G-Braves pound out win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

MOOSIC, Pa. — The Gwinnett Braves ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders by a 7-1 score on Friday night at PNC Field.
 
Gwinnett (31-37) scored its first run in the top of the first inning as Rio Ruiz singled home Ozzie Albies from second with two outs.  Albies, who led off the game with a single to right, scored a run for the eighth consecutive game.
 
The RailRiders (39-30) tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Jake Cave blooped a double to left off G-Braves' starter Manny Banuelos and later scored on a throwing error by Albies.
 
The G-Braves would take the lead for good in the top of the fifth. With two outs and the bases empty, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Kyle Haynes walked Albies and gave up a single to Emilio Bonifacio. Albies took third on the single, and Bonifacio would later steal second to put runners on second and third. Anthony Recker then singled to center, scoring both runners for a 3-1 Gwinnett lead.
 
In the top of the eighth, facing reliever Diego Moreno, the G-Braves added to the lead. Ruiz walked with one out and moved to second as shortstop Jonathan Diaz misplayed a ball hit by Ronnie Mustelier. With two on, Daniel Castro singled to left, scoring Ruiz and moving Mustelier to third. With the infield pulled in, Blake Lalli bounced a single to right, scoring both Mustelier and Castro for a 6-1 lead.
 
The final Gwinnett run came in the top of the ninth off RailRiders' reliever Tyler Webb as Bonifacio walked and scored on a single to left by Mustelier.
 
Bradley Roney (W, 1-0) got win in relief of Banuelos. Roney went 3.0 innings with one hit, two walks and three strikeouts.  Banuelos, in his fifth start for the G-Braves, worked 4.0 innings with four hits and one unearned run. He walked three and struck out two. Kanekoa Texeira closed out the game with 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.
 
Haynes (L, 1-2) picked up the loss for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with 4.2 innings, six hits, three earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts. Mark Montgomery worked 1.1 innings. Former Gwinnett and Atlanta Braves' pitcher Chasen Shreve pitched 1.0 inning with three strikeouts on a MLB rehab assignment for the New York Yankees. Moreno worked two thirds of an inning with three hits, three runs (two earned), one walk and one strikeout. Webb went 1.1 innings with one hit, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.
 
At the plate, Bonifacio was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and his International League-leading 23rd stolen base. Castro went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Recker was 1-for-5 with two RBIs and Lalli was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
 
For the RailRiders, both Ben Gamel and former Atlanta Brave Nick Swisher went 2-for-4.
 
The G-Braves and RailRiders continue the three-game series on Saturday night. Right-hander Chris Ellis (8-2, 2.75 ERA at Double-A Mississippi) will make his first Triple-A start for Gwinnett. The RailRiders will counter with right-hander Luis Severino (2-0, 3.24 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Tony Schiavone has the call of the action beginning at 6:35 p.m. on 97.7 FM.