IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

G-Braves Split Doubleheader With Toledo

Published on May 14, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - The Gwinnett Braves claimed a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in eight innings in game one of Monday night's doubleheader with Toledo, but fell 7-4 to the Mud Hens in game two as the clubs battled to a split at Coolray Field. The International League South-leading G-Braves concluded their 10-day, 11-game homestand with a 6-5 record and moved their mark to 7-1 against Toledo this season.

Jose Yepez pushed the G-Braves' record to 7-0 against Toledo with his walk-off sacrifice fly scoring Ernesto Mejia in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one. Mejia reached base on a lead-off double to left-center off Mud Hens' right-hander Jose Ortega (L, 2-3). Walks to Stefan Gartrell and Christian Marrero loaded the bases, and Mejia tagged home on Yepez's fly ball to center field for Gwinnett's third last at-bat win of the homestand.

Right-hander Eric Junge made the game one start for Gwinnett and worked six solid innings in a no-decision. Junge surrendered two runs on seven hits and struck out three while walking one in his fifth-straight quality start. Right-hander Cory Gearrin (W, 3-0) turned in two scoreless, hitless innings for the win in relief.

The No. 1 prospect in the Detroit Tigers' system according to Baseball America, right-hander Jacob Turner started game one for Toledo and gave up two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings in a no-decision. Right-hander Darin Downs (BS, 1) allowed an inherited runner to score to Turner's line in the sixth, tying the game at 2-2. That run scored as Mejia singled, went to second on a pinch-hit single by Gartrell and scored on a two-out single to right by Marrero.

The second game of the doubleheader was a different story as Toledo collected seven runs on six total hits. The Mud Hens knocked Gwinnett left-hander Yohan Flande out of the game after just three innings of work. Flande surrendered four runs on four hits, walked one and struck out four.

Toledo scored all four runs off of Flande in the top of the third inning, highlighted by a Justin Henry two-run single. The next hitter, Ryan Strieby then followed with a two-run triple to boost the Mud Hens' lead to 4-0.

Gwinnett answered right back with three runs of their own in the next frame. Mejia drilled a two-run single to cut the deficit in half and Drew Sutton followed with an RBI double to bring the G-Braves within a run.

The G-Braves tied the game, 4-4, in the fifth inning when Luis Durango walked and scored on a wild pitch, but Toledo would take the lead again just an inning later.

The Mud Hens responded to manager Phil Nevin's second ejection of the series in the fifth with two unearned runs off right-hander Jason Rice (L, 1-1) in the sixth. A pivotal missed catch error on shortstop Josh Wilson denied a potential inning-ending double-play and sent Strieby home for the go-ahead run. Later in the sixth, Jeff Frazier grounded out to score Eric Patterson, giving Toledo a 6-4 lead.

Left-hander Dusty Hughes saw another unearned run cross the plate in the seventh, extending the Hens' advantage to 7-4.

Mud Hens' left-hander Casey Crosby (W, 4-2) allowed four runs on four hits over six innings, walked four and struck out nine in the victory. Right-hander Chris Bootcheck (S, 8) worked past two singles in the bottom of the seventh, striking out two.

Mejia went a combined 3-for-7 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI in the doubleheader, raising his team-leading RBI total to 26. Durango went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, extending his hitting streak to nine games.

Strieby drove in four runs on the night for Toledo, going 3-for-6 with a triple.

The Gwinnett Braves (24-14) take to the highway now for an eight-game road trip that will begin with four games in Buffalo against the Bisons and conclude with a four-game series against Rochester. G-Braves' right-hander Todd Redmond (2-3, 3.29) will oppose Buffalo right-hander Jeremy Hefner (3-1, 1.77) for a 7:05 PM scheduled first pitch at Coca-Cola Field on Tuesday. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.

The G-Braves will return home to Coolray Field on Thursday, May 24 for a 10-game homestand against Rochester (May 24-27), Lehigh Valley (May 28-31) and Charlotte (June 1-2). Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.

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International League Stories from May 14, 2012


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