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MLB Network to air Gwinnett, PawSox game

Braves to host nationally televised game on Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. ET
August 10, 2009
Triple-A Baseball announced today that the game on Monday, August 17 between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Gwinnett Braves will be shown live on MLB Network at 2:00 p.m. ET.

The broadcast, emanating from the brand new Gwinnett Stadium in Georgia, will be the second Minor League Baseball game to be aired live and in its entirety on MLB Network. The matchup pits the Pawtucket Red Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, against the Gwinnett Braves, the top farm club of the Atlanta Braves.

MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest debut in cable television history and is currently available in approximately 53 million cable and satellite homes. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans.

The Gwinnett Braves are entrenched in a battle for a postseason playoff berth in the International League, currently trailing IL South Division leader Durham (Tampa Bay) by 1 game and leading the Wild Card race by 1½ games over Norfolk (Baltimore). Gwinnett is led by some of the League's top players, such as first baseman Barbaro Canizares (2nd in the IL with 121 hits) and closer Luis Valdez (1st in the IL with 21 saves). The visiting PawSox will counter with the likes of outfielder Chris Carter (team leader with 14 HR and 51 RBI) and a great bullpen of their own anchored by Fernando Cabrera (2nd in the IL with 20 saves), who earned the save for the IL at the Triple-A All-Star Game in July.

The first Minor League game to be telecast on MLB Network also took place at Gwinnett Stadium, when the Braves won a thriller against the Louisville Bats on June 30. Down 7-1 entering the bottom of the 8th, Gwinnett scored seven times with two outs (including a Reid Gorecki grand slam) and held on in the 9th to win 8-7.