Knights Finish Sweep In Norfolk With 15-5 Win

(NORFOLK, VA) - Behind one of their biggest offensive games of the season, the Charlotte Knights trounced the Norfolk Tides 15-5 to complete a sweep of their two-game series on Tuesday night at Harbor Park.

The Knights began the scoring on Alcides Escobar's two-out RBI single in the first inning. Later in the frame, the Knights had the bases loaded with two outs for Zack Collins. The Knights designated hitter delivered with a two-run double to center, giving Charlotte a 3-0 lead in their first turn at the plate. However, the Tides tied the game in the fourth.
Charlotte quickly retook the lead in the fifth in similar fashion to the first. Escobar's RBI infield single with two outs put Charlotte ahead 4-3. With the bases loaded again, Collins laced his second double of the night to the gap in right-center, scoring all three runners to put the Knights up 7-3.
The lead only grew for the Knights from there. Luis Robert doubled to score Charlie Tilson in the sixth then Robert came home on Daniel Palka's RBI single to center.
In the eighth, the Knight added five more runs, beginning with Danny Mendick's 14th home run of the season, a towering solo shot to left. Escobar added his third RBI single of the night a few hitters later and Collins capped the inning's scoring with an RBI ground out.
Robert drove in the final run of the night in the ninth inning with an RBI triple to center as he finished 3-for-5 with a single, double, triple, three runs scored, and two RBI.
Collins tied a career-high with six RBI in a 2-for-5 performance while Escobar was 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs. Tilson scored a season-high five times while going 3-for-4 at the plate.
On the mound, Kyle Kubat (W, 3-1) earned his third Triple-A win after giving up four earned runs over 5.0 innings. Connor Walsh gave up one run over 2.0 innings before Hunter Schryver and Matt Foster each tossed a scoreless inning to finish the win.
The Knights return home to start a quick two-game series with the Durham Bulls on Wednesday night. Héctor Santiago (3-5, 4.08) is set to start on the mound for the Knights. Pregame coverage of the 7:04 p.m. game is set for 6:50 p.m. on 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte. The "Voice of the Charlotte Knights" Matt Swierad and long-time Knights radio broadcaster Mike Pacheco will have the call for all of the action.