G-Braves, Resop take out Red Wings, 6-3

LAWRENCEVILLE -- The Rochester Red Wings should have known it was going to be their night on Tuesday.

Even if a 43-minute game delay due to Rochester's equipment van arriving late at the Gwinnett Braves' Coolray Field didn't dampen the Red Wings' spirit then G-Braves starter Chris Resop sure did.

Resop pitched five scoreless innings without allowing a hit, as he helped spark a 6-3 Gwinnett victory in Lawrenceville.

The G-Braves (47-56) remain 16 games behind International League South leaders Durham in last place. The win pulled Gwinnett to within 6.5 games of Wild Card-leaders Syracuse. Rochester (39-66), also in the bottom of their division, fell to 21.5 games behind IL North leaders Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Resop picked up right where he left off as Gwinnett's ace starter before being called up to Atlanta on June 15. And he looked like a Major League pitcher in his MLB rehab start, dazzling Red Wings batters for six strikeouts, while walking two batters. The Naples, Fla., native extended his scoreless innings streak to 14.2 IP (bridging his call-up) -- the longest for a G-Braves starter this season. Brandon Beachy made his G-Braves and Triple-A debut tonight in relief, going 4.0 innings pitched with a season-high seven strikeouts for a reliever for his first save.

First baseman Freddie Freeman led the G-Braves offense, going 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs and his 14th home run of the season. Left fielder Matt Young finished 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs, while shortstop Brandon Hicks ended up 3-for-4 with a double of his own.

Gwinnett continues its season long 12-day, 12-game homestand Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m., trying to take game two of the four game series against Rochester. The G-Braves will send RHP Cristhian Martinez (3-1, 3.57 ERA) to the bump for his third start as a G-Brave after beginning the season in the bullpen. He'll go against RHP Jeff Manship (3-5, 5.15 ERA) for the Red Wings. The game will be broadcast on the radio at WDUN-550 AM.