Jimmy Lambert started and Jake Burger played second base, both with mixed reviews. But a Blake Rutherford grand slam keyed a six-run fifth inning, powering the Knights to a 13-7 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in Charlotte, the team’s third win in four nights.
Rutherford’s blast was one of four round-trippers by the Knights Saturday. Zach Remillard hit two and Gavin Sheets had one.
Lambert’s last two starts were terrific, and he started this one in dominant fashion, with two perfect innings that needed just 21 pitches, including 17 strikes. He looked strong in the third, even though he gave up a run on a two-out hit that a more seasoned second baseman probably would have made.
But, like Jonathan Stiever last night, the fourth inning was Lambert’s undoing, as he gave up two runs on a single, double, Burger error and groundout. Even without the error, Lambert found himself off his game after three well-pitched innings.
Manager Wes Helms said Lambert’s troubles in the fourth had less to do with a loss of command like Stiever experienced last night and more with getting a bit off his game and trying too hard after Jacksonville opened the inning with a cheap infield single.
“The biggest thing for him is controlling his emotions and staying with the game plan,” Helms said. “His stuff is major-league stuff. He’s got to learn to just control his emotions and go after the next guy. Once you learn to control your emotions, that’s when you really settle in to who you are as a pitcher and that’s when you start moving forward.”
Rutherford, meanwhile, came into Saturday’s game in a slump, hitting 1-12 so far this week with six strikeouts. Helms said Rutherford has been working a lot lately on hitting machines that replicate both fastballs and breaking pitches from left-handed pitchers, which has been a problem for the young lefty.
“He was getting out front too early on the lefties where he didn’t on the righties,” Helms said. “He’s been working hard on it the last few days just staying through the baseball. It’s a struggle. These lefties are a little different than Double-A. They are going to try to attack your weaknesses. He’s worked hard this week to make the adjustment.”
Burger’s Second Base Adventures
Jake Burger saw a little bit of everything Saturday in his second-base crash course. Actually, make that a lot of everything.
- In the third, with a runner in scoring position and two outs, the Jacksonville batter hit a hard smash just a few feet to Burger’s left, but he was unable to snare it. Because it was so hard hit, there was no error on the play though it was a play he probably should have made.
- In the fourth, a Jacksonville batter hit a pop-up about 10-20 feet beyond the infield behind first base. It was a tough angle and a near-impossible play for first baseman Joe DeCarlo but Burger seemed to be in position to make the play, and called DeCarlo off. However, Burger ended up over-running the play and it dropped beside him for an error.
- The next batter hit a smash in the hole, but Tim Beckman made a great play and flipped to Burger for the force out. Burger continued into his pivot and threw — a bit wildly — to first, but had no chance to get the runner.
- Still in the fourth, catcher Seby Zavala threw a strike to Burger to nail a runner trying to steal.
- In the sixth, Burger made a nice pivot and throw to complete an inning-ending double play.
- In the top of the eighth, there was another pop-up behind first base. Sheets, who had shifted to first, appeared in position to make the play but pulled off of it at the last second, at which point Burger attempted unsuccessfully to catch it. It was also ruled an error.
- Moving back to third base in the ninth, Burger made a beautiful diving catch and throw across the diamond for an out.
The shaky defensive effort didn’t do anything to cool Burger’s hot bat. He had a single and double, an RBI and scored a run.
Helms explained that pop-ups at second base play very differently than at third base.
“The wind was blowing out, and the ball on pop-ups for second basemen is coming more toward the field while it is going away from the field at third,” he said. “Those are the little things that he has to get used to. There are so many pieces that go with middle infield that maybe don’t with the corner positions.”
Tim Beckham Watch
Beckham’s four-game homerun streak came to an end. But he added a double, single and two RBIs, and continued to look completely dialed in at the plate.
Scanning an Over-flowing Box Score
Zach Remillard made a start at third base and had a terrific game, with his first Triple-A homer, a two-run shot in the second. He followed that up with another homerun in the bottom of the eighth. He also added a stolen base in the fourth and singled and scored in the six-run fifth. Remillard also committed a throwing error on a grounder.
Helms said an injury may have played a fortuitous role in Remillard’s resurgence. After bruising his hand recently, Remillard worked with hitting coach Chris Johnson at keeping both hands on the bat and getting the top hand through the ball.
“Earlier in the year, he was getting to the ball but not through it,” Helms said. “He’s got power to be a skinny guy. He’s wirey strong.”
Matt Reynolds added a double. His 11-game hit streak came to an end in Friday night’s loss.
Gavin Sheets’ first two RBI came without a hit, as both runners scoring on groundouts. Sheets added a booming homerun over the left-centerfield wall, 370 feet (exit velo of 102 mph). He also walked and scored on Rutherford’s slam.
Jace Fry pitched two clean innings in relief, with three strikeouts, needing only 20 pitches. Fry has pitched frequently, and effectively, in Charlotte on his rehab stint. He is on the 60-day IL, retroactive to April 13.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox
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