Rivero’s Grand Slam Keeps Stripers from Sweep of Charlotte
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Gwinnett Stripers (29-34) appeared on their way to a six-game sweep of Charlotte (29-34) with an early 2-0 lead, but Sebastian Rivero’s fourth-inning grand slam turned the game on its head and proved the difference in the Knights’ 5-4 win on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Gwinnett Stripers (29-34) appeared on their way to a six-game sweep of Charlotte (29-34) with an early 2-0 lead, but Sebastian Rivero’s fourth-inning grand slam turned the game on its head and proved the difference in the Knights’ 5-4 win on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field.
Decisive Plays: RBI singles by Hoy Park and Braden Shewmake gave the Stripers a 2-0 lead after three. In the fourth, Charlotte scored five runs off Justus Sheffield (L, 0-1) to go up 5-2. With one run already across in the inning, the game changed in an instant as Rivero hit a grand slam to left field. Gwinnett got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI fielder’s choice from Justin Dean and made it a one-run game with an RBI double from Daniel Robertson in the bottom of the sixth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Stripers got the tying run to third in pinch runner Forrest Wall, but he was thrown out trying to score on a grounder to second from Robertson. The Stripers went down in order in the ninth to lose 5-4.
Key Contributors: Rivero (1-for-4, homer, 4 RBIs) hit the second grand slam off Stripers’ pitching this season and Laz Rivera (1-for-3, RBI) collected the only other Knights’ RBI. For the Stripers, Robertson (2-for-4, double, RBI) and Park (2-for-3, RBI) each drove in a run and had multi-hit outings.
Noteworthy: Three Stripers extended streaks, as Hendrik Clementina brought his hit streak to 10 games, Joe Dunand raised his own hit streak to seven games, and Robertson increased his on-base streak to 14 games. With his 39th stolen base of the season (39-for-39), Wall moved into a tie for second place on the Gwinnett single-season steals list with Matt Young (39 in 2010).
Next Game (Tuesday, June 13): Gwinnett at Nashville, 7:35 p.m. ET at First Horizon Park. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. on MyCountry99.3.com. Both starting pitchers are currently TBD.
Next Home Game (Tuesday, June 20): Gwinnett vs. Jacksonville, 7:05 p.m. ET at Coolray Field. Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on MyCountry99.3.com and Bally Live. It’s Family Value Tuesday once again, with $2 hot dogs and $1 desserts.