LAWRENCEVILLE — After a slugfest on Monday night, the Gwinnett Braves (28-29) and Norfolk Tides (25-33) engaged in a battle of the bullpens on Tuesday night at Coolray Field. Unfortunately for the G-Braves, it was the Tides who scored late and held on to win 4-3 in the second game of their three-game series.
The Tides jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but the G-Braves would tie it before eventually falling in a nail-biter.
For the second straight game, it was Norfolk who struck first, this time against Gwinnett starter Aaron Blair. Johnny Giavotella put the Tides ahead two batters in with a solo home run to left, his fourth of the season. Drew Dosch and Pedro Alverez each followed with a double to plate the second run of the inning, and Chance Sisco drove a sacrifice fly to right scoring Alvarez to give the Tides a 3-0 edge.
In the third inning, Blair gave up a single and a walk around a pair of fly outs to put two on with two out. That would prove to be the end of his night, as the G-Braves turned to Akeel Morris out of the bullpen. Morris then struck out Sisco to end the frame and strand the runners. Blair finished his start with three earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out two in 2.2 innings.
The three runs backed Norfolk starter Tyler Wilson, who was sharp early in the game. He cruised through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Dustin Peterson led off the frame with a single to right. A walk to Xavier Avery and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs. Anthony Recker got the G-Braves on the board in painful fashion by getting a hit by Wilson’s pitch to score Peterson. Emerson Landoni then tied the game at 3-3 by lacing a two-run single down the right field line for his first two RBIs of the season.
Morris pitched 2.1 scoreless relief innings for Gwinnett before David Peterson came in for the sixth inning and pitched 2.0 scoreless frames of his own.
Norfolk was able to break the tie against Gwinnett reliever Rhiner Cruz (L, 1-2) in the top of the eighth. David Washington reached with a one-out walk, stole second, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on a bunt single from Craig Gentry to put the Tides in front 4-3.
Jimmy Yacabonis (S, 7) entered for the Tides in the bottom of the eighth and got into a jam early. With two on and one out, Avery lined a single to right field. Trying to score the tying run from second base, Sean Kazmar Jr. was thrown out at the plate by Gentry in a close play. Carlos Franco then struck out looking as the Tides remained ahead.
Yacabonis came back to the mound in the ninth and retired the G-Braves in order to finish off the win and earn his seventh save of the season.
For Norfolk, Wilson pitched 6.0 innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts to finish with a no-decision. Reliever Lucas Luetge (W, 2-2) earned the win by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.
The G-Braves were led offensively by Dustin Peterson, who went 2-for-4, and Landoni, who went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Giavotella finished 4-for-5 with the homer and an RBI for the Tides.
The G-Braves and Tides play the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon at Coolray Field, first pitch set for 12:05 p.m. Left-hander Sean Newcomb (3-3, 2.97) is scheduled to start for Gwinnett against Norfolk right-hander Jordan Kipper (2-1, 4.26).
