Charlotte Knights lead IL South with win

The Charlotte Knights entered Monday night’s matchup against the Norfolk Tides a half-game behind their division rival for first place in the International League South, but reclaimed the division lead with a 6-2 victory in the first of a three games at Harbor Park.

A three-run seventh inning gave Charlotte the lead for good after the Tides had pulled even on a Dariel Alvarez home run in the bottom of the sixth.

With the score tied 2 entering the seventh frame, Trayce Thompson led off the inning with his team-leading 18th double of the season and then scored on a Chris Marrero single to put the Knights ahead 3-2. Micah Johnson and Tyler Saladino also contributed RBIs in the inning to push the lead to 5-2.

Charlotte added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when Kevan Smith singled and scored on a Johnson RBI-force-out that gave the Knights a 6-2 advantage.

A Matt Tuiasosopo RBI-single gave the Knights an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, scoring Matt Davidson who had doubled to lead-off the frame.

After Norfolk tied the game at 1 on a Christian Walker RBI single in the fourth inning, Chris Curley sent a solo shot over the centerfield wall to put the team ahead 2-1. The long ball was Curley’s first as a Knight. Dariel Alvarez’s solo homer off of Shawn Haviland in the bottom of the sixth tied the game again at 2.

Haviland pitched well in his tenth start of the season – allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings pitched. The Harvard product did not factor in the decision however, as Jarrett Casey was credited with the win after recording the final out of the sixth inning. The victory was the seventh of the season for Casey, tying him with Erik Johnson for the team lead.

Matt Albers continued his major-league rehab assignment with his second appearance with the Knights on Monday, tossing two scoreless innings of three-hit ball. Left-hander Zach Phillips took over for Albers in the ninth inning and delivered a perfect final frame.

The Knights will look to add to their half-game division-lead with another win over the Tides on Tuesday, as RHP Terance Marin is set to take the mound for Charlotte in the 12:05 p.m. matchup. The Modesto, Calif., native enters the matinee with 22 consecutive scoreless innings to begin his Knights career.

This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Charlotte Knights lead IL South with win."