IL Charlotte Knights

Seven-Run Eighth Propels Knights to 11-8 Win Wednesday

Published on August 3, 2022 under International League (IL)
Charlotte Knights News Release


(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- A seven-run eighth inning propelled the Charlotte Knights to a thrilling 11-8 win over the Gwinnett Stripers on Wednesday night in game three of the six-game series from Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte. The win evened up the series, 1-1.

Down by a score of 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Knights mounted an impressive comeback against the Stripers. First baseman Zach Remillard led the inning off with a walk and quickly stole his 14th base of the season. Remillard is tied with Adam Haseley for the most stolen bases on the club this season. Center fielder Mark Payton continued his remarkable season and doubled home Remillard for the first of seven runs in the inning. Three batters later, Charlotte catcher Carlos Pérez singled home Payton for the team's second run of the inning. More importantly, it tied the game at 6-6, and the Knights were not done there.

After the Stripers made a pitching change and brought in Jesús Cruz for Jacob Webb, the inning continued to unravel. With the game tied at 6-6, Haseley singled home Lenyn Sosa for Charlotte's third run of the inning. His RBI single gave the Knights a 7-6 lead at that point. Right fielder Blake Rutherford then ripped a home run over the right field fence for his 10th of the season. The three-run blast gave the Knights a 10-6 lead at that point. Two batters later, designated hitter Xavier Fernández doubled home Yolbert Sánchez for Charlotte's 11th run of the game and seventh of the inning.

It was a solid day all around for Charlotte batters on Wednesday. The team totaled 13 hits and hit four long balls. Pérez finished the night 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a solo home run and two RBIs. For the season, Pérez leads the Knights in home runs with 16 and RBIs with 57. Sosa also connected on his first Triple-A home run of his career. He hit a solo shot in the sixth inning on Wednesday.

Haseley, who drove home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, finished the night with three hits, including his 12th home run of the season. He also scored two runs and had three RBIs. Rutherford had two hits, the home run and three RBIs.

RHP Davis Martin started the game for the Knights and allowed five runs on six hits over 2.2 innings pitched. Martin, who was optioned to the Knights from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, was added to the team's active roster before the game. He struck-out four batters and held the Stripers scoreless over the first two innings. He ran into trouble in the third inning, however.

In the third, Martin allowed a grand slam to Gwinnett right fielder Alex Dickerson. It was his eighth home run of the season and the first of two home runs on the night for the Stripers. Catcher Chadwick Tromp added a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning against Charlotte reliever Parker Markel.

LHP Bennett Sousa (1-1, 6.94), who tossed a scoreless eighth inning, earned the win for the Knights. It was his first of the season with Charlotte.

The Knights will continue the six-game home series against the Gwinnett Stripers on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:04 p.m. from Truist Field. The "Voice of the Charlotte Knights" Matt Swierad and long-time Knights broadcaster Mike Pacheco will have the call for all of the action on 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte and www.CharlotteKnights.com.

Check out the Charlotte Knights Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from August 3, 2022


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.

OurSports Central