Manny Banuelos Throws Two-Hitter to Beat Indy
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Left-handed pitcher Manny Banuelos threw his first career 9.0-inning complete game and held the Indianapolis Indians (42-29) to two hits in a 2-0 win for the Gwinnett Braves (33-35) on Monday at Coolray Field. The opener of the four-game series lasted just 2 hours, 10 minutes.
Banuelos (W, 6-2) did not allow a baserunner until Keon Broxton led off the sixth inning with a single to left field. However, the G-Braves' starter picked him off of first base two pitches later. Banuelos gave up a one-out hit to Steve Lombardozzi in the seventh inning, but Lombardozzi was forced out on a fielder's choice groundout. No Indians player reached second base all night.
Banuelos walked none and struck out five over a 101-pitch, 63-strike outing, becoming the first Gwinnett pitcher to throw a 9.0-inning complete-game shutout since right-hander Todd Redmond did so on May 18, 2011 vs. Rochester.
The victory also snapped a two-start losing streak for Banuelos and lowered his International League-leading ERA to 2.03.
Indianapolis right-handed starter Wilfredo Boscan (L, 4-3) also kept the G-Braves without a run through three innings. Todd Cunningham broke the scoreless deadlock in the fourth with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Christian Bethancourt, who had led off the inning with a single.
A sacrifice fly also gave the G-Braves their second run of the night. Barrett Kleinknecht began the fifth inning with a double into the left-field corner, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Banuelos and scored when Eric Young, Jr. flew out to right field.
Boscan exited the game after 6.0 innings. He gave up the two runs on four hits, walked two, struck out two and committed a balk. Right-handed reliever John Holdzkom threw the final 2.0 innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
Kleinknecht and Cedric Hunter combined to pick up four of the G-Braves' five hits on the night, as both went 2-for-3. Kleinknecht had a double, a bunt single and scored the second run. Hunter hit a single to right field in each of his first two at-bats.
The G-Braves and Indians will play the second game of the four-game series at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at Coolray Field. Right-hander Sugar Ray Marimon (3-2, 3.60 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. Left-hander Clayton Richard (3-1, 1.88 ERA) will counter for Indianapolis. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com beginning at 6 p.m.
All Infield Box and Field Box seats are two for the price of one on "Two-For-Tuesday" at Coolray Field. To purchase tickets, call the Coolray Field Ticket Office at 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.
# # #
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.