The whole story

Sometimes you just don't get enough room.

I'm posting a longer version of my Charlotte Knights story which appeared in today's Charlotte Observer. For the space available, it got a pretty good edit, but it was just a story I liked, and hoped more of it would survive.

So if anybody out there is still reading, then I thought I'd let it see the light of day. You know, I just ought to do this blogging thing more often.

By KEITH CANNON
Special Correspondent


FORT MILL -- Brad Eldred's bat is back in the Charlotte Knights' lineup, but he was just one of a bunch of heavy hitters in a 15-4 rout of the Buffalo Bisons on Friday night.
The Knights (50-57) set season-highs for runs and hits (19) in their first game back from a rough road trip. Eldred, playing in just his fourth game back after three weeks on the disabled list, went 3-for-4 hit one of four Charlotte home runs in the game.
"Everybody wants to play a full season, but you can't worry about what could have been," said Eldred, who led the International League with 26 homers and 72 RBIs when he suffered a fractured metacarpal on his left hand on June 22. "I'm just trying to get my timing back and get back in the routine I had before."
He's still the IL leader in RBIs and picked up three more in Friday night's slugfest.
Fernando Cortez hit his first two homers of the season, a bases-empty shot and a three-run homer, and Chris Getz was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer in the third. Jason Bourgeois was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles.
"Everybody contributed," said Knights manager Marc Bombard. "We had a tough road trip (2-6), and didn't get a lot of big hits when we needed them so this was good to see."
The Knights held a 9-4 lead in the eighth when relief pitcher Mike MacDougal loaded the bases with none out. Todd Linden, who also had a pair of homers, doubled and Jordan Brown and Chris Giminez walked, but McDougal recovered to retire the next three batters.
"They're right in the game if anything happens there," Bombard said. "Mac made some good pitches to get out of the jam he got himself in."
Charlotte wrapped up the game with a six-run eighth. Starting pitcher Lance Broadway (9-6) got the victory, giving up four hits and three earned runs in six innings.
The Knights have been active in roster moves in the last several days. Infielder Josh Fields and relief pitcher Ehren Wassermann have been called up by the Chicago White Sox. It's the third straight season Fields has been promoted from Charlotte. Outfielder Jerry Owens was activated from the disabled list and outfielder Noah Hall was released.
"So it goes in this league," Bombard said.