Sports stats



IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Knights Clip G-Braves in 11, 9-8

May 22, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - A walk-off single by Jason Coats in the bottom of the 11th inning propelled the Charlotte Knights (23-22) to a 9-8 win over the Gwinnett Braves (22-23) Sunday afternoon in the finale of the two-game series at BB&T Ballpark.

The win gave the Knights a one-game lead over the G-Braves in the standings of the International League South.

In the decisive inning, J.B. Shuck led off with a single against G-Braves' reliever Brandon Cunniff (L, 2-2). Shuck then stole second base, and after a walk to Matt Davidson, Travis Ishikawa bunted the runners to second and third. With the infield and outfield both pulled in, Coats lifted a fly ball to right-center over the fielders' heads scoring Shuck with the game-winner.

The seesaw game saw the G-Braves take the early lead with a run in the top of the first and another in the top of the second. In the first, Adonis Garcia continued his hot hitting with an RBI single to left off Charlotte starter Scott Carroll, scoring Sean Kazmar, Jr. who had earlier tripled. In the second, Emerson Landoni singled to center, scoring Brandon Snyder for a 2-0 lead.

But Charlotte moved ahead by scoring three runs over its next two at-bats, one in the second on an RBI triple by Leury Garcia against G-Braves' starter Kanekoa Texeira to cut the lead to 2-1 and two more in the third when Ishikawa singled in a run and Coats was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Knights extended the lead with Joel De La Cruz on the mound for Gwinnett. Shuck led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Davidson to increase the Charlotte advantage to 4-2. Two batters later, Coats crushed his fourth home run of the season to right-center, extending the lead further to 5-2.

Gwinnett came right back with a two-run top of the sixth. With reliever Charlie Shirek on the mound, Ronnier Mustelier and Snyder delivered RBI hits to narrow the margin to 5-4.

Then with Blake Smith on the mound for Charlotte in the seventh, Emilio Bonifacio laid down a lead-off bunt single and scored from first on a double off the wall in left by Kazmar Jr. Later in the inning, Kazmar Jr. put Gwinnett in front 6-5, racing home on a sacrifice fly by Rio Ruiz.

However, as quickly as the G-Braves moved in front, they surrendered the lead in the seventh. With one out, Charlotte loaded the bases against De La Cruz, and David Peterson was called in from the bullpen. Peterson promptly allowed a two-RBI double to Coats, giving the lead back to Charlotte at 7-6. A ground out to second by Danny Hayes with a runner on third would push the Charlotte lead to 8-6.

The G-Braves made their final comeback in the top of the ninth against Charlotte reliever Will Lamb. With one out, Matt Tuiasosopo drilled a long double to center and Lamb hit Garcia with a pitch. Ozzie Albies was sent in to pinch run for Garcia and both he and Tuiasosopo advanced one base on a passed ball.

Ruiz delivered the big hit, a single to right, scoring Tuiasosopo and Albies and knotting the game at 8-8. The rally led to extra innings where Charlotte would get its third extra-inning, walk-off win against Gwinnett in the four games played in Charlotte between the two teams this season.

Texeira allowed six hits and three earned runs in 4.0 innings, while walking one and striking out three. De La Cruz worked 2.1 innings of relief, yielding five hits and five earned runs, while Peterson (BS, 3) gave up two hits and two walks in 2.0 innings. Cunniff ceded the winning-run on two hits and a walk over 2.0 innings of relief.

Carroll tossed 5.0 innings for Charlotte, allowing seven hits and two earned runs, while walking one and striking out one. Shirek (H, 1) gave up three hits and two runs in 1.0 inning before Smith (BS, 3) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in 2.0 innings. Lamb (BS, 1; W, 3-0) worked the final 3.0 innings, yielding two runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Offensively for the G-Braves, Snyder went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Garcia was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bonifacio and Kazmar Jr. each went 2-for-6, and Kazmar Jr. scored twice and drove in a run. He is now on a four-game multi-hit streak.

Shuck went 4-for-6 for Charlotte with four runs scored and a triple. Coats was 3-for-4 with two runs, a homer, a double and five RBIs.

The G-Braves open a three-game series in Norfolk on Monday night. Righty Tyrell Jenkins (4-2, 3.02) is scheduled to start for Gwinnett against right-handed former G-Brave David Hale (0-1, 3.71). Tony Schiavone has the call of the action from Harbor Park beginning at 6:05 p.m. on 97.7 FM. First pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers Statistics



International League Stories from May 22, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central