Sheets, Burger shine in Charlotte Knights opener
Charlotte, NC — It didn’t take long for Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets to show off their skills.
In their second at bats the duo hit back-to-back blasts, with 99 and 107 exit velocities, respectively. On a 3-0 count, Burger hit an opposite-field, very loud fly out to the right field wall, which is 356 feet from home plate. Sheets followed that with a no doubter, pulling the ball 430 feet out of the ballpark.
The Knights would eventually lose 10-9 in 12 innings, but Manager Wes Helms is excited about the thumpers in the middle of his lineup.
“Burger’s ball had a chance to go out,” Helms said. “With that pitcher on the mound, we knew Burger had a chance to go oppo, and he almost did, and Gavin looked great. For him to come out on Opening Night and square the balls up like he did — even his outs were hard.”
There was a scary moment when Burger came up a little lame running the bases and was removed from the game with a tight quad.
“It was more precautionary than anything,” Helms said. “We have to build him back up to play every day.”
Helms said they’d evaluate Burger’s status before Wednesday’s game and added that his third baseman might end up sitting out a game or two.
Sheets’ 2-run homer in the third inning tied the score at 3-3. One inning later, Gwinnett starter Kyle Muller began to falter, giving up a solo homer to Matt Reynolds, followed by a single and two walks. The Knights would push across 4 runs in the inning, taking a 7-3 lead.
Gwinnett battled back with three runs in the 5th and two more in the 7th, taking an 8-7 advantage. But the Knights quickly tied it in the bottom of the 7th, after which neither team could push across a run until the top of the 12th, when the Stripers broke the tie with 2 runs (and another runner thrown out at the plate on a nice relay by shortstop Tim Beckham) to go up 10-8. The Knights got one back in the 12th but that was it.
The Knights used 8 pitchers in the game. Starter Jimmy Lambert was on a strict pitch count as he eases his way back from Tommy John surgery in 2019 and was pulled after 41 pitches. Lambert struggled with his control at times, but his fastball sat 95/96 and his breaking pitches were 82/83.
“He looked good,” Helms said. “His velo was good. His curveball had really good break on it. When you come back from an injury like that, you might try to do too much. But I really saw good things from him tonight.”
Kyle Kubat followed and demonstrated pinpoint control in shutting down the Stripers for 3 innings before getting rocked in the 5th, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs. After that, Tayron Guerrero showed off his big fastball, which consistently hit 100 mph.
Kodi Medeiros, Nik Turley, Hunter Schryver, Ryan Burr and Tyler Johnson followed in what is likely to be a blueprint for many Knights games this season in hitter-friendly Truist Field — lots of pitchers (14) and homeruns (5).
Helms singled out Hunter Schryver’s two innings of hitless relief work, but added that most of the relievers had good velocity and movement on their breaking pitches for the first game of the season.
“They’ll get better and better on their location as they get going,” he said.
SCANNING THE BOX SCORE
Gavin Sheets was the hitting star, with two hits, including a home run, 4 RBIs and a run scored. Blake Rutherford also homered and scored three times while Joe DeCarlo added two hits.
On the pitching side, the Knights surrendered 13 hits in the 12-inning affair, including two home runs, while walking eight and striking out 15. Tyler Johnson got the loss, giving up two unearned runs in the 12th.
OPPONENT’S STAR WATCH
Top 50 prospect Drew Waters had a tough night, going 1-for-6 and had a huge error on a bases loaded single by Gavin Sheets. Stripers’ outfielder Travis Demeritte had a huge effort with a homer, two singles, five RBIs and two runs scored.
NEXT UP
Game 2 in the six-game opening series with Gwinnett is Wednesday night, with Jonthan Stiever starting for the Knights.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox
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Excellent work. I’m glad to see our main guys get off to a solid start. Until now, Rutherford’s limited game power had been to his pull side, so if he starts to get a more altitude the opposite way, he can become a bigger factor as either a trade piece or a viable contender for a 2022 right field spot (or earlier depending upon further injuries on the currently depleted Sox roster). This squad, along with Kannapolis, seem to be the teams of most interest to me — at least to begin the year.
Me too. I was particularly interested in Kannapolis’ starting rotation. Unfortunately, they have Norge Vera somewhere marinating until he’s deemed ready.
I am thrilled that minor league baseball is back! But first I’d like to ask a question, please. Actually a series of questions all about the restructuring of the minor leagues. Aside from the Major League roster and various injury designations, etc. 100% of the Chicago White Sox’s players are on these 4 affiliates(or whatever the new term is)? I suppose some are in Extended Spring Training but that’s it right? Players get drafted and then they all go to A-ball(high or low)? Dominicans newly stateside no longer have the luxury of 2 rookie leagues? Are the A-Ball rosters inflated(35, 40)?
The ‘thing’ with Blake Rutherford this year was going to be more power. He showed up right away. I don’t understand what Jake Burger is doing in Triple-A. He’s hardly played in like what, 3 years. And that was High-A? Makes no sense to push him. Do you agree?