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Gohara steady in return to Gwinnett rotation

No. 61 overall prospect yields one hit in first start since July 29
Luiz Gohara sports a 5.95 ERA in 11 appearances in the Major Leagues this season. (Ken Jancef/MiLB.com)
August 16, 2018

Luiz Gohara hadn't pitched in a game since July 29 and he hadn't pitched to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ever.Atlanta's No. 6 prospect did both those things Thursday night at Coolray Field, with a single by the game's top prospect marking the only real blemish on the hurler's record.

Luiz Gohara hadn't pitched in a game since July 29 and he hadn't pitched to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ever.
Atlanta's No. 6 prospect did both those things Thursday night at Coolray Field, with a single by the game's top prospect marking the only real blemish on the hurler's record.

Held to a limited pitch count for Triple-A Gwinnett, Gohara completed 3 2/3 innings with 54 pitches -- 34 for strikes -- to start a 4-2 victory against Buffalo. According to Dave O'Brien of The Athletic, MLB.com's No. 61 overall prospect had been shut down with shoulder soreness that did not require a stint on the disabled list.
Gohara struck out three and issued a walk to Blue Jays No. 29 prospectRowdy Tellez following Guerrero's hit with two outs in the first frame.
Gameday box score
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound left-hander set down his final nine opponents in order, using 11 and 10 pitches in perfect second and third innings respectively. He came out on top in his second bout with Guerrero, getting the 19-year-old slugger to bounce into a comebacker, before retiring Tellez with a five-pitch strikeout to conclude his evening.
Gohara made his Major League debut last September and has shuttled back and forth to Atlanta three times this season. The 22-year-old opened the year on the disabled list with a left ankle sprain and returned to the Gwinnett rotation on April 22 after a rehab appearance with Double-A Mississippi.

In 11 starts with the Stripers this season, Gohara sports a 2-4 record and a 5.14 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 49 innings.
Acquired in a January 2017 trade with the Mariners, the native of Brazil has been used exclusively as a starter throughout his six-year career in the Minors, with the exception of one outing last May in Mississippi. He's appeared largely out of the bullpen in the Majors, making just one start in 10 total appearances, amassing a 5.95 ERA over 19 2/3 total innings.
Braves No. 4 prospect Austin Riley doubled during his seventh game with at least three hits this season. MLB.com's No. 43 prospect is batting .284 with a .769 OPS in 57 games with Gwinnett. 
Guerrero added another hit in the sixth and walked on four pitches in the eighth to bust out of a small 1-for-14 funk, bringing his International League average to .353. 

Gerard Gilberto is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @GerardGilberto4.