G-Braves smack Charlotte for second straight game

LAWRENCEVILLE -- The Gwinnett Braves beat the Charlotte Knights 5-2 on Monday night in the opening game of their final homestand of the season at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville.

Gwinnett has won two games straight against the Knights for the first time this season after snapping a seven-game losing skid against Charlotte on Sunday.

The G-Braves (63-66) remain 19.0 games behind International League South leaders Durham but moved into second place, a half-game ahead of Charlotte (63-67). Gwinnett is also 9.0 games back of Wild Card-leaders Columbus at publication time.

The G-Braves broke a tight game open on a wild play in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the game tied 1-1 and the bases loaded, second baseman Joe Thurston cleared the field with a triple that got tangled up with the bat boy's makeshift chair in the outfield for a 4-1 lead that would hold up. On his way to third, Thurston seemed to get caught in a rundown between second and third. But he jumped to the ground, his pursuer overran him and then he darted to third base to safely complete the play.

Starting pitcher Todd Redmond went 6.0 innings without yielding a single run on four hits. He also walked one and struck out six batters but didn't factor in the decision in his quest to become the first-ever G-Braves pitcher to reach double-digit wins in a season. Reliever Lee Hyde (2-3) went 1.0 inning in relief to earn the victory. Closer Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless ninth for his 21st save.

Troy Glaus began an ML rehab assignment on Monday for the Atlanta Braves - one that finds him returning to his old position of third base so that he can hold down the hot corner when he returns to Turner Field. The Tarzana, Calif., native finished 0-for-2 with 2 walks. Thurston finished 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs (60) and now has an RBI in four consecutive games. First baseman Freddie Freeman also went 2-for-2 with an RBI (81), smacking the 100th double of his four-year career. Reigning IL Batter of the Week Matt Young also continued his hot streak, going 2-for-3 with steal number 32.

Gwinnett continues its final homestand of the season with game two of a three game series against the Charlotte Knights at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday night. The G-Braves will send RHP Brandon Beachy (2-0, 2.89 ERA) to the mound against RHP Brandon Hynick (1-3, 6.64 ERA) for the Knights. The game will be broadcast on the radio at WDUN-550 AM and on TV at CSS.

-- 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.