Bullpen Pitches Lights Out, Knights Win Fifth Straight

DURHAM, NC – The Charlotte Knights were tested early on in Saturday's contest against the Durham Bulls. The Knights faced a four-run deficit right out of the gates; however, the team stemmed the tide and worked their way back to a 7-5 road win. The victory is Charlotte fifth straight.

Durham scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and knocked Charlotte’s starting pitcher, Joe Rock, out of the ballgame before the opening stanza was completed. Enter one of the Knights’ biggest strengths of the 2026 season – the bullpen.

Knowing that an extended performance was going to be needed, Jairo Iriarte, Adisyn Coffey, Garrett Schoenle, and Peyton Pallette were efficient and effective on the mound. The relievers combined to pitch 8.1 innings and held the Bulls to one additional run the rest of the way.

The pitching performance was exactly what Charlotte’s offense needed as they swung their way back into the game. Dru Baker began the comeback with a second inning RBI single. In the following frame, Everson Pereira clubbed a two-run Home Run and cut the Bulls lead to one. Ryan Galanie tied the game one inning later with a solo blast to left.

The Knights took their first lead in the seventh. Michael Turner worked a bases-loaded walk and Galanie drove in an insurance run with a sacrifice fly. Turner struck again in the ninth with an RBI infield single that plated Dustin Harris.

Turner, Galanie, and Braden Montgomery all finished with two hits on a night where the offense totaled another double-digit hit output with 11.

Sunday afternoon provides the opportunity for the Knights to complete a six-game road sweep of the Bulls. The series finale is scheduled for 5:05pm ET.