Charlotte Knights 2, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 0 Finally snapping their four-game losing streak, the Knights defeated the Jumbo Shrimp behind a quality one-hit outing from Shane Smith. Thanks to the elite pitching, five hits for Charlotte was all it took, with two of those being solo home runs from Michael Turner and Jarred Kelenic in the third and sixth innings, respectively. It’s a good thing they were able to hit it out of the park, because the Good Guys went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Righthander Shane Smith made his second start in Triple-A Charlotte after being sent down to work on his command following three rough outings to begin the year with the White Sox. Tonight, Smith was pretty solid, allowing just one hit and two walks in his five innings, though he did also hit two batters while striking out five for his second game in a row, earning the win. His stats certainly look a lot better these last two appearances, and ideally he can remain on the upward trajectory and return back to the majors.
Shane Smith earns his first W for Charlotte, with a 2-0 #Knights win. He goes 5 innings and allows just 1H and 2BB. He strikes out 5 on 46k/83p. pic.twitter.com/9iDgiVkzQ9
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) April 19, 2026
The bullpen was just as solid and prevented any runs from scoring, with Ben Peoples and Tyler Davis each owning two frames. Peoples had given up the only other hit in the game, walked one and struck out two, also recording his first hold of the season. Davis was spotless in the final two innings and kept the Jumbo Shrimp from making it to first base, striking out three in the process to secure the save.
Birmingham Barons vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas — POSTPONED
Due to inclement weather, this game was postponed. The Barons and Trash Pandas will play a doubleheader on Sunday, April 19.
Winston-Salem Dash 7, Asheville Tourists 6
The Dash won their third game in a row — and in walk-off fashion — thanks to an RBI single from T.J. McCants in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Tourists, 7-6. Winston-Salem’s bats were on fire Saturday, with 13 hits with plenty of scoring opportunities; they went 5-for-18 (.278) with runners in scoring position but left a whopping 12 runners on base. Both Colby Shelton and Anthony DePino posted three hits apiece, with Shelton also accounting for three RBIs. George Wolkow drove in three of his own.
Making his third start of the season, lefthander Justin Sinibaldi gave up two homers as a part of his five hits, which led to four runs surrendered on top of two walks and five Ks in his three frames. The Winston-Salem bullpen was doing fairly well, though Aric McAtee ended up with a blown save and the win, which is a cheap way to get a win. Plus, McAtee owes some thanks to the Dash offense for bailing him out in the bottom of the ninth.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 0
The Cannon Ballers were shut out for the second time this series by the Pelicans. The pitching staff struggled and the bats couldn’t string anything together, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position while stranding seven on base. Righthander Caedmon Parker made his third start of the season, and unfortunately finished with his second loss.
The Pelicans tagged Parker for four runs on five hits, including two home runs, though his replacement Nick Weyrich also gave up a homer as a part of his two runs conceded. By the time righthander Landen Payne entered the game for the last couple of innings, the Ballers were still stuck in a six-run hole with the offense nowhere to be found, and his two scoreless innings with four strikeouts weren’t as impactful. Payne was the only Kannapolis pitcher to not give up a run or a homer, so we will take the small wins right now.
The Ballers will look to tie the series up Sunday against Myrtle Beach and end the weekend on a higher note.
