Fuentes, Clementina, and Solak Help Stripers Overpower Buffalo 9-6

A three-homer, five-run eighth inning rockets Gwinnett to win in shootout

Josh Fuentes (1) and Hendrik Clementina (1) blasted back-to-back homers on two pitches to kickstart the Stripers five-run eighth. (Josh Conner)

By Jack Johnson (@jackjohnson25)

April 29, 2023

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.. – Gwinnett grabbed an early 3-0 lead, watched it slip away over the next six innings, and then powered its way back ahead as Joshua Fuentes, Hendrik Clementina, and Nick Solak all went yard in an electric three-homer, five-run eighth inning to propel the Stripers (10-15) to a

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.. – Gwinnett grabbed an early 3-0 lead, watched it slip away over the next six innings, and then powered its way back ahead as Joshua Fuentes, Hendrik Clementina, and Nick Solak all went yard in an electric three-homer, five-run eighth inning to propel the Stripers (10-15) to a comeback 9-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons (10-15) on Saturday night at Coolray Field.

Decisive Plays: Yolmer Sanchez launched a three-run home run (1) to give the Stripers a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Buffalo went ahead 4-3 in the fourth on homers from Wynton Bernard (2) and Cam Eden (2). The Bisons added insurance with a two-run seventh, but Gwinnett chipped away with an RBI single from Luke Waddell in the bottom of the seventh. Buffalo led 6-4 entering the eighth, but two pitches later, things unraveled for the Bisons. Fuentes (1) and Clementina (1) ambushed Brandon Eisert (L, 1-1) for back-to-back bombs to level the score at 6-6. Solak (3) joined the party with a three-run smash off Eisert, giving the Stripers a 9-6 lead. Grant Holmes (W, 2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to lock up the win.

Key Contributors: Solak (3-for-5, double, homer, 3 RBIs) delivered the decisive blow with his three-run homer and finished a triple shy of the cycle. Sanchez (2-for-4, homer, 3 RBIs) tallied the other multi-RBI night for Gwinnett. For Buffalo, Bernard (3-for-5, double, homer, 2 RBIs) finished a triple shy of the cycle and Eden (2-for-3, homer, 2 RBIs) homered for the second consecutive game.

Noteworthy: The Stripers blasted their way to their first three-homer inning since the sixth inning on May 8, 2021 at Charlotte. It was the Stripers sixth come-from-behind victory of the season, and the team is now 2-2 in games decided in the last at-bat. Forrest Wall extended both his team-high hit streak to 10 games and on-base streak to 18 games.

Next Game (April 30th): Gwinnett vs. Buffalo, 1:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com and the Bally Live app. RHP Michael Soroka (0-0, 1.32 ERA) for the Stripers vs. RHP Casey Lawrence (0-3, 3.68 ERA) for the Bisons. It’s Sunday Funday at Coolray Field, featuring Pregame Catch on the Field and Postgame Kids Run the Bases.