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IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

R-Braves Game Notes

April 9, 2005 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


TODAY'S GAME: The third of a four game series. The clubs have split the first two It is a re-match of the 2004 Governors' Cup Finals won by Buffalo three games to one with all four games played in Buffalo. This is the third of eight meetings between these clubs and the third of four in Buffalo. The Braves were 4-4 vs. the Bisons in the regular season in 2004. Richmond went 3-1 at Dunn Tire Park last season. James Jurries hit .364 with three RBI vs. the Bisons last season. The Braves are 29-42 all-time vs. Buffalo. The Braves were 79-62 last season (won South by 3.5). The Bisons, the defending IL champions, were 83-61 (won North by 10 games).

YESTERDAY'S GAMES: The club's split a season-opening doubleheader. Richmond took game one 5-4. The Braves rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh after falling behind 4-2. James Jurries and Andy Marte whacked back to back home runs in the seventh to put the Braves in front. Kevin Barry picked up the win and Chris Mears earned a save. Marte, Jurries, Bill McCarthy, and Tony Pena all had two hits. In the nightcap the Braves rallied to tie the game with a two-run sixth. The Bisons won it in the eighth on a pinch hit single by Andy Abad. Marte blasted his second home run and Esix Snead stole two bases.

THE ROSTER: The Braves have 24 active players on their 2005 opening day roster. 23 of the 24 R-Braves saw action with Atlanta in spring training. There are seven returnees from 2004 plus Kelly Johnson who joined the Braves for the playoffs. Three Braves (Sam McConnell, Seth Greisinger, and Esix Snead) saw big league action last season. The roster includes five players making their regular season Triple-A debuts (Brayan Pena, Jason Bourgeois, Andy Marte, Tony Pena, and Kelly Johnson).

ON THE ROAD: Richmond is playing their seventh consecutive game at Dunn Tire Park dating back to last season's Governors' Cup Finals. The Braves open the season with eight straight road games vs. Northern Division opponents, four at Buffalo, then four at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Richmond was no stranger to the road last season. The Braves played 20 straight road games in August due to unplayable field conditions and played the entire Governors' Cup Finals on the road for the same reason. Counting last season's playoffs, by the time the Braves open at home next Friday they will have played 36 of 46 games on the road dating back to August 7 of last season.

MAKING THE BIG CLUB: 10 players who saw action in Richmond last season made major league opening day rosters in 2005: Pete Orr, Wilson Betemit, Ryan Langerhans, Roman Colon, Adam LaRoche, Horacio Ramirez (Atlanta); Nick Green (Tampa Bay); Charles Thomas (Oakland); Russell Branyan (Milwaukee); and Eli Marrero (Kansas City).

BRIGHT FUTURES: The R-Braves have three of Atlanta's top 10 prospects as ranked by Baseball America: #2 Andy Marte, #4 Kyle Davies, and # 8 Kelly Johnson. Marte is ranked ninth in Baseball America's overall top 100 list.

THE SKIPPER: Pat Kelly returns for his third year at the helm of the Braves. He piloted the Braves to the IL Southern Division title and a playoff series win over Columbus last season. Richmond was Baseball America's Triple-A Team of the Year. Kelly starts his 19th year overall as a manager today. He has 1,114 career wins. This is his seventh season overall managing in the International League and 10th overall in Triple-A.

EXTRA, EXTRA: The Braves and Bisons played extra innings in game two (IL doubleheaders consist of two seven inning games). The Braves were 3-8 in extra innings last season. Six of those extra inning games occurred as part of doubleheaders. The Braves and Bisons did not play extra innings last season.

ONE RUN FUN: The Braves were 16-23 in one-run games last season. Two of their three losses to the Bisons in the Governors' Cup Finals were by a single run. Richmond was 0-1 in one run games vs. Buffalo last season.

R-BRAVES SPRING: The R-Braves were 5-5-1 in preseason play. The Braves and Bisons met four times in Florida. Richmond was 2-1-1 vs. the Bisons in spring training.

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