(51-58) Gwinnett Stripers 6, (55-55) Memphis Redbirds 7
- Michael Harris II, DH: 1-for-4, BB, .250/.400/.250
- Nacho Alvarez Jr., SS: 0-for-4 BB, R, .314/.429/.538
- Chadwick Tromp, C: 1-for-3, 3R, 2BB, .278/.362/.444
- Eli White, CF: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, R, .291/.392/.455
- Allan Winans, SP: 4.0IP 9H 4ER 0BB 1K, 3.03
If you liked offense this was the game for you as the Stripers and Redbirds combined for 25 hits and 13 runs in a dramatic come from behind, walk off victory for the Redbirds. Allan Winans took to the mound and it’s safe to say it wasn’t his best outing as he surrendered nine hits while just striking out one over four innings as well as a pair of home runs. Tommy Doyle (2IP 2H 0R 0BB 2K), Hayden Harris (1IP 0H 0R 2BB 2K), Domingo Gonzalez (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 3K) continued their stretches of solid relief work and not only kept the Stripers in the game but pitched well enough to shut down the Redbirds and allowed the offense to eventually tie the game, but closer Ken Giles had one of his roughest, if not the worst, outing in his Gwinnett Stripers career as he faced three hitters, allowed the first two to get on base, before allowing for a dramatic three run walk off homer.
On the offense side of the ball, the Stripers got out to an early 1-0 lead with an Eli White doubled that scored Chadwick Tromp in the third inning. The Stripers were held scoreless for the next three innings before Eli White came through again with another big hit:
With the game now tied at 4-4 as we entered the 9th inning Yuli Gurriel did his best Eli White impression and connected on this two run homer that put the Stripers up 6-4.
As stated above, however, the lead would not last long as Ken Giles would give up a double, walk, and three run homer to drop the series opener against the Redbirds.
Of significant note, rehabbing Michael Harris II played the full game at DH and got on base two times, including a walk.
(57-44) Pensacola Blue Wahoos 7, (47-55) Mississippi Braves 3
- Justin Dean, CF: 1-for-4, .247/.332/.324
- David McCabe, DH: 0-for-4, .071/.188/.071
- Bryson Horne, 1B: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, .230/.289/.341
- David Fletcher, SP: 5IP 14H 6ER 1BB 1K
The David Fletcher starting pitcher experience took a big hit last night with the knuckleballer giving up 14 hits over five innings of work. He struggled on the mound from the get go, giving up all six runs in the first four innings of the game including three in the second. Overall, David drops to 1-4 for the Mississippi Braves and has seen his ERA rise to now 6.83, and with a slash line of .189/.240/.232 it’s safe to say the five-year extension the Angels gave him hasn’t exactly worked out for the Braves. After Fletcher, the Mississippi Braves bullpen did a decent job, giving up just one earned run over the games final four innings including a stellar job by Jonathan Hughes who struck out three over the final two innings of the game.
Offensively this game is what you have come to expect from the Mississippi Braves this year as they collected one extra-base hit, and were relatively quiet outside of one inning, which was the second inning last night. Mississippi got on the board when Keshawn Ogans doubled in Yolbert Sanchez, who had reached on a fielding error to start the inning and then made it to third on a single by Tyler Tolve. At this point the game was 4-1, and Mississippi had a pair of runners on second and third and zero out for Bryson Horne who came through with a two run single to put the game within striking distance (4-3). But, unfortunately for Mississippi, that’s all the offense would get as they had a three singles the rest of the game in yet another loss.
(48-51) Rome Emperors 5, (60-42) Greensboro Grasshoppers 9
- Ethan Workinger, DH: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R, .268/.356/.414
- Jace Grady, RF: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, .180/.288/.258
- Stephen Paolini, LF: 2-for-4, R, .218/.314/.342
- Adam Maier, SP: 3.2IP 5H 2ER 1BB 4K, 4.91 ERA
In what was the theme for the Braves organization today, another rough game for the pitchers as Rome gave up nine runs on 13 hits in what ended up being an organizational sweep (of the bad variety). Adam Maier lasted just 3.2 innings in his High-A debut for the Rome Emperors. He actually left on a pretty strong note having struck out the final two hitters he faced and was solid all around. It was the duo of Giomar Diaz and Shay Schanaman who really struggled for the Emperors as the two gave up seven runs, six earned, in the fifth and sixth innings that really did Rome in. Ryan Bourassa (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K) and LJ McDonough (1IP 1H 0R 2BB 3K) worked the games final two innings and did well, but the damage was already done for Rome who has really struggled in the second half of the season.
Offensively, the Rome offense did well collecting 10 hits and scoring five runs. The third hitter of the game, Ethan Workinger, gave Rome the lead with this solo shot:
They would then tie the game back up in the fourth inning on this Jace Grady solo shot:
Rome would add on another run in the sixth inning by Jace Grady who would ground into a force out but would score Joe Olsavasky who singled to start the inning. Rome would make it a little interesting, adding on a pair of runs in the 9th, when Nick Ward connected on his own homer, before they ultimately fell.
