G-Braves hold out for 11-9 win over Norfolk

LAWRENCEVILLE -- The Gwinnett Braves outlasted the Norfolk Tides 11-9 on Monday night in their series opener at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville. The teams traded leads back and forth until the Tides bullpen unraveled in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The G-Braves (61-62) pulled within 14.0 games behind International League South leaders Durham in a tie for second place, and 7.5 games within Wild Card-leaders Louisville. Norfolk (57-67) remains in last place in the IL North, 18.5 games back (all figures at press time).

The G-Braves jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but let it slip away and trailed 8-7 until taking advantage of an ugly inning by the Norfolk bullpen to regain a 11-8 lead. The bottom of the seventh inning proved Norfolk's undoing, as seven of eight G-Braves batters reached base -- thanks in part to four consecutive walks. The bases-on-balls, with a wild pitch sandwiched in between, helped Gwinnett plate four runs.

G-Braves starting pitcher Todd Redmond had his shortest outing since May, going 4.2 innings and yielding six runs, four earned, on eight hits and five walks - the most he's walked in his G-Braves career. Reliever Scott Proctor (4-3) ended up earning the win, going 1.0 inning of scoreless relief. Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 20th save of the season, and third in as many appearances.

Atlanta Braves infielder Martin Prado, transferred to Gwinnett today to begin his ML rehab, went 1-for-4 and played both second and third base. Center fielder Nate McLouth stole the offensive show, though, going 2-for-4 with a home run and six RBIs - the most by a G-Brave this season. IL batting crown leader Barbaro Canizares also went 3-for-5 with a home run and an RBI to raise his league-leading batting average to .337.

Gwinnett wraps up its five game homestand tomorrow, finishing the second contest of a two game set against Norfolk at 7:05 pm. The G-Braves will send RHP Kenshin Kawakami (0-1, 3.18 ERA) to the mound against a pitcher to be determined for the Tides. The game will be broadcast on the radio at WDUN-550 AM.

-- NOTE: Tomorrow night's game is 12Stone Tuesday charity night, as well as Kraft 2-for-1 Tuesday. Bring in a Kraft Singles wrapper and get 1 ticket free when you buy 1 in designated seating areas.