LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Ryan LaMarre raced home with the game-winning run after a pop-up in foul territory in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Gwinnett Stripers (20-16) a wild 5-4 walk-off win over the Pawtucket Red Sox (13-20) on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Austin Riley and
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Ryan LaMarre raced home with the game-winning run after a pop-up in foul territory in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Gwinnett Stripers (20-16) a wild 5-4 walk-off win over the Pawtucket Red Sox (13-20) on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Austin Riley and Alex Jackson each homered in the win.
Scoring Recap:Sam Travis gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single. In the second, Josh Ockimey (7) extended the lead to 2-0 on a 428-foot solo home run to center off Kolby Allard. The Stripers tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth on a 381-foot two-run blast to left from Riley (14) off Matthew Kent. Later in the inning, Gwinnett took a 3-2 lead on a solo home run to left-center by Jackson (5) off Trevor Kelley. In the seventh, Mike Miller singled home a run to tie the game at 3-3. Ockimey (8) gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead in the eighth with a solo home run to left-center off Jesse Biddle (BS, 1). In the ninth, an RBI single by Andrés Blanco tied the game at 4-4. With runners at the corners and one out, Riley popped out to first baseman Ockimey in foul territory, and LaMarre came home on a late throw to pitcher to give the Stripers a 5-4 win.
Stripers Stats: Blanco went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the offense. Jack Lopez went 2-for-4, Jackson went 2-for-4 with a homer and one RBI, and Riley went 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs. Allard worked 6.0 innings and gave up two runs on six hits in a no-decision. Jason Creasy (W, 1-1) picked up his first win with the Stripers, pitching 1.0 scoreless inning with three strikeouts.
Red Sox Stats: Ockimey went 2-for-4 with two homers and two RBIs. Jenrry Mejia (L, 1-3) allowed the tying and winning runs in the ninth, logging two thirds of an inning.
Quote: "I think it was one of those things where your instincts take over," LaMarre said of the final play. "I just took a step off third base and as soon as I saw him flip it to the pitcher I took off."
Postgame Notes:Adam Duvall extended his on-base streak to 19 games, Travis Demeritte extended his on-base streak to 16 games, and Pedro Florimón extended his hitting streak to eight games. Riley has homered 12 times in his last 16 games and now leads the International League with 14 homers. The Stripers lead the league with 57 homers, including 24 in 11 games this month.
Next Game (Sunday, May 12): Gwinnett vs. Pawtucket, 1:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Andres Santiago (1-2, 5.63 ERA) for the Stripers vs. RHP Teddy Stankiewicz (1-1, 2.65 ERA) for the Red Sox. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River."
