Game 86: Charlotte Knights vs. Gwinnett Braves

Here are the lineups:

Knights (33-52)

Tyler Saladino 1B

Carlos Sanchez 2B

Marcus Semien SS

Jordan Danks CF

Josh Phegley C

Matt Davidson 3B

Matt Tuiasosopo LF

Andy Wilkins DH

Michael Taylor RF

Pitching: RHP Deunte Heath (4-1, 2.61 ERA)

Braves (40-44)

Jose Constanza LF

Todd Cunningham CF

Phil Gosselin 3B

Joey Terdoslavich 1B

Mark Hamilton DH

Elmer Reyes SS

Edward Salcedo RF

Steve Lerud C

Ozzie Martinez 2B

Pitching: LHP Daniel Rodriguez (4-9, 4.81 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.tv / ESPN 730

Notes: The BB&T BallPark gates are currently open and the USA World Cup soccer game is being aired on the scoreboard. … Chicago has released veteran setup man Mitchell Boggs. Boggs signed a one-year $1.1M contract with the White Sox prior to this season, but had struggled all season, posting a 9.50 ERA in 25 games. ... With two home runs last night – including a walk-off two-run shot in the 10^th inning of Game 2 – Matt Davidson has climbed into second place in the IL in home runs with 15. … Tyler Saladino – who also homered twice yesterday – is hitting .458 over the Knights last 10 games with two HR, six runs knocked in and six scored. … Today Deunte Heath will make his seventh start of the season. He’s picked up the win in his last two. … Charlotte finished the month of June with a .500 (15-15) winning percentage. It went 8-22 in May. … The highest attendance in a season for the Knights in their 27-year history came in 1993 when they drew 429,132. Through 42 games this season, they’ve drawn 402,723.

UPDATE: The Knights won, 3-1. For the game story, click HERE. 

With a record now 20 games below .500, will the Knights continue to sellout?

There’s a two ways to look at the Charlotte Knights season through 60 games.

From an attendance standpoint, the move from Fort Mill to BB&T BallPark in Uptown Charlotte couldn’t have worked out any better.

The Knights lead the International League in average attendance (9,601) and surpassed their total attendance from last season (254,834) during Wednesday’s double-header against the Rochester Red Wings. 

The most the Knights have ever drawn was 429,132 in 1993. Should Charlotte continue to bring in fans at the same rate they have been, it’ll surpass that mark on July 5^th.

The hitch in all this is the Knights’ record. After being swept by the Red Wings on Wednesday 7-5 in Game 1 and 9-5 in Game 2, the team fell to 20 games below .500 at 20-40.

They’ll need to go 45-39 over the remainder of the season to avoid losing 80 games.

Eric Surkamp started Game 1 and lasted four innings, exiting with the score tied at five. After a clean fift, Mitchell Boggs’ struggled in the sixth when he allowed a one-out two-run single to left center that scored two and wound up being the difference in the game.

Boggs fell to 2-3 on the season and saw his ERA climb to 8.56.

Both Jordan Danks (1-for-2 BB, 2 RBI) and Josh Phegley (1-for-4 2 RBI) hit home runs in the game, but the Knights finished with four hits total and none after the fourth.

In Game 2, Charlotte spot-starter Deunte Heath put his team in a hole early, allowing the first seven Red Wings to reach base and five runs total in the first inning.

Much like Game 1, the Knights offense did what it could to rally back, with Matt Davidson homering in the second, Carlos Sanchez going yard in the third and Jordan Danks sending his second ball of the day out in the fifth.

However, all three blasts were solo shots and four-run fifth by Rochester all but put the game away.

On a positive note, Knights reliever Taylor Thompson extended his scoreless innings streak to 15 and 2/3 innings with a clean 1 and 2/3 inning performance. The outing lowered the right-hander’s ERA to 3.09 on the season.

Charlotte – who entered Wednesday leading the IL in home runs with 55 home runs – added five more to their total.

Home runs and scoreless inning streaks make for nice stories, are they going to continue to fill the seats come late July when the summer weather heats up?

Tommy Hanson shines in his BB&T BallPark Debut for the Charlotte Knights

By Seth Lakso, Charlotte Observer Correspondent

In one of the more anticipated pitching debuts at BB&T BallPark this season, Tommy Hanson didn’t disappoint.

The 6-foot-6-inch former Atlanta Braves ace, tossed five hitless innings on his way to a win for the Knights, who took three of four from the Durham Bulls with a 3-1 win in front of a crowd of 10,307 on Friday.

The win was the third in a row for Charlotte, which handed the Bulls (15-8) their first series defeat of the season.

After allowing four runs on four hits in four innings in his first start of the season six days ago in Gwinnett, Hanson (1-1, 4.00) was considerably sharper on Friday, striking out six Bulls, while walking three. He threw 74 pitches on the night, 44 for strikes.

“I felt good,” said Hanson, who was pulled from the game with his no-hitter still intact. “A lot better than the first (start). I commanded my pitches ok and just tried to keep them off balance. Besides the walks, I feel like it was a pretty good outing.”

The right-hander said that he struggled to locate his changeup, but that he otherwise had everything working on Friday.

“I hit a wall my last outing,” he said. “This one, I felt good. I could have kept going and that’s a positive sign. I’m going to try to just keep building on that.”

Hanson, 27, had spent the previous five seasons in the Major Leagues (four years in Atlanta and one in Anaheim). He entered 2009 as the No. 2 prospect in the game, according to Baseball America and went 11-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 21 games with the Braves.

However, a rash of arm injuries led to his velocity dipping in 2013, and after a disappointing spring with the Texas Rangers, he was released. Before signing a Minor League contract with the White Sox on April 8, Hanson had spent two weeks without an employer.

“I had two weeks off where I wasn’t really throwing to a catcher," he said. "I was just throwing against a fence and having my wife roll the balls back to me. So I’m just trying to build my arm-strength back up and keep working on my command.”

The Knights (9-13) got all the runs they’d need in the first inning thanks to a two-out three-run home run from Andy Wilkins, who beat up on the Bulls over the last three games to the tune of a .400 average (4 for 10) with two home runs, two doubles and eight RBIs.

Charlotte relievers Frank Francisco (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) and Mitchell Boggs (2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K) were able to preserve the win for Hanson.

The Bulls first hit of the night came in the sixth inning, when Kevin Kiermaier led off with a single. However, in an attempt to stretch it into a double, Kiermaier was thrown out by Knights right fielder Denis Phipps.

The lone Durham run came on a two-out solo home run by Wilson Betemit in the top of the ninth off Boggs.

Friday’s sellout was the sixth of the season for the Knights. It took the number of fans to pass through BB&T BallPark’s gates to 106,058. The Knights entered the day leading the entire Minor Leagues in average attendance with an average of 9,575 per game.

It took the Knights until June 2 (29 games) to reach to 100,000 fans last season in Fort Mill, S.C.

“It was a great crowd,” said Hanson. “It’s been great, especially the last two nights. It’s fun to play when you’ve got some fans out there. It adds to your adrenaline a little bit.”

Charlotte will now head to Rochester, N.Y., for four games against the Red Wings before hopping over to Buffalo, on May 1^st for a four game set with the Bisons.

Charlotte Knights drop eighth straight, despite two home runs from Tyler Saladino

By Seth Lakso, Charlotte Observer Correspondent

They say the game of baseball isn't played on paper, but on Tuesday, it certainly stuck to the script. 

The Durham Bulls arrived at Charlotte’s BB&T Ballpark having won eight of their last 10 and boasting a pitching staff that entered the day leading the International League in strikeouts (204).

The Knights, on the other hand, returned home losers of seven in a row, with the league’s worse batting average (.209) in tow, as well as the most strikeouts (188).

The result was exactly what you’d expect given those numbers, as Charlotte fell for the eighth-straight time, 8-4, in front of a crowd of 8,751 at BB&T Ballpark.

Tyler Saladino (3 for 4) finished with two home runs and all four of the Knights (6-13) RBIs, while Durham pitching posted 14 Ks.

“It’s a long season,” said Saladino, who likened the losing streak to a 9-20 month of August he went through with Double-A Birmingham last season. “If things aren’t going your way, (losses) can come in bunches and have a bit of a snowball effect from time to time. But it only takes a couple things to get going and then, the next thing you know, the questions can be turned around the other way.”

The Bulls (15-5) biggest blow of the game came in the third inning, when Justin Christian launched a three-run home run to put them up 3-0. Saladino’s first home run in the seventh cut the Bulls lead to 4-3, but veteran reliever Mitchell Boggs, allowed four runs over two innings of work to end any comeback ideas. 

The loss was Charlotte’s fifth straight against Durham, and dropped the team to 1-6 against its in-state foe this season. The eight-game losing streak is the franchise’s longest since another eight-game drought in 2010 (4/18-4/25).  

Dylan Axelrod (1-2, 4.71) took the loss for the Knights, tossing five innings of seven-hit, four-run (three earned) ball. He walked three, hit a batter, and struck out one.

Opposite Axelrod, Merrill Kelly (4-0, 1.50) was able to pick up his fourth win of this season and second against the Knights. Kelly lasted six innings. He allowed one run and struck out seven. 

“Obviously, we’ve had a real bad week from the standpoint of wins and losses,” said Knights manager Joel Skinner. “It’s eight in a row now, but you know, that’s baseball. You fix that by going out and winning some ballgames.”

The Knights haven't been helped by the rash of injuries that has hit their parent club, the Chicago White Sox. As of Tuesday, five players who began the season with Charlotte were with the White Sox, including outfielder Jordan Danks and starters Andre Rienzo and Charlie Leesman (who was scheduled to start on Wednesday).  

In seven games this season, the Bulls have now outscored the Knights, 44-20. The two teams will play again today at 11 a.m. with Deunte Heath scheduled to start opposite Durham’s Nathan Karns.

“It’s baseball,” said Saladino. “There’s ups and downs. You’ve just got to try and stay as consistent as you can. That’s what everyone’s trying to do. That’s our focus, trying to get back on and get some stuff going our way and try to win some ball games.”

Final: Charlotte Knights 0, Gwinnett Braves 1

By Seth Lakso, Charlotte Observer Correspondent 

Final: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- Matt Davidson K'd. Andy Wilkins popped to center. Denis Phipps K'd looking.

Top 9th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- Ryan Kussmaul walked Tommy La Stella to begin the inning, but then K'd the Braves No. 4 and 5 batters and got a groundout to third to end the inning. Matt Davidson, Andy Wilkins and Denis Phipps due up in the bottom of the ninth.

Bottom 8th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- RHP Wirfin Obispo retired Gorkys Hernandez, Carlos Sanchez and Josh Phegley in order. That's the fourth time tonight the Knights have gone 1-2-3. They have five hits.

Top 8th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- RHP Ryan Kussmaul came on to start the inning in relief of Charlie Leesman and tossed a scoreless frame, despite allowing a walk and a single.

Bottom 7th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- Twice this game the Knights have had a runner on third and one out and each time the batter at the plate has struck out. Can't win when you miss out on those kinds of opportunities.

Dan Black doubled to begin the inning and was pinch-run for by Denis Phipps. A Blake Tekotte groundout to second moved him to third. Tyler Saladino and jared Mitchell then both struck out. The Knights are now 9 for 66 with two outs and runners in scoring position this season.

Top 7th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- It took seven innings, but Charlie Leesman finally got his one-two-three inning. It ended with a strikeout of Edward Salcedo.

Leesman is likely done for the night, here's his line: 7 IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 4K (98 pitches).

Bottom 6th: Knights 0, Braves 1 --  The Braves got a solid night of work out of Mitch Atkins (4.2 IP, 0R, 3K, 2H), who was forced into action in the second after an injury to Yunesky Maya.

Atkins was pulled from the game with two outs in the inning after throwing 69 pitches and replaced by LHP Atahualpa Severino, who got Andy Wilkins to bounce to second to end the inning.

Top 6th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- Leesman is yet to have a one-two-three inning, but he's also yet to get into significant trouble. He successfully worked around a one-out double by Todd Cunningham to retire the side. He's thrown 83 pitches tonight, 49 for strikes.

Bottom 5th: Knights 0, Braves -- Three up and three down again for Atkins. That's 11 Knights retired in a row. Over the last four games, the Braves bullpen has been the opposite of the Chicago White Sox pen, combining for a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER in 15.1 IP).

Top 5th: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- For the fourth time in five inning's Leesman allowed a base runner and still faced the minimum. After getting Edward Salcedo to bounce out. Leesman walked Christian Bethancourt, but for the third time today, the Knights turned a double play behind him to end the inning.

The Knights have turned 27 double plays this season to lead the International League. The next closest team is Toledo, who entered today with 12.

Bottom 4th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- Andy Wilkins, Dan Black and Blake Tekotte go down in order. Since allowing back-to-back singles to load the bases with one out in the second, Mitchell Atkins has retired eight Knights in a row.

Top 4th: Knights 0, Braves 1 -- The Braves stole a run when what looked like a highlight throw from Gorkys Hernandez in center came out of the glove of Josh Phegley when he attempted to put the tag on the runner.

Todd Cunningham led off the inning with a double. The Braves sacrificed him to third and then with one out Tommy La Stella lined out to Hernandez in center, who fired the ball all the way home on the fly to nab Cunningham by two steps, until the ball trickled away. Phegley was charged with an error on the play.

Bottom 3rd: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- Carlos Sanchez and Josh Phegely (a rocket to third) each grounded out. Matt Davidson (broken bat) then lined out to first.

Top 3rd: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- Leesman is yet to have a one-two-three inning, but has somehow faced the minimum nine batters through three innings.

He began the inning by getting Christian Bethancourt to ground out. After a walk to Derrick Mitchell, Leesman struck out Tyler Greene and with Todd Cunningham up, Josh Phegley threw out Mitchell attempting to steal to end the inning.

Bottom 2nd: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- After allowing a single to Andy Wilkins and throwing one pitch to Dan Black, Gwinnett starter Yunesky Maya had to leave the game with what looked like a lower-body injury.

Mitch Atkins (0-2 9.00 ERA) came on to pitch and struck out Black. Back-to-back singles by Blake Tekotte and Tyler Saladino loaded the bases with one out, but Jared Mitchell K'd and Gorkys Hernandez bounced to short. The Knighs have stranded four runners (three in scoring position) through two innings.

Top 2nd: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- Leesman worked around a Matt Davidson throwing error to begin the inning by striking out Joey Terdoslavich and then getting Edward Salcedo to hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

Bottom 1st: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- Gorkys Hernandez led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a Carlos Sanchez sacrifice bunt, and then took third when Josh Phegley grounded out to second. But the inning came to an end when Matt Davidson hit a nubber that was fielded by the catcher.

Top 1st: Knights 0, Braves 0 -- Todd Cunningham led off the inning with an infield single, but was erased on the very next pitch when Phil Gosselin grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Charlie Leesman then got Tommy La Stella to bounce to short to end the inning.

Pregame:

Knights (6-8)

Gorkys Hernandez CF

Carlos Sanchez 2B

Josh Phegley C

Matt Davidson 3B

Andy Wilkins 1B

Dan Black DH

Blake Tekotte RF

Tyler Saladino SS

Jared Mitchell LF

Pitching: LHP Charlie Leesman (0-1 2.70)

Braves (7-6)

Todd Cunningham CF

Phil Gosselin 3B

Tommy La Stella 2B

Ernesto Majia 1B

Joey Terdoslavich RF

Edward Salcedo DH

Christian Bethancourt C

Derrick Mitchell LF

Tyler Greene SS

Pitching: RHP Yunesky Maya (0-0 2.35)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MiLB.TV / ESPN 730

Stat of the Day: Through 14 games this season, Charlotte No. 3 batters have just two runs batted in. Strangely enough, it's the No. 1 batters that have led the Knights in RBIs with nine.

Zach Putnam recalled to Chicago White Sox

On Thursday, the White Sox recalled Knights' reliever Zach Putnam to Chicago. The righthander had put together four scoreless appearances this season, tossing six innings and striking out 11. Putnam is the third Knight to be promoted to Chicago this season. He joins Jake Petricka (4/4) and Jordan Danks (4/10).

Frank De Los Santos promoted to Charlott Knights 

To fill Putnam's place on the roster, the Knights have promoted Frank De Los Santos from Double-A Birmingham. The lefthander was 0-0 with a 1.04 ERA in five games with the Barons. The 26-year-old was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in September of 2013.

Frank Francisco transfered to Rookie Great Falls

To cap off a busy day, former Mets closer Frank Francisco was transferred to Rookie Great Falls. Francisco had been added to the Knights' roster on Monday, a day after signing as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox. The 34-year will likely stay in Great Falls until he's in game-shape.

Knights Walkup Song of the Day: Mitchell Boggs: Simple Man, Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

Charlotte Knights bats continue to struggle at BB&T Ballpark in loss to Gwinnett

By Seth Lakso, Charlotte Observer Correspondent 

When BB&T Ballpark was first opened, Charlotte Knights’ players marveled at the short porches down the left and right field lines.

During their first round of batting practice, they spoke openly about how well the ball carried. Knights’ starter, Andre Rienzo, even joked, “It looks like a hitter’s park, right? I’m scared to pitch here a little. The ball flies.”

However, after Wednesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Gwinnett Braves in front of a crowd of 8,872, it’s becoming clear that that early optimism isn’t translating into runs for the home team.

Through six games, the Knights – who stranded seven runners on base on Wednesday – are averaging just three runs a contest and hitting a collective .213 (43 for 202) at the unfriendly confines of BB&T and have now dropped three straight.

“I think that we’re just going through something right now,” said Charlotte hitting coach Andy Tomberlin. “You know, hitting is contagious. Once you start getting a few knocks, it just seems to flow a little bit. Right now, we’re just trying to get our timing together. I think as a group we just need to put together some quality at bats.

“We had some balls hit hard that they made plays on and that kind of shut down some momentum, but that’s the game,” continued Tomberlin. “You just have to keep grinding and finding ways.”

Dylan Axelrod (L, 1-1) got the start for the Knights (6-8) and did his job, making it through six innings, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out five.

Long balls by the Braves' Steven Lerud and Joey Terdoslavich, along with a triple that appeared to actually be a home run, but was not called as such by the umpires, by former Knight Tyler Greene, were his only major mistakes.

Daniel Rodriguez (W, 2-1) started opposite Axelrod for the Braves (6-7). The southpaw allowed one run over five innings, while striking out six Charlotte batters.

  

Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth the Knights tried to make a game of it when Josh Phegley (2 for 4) tripled to begin the inning and then caught a break when Denis Phipps reached on a two-out error by the Braves third basemen, allowing Phegley to score.

However, two innings later the Braves added two more runs off veteran reliever Javy Guerra, who entered the game having not allowed a run in 5.2 innings pitched this season.

The stunned look on shortstop Alex Liddi’s face when Braves centerfielder Todd Cunningham robbed him of what looked like a sure double to lead off the bottom of the ninth with a full extension dive, said more than any stat could.

“I hit it hard and it was in the gap and he made a good play and I was just like, ‘Are you kidding me?’” said Liddi, who finished Wednesday 0 for 4 one night after connecting on his first home run of the season.

Liddi’s partner on the left side of the diamond on Wednesday night, Matt Davidson (1 for 4, 3 LOB), also seemed frustrated at the plate. 

Over his last six home games Davidson, who is ranked by Baseball America as the Knights top prospect has gone 3 for 21 with 0 runs bated in and 11 strikeouts.

“Some of it is that balls aren’t falling and some of it is that we’re swinging at bad pitches, giving up at bats too easily,” said Liddi, whose average now stands at .171. “We need to stick our noses in there a little more and be more tough at the plate."

Tyler Saladino's late home run leads Charlotte Knights over Norfolk

By Seth Lakso, Charlotte Observer Correspondent 

One poorly-timed blink and you could have missed it.

Trailing by a run in the eighth, with one out and runners on the corners, Jared Mitchell hit a routine ground ball to short.

The Knights centerfielder, who double-majored in baseball and football during his time at Louisiana State University before the White Sox made him their first-round selection in the 2009 draft, sent bits of chalk and dirt cascading into the air as sprinted toward first. 

He wound up beating out the attempted double-play by a fraction of a step, allowing the runner on third to tie the game in the process.

Then came the fireworks, not the real ones, like the kind they'd shot off at BB&T Ballpark the night before, but ones that elicited oohs and aaas nonetheless.

Mitchell’s hustle brought Tyler Saladino to the plate and the Knights’ shortstop brought them both home with a towering blast into the Charlotte night sky.

Saladino’s leisurely trot around the bases gave the Knights a 4-2 win over the Norfolk Tides and sent a capacity crowd of 10,200, home feeling they’d somehow snuck away with a Saturday night worth more than the $15 dollar price listed on most of their stubs.

“(Mitchell) beating out that double play in the eighth was the play of the game,” said Knights coach Joel Skinner. “It kept (us) alive and set the table for the things that happened after that.”

The win was the Knights first at their newly christened Ballpark.

It didn’t make up for the 8-6 loss to the Tides in the opener the night before, but it did alleviate any need for uncomfortable questions regarding the pressure to win a game in the team's new $54 million dollar castle.

“It came in good fashion,” said Saladino of the win. “It was a tough game, both sides ground it out, there wasn’t a lot of scoring. We got good pitching when we needed it and came through offensively when we needed (to). That win, right there, was a big one.”

Both the Knights (5-5) and Tides (3-6) got strong efforts from their starters, though neither ultimately figured in the decision.

T.J. McFarland, who was a perfectly serviceable 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 38 appearances with the Baltimore Orioles last season, tossed five scoreless innings for the Tides, scattering three hits and striking out five.

Charlotte’s southpaw, Charlie Leesman, matched McFarland pitch-for-pitch until the fifth inning, when he allowed a solo home run to Julio Borbon (2-for-4).

Prior to the fifth inning, Leesman had recorded every out via groundball or strikeout. His final line read, five innings pitched, six hits, one run and four strikeouts.

The Knights countered Borbon’s home run with a run of their own in the seventh.

When veteran reliever Mitchell Boggs allowed the Tides to take a one-run lead after a walk and a double in the top of the eighth, the Knights, again, were able to answer thanks to the hustle of Mitchell.

“The key to that whole at-bat was Mitchell’s at-bat right before it,” said Saladino, was asked about his first home run of the season. “He ground out a good (at-bat). Being on deck, I just let that play out and watched what was happening. When he beat that ball out and tied the game up, it took a lot of pressure off my at-bat.

“Once I came up, in that situation, I was just looking for a pitch to hit. I didn’t want to wait too long. If he laid something in there early in the at-bat, I wanted to jump on it, He did, and I got it done.”