On a loaded staff, one Charlotte Knights pitcher’s steady arm leads the pack
Among a rotation featuring some of baseball’s best pitching prospects, Charlotte Knights right-hander Carson Fulmer has been the most consistent this season.
Fulmer picked up two wins during the Knights' six-game homestand this past week, allowing just two runs on five hits across 11 1/3 innings.
Over his past four starts, Fulmer is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA. Charlotte has won each of his starts during that stretch.
Tuesday: Three of the Knights’ four home runs came in the second inning, when Danny Hayes, Adam Engel and Yoan Moncada all homered to take a 4-0 lead over Norfolk. That was enough of a cushion for Fulmer, who allowed one run on two hits across 5 1/3 innings in the 8-3 win.
Wednesday: Moncada went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, pacing a Charlotte offense that registered 12 hits. But Lucas Giolito struggled again, surrendering five runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He was saddled with his fourth loss of the season in the 5-4 defeat.
Thursday: Norfolk jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning before Charlotte rallied and seized a 5-4 lead in the fifth. However, the Tides erupted for five runs in the sixth and ultimately earned a 10-5 rain-shortened win after the game was called in the bottom of the seventh.
Friday: The Knights tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring when Gwinnett reliever Mauricio Cabrera made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. However, the Braves secured a 5-4 win an inning later on a sacrifice fly off Gregory Infante.
Saturday: Reynaldo Lopez earned his third straight winning decision, allowing two runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings. Hayes’ three-run homer in the seventh inning proved to be the decisive blow in the 8-4 victory. Moncada went 0-for-3, snapping his 11-game hitting streak.
Sunday: Moncada broke a 1-1 tie with his RBI double in the third inning, and the Knights tacked on two more in the frame. With a 4-1 lead, Fulmer allowed only two more hits over his six innings of work in a 7-1 win.
What’s next: Charlotte begins a seven-game road trip against the Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats with a 7:05 p.m. game on Monday in Indianapolis.
This story was originally published May 7, 2017 at 8:21 PM with the headline "On a loaded staff, one Charlotte Knights pitcher’s steady arm leads the pack."