This is the fifth in a series of articles looking back on the Charlotte Knights’ season by Charlotte beat writer Jeff Cohen. This installment looks at some of the best and worst moments of the season, as well as the toughest opponents.
BY THE NUMBERS
Roster Moves: 153
Call-ups: 16 different players
Record:
Vs Durham: 7-23
Vs Gwinnett: 2-16
Vs Norfolk: 19-16
Vs Jacksonville: 14-16
Vs Nashville: 5-7
Vs Memphis: 0-3
Team Batting Average: .247 (8th best in Triple-A East)
Team HRs: 173 (5th)
Batting Average: Romy Gonzalez (.370 in 54 ABs), Laz Rivera (.317 in 60 ABs) and Gavin Sheets (.295 in 227 ABs)
Hits: Blake Rutherford (112)
RBI: Mikie Mahtook (62)
HR: Mikie Mahtook (26), Jake Burger (18)
2B: Blake Rutherford (30)
SLG: Romy Gonzalez (.704), Tim Beckham (.545), Mikie Mahtook (.518), Micker Adolfo/Jake Burger (.513)
Strikeouts: Blake Rutherford (119), Mikie Mahtook (102)
SB: Zach Remillard (10-13), Luis Gonzalez (9-11), Mikie Mahtook (8-10)
GIDP: Jake Burger/Blake Rutherford (10)
Team ERA: 5.33 (19th)
Team Strikeouts: 1,237 (3rd)
Team walks allowed: 530 (16th best)
Team HRs allowed: 165 (7th)
Team BA Against: .251 (8th)
Wins: Mike Wright (7)
Saves: Nik Turley (9), Ryan Burr (6)
Games: Nik Turley (43), Hunter Schryver (40)
Innings Pitched: Mike Wright (95.1)
Strikeouts: Mike Wright (90), Jonathan Stiever (88), Alex McRae (86)
Noteworthy Moments
—The Knights sweep a doubleheader from Norfolk on Aug. 18 with some late-game heroics in both games. Game one was tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Mikie Mahtook hit a walk-off grand slam. The Knights trailed 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh of game two when Mahtook delivered a game-tying RBI double. One inning later, Laz Rivera drove home the game-winner with a double over the centerfielder’s head. Mahtook and Micker Adolfo combine for 10 hits, four home runs, a double, nine RBI and six runs in the two games.
—Tim Beckham hits two homers on June 15, two more on June 16, one more on June 17 and still one more on June 18.
—Deivy Grullon had a brief stint with the Knights, but it included back-to-back home run games on July 15 & 16, including the only ball this year to clear the batter’s eye, the approximately 30-foot-tall black screen in centerfield that helps batters see the ball.
—Romy Gonzalez debuted with the Knights on Aug 21, and hit four homers and three doubles, with a slash line of .344/.382/.750, before a surprise call-up to the White Sox on September 1.
—In a 5-4 loss in Durham on May 19, Nik Turley’s teammates could barely restrain the reliever when he went berserk and tried to assault the home plate umpire after disputed calls.
—On Friday, June 4, Mike Wright beats Nashville 1-0, tossing seven innings of two-hit, shutout ball. The next night, Jonathan Stiever blanks the Sounds over six innings in a 4-0 win and back-to-back shutouts. It wasn’t a shutout but probably the best stretch of pitching on the season as Jimmy Lambert goes 4.2 scoreless innings the next day in a 3-2 Knights’ win.
Toughest Individual Opponents
The Knights faced just six opponents this year, so the parade of top prospects was limited. But they did see Wander Franco, briefly, before his call-up — he had two homers and seven RBI in 12 games — as well as Adley Rutschman, Vidal Brujan, Josh Lowe, Edward Cabrera and Shane Baz, among a few others.
Rutschman hit .362 against the Knights, with two homers and seven RBI in 16 games. Gwinnett catcher William Contreras led all opposing hitters who played in at least 12 games against Charlotte. The Braves’ catcher hit .426 with 16 RBI in 47 at bats. And another top prospect, Lewin Diaz of the Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins), had four homers and 10 RBI in 12 games.
But they were also tormented by several less-touted guys.
Two that impressed me were Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp shortstop Bryson Brigman and outfielder Brian Miller. While neither is listed on any Marlins’ top-30 prospect lists, the duo hit .299 and .354, respectively, scoring a combined 26 runs, with six doubles, 18 RBI and 15 stolen bases (in 17 attempts) in 23 games for Brigman and 22 for Miller.
Orlando Arcia, a veteran MLB shortstop with Gwinnett Stripers, also had a memorable run against the Knights in the first week of the season, hitting five home runs in six games, including three in one game.
And some of the top pitching performances against the Knights included:
—Tucker Davidson, 7 IP, 3H, ER
—Alan Ashby 7IP, 2H, 0ER, 11K
—Edward Cabrera 6IP, 2H, ER, 12K
—Shane Baz 5IP, 2H, 0ER, 5K
Photo credit: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
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