LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Gwinnett Stripers (76-56) allowed a season-high 17 runs in a 17-7 loss to the Norfolk Tides (56-76) on Monday night at Coolray Field. The Stripers' lead over Charlotte for first place in the International League South Division remains 2.5 games, and Gwinnett's magic number to clinch
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Gwinnett Stripers (76-56) allowed a season-high 17 runs in a 17-7 loss to the Norfolk Tides (56-76) on Monday night at Coolray Field. The Stripers' lead over Charlotte for first place in the International League South Division remains 2.5 games, and Gwinnett's magic number to clinch a Governors' Cup Playoff spot remains two.
Scoring Recap: Norfolk scored seven runs on six hits off Touki Toussaint in the second inning to take a 7-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Alex Jackson (26) launched a 442-foot two-run home run over the batter's eye off Tom Eshelman to cut the deficit to 7-2. In the top of the third, Norfolk scored two runs on an error to go up 9-2. The Stripers got two runs back in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by Pedro Florimón and Andrés Blanco. Norfolk took a 10-4 lead in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Rylan Bannon. Jackson hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to 10-5. Florimon drove in another run with a single in the sixth to make it 10-6. Norfolk extended their lead to 14-6 with a four-run seventh highlighted by a two-run homer by Dwight Smith Jr (3) off A.J. Minter. The Tides added three more runs in the top of the eighth to make it 17-6. In the bottom of the eighth, Blanco singled to make it 17-7.
Stripers Stats: Toussaint (L, 1-5) worked 1.1 innings and yielded seven runs on seven hits. Five relievers combined to allow an additional eight runs, though Chad Sobotka (0.1 IP) and Sean Kazmar Jr. (1.0 IP) each had scoreless outings. Jackson went 2-for-5 with a double, homer, and three RBIs. Blanco went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Florimon was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Tides Stats: Bannon went 3-for-5 with two doubles and five RBIs. Smith Jr. went 2-for-6 with a homer and five RBIs. Engelb Vielma was 1-for-1 with three walks and three RBIs. Eshelman tossed 3.0 innings and gave up four runs on eight hits in a no-decision. David Hess (W, 3-2) pitched 5.0 innings and surrendered three runs on seven hits.
Postgame Notes: Florimon extended his hit streak to 10 games and is batting .360 in 40 games since the Triple-A All-Star break. Since being optioned by Atlanta on August 16, Johan Camargo has hit safely in all 10 games with the Stripers, batting .500.
Next Game (Tuesday, August 27): Gwinnett vs. Norfolk, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Bryse Wilson (9-7, 3.47 ERA) for the Stripers vs. RHP Dean Kremer (0-1, 8.68 ERA) for the Tides. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River."
