IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

G-Braves Clip Mud Hens in 10

July 31, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


TOLEDO, OH - The Gwinnett Braves (49-59) rallied from an early 6-1 deficit to beat the Toledo Mud Hens (48-60) in 10 innings by a 9-8 score on Sunday night in the finale of the three-game series at Fifth Third Field.

The winning run came in the top of the 10th when George Kottaras' ground ball to second with the infield pulled in scored Sean Kazmar Jr. from third to break an 8-8 tie. Kazmar led off the 10th with a walk from Toledo's Joe Jimenez (L, 0-1), stole second and moved to third on a bloop double to right by Emilio Bonifacio.

In the early stages of the game, it looked as if the Mud Hens would win going away as first-inning RBI hits from J.D. Martinez, Steven Moya and JaCoby Jones off G-Braves' starter Chris Ellis opened a 4-0 Toledo lead.

An RBI single by Reid Brignac off Toledo starter Thad Weber closed the gap to 4-1 in the top of the second, but the Mud Hens scored twice more in the bottom of the second to push the lead to 6-1.

Gwinnett plated three runs in the top of the third against Weber, two coming on a two-run home run to right field by Brignac. His fifth blast of the year made it a 6-4 game.

In the top of the seventh, the G-Braves tied the game at 6-6 as Rio Ruiz delivered a two-out, two-run single to right off Chad Bell scoring both Bonifacio and Omar Infante.

But in the bottom of the seventh, the Mud Hens went back ahead. With two outs, Dixon Machado doubled to right off Gwinnett reliever Stephen Janas and scored on a single to right by John Hicks for a 7-6 lead.

In the top of the eighth, facing Toledo reliever Preston Guilmet, Brignac reached on an error by first baseman Chad Huffman and moved to third on a single by Blake Lalli. When the throw back into the infield from Moya got away from Huffman at first, Brignac dashed home from third with the tying run. Lalli, who moved to second on the error, was replaced by Kazmar as a pinch runner. Kazmar moved to third on a fly out to center by Infante and scored on a single to center by Kottaras to give Gwinnett its first lead at 8-7.

However, in the bottom of the ninth, Maikel Cleto gave up a two-out solo homer to Machado to tie the game at 8-8 and send it into extra innings.

After the G-Braves scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th, the Mud Hens put two men on base in the bottom of the inning with two outs against Cleto, but he struck out Moya to end the game.

Cleto (BS, 1, W, 1-0) got the win by going 2.0 innings with three hits, one earned run and four strikeouts. Ellis went 3.0 innings in his ninth start with Gwinnett, allowing six runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out one. Bradley Roney worked 3.0 innings with two hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Janas pitched 2.0 innings with three hits and one earned run.

Weber went 5.0 innings with seven hits, four earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts for Toledo. Bell (BS, 1) pitched 1.2 innings with three hits, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Guilmet worked 1.1 innings with two hits and two unearned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Blaine Hardy pitched 1.0 inning with one hit. Jimenez (L, 0-1) went 1.0 inning with one hit, one earned run and two walks.

Brignac had the big night for the G-Braves, going 3-for-5 with a double, homer, two runs scored and three RBIs. Ruiz went 2-for-6 with a run scored and three RBIs. Mel Rojas Jr. went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and a run scored.

For Toledo, Casey McGehee went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Moya went 3-for-6 with two RBIs.

The Gwinnett Braves return home to Coolray Field to begin a four-game series with the Charlotte Knights. Monday night's series opener will have right-hander Aaron Blair (4-3, 4.06) on the mound for the G-Braves. The Knights will start left-hander David Holmberg (0-2, 4.50). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Tony Schiavone and Nick Green will have the broadcast of the game beginning at 6:35 p.m. on 97.7 FM.

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