TOLEDO, OHIO — The Gwinnett Braves rode the pitching of starter Kanekoa Texeira and a strong performance from the bullpen to a 5-1 win over the Toledo Mud Hens Wednesday night in game two of the three-game series at Fifth Third Field.
Texeira (W, 1-0), who was called into duty when John Gant was recalled by Atlanta earlier in the day gave the G-Braves five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out two.
The G-Braves’ offense aided Texeira with a three runs top of the third as Brandon Snyder led off with a single off Mud Hens’ starter Josh Turley and moved to second on a one-out walk by Chase d’Arnaud. Reid Brignac followed with a single to center, scoring Snyder for a 1-0 lead and Ryan Lavarnway then walked to load the bases. Matt Tuiasosopo followed with a two-run double to right, putting Gwinnett up 3-0.
Brignac knocked in Emilio Bonifacio with an RBI single in the fourth to stretch the G-Braves’ lead to 4-0.
The only Toledo (7-10) run came in the top of the seventh against Gwinnett reliever Joel De La Cruz as Corey Jones lifted a fly ball that hit the foul line in left and went into the stands as a ground-rule double to bring home Steven Moya.
The G-Braves (12-9) got the run back in the top of the ninth as Rio Ruiz enjoyed an atypical trip around the bases. The Gwinnett third baseman reached on a force out, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a groundout and then scored when Toledo catcher Humberto Quintero couldn’t catch a Bobby Parnell pitch for a passed ball.
Brignac paced Gwinnett’s 14-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Lavarnway, Ruiz and Snyder each had three hits each and every batter in the order recorded at least one hit for the G-Braves.
De La Cruz pitched allowed three hits and a run over two innings before Brandon Cunniff (H, 2) and Matt Marksberry each posted scoreless innings of relief for the Gwinnett bullpen.
Turley (L, 1-2) allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) in four innings for Toledo, while walking three and striking out four. The G-Braves recorded eight hits and one run in five innings against Jeff Ferrell, Dustin Molleken, Drake Britton, Preston Guilmet and Parnell out of the Mud Hens’ bullpen.
James McCann was 1-for-2 for Toledo.
The G-Braves and Mud Hens conclude the three-game series Thursday morning at Fifth Third Field. Right-hander Lucas Sims (0-1, 3.60 ERA) will make his second start for Gwinnett and Toledo will counter with righty Michael Fulmer (1-1, 4.11 ERA). First pitch set for 10:35 a.m. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM at 10:05 a.m.
