MOOSIC, PA- Behind the hitting of 19-year-old Ronald Acuña Jr. , the Gwinnett Braves (61-60) took two games from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (77-45) by scores of 9-4 and 4-1 on Wednesday night at PNC Field.Acuna combined to go 5-for-10 in the two games with two home runs, two runs, and five
MOOSIC, PA- Behind the hitting of 19-year-old Ronald Acuña Jr. , the Gwinnett Braves (61-60) took two games from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (77-45) by scores of 9-4 and 4-1 on Wednesday night at PNC Field.
Acuna combined to go 5-for-10 in the two games with two home runs, two runs, and five RBIs to increase his average to .341 in Triple-A this season.
The twin bill sweep pushed the G-Braves winning streak to six games, equaling their longest winning streak of the season. The G-Braves previously won six in a row from April 11-16.
Game one was a completion of suspended game from Tuesday. Gwinnett was leading 5-2 when heavy rains forced play to be halted in the fifth inning. The G-Braves had taken the lead on Tuesday night by the strength of a four-run top of the third, highlighted by Acuna's leadoff solo home run. When play resumed Wednesday, Gwinnett extended the lead to 9-2 with another four-run outburst, this coming in the top of the eighth. The G-Braves pounded six hits in that top of the eighth, including a single by Acuna.
Manny Barreda started game one for Gwinnett and went 4.0 innings with four hits, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Atlanta's Dan Winkler (W, 1-0) picked up the win as part of his rehab assignment by going 1.0 inning with two hits and one strikeout.Phillip Pfeifer went 1.2 scoreless innings with two hits and one strikeout. David Peterson worked 1.1 innings with two hits, one earned run and one strikeout. Jason Hursh pitched 1.0 inning with three hits, one earned run and three strikeouts.
For SWB in game one, Domingo Germán (L, 4-2) started and went 5.0 innings with eight hits, five runs, four earned, two walks and three strikeouts. Joe Mantiply tossed 2.0 innings with two hits and three strikeouts. Tyler Jones worked two thirds of an inning with six hits and four earned runs. J.P. Feyereisen went 1.1 innings with one walk and one strikeout.
The G-Braves erupted for 16 hits in the game one win. Acuna was 3-for-6 with a run and an RBI. Rio Ruiz was 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. Sean Kazmar Jr. and Carlos Franco were each 2-for-5 while David Freitas was 2-for-4.
In game two, the RailRiders took an early 1-0 lead off Gwinnett starter Josh Collmenter on an RBI single in the bottom of the second by Jonathan Diaz. However, Gwinnett tied the game as Luis Valenzuela reached first on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a wild pitch from SWB starter Chance Adams, and then scored when Acuna ripped a double to right-center. With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the fifth, Acuna crushed a 3-0 pitch for a three-run homer to right, his seventh with Gwinnett, to put Gwinnett ahead 4-1, the eventual final.
In the second game, Collmenter pitched 4.0 innings with four hits, one earned run and six strikeouts in his Gwinnett debut. Matt Wisler (W, 7-5) worked 2.1 innings with one hit and three strikeouts. Evan Phillips finished the game by going the final two thirds of an inning.
For the RailRiders in game two, Adams (L, 9-4) tossed 5.0 inning with six hits, four earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts. Nick Rumbelow went 2.0 innings with two strikeouts.
In the second game, Acuna was 2-for-4 with a home run and a double while driving in all four runs. Micah Johnson and Valenzuela were each 1-for-3.
The RailRiders were led in the opener by Tyler Austin, who went 3-for-5 with a solo homer. In game two, Jake Cave, Miguel Andújar, Mason Williams and Diaz were each 1-for-3.
The G-Braves and RailRiders wrap up the three-game series Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Aaron Blair (7-6, 4.39) will pitch for Gwinnett against SWB righty Brady Lail (5-4, 5.03). Air time is 6:35 p.m. with Tony Schiavone on 97.7 FM "The Other Side of the River."
The G-Braves are back home on Friday, August 25 for a doubleheader to begin a four-game series against the Charlotte Knights. For tickets, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.
