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 Gwinnett Stripers

Franco's Slam Powers Stripers to 10-6 Win vs. Norfolk

August 4, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Carlos Franco's second-inning grand slam carried the Gwinnett Stripers to a 10-6 victory Saturday over the Norfolk Tides at Coolray Field.

Franco's slam was the apex of a seven-run inning for the Stripers, tying their most runs in one stanza this season. The first five batters reached base against left-hander John Means, including a Danny Santana RBI single. After Austin Riley had an RBI groundout, a walk to Michael Reed re-loaded the bases. That's when Franco slammed his 16th homer of the season, blowing the game open to 8-1. It was his third homer in as many days, as he joined Santana and Johan Camargo as Stripers to accomplish that feat this season.

However, Norfolk clawed its way back against Bryse Wilson in his Triple-A debut. In the fourth, Chance Sisco hit a two-run homer and Drew Dosch added a solo shot to make it 8-4.

Pedro Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the sixth to draw the Tides within a pair, chasing Wilson from the game a batter later. Wilson (W, 1-0) fanned eight over 5.1 innings, but allowed seven hits and six earned runs.

Still trailing 8-6, the Tides had an opportunity to tie or take the lead in the eighth after Phil Pfeifer (H, 3) loaded the bases with two outs. Chad Sobotka came in and got Adrian Marin to chase a 97 mile-per-hour fastball to get out of the jam.

Reed provided the Stripers with two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on single up the middle.

Sobotka shut the Tides down in order in the ninth to pick up his first career Triple-A save.

Luis Marte had himself a perfect night, going 4-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored. Named Gwinnett's July Player of the Month by Atlanta, he now has 11 multi-hit efforts in 19 games with the Stripers, batting .405.

Dustin Peterson went 3-for-5 with an RBI, extending his on-base streak to a team-high 20 games dating back to July 5.

Franco was 2-for-5 in the contest, and his grand slam placed him two RBIs ahead of Lehigh Valley's Joey Meneses for the International League-lead with 68. Reed and Lane Adams also contributed two-hit games.

Alvarez went 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored for Norfolk. Dosch was 2-for-4 with the solo homer.

Means (L, 5-3) allowed eight runs over 1.2 innings, but only three were earned due to an error he committed in the second. He gave up seven hits and two walks to boot. Lucas Long threw 3.1 scoreless innings in relief.

The Stripers (52-57) carry a four-game winning streak into Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Tides (58-52) at 1:05 p.m. Right-hander Touki Toussaint (2-0, 1.78 ERA) is scheduled for Gwinnett against righty Luis Ortiz, making his Triple-A debut for Norfolk. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River" beginning at 12:35 p.m.


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