With only two teams in action due to weather, both of the Atlanta Braves’ minor league affiliates in action fell on the day.
(6-5) Gwinnett Stripers 2, (7-4) Omaha Storm Chasers 7
- J.P. Martinez, LF: 2-4, 2B, R
- Leury Garcia, 3B: 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, Sac Fly
- AJ Smith-Shawver, SP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
AJ Smith-Shawver’s start to the 2024 season continues to be rather rough, as the 21-year-old was tagged for three earned runs across just 2.1 innings in his start on Wednesday morning. Things got off to a promising start for Gwinnett as J.P. Martinez doubled in the first at-bat of the game and was later brought home on a Leury Garcia sac fly to make it 1-0 Stripers in the first inning.
After working around a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning, Smith-Shawver allowed Omaha to tie the game up in the bottom of the second as the Storm Chasers launched a solo homer to make it 1-1. Omaha tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third, chasing Smith-Shawver en route to a 3-1 lead. The Storm Chasers added one run in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to extend their lead to 6-1 over Gwinnett.
Things would remain relatively quiet on the offensive-front for Gwinnett for a majority of the game, as the Stripers were limited to just three hits headed into the top of the eighth inning. In the frame, Garcia notched his second RBI — and the team’s only two RBI of the game — on a solo homer over the right field wall to make it a 6-2 deficit for the Stripers. Omaha got that run back in the home half of the eighth inning to make it 7-2 before slamming the door on Gwinnett in the top of the ninth as the Stripers moved to 6-5 on the year.
(1-3) Mississippi Braves, (2-2) Biloxi Shuckers — POSTPONED
(3-0) Rome Emperors, (2-1) Hudson Valley Renegades — POSTPONED
(2-3) Augusta GreenJackets 1, (3-2) Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 5
- Drew Compton, DH: 2-4, 2B, RBI
- Cam Magee, 2B: 2-2, BB
- Davis Polo, SP: 3.1 IP, H, ER, 3 BB, K
Despite outhitting Kannapolis 6-5, Augusta lost to the Cannon Ballers by a final of 5-1. Davis Polo got the start for Augusta and the 19-year-old showed promise as he allowed just one run across 3.1 innings.
Kannapolis jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Polo allowed a triple and two walks — combined with an error by Diego Benitez which was his first of two in the game. For Benitez, defense has been a challenge as the 19-year-old has committed six errors in just four games.
Luis Vargas took over on the mound for Polo in the bottom of the fourth inning and tossed one shutout frame before giving up a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 2-0 Cannon Ballers.
In the top of the sixth, Benitez worked a one-out walk before advancing to second base on a wild pitch. Drew Compton then drove Benitez in on a line drive double into right field to cut the Kannapolis lead in half at 2-1 which was also Augusta’s only run of the game.
Kannapolis tacked on three more runs — two in the seventh and one in the eighth — to extend their lead to 5-1 which would hold on for the final.
