Terdoslavich homers in fifth straight

Joey Terdoslavich views home runs as "mistakes." Whatever the designation, Triple-A Gwinnett isn't complaining.

The Atlanta farmhand homered for the fifth straight game to extend his hot run at the end of the season as the Triple-A Braves beat the Charlotte Knights, 10-6, on Thursday.

"I've just been trying to see the ball well," Terdoslavich said. "I've been having good at-bats. The last two weeks, I've been swinging the bat well, starting to get under a few balls. I always think of home runs as mistakes. I've had some mistakes at the plate, just trying to have good at-bats, trying to end the season strong."

When pressed to elaborate on the noun he uses to describe hitting homers, the big league veteran explained further.

"I'm just trying to hit a ball hard somewhere and sometimes the ball gets over the fence," he said. "My whole thing when I get in the box is to try to get a good pitch to hit and try to hit it hard. I've gotten under a few lately, and it's worked out."

Thursday's blast, Terdoslavich's 14th of the year, led off the second and got Gwinnett on the board. It also established a new franchise record for most consecutive games with a home run.

"I know I can hit," he said. "It's just a matter of not trying to do too much and putting it all together. I'm just focusing on having good at-bats and not worrying about the results.

"Whether it be a line drive out or getting a guy over or a walk or a hit, I've had a lot of quality at-bats. That's all I'm trying to do."

After batting just .194 in 56 games between May and June, Terdoslavich rebounded to post a .303/.350/.367 slash line in 28 July contests. Through 20 games in August, the Long Beach State product sports a .260/.379/.521 line, good for a .900 OPS.

"I try to put emphasis on every game the same," he said. "It is a grind. It's hot out. We're playing every day. It's August, and we're there for games at 1:30 [p.m.] It's a little more of a grind now than it was early in the season, but I'm just trying to go day-by-day and put together the best at-bats that I can."

Edward Salcedo also lofted a solo homer for Gwinnett.

Righty Zach Stewart (6-4) allowed five runs on 10 hits while striking out two and without a walk in six innings to record the win.

Charlotte's Andre Rienzo (1-3) was tagged with seven runs -- six earned -- on six hits and four walks while striking out two in five innings.