CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Knights (68-63), behind the pitching of left-handed starter Erik Johnson, whipped the Gwinnett Braves (70-60) by a 7-2 score on Tuesday night in game two of the three-game series at BB&T Ballpark. Gwinnett has now lost consecutive games for the first time since August 13-14.
The G-Braves also fell 3.5 games out of the lead in the International League Wild Card standings after the team they are chasing, the Columbus Clippers, beat the Toledo Mud Hens 9-7. Gwinnett remains 3.0 games behind the first-place Norfolk Tides in the IL South Division because the Tides lost to the Durham Bulls 6-5 in 11 innings.
Charlotte scored in the first inning, and did not relinquish the lead the rest of the night. Knights’ leadoff batter Leury Garcia singled to right field in the bottom of the first off of Gwinnett right-handed starter Ryan Weber. Garcia stole second, moved to third on a groundout to shortstop and scored on another groundout to shortstop by Dayan Viciedo for a 1-0 lead.
The Knights added to the lead in the bottom of the third after Tyler Colvin and Drew Garcia led off with back-to-back singles and both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Leury Garcia. Jason Coats followed with a single to center, scoring both runners for a 3-0 lead.
The first Gwinnett run came in the top of the sixth, as Eury Perez opened with an infield single off Johnson and was bunted to second by Todd Cunningham. Hector Olivera drilled a single to center, scoring Perez from second to make it 3-1. It was Olivera’s first run batted in as a G-Brave.
Rob Brantly quickly widened the gap in the bottom of the inning with a three-run home run to right field off of right-handed reliever Jason Hursh, which put the Knights in front 6-1.
The final Gwinnett run came in the top of the seventh. Sean Kazmar and Daniel Castro opened with back-to-back singles off of Johnson. Luis Mateo then hit into a 6-4-3 double play, moving Kazmar to third. A wild pitch by Johnson plated Kazmar to make it 6-2.
With left-hander Hunter Cervenka on the mound for Gwinnett in the bottom of the seventh, the final Charlotte run scored after Coats reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch for the 7-2 final score.
Weber (L, 4-3) pitched 5.0 innings with five hits, three earned runs and three strikeouts. Hursh went 2.0 innings with three hits, three earned runs, one walk and one strikeout. Cervenka worked 1.0 innings with one unearned run and two strikeouts.
Johnson (W, 11-8) beat the G-Braves for the third time this season. He pitched 8.0 innings with 10 hits, two earned runs and seven strikeouts. Left-hander Zach Phillips pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout.
Five Gwinnett batters went 2-for-4 in the loss, including Perez, Olivera, Kazmar, Castro and Cedric Hunter. Olivera drove in one run, and Perez and Kazmar each scored a run. Hunter has now hit safely in 19 straight games, which equals Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Austin Romine for the longest hitting streak in the league this season.
For Charlotte, Colvin was 2-for-3, Coats was 2-for-4 and Brantly was 1-for-4 with a three-run homer.
The G-Braves and Knights wrap up the three-game series at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday night at BB&T Ballpark. Right-hander Kanekoa Texeira (6-3, 3.59 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. The Knights will start righty Hector Noesi (1-4, 4.30).
Friday
April 19th, 2024
8:39AM
