Guthrie Grabs Clutch Hit as Stripers Conjure Walk-Off Magic Again
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Dalton Guthrie had struck out in his first plate appearance with the bases loaded in the fifth inning but made the most of his second chance in the ninth, cracking a walk-off single to give the Gwinnett Stripers (64-71) a 3-2 win over the Worcester Red Sox
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Dalton Guthrie had struck out in his first plate appearance with the bases loaded in the fifth inning but made the most of his second chance in the ninth, cracking a walk-off single to give the Gwinnett Stripers (64-71) a 3-2 win over the Worcester Red Sox (73-63) on Saturday night at Coolray Field. It was Gwinnett’s sixth walk-off win of the season and second of the series, following Thursday’s 5-4 triumph.
Decisive Plays: Justin Hagenman struck out three Stripers in a row to strand the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Andrew Velazquez finally broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh to give Gwinnett a 1-0 lead. Niko Kavadas tied the game with a solo homer (4) in the eighth. Bobby Dalbec hit a go-ahead solo homer (33) in the top of the ninth. Joshua Fuentes walked with the bases loaded in the ninth to tie the game, and Guthrie came through with a base hit to left field to win it, 3-2.
Key Contributors: Guthrie (1-for-5, RBI) notched his first walk-off RBI of his Gwinnett career, while Alan Rangel (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 8 SO) turned in a scoreless relief effort in his first Triple-A outing of the year. For Worcester, Kavadas (1-for-4, homer, RBI) and Dalbec (2-for-3, homer, RBI) powered the Red Sox into the lead before Gwinnett rallied in the ninth.
Noteworthy: Yolmer Sanchez recorded his 76th, 77th, and 78th walks of the season, equaling and then surpassing the Gwinnett single-season record previously held by Delino DeShields Jr. (76 in 2022). The eight strikeouts from Rangel were the second most by a Stripers’ reliever this season behind the nine amassed by Allan Winans on April 4 at Norfolk. The bases-loaded walk by Fuentes in the ninth was the 33rd by the Stripers this season, a category where the team ranks second in the International League this season.
Next Game (Sunday, September 10): Gwinnett vs. Worcester 1:05 p.m. ET at Coolray Field. Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. ET on MyCountry99.3.com. RHP Kyle Wright (0-2, 6.35 ERA) will start for the Stripers against LHP Rio Gomez (0-3, 4.60 ERA) for the Red Sox. It’s Sunday Funday at Coolray Field, with Pregame Catch on the Field and Postgame Kids Runs the Bases