(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- In front of 10,304 fans -- the team's 11th sell-out crowd of the 2017 season -- the Charlotte Knights supplied plenty of offense en route to their third consecutive win.
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- In front of 10,304 fans -- the team's 11th sell-out crowd of the 2017 season -- the Charlotte Knights supplied plenty of offense en route to their third consecutive win.
Yoán Moncada, Nicky Delmonico, Danny Hayes, and Carson Blair each homered to propel the Charlotte Knights to a 12-4 victory over the Indianapolis Indians on Friday in the opening game of their three-game series from BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte. The Knights pounded out four home runs and 16 total hits on the night for the commanding win.
Hayes hit the first home run of the night and did so in the bottom of the second inning off Indianapolis starter Clay Holmes (4-3, 4.09), who was saddled with the loss. Hayes, who is the team leader with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs, finished the night 2-for-5 with the home run, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Moncada, who is ranked as the top prospect in all of Major League Baseball this season, had a perfect day at the plate on Friday. The 22-year-old Cuban native went 4-for-4 with his eighth home run of the year -- a three-run shot -- during a big six-run fifth inning for the Knights. In all, Moncada reached base a total of six times on the night. He had four hits and two walks, along with four RBIs to help the Knights continue their winning ways.
Two innings later, Delmonico added his 10th home run of the season. His two-run blast off Indianapolis RHP Brett McKinney gave the Knights a 10-3 lead at that point. One inning later, Carson Blair added a two-run home run off McKinney, which pushed Charlotte's lead to 12-4. That was all the Knights would need to earn the win.
RHP Lucas Giolito started for the Knights but did not factor in the decision. Giolito pitched into the fifth inning and gave up three runs on five hits over 4.2 innings pitched. LHP Matt Purke (2-2, 4.22) came on in relief and earned the win. Purke fanned two batters over 1.1 scoreless innings pitched. RHP Chris Volstad gave up just one run on two hits over three innings to earn the first save of his professional career.
The game, which started after a 42-minute weather delay, lasted three hours and 51 minutes.
The Knights will continue their three-game series against the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) on Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. game from BB&T Ballpark. Chicago White Sox LHP Carlos Rodón will make a rehab start on Saturday. Pre-game radio coverage will begin at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Charlotte (730 AM) and CharlotteKnights.com. The "Voice of the Charlotte Knights" Matt Swierad and long-time radio broadcaster Mike Pacheco will have the call for all of the action.
