Charlotte Knights Expansion Franchise (2023)

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June 15 – Off Day

The Knights travel to New York to take on the 40-32 Mets. The pitching matchups are:

Danny Duffy (4-5, 6.68) vs. Tylor Megill (2-3, 1.79)
Braxton Garrett (6-2, 3.31) vs. Joey Lucchesi (5-3, 5.47)
John Means (5-3, 4.95) vs. Jacob deGrom (6-7, 5.33)

Game #72 – June 16 – Citi Field

Jeff McNeil's bomb to right leading off the 2nd inning gave New York an early 1-0 lead. Pete Alonso hit a 2-run shot in the 3rd.

Aramis Garcia connected for his 1st home run of the year, a 2-run shot to left, in the 5th, to make it a 3-2 game.

James McCann singled home a run in the 6th off of Ricky DiVito to give the Mets a 4-2 lead. DiVito then walked 3 batters in a row to force in another run. Alex Vesia was called on to make his Charlotte debut. He retired Alonso on a popup to left and struck out Miguel Sano to end the inning.

Charlotte made things interesting in the 9th. Pinch hitter Jason Kipnis led off with a single and Vidal Brujan drew a walk. After pinch hitter Brandon Drury hit into a fielder's choice, Owen Miller singled to make it a 5-3 game. With the tying runs on base, Seth Lugo struck out Jhonkensey Noel and Jesus Sanchez to end the game.

Final Score: New York 5, Charlotte 3
WP: T. Megill (3-3)
LP: D. Duffy (4-6)
SV: S. Lugo (16)
Record: 37-36
Player of the Game: Tylor Megill

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Game # 75 – June 17 – Citi Park

Brandon Drury's 3-run bomb in the 1st inning gave Charlotte an early 3-0 lead. Drury took Joey Lucchesi deep a 2nd time, this time a solo shot in the 4th to make it 4-0. Elihuris Montero added a solo shot later in the inning. Owen Miller hit a solo home run in the 5th, his 9th. The Knights made it 7-0 in the 6th inning on Montero's RBI groundout. Miller doubled home a run in the 7th, and Jhonkensey Noel followed with an RBI single to make it 9-0. The Knights scored their 10th run on Anthony Santander's double play.

Braxton Garrett backed this up, pitching 6 shutout innings of 1-hit ball before surrendering a double to Jeff McNeil and a home run to Khalil Lee in the 7th. Nick Robertson came on and retired all 5 men he faced. Joe Barlow pitched a scoreless 9th.

Finally Score: Charlotte 10, New York 2
WP: B. Garrett (7-2)
LP: J. Lucchesi (5-4)
Record: 38-36
Player of the Game: Brandon Drury

TRADE: The Knights traded P Danny Duffy and P David Parkinson to Cleveland, receiving INF Ernie Clement, INF Richie Palacios, and P Sam Hentges in return.

None of those are expected to be major pieces, but 1 or may develop into a useful piece. The main reason for tue trade is to open up a rotation spot for Michael Grove, who was acquired from the Dodgers earlier in the season and is ready for a promotion from AAA.

TRANSACTION: Designated Shawn Dubin, Travis Blankenhorn, and Henry Ramos for assignment. Assigned Clement and Palacios to AAA. Optioned Ricky DiVito to AAA. Placed Hentges on the active roster. Activated Jose Iglesias from his rehab assignment.

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Game # 75 – June 18 – Citi Park

The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning when Jason Kipnis singled, Brandon Drury doubled, and Jesus Sanchez singled to score both. Owen Miller smashed a 3-run home run in the 2nd (his 10th) to make it a 5-0 game.

The Mets got on the board when Khalil Lee doubled home a run in the bottom of the 2nd but Mike Gerber connected for his 9th homer in the 3rd, a 407- foot solo shot to right, to male it 6-1.

The Mets loaded the bases in the 3rd, and Jeff McNeil made John Means pay with a grand slam to CF. Suddenly, it was a 6-5 game.

Charlotte added to their lead in the 5th when Elihuris Montero scored from 1st on an Andy Ibanez double. Gerber followed with a single through the middle to score Ibanez and make it 8-5. The Mets got a run back on McNeil's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.

Kipnis hit a 418 bomb to center to plate 2 runs in the 6th. It was his 2nd round-tripper as a Knight.

Alex Vesia relieved Means to start the bottom of the 6th. He pitched a scoreless inning, Austin Adams pitched a scoreless 7th, and Kutter Crawford pitched the final 2 innings.

Final Score: Charlotte 10, New York 6
WP: J. Means (6-3)
LP: J. deGrom (6-8)
Record: 39-36
Player of the Game: Jason Kipnis

NEWS: Toronto's Bo Bichette will miss the next 4 weeks with a separated shoulder.

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The Knights return home to host Colorado, who come in with a 25-50 record. Here are the pitching matchups:

Austin Gomber (0-3, 7.99) vs. Mike Clevinger (4-5, 4.71)
Artie Lewicki (4-5, 6.11) vs. Sean Manaea (4-8, 5.44)
Nabil Crismatt (2-9, 5.47) vs. Unannounced

Game # 76 – June 19 – Knights Field

Connor Wong led off the bottom of the 3rd inning with his 10th home run of the season to break a scoreless tie. The Rockies tied it on a Zac Veen single in the 5th. Kris Bryant followed with an RBI groundout to give Colorado a 2-1 lead. Brendan Rodgers singled later in the inning to make it 3-1. Mike Clevinger then walked Shogo Akiyama, and Nick Robertson was summoned from the bullpen. Robertson got out if the inning.

Charlotte made it 3-2 when Jose Iglesias scored on a 2-out error by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. The Knights took advantage of a Rodgers error in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game on an Iglesias sacrifice fly. After Vidal Brujan popped out to CF, Owen Miller singled to center to drive home the go-ahead run.

Austin Adams pitched a scoreless 8th, but Jorge Alcala could not preserve the lead in the 9th. Akiyama singled home the tying run.

Vidal Brujan singled to lead off the bottom of the 9th, stole second, and scored on Jhonkensey Noel's single and a throwing error by CF Akiyama for the walk-off win.

Final Score: Charlotte 5, Colorado 4
WP: J. Alcala (1-0)
LP: G. Hollowell (2-3)
Record: 40-36
Player of the Game: Austin Comber

News: In a surprise move, the Knights designated Ryan McKenna for assignment and purchased Michael Grove's contract from AAA.

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Game # 77 – June 20 – Knights Field

Vidal Brujan and Brandon Drury hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the game. The Knights scored another run on an Anthony Santander sacrifice fly later in the inning, and took a 3-0 lead on Connor Wong's bases loaded walk. Mike Gerber's run-scoring single in the 2nd inning made it 4-0.

Colorado got on the board in the 6th when Michael Toglia connected for a 2-run home run off of Sean Manaea.

Zac Veen blasted a 3-run home run off of reliever Joe Barlow in the 7th to take a 5-4 lead.

Connor Wong drove a Jose Alvarez pitch off the top of the CF wall with 2 outs in the 8th. 2 runs scored and the Knights retook the lead. Jose Iglesias followed with a single to score Wong to make it 7-5.

The Rockies scored a run on a Kris Bryant single off of Jorge Alcala in the 9th. With runners at the corners and 2 outs, Michael Toglia doubled down the 1B line to score 2 runs as Colorado retook the lead, 8-7.

Julian Fernandez entered from the bullpen to close out the game in the bottom of the 9th. Drury walked to lead off and Jhonkensey Noel followed with a sharp single to left. Jesus Sanchez singled to load the bases. Fernandez then walked Mike Gerber to force home the tying run. After Santander struck out, Andy Ibanez smashed a line drive over CF Shogo Akiyama's head to give the Knights a dramatic walk off win.

Final Score: Charlotte 9, Colorado 8
WP: J. Alcala (2-0)
LP: J. Fernandez (2-6)
Record: 41-36
Player of the Game: Michael Toglia

TRADE: The Knights traded P Tommy Millone, who has been on the injured list all season and has completed his rehab assignment, to Minnesota in exchange for OF Matt Wallner. Wallner, 25, "has the power to develop into a human highlight reel."

NEWS: The Giants traded RP Alex Colome to the Dodgers for minor league SS Brelyn Jones.

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Game # 78 – June 21 – Knights Field

Michael Grove made 1st major league start. The Rockies took a 1-0 lead on Ryan McMahon's RBI single in the top of the 1st inning. Jesus Sanchez was hurt on the play and was replaced in the lineup by Mike Gerber (Anthony Santander moving to RF).

Michael Toglia made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the 4th. Kris Bryant hit a bases-clearing double to make it 5-0 later in the inning.

Meanwhile, Nabil Crismatt was mowing down Charlotte batters. The Knights did not collect their 1st hit until there was 1 out in the bottom of the 4th inning when a Toglia error allowed a to score, making it a 5-1 game.

Sam Hentges made his Charlotte debut to start the 5th. He did his job, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.

Colton Wong singled with 1 out in the bottom of the 5th, stole 2nd, and scored on a Vidal Brujan double. Anthony Santander doubled home 2 runs in the 6th to male it 5-4. Santander later scored the tying run on a wild pitch.

Kutter Crawford and Kervin Castro escaped a 2-on, 1-out jam in the top of the 8th. Castro pitched out another jam in the 9th.

Owen Miller singled with 1 out in the 9th and Brandon Drury followed with a double to left. Jhonkensey Noel then hit a flyball to deep center, and Miller tagged from 3rd to score the winning run, giving Charlotte another walk off win.

Final Score: Charlotte 6, Colorado 5
WP: K. Castro (3-2)
LP: J. Alvarez (1-3)
Record: 42-36
Player of the Game: Ezequiel Tovar

TRANSACTION: Optioned Kutter Crawford to AAA. Placed Matt Wallner on the active roster.

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The Knights travel to San Diego to take on the 39-39 Padres. Here are the pitching matchups:

Braxton Garrett (7-2, 3.27) vs. Carlos Martinez (3-6, 3.90)
John Means (6-3, 5.29) vs. Nick Martinez (4-7, 5.17)
Mike Clevinger (4-5, 4.77) vs. Mackenzie Gore (5-7, 4.60)

Game #79 – June 22 – Petco Park

The Padres took a 1-0 lead when Eric Hosmer scored on a Braxton Garrett wild pitch. C. J. Abrams drove home another run in the 3rd on an RBI infield single. Luke Voigt's 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th blew the game open for the Padres, at least with the way Carlos Martinez was dealing. He allowed 2 hits over 6.1 shutout innings, striking out 5 and walking 1.

Knights bats finally showed life in the 9th. Brandon Driry singled with 1 out and Andy Ibamez tripled him home. Anthony Santander followed with a 401-foot home run to left-center field to make it 4-3. Matt Wallner popped out, but then pinch-hitter Elihuris Montero drew a walk. Charlotte sent Jose Iglesias to pinch-run for Montero and Mike Gerber batted for Vidal Brujan. Giovanny Gallegos struck out Gerber to end the game.

Final Score: San Diego 4, Charlotte 3
WP: C. Martinez (4-6)
LP: B. Garrett (7-3)
SV: G.. Gallegos (14)
Record: 42-37
Player of the Game: Carlos Martinez

NEWS: The Knights tried to sneak Ryan McKenna through waivers, but word came today that he had been claimed by the Portland Mavericks.

NEWS: Angels 3B Anthony Rendon will miss the next 6 weeks after injuring himself while running the bases.

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Game #80 – June 23 – Petco Park

The Knights took an early lead when Jason Kipnis drew a walk, Jhonkensey Noel singled, and Brandon Drury doubled into the LF gap to make it 2-0. Anthony Santander then singled up the middle, scoring Drury and making it 3-0.

The first 3 Padres reached base against John Means before Manny Machado doubled home 2 runs. Luke Voit followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game at 3. Luis Campusano singled to put runners at the corners, but Means got Jurickson Profar to ground into a 6-4-3 inning to end the inning.

Noel hit his 17th home run with 1 out in the 3rd to put Charlotte back on top, 4-3. Brandon Drury then beat out an infield single but had to leave the game with an injury. Andy Ibanez replaced Drury in the lineup.

Owen Miller singled home another run in the top of the 4th.

After the rough 1st inning, Means settled down, but Machado led off the 6th with his 10th home run. After Means walked Voit, the Knights summoned Austin Adams from the bullpen. Adams got out of the inning without any further damage, but the Padres scored the tying run in the 7th on a Fernando Tatis sacrifice fly. Machado greeted reliever Alex Vesia with a 434 foot bomb to LF to give the Padres a 6-5 lead.

Final Score: San Diego 6, Charlotte 5
WP: S. Wilson (3-0)
LP: A. Vesia (0-1)
SV: G. Gallegos (15)
Record: 42-38
Player of the Game: Manny Machado

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Game # 81 – June 24 – Petco Park

The Padres tool a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning. The Knights got a run back in the 2nd on Mike Gerber's RBI single. Luis Campusano led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to left to make it a 3-1 game. Eric Hosmer's 2-run home run to right in the bottom of the 4th extended San Diego's lead.

Brandon Drury singled home a run in the 5th to make it 5-2. A Fernando Tatis error allowed another run to score. The Knights had the bases loaded, but Anthony Santander struck out and Andy Ibanez flew out to RF to end the scoring threat.

Hosmer blasted his 2nd home run of the game, a solo shot off of Sam Hentges with 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th, to make it 6-3.

Matt Wallner and Vidal Brujan both left the game with injuries, which may necessitate a roster move (depending on how serious the injuries are) as the Knights are now down to 2 healthy outfielders.

Final Score: San Diego 6, Charlotte 3
WP: R. Stripling (2-1)
LP: M. Clevinger (4-6)
SV: R. Weathers (1)
Record: 42-39
Player of the Game: Eric Hosmer

TRADE: The Knights traded Mike Clevinger, Cole Tucker, and minor league OF Kennedy Corona to Portland, receiving C Austin Nola in return.

TRANSACTION: The Knights designated C Aramis Garcia for assignment, added Nola to the active roster, and recalled Glenn Otto from AAA to take Clevinger's spot in the rotation.

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The Knights return home.to take on the 1st place Cardinals (48-33). Here are tu e pitching matchups:

Matthew Libatore (4-3, 4.82) vs. Sean Manaea (4-8, 4.28)
Jordan Hicks (2-5, 4.82) vs. Michael Grove (0-0, 11.25)
John Flaherty (3-3, 6.75) vs. Braxton Garrett (7-3, 3.39)

June 24 – ppd. Rain

Game #82 – June 25 (Game #1) – Knights Field

St. Louis took a quick 2-0 when Dylan Carlson homered in the top of the 1st inning. The Cardinals added a run in the 2nd on Paul DeJong's sacrifice fly.

The Knights loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the 2nd on a walk, an infield hit, and an error. After Andy Ibanez and Colteb Wong were retired, Jose Iglesias doubled into the RF gap to.make it a 3-2 game. Tommy Edman's error on a Brandon Drury grounder allowed the tying run to score before Jhonkensey Noel struck out to end the inning.

Yasmani Randal untied it quickly with a 3-run home run in the 3rd to give the Redbirds a 6-3 lead. Nolan Arenado also went deep in the inning, and Joe Barlow was summoned to relieve a battered Sean Manaea. Barlow walked the 1st man faced, and he later scored on a DeJong single. St. Louis scored 6 more times in the 4th.

Alex Vesia and Kervin Castro combined to pitch 5 shutout innings. Elihuris Montero and Anthony Santander singled home runs in the bottom of the 9th, and Ibanez drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 14-6. Owen Miller hit a pinch hit single to drive home another run before Iglesias grounded to 3B to end the game.

Final Score: St. Louis 14, Charlotte 7
WP: M. Liberatore (5-3)
LP: S. Manaea (4-9)
Record: 42-40
Player of the Game: Yasmani Grandal

TRANSACTION: Optioned Joe Barlow to AAA. Recalled Kutter Crawford.

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Game #83 – June 25 (Game #2) – Knights Field

4 of the first 5 batters reached base against Michael Grove, but he got out of the top of the 1st only allowing 1 run.

Jordan Hicks retired the first 10 men he faced before Brandon Drury drew a walk in the 4th. After Jhonkensey Noel was retired, Jesus Sanchez was safe on an infield single. Austin Nola made an impact in his Charlotte debut when he deposited a 3-2 pitch from Hicks into the LF stands to give the Knights a 3-1 lead.

Grove recovered from a tough 1st inning to pitch well until tiring in the 5th. Nolan Gorman's 2-out, bases-clearing double put the Cards back on top.

The Knights had runners at 2nd and 3rd with nobody out in the 7th but could not get a run home. Harrison Bader's 2-run home run in the bottom of the inning extended St. Louis' lead. Tyler O'Neill went deep in the top of the 9th to make it 7-3.

Andy Ibanez hit a solo home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th. Then, after Matt Wallner struck out, Vidal Brujan singled and Owen Miller walked before Drury electrified the home crowd when he deposited a Genesis Cabrera fastball into the RF stands to tie the game.

Noel drove an Ljay Newsome pitch over Bader's head and off the wall to score Miller with 2 outs in the 11th to complete the comeback and give Charlotte an improbable walk off win.

Final Score: Charlotte 8, St. Louis 7 (11 innings)
WP: J. Alcala (3-0)
LP: B. Boxberger (1-1)
Record: 43-40
Player of the Game: Brandon Drury

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Game #84 – June 26 – Knights Field

Vidal Brujan drove home the 1st run of the game with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Meanwhile, Braxton Garrett retired the first 14 men he faced before walking Paul Goldschmidt with 2 outs in the 5th. Paul DeJong collected St. Louis' 1st hit with 1 out in the 6th. Harrison Bader doubled home 2 runs in the 7th to give the Cardinals the lead, which spelled the end of the night for Garrett.

St. Louis added 2 insurance runs in the top of the 9th off of Nick Robertson.

The Knights loaded the bases with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th. Pinch hitter Mike Gerber singled home a run to make it 4-2. Vidal Brujan drew a walk to make it 4-3. Owen Miller followed with a sharp line drive up the middle that was speared by pitcher Brad Boxberger. That left it up to Jhonkensey Noel, who was retired on a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the game.

Final Score: St. Louis 4, Charlotte 3
WP: D. Phelps (2-0)
LP: B. Garrett (7-4)
SV: B. Boxberger (2)
Record: 43-41
Player of the Game: Braxton Garrett

NEWS: Brandon Drury rejected a contract extension. He is asking for a 4 year deal of $10,350,000 a year.

NEWS: Atlanta RP Daniel Hudson will miss the rest of the season with shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers announced RP Craig Kimbrel will miss the rest of season with a damaged elbow ligament.

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June 27 – Off Day

The Knights host the 42-42 Arizona Diamondbacks. The pitching matchups are:
Triston McKenzie (3-4, 5.61) vs. John Means (6-3, 5.40)
Madison Bumgarner (3-7, 4.34) vs. Glenn Otto (1-0, 1.86)
Zac Gallen (6-5, 4.05) vs. Sean Manaea (4-9, 5.81)

Game #85 – June 28 – Knights Field

Gio Urshela doubled home a run in the top of the 1st inning. Ketel Marte followed with a 2-run double to make it 3-0. Another run scored on an RBI groundout. Daulton Varsho tripled to score another run. Corbin Carroll (the 10th man to bat in the inning) doubled home 2 more runs to make it 7-0. Alek Thomas mercifully flew out to deep CF to end the inning. 2 Charlotte errors contributed to the carnage.

The Knights scored a run of their own in the bottom of the inning on Jesus Sanchez's RBI single through the middle.

Marte homered to left in the 2nd and Kutter Crawford relieved John Means.

Elihuris Montero belted his 9th home run in the bottom of the 2nd, a 2-run shot to LF, to make it an 8-3 game. Andy Ibanez homered (his 11th) in the 3rd. Montero doubled in the 4th and, after Colten Wong walked, Owen Miller singled home Montero to make it 8-5.

Arizona scored 3 times off Austin Adams in the 5th to take an 11-5 lead. They added 3 more runs in the 6th off Sam Hentges to make it 14-5.

Carroll had a 5 hit day for the Diamondbacks.

Final Score: Arizona 14, Charlotte 5
WP: E. Yean (3-0)
LP: J. Means (6-4)
Record: 43-42
Player of the Game: Corbin Carroll

NEWS: Charlotte claimed P Tony Gonsolin off waivers from the Dodgers and P Brandon Bielak off waivers from Houston.

NEWS: Baltimore CF Cedric Mullins will miss the next 6-7 weeks with a fractured thumb. Nashville's Wander Franco will miss a month with an intercostal strain.

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Game #86 – June 30 – Knights Field

Daulton Varsho scored the 1st run of the game on a Carson Kelly sacrifice fly in the 2nd inning. Vidal Brujan singled home the tying run in the 3rd. Geraldo Perdomo gave the Diamondbacks the lead in the 5th with a run-scoring single.

Colton Wong's 1-out home run in the bottom of the 7th (his 11th) tied the game at 2, but Nick Robertson couldn't keep Arizona off the board in the top of the 8th. Ketel Marte's 2-out double gave the Snakes a 3-2 lead. Brandon Drury led off the bottom of the inning with his 13th home run to draw Charlotte even once again.

Alek Thomas took a tiring Kervin Castro deep in the 11th to put Arizona up 5-3.

Final Score: Arizona 5, Charlotte 3 (11 innings)
WP: A. Chafin (4-2)
LP: K. Castro (3-3)
SV: K. Grinkel (3)
Record: 43-43
Player of the Game: Madison Baumgarner

TRANSACTIONS: Designated AAA OF Stuart Fairchild for assignment. Optioned OF Matt Wallner and P Kutter Crawford to AAA. Assigned C Aramis Garcia to AAA. Activated Tony Gonsolin and Brandon Bielak.

NEWS: RP Ian Kennedy signed with the Dodgers after being released by the Yankees.

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Game #87 – July 1 – Knights Field

Owen Miller singled to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning. Jason Kipnis followed with a double to left-center and Jhonkensey Noel then hit a sacrifice fly to score Miller, giving Charlotte a 1-0 lead. After Jesus Sanchez drew a walk, Brandon Drury singled past 2B, scoring Kipnis and making it a 2-0 game. Anthony Santander singled home another run.

The Diamondbacks got a run back on Corbin Carroll’s run-scoring infield single. Mike Gerber made a diving catch on a Jordan Luplow line drive with the bases loaded to save at least 2 runs and end the inning.

Drury tripled to lead off the bottom of the 3rd, but the Knights could not bring him home.

Making his best start in weeks, Sean Manaea pitched 7 strong innings, allowing 1 run of 6 hits. Jorge Alcala relieved him to start the 8th. Alcala retired all 6 batters he faced to earn his 2nd save.

Final Score: Charlotte 3, Arizona 1
WP: S. Manaea (5-9)
LP: Z. Gallen (6-6)
SV: J. Alcala (2)
Record: 44-43
Player of the Game: Sean Manaea

NEWS: The Orioles completed a trade with Portland, sending 2 minor leaguers to the Mavericks in exchange for P Matthew Boyd.