First-place Knights drop finale to Bisons 5-2
Danny Hayes launched his 10th home run of the season, but the first place Charlotte Knights fell 5-2 to the Buffalo Bisons on Sunday in the finale of their three-game series in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Knights, who won both ends of their doubleheader on Saturday, finished up their seven-game road trip with a 4-3 record.
Buffalo RHP Drew Hutchison (3-3, 3.12) started and allowed two runs on three hits over six innings en route to his third win of the season. Hutchison, 25, walked two batters and struck-out seven on the afternoon.
Right fielder Junior Lake started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run off Charlotte RHP Scott Carroll (1-3, 5.00), who was saddled with the loss. Lake’s home run – his sixth of the season – gave the Bisons an early 2-0 lead.
The Bisons continued their scoring on Sunday and added a run in each of the next three innings. In the third, Matt Dominguez started the attack with a double. Casey Kotchman then followed and reached base on a fielding error by Nicky Delmonico, which scored Dominguez for Buffalo’s third run of the day. One inning later, Lake added another RBI with a sacrifice fly, which scored Andy Burns. In the fifth, Domonic Brown gave the Bisons a 5-0 lead with his RBI single.
Carroll allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Charlotte reliever Chris Beck came on in relief of Carroll and did not allow a run over 2 2/3 innings pitched.
Charlotte scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the sixth inning courtesy of Hayes, who launched his team-leading 10th home run of the season. The two-run shot came off Hutchison. In all, the Knights recorded four hits.
The Knights return home to BB&T Ballpark on Monday to open a six-game homestand. Monday’s game features $1 hot dogs courtesy of Sahlen’s. Gates open at 6 p.m. for Monday’s 7:05 p.m. game against the Norfolk Tides. Pre-game radio coverage starts at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Charlotte 730 AM and CharlotteKnights.com. The “Voice of the Charlotte Knights” Matt Swierad and Knights radio broadcaster Mike Pacheco will have the call for all of the action.
This story was originally published June 12, 2016 at 9:42 PM with the headline "First-place Knights drop finale to Bisons 5-2."