G-Braves fall to Norfolk, slip to 3 games back in IL South

-LAWRENCEVILLE — The Norfolk Tides scored nine runs over a two-inning span to hand the Gwinnett Braves a 10-2 loss in game two of the four-game series on Friday night at Coolray Field.
 
With the loss, Gwinnett (71-62) fell back to 3.0 games behind Norfolk (74-59) for first place in the International League South Division. The clubs meet six more times this season with a berth in the Governors’ Cup Playoffs on the line.
 
Things looked good early for the G-Braves as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against right-hander Elih Villanueva. Mallex Smith hammered a leadoff triple into the left-center gap and scored on a groundout to short by Eury Perez.
 
But that lead proved short-lived as left-hander Greg Smith struggled with his command in the top of the second. He issued a hit and four walks – two with the bases loaded – and was also hampered by third baseman Hector Olivera’s fielding error as Norfolk surged ahead 3-1. Smith exited with three on and two outs and was replaced by right-hander Vin Mazzaro, who walked in another run for a 4-1 Tides’ lead before ending the inning.
 
Mazzaro proceeded to allow five more runs in the third inning as the Norfolk advantage swelled to 9-1. Julio Borbon and Sharlon Schoop had RBI singles, David Lough laced a two-run triple and Christian Walker added an RBI groundout.
 
Gwinnett cut the deficit to 9-2 in the sixth as Olivera lifted a double off the wall in left-center and scored on a single to left by Joey Terdoslavich. However, Norfolk answered right back with an RBI single by Lough off right-hander Jason Hursh to make it a 10-2 game in the seventh.
 
Smith (L, 6-5) pitched just 1.2 innings for Gwinnett and allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks while striking out none. Mazzaro worked 1.1 innings and yielded five runs on six hits and two walks with no strikeouts. Left-hander Hunter Cervenka struck out three over 3.0 scoreless innings, Hursh gave up a run over 2.0 innings and right-hander Carlos Fisher fanned two in a scoreless ninth.
 
Villanueva (W, 4-3) held the G-Braves to two runs on eight hits over 6.0 innings, walked none and struck out two. Right-hander Steve Johnson tossed 2.0 scoreless innings and right-hander Pedro Beato worked a scoreless non-save ninth.
 
Terdoslavich had the only multi-hit effort for Gwinnett, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Cedric Hunter went 0-for-4, ending his IL-best hitting streak at 21 games.
 
Lough was the offensive standout for the Tides, going 2-for-6 with a triple, run scored and four RBIs. Walker went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Schoop went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
The G-Braves and Tides play game three of the four-game series on Saturday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Jake Brigham (3-1, 5.19 ERA) will start for Gwinnett, while Norfolk will counter with left-hander Mike Belfiore (5-11, 5.61 ERA). Tony Schiavone has the call beginning at 6:30 p.m. on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com.
 
The first 2,000 fans through the gates on Saturday will receive a Hall of Fame Bobblehead of legendary Atlanta Braves’ pitcher John Smoltz, presented by Gwinnett Medical Center. Smoltz himself will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game. To purchase tickets, call the Coolray Field Ticket Office at 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.