G-Braves Hold On to Top Bisons 6-5

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - The Gwinnett Braves (22-21) produced just enough offense and got timely relief pitching to defeat the Buffalo Bisons (23-19) 6-5 on Tuesday night in game one of the three-game series at Coolray Field.
Ozzie Albies tied his career high with four hits, going 4-for-5 with a double, run scored and a stolen base. Lane Adams and David Freitas each drove in a pair of runs as Gwinnett snapped its season-long five-game losing streak.
To begin the game, G-Braves' starter Sean Newcomb worked through a rocky first inning. He pitched around two walks and struck out the side to record a scoreless frame.
In the bottom of the first, Gwinnett wasted no time in getting him run support against Buffalo starter T.J. House (L, 4-4). Albies led off with a double to right, and Johan Camargo followed by reaching on an error. Two batters later, Adams brought in the game's first runs with a double down the left field line for a 2-0 lead. Dustin Peterson extended the lead two batters later by driving home Adams with a sharp double to right for his first career Triple-A RBI, putting Gwinnett up 3-0.
In the third, Newcomb struck out two Bisons to work around a pair of walks and keep Gwinnett ahead. He wouldn't fare as well in the fourth. After retiring the first two hitters, Newcomb walked Roemon Fields and Christian Lopes. Dwight Smith Jr. then tied the game with a three-run home run that just cleared the wall inside the right field foul pole.
Gwinnett didn't let the tie last for long. After a walk to Carlos Franco with one out in the bottom of the fourth, Freitas launched his second home run of the season, a two-run shot 359 feet to left, to put Gwinnett back in front. Later in the inning, Mel Rojas Jr. grounded into a fielder's choice to score Xavier Avery from third and give the G-Braves a 6-3 lead.
In the fifth, Gwinnett turned to Andrew Albers (W, 3-1) out of the bullpen, ending Newcomb's night. Newcomb did not factor in the decision after allowing three earned runs on three hits over 4.0 innings with six walks and six strikeouts. The six walks tied a career high.
Albers kept the Bisons off the board for 2.2 innings before giving up a triple to Rowdy Tellez with two outs in the seventh. Caleb Dirks (H, 5) then entered for the G-Braves and induced a ground out from Jason Leblebijian to end the inning and keep the G-Braves up by three runs.
In the eighth, Buffalo cut the lead to 6-5 against Dirks as Jonathan Diaz scored on a wild pitch and Smith Jr. drove in Fields with a single to center. The G-Braves then turned to Rhiner Cruz (S, 2) with the tying and go-ahead runs on base with one out. Cruz kept the G-Braves in front by striking out Jake Elmore and Jarrod Saltalamacchia to end the inning.
In the ninth, Cruz returned to the mound as rain began to fall. With the rain intensifying by the minute, Cruz quickly got the first two outs. Raffy Lopez then hit a sinking line drive to right. Battling the rain, Rojas Jr. made the catch to end the game.
Albies and Peterson were the only two G-Braves to record multi-hit games. Buffalo was paced by Smith Jr., who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
The G-Braves and Bisons continue their three-game series on Wednesday night with first pitch at Coolray Field scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The G-Braves are set to send right-hander Patrick Weigel (0-1, 12.28) to the mound while Buffalo will throw right-hander Luis Santos (1-2, 3.52).
Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m. For tickets, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.