ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Gwinnett Braves held off the Rochester Red Wings for a 4-3 win Thursday afternoon in the final game of the four-game series at Frontier Field.
The G-Braves (17-18) never trailed in the game, but needed some fine bullpen work to help secure the win for starting pitcher Tyrell Jenkins (W, 3-2).
Adonis Garcia opened the scoring with a towering two-run homer to left in the bottom of the first off Rochester starter Daniel Martinez. The blow, which scored Emilio Bonifacio from first, was Garcia’s eighth hit in six games with Gwinnett.
The Red Wings (18-17) cut into the 2-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single to center by Max Kepler.
In the top of the third, the G-Braves extended the lead to 3-1 as Jace Peterson crushed a one-out double off the left field wall and scored on a long double to center by Matt Tuiasosopo.
The lead went to 4-1 in the top of the fifth as Rio Ruiz broke out of a slump with a two-out single to left and scored from first on a double to left-center on Anthony Recker’s first hit for Gwinnett since being acquired from the Cleveland Indians earlier in the week.
The Red Wings scored a run in the bottom of the sixth as James Beresford greeted Jenkins with a double to right, moved to third on a fly out and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Kennys Vargas to cut the lead to 4-2. Adam Walked singled in Buck Britton after the latter doubled to make it a one-run game. Jenkins escaped further damage in the inning by getting Wilfredo Tovar to ground out to end the frame.
Rochester threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh by putting a man on third with two outs, but reliever Sean Burnett got Kepler to pop out to short to end the inning.
Jenkins allowed three earned runs on eight hits over 6.0 innings, while walking one and striking out three. Jose Ramirez (H, 1) walked one and struck out one over 0.2 innings before Burnett allowed one hit in his 1.0 inning. Chris Withrow (S, 1) earned his first save of the season after getting the final four outs, including a strikeout.
Martinez (L, 1-3) gave up nine hits and four earned runs in 5.0 innings for Rochester, while striking out five and walking one. Dan Runzler retired all four batters he faced, Alex Wimmer walked just one over 1.2 innings and Buddy Boshers allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth.
At the plate, Tuiasosopo was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the G-Braves and Emerson Landoni (2-for-4) and Peterson (2-for-4) each had two hits. Garcia’s home run was his lone hit of the game, extending his hitting streak to six games.
Beresford went 3-for-4, Byron Buxton was 2-for-5 with a run and Britton went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Red Wings.
The G-Braves head to Pawtucket for a three-game series against the Red Sox beginning Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Righty John Gant (2-0, 2.96) is scheduled to start for the G-Braves against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (0-2, 4.70) for the Red Sox. Tony Schiavone has the call of the action from McCoy Stadium beginning at 6:35 p.m. on 97.7 FM.
Sunday
January 26th, 2025
1:39AM
