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IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Gwinnett, Columbus Split DH

August 15, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


COLUMBUS, OH - The top two teams in the International League Wild Card standings, the Columbus Clippers (67-53) and the Gwinnett Braves (64-56), split a doubleheader Friday night at Huntington Park with the G-Braves winning the first game 5-4 and the Clippers coming back to get the nightcap by a 5-3 score.

With the split, Columbus maintains its 3.0 game lead over Gwinnett for the Wild Card spot. The G-Braves also dropped to 5.5 games behind Norfolk in the IL South Division as the Tides beat Louisville 3-2.

The first game was the completion of a game suspended in the bottom of the first inning at Coolray Field on May 31. The G-Braves were the home team and quickly fell behind 1-0 as Audy Ciriaco (2) delivered a solo home run to left-center off Gwinnett right-hander Sugar Ray Marimon in the top of the second.

The G-Braves tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Todd Cunningham doubled off Columbus starter Shaun Marcum and scored on a single to right by Eric Young, Jr.

Then in the bottom of the fourth, Sean Kazmar (3) cracked a solo homer off Marcum to put Gwinnett up 2-1, and after a walk by Jordan Lennerton, Luis Mateo (1) hit a two-run shot to left to make it 4-1. It was the first time this season the G-Braves had launched two homers in one inning.

Gwinnett extended the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh as Mallex Smith doubled to right, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a single to right by Cedric Hunter.

Columbus cut the lead to 5-3 with two unearned runs off Marimon in the top of the seventh. In the ninth, former Wesleyan High School star James Ramsey (8) hit a solo homer to left off Peter Moylan to make it 5-4. Moylan recorded the next three outs to finish the game.

In the second game, the G-Braves took the early lead against Columbus starter Dustin Molleken as Smith led off with a walk, stole second base and moved to third on a bunt single by Young, who then stole second. A groundout to second by Hunter plated Smith for a 1-0 lead and moved Young to third. Kazmar drove in Young with a sacrifice fly to left for a 2-0 lead.

That advantage held up until Michael Martinez (5) drilled a game-tying two-run homer to right-center off Gwinnett starter Ryan Weber in the bottom of the third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ciriaco (3) hit his second homer of the double header, a solo shot to left-center off Weber to give Columbus a 3-2 lead. The Clippers scored twice more in that inning, once on an infield single by Justin Toole and another on a sacrifice fly to center by Martinez.

Trailing 5-2, the G-Braves closed the gap in the top of the fifth as Smith reached on a bunt single off Columbus reliever Chen-Chang Lee and moved to second on a throwing error by catcher Brett Hayes. Smith moved to third on a fielders' choice and scored on a single to left by Kazmar, cutting the deficit to 5-3, the eventual final.

Marimon (W, 4-4) got the win in game one by going 6.1 innings with three hits, three runs (one earned), two walks and two strikeouts. He was relieved by Moylan (S, 6) who went 1.2 innings with one hit, one earned run and one strikeout. Greg Smith had started the game on May 31 and was credited with one hit and one strikeout over 1.0 inning.

The Clippers' Nick Maronde was credited as the starter of the game back in May, but did not throw a pitch. Marcum (L, 7-4) pitched 6.2 innings with eight hits, five earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Joe Colon went 1.1 inning with one hit and two strikeouts.

In game two, Weber (L, 4-2) worked 3.2 innings with seven hits, five earned runs, one walk and one strikeout. David Peterson went 2.1 innings with two strikeouts.

Michael Roth (W, 8-7) picked up the win in relief of Molleken in game two for Columbus. He worked 3.0 innings with four hits and two strikeouts. Molleken went only 1.0 inning in his third start of the season with one hit, two earned runs and one walk. Lee pitched 1.0 inning with two hits, one earned runs and one walk. Tyler Sturdevant pitched 1.0 inning with one hit and one strikeout. Carlos Marmol (S, 8) went 1.0 inning with one walk and one strikeout.

In game one, Smith and Kazmar were each 2-for-4 with a run scored. Kazmar drove in two runs, one on the solo homer. Mateo was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and Hunter went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. The second game saw Hunter go 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, while Mateo went 2-for-3 and Young went 2-for-2.

For the Clippers, Ciriaco had the big night going a combined 2-for-5 with three runs and two solo homers.

The G-Braves and Clippers meet in game three of the four game series Saturday night at Huntington Park. Right-hander Kanekoa Texeira (5-3, 3.54 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. Left-hander Ryan Merritt (10-7, 3.51 ERA in Double-A Akron) gets the start for the Clippers. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. Tony Schiavone has the call beginning at 6:45 p.m. on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com.

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