Knights Drop 9-7 Slugfest in Indianapolis

Zack Collins hits team-leading fifth home run

Zack Collins drove in three of Charlotte's seven runs on Saturday. (Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights)

By Aaron Cheris

April 13, 2019

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) - In a back-and-forth battle, the Charlotte Knights were defeated 9-7 by the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at Victory Field in game three of their four-game series.

For the second straight night, Charlotte was quick to strike first. Charlie Tilson led off the game with a double and Danny Mendick followed with a walk. Zack Collins got the scoring started with a towering three-run home run to center field, his fifth of the season, to put the Knights up 3-0 after their first turn at the plate.
Indianapolis got two runs back in the bottom of the first against RHP Spencer Adams, who was pitching on the day of his 23rd birthday. The teams then traded runs with Charlotte striking in the second and Indianapolis scoring in the third to bring the score to 4-3. Three Charlotte errors led to three Indianapolis runs in the bottom of the fourth, ending Adams' night with the Indians in front 6-4. Over 4.0 innings, Adams gave up six runs, three earned, on 10 hits with three earned runs and two walks.
Down 7-4 in the seventh, Charlotte rallied to tie the game. Mendick led off the inning with a double and Nicky Delmonico followed with a walk. Two hitters later, Ryan Cordell doubled off the left field wall to plate both runners and cut the deficit to one. Cordell then came around to score the tying run on a wild pitch.
The Indians regained the lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice off reliever Ian Hamilton (0-1) to take the lead for good and win their sixth straight game.
For the Knights, Preston Tucker and Alcides Escobar each recorded two hits while Delmonico scored twice in the loss.

The Knights will conclude their four-game road series against the Indians (Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) on Sunday afternoon. Pre-game radio coverage of the 1:35 p.m. game is set for 1:20 p.m. on 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte. The "Voice of the Charlotte Knights" Matt Swierad will have the call for all of the action. RHP Dylan Cease is set to make his second Triple-A start for the Knights.