Knights Win Third Straight, Beat Braves 7-5 Friday
April 17, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- The Charlotte Knights (6-3) used a pair of three-run innings on their way to a 7-5 victory over the Gwinnett Braves (3-6) for their third consecutive win.
The first three-run frame for the Knights started with Trayce Thompson's bat staying hot as he connected on a RHP Matt Wisler offering for his first home run of 2015 - extending his hitting streak to 8 games - to put the Knights on the 'board in the bottom of the second inning.
The Knights would tally four more hits in the frame - including a Carlos Sanchez two-run single - to tack on a pair of runs and jump ahead 3-2.
RHP Scott Carroll (1-1, 3.00) was impressive on the mound for the Knights, spinning five innings of two-hit baseball to earn his first win of the season. The G-Braves were able to tally a pair of runs in the top of the second inning off of Carroll (one earned run) despite only one hit - a Pedro Ciriaco lead-off single - in the frame.
Three straight hits off of Wisler (0-1, 3.72) to lead-off the fifth inning started what would be the second three-run frame for the Knights. Engel Beltre drove in the first run of the inning with his RBI-double that plated Neftali Soto.
The Charlotte lead was extended to 6-2 when Jared Mitchell's deep fly ball was misplayed up against the right-field wall, allowing Matt Davidson and Beltre to score.
RHP Maikel Cleto was first to relieve Carroll, and the 25-year-old righty extended his scoreless streak to 13.1 innings with two more hitless, scoreless innings.
Carlos Sanchez - who led the Knights offense with a three-hit effort on Friday night - singled and scored on a Davidson RBI-groundout in the sixth inning to give the home team a 7-5 advantage.
Gwinnett was able to cut the lead to 7-5 in the eighth inning when Adonis Garcia connected on a two-out, three-run homerun, but the G-Braves wouldn't get any closer.
RHP Jairo Asencio came on in the ninth and shut the door in a three-up-three-down inning to earn his International League-leading fourth save of the season.
The Knights and G-Braves continue their three-game series on Saturday night as RHP Erik Johnson will make his first start of 2015, filling the rotation spot voided by RHP Brad Penny who was place on the disabled list on Wednesday. Former Knight RHP Chien-Ming Wang is set to take the hill for Gwinnett, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM at BB&T Ballpark. The first 3,000 fans will receive a KnightinGals poster, courtesy of Hickory Tavern. The KnightinGals will also make their second appearance of the season on Saturday.
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