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IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Lehigh Valley Stuns G-Braves in 7-6 Win

June 14, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


ALLENTOWN, PA - The bullpen for the Gwinnett Braves (30-35) could not hold a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth and lost to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (35-29) by a 7-6 score Tuesday night in the opening game of the three-game series at Coca-Cola Park.

Leading 6-2 going to the bottom of the ninth, the G-Braves brought in Bradley Roney from the bullpen. After retiring the first batter of the inning, Roney hit Taylor Featherston with a pitch and then walked both J. P. Crawford and Nick Williams to load the bases. Gwinnett called on Jose Ramirez and he promptly gave up a two-RBI double to Darin Ruf, cutting the lead to 6-4.

Ramirez then walked Andrew Knapp to re-load the bases before Brock Stassi sent everybody home on a 3-2 pitch with a double to right for the walk-off win.

The ninth-inning meltdown wasted fine performances from Gwinnett starter Joel De La Cruz, who was in line for his second win of the year, and catcher Anthony Recker, whose two-homer night gave him four home runs in his last two games.

The Iron Pigs had put De La Cruz and the G-Braves in a 2-0 hole with a run in the bottom of the second, and another in the bottom of the fifth. But in the top of the sixth, after a bunt single by Ozzie Albies, Recker, an Allentown native, lifted a two-run homer to right to tie the game at 2-2.

Reid Brignac followed with a solo homer to left to put the G-Braves in front 3-2. It was Brignac's first homer since May 1, when he followed Chase d'Arnaud with the second of back-to-back homers in the first inning.

Lehigh Valley starter David Buchanan then walked both Ronnier Mustelier and Rio Ruiz and was pulled in favor of Michael Mariot out of the bullpen. The reliever yielded an RBI single to Blake Lalli, pushing the Gwinnett lead to 4-2 and Ruiz was thrown out at the plate trying to extend the lead further.

Recker led off the eighth with a solo home run to left field, putting the G-Braves up 5-2 and Gwinnett capped its offensive output when Daniel Castro plated Mustelier with a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Tyrell Jenkins held the IronPigs scoreless in the bottom of the eighth before Lehigh Valley ended the G-Braves' five-game losing streak with its five-run ninth.

De La Cruz allowed two runs on four hits and three walks in 5.0 innings, while registering five strikeouts. Matt Marksberry (H, 3) worked 1.2 scoreless innings, yielding only two hits before Jenkins (H, 1) got four outs spanning the seventh and eighth innings. Roney only retired one of the four batters he faced, as he issued two walks and hit a batter while allowing three runs in total. Ramirez (BS, 2) (L, 1-2) didn't get an out and yielded two hits and two runs.

Buchanan scattered six hits over 5.1 innings, giving up four runs while walking three and striking out two. Mariot went 1.0 inning, allowing a hit, before Mario Hollands gave up two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Frank Herrmann (W, 2-1) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless ninth.

Recker went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs, while Ruiz went 2-for-3 and Brignac homered for his only hit of the night for Gwinnett.

At the plate for Lehigh Valley, Cam Perkins was 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base, while Featherston went 2-for-4 with two runs and Stassi was 1-for-5 with three RBIs.

The G-Braves and Iron Pigs continue the three-game series Wednesday night in Allentown. Gwinnett will send righty Lucas Sims (2-5, 6.80) to the mound against lefty Anthony Vasquez (0-0, 0.00) at 7:05 p.m. Tony Schiavone has the call of the action beginning at 6:35 p.m. on 97.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 14, 2016


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