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IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

G-Braves Top Mud Hens in 10 Innings, 8-6

August 18, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


TOLEDO, OH - The Gwinnett Braves (66-57) plated two runs in the top of the 10th inning and outlasted the Toledo Mud Hens (50-72) by an 8-6 score Monday night in the opening game of the two-game series at Fifth Third Field.

Gwinnett remains 3.0 behind the Columbus Clippers in the International League Wild Card standings and 5.5 games in back of the Norfolk Tides in the IL South, as both the Clippers and Tides also won on Monday.

With the game tied 6-6 in the top of the 10th, Mallex Smith hit his second triple of the game, a blast off the top of the wall in right-center field against Toledo right-handed reliever Guido Knudson (L, 1-2). With the infield pulled in, Eric Young, Jr. rolled a ground ball to shortstop, and Smith collided at home with Toledo catcher Bryan Holaday on the throw from shortstop Dixon Machado. Holaday dropped the ball, allowing Smith to cross home plate and give Gwinnett a 7-6 lead. Holaday was injured on the play and had to be removed from the game. Young then stole second base and, after a walk to Jordan Lennerton, scored on a single to center by Cedric Hunter for an 8-6 lead that was the eventual final score.

The G-Braves initially ran out to a 5-0 lead. After two scoreless innings, Luis Mateo greeted Toledo right-handed starter Shane Greene with a single to center and scored on a triple to center by Smith for a 1-0 lead. Smith would later score to make it 2-0 when Christian Bethancourt reached on a force play with the bases loaded.

The lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the fourth, as Daniel Castro singled to center with one out and moved to third on a single to left by Smith. Young walked to load the bases, and Atlanta Braves' first baseman Freddie Freeman, playing in this second Major League rehab game with Gwinnett, drilled a single to right that scored both Castro and Smith.

In the top of the fifth, against righty reliever Angel Nesbitt, Bethancourt doubled, move to third on a ground out by Sean Kazmar and scored on a single to right by Todd Cunningham for a 5-0 lead.

But the bottom of the fifth was trouble for Gwinnett left-handed starter Greg Smith, who gave up a two-out three-run home run to left to Alexi Casilla and an RBI double to center Steven Moya to quickly make it a 5-4 game.

Gwinnett would get a little more breathing room in the top of the sixth. Nesbitt walked Young and Freeman with one out, and gave up a single to right to Hunter, scoring Young for a 6-4 advantage.

But Toledo pulled within one at 6-5 in the seventh, as Moya cracked a long solo homer to center off of Gwinnett right-handed reliever David Peterson (H, 3).

The Mud Hens eventually tied the game in the bottom of the eighth with Gwinnett righty Carlos Fisher (BS, 2) on the mound. With runners on first and second and one out, Holaday lined a double over third base, scoring Josh Wilson from second to make it 6-6. However, with runners at second and third and one out, Fisher struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied after eight.

After a scoreless ninth, the G-Braves plated the two runs in the top of the 10th to push their record to 11-5 in extra-inning games in 2015.

Smith went 5.2 innings with seven hits, four earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts. Peterson was credited with 1.1 innings, one hit and one earned run. Fisher went 1.0 inning with two hits, one earned run, one walk and three strikeouts. Left-hander Hunter Cervenka (W, 1-0) got the win, as he pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth with two hits, one walk and one strikeout. Ryan Kelly (S, 10) worked the bottom of the 10th with one hit allowed.

Greene went 3.2 innings with five hits, four earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Nesbitt worked 1.2 innings with four hits, two earned runs, three walks and one strikeout. Lefty Drew VerHagen pitched 1.1 innings with one hit and one strikeout, and righty Ian Krol went 1.0 inning with one hit and one strikeout. Knudson was credited with 2.1 innings, two hits, two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts.

Smith paced Gwinnett with a 3-for-6 night, three runs, two triples and an RBI. He has now hit safely in six straight games. Bethancourt was 2-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored to move his hitting streak to 10 games. Cunningham was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Hunter went 2-for-6 with two RBIs. He has now hit safely in 12 straight games. Mateo was 1-for-5 with a run and is on a four-game hitting streak. Freeman was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two walks.

For the Mud Hens, Machado was 3-for-5 with a run and Moya was 2-for-5 with a double, solo homer and two RBIs.

The G-Braves and Mud Hens conclude the two-game series at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field. Right-hander Victor Mateo (1-1, 3.50) will start for Gwinnett. The Mud Hens will start lefty Kyle Ryan (1-9, 4.75) Tony Schiavone has the call beginning at 6:30 p.m. on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com.

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