CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Knights completed a three-game sweep of the Gwinnett Braves with a 3-1 win Wednesday night in the finale of the series at BB&T Ballpark.
With the loss, the G-Braves (70-61) dropped to 4.5 games in back of the Columbus Clippers in the International League Wild Card race, as the Clippers beat the Toledo Mud Hens 12-2. However, the G-Braves remain 3.0 games behind the first-place Norfolk Tides in the IL South Division, as the Tides were upended by the Durham Bulls 8-4.
Charlotte (69-63) plated the first run in the bottom of the fourth after Leury Garcia led off with a double to right field against Gwinnett right-handed starter Kanekoa Texeira and moved to third on a fly out to center. With the infield in, Matt Davidson hit a hard grounder off the glove of Hector Olivera at third. Daniel Castro picked up the ball but was unable to get Garcia at home, putting the Knights up 1-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jason Coats greeted Texeira with a solo home run to right for a 2-0 lead, and one out later, Dayan Viciedo blasted a solo shot to left-center for a 3-0 lead.
The only tally for Gwinnett came in the top of the eighth against Charlotte right-handed reliever Daniel Webb. With one out, Mallex Smith was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single to right by Eury Perez. A wild pitch by Webb enabled Smith to score from third.
Texeira (L, 6-4) pitched 5.1 innings with four hits, three earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts. Right-hander Danny Burawa worked 1.2 innings with two hits, one walk and one strikeout. Righty David Carpenter went 1.0 inning with three strikeouts.
Charlotte right-handed starter Hector Noesi (W, 2-4) went 6.0 shutout innings with four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Webb (H, 1) pitched 1.2 innings, gave up three hits and one earned run. He struck out one. Right-hander Terance Marin (S, 1) worked 1.1 innings with three strikeouts.
The G-Braves were paced offensively by Smith who was 1-for-2 with a run. Olivera was 1-for-4, Joey Terdoslavich was 1-for-3 with a walk and Cedric Hunter went 1-for-4 with a double to up his hitting streak to 20 games, which is the longest streak in the league in 2015.
For the Knights, Coats was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Viciedo was 1-for-3 with a solo homer.
The G-Braves return to Coolray Field to begin a four-game series against the Norfolk Tides at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday. Right-hander Victor Mateo (2-2, 5.47 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. Norfolk will start righty Mike Wright (8-0, 4.30 ERA), who is on a Major League rehab assignment for the Baltimore Orioles. Tony Schiavone has the call beginning at 6 p.m. on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com.
Friday
April 26th, 2024
12:58PM
