Here’s how the Charlotte Knights are planning to keep fans hungry for baseball

Carolina Panthers training camp has opened, the region’s high school football teams begin practice Monday, and college teams aren’t far behind.

But the Charlotte Knights are rolling out a set of special promotions in August to remind area fans that it’s still baseball season.

The Knights continue to lead the minor leagues in attendance, averaging 8,898 fans a game. But close behind is the Pacific Coast League’s Round Rock Express (8,869).

The upcoming promotions include a Super Splash Day on Aug. 17; an all-you-can-eat deal on Aug. 25; and Saturday night fireworks displays twice during the month.

The Aug. 17 event will include a double-lane slip-and-slide, a water slide, a misting station, kiddie pools and a celebrity dunk tank. The Knights’ game that Friday has been moved from evening to 12:05 p.m., because the Carolina Panthers have a preseason game across the street at 7:30 p.m. against Miami.

On Aug. 25, the Knights are scheduled for a day-night doubleheader.

At the 1:05 p.m. game, a $25 ticket will get fans a seat for the game, plus all the hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, soft pretzels, soda and ice cream they can eat. Then the 7:04 p.m. nightcap will have a fireworks display. Fireworks also are planned after the Aug. 18 game, a week earlier.

The Knights are planning several other promotions during the month, including a Women in Baseball Day on Sunday, and a Crockett Foundation Night on Aug. 26 with postgame wrestling.

Charlotte plays 19 of its 29 August games at home.

League honors: Outfielder Eloy Jimenez, top prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization, was named International League Batter of the Week for July 16-22, when he hit .429 with three home runs and 24 total bases. Jimenez continued his hot hitting during the past week.

Here’s a wrapup of how the Knights have fared, and what’s ahead:

Tuesday: Charlotte’s game at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was suspended by rain and rescheduled as a doubleheader Wednesday. Then that date was rained out, so the suspended game was reset for Thursday and the Wednesday game canceled.

Thursday: The Knights fell 5-4 to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the suspended game but won 8-2 in the regularly-scheduled contest. Michael Kopech was the winning pitcher, going five strong innings, and Jimenez went 2-for-4 with a home run.

Friday: The Knights fell 6-1 to Pawtucket, with starter Jordan Stephens taking the loss. But Jimenez went 3-for-4.

Saturday: The Red Sox edged Charlotte 6-5, behind Adam Lind’s first-inning grand slam. Patrick Leonard hit his eighth homer of the season for the Knights.

Sunday: Jimenez went 3-for-4, hitting his seventh home run in just a month playing with Charlotte, and the Knights blanked Pawtucket 8-0. Jimenez drove in three runs.

Week ahead: The Knights entertain Norfolk at 7:04 p.m. Monday through Thursday, then host Durham for games at 7:04 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5:05 p.m. Sunday.

This story was originally published July 29, 2018 at 8:01 PM.