IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Gwinnett tops Charlotte, 6-2

July 4, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


FORT MILL, SC. - The Gwinnett Braves won their third game in a row, riding the stellar pitching of Jose Lugo to a, 6-2, win over the Charlotte Knights in game one of the three-game series at Knights' Stadium.

The G-Braves have won three straight contests against the Knights and now trail first-place Charlotte by eight games in the International League South standings.

Gwinnett started quickly as Jose Constanza led off the game with a single off Charlotte starting pitcher Dan Remenowsky. Deunte Heath was originally slated to start the game, but was called up to Chicago (AL), prompting Remenowsky for the spot-start out of the Knights' bullpen. The hit increased Constanza's hitting streak to 11 games, but he was forced out at second on a ball hit to short by Tyler Pastornicky. The next batter, Felix Pie doubled off the wall in left-center scoring Pastornicky from first giving the G-Braves a 1-0 lead. Stefan Gartrell (12) led off the next inning with a solo homer to right center to put the G-Braves up 2-0.

In the top of the third, Gwinnett extended their lead to 3-0 as Luis Durango led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by Charlotte catcher Hector Gimenez. Durango scored from third on an RBI sacrifice fly to right by Pastornicky.

Lugo ran into trouble in the bottom of the third, as he gave up a lead-off single to Justin Greene, and then a double to left by Tyler Kuhn scored Greene from first to cut the Braves' lead to 3-1. Drew Garcia followed with a single that moved Kuhn to third and then he scored from third when Dan Johnson hit into a 6-4-3 double play, cutting the G-Braves lead, 3-2. Lugo (W, 2-4) pitched 7.2 quality innings of two-run baseball, while he surrendered eight hits. The southpaw struck out a season-high seven batters and yielded just two walks in the victory. Jaye Chapman (S, 4) worked the final 1.1 innings and allowed one hit and struck out one.

The G-Braves added a run in the top of the sixth off reliever Shane Lindsay, as a one-out RBI sacrifice fly to left by Josh Wilson scored Ernesto Mejia from third with the bases loaded to boost the lead to 4-2.

Ruben Gotay drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a double to deep left by Wilson in the top of the eighth and a ground out to short by J.C. Boscan scored Gotay to make it 5-2. Constanza led off the next frame with a double and scored from second on a single to left by Mejia for the sixth and final Gwinnett run against reliever J.R. Ballinger.

Remenowsky (L, 1-1) worked three innings with four hits and three earned runs. He walked one and struck out one. Jhan Carlos Marinez worked three innings with three hits and no runs while striking out two. Lindsay was credited with two innings with two hits, one earned run, three walks and three strikeouts. Infante worked the eighth inning with two hits, one earned run and one walk. Ballinger pitched the ninth with two hits, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.

Constanza, Mejia and Gartrell each went 2-for-5 for Gwinnett, while Pie went 2-for-4 and Durango was 2-for-3 on the Fourth of July evening.

Garcia, Greene and Jim Gallagher each had two hits for the Knights.

Thursday afternoon in South Carolina at 5:15 p.m. the G-Braves and Knights will resume the game suspended by rain on Tuesday from Coolray Field. The game is scoreless heading to the bottom of the second inning with the G-Braves acting as the home team at Knights' Stadium. The conclusion of that nine-inning game will be followed by a seven-inning game. Gwinnett right-hander Eric Junge (4-8, 4.84) is scheduled for the G-Braves against Charlotte right-hander Charlie Shirek (7-4, 3.58). The game will be broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA 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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The Gwinnett Braves are the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Season tickets for the 2012 season are available at gwinnettbraves.com/2012, the Coolray Field Box Office and by calling (678) 277-0340. Follow the G-Braves at gwinnettbraves.com, facebook.com/GwinnettBraves1 and twitter.com/GwinnettBraves.

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