Black Slams Knights Past 'Hens
May 10, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(TOLEDO, OH) - The Charlotte Knights (16-13) won Sunday's rubber match against the Toledo Mud Hens (11-18) thanks to an eighth-inning grand slam by DH Dan Black, completing a come-from-behind 6-4 victory.
Down 4-2 in the eighth inning, Carlos Sanchez and Neftali Soto started a rally with back-to-back singles to lead-off the frame. After fouling off his first sacrifice-bunt attempt, Matt Davidson watched four consecutive balls go by to draw a walk from RHP Jose Valdez to load the bases.
Valdez - who would eventually be saddled with the loss - was then relieved by RHP Alberto Cabrera, and Cabrera's first pitch to Dan Black was sent deep to right-center field and over the wall to give the Knights a 6-4 advantage.
The grand slam was the second of Black's Triple-A career, with his first coming as part of a three-homer night in Columbus on May 29, 2014. The blast was the fifth of the year for the DH, ranking him second on the team behind Matt Davidson (6).
The eighth-inning home run gave LHP Jarrett Casey (3-0, 2.25) his third win of the season after he spun two perfect innings in relief of RHP Erik Johnson.
Toledo was able to take an early lead on Johnson, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a Mike Hessman infield-single that plated Xavier Avery.
Tyler Colvin's first RBI as a Knight tied the game in the top of the second inning, scoring Trayce Thompson from second base on a single to right field.
The Knights took a 2-1 lead in the third inning when Soto drove in Leury Garcia on a line-drive single to center field.
Hessman would drive in his second run of the game in the bottom of the third when he tied the game with an RBI-single to left field.
The Mud Hens then took a 4-2 lead in the fifth frame on a Daniel Fields two-run double to left, but Fields was thrown out at third base for the first out of the inning as he attempted to stretch the hit into a triple. Johnson would then record his sixth and seventh strikeouts of the game to get out of the fifth inning down only a pair of runs.
After the Black grand slam, RHP Daniel Webb took over for Casey on the mound and recorded the final six outs of the game to earn his second save of the season. Webb allowed two hits and two walks while striking out three over two scoreless innings.
Sunday's victory gave the Knights a 2-1 series win over the Mud Hens, and the team will now return to Charlotte with a two-game winning streak.
A seven-game homestand begins Monday as the Knights take on the Louisville Bats for four games at BB&T Ballpark before welcoming the Syracuse Chiefs to town for a three-game set over the weekend.
Monday's game will feature a pitching matchup of RHP Kyle Drabek (0-1, 2.57) and former Knight Dylan Axelrod (1-2, 3.56), with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch scheduled.
International League Stories from May 10, 2015
- Red Sox Recall Jackie Bradley Jr. & Steven Wright - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Black Slams Knights Past 'Hens - Charlotte Knights
- G-Braves Roll Past Lehigh Valley, 9-1 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Indians Nip RailRiders - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Arms Stellar in 1-0 Win - Norfolk Tides
- Finale Salvaged on Hanson Homer, Boscan Gem - Indianapolis Indians
- Walks Burn Pawtucket, Sox Swept in Columbus - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Chiefs End Homestand with Loss to Bulls - Syracuse Mets
- LHV Game Notes - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Durham Bulls Game Notes - Durham Bulls
- SWB Game Notes - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Bisons Notes -Buffalo at Norfolk (1:05 p.m.) - Buffalo Bisons
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
