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Stripers Rally Late to Topple Toledo

Smith homer, RBI singles by Kazmar and Avery power 5-3 win
Tyler Smith blasted his second home run of the season in Saturday night's comeback win. (Will Fagan)
May 19, 2018

TOLEDO, OH - The Gwinnett Stripers scored five runs over the final three innings for a 5-3 come-from-behind win over the Toledo Mud Hens Saturday night in game two of the three-game series at Fifth Third Field.Tyler Smith blasted a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning, and Sean

TOLEDO, OH - The Gwinnett Stripers scored five runs over the final three innings for a 5-3 come-from-behind win over the Toledo Mud Hens Saturday night in game two of the three-game series at Fifth Third Field.
Tyler Smith blasted a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning, and Sean Kazmar Jr. and Xavier Avery each delivered two-out RBI singles in the ninth to provide Gwinnett's second last at-bat win of 2018.

Much of the game was a pitcher's duel between starters Kolby Allard of Gwinnett and A.J. Ladwig of Toledo. 
Toledo scored the first two runs of the game, one on an RBI single to center by Jim Adduci in the bottom of the second, the other when Adduci hit a solo homer (5) off Allard in the bottom of the fourth.
Ladwig was masterful for most of the night, holding a 2-0 lead and pitching a perfect game until the top of the seventh. With one out in the seventh, Danny Santana ended the gem with a solo homer (2) to left-center to cut the lead in half at 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mud Hens pushed the lead to 3-1 as Kenny Wilson lofted a two-out solo homer (2) to left off Allard. The next batter Ronny Rodríguez popped up a pitch at the mound causing Allard and first baseman Rio Ruiz to collide going for the ball. Allard had to leave the game with an undisclosed injury.
In the top of the eighth, Kazmar led off with an infield single, and, with two outs, Smith drilled a two-run homer (2) to left of Ladwig, knotting the game at 3-3.
In the top of the ninth, with reliever Phillippe Aumont now pitching for the Mud Hens, the Stripers collected four consecutive two-out singles to take the lead. Carlos Franco grounded a single to center and moved to third on a single to right by Ruiz. Kazmar broke the deadlock with a single to center, scoring Franco for a 4-3 lead. Ruiz, who moved to third on the play, then scored on a line drive single to right by Avery to make it 5-3.
Evan Phillips sealed the win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth, including two strikeouts.
Allard pitched 7.0 innings with eight hits, three earned runs and four strikeouts in his fifth consecutive quality start. His scoreless innings streak ended at 14.1 when he gave up the run in the top of the second with no outs. Phillips (W, 2-2) tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with two hits and three strikeouts.
For the Mud Hens, Ladwig went 8.0 innings with five hits, three earned runs and seven strikeouts. Aumont (L, 1-1) worked 1.0 inning with four hits, two earned runs and one walk.
Offensively, Gwinnett was led by Franco and Kazmar who each were 2-for-4. Kazmar added an RBI. Smith was 1-for-4 with the homer and two RBIs.
Toledo was paced by Adduci who went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Chad Huffman and Rodriguez each were 2-for-4.
The Gwinnett Stripers (16-24) and Toledo Mud Hens (27-13) meet in the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Fifth-Third Field. Left-hander Max Fried (1-1, 3.60 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. Toledo will pitch left-hander Josh Turley (3-1, 3.58 ERA). Tony Schiavone the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 1:35 p.m. First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m.