Results tagged ‘ Felix Pie ’
G-Braves Host Durham on Christmas in July
Tim Beckham, Cole Figueroa and Rich Thompson all collected three hits each as the Durham Bulls defeated the Gwinnett Braves 10-8 on Tuesday night at Coolray Field. Ernesto Mejia and Stefan Gartrell each plated three RBIs apiece, but the G-Braves still fell to 2.0 games behind the Bulls for third place in the International League South Division.
For the fifth-straight game on the homestand, Gwinnett’s opponent scored the first run. Thompson led off the game with a triple for Durham and scored when the next hitter, Will Rhymes lifted a sacrifice fly into right field. Stephen Vogt followed with a double and scored when Leslie Anderson singled him home for a 2-0 Bulls’ lead.
Gwinnett responded in a major way in their half of third inning, crossing the plate five times against Durham starter Alex Torres. Lance Zawadzki, Luis Durango and Felix Pieall walked to load the bases, and Mejia capitalized on Torres’ lack of command when he singled to score the first two runs of the night for Gwinnett. Gartrell followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-3. After back-to-back walks to Josh Wilson and Ruben Gotayloaded the bases once again, J.C. Boscan capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly that sent Gartrell home for a 5-2 Gwinnett lead.
Torres worked 2.1 innings, surrendering five earned runs on just two hits. The left-hander yielded six walks while striking out five in the no decision.
G-Braves’ starter Julio Teheran would not fare so well with a lead. The right-hander allowed four more runs in the top half of the fourth and exited the game after 3.1 innings pitched for the no decision. Teheran surrendered six earned runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out one. It was his sixth start in which he failed to last 4.0 innings this season.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
Wednesday, July 25th G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (47-58) and Durham Bulls (49-56) will play the second game of their four-game series at Coolray Field on Wednesday night. The G-Braves will have left-hander Jose Lugo (2-6, 6.03) on the mound, while the Bulls counter with right-hander Lance Pendleton (5-4, 4.10) for a 7:05 PM scheduled first pitch. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
Durham Bulls (3rd IL South) vs Gwinnett (4th IL North)
Wednesday night is “Christmas in July” at Coolray Field. The G-Braves will host a toy drive with all toys collected going to North Atlanta Toys for Tots. The night will also include an appearance by Santa, a Christmas Ornament giveaway to the first 1,500 fans, numerous holiday-themed contests, prizes and more. For a complete list of “Christmas in July” events and prizes, visit gwinnettbraves.com. Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Hamby
Durham Bulls Batting Order:
1) Rich Thompson, CF
2) Tim Beckham, 2B
3) Stephen Vogt, LF
4) Henry Wrigley, 1B
5) Leslie Anderson, DH
6) Chris Gimenez, RF
7) Reid Brignac, SS
8) Nevin Ashley, C
9) Cole Figueroa, 3B
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Luis Durango, CF
2) Jack Wilson, DH
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Stefan Gartrell, LF
6) Josh Wilson, SS
7) Terry Tiffee, 3B
8) Jose Yepez, C
9) Ruben Gotay, 2B
G-Braves Getting Back to their Winning Ways
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
After dropping the first seven meetings this season, the Gwinnett Braves finally defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees with a 10-6 win on Monday night at Coolray Field. The Gwinnett offense collected 14 total hits including two from Felix Pie, who went 2-for-4 with a home run, run scored and three RBIs.
For the fourth time in four games on the series, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored first against Gwinnett. Brandon Laird crushed a solo home run off starter Eric Junge with one out in the second, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead.
Gwinnett took little time to respond, as Stefan Gartrell singled with one out the very next frame. Following the first out of the inning, Jose Yepez continued his hot hitting with a single to right-center. That hit set up Lance Zawadzki’s RBI groundout, tying the game at 1-1.
The G-Braves took their first lead of the entire season series (a 61.2-inning span) in the third inning. Ernesto Mejia reached base on a single, and, following a walk to Gartrell, Yepez smashed his second single of the game through the infield to score Mejia. Ruben Gotay immediately followed with a run-scoring single of his own. A throwing error charged to Yankees third baseman Kevin Russo following a two-out single by Zawadzki allowed Yepez to race home for a 4-1 advantage.
The G-Braves extended the lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning. Jack Wilson, currently on a Major League rehab assignment for Atlanta, singled to lead off the frame, stole second and came around to score on Mejia’s RBI single. Gartrell then doubled down the left-field line to score Mejia, raising the lead to five runs.
Junge (W, 6-8) gave up a pair of runs in the fifth as he served up a two-run homer to Chris Dickerson, cutting the lead to 6-3. The veteran right-hander and former Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankee worked 5.0 innings of three-run baseball, walking one and striking out one. He threw 79 pitches, 51 strikes on the night.
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
Tuesday, July 24th G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (47-57) welcome the Durham Bulls (48-56) to Coolray Field on Tuesday night for the opener of a four-game series. The G-Braves will have right-handerJulio Teheran (6-5, 4.93) on the mound, while the Bulls counter with right-hander Alex Torres (3-5, 6.79) for a 7:05 PM scheduled first pitch. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
Durham Bulls (3rd IL South) vs Gwinnett (4th IL North)
Tuesday night is another 2 for 1 Tuesday at Coolray Field. Visit gwinnettbraves.com/Tuesday to print your coupon, then present it at the Coolray Field Box Office for a special buy-one, get-one ticket deal. Some seating restrictions apply, limit six tickets per group. Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
Durham Bulls Batting Order:
1) Rich Thompson, CF
2) Will Rhymes, 2B
3) Stephen Vogt, LF
4) Chris Gimenez, C
5) Leslie Anderson, 1B
6) Reid Brignac, DH
7) Tim Beckham, SS
8) Jesus Feliciano, RF
9) Cole Figueroa, 3B
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Luis Durango, CF
2) Jack Wilson, DH
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Stefan Gartrell, LF
6) Josh Wilson, SS
7) Ruben Gotay, 3B
8) J.C. Boscan, C
9) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
Yankees Looking for Season Sweep vs G-Braves
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees took their third game in a row from the Gwinnett Braves, winning 4-3 on Sunday at Coolray Field. Corban Joseph’s ninth inning solo home run off Andy Russell gave the Yankees the lead for good as they improved to 7-0 against Gwinnett in 2012.
For the third time in three games, the Yankees scored the first run of the ballgame in their first at-bat. Chris Dickerson led off the game with a single against left-hander Yohan Flande, then stole second base and came around to score on a Kevin Russo RBI single.
Gwinnett finally answered back in the seventh inning as Ernesto Mejia led off the inning with a single. Following a two-out Ruben Gotay single, Jose Yepez came through with a clutch two-run double down the right field line, cutting the G-Braves deficit to 3-2. Yepez finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs, raising his batting average to .272 on the season.
The G-Braves tied the game 3-3 in the eighth when Jose Constanza began the rally with a leadoff single, then advanced to third base on an errant pickoff throw by left-hander Justin Thomas. The same at-bat, speedster Luis Durango singled up the middle for his 36th RBI of the season. Durango would later steal his second base of the game, raising his International League leading total to 35 on the season.
Walks to Mejia and Stefan Gartrell loaded the bases as Gwinnett threatened to take their first lead of the night in the eighth, but Ryota Igarashi struck out Josh Wilson and Gotay swinging to end the threat. Scranton wasted little time recapturing the lead in the ninth as Joseph capped his big night with a two-out solo home run to right field. With the game-winning blast, Joseph finished 2-for-5 with a team-high two RBIs.
Russell (L, 0-1) gave up the winning run on one hit over 1.0 inning of work.
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
Monday, July 23rd G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (46-57) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (57-45) play their series and season finale on Monday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. The G-Braves will have right-hander Eric Junge (5-8, 4.62) on the mound, while the Yankees counter with left-hander Mike O’Connor (2-3, 3.39). Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
Scranton Yankees (2nd IL North) vs Gwinnett (3rd IL South)
All kids 12 and under will receive a voucher for a free hot dog, bag of chips and a small soda on Kids Eat Free Monday. Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Empire State Yankees Batting Order:
1) Chris Dickerson, CF
2) Kevin Russo, LF
3) Corban Joseph, 2B
4) Jack Cust, DH
5) Brandon Laird, 3B
6) Kosuke Fukudome, LF
7) Cole Garner, RF
8) Gustavo Molina, C
9) Ramiro Pena, SS
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Luis Durango, CF
2) Jack Wilson, DH
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Stefan Gartrell, LF
6) Josh Wilson, SS
7) Jose Yepez, C
8) Ruben Gotay, 3B
9) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
Breaking: Jose Constanza Promoted to Atlanta Braves
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
The man, Jose Constanza, who just broke Gwinnett’s franchise record hit-streak at 22 total games, surpassing both Barbaro Canizares and Felix Pie, is now on his way to the Atlanta Braves….again. This is nothing new for the Braves left fielder, as this is the third time this season Constanza will drop by Atlanta. With the recent injury to Matt Diaz, an opening has arisen and Atlanta is in desperate need of a bat. Who better than the Gwinnett all-time hit-streak leader himself?
This season Constanza has been the catalyst to the Gwinnett Braves offense, as he leads the International League in hitting with a .324 batting average. The speedster has registered 91 hits, 43 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples, one home run, 23 RBI, 111 total bases, 29 walks and 11 stolen bases, alongside his team-leading .386 on-base percentage.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
Constanza is batting .250 with the Atlanta Braves this season, including eight hits and four runs scored in 32 at-bats. The value of Constanza is not only recognized in the batters box, but he is an exceptional defender that has saved his pitching staff countless runs this season.
The Braves players are making a play to win it all this season, the future is important, but so too is winning a World Series this season, in the final year of arguably the greatest third baseman of all-time in the form of Chipper Jones. Constanza will provide a much-needed spark to the offense and pitching staff, but his contributions will not be measured by his stats, but by the Braves win-loss record with him in the line-up.
By: Tony Piraro
Family Sunday as G-Braves Host Yankees
Photo courtesy of Daniel Hamby
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees scored eight runs in the first inning and never trailed, defeating the Gwinnett Braves, 13-8 on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Cole Garner crushed a grand slam as part of the big first frame and Brandon Laird added a homer and four RBIs of his own as the Yankees pounded out 15 total hits. With the loss, the G-Braves are a season-high 10 games under the .500 mark.
The Yankees jumped out to an early lead for the second straight night, plating eight runs before Gwinnett hitters grabbed their bats. Starter Brent Leach (L, 0-1) failed to get out of the first inning in his G-Braves debut, allowing seven runs on three hits and four walks in just a third of an inning. The left-hander yielded a leadoff walk to Chris Dickerson, single to Kevin Russo and RBI double to Corban Joseph as Scranton jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Following a walk to Jack Cust to load the bases, Leach allowed back-to-back bases loaded walks to Laird and Francisco Cervelli for a 3-0 Yankees advantage. Garner followed with the grand slam to left, opening up a 7-0 lead and chasing Leach from the game.
Buddy Carlyle relieved Leach and served up back-to-back triples to Dickerson and Russo as the Yankees took an 8-0 lead. Carlyle settled down to work 3.2 stellar innings, surrendering just one run on three hits while striking out four.
The G-Braves were held scoreless by Scranton right-hander Ramon Ortiz over the first four innings, but finally solved the veteran in the fifth with a six-run frame. Ruben Gotayled off the inning with a double, and Lance Zawadzki reached on an infield pop-up that was dropped by the third baseman Russo for an error. Following a groundout, Luis Durango singled home the first run of the game for Gwinnett. Felix Pie added a sacrifice fly scoring Zawadzki, and Ernesto Mejia tallied his International League leading 67th RBI with a single. The inning was broken open when Stefan Gartrell blasted a three-run home run off the brick wall in left, cutting the deficit to 8-6.
Only one of the six runs was earned to Ortiz (W, 8-3), who worked 5.0 innings with eight hits allowed, one walk and one strikeout.
Sunday, July 22nd G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (46-56) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (56-45) play game three of the four-game series on Sunday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM. The G-Braves will have left-hander Yohan Flande (4-7, 4.46) on the mound, while the Yankees counter with right-hander Adam Warren (5-6, 3.86). Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM / 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA.
Scranton Yankees (2nd IL North) vs Gwinnett (3rd IL South)
Bring your ball and glove for a pre-game catch on the outfield grass at Coolray Field onFamily Sunday. All kids 12 and under will get to run the bases following the game. The Gwinnett Braves will also observe Cancer Awareness night as they recognize organizations that bring awareness to cancer prevention and detection or raise funds for cancer research. Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Hamby
Empire State Yankees Batting Order:
1) Chris Dickerson, CF
2) Kevin Russo, LF
3) Corban Joseph, 2B
4) Jack Cust, DH
5) Brandon Laird, 3B
6) Francisco Cervelli, C
7) Cole Garner, RF
8) Ramiro Pena, SS
9) Matt Antonelli, 1B
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Jose Constanza, LF
2) Luis Durango, CF
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Stefan Gartrell, DH
6) Josh Wilson, SS
7) Ruben Gotay, 3B
8) Jose Yepez, C
9) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
Gwinnett Looking for Redemption Against Yankees
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
The Gwinnett Braves opened their eight-game homestand with an 11-3 loss to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in six innings on Friday night at Coolray Field. Ernesto Mejia went 2-for-2 with his team-leading 21st home run, but the Yankees scored five runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth before the rains came.
Jonny Venters made the start for the G-Braves as part of a Major League rehab assignment and worked a perfect first inning, throwing just six pitches. Jose Lugo (L, 2-6) replaced Venters and took the loss with eight runs on nine hits over just 2.1 innings.Cole McCurry yielded three more runs over 2.1 innings for Gwinnett.
Scranton jumped out to an early lead after tallying three runs in the second inning off Lugo. Jack Cust greeted Lugo with a single, then scored as Kosuke Fukudome blistered a triple into right-center. Ramiro Pena added an RBI single scoring Fukudome and Kevin Russo grounded into an RBI force-out scoring Cole Garner to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.
Mejia answered back with a pair of hits to help the G-Braves draw even. The big first baseman singled and scored on a two-out double by Ruben Gotay that cut the deficit to 3-1 in the second inning. An inning later, Mejia smashed a two-run shot to left for his 21st blast of the year, tying the game at 3-3.
Scranton wasted little time recapturing the lead, as they crossed the plate five times in the fourth inning against Lugo. Russo ripped a two-run double to left-center scoring Pena and Doug Bernier to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead. Francisco Cervelli added an RBI double and Brandon Laird tacked on two more runs with another double to increase the lead to 8-3 and chase Lugo from the game.
Unfortunately, Jose Constanza went 0-for-2 at the plate, ending his incredible Gwinnett franchise record hitting streak at 22 games. Constanza’s streak was the longest streak in the International League since the 2007 season, when Columbus’s Brandon Watson put together an IL-record 43-game hitting streak.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Saturday, July 21st G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees play game two of the four-game series on Saturday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. The Gwinnett starter is slated to be left-hander Brent Leach (0-2, 1.59 with Double-A Mississippi), while the Yankees will throw right-hander Ramon Ortiz (7-3, 2.84). Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM / 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
Scranton Yankees (2nd IL North) vs Gwinnett (3rd IL South)
With the new school year just around the corner, Georgia Power and the Gwinnett Braves are teaming up to hand out a free backpack to the first 2,000 fans through the gates on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Karl Moore
Empire State Yankees Batting Order:
1) Chris Dickerson, CF
2) Kevin Russo, 3B
3) Corban Joseph, 2B
4) Jack Cust, DH
5) Brandon Laird, 1B
6) Kosuke Fukodome, LF
7) Francisco Cervelli, C
8) Cole Garner, RF
9) Ramiro Pena, SS
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Luis Durango, CF
2) Josh Wilson, SS
3) Felix Pie, LF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Stefan Gartrell, DH
6) Jordan Parraz, RF
7) Ruben Gotay, 3B
8) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
9) J.C. Boscan, C
Constanza Extends Franchise Record Hit Streak to 22 Games
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
Jose Constanza was 2-for-4 on Thursday night against the Indianapolis Indians, as he extended his 22-game hitting streak, which is the longest in the International League since the record 43-game streak of Brandon Watson of Columbus in 2007. The speedster has also raised his batting average to an IL-leading .324 mark on the season.
Constanza has obliterated the old Gwinnett franchise record hit streak of 14 games, which was set by two players in team history; Barbaro Canizares and Felix Pie, who accomplished the feat earlier this season.
The Atlanta Braves unfortunately have no room for the left fielder at the current time, however his role has never been greater within the organization. Constanza offers a variety of talents from speed to defensive awareness, making him invaluable to Gwinnett and the Braves. His current hit streak is just a small sample size of what the man can do on a regular basis. Constanza is hitting .391 during his current 22-game run.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
The G-Braves return to Coolray Field Friday night to open a four-game series with the Empire State Yankees as Constanza looks to extend his streak to 23 games. Gwinnett Left-hander Jose Lugo (2-5, 5.02) will start against the Yankees right-hander John Maine (3-3, 6.28). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Julio Teheran Day and Superhero Night. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN AM 550/FM 102.9 in Gainesville, Georgia with Tony Schiavone calling the play by play.
Come celebrate Julio Teheran being named to the 2011 Pert All-Star Team, while watching out for your favorite superhero dressed-up around the stadium sponsored by 12 Stone. Immediately following the game, stick around for Fox 5 Friday Fireworks. A spectacular fireworks display will light up the night following every G-Braves Friday home game.
Tickets for all Gwinnett Braves home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
By: Tony Piraro
Storylines Since the Break
A new post on your Gwinnett Braves has been long overdue since the start of the final 52-game stretch of the regular season. The G-Braves are off to a 1-4 start since the Triple-A All-Star break and maintain a 1.0-game lead on Durham for third place in the International League South Division. Dave Brundage’s club stands 10 games behind South-leading Charlotte with time still on the clock to catch the Knights, but it’s clear that the time is now to make a move up the standings.
Here’s some of the storylines playing out since the break:
Constanza has hit in a franchise-record 19-straight games as of July 17. (Chris Roughgarden)
Jose Constanza is on a tear that may not end any time soon.
Constanza entered the All-Star break with a 14-game hitting streak in tact, tying the existing Gwinnett franchise record shared by Barbaro Canizares (2010) and Felix Pie (2012). He’s re-written the record book with hits in five-straight games since, giving him a 19-game hitting streak as of July 17. That streak is the second-longest in the International League this season, trailing only a 20-game streak accomplished by three players including former Toledo Mud Hen Brad Eldred. Constanza isn’t just collecting a hit a night to advance history, he’s often doing it with huge, multi-hit efforts. He’s logged more than one hit in 12 of the 19 games, hitting an impressive .400 (34-for-85) on the streak. Not surprisingly, he’s shot to the top of the IL in batting average, now leading the circuit with a .322 mark.
Mejia leads the IL with 106 hits and ranks fourth with a .308 batting average. He’s among offensive leaders in just about every other category. (Karl Moore)
Ernesto Mejia has been even better since appearing in the All-Star Game.
What’s left to prove for Mejia after his first Triple-A All-Star Game selection? Plenty. He’s continued to do it with his bat, hitting .354 with four homers and nine RBI over the first 12 games of July. The slugging first baseman is riding a three-game multi-hit streak that has raised his average to .308, fourth-best in the International League. He leads the league with 106 hits (amazing for a player with such power to lead in total hits), while ranking second in total bases (189), tied for second in extra-base hits (44), tied for third in RBI (62), fourth in slugging percentage (.549), fifth in OPS (.916) and tied for fifth in home runs (19). If he can keep up the pace, the IL Triple Crown could be within his grasp in his first year at the level.
Redmond went 6-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts for the G-Braves before the trade. (Kyle Hess)
It’s going to be weird not seeing Todd Redmond pitch every fifth day.
One constant over the first four years of G-Braves baseball has been the consistency of Redmond in the rotation. The all-time wins leader in Gwinnett history was shipped to Cincinnati in exchange for shortstop Paul Janish on July 14. Redmond went 34-30 with a 3.78 ERA in 101 games, 97 starts in a G-Braves uniform, making him one of the faces of the young franchise. He’ll certainly be most remembered for his nine-inning no-hitter at Louisville on May 28, 2010, still the only no-no thrown by a G-Brave. Die-hard fans will certainly remember his outstanding 2011 season in which Redmond went 10-8 with the IL’s third-best ERA of 2.92. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be weird not seeing “Red” on the mound at Coolray Field. Even stranger, he may face his old club when his new team, the Louisville Bats, come to town in August.
Since throwing his first career complete game on June 3, Teheran is 1-3 with an 8.56 ERA in his last six starts. (Kyle Hess)
With Redmond gone, who steps up?
It’s no secret that even when Redmond was still a member of the rotation, Gwinnett starters had been struggling. The question is, who is able to shake off those struggles and consistently win for this team? We’ve seen flashes of dominance from Julio Teheran, Eric Junge, Yohan Flande and Jose Lugo this year, but who takes the reigns as the staff ace? Teheran would be the likely candidate given what he did just a season ago. There’s still time for the 21-year-old to improve upon a 6-5 record and uncharacteristic 4.96 ERA. Randall Delgado served up six runs in his first Triple-A start since being optioned to Gwinnett by Atlanta, but could also ressurect his season with a strong finish in Triple-A.
McCurry has thrown 5.0 scoreless innings across two appearances with Gwinnett this season. (Leslie Watts)
There’s a whole lot of new faces here.
Terry Tiffee, Cole McCurry, Andy Russell…who are these guys? The G-Braves’ roster underwent nine transactions this past weekend, giving the roster a bit of a new look. Not only the addition of Tiffee, a third baseman who has logged Major League time in Minnesota and Los Angeles (Dodgers), McCurry, a reliever who came over from the Baltimore system earlier this year and Russell (not to be confused with Adam), a 28-year-old reliever in just his second U.S. season after pitching in his native Australia, but also the “re-addition” of Jordan Parraz. Parraz had been out since May 7 with a broken left hand, but went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles in his first game back with Gwinnett on July 14 at Louisville. Which of the new faces becomes a key piece of the puzzle?
Carlyle ranks second among IL relief leaders in fewest walks per 9.0 innings with a 1.76 mark. (Melinda Pease)
With a slim lead late in the game, who gets the call?
Triple-A All-Star Cory Gearrin is currently on the DL, so who gets the coveted closer’s role? Jaye Chapman posted two saves and a win in three scoreless outings from July 4-12, but suffered a tough letdown in a blown save and loss on July 14 at Louisville. Buddy Carlyle is the active bullpen leader in ERA (2.34) and wins (5), but gave up the grand slam to Bats’ catcher Dioner Navarro that defeated the G-Braves on that same July 14 evening. Don’t count out the rest of the pen, Billy Bullock, Adam Russell, Dusty Hughes and others to get on track, but the late innings will still likely belong to Chapman and Carlyle.
That’s just a small sampling of what’s going on with the Gwinnett Braves just past the half-way point of July. To find out how it all plays out, keep coming back to the G-Blog and gwinnettbraves.com, as well as catching the radio broadcasts with Tony Schiavone on WDUN 550 AM / 102.9 FM and WDUN.com.
-DL
Gwinnett Trying to End First Half on High Note
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
The Gwinnett Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the Durham Bulls, 6-5 on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Jose Yepez belted a one-out two-run homer, his second of the season, to erase a 5-4 deficit and provide the winning margin for the G-Braves. Jaye Chapman worked 2.2 scoreless innings for the win in relief.
The G-Braves entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing the Bulls, 5-4. With one out, Stefan Gartrell lifted his third hit of the game, a single, into center field. Yepez then delivered in the clutch as he lifted left-hander Cesar Ramos’s 3-2 offering deep to left. The towering drive landed just fair, giving Gwinnett their first and only lead of the game at 6-5.
Yohan Flande worked 6.1 innings for Gwinnett, surrendering five runs on eight hits. The left-hander struck out four and walked two in a no-decision. Chapman entered the game with one out in the seventh and allowed one of two inherited runners to score on a single by Cole Figueroa that gave the Bulls a 5-4 lead. A second run nearly scored on the same hit, but Luis Durango threw to Yepez at the plate just in time to catch Reid Brignac. The outfield assist was Durango’s team-leading ninth of the year.
Chapman (W, 3-4) struck out Craig Albernaz to end the seventh inning and then worked two more scoreless frames to pick up the win. The right-hander struck out Tim Beckham swinging to strand the tying run aboard in the ninth.
Gwinnett’s offense collected 10 total hits, with Gartrell’s 3-for-4 effort and Jose Constanza’s 2-for-3 showing accounting for half of the production. Constanza extended his hitting streak to 14 games, tying Felix Pie and Barbaro Canizares for the longest hitting streak in Gwinnett franchise history.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Sunday, July 8th G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (42-49) conclude the series against the Durham Bulls (43-48) on Sunday afternoon. The first pitch at Coolray Field is scheduled for 2:05 PM. Right-handerJulio Teheran (5-5, 4.37) is set to start for the G-Braves against Bulls right-hander Lance Pendleton (4-2, 3.25). The game will be broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play. The television broadcast will air on CSS.
Durham Bulls (3rd IL South) vs Gwinnett (4th IL South)
Sunday is Public Safety Day at Coolray Field, including Touch-a-Truck. Fans will get the opportunity to see awesome vehicles up close, including a fire truck, police car, ambulance and more. Sunday’s community focus is on Youth Athletics as the G-Braves recognize organizations that promote youth athletics and activities during the game. Finally, it’s another Family Sunday featuring pre-game catch in the outfield and a post-game base run for kids 12 and under. Tickets for all remaining home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hess
Durham Bulls Batting Order:
1) Rich Thompson, CF
2) Shawn O’Malley
3) Henry Wrigley, DH
4) Brandon Allen, RF
5) Chris Gimenez, 1B
6) Reid Brignac, 2B
7) Tim Beckham, SS
8) Cole Figueroa, 3B
9) Craig Alberanz, C
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Jose Constanza, LF
2) Tyler Pastornicky, SS
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Ruben Gotay, 3B
6) Stefan Gartrell, DH
7) Jose Yepez, C
8) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
9) Luis Durango, CF
Flande Seeking Third Straight Quality Start Tonight
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Durham right-hander Matt Torra made a three-run first inning stand up as he worked 7.0 innings with one run allowed, leading the Bulls to a 4-1 win over the Gwinnett Braves on Friday night. The G-Braves managed only a run on a solo homer by Ruben Gotay in front of 7,907 fans at Coolray Field. With the loss, the G-Braves now trail third-place Durham by 2.0 games in the International League South Division.
The Bulls tallied three runs in the opening frame against Gwinnett starter Todd Redmondand never trailed. Rich Thompson led off the game with a double, then came around to score when the next hitter Jesus Feliciano singled him home for a 1-0 lead. Following back-to-back strikeouts by Redmond, Leslie Anderson touched up the right-hander for a two-run blast to straightaway center. Anderson’s ninth homer of the season made it a 3-0 Durham lead.
Redmond (L, 6-6) worked 6.0 innings and surrendered four earned runs on eight hits. The right-hander struck out eight and walked just two on 112 pitches, 68 strikes. The newest addition the Gwinnett bullpen from Advanced-A Lynchburg, Cole McCurry, made his G-Braves debut and was solid. The left-hander worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Felix Pie had the only multi-hit game for the G-Braves, going 2-for-4 with a double. Jose Constanza extended his hit streak to 13 games with an infield single in the eighth. The speedster ties Ernesto Mejia for the second-longest streak posted by a G-Brave this season and is one hit shy of tying the franchise record (14 games) held by Pie and Barbaro Canizares.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Saturday, July 7th G-Braves Starting Line-up from Coolray Field:
The Gwinnett Braves (41-49) ready themselves for the second of the three-game series against the Durham Bulls (43-47). The first pitch at Coolray Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Left-hander Yohan Flande (3-6, 3.59) is scheduled to start for the G-Braves against Bulls right-hander Chris Archer (5-8, 4.74). The game will be broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play. The television broadcast will air on CSS.
Durham Bulls (3rd IL South) vs Gwinnett (4th IL South)
Saturday night’s game features a Chopper Baseball Giveaway for the first 2,000 fans, sponsored by Tyson® Any’tizes® snacks. Tickets for all remaining home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call (678) 277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Chris Roughgarden
Durham Bulls Batting Order:
1) Rich Thompson, CF
2) Shawn O’Malley
3) Henry Wrigley, DH
4) Brandon Allen, RF
5) Chris Gimenez, 1B
6) Reid Brignac, 2B
7) Tim Beckham, SS
8) Cole Figueroa, 3B
9) Craig Alberanz, C
G-Braves Batting Order:
1) Jose Constanza, LF
2) Tyler Pastornicky, SS
3) Felix Pie, RF
4) Ernesto Mejia, 1B
5) Ruben Gotay, 3B
6) Stefan Gartrell, DH
7) Jose Yepez, C
8) Lance Zawadzki, 2B
9) Luis Durango, CF
