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Yankees Hammer Braves 11-3 in Rain Shortened Game

July 20, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


Lawrenceville, GA - There's something about Gwinnett Braves (46-55) left hander Jose Lugo (LP, 2-6) that just agrees with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (55-45). The Yankees teed off on Lugo for the second time this season picking up eight runs off the Gwinnett southpaw in 2.1 innings as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre beat Gwinnett for the fifth straight time in 2012 picking up an 11-3 win on Friday night in a six inning game shortened by rain.

Lugo, who allowed nine runs in an 11-4 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Rochester on June 29th, struggled again allowing three runs in the second and four more in the fifth inning as the Yankees pulled into a second place tie in the IL North and a tie atop the IL Wild Card standings with Lehigh Valley who dropped a 6-2 decision to Columbus.

Johnny Venters got the start for Gwinnett, tossing 1.0 innings on a Major League rehab assignment, retiring the Yankees on just six pitches in the first inning before Lugo entered the game in the second inning and the SWB bats went to work. Jack Cust led off the Yankees second with a single on the first pitch that Lugo threw and scored on Kosuke Fukudome's RBI triple to right center giving SWB a 1-0 lead. Following a walk to Cole Garner, Ramiro Pena scored Fukudome with a single to left. Doug Bernier drew a walk to load the bases and Kevin Russo's grounder scored Garner for a 3-0 lead.

The Braves tied the game at 3-3 off Yankees starter John Maine (WP, 4-3) picking up a two out second inning double from Ruben Gotay and a two run homer from Ernesto Mejia in the third.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre broke the tie in the fourth inning as the rain began to fall at Cool Ray Field with five off Lugo sending 10 men to the plate. Pena led off the inning with the Yankees second triple of the night. Bernier walked for the second time in as many plate appearances before Russo extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two RBI double to left center knocking in his second and third runs of the game giving the Yankees a 5-3 lead. Francisco Cervelli chased home Russo with a double into the left field corner for a 6-3 lead. After a walk to Cust, Brandon Laird got in the RBI act with a two run double to left center scoring Cervelli and Cust to run the advantage to 8-3. Lugo was lifted in favor of left hander Cole McCurry who got out of the fourth without further damage.

In two games in 2012 against the Yankees, Lugo has allowed a combined 17 earned runs over 6.2 innings of work on 15 hits for an ERA of 22.95.

As the rain continued to pound the field in Lawrenceville, Maine worked through the fourth and fifth innings unscathed retiring six consecutive Gwinnett hitters before Luis Durango reached on a Bernier throwing error with two out in the fifth. Maine allowed three earned runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts to improve to 4-3 in the rain shortened game.

The Yankees offense continued to score in the top of the sixth as the rain intensified. McCurry walked Cervelli and hit Cust with a pitch to open the inning before Laird's third hit of the night, a single, loaded the bases. After a force out at home for the first out of the inning, Garner made the score 10-3 with a two RBI double to left scoring Cust and Laird. Pena's RBI ground out plated Fukudome for the Yankees 11th run of the night before the downpour forced the game's initial delay and eventual end.

Game two of the four game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Saturday night at Cool Ray Field with right hander Ramon Ortiz (7-3, 2.84) getting the start for the Yankees. Left hander Brent Leach is slated to make his Triple-A debut for Gwinnett after getting a promotion from Double-A Mississippi.



International League Stories from July 20, 2012


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