Smoking-Hot Knights Shut Out 'Pigs 1-0

(ALLENTOWN, PA) -- Scorching. Blistering. Smoking hot. 

The Charlotte Knights continued their winning ways on Saturday night and climbed even closer to the top of the International League Wild Card standings.

Shortstop Ramón Torres launched a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to propel the Knights to a thrilling 1-0 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in game two of their three-game series from Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. The win was Charlotte's season-high sixth straight and 10^th over their last 12 games.

With the victory on Saturday, the Knights pulled to just 1.5 games back in the exciting wild card race and just four games back of first place in the IL South Division.

LHP Matt Tomshaw started for the Knights on Saturday and was exceptional over six shutout innings. Tomshaw, who was promoted to the Knights on Thursday from Double-A Birmingham, gave up just one hit and struck-out four batters over his six masterful innings. He left with the game scoreless.

RHP Thyago Vieira (6-4, 4.64) came on in relief of Tomshaw in the seventh and tossed two scoreless innings to earn his sixth win of the season. LHP Hunter Schryver fanned three batters in the ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season with the Knights.

The team's lone run came on the solo home run from Torres, his third of the season with the Knights. He had two of Charlotte's four hits on Saturday.

The Knights, who are 6-1 on the road trip, will conclude their three-game series against the IronPigs on Sunday afternoon. Pre-game radio coverage of Sunday's 1:35 p.m. game is set for 1:20 p.m. on 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte and CharlotteKnights.com. The "Voice of the Charlotte Knights" Matt Swierad will have the call for all of the action.