10th Annual Pink Knights Game Ends in Walk-Off Fashion
May 16, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) - A crowd of 10,379 filled BB&T Ballpark for the 10th Annual Pink Knights game and saw Micah Johnson begin and end the night with a bang, as he hit a lead-off home run in the first inning and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Charlotte Knights a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Syracuse Chiefs on Saturday night.
With the game tied 1-1 in the ninth inning, Knights catcher Kevan Smith began the frame by drawing a walk from RHP Manny Delcarmen. After a Chiefs pitching change, Drew Garcia put Smith into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to set up Johnson for the walk-off, RBI-double. Delcarmen would be saddled with the loss in the game.
Johnson had given the Knights an early lead in the first inning with his first hit as a Knight in 2015, a solo home run to lead-off the bottom of the frame. The lead-off homer was the first by a Knights player since Jared Mitchell accomplished the feat on August 9th, 2014 against the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The Knights pitching was also sensational on Saturday night, as the duo of RHP Kyle Drabek and LHP Eric Surkamp combined to throw a two-hitter.
Drabek took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning, but had it broken up with one out in the inning on an Emmanuel Burriss single that found its way into right field, just past the out-stretched glove of Johnson at second base. Tony Gwynn Jr. followed with a double down the left field line to put two men in scoring position. Burriss would score to tie the game at 1-1 on a Darrin Mastroianni ground-out before Drabek got Ian Stewart to fly out to left field to end the inning.
The Knights starter would not factor in the decision after being replaced by Surkamp to begin the seventh inning with the game still tied.
Surkamp (3-0, 2.66) took over for Drabek (0-1, 1.80) and did not miss a beat, hurling three perfect innings to earn his third win of the season. The NC State product has allowed only one run on four hits over his last three outings, a pan of 10.0 innings pitched.
Chiefs starter Scott McGregor was also impressive after settling down nicely following the home run to Johnson on his first pitch of the game. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed only one run as he scattered eight hits over 7.0 innings pitched and did not factor in the decision.
Charlotte Knights players wore pink jerseys and ran around pink bases on Saturday. The 10th Annual Pink Knights game, presented by Charlotte Radiology and Belk, raised $18,225 for Carolinas Breast Friends.
The Charlotte Knights (20-15) and Syracuse Chiefs (16-20) will play the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday, with RHP Chris Beck set to take on RHP Bruce Billings in the 2:05 p.m. start. Also on Sunday the Knights will pay tribute to five former Negro League players in a special pre-game ceremony honoring Negro League Baseball. Kids can also Run the Bases on Sunday, courtesy of Academy Sports & Outdoors and it's another Sunbelt Rentals.
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