Braves take pitchers' duel from Chiefs

The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, lost for just the second time in eight games in a 3-1 defeat to the Gwinnett Braves on Wednesday night. Gwinnett's Stefan Gartrell broke a 1-1 tie with a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning. The loss marred an excellent effort by Craig Stammen, who allowed just one unearned run in six innings.

Gwinnett (68-57) broke through against Stammen with a first-inning run. Wilkin Ramirez reached with one out on a sharp ground ball to third base. Matt Antonelli's backhanded try went awry, and Antonelli was charged with his eleventh error of the season. After a walk to Gartrell, Mauro Gomez lined an 0-2 pitch to center field for an RBI single.

But the Chiefs would tie the game in the bottom of the second inning against Gwinnett starter Julio Teheran. Jhonatan Solano smashed an 0-2 fastball deep off the left field wall for a leadoff double, and Seth Bynum singled him to third with one out. Jeff Frazier then drove in Solano with a first-pitch RBI single to center field. The Chiefs were held there when catcher J.C. Boscan picked off Bynum at second base, and Craig Stammen grounded out to first.

Baserunning would hurt the Chiefs in subsequent innings. In the third, both Steve Lombardozzi and Roger Bernadina were picked off by Teheran after reaching first base. In the fifth, Bernadina was caught stealing second by Boscan.

The Braves took the lead in the seventh against reliever Ryan Tatusko. Boscan doubled to lead off the inning. After a Teheran strikeout, a Matt Young walk and Ramirez infield single loaded the bases. Jeff Mandel then came in to relieve Tatusko, and Gartrell bounced Mandel's first pitch in between third base and shortstop to score two runs.

That was all Gwinnett would need. Teheran held the Chiefs without a hit from the fourth inning to the seventh, and Cory Gearrin pitched two hitless innings, striking out four, to record his fourth save.

The Chiefs and Braves resume their series on Thursday night at 7:00. Right-hander Brad Peacock will deal for Syracuse against Gwinnett righty Todd Redmond.