IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Gwinnett Pounds Durham, 10-5

Published on August 18, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


DURHAM, NC. - The Gwinnett Braves rallied with an eight-run fifth to beat the Durham Bulls 10-5 in the opener of a two-game series Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Gwinnett entered the top of the fifth trailing, 4-1, but quickly got things rolling against Durham starting pitcher Jim Paduch.

Jose Constanza led off the big inning with a single to right, and Luis Durango followed with a walk. The Bulls then pulled Paduch in favor of Josh Lueke from the bullpen. Lueke retired the first batter he faced, but gave up a single to Ernesto Mejia, scoring Constanza to cut the Durham lead to 4-2. Josh Kroeger followed with a single to left, scoring Durango to make it 4-3 Durham. Jose Yepez singled to deep right moving Mejia to third and Kroeger to second, but Yepez was thrown out between first and second by Durham rightfielder Stephen Vogt for the second out. However, Ruben Gotay came through with a big two-out bloop single to right, scoring Mejia and Kroeger to give Gwinnett a 5-4 lead, and a lead they would never lose. Rusty Ryal followed with a double to left moving Gotay to third, then Brian Friday doubled to left, scoring both Gotay and Ryal for a 7-4 lead. Constanza, batting for the second time in the inning, walked and Durango singled to load the bases. The Bulls pulled Lueke in favor of Adam Liberatore and Felix Pie greeted him with a single that scored Friday and Constanza for a 9-4 lead. The G-Braves sent 13 men to the plate in the inning, scoring a season-high eight runs on nine hits.

Each team would add a late run, but the big fifth inning was the difference in the ballgame.

The game did not start out too well for Gwinnett, as Randall Delgado, in his sixth start of the season for the G-Braves, was given a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the second when former Braves' infielder Brooks Conrad (3) hit a solo homer to right off Delgado to tie the game, 1-1. Cole Figueroa followed with a single and Nevin Ashley (4) parked a two-run home run deep to left, giving the Bulls a 3-1 lead.

The Bulls added a run off Delgado in the bottom of the fourth as Vogt stroked a one-out double to center but was thrown out at the plate later in the inning, on a throw by Durango. Leslie Anderson dropped a single into shallow left enabling Wrigley to score from second to amp the Bulls' lead to 4-1. It was a lead they would hold until the G-Braves eruption in the fifth.

Delgado (W, 4-2) worked 6.0 innings for his fourth win in his last five starts. He allowed six hits, four earned runs, alongside two walks and nine strikeouts. Andy Russell went 1.0 innings with one hit, one earned run, two walks and one strikeout and Dusty Hughes pitched a scoreless eighth with one hit and one walk. Cory Gearrin, in his first game back after being optioned from Atlanta, pitched a scoreless ninth striking out the three batters he faced.

Lueke (L, 2-4) was charged with the loss in only 0.2 innings pitched. He surrendered seven hits and six earned runs with one walk and one strikeout. Paduch, who was starting his first game since losing to the G-Braves on July 31, went 4.0 innings with five hits, three earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts. Liberatore worked 2.1 innings with two hits and five strikeouts and Brandon Gomes pitched a scoreless eighth with two hits. Ryan Reid worked the ninth with three hits, one earned run and one walk.

Each starter in the Gwinnett line-up recorded a hit in the game on Saturday. Kroeger had the big offensive night, going 4-for-5 with two runs and one RBI, meanwhile Friday was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Constanza, Mejia, Yepez, Gotay and Ryal each collected two hits and the RBI by Mejia in the fifth was his league-leading 89th of the season.

Henry Wrigley and Ashley each had two hits for the Bulls.

The Gwinnett Braves (58-71) and Durham Bulls (59-70) conclude their two-game series Sunday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. G-Braves right-hander Julio Teheran (7-7, 5.05) is coming off a career-high nine strikeout performance and will be set to oppose the Bulls right-hander Jeff Niemann (2-3, 3.38 with Tampa Bay) who is making his first appearance for Durham, amidst a Major League rehab assignment for the Rays. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Listen to the broadcast on AM 550/102.9 FM in Gainesville, Georgia with Tony Schiavone calling the play by play.

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 August 18, 2012


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