, Chicago reassigned Taylor Thompson to the Knights. Cleto had not allowed a run in his last five appearances (7.2 IP), while striking out 13. … The Knights will welcome over 20 former Charlotte Hornets baseball players to the game on Tuesday for a special Charlotte Hornets Tribute. 

Update (2:20 p.m.): 

RHP Zach Putnam, who began the 2014 season with the Charlotte Knights, will begin a Major League Rehab assignment with the team tonight. ... In other roster news, LHP Charlie Leesman was activated off of Charlotte’s disabled list, while RHP Matt Zaleski was placed on the DL (retroactive to August 2). 

Video: White Sox OF Avisail Garcia and RHP Matt Lindstrom encouragedafter Charlotte Knights rehab appearances

Both Avisail Garcia and Matt Lindstrom made Major League rehab assignment appearances with the Charlotte Knights on Friday.

Lindstrom tossed an inning in Game 1 and allowed a run on a walk, a hit batter, and a hit. He threw 16 pitches, eight for strikes.

“I felt pretty good,” said Lindstrom, who has been on the White Sox disabled list since a tear in a tendon sheath in his left ankle required surgery this past May. “I was a little apprehensive with the mound being a little bit wet, but everything felt as close to normal as I think it’s going to feel.

“I’ve put a lot of hard work in to trying to get back to this point,” he continued. “I made most of my pitches. I was a little disappointed in some of my breaking stuff, but it think that had a little to do with the rain. Overall, it was a good test.”

According to Lindstrom – whose Knights jersey read LINSTROM on Friday – the plan is for him to throw every other day until the White Sox feel his stuff has reached a point that it would play at the Major League level.

Garcia started Game 2 as the Knights designated hitter and finished 2-for-4 (2 Ks) and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“It feels great, you know,” said Garcia, who suffered a torn left labrum back in April and was originally thought to be lost for the season. “It’s my first game in like four months and I felt pretty good. I just tried to see pitches and put the ball in play.

“I just want to play hard and play the game the right way and do what I need to do to get up there,” he continued.

According to Garcia, the plan is for him to continue to act as the Knights’ designated hitter for the next week or so before moving to the outfield.

After that?

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Garcia said.

Notes: Knights SS Carlos Sanchez left after a single in the first inning of Game 2, which the Knights won 4-3 on a walk-off RBI single by Dan Black. Sanchez had missed the previous three games with back tightness. … White Sox No. 12 prospect Scott Snodgress made his Class AAA debut in Game 1 and pitched a one-two-three ninth inning with two strikeouts. … With a double (his 95^th) in Game 2 Jordan Danks moved to within one of Joe Borchard’s all-time Knights’ doubles mark.

Report: Avisail Garcia and Matt Lindstrom to begin rehab assignments with Knights on Friday

According to a report by ESPN Chicago’s Doug Padilla, outfielder Avisail Garcia and reliever Matt Lindstrom are scheduled join the Knights this Friday to begin injury rehab assignments.

Garcia underwent shoulder surgery this past April and was originally thought to be out for the season, but has progressed faster than the White Sox had expected. According to Padilla, he’ll likely start a few games as a designated hitter before playing in the outfield.

  

“This rehab assignment is the next step in the process,” Rick Hahn told Padilla. “Getting (Garcia) in live game action on a consistent basis, not only to get him back to a playing standpoint he’s accustomed to, but also a physical standpoint. Making sure that he can withstand it and is physically able to perform at the big league level.  

“It certainly is done with the hope that the next stage is activation to the major league roster but, at the same time, as we’ve done for the past several months with his rehab, we’re going to respond to how he feels physically and how he is from a symptomatic standpoint and obviously err on the side of caution.” 

Lindstrom went under the knife this past May to correct an ankle issue and should only need a few appearances before rejoining the White Sox.

 “Part of it is going to be the lateral movement, getting off the mound, a lot of the drills (Lindstrom's) been put through and some of the things that were tested in the two simulated games he had,” Hahn told Padilla. “The arm strength, he’s been able to maintain that fairly decently through his layoff. But it is a matter of making sure the stuff and the arm strength is at the previous level before he’s activated.  

“We’re just going to have to react to what he shows during the assignment before bringing him back.”

Garcia was hitting .267 with two home runs and four RBI at the time of his injury. Lindstrom had six saves and a 3.32 ERA.