Experience Bests Youth as Knights Beat Braves 3-2
August 11, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(Uptown Charlotte, NC) - In a battle of experience versus youth, experience reigned supreme, as veteran right-hander Brad Penny outdueled Braves prospect Tyrell Jenkins, and the Charlotte Knights topped the Gwinnett Braves 3-2 in game two of a four-game set at BB&T Ballpark. A pair of home runs accounted for all three Knights runs, as Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak.
Penny delivered a strong performance as he scattered seven hits over seven scoreless innings and struck out five G-Braves. The 37-year-old earned his sixth win of the season and is now 6-6 with a 3.93 ERA through 19 games started with the Knights this season. The seven-inning outing was the longest for the 14-year major league veteran since his nine-inning complete game on July 3rd against Gwinnett - the first nine-inning complete game by a Knight in BB&T Ballpark history.
Jason Coats broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a two-out, solo home run off of Jenkins. The long ball was his 14th of the season and pushed his team-leading RBI total to 71.
Knights catcher Rob Brantly followed with a two-run shot off of the pitching prospect in the fourth frame to give Charlotte a 3-0 advantage. The homer was Brantly's second since joining the Knights on August 3rd.
Jenkins scattered six hits over six innings, but the two home runs accounted for three earned runs and led to his third loss of the season. The 23-year-old also struck out five batters in the game, but the loss dropped his record to 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA in his young Triple-A career.
With the Knights ahead 3-0 after seven innings, rain began to fall at BB&T Ballpark, and the game went under a one hour and eighteen minute rain delay. When play resumed, the G-Braves were able to record three consecutive hits to begin the eighth inning off of reliever Zach Phillips, and went on to score two runs in the frame. The would-be tying run reached third base, but Phillips was able to induce a ground-out from Jordan Lennerton for the final out of the inning to maintain a Knights 3-2 lead.
Junior Guerra came on to record the final three outs of the game, and did so by retiring the side in order to seal the Charlotte victory and earn his third save of the season.
The two teams will play game three of the four-game series in a 7:05 p.m. matchup on Wednesday, as Scott Carroll is scheduled to take the mound for Charlotte against left-hander Greg Smith. Wednesday night's game will feature a Lunch Bag Giveaway for the first 2,000 fans 12 and under, presented by United Healthcare.
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