Thursday March 28th, 2024 1:50PM

G-Braves' win streak reaches 5 with win over Durham

By AccessWDUN staff

LAWRENCEVILLE — The Gwinnett Braves exploded for five runs in the first inning and went on to a 9-3 win over the Durham Bulls on Tuesday at Coolray Field.

The victory was Gwinnett’s (53-50) fifth in a row to match their longest winning streak of the season, a five-game stretch from June 29 through July 3. The game featured six defensive errors by the Bulls and the fifth four-hit performance of Todd Cunningham’s career, his first since August 6, 2014 at Charlotte.

The game appeared headed for a blowout in favor of the Bulls early in the top half of the first inning. Each of the first three Durham (51-53) batters singled to load the bases, but G-Braves’ left-handed starter Greg Smith struck out the next two and got Mikie Mahtook to ground out to second base to end the threat.

Gwinnett then sent nine batters to the plate against Durham right-handed starter Matt Andriese (L, 2-2) in the bottom of the first inning. The rally included a balk, two stolen bases, four singles, and a double each from Jose Peraza and Christian Bethancourt to help put the G-Braves ahead, 5-0.

After working out of the jam in the first, Smith gave up one hit in the remainder of his 4.0-inning outing. In his first start since July 8, he allowed four hits, walked none and struck out three in a no-decision.

Durham loaded the bases again in the fifth inning against right-handed reliever David Peterson (W, 1-0) and this time got a run out of the rally. Grady Sizemore lifted a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Hak-Ju Lee to cut the Gwinnett lead to 5-1. Peterson tossed 2.0 innings with the lone run and four hits allowed to go with one strikeout.

The G-Braves gained their five-run lead back in the bottom of the inning thanks to back-to-back two-out singles by Bethancourt and Cunningham off Andriese. Durham right-fielder Taylor Motter misplayed the grounder hit by Cunningham, which allowed Bethancourt to come home and extend the lead to 6-1.

Gwinnett scored two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh against left-hander Everett Teaford. Barrett Kleinknecht led off the sixth with his second single of the game and scored when Bulls’ second baseman Ryan Brett committed his second error in as many plays, as he tried to turn a double play at second base. Peraza reached first on the play and scored whenJoey Terdoslavich lofted a double down the right-field line. Jordan Lennerton added an RBI groundout scoring Bethancourt in the seventh.

G-Braves’ left-handed reliever Matt Marksberry gave up two runs on three hits to briefly narrow the margin to 8-3 in the seventh inning, but the Gwinnett bullpen held Durham scoreless the rest of the way. Righties Carlos Fisher and Peter Moylan both threw perfect eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and each had one strikeout.

For Durham, Andriese settled down after the 29-pitch first inning, making it through 5.0 innings with six runs allowed (four earned) on 11 hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Teaford yielded three runs (one earned) on four hits over 1.0 inning, and left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser delivered 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

In addition to Cunningham’s 4-for-4 effort that included two RBIs, Bethancourt finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored to give him five doubles combined in the first two games of the series. Mallex Smith went 2-for-5 with a run scored, and Kleinknecht finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Motter led the Durham offense with a 4-for-5 night and one run scored, while Sizemore went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. However, the Bulls were undone by a defense that committed the most errors by a G-Braves’ opponent this season.

The G-Braves will attempt to sweep the three-game home series against the Bulls at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday at Coolray Field. Right-hander Sugar Ray Marimon (3-2, 3.61 ERA) is slated to start for Gwinnett, while left-hander Blake Snell (0-1, 2.25 ERA) will start for Durham. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com beginning at 6 p.m.

The game will feature Baseball Bingo, when fans can follow the on-field action for a chance to win great prizes on “Winning Wednesday.” Kids ages 12 and under will also receive a voucher for a free hot dog, chips and soft drink when they enter the stadium. To purchase tickets, call the Coolray Field Ticket Office at 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.

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