Gwinnett Braves Regroup to Take Series Over Tides

After dropping the middle game to the winless Norfolk Tides, the Gwinnett Braves (4-3) took advantage of timely hittting and excellent starting pitching to take a 8- 3 victory over the Norfolk Tides (1-6) and win the series 2-1 Wednesday at Coolray Field. Rodrigo Lopez (2-0) who started , pitched 7  2/3 innings and picked up his second win of the year. Norfolk, who won 4-3 on Tuesday night for their first win of the year was hoping to take two of three but the Braves were ready after struggling in the first inning.

The Tides, who are a Baltimore Orioles AAA farmclub, loaded the bases in the first inning with no outs. Matt Angle singled, Brendan Harris hit a sharp grounder to Braves shortstop Diory Hernandez but he booted it for an error and Brandon Snyder walked after both runners stole on a double steal. But Lopez got the first out with a strikeout of Nolan Reimold. Then Norfolk thirdbaseman Josh Bell singled in two runs to give Norfolk a quick 2-0 lead. Former Duluth High School standout Nick Green grounded into a force play on a great diving stop by Braves third baseman Daniel Nelson. Nelson made another great play bare handing a slow roller to end the top of the first with Norfolk leading 2-0. Norfolk pitcher Ryan Drese (0-2) pitched two good innings getting a double play in the first and second inning.

But in the third inning, the Braves cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third when the number nine hitter, catcher Matt Kennelly drew a 2-out walk went to second on a walk by Jordan Schafer and scored on a Jose Constanza single. Hernandez made up for his error with a 2-out 2-run double to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. Hernandez promptly got caught stealing. In the mean time Lopez had settled down and retired 11 out of the next 12 including three strikeouts.

In the fourth inning, the Braves got the first two on with back to back singles buy Ed Lucas and Joe Mather. Gomez delivered a single to score Lucas for a 4-2 lead. Nelson made it 7-2 with a 3-run homerun.

Gwinnett added to the lead as Constanza singled to open the fifth and scored when he was running on the play and Hernandez got a perfect hit to right center to make it 8-2. Lopez (2-0) was in command, retiring 21 of the last 23 hitters giving up a single and hitting one batter after the shaky start to the game. But in the eighth Lopez gave up two singles and left with two outs. He threw 97 pitches with 69 strikes. His pitching line was 7 2/3 innings giving up 5 hits 2 runs, 1 earned run 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Anthony Varvaro came in to strikeout Bell to end the eighth inning.

Norfolk didn't go down without a fight in the ninth inning as Green walked, Ryan Adams grounded to Hernandez who made his second error of the game and Green came home on Craig Tatum's sacrifice fly. But Blake Davis flew out to end the game.

"Once we get him (Lopez) a lead and even after the first inning throwing 25 pitches we handled the ball," said Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage. "The last couple of nights we haven't handled the ball on a couple potential double play balls cost us a couple of runs. But at the same time he comes back and throws 73 pitches over the next 6 2/3rds. Outstanding effort. He got stronger and stronger."

Lopez who threw 88 pitches his first start made it into the eighth inning and had retired 23 out of 27 batters since the rough start.

"It just seemed like he was one pitch ahead," Brundage said. "He got some first pitch outs, pounded the (strike) zone and just did what you are suppose to do."

He also praised the offense which had been struggling to find runs. "We got some two out runs tonight. That was big," he said. "We haven't had a lot of production with two outs. Probably the 3-run homer from Gomez the other night was the only two out runs on the season so far. I thought tonight we did a nice job of pushing across some runs with two outs."

Nelson who hit his second homer of the season also was excited to help the team improve to one game over .500 on the year. "Everybody played defense pretty well. That's all we can do, actually is to be solid out there and play behind our pitcher," Nelson said. "I believe the pitch (for the homerun) was a changup or a two seamer. He left it up in the zone. I always say sometimes you just get lucky and run into one and that's what I believe happened. I was ready to swing and I took a hack at it."

The Braves will host division rivals Charlotte Knights on Thursday and Friday to close out the homestand. Julio Teheran will pitch for the Braves at 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field.