Stripers Overcome Six-Run Deficit to Beat Charlotte 7-6

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Gwinnett Stripers (19-24) put together a four-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth to shock the Charlotte Knights (21-22) in a 7-6 come-from-behind victory on Friday night at Coolray Field. Jarred Kelenic went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, scored the go-ahead run on a single by Carlos Rodriguez, and threw out a runner trying to score in the seventh to help the Stripers knot the series at 2-2.

Decisive Plays: Charlotte put together a five-run third inning which was started by a two-run home run from Dominic Fletcher (7). A run-scoring double by Austin Slater in the fourth inning pushed the Knights’ lead to 6-0. Gwinnett mounted a rally in the fifth with a two-run single from Kelenic followed by a pair of bases-loaded walks to James McCann and Eddys Leonard to cut it to 6-4. Kelenic came through for the Stripers again in the sixth with another two-run single to tie the game. One batter later, Rodriguez gave the Stripers their first lead of the night, driving home Kelenic to make it 7-6. Charlotte nearly scored the tying run in the seventh on a two-out single by Colson Montgomery, but Kelenic threw home to retire Corey Julks.

Key Contributors: Rehabbing Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. went 0-for-2 but drew a pair of key walks and scored twice. Kelenic (3-for-4, 4 RBIs) was the sparkplug behind the comeback while Rodriguez (2-for-4, RBI), McCann (2-for-3, RBI) and David Fletcher (2-for-4) all added multi-hit performances. Zach Thompson (W, 1-1), Jesse Chavez (H, 3) Craig Kimbrel (H, 1) and Wander Suero (SV, 5) combined for 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Noteworthy: Gwinnett’s six-run comeback victory was the club’s largest since overcoming an eight-run deficit in a 13-12 win on July 18, 2021 at Charlotte. The Friday night crowd of 6,482 is the largest at Coolray Field in 2025.

Next Game (Saturday, May 17): Charlotte at Gwinnett, 6:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Ian Anderson (1-0, 1.13 ERA) will make his first home start of 2025 for the Stripers against Tyler Schweitzer (1-1, 8.50 ERA) of the Knights. The Atlanta Braves are bringing the Truist Park experience to Lawrenceville on their next stop on the Braves Country Road Trip. Two-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and 1995 World Series Champion Marquis Grissom will be on hand for a meet-and-greet pregame. Join the Stripers in a night of recognition for veterans and active-duty service members of all branches of the United States Armed Forces. TV Broadcast: Peachtree Sports Network. Radio Broadcast: 5:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com.