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Knights Close Out Road Trip with 2-1 Win on Sunday Night

Blake Rutherford had the go-ahead double in the ninth inning for Charlotte. (Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights)
By Tommy Viola
July 31, 2022

(NASHVILLE, TN) – Designated hitter Blake Rutherford’s RBI double in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Charlotte Knights to a 2-1 win over the Nashville Sounds on Sunday in the finale of the six-game series from First Horizon Park in Nashville, TN. The Knights wrapped up the nine-game

(NASHVILLE, TN) – Designated hitter Blake Rutherford’s RBI double in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Charlotte Knights to a 2-1 win over the Nashville Sounds on Sunday in the finale of the six-game series from First Horizon Park in Nashville, TN. The Knights wrapped up the nine-game road trip with a second consecutive win over the Sounds.

With the game tied at 1-1, Chicago White Sox third baseman Jake Burger led the ninth inning off with a single. After catcher Carlos Pérez grounded into a fielder’s choice, Adam Haseley struck out for the second out of the inning. With two outs and Pérez on first base, Nashville reliever Marcus Walden (0-1, 6.95) threw a wild pitch and Pérez advanced to second base. Enter Blake Rutherford.

Rutherford, who is second on the Knights this season in doubles, roped his 17th double of the season into right field. Pérez came around to score the go-ahead run and give the Knights a 2-1 lead. Rutherford finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with the double and RBI. He now has 47 doubles with the Knights (2021 & 2022 combined).

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Charlotte reliever J.B. Olson went to work against the Sounds. After the right-hander struck out Garrett Whitley to begin the inning, Matt Lipka singled off Olson to put the tying run on first base and the winning run at home plate with just one out. After a mound visit, Lipka attempted to steal second base but was gunned out by Pérez for the second out of the inning.

Olson then got Jakson Reetz to strike out to end the game. It was Olson’s second save of the season.

Charlotte RHP Yacksel Ríos (4-3, 4.91) earned the win out of the bullpen after he tossed a scoreless eighth inning. A total of six Charlotte pitchers combined to hold the Sounds to just one run in the finale on Sunday. LHP Kyle Kubat started the game and allowed one run on three hits over 4.2 innings pitched.

The Knights scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning thanks to an RBI single by center fielder Mark Payton. In the bottom of the third, the Sounds quickly tied the game on a solo home run off the bat of Corey Ray. The game remained tied 1-1 until the ninth inning.

Appearing in his fifth rehab game with the Knights, Burger went 1-for-4 and has now totaled five hits in the five games.

The Knights will now have an off day on Monday before opening a six-game home series against the Gwinnett Stripers on Tuesday night. First pitch of Tuesday’s game, which also features an appearance by Ryan Klesko, is set for 7:04 p.m. from Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte. The “Voice of the Charlotte Knights” Matt Swierad and long-time Knights broadcaster Mike Pacheco will have the call for all of the action on 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte and www.CharlotteKnights.com.