G-Braves' Resop tosses one-hitter
"That makes it even more special," Resop said.
Resop, who struck out eight of the 27 hitters he faced, yielded Norfolk's only hit to Rhyne Hughes in the second inning. But the Major League veteran got Brandon Snyder to ground into a double play, allowing him to face the bare minimum.
"You get those games where you can battle," Resop said. "Everything just clicked. I worked super-quick and got ahead of everybody. I tried to stay ahead and worked down in the zone. It seemed to work."
Resop (5-2) leads the International League with a 1.84 ERA. Over his last seven starts, the right-hander has allowed only eight runs.
"I don't know that there's some secret," he said. "I've always been the same guy. The starting thing has helped."
Resop made it to the Majors with the Marlins as a reliever in 2005, but the 27-year-old believes he's learning more about the craft as a starter.
"I feel comfortable pitching in any role, but (starting has) taught me how to be a pitcher as opposed to a thrower," he said. "I can throw anything in any count now, and that's how you pitch.
"You can't just go fastball, fastball, fastball," he added. "You face these guys three or four times, so you have to figure out how to get them out four times. They're going to make an adjustment and so you have to also."
After beginning his professional career as an outfielder with Class A Utica in 2001, Resop transitioned to the mound in 2003 and was eventually traded for the Angels' Kevin Gregg in 2005.
Resop had a 4.15 ERA in four appearances for the Halos in 2007 before the Braves claimed him off waivers that October. The next season Atlanta sold Resop's contract to Japan's Hanshin Tigers.
"As a player it taught me to respect this game," he said. "Not that I disrespected it, but it taught me how to really appreciate playing professional baseball here.
"There were a couple of times in Japan when I felt like the game was being taken away from me," he added. "I wouldn't pitch for 25 games sometimes. When I started to feel that way, I said I would never feel unappreciative to play this game in the United States again."
Resop returned stateside after the 2009 season and signed a deal with the Braves that forces them to promote him or trade him by June 15. But he said he hasn't yet gotten any indication of what action the organization plans to take yet.
"That's something that's out of my control," he said. "I signed with the Braves for the purpose of playing in Atlanta. I like this organization. This is a great organization as far as I'm concerned. If my opportunity comes in Atlanta, I'll give it my best. If not, I hope I can go somewhere where I can pitch and just contribute."
Even at a career crossroads, Resop took time to appreciate his Triple-A skipper's accomplishment.
Brundage, 46, who had a 10-year Minor League playing career prior to becoming a manager, is with his seventh team.
"I had him back in 2008 in Richmond," Resop said. "I played against him too. I like him a lot. He respects the game and he respects his players. He's pretty young to have 900 wins."
The victory moves Gwinnett to 27-33, good for second in the International League South Division.
Alex Raskin is a contributor to MLB.com.