Record
3-2 (August 23-28)
58-67 (overall, eighth place of 10)
25-26 (second half, seventh place of 10)

Time is starting to run short enough on the season to make an overall .500 season impossible, but Charlotte still has a great shot at getting even for the second half, hopefully pointing toward sunnier days (and playoff contention?) in 2025. And if scroll all the way down, when you see how the bats are heating up here in late summer, you can see that postseason goals may not be too nutty looking ahead, because Charlotte’s been mashing hell outta the ball.

August 23: Memphis Redbirds 4, Charlotte Knights 1
My simple take on Sean Burke (4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 8 K, HR, HB, loss to fall to 1-6) is that he hasn’t quite (and probably won’t, in 2024) gotten back every one of his pitches and that things are still rounding into shape for him. There’s too much solid/hard contact to declare him “next starter up” to Chicago, but the velo (fastest pitch in this game, at 97 mph) and heavy Ks suggest full health and his arrow pointing upward.

K’s the side in the third!

Sean Burke is dealing tonight 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZinaOdKtAt

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 24, 2024

The Knights putting forth a punchless offensive game helped Burke and the club out none.

GAME MVPs
Josimar Cousin, RHRP 1 1/3 IP, H
Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHRP IP, K

August 24: Charlotte Knights 10, Memphis Redbirds 1
Charlotte played basically a perfect game to close out the calendar week, buoyed by a strong Nick Nastrini (5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 6 K, win to improve to 3-9) start and taut follow-up from the pen. With the bats, Charlotte broke out for a six-spot in the first frame, mashed 12 hits in the game, with four players nabbing multi-hits. Carlos Pérez led a parade for four doubles and Colson Montgomery (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, 8.6% WPA) had a game where he reminded you why he is still the top hitting prospect in the system.

And, cap-tip to Pérez. The influx of catchers to the system (White Sox acquiring two veterans in the offseason to play in Chicago, trades for top backstop prospects in Korey Lee and Edgar Quero) pushed Carlos off of the plate in 2024, to the extend he was roster-listed at first base! With the failure of those veterans, South Side move for Lee and Quero’s injury, Pérez has been pressed back to catcher and done well.

TWO-RUN DOUBLE!

Carlos Pérez brings home two runs in the 1st 💪 pic.twitter.com/wEqzx5pVtN

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 24, 2024

GAME MVP
Carlos Pérez (C) 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 10.7% WPA

August 25: Charlotte Knights 8, Memphis Redbirds 3
In the triumphant series finale, the Knights clocked in with crooked numbers in three different frames — but none early. More importantly, Jake Eder (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, HR, earning his first Triple-A win, against four losses) gave up only one run early, hopscotching through his outing in a way we’ve rarely seen during his setback 2024. Bryan Ramos swung the heavy lumber in this one, with two homers and four driven in. Colson Montgomery (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, 2 K, 11.0% WPA) had a second straight slugging effort as well.

10-game hitting streak ✔️
7th homer of the season ✔️

Bryan Ramos is on fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/vl2ZUgK3BM

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 25, 2024

LOCKED IN 🔒

Bryan Ramos has a 2⃣-homer day!

This one goes 424 feet! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/1G2ryna4vf

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 25, 2024

GAME MVP
Bryan Ramos (3B) 3-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR, K, CS, 38.8% WPA

August 27: Charlotte Knights 16, Nashville Sounds 7
Perhaps Johan Domínguez (3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 4 K, 4 HR) was merely challenging his bats, getting them to go out and maul in the opener of this series against a formidable (66-59) foe. Yeah, let’s pitch it that way, because Domínguez sure wasn’t pitching to win, getting jumped and run from the game after nine outs. But while Nashville was staked to a 6-1 lead early, the second half of the game packed a counterpunch that left Nashville counted out: Charlotte scoring three in the fifth, six in the sixth, three in the seventh and a pair in the eighth. Scattered among that collection of crooked numbers were hits from every starter in the lineup and 13 safeties, six extra-base hits and seven walks. Best of all was no hitter taking third and fourth helpings in the feast, with just four bats notching multiple-hit games and none more than two.

PAY DAY 💰💰💰💰

Mark Payton just launched a GRAND SLAM 💪 pic.twitter.com/Sx9DS41kds

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 28, 2024

ON THE MARK!

Mark Payton with a diving catch in the 9th! #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/4ua8eFLa3F

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) August 28, 2024

Game MVP
Mark Payton (LF) 2-for-4, 4 R, 4 RBI, HR, 2 BB, 42.4% WPA

August 28: Nashville Sounds 12, Charlotte Knights 2
All is fair in love and whatever, and goddang if the Sounds didn’t just punch the Knights right back in the series encore.

How it started: Knights 2, Sounds 0 in the first
How it’s going: Danny Mendick (2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, HR/0-for-3, BB, 3 K) through to the second-most Nashville batters in the game

GAME MVP
Deivi García (RHRP used as opener) 3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 15.6% WPA

14-Day Hitting

14-Day Pitching

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Bryan Ramos photo by Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights