For the third time in three games, the Yankees scored the first run of the ballgame in their first at-bat. Chris Dickerson led off the game with a single against left-hander Yohan Flande, then stole second base and came around to score on a Kevin Russo RBI single.
In the fifth, Scranton raised the lead to 2-0 as Ramiro Pena led off with a triple and scored on Matt Antonelli's RBI single to center. The Yankees added one more run in the seventh as Dickerson drilled his second hit of the day, a double, and scored two batters later on Joseph's double off Jaye Chapman. All three runs were credited to Flande, who allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out two over 6.1 innings.
Gwinnett finally answered back in the seventh inning as Ernesto Mejia led off the inning with a single. Following a two-out Ruben Gotay single, Jose Yepez came through with a clutch two-run double down the right field line, cutting the G-Braves deficit to 3-2. Yepez finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs, raising his batting average to .272 on the season.
The G-Braves tied the game 3-3 in the eighth when Jose Constanza began the rally with a leadoff single, then advanced to third base on an errant pickoff throw by left-hander Justin Thomas. The same at-bat, speedster Luis Durango singled up the middle for his 36th RBI of the season. Durango would later steal his second base of the game, raising his International League leading total to 35 on the season.
Walks to Mejia and Stefan Gartrell loaded the bases as Gwinnett threatened to take their first lead of the night, but Ryota Igarashi struck out Josh Wilson and Gotay swinging to end the threat.
Scranton wasted little time recapturing the lead in the ninth as Joseph capped his big night with a two-out solo home run to right field. With the game-winning blast, Joseph finished 2-for-5 with a team-high two RBIs.
Russell (L, 0-1) gave up the winning run on one hit over 1.0 inning of work.
Andy Warren made the start for the Yankees and lasted 6.0 scoreless innings in a no decision. The right-hander struck out five and walked none, surrendering just three hits. Manny Delcarmen earned his fifth hold of the season, working 1.0 inning and allowed two runs. After Thomas blew the save, Igarashi (W, 2-2) worked 1.2 innings and was unhittable, striking out three.
The Gwinnett Braves (46-57) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (57-45) play their series and season finale on Monday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The G-Braves will have right-hander Eric Junge (5-8, 4.62) on the mound, while the Yankees counter with left-hander Mike O'Connor (2-3, 3.39). Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM in Gainesville, GA with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
All kids 12 and under will receive a voucher for a free hot dog, bag of chips and a small soda on Kids Eat Free Monday.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/7/250972