G-Braves, Knights Split Doubleheader

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - The Gwinnett Braves (36-35) and Charlotte Knights (32-39) each earned a win as the teams split a doubleheader at Coolray Field on Wednesday night. The G-Braves shut out the Knights 6-0 in game one, but Charlotte battled for a 4-3 win in nine innings in game two.
The doubleheader, combined with a 1-hour, 42-minute rain delay between games, lasted just over eight hours.
Gwinnett starter Matt Wisler (W, 3-4) got off to a good start in game one, tossing three scoreless innings before the G-Braves could find some offense. With two outs and runners on the corners against Charlotte starter Carson Fulmer (L, 6-4), Jace Peterson got the scoring started with a single to center. Dustin Peterson followed with a two-run double to left as the G-Braves took a 3-0 lead. 
The G-Braves doubled the lead in the fifth. Ozzie Albies led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on an error. Two hitters later, Dustin Peterson hit his second two-run double of the evening to make it 5-0. Matt Tuiasosopo capped the scoring with a triple to left, his first with Gwinnett, to extend the lead to 6-0.
The runs proved more than enough for Wisler, who tossed 6.0 scoreless innings with just six hits and one walk while striking out five to earn his second win in a row. Evan Phillips came on in the seventh and finished the G-Braves' sixth shutout win of the season.
Dustin Peterson led the way in game one with two doubles and four RBIs while Tuiasosopo went 1-for-2 with the triple and an RBI.
After a rain delay of an hour and 42 minutes, the second game got underway with Lucas Sims on the mound for Gwinnett.
In the third inning, the Knights broke the scoreless tie as Yoán Moncada scored on a wild pitch and Cody Asche hit a two-run homer to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. 
Two innings later, Gwinnett got the runs back against Charlotte starter Lucas Giolito. With the bases loaded, Emerson Landoni lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Kyle Kubitza . Later in the inning, Albies drew a walk to extend his team-leading on-base streak to 20 games. The next hitter, Jace Peterson, laced a single to left to tie the game at 3-3.
Sims then returned to the mound and pitched a scoreless sixth, ending his night. Over 6.0 innings, he allowed three earned runs on three hits while walking three and striking out four. He did not factor in the decision.
Akeel Morris worked into and out of trouble in the seventh and Rhiner Cruz (L, 1-3) did the same in the eighth as the game remained tied as the calendar turned from Wednesday night to Thursday morning. However, in the ninth the Knights took the lead against Cruz as Jacob May singled to plate Moncada with the eventual winning run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Charlotte reliever Brad Goldberg (W, 3-1) pitched a scoreless inning to finish off the win. May led the way for the Knights, going 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
The G-Braves and Knights will conclude their series with a 7:05 p.m. game at Coolray Field on Thursday night. Aaron Blair (4-4, 5.31) is scheduled to start for Gwinnett against rehabbing Chicago White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodón (0-2, 6.75) for the Knights. Dave Lezotte has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m.
As part of "Triple Play Thursday" presented by Coolray Heating & Cooling, fans can purchase four infield box tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas for just $40. For tickets, call 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.