Top 10 Stripers Moments of 2018
With a 139-game schedule, the Gwinnett Stripers' 2018 baseball season was filled with dramatic and memorable moments. The return of top prospect Ronald Acuña Jr. had all eyes on Gwinnett to start the season, as did the arrivals of pitchers Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard. Some mid-season additions, including Austin Riley
With a 139-game schedule, the Gwinnett Stripers' 2018 baseball season was filled with dramatic and memorable moments.
The return of top prospect
Here we look back at an unforgettable 2018 season and count down the Top 10 Moments :
10. Berryhill notches 500th win
On May 6 at Indianapolis, the Stripers won 4-1 in a rain-shortened, 5.0-inning game. That victory also marked the 500th win of Damon Berryhill's managerial career, which spans 10 seasons. Through two seasons with the Gwinnett, he carries a record of 141-140 (.504).
9. Bautista's go-ahead blast completes comeback in Charlotte
Though his 10-game career with Gwinnett was short-lived, the Atlanta Braves' experiment with
At one point down four runs and trailing by two entering the ninth, Bautista completed the Gwinnett comeback by smashing a go-ahead two-run homer. The Stripers would go on to win 8-6 thanks to Bautista's heroics.
8. Peterson makes circus catch in right
Peterson made a lunging attempt on a
ICYMI: @dPetey8 does it again with an outstanding catch in last night's game! pic.twitter.com/2aW2GXLbO4
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) July 18, 2018
7. Acuña ignites rally for first Stripers homer
Entering 2018,
On April 17, Acuña crushed his first home run of the season vs. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, a two-run shot that ignited a Stripers comeback in a 8-3 win. The homer also began a stretch of hits in seven of his last eight games for Gwinnett before being called up to Atlanta on April 25.
ICYMI: Acuña Jr. destroyed his first homer of the season for the Stripers last night! pic.twitter.com/ogcDSRU5kq
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) April 18, 2018
6. Walker dominates in debut to secure winning season
With three of Gwinnett's starting pitchers receiving call-ups to the Braves on September 1, righty
The 23-year-old not only threw 8.0 scoreless, three-hit innings against Charlotte, but the win improved Gwinnett's record to 70-68, guaranteeing the club a winning season.
🎶 Skywalkin' on these batters 🎶@prince_walker12 celebrated his Triple-A debut in a big way: 8️⃣ IP, 0️⃣ R, 3️⃣ H, 1️⃣ BB, 6️⃣ SO vs. Charlotte.
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) September 2, 2018
We've got a 2-0 lead with @Chad_Sobotka on for the save. pic.twitter.com/EjOCmufLRH
5. Kazmar Jr. becomes Gwinnett hits, RBI king
Kazmar's crowning as Hit King even earned him recognition on that night's edition of SportsCenter on ESPN.
A look at the @Yankees stars of tomorrow in this KC's Minor League Minute! @ChasRiverDogs Nick Nelson & @TrentonThunder @Topsheff42 deliver masterful starts! @YESNetwork @BronxPinstripes #yankees #pinstripes Also, an incredible achievement for @GoStripers vet Sean Kazmar Jr! pic.twitter.com/5zawLAQTkd
— Kevin Connors (@kevconnorsespn) April 15, 2018
4. Soroka, Acuña carry Stripers to 1-0 win at Rochester
In game one of a doubleheader in frigid Rochester on April 23, the Stripers earned a 1-0 victory in 7.0 innings thanks to Acuña and
Acuña manufactured Gwinnett's lone run when he reached on walk to lead off the fourth inning, then stole both second and third bases - his second and third steals of the game. Rehabbing Atlanta catcher
Meanwhile, Soroka held the Red Wings scoreless in a 7.0-inning complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits with four strikeouts.
Acuña Jr.
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) April 24, 2018
Beast mode 🔛 pic.twitter.com/p6zMyzUI1z
3. Ruiz lifts walk-off homer to beat Indians
Gwinnett's 2018 Most Valuable Player had a role in a handful of big moments for the Stripers, but none were more clutch than his two-run walk-off home run vs. Indianapolis on July 18. The homer gave the Stripers a 4-2 win, their fifth straight and seventh in eight games at the time. It was also Gwinnett's only walk-off homer in 2018.
The walk-off was the first of three in a five-day span for the Stripers, with
2. Wilson sets Gwinnett Strikeout Record to sweep Louisville
In his August 15 start vs. Louisville, hard-throwing righty
Wilson's 13 strikeouts broke a nearly decade-old Gwinnett franchise record, previously held by
ICYMI: Last night against the Bats, @BryseWilson set a new Gwinnett record of 13 strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/mbq4krzOMQ
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) August 16, 2018
1. Riley's three homers, Allard's gem lead to 10-0 win on Mother's Day
It's not often that two players have career efforts in the same game, but that's what
Riley, in his seventh career Triple-A game, went 4-for-5 with three home runs and eight RBIs to power Gwinnett's offense. The 21-year-old's last home run came in the eighth inning, when he walloped a grand slam as an exclamation point.
Not to be outdone by his teammate, the 20-year-old Allard held the Tides scoreless over 8.0 innings, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts. The Stripers won the game, 10-0, due to the combined effort.
THAT'S THREE FOR RILEY!@austinriley1308's third homer of the game is a GRAND SLAM! He now has 8 RBIs and we lead 10-0! pic.twitter.com/CNLWT1m1bJ
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) May 13, 2018