Knights Fall Short in Comeback, Lose 7-6 to Bisons on Sunday
Published on May 13, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(Fort Mill, SC) - The Charlotte Knights were once again tinkering with some late-inning magic. Unfortunately, those late-inning heroics fell just short on Sunday.
Buffalo scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning and despite two runs from the Charlotte in the ninth, the Bisons slipped past the Knights 7-6 on Sunday in game three of their four-game series from Knights Stadium.
Once again, the Knights made it interesting in the ninth inning. Jim Gallagher led off the inning with a base hit and Ray Olmedo walked. Two outs later, Drew Garcia had his first hit since being called up from Double-A Birmingham when he smashed a 2-RBI double to right-center that brought the Knights within one run (7-6). Dan Johnson then stepped to the plate with a chance to be the hero. He lofted a fly to shallow left, but Buffalo shortstop Omar Quintanilla made a great diving catch to keep the game from being tied and win it for Buffalo.
In all, it was the fateful eighth inning for the Bisons which did the Knights in. Buffalo batted around in the eighth frame and had three doubles, an error, and five runs.
The game started officially at 2:44 p.m. after a 29-miniute rain delay. Chicago White Sox reliever Jesse Crain made his second rehab start of the weekend and retired Buffalo in order in the first inning, striking out two. Crain threw nine pitches, seven for strikes.
Crain was relieved by RHP Charlie Shirek (3-3, 4.13), who went 6.1 innings, giving up five runs, with only two of them earned. He allowed eight hits in the game.
Charlotte (19-18) got on the board in the second inning when Ray Olmedo drove home Jordan Danks with a base hit to left field.
Things were all knotted up in the home half of the fifth when Tyler Kuhn hit a big two-out home run to right-center. It was his second of the season.
Justin Greene, called up this week from Birmingham, had the go-ahead base hit in the sixth inning that scored Danks. Gallagher followed with a base hit that scored Greene and gave the Knights a 4-2 advantage.
Danks reached base three times and scored twice for the Knights and Greene was 2-for-4 with the RBI base hit and run scored. Greg Golson was 2-for-5 and Gallagher was 2-for-4 with an RBI, as was Olmedo.
The Knights scored four of their six runs off of former North Carolina Tar Heel Matt Harvey, who got the start for Buffalo. Harvey went six innings and allowed seven hits and two walks, while striking out six.
The final game of the series and the homestand is scheduled for Monday night at 7:15 p.m. Matt Zaleski (1-0, 4.63) will take the mound for the Knights and the Bisons will send Jeurys Familia (3-1, 4.41) out to counter. The Knights will go for the series win against the Bisons. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.
International League Stories from May 13, 2012
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- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Sunday, May 13 at Syracuse - Rochester Red Wings
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