G-Braves Drop Slugfest to Tides, 16-9

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - In a game that featured a combined 25 runs and 28 hits, the Gwinnett Braves (28-28) ended up on the wrong end of the score as they fell to the Norfolk Tides (24-33) 16-9 on Monday night at Coolray Field.
After jumping out to a 6-1 lead, Gwinnett allowed 15 runs over the final five innings to drop the opener of the three-game series vs. the Tides.
David Washington put the Tides ahead 1-0 in the second inning with a solo home run off G-Braves' starter Lucas Sims . Gwinnett was quick to respond in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Jace Peterson put the G-Braves in front by lining a two-run single to center. Xavier Avery then came home to score on a sacrifice fly to left from Sean Kazmar Jr. as the G-Braves opened up a 3-1 lead.
In the third, the G-Braves would double their run total against Norfolk starter Gabriel Ynoa. Carlos Franco  reached with a one-out single. Matt Tuiasosopo followed with his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot an estimated 399 feet to left-center, to increase Gwinnett's lead to 5-1. Avery capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly, plating Anthony Recker , who doubled earlier in the frame.
Norfolk scored a pair of runs in the fifth off Sims to make it 6-3. But it was the sixth inning that truly saw Gwinnett unravel.
Pedro Alvarez led off the inning with a solo home run to left. Washington and Chance Sisco followed with singles, ending Sims' night. Caleb Dirks (L, 2-2) came out of the Gwinnett bullpen, but struggled in relief. Craig Gentry cut the Gwinnett lead to 6-5 with a single, then Drew Dosch walked to load the bases with nobody out. Luis Sardinas put the Tides in front with two-run single to center. An RBI groundout from Johnny Giavotella and an RBI single from Chris Dickerson ended the scoring in the inning as the Tides sent 10 men to the plate and scored six runs to take a 9-6 lead.
Sims finished his start with six earned runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings while walking two and striking out six in a no-decision.
The Tides scored two runs in the seventh and five more in the eighth to take a commanding 16-9 lead. Mauricio Cabrera was tagged for four runs over 1.1 innings and Wes Parsons yielded three runs over the final 1.2 innings.
Gwinnett scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 11-9 before Norfolk's five-run eighth.
Franco went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Recker went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored to lead the G-Braves. Peterson went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a stolen base. Playing in his 400^th game with Gwinnett, Kazmar Jr. went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
For Norfolk, reliever Paul Fry (W, 2-0) earned the win with a run over 1.1 innings. All nine Tides' starters had at least one hit, with Washington and Alvarez each recording homers as part of three-hit games. Giavotella tallied three RBIs.
The G-Braves and Tides play game two of the series on Tuesday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Gwinnett has yet to officially name a starter, while Norfolk is scheduled to start right-hander Tyler Wilson (0-4, 5.84). Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Tuesday is "Two-for-Tuesday" at Coolray Field, as all dugout tickets are two for the price of one. For tickets, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.