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Gwinnett Stripers

Kazmar Jr. Sets Gwinnett RBI Record in Loss

July 2, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


DURHAM, NC - The red-hot Durham Bulls won their sixth game in a row with a 14-3 rout of the Gwinnett Stripers Monday night in game one of a two-game series at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Sean Kazmar Jr. provided a bright spot in the ninth inning when he recorded his 200th RBI in a Gwinnett uniform, moving him past Ernesto Mejia for most in the club's 10-year history.

The Bulls put on a barrage before Kazmar's historic moment, scoring double-digit runs for the third consecutive game.

After the Stripers failed to score in the top of the first against Durham starter Zach Lee, the Bulls began piling on the runs in the bottom of the inning and never looked back.

Gwinnett left-hander Michael Mader faced eight batters in that bottom of the first inning and gave up three runs. The first came on an RBI single to center by Brandon Snyder, the second on a sacrifice fly to center by Ji-Man Choi and the third on an RBI single to right by Justin Williams.

The Bulls added their fourth run in the bottom of the second when Mader walked Snyder with the bases loaded.

The lead climbed to 7-0 in the bottom of the third. Mader left the game with runners on second and third and two outs, but Andres Santiago fared no better. He walked Rob Refsnyder to load the bases, and then gave up a two-run single to Jason Coats and an RBI double to Snyder.

The Bulls struck for four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The onslaught began with a one-out solo homer (7) to right by Andrew Velazquez. Later in the inning, Santiago walked Refsnyder with the bases loaded to make it 9-0. With two outs, Snyder singled to center, scoring Nick Ciuffo and Kean Wong to make it 11-0 before the halfway point of the game.

The Gwinnett pitching staff then settled down a bit and the game remained 11-0 until the bottom of the eighth, when Sal Giardina was called in to pitch. He gave up a two-out solo homer (1) to Refsnyder and a two-run homer (10) to Snyder to make the score 14-0 heading to the ninth.

The Stripers would finally get on the board in the top of the ninth as Kazmar drilled his first homer of the season off Durham reliever Mike Franco to make it 14-1, his 200th career RBI with Gwinnett to pass Mejia (2012-'14). Xavier Avery followed Kazmar with a single to center and Rob Brantly smashed a two-run homer to left - also his first on the year - to make it 14-3.

Mader (L, 1-1) pitched 2.2 innings with seven hits, six runs (five earned) and two walks allowed with three strikeouts. Santiago went 1.1 innings with five hits, five earned runs, three walks and one strikeout. Chad Bell worked 2.0 scoreless innings with three hits and three strikeouts. Jason Hursh tossed 1.0 scoreless frame with one strikeout. Giardina pitched 1.0 inning with four hits and three earned runs.

Lee (W, 2-1) went 7.1 innings with three hits, no runs, three walks and four strikeouts. Ian Gibaut worked 0.2 innings with one strikeout and Franco tossed 1.0 inning with four hits and three earned runs.

At the plate, Rio Ruiz was 1-for-4 to push his hitting streak to six games. Phil Gosselin was 2-for-4. Dustin Peterson was 0-for-3 but walked in the top of the first to extend his on-base streak to 17 games.

Snyder had a huge game for Durham by going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, two runs and a career-high seven RBIs. Wong, Refsnyder and Coats each collected three hits.

With the loss, the Stripers fall to 1-8 on their current road trip, with the final game of the trip set for Tuesday in Durham.

The Stripers (35-48) and Bulls (48-34) meet for the two-game series finale Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Righty Lucas Sims (4-2, 2.64) gets the ball for Gwinnett against right-hander Chih-Wei Hu (3-6, 4.84). Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River" beginning at 6:05 p.m.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers Statistics

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