NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Gwinnett Stripers

Gwinnett Loses 4-3, Splits Series with Norfolk

August 30, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - A late-game blast by Christian Walker gave the Norfolk Tides (75-60) a lead the Gwinnett Braves (72-63) couldn't overcome despite a ninth-inning rally in a 4-3 loss on Sunday to finish a four-game series at Coolray Field.

The top two teams in the International League South Division split the series with two wins apiece, and Gwinnett returns to the 3.0-game deficit they faced in the division when the series began on Thursday.

Walker delivered the decisive blow for Norfolk in the seventh inning with a two-run home run, his 16th of the season, to right field that broke up a 2-2 tie and put Tides' right-handed starter Terry Doyle (W, 3-1) in line for the victory.

The G-Braves remained two runs behind until the bottom of the ninth. A one-out double by Sean Kazmar set the stage for a potential comeback against right-handed reliever Oliver Drake (S, 23). Kazmar scored on a two-out single to left field by Jordan Lennerton that cut the Norfolk lead to one run. However, Drake got pinch hitter Jose Yepez to ground out to shortstop to end the game.

Both squads began the game with a run in the first inning, as the first batter of the game for each team came around to score. David Lough singled and scored on a double by Nolan Reimold in the top of the first, and G-Braves' leadoff hitter Mallex Smith tied the game in the bottom half of the frame when he scored from third on a groundball hit to third base by Hector Olivera.

The Tides retook the lead 2-1 in the top of the second with three singles and a walk against G-Braves' right-handed starter Kanekoa Texeira. Audry Perez led off with a base hit to right field and scored when Lough hit a one-out single to center.

Texeira otherwise held the Tides to two runs in his 4.0 innings of work. He gave up six hits and walked one with five strikeouts while throwing 76 pitches, 47 strikes.

Gwinnett tied the game again in the bottom of the fourth inning, Olivera started with a leadoff ground-rule double on a ball that bounced over the center-field wall. He moved to third on a single by Joey Terdoslavich and scored when Cedric Hunter hit a fielder's choice groundout to shortstop, which gave Hunter his team-leading 71st RBI of the season.

Doyle, who made 23 appearances for the G-Braves in 2014, went 7.2 innings with two runs allowed (one earned) on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts. He exited in the eighth inning in favor of righty reliever Pedro Beato (H, 5), who was also a member of the 2014 G-Braves' pitching staff. Beato got Terdoslavich to ground out to first base to end the eighth.

Mitch Lambson (L, 0-1) took the loss for Gwinnett because Rey Navarro reached safely on a comebacker with one out in the seventh and scored when Walker hit his home run in the next at-bat against right-handed reliever Danny Burawa.

Lambson totaled 2.1 frames with one run, two hits and one walk allowed with one strikeout. Burawa also walked a batter but retired the other two he faced to end the seventh. Righty Vin Mazzaro tossed the final 2.0 innings for Gwinnett with one hit allowed and one strikeout.

No G-Braves' batter had more than a single hit, but Smith's first-inning infield single extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games.

Lough and Perez both had two-hit performances for the Tides. Both scored a run, and Lough had an RBI.

The G-Braves will begin their final road trip of the season with a 7:05 p.m. game on Monday against the Durham Bulls at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Left-hander Greg Smith (6-5, 2.52 ERA) will start on the mound for Gwinnett. Righty Bradin Hagens (3-5, 3.16 ERA) will go for Durham. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com beginning at 6:30 p.m.

After two games in Durham and a four-game series at Norfolk, the G-Braves will complete the regular-season schedule with a three-game series against the Charlotte Knights from Saturday through Monday at Coolray Field. The first 2,000 fans through the gates for the 7:05 p.m. game on Saturday will receive a bobblehead of legendary Atlanta Braves pitcher and 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Greg Maddux. To purchase tickets, call the Coolray Field Ticket Office at 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the International League message board...

International League Stories from August 30, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central