G-Braves Fall 8-4 in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, NC - The Gwinnett Braves (15-12) mustered only four hits in an 8-4 loss at the hands of the Charlotte Knights (13-14) on Saturday night in game two of the three-game series at BB&T Ballpark.
The loss, coupled with Durham's 1-0 win at Norfolk, drops the G-Braves to five games behind the Bulls for first place in the International League South Division.

Charlotte opened a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed in the game. Nicky Delmonico reached on a two-out single off Gwinnett starter Sean Newcomb , and Kevan Smith followed with an RBI double to the gap in left-center.
The Knights' lead grew to 3-0 in the second when two Gwinnett errors - one by shortstop Johan Camargo and another by second baseman Ozzie Albies - put runners on second and third with one out. An RBI single by Tyler Ladendorf and a sacrifice fly by Yoán Moncada drove in the two runs in the frame.
Gwinnett answered back with two runs in the top of the third. Following back-to-back walks by Albies and Xavier Avery off Charlotte starter Reynaldo López, Camargo drilled a two-run double to right, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
But that was as close as the G-Braves would get. The Knights added a run in the bottom of the fifth off Gwinnett reliever Andrew Albers to widen the lead to 4-2, and Danny Hayes socked a three-run home run off Albers in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-2 lead.
Charlotte made it 8-2 in the eighth as G-Braves' reliever Rhiner Cruz walked the first two batters he faced and allowed an RBI ground out to Delmonico.
Gwinnett added two runs in the top of the ninth. Charlotte's Juan Minaya walked both Anthony Recker and Kyle Kubitza to start the inning. Both moved up a base on a ground out by Blake Lalli . A wild pitch allowed Recker to score from third and a ground out by Avery plated Kubitza with the final run of the game.
For the G-Braves, Newcomb (L, 1-2) went 4.0 innings with eight hits, three runs (one earned) and six strikeouts. Albers pitched 2.1 innings with five hits, four earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts. Cruz worked 1.2 innings with one earned run, three walks and two strikeouts.
Lopez (W, 3-1) went 5.2 innings with two hits, two earned runs, five walks and seven strikeouts for the Knights. Matt Purke (H, 3) pitched 2.1 innings with one hit and five strikeouts. Minaya worked 1.0 inning with one hit, two earned runs and two walks.
At the plate, Camargo was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for Gwinnett. Charlotte was led by Hayes who went 3-for-5 with a single, double, homer (6) and three RBIs. Smith was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Gwinnett Braves and Charlotte Knights conclude the three-game series on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Luke Jackson (0-2, 6.23) will pitch for the G-Braves, while the Knights will counter with right-hander Carson Fulmer (3-1, 3.18). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM "The Other Side of the River" beginning at 1:35 p.m.