IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Stripers Snap Losing Streak with 5-3 Win at Charlotte

Published on June 30, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - The Gwinnett Stripers ended a season-long eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the Charlotte Knights Saturday night in game three of the four-game series at BB&T Ballpark.

The Stripers plated two runs in the top of the first off Charlotte starter Michael Kopech. Leadoff batter Phil Gosselin reached on an error by shortstop Jose Rondon to begin the game. Rio Ruiz followed with a single and Michael Reed was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Preston Tucker reached on a 3-6 force play that scored Gosselin for a 1-0 lead. Ruiz, who moved to third on the play, then crossed home plate when Dustin Peterson smacked a sacrifice fly to center.

After two scoreless innings by Gwinnett starting pitcher Luiz Gohara, the Knights tied the game in the bottom of the third. Mason Robbins led off with a double, and with one out Rondon drilled a two-run home run (7) to right to knot it at 2-2.

In the top of the fourth, the Stripers went back out in front. Tyler Smith led off with a walk and Rob Brantly singled to right. Sean Kazmar Jr. hit into a 5-4-3 double play to move Smith to third. Gosselin followed with a single to left, scoring Smith for a 3-2 lead.

Ruiz pushed the lead to 5-2 in the top of the seventh when he belted a two-run homer (4) to left off Charlotte reliever Jeanmar Gomez.

In the bottom of the seventh, Gwinnett reliever Jason Hursh ran into trouble. He walked both Seby Zavala and Trayce Thompson to begin the inning and gave up a single to Patrick Leonard scoring Zavala to make it 5-3. However, Chad Bell relieved Hursh and struck out the next two batters. Jacob Webb then came on and got the final out of the bottom of the seventh without any more damage.

Webb (H, 1) tossed a scoreless eighth inning, and Evan Phillips (S, 7) struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

Gohara (W, 1-3) pitched 5.0 innings with three hits, two earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts. Hursh (H, 4), Bell (H, 2), Webb and Phillips combined to allow a run on one hit over the final 4.0 innings.

For the Knights, Kopech (L, 3-6) went 6.0 innings with three hits, three runs (one earned), four walks and eight strikeouts. Gomez pitched 1.0 inning with three hits and two earned runs. Thyago Vieira worked 2.0 innings with two strikeouts.

At the plate, Ruiz was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Peterson went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a walk to increase his on-base streak to a team-high 15 games.

For Charlotte, Rondon was 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs.

The Gwinnett Stripers (35-46) conclude the four-game series against the Knights (37-44) on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Left-hander Kolby Allard (5-3, 2.60 ERA) is set to start for Gwinnett, while Charlotte will start right-hander Carson Fulmer (3-4, 4.46 ERA). Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River" beginning at 4:35 p.m.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers Statistics

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International League Stories from June 30, 2018


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