Charlotte Knights 5, Buffalo Bisons 4
The Knights (76-64) found a way to rally after a tough top of the eighth for the bullpen against the Bisons (65-73). As a result, Charlotte won a game with plenty of ups and downs.
Knights starter Jonathan Cannon, 26, built on his last start, when he pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings. This time, Cannon only allowed one run in six innings, as he is looking to finish the season with a strong September. The Bisons picked up their only run against him in the top of the first.
The second batter of the game, Rudy Martin Jr., went deep for a solo blast. However, Cannon shut down the Bisons after that, and when his outing was over, the Knights had a 3-1 lead.
The Knights picked up two of those runs in the fourth, when Rikuu Nishida drew a leadoff walk. After a Ryan Galanie strikeout, Jake Cave went deep with a two-run blast to put the Knights in front. The Knights added an insurance run in the fifth, when Dru Baker hit a one-out double. After a ground out by Andy Weber, Nishida stepped up to the plate and hit a single, which he tends to do often. That timely hit extended Charlotte’s lead to two.
The score remained 3-1 until the top of the eighth, when reliever Nick Altermatt ran into trouble. Altermatt got Nick Goodwin to ground out to open the frame, but the Bisons solved him after that. Rhylan Thomas singled, and Martin crushed his second homer of the day to tie the game at three. After a pop out, Davis Schneider put the Bisons ahead with a solo blast.
However, the Knights were not done. Nishida picked up another single to set the table for a rally. Michael Turner struck out, but Cave doubled to put a pair in scoring position with one out. From there, Tim Elko lifted a 1-2 pitch 265 feet to center field. Nishida rushed home to score the tying run, and the ball got away, allowing Cave to score, as well. Shane Smith picked up the save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning for the Knights.
MVP
Jake Cave (RF): 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Runners-Up
Rikuu Nishida (2B): 2-for-3, RBI, BB, 1-for-1 stolen bases
Jonathan Cannon (RHSP): 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Tim Elko (1B): 2-for-3, RBI
Shane Smith (RHRP): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K
Cold Cat
Nick Altermatt (RHRP): 1 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Cold Cat Runners-Up
Caden Connor (LF): 0-for-4, GIDP
Ryan Galanie (DH): 0-for-3, K
Andy Weber (SS): 0-for-2, BB, 0-for-1 stolen bases
Birmingham Barons 4, Knoxville Smokies 3
The Barons (59-75) delivered in the clutch with a walk-off victory against the Smokies (71-62) in Birmingham.
The Smokies put a run on the board in the top of the first, when Kane Kepley hit an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Jordan Sprinkle. Kepley proceeded to steal third and score on a single by Andy Garriola. Due to the error, that went in the books as an unearned run by starter Riley Gowens, 26, who did not allow any other runs in 2 2/3 innings. When Gowens was done, the score was still 1-0.
In the fourth, the Smokies got back on the board, this time against reliever Morris Austin. Austin allowed a leadoff single, and although that was the only hit he allowed, it was costly. After a fly out, a pair of walks, and a strikeout, the bases were loaded with two outs. From there, a wild pitch allowed a run to score, and the Smokies had a 2-0 lead.
The Barons rallied in the bottom of the fourth, picking up a pair of runs. Dylan Campbell led off the frame with his 15th homer of the season and his eighth with the Barons. That blast cut the deficit in half, and the Barons were not done. Two batters later, Alec Briley hit his 30th home run of the season, 29 of which were with the Barons. That tied the game and gave the Barons some momentum.
In the bottom of the sixth, Campbell built on his good day with a leadoff walk and a stolen base. After a fly out by Caleb Bonemer and a ground out by Briley, Campbell was on third with two outs. That set the stage for Colby Shelton, who doubled to drive in the go-ahead run.
In the eighth, the Smokies picked up the tying run against reliever Mathias LaCombe. Miguel Useche hit a leadoff single, and after a productive ground out and a stolen base, Useche was at third base with one out. From there, a sacrifice fly was enough to tie the game.
The score remained 3-3 until the bottom of the ninth inning, which Shelton led off with a line out, but Ryan Burrowes followed with a single. A crucial moment took place after our August Minor League Player of the Month, Samuel Zavala, stepped up to the plate. Burrowes swiped second base, and an error on the throw allowed him to advance to third. Zavala worked a six-pitch walk, and pitch No. 6 was in the dirt. That ball bounced far enough away that Burrowes managed to race home and score the winning run.
MVP
Dylan Campbell (RF): 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, 1-for-1 stolen bases
Runners-Up
Alec Briley (1B): 1-for-4, HR, RBI, R
Colby Shelton (DH): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Riley Gowens (RHSP): 2 2/3 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Liam Paddack (LHRP): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Carson Jacobs (RHRP): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Samuel Zavala (LF): 1-for-3, BB
Cold Cat
Jordan Sprinkle (2B): 0-for-3, throwing error
Cold Cat Runners-Up
Jorge Corona (C): 0-for-2, BB, GIDP, 0-for-1 stolen bases
Morris Austin (RHRP): 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Mathias LaCombe (RHRP): 2 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K
