Former G-Brave Gomez hits two HR in Paw Sox win

PAWTUCKET, R.I -- Former Gwinnett first baseman Mauro Gomez came back to haunt his old team, as he hit two home runs and led the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the G-Braves in the finale of the four-game series at McCoy Stadium.

The loss, combined with a Charlotte 13-6 win at Columbus, drops the Braves 3-1/2 games in back of the first place Knights' in the International League South standings.

The G-Braves scored first in the top of the second, as Felix Pie led off with a double to left center and then scored on a single to left-center by Josh Wilson.

The 1-0 lead lasted half an inning, as Gwinnett starter Kris Medlen walked Lars Anderson to begin the bottom of the second. Medlen then allowed back-to-back singles to Gomez and Josh Kroeger to load the bases with no outs. Alex Hassan hit into a 6-3 double play, scoring Anderson from third to tie the game at one. Medlen (L, 0-2) picked up the loss in six innings of work. He allowed six hits and three earned runs, while he walked four and struck out four in his third start for Gwinnett in 2012. Jaye Chapman pitched the final two innings surrendering just one hit, one earned run, one walk and struck out three.

It stayed 1-1 for the next four and a half innings with Medlen and PawSox starter Brandon Duckworth both working in and out of trouble during the game. But in the bottom of the seventh, Medlen gave up a one-out single to Anderson and Gomez (14) followed with a two-run blast to put the Paw Sox up for good, 3-1. Gomez (15) added a solo shot, his 15th of the season, in the bottom of the eighth off of G-Braves' reliever Jaye Chapman to run the final score to 4-1.

Duckworth pitched 5.2 innings for the Paw Sox and allowed seven hits, one earned run, while walking three and striking out three. Alex Wilson (W, 5-1) pitched 1.1 innings for the win and gave up one hit and struck out two. Mark Prior pitched a scoreless eighth with two walks and three strikeouts. Junichi Tazawa (S, 2) worked as scoreless ninth for the save as he allowed one hit and one walk.

Gwinnett was led by Tyler Pastornicky who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and has now reached base safely in six straight games. Jose Constanza, Luis Durango, Ernesto Mejia, Pie, Zawadzki, Wilson and J.C. Boscan each added a hit, meanwhile Mejia and Wilson are each on a five-game hit streak.

Pawtucket (41-25) was paced by Gomez who went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.

The G-Braves (35-31) head home for a day of rest Wednesday, then Thursday they'll begin a nine-game homestand in eight days with a twinbill against Columbus (30-35) to kick it off. Gwinnett right-hander Todd Redmond (5-4, 3.52) will oppose the Clippers right-hander Corey Kluber (4-6, 4.14) in the first game of the doubleheader, first pitch scheduled for 5:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN AM 550 in Gainesville.