Yepez Homer Highlights Gwinnett Win in Season Finale
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - The Gwinnett Braves (77-67) finished the 2015 season with a 6-2 win over the Charlotte Knights (74-70) on Monday at Coolray Field. The victory included a season-high five double plays for the Gwinnett defense and Jose Yepez's first home run since 2012.
The G-Braves were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday evening when the Norfolk Tides beat the Durham Bulls 8-4 to clinch the International League South Division. Still, Gwinnett finished with its best record since the 2011 club went 78-65. They ended the year 1.0 game behind the Tides in the standings after Norfolk lost 6-0 at Durham on Monday.
Yepez's homer, his first since July 14, 2012 at Louisville, traveled 396 feet to left field and ignited a three-run rally in the seventh. The inning also included two one-out walks from Charlotte right-handed starter Brad Penny that cost him when Cedric Hunter laced his second RBI single of the game to give him a team-high 77 RBIs for the season.
Charlotte turned to right-handed reliever J. B. Wendelken after Hunter's base hit, and Sean Kazmar drove in Gwinnett's final run of the seventh with a sacrifice fly to center field. Kazmar also scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie after he led off with a double to left field.
All six of Gwinnett's runs were charged to Penny (L, 7-10). He threw 6.1 innings, yielded 11 hits and three walks while striking out four. Wendelken did not allow a hit in the final 1.2 innings and had one strikeout.
The teams traded single tallies in the first inning when the leadoff batters for each team doubled and came around to score. Charlotte's Micah Johnson scored on a 6-4-3 double play grounder hit by Dayan Viciedo, and Mallex Smith crossed home plate on a double to left field by Joey Terdoslavich.
Smith broke the 1-1 tie in the third inning when he drew a walk, moved to third on a single by Terdoslavich and came home on Hunter's first single of the game. Gwinnett maintained a one-run lead into the sixth inning until Kevan Smith hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Viciedo scored on the play after he led off the inning with a double to left-center field.
The Knights responded with three straight singles to open the fourth inning against G-Braves' right-handed starter Jake Brigham (W, 4-1), but he struck out Kevan Smith and Chris Curley lined into double play to end the inning.
The Gwinnett defense turned double plays in three of Brigham's 6.0 innings of work and one each for right-handed relievers Jason Hursh (H, 1) and Carlos Fisher. Brigham gave up two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three in 79 pitches, 56 strikes. Hursh gave up nothing more than a hit in his 2.0 innings, and the G-Braves' final twin killing of the day in the ninth inning helped Fisher to a scoreless frame after a leadoff walk.
Hunter and Barrett Kleinknecht both went 2-for-4, and Terdoslavich finished 2-for-3 to lead an 11-hit attack for the G-Braves. Smith was 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs. He also stole his 34th base of the year with Gwinnett (57th overall).
Johnson and Viciedo both went 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Charlotte offense.
The Gwinnett Braves begin the 2016 season on Thursday, April 7 at Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA. First pitch against the Tides has yet to be announced. The full 2016 schedule will be released soon on GwinnettBraves.com.
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The Gwinnett Braves are the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Follow the G-Braves at GwinnettBraves.com, facebook.com/GwinnettBraves1 and twitter.com/GwinnettBraves. Tickets are on sale now at the Coolray Field Ticket Office, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.