While the Knights aren’t exactly finishing the season playing their best baseball, a handful of its young prospects certainly are.
The Knights lost three of five to the Norfolk Tides on the week, including a 6-1 drubbing on Sunday. In those three losses, the Knights could only plate five runs as the offense has struggled for several weeks now. The team hit just .228 on the week.
But it was a different story for a handful of the team’s prospects, led by Romy Gonzalez, who returned the the lineup on Thursday after a surprise 10-game stint with the White Sox. Gonzalez was sensational in nine games with the Knights prior to the Sept. 1 call-up, and he picked right up this week where he left off, with six hits in 12 at bats. In 12 games with the Knights this year, Gonzalez is hitting .386, with three home runs and five doubles.
GOOD IMPRESSIONS
Gonzalez’ heroics this week included some heads up play on Saturday that culminated in a walk-off win. He opened the ninth with a single, stole second (his second of the night) and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Tides’ catcher. He scored the game-winner when he tagged up on a foul pop-up.
It was a good week for two other young ballplayers trying to impress down the stretch, Blake Rutherford and Micker Adolfo.
Rutherford led the team in hits on the week, with a home run, double and four singles in 14 at bats. Adolfo added a round tripper, double and two singles in 14 at bats.
Jake Burger had just one hit in 10 at bats on the week, but it was a big one — a three-run homer that paved the way for a thrilling 8-7 comeback win in the second game of a twin bill on Thursday. His week was cut short when he was hit on the foot by a pitch on Saturday. It ended up not being a serious injury and he is expected back in the lineup when the team returns to the field on Wednesday.
ON THE MOUND
John Parke was the star among the starters, with a gritty six-inning effort on Saturday in which he scattered five hits and three walks. When Parke is on, his sinking fastball (and change-up and slider, for that matter) induces a lot of ground balls, and that was the case this week, as four of those grounders resulted in double plays to get out of jams.
It was a different result for his running mate from Birmingham, Kade McClure, who lasted just two innings in his worst outing of the year for the Knights. Likewise, Kyle Kubat went just two innings as well in the first game of Thursday’s double header, getting roughed up for seven hits and six runs.
Johan Dominguez was promoted from Birmingham this week for the Knights’ final 10 games, and he looked good in his start in the second game of the double header, even if the final stats were mediocre.
Jimmy Lambert did not pitch this week. I imagine he’ll get two or three innings in Memphis as the White Sox continue to keep Lambert available for an emergency spot start in Chicago.
Like always, it was a mixed bag in the pen.
Two young pitchers from Birmingham, Anderson Severino and Bennett Sousa, continue to impress, along with two older guys, Peter Tago and Carl Edwards Jr.. Tanner Banks demonstrated his value as the team’s one true multi-inning reliever, this time with three innings of shutout ball on Friday.
UP NEXT
The Knights head to Memphis for the final five games of the season.
It will be the Knights’ first games against the Redbirds this season, which is a bit ironic given that a Covid-inspired schedule had Charlotte facing Norfolk 35 times and Durham 30 times in a 130-game season.
TAXI SQUAD
For a handful of Knights, the season will not end in Memphis.
As the White Sox head into the post-season, they will carry a squad of additional players to call upon in case of injuries or match-up needs. While the roster hasn’t been announced, it most certainly will include Lambert, Burger, Seby Zavala, Danny Mendick and perhaps Gonzalez and Jace Fry.
Photo credit: Laura Wolff
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