G-Braves pull within 1 game of first place after 6-2 win

NORFOLK, Va. — The Gwinnett Braves fell behind 2-0 on a pair of solo home runs by Christian Walker, but regrouped with six unanswered runs to defeat the Norfolk Tides 6-2 on Thursday night at Harbor Park.
 
The G-Braves (75-65) have won three straight games in the series at Norfolk, bringing them to within 1.0 game of the Tides (76-64) for first place in the International League South Division. Both clubs have four regular-season games remaining, including Friday’s series finale.
 
Walker was the story early as he clubbed solo homers (17-18) off right-hander Ryan Weber in the first and third innings. His first homer was an opposite-field shot that sailed over the right-center fence, while his second was a line drive pulled into the left-field picnic area.
 
Weber (W, 6-3) settled in after the third and went on to allow two runs on three hits over 5.0 innings. He walked a season-high three batters and struck out two over 94 pitches, 58 strikes.
 
Norfolk left-handed starter Mike Belfiore exited after just 1.0 scoreless inning for undisclosed reasons. Left-hander Andy Oliver was pressed into inning-eating duty, and he allowed the tying runs over 3.0 innings.
 
Gwinnett tied the score in the fourth as Cedric Hunter walked, stole second base and scored on Sean Kazmar’s triple to the fence in right-center. Two batters later, Kazmar scored as Luis Mateo bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.
 
The G-Braves surged ahead 4-2 in the fifth with two runs off left-hander Patrick McCoy. Jacob Schrader drew a leadoff walk, Barrett Kleinknecht rolled a single to center and Mallex Smith beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Hunter plated the go-ahead run with a line-drive single to left scoring Schrader for Hunter's team-leading 75th RBI. Kazmar then beat out a fielder’s choice to score Kleinknecht.
 
Gwinnett tacked on two more runs in the ninth inning against former G-Braves’ right-hander Pedro Beato. Schrader reached on a fielder’s choice, Kleinknecht delivered his second single of the game and Smith sent a bouncer up the first base line that eluded Walker for a run-scoring error. Joey Terdoslavich then lifted a sacrifice fly to right scoring Kleinknecht to make it 6-2.
 
Right-hander Vin Mazzaro (H, 2) pitched 3.0 scoreless, one-hit innings and struck out one in relief of Weber. Right-hander David Peterson worked around a single in a non-save ninth.
 
McCoy (L, 2-3) yielded two runs on five hits over 4.0 innings, walked one and struck out two for the Tides. Beato allowed two unearned runs on one hit over 1.0 inning, walked one and struck out one.
 
Kleinknecht was the only G-Brave with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Kazmar finished 1-for-3 with his sixth triple, a run scored and two RBIs. Terdoslavich extended his hitting streak to 10 games, going 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Walker went 2-for-4 with the two homers, two runs scored and two RBIs for the Tides. Junior Lake also posted a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.
 
The G-Braves and Tides play the finale of the four-game series at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night at Harbor Park. Right-hander Kanekoa Texeira (6-4, 3.71 ERA) is slated to start for Gwinnett, while Norfolk will counter with right-hander Terry Doyle (3-1, 2.85 ERA).