IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

R-Braves Game Notes

June 21, 2007 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


Richmond Braves (42-28) @ Syracuse Chiefs (32-39)

Game # 71 Road Game # 39 ♦ June 21, 2007 ♦ 7:15 PM ♦ Alliance Bank Stadium ♦ Syracuse, NY

RHP Blaine Boyer (0-0 5.29) vs. RHP Yusaku Iriki (0-0 0.00)

TONIGHT'S GAME: is the fourth of a four-game series and the fourth of eight meetings, the fourth of four at Alliance Bank Stadium. Richmond is 3-0 vs. the Chiefs. The 37th of 46 games vs. the North Division and the 21st of 22 on the road. Richmond is 20-16 vs. the North, 14-6 on the road. The eighth of an eight-game road trip (Richmond is 5-2). Richmond is in first place in the South Division by seven and a half games over Durham.

LAST NIGHT'S GAMES: The Braves won the game suspended by rain Tuesday 7-3 and took last night's scheduled contest 8-4. The Braves were leading 1-0 in the second inning when Tuesday's game was suspended (Brent Lillibridge scored a run in the first on a wild pitch). The Braves made it 2-0 in the third on an RBI ground out by Lillibridge. Richmond tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Jonathan Schuerholz knocked in a run with a fielder's choice and Gregor Blanco chased in a run with a single, giving Richmond a 4-0 lead. Blanco doubled a run home in the sixth to make it 5-0. The Chiefs bounced back with two runs in the home half on a single by John-Ford Griffin. The Braves added to their lead in the seventh on an RBI double by Carlos Mendez and a sac fly by Schuerholz. Griffin knocked in another run for the Chiefs in the eighth to cut the Braves lead to 7-3. Dan Smith earned the win. Justin James took the loss. Blanco had three hits for the Braves. In the regularly scheduled game, the Chiefs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second. Mike Vento knocked in two runs with a single and Griffin added an RBI single. The Braves rallied with a two run double by Doug Clark in the third. The Chiefs opened up a 4-2 lead in the fourth on a solo home run by Vento. Richmond erupted for five runs in the fifth to move in front. Graham Koonce crushed a grand slam. Larry Bigbie added a solo home run to give the Braves a 7-4 lead. The Braves tacked on a run in the eighth on an RBI ground out by Bigbie. Ryan Basner earned the win. Ryan Houston took the loss. Clark and Lillibridge each had two hits for the Braves.

ON A ROLL: The Braves have won four straight games. It is their second longest winning streak of the season. The Braves won eight in a row from April 25-May 3. The Braves have won five of their last six games, all on the road. The Braves have piled up 23 runs in three games vs. Syracuse.

GOLDEN GLOVES: The Braves have now played a season-high 10 consecutive errorless games. The Braves have stretched their streak of errorless innings to a season-high 89. They have committed just one error in their last 14 games. Over that span they have turned 10 double plays, racked up four outfield assists, thrown out seven runners trying to steal, and picked two runners off. Martin Prado has not committed an error in 214 chances at second base this season. Braves outfielders have 18 assists. Richmond had 21 outfield assists all of last season. Three Braves (T.J. Bohn with six, Doug Clark, and Gregor Blanco with four each) are among the 16 IL outfielders with four or more assists this season). The Braves are now tied for second in the IL in fielding percentage, one percentage point from the lead. Richmond catchers lead the league with a .454 caught-stealing percentage. Corky Miller, Iker Franco and Brayan Pena have combined to gun down 44 of 97 opponents trying to steal. Miller leads the league, cutting down 27 of 56 (.482) attempted steals. Franco is 15 for 30 (.500) but doesn't qualify due to an insufficient number of games played.

ON THE LEADER BOARD: The Braves lead the IL in ERA (3.20, nearly four-tenths of a run per game better than second place Durham), most shutouts (nine), and fewest home runs allowed (40). Gregor Blanco is tied for third in the league in runs scored (48). The Braves are second in the IL in steals with 73. The Braves have the best road record in the IL (25-13 .658)

STREAKERS: Brayan Pena has a five game hitting streak (10-21 .476). Martin Prado has hits in seven straight games (8-27 .296). Carlos Mendez has hits in six straight games (8-24 .333). Wes Timmons has hits in five straight games (5-16 .313). Gregor Blanco, Graham Koonce, and Larry Bigbie have hits in three straight games.

HALFWAY HOME: The Braves hit the halfway mark of the season following tonight's game. Richmond lost two games off the schedule due to snow in Buffalo in April.

2007 Braves Vs. Chiefs

June

18 ♦ @ SYC W 8-3

19 ♦ @ SYC W 7-3

20 ♦ @ SYC W 8-4

21 ♦ 7:15 PM @ SYC

July

4 ♦ 7 PM @ RMD

5 ♦ 7 PM @ RMD

6 ♦ 7 PM @ RMD

7 ♦ 7:07 PM @ RMD

Upcoming Milestones

PLAYER MILESTONE NEEDS FOR

Dave Brundage Career wins 5 700

Gregor Blanco Career runs 30 500

Career steals 11 200

Kevin Barry Career K's 51 500

T.J. Bohn Career RBI 22 300

Doug Clark Career hits 9 1200

Career HR's 16 100

Career SB's 29 200

Iker Franco Career hits 53 500

Buddy Hernandez Career K's 11 400

Trey Hodges Career K's 34 400

Jonathan Johnson Career K's 39 700

Carlos Mendez Career hits 5 1600

Corky Miller Career HR's 8 100

Career RBI 34 400

Career hits 31 600

Jonathan Schuerholz Career hits 67 500

Will Startup Career games 6 100

Wes Timmons Career RBI 6 200

Career hits 4 50

UPCOMING PITCHING PROBABLES

Friday, June 22 vs. Durham 7 PM LHP Jo-Jo Reyes vs. RHP Jae Seo

Saturday, June 23 vs. Durham 7 PM RHP Kevin Barry vs. RHP Tony Peguero

Sunday, June 24 vs. Durham 2 PM RHP Ryan Baerlocher vs. RHP Jeff Niemann

Monday, June 25 vs. Durham 12 PM RHP Lance Cormier vs. RHP Jae Kuk Ryu

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International League Stories from June 21, 2007


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