The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A PERFECT night for D’Shawn Knowles came complete with a storybook ending - a walk-off hit in extra innings.

Knowles’ RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted his Inland Empire 66ers to a 9-8 win over the Stockton Ports Tuesday night at San Manuel Park in San Bernardino, California.

Facing a full count, his base hit to right field scored Werner Blakeley. The starting centre fielder finished the night 4-4 at the plate with two RBI and scored one run.

Trent Deveaux got the start in left field and finished 1-4 on the night.

Knowles previously singled in the first, fourth and eighth inning. He currently leads the team with a .346 batting average. The Los Angeles Angels’ no.30 prospect, Knowles was assigned to the club’s Low A-affiliate - the Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino for the second consecutive season.

In 84 games last season, he hit .227 with a .280 OBP, a .635 OBP, five home-runs, 48 RBI, and a team leading 31 stolen bases.

“The fact that Knowles is a super high-energy player is a plus, but it’s also an obstacle. While he’s capable of making hard contact from both sides of the plate, he needs to learn to slow things down and rediscover his approach,” his MLB Pipeline prospect analysis said.

“On the plus side, the Angels had encouraged Knowles to use that speed more aggressively on the basepaths and he responded by going 31-for-32 in stolen-base attempts last year. He’s a capable defender in centre field, but showed that not only can he handle all three outfield spots, but he started getting reps at shortstop as well.

“If he can get back to more regular contact, he could be an athletic super-utility type.”

Knowles last appeared with the Angels main club in Spring Training 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to baseball.

In the 2019 season Knowles spent time with the Orem Owlz and was named to the Pioneer League’s All-Star Game roster for their midseason matchup against the Class A Short Season Northwest League.

Deveaux, 21, spent the 2021 season in the Arizona Rookie League. In 22 games he hit .300 with a .355 OBP, .728 OPS, 20 hits, eight RBI and two stolen bases. In 2019, Deveaux spent 52 games in the Arizona before he joined Knowles in a previous stint with the Orem Owlz in the Pioneer League.

In Arizona, he hit.247 with 53 hits, 23 RBI, 15 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 14 stolen bases, a .332 OBP and a .994 OPS. He spent just eight games with the Owlz and recorded five hits, home run and two RBI.