G-Braves, Tides split marathon doubleheader

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA -- In two games that totaled almost eight hours of baseball, the Gwinnett Braves and Norfolk Tides split a doubleheader on Friday night at Harbor Park.<br /> <br /> The Tides (38-57) won the first game by a 12-11 score in an eight-inning game that lasted 3:43. The G-Braves won the second game by a 7-4 score in an 11-inning game that lasted 4:03.<br /> <br /> The first game saw the Tides roll out to an early lead, thanks in part to a five-run bottom of the second that broke a 1-1 tie. The inning was highlighted by a grand slam by Xavier Paul (11) off Gwinnett starter Cody Martin.<br /> <br /> The G-Braves (44-51) cut into that 6-1 lead with a run off Norfolk starter Josh Stinson in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right by Ozzie Martinez.<br /> <br /> But the Tides extended the lead back to five runs at 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth as an RBI double to left by Steve Clevenger off Gwinnett reliever James Hoyt scored Julio Borbon from second.<br /> <br /> However, the G-Braves logged a big comeback in the top of the seventh as they sent 10 men to the plate, scored six runs and took an 8-7 lead. Key hits in that top of the sixth came from Joey Terdoslavich, whose RBI single cut the lead to 7-3; Edward Salcedo, whose RBI single cut the lead to one at 7-6; and Brandon Boggs, whose pinch hit, two-run double to left-center put Gwinnett on top.<br /> <br /> But the G-Braves could not hold the lead as the Tides scored a run in the bottom of the seventh off Juan Jaime to send the game to extra frames at 8-8.<br /> <br /> In the top of the eighth, it looked as if the G-Braves had secured the win as both Phil Gosselin and Terdoslavich stroked one-out singles off reliever Clay Rapada. Elmer Reyes (1) then drove a three-run homer to right to give Gwinnett an 11-8 lead.<br /> <br /> However, in the bottom of the eighth, Jamie allowed a single and two walks to load the bases with no one out. Atahualpa Severino came in from the bullpen to replace Jamie, but he walked in two runs to shave the lead to 11-10. Severino then gave up a game-winning two-run walk-off double to Cord Phelps for a heartbreaking 12-11 loss.<br /> <br /> In game two, a solo homer by Borbon in the bottom of the first off Atlanta's Pedro Beato (pitching on a rehab assignment) gave the Tides a 1-0 lead. They added to that lead with two in the second off Daniel Rodriguez to open a 3-0 advantage.<br /> <br /> Once again, Gwinnett mounted another big comeback, this time in the top of the sixth as Gosselin doubled off the wall in right off Norfolk starter Chris Jones. Terdoslavich plated Gosselin with a single to center to make it 3-1 and Boggs (7) drilled a two-run homer to left to tie the game at 3-3. Reyes then stroked an infield single, move to third on a double to left by Salcedo and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to center by Joe Leonard.<br /> <br /> The Tides pushed across a run off Rodriguez in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game a 4-4 as Steve Lombardozzi plated Brian Ward with a sacrifice fly to left.<br /> <br /> The game remained deadlocked until the top of the 11th when, with Tim Alderson pitching for Norfolk, Jose Constanza led off with a ground ball to third. Lombardozzi threw the ball away at first, allowing Constanza to make it all the way to third. Jose Yepez then singled to left, scoring Constanza for a 5-4 lead. Yepez went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to right by Sean Kazmar for a 6-4 lead. Gosselin plated Kazmar with a triple to left-center for a 7-4 lead which would hold up as the final.<br /> <br /> In game one, Martin worked 5.0 in the start with eight hits, six earned runs, six walks and three strikeouts. Hoyt went 1.0 inning with one hit, one earned run and three strikeouts. Jamie suffered his first blown save of the season by going 1.0 inning with four hits and four earned runs, He walked two and struck out one. Severino (L, 3-2) went 0.1 of an inning with one hit, one earned run, two walks and one strikeout.<br /> <br /> For the Tides in the opener, Stinson went 4.0 innings with four hits, two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Ramon Ramirez pitched 2.0 innings with one hit, one walk and three strikeouts. Evan Meek worked 0.1 of an inning with four hits, six runs (two earned) and one walk. Rapada went 1.0 inning with three hits and two earned runs. Brock Huntzinger (W, 3-3) pitched 0.2 of an inning with one hit, one run and two walks.<br /> <br /> In the second game, Beato went 1.0 inning in his second rehab start with one hit and one earned run. Rodriguez pitched 4.0 innings with three hits, three earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts. Ryan Buchter pitched 2.0 innings with two hits and one strikeout. Carlos Fisher (W, 1-0) got the win by going 3.0 innings with one hit, one walk and five strikeouts. Terry Doyle (S, 1) pitched the bottom of the 11th with one strikeout.<br /> <br /> For Norfolk, Jones went 5.0 innings with four hits, two earned runs, three walks and six strikeouts. Kelvin De La Cruz pitched 1.0 inning with three hits, two earned runs and two strikeouts. Alderson (L, 2-4) pitched 4.1 innings with four hits, three runs (two earned), two walks and two strikeouts. Cord Phelps went the final 0.2 of an inning.<br /> <br /> At the plate in the doubleheader, Gwinnett was led by Gosselin who was 6-for-9 with a double, triple, three runs and one RBI. Terdoslavich went 4-for-10 with three runs and three RBIs. Boggs was 2-for-5 with the home run and four RBIs.<br /> <br /> The Tides were led by Paul, who went 3-for-4 with a grand slam, two runs and five RBIs in game one. Borbon was a combined 3-for-11 in the two games with a solo home run and three runs scored.<br /> <br /> The G-Braves and Tides play another doubleheader Saturday night at Harbor Park. Game one will feature RHP Kanekoa Texeira (1-0, 3.78) on the mound for Gwinnett against LHP Randy Wolf (0-0, 5.25) for the Tides. In game two, RHP Terry Doyle (0-0, 3.18) will be on the mound for the G-Braves while RHP Mike Wright (1-8, 6.22) will pitch for Norfolk. Tony Schiavone will have the play-by-play call beginning at 4:50 PM on WDUN.com, GwinnettBraves.com, Tune-In Radio and the MiLB First Pitch app. <br /> <br /> The G-Braves return to Coolray Field on Thursday, July 17 as they open a four-game series against the Durham Bulls. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM. Tickets are on sale now at the Coolray Field Ticket Office, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com to purchase.

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