LAWRENCEVILLE — The Gwinnett Braves scored three in the third and three more in the sixth to defeat the Buffalo Bisons 7-3 on Wednesday night at Gwinnett Stadium.
The G-Braves improve to 41-33 while the Bisons drop to 24-45 on the season. Gwinnett remains a half game behind International League South Division leading Norfolk. The G-Braves’ 41 wins are tied with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the most in the International League.
Buffalo third baseman Mike Lamb got the Bisons on the scoreboard first with a two-out, two-run double in the top of the first. But Atlanta Braves’ rehab Greg Norton got one of those runs back in the bottom of the first when he plated Reid Gorecki with his RBI single to right. Gorecki’s run made it a 2-1 game.
Gorecki ledoff the third inning with a triple to left field and Wes Timmons followed with a walk. With runners on the corners, Norton drove in Gorecki again with a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at two.
Later in the inning with the bases loaded and two out, newcomer Chris Burke singled home Wes Timmons for the go-ahead run of the game.
On the next play, Barbaro Canizares came in to score on a Clint Sammons’ groundout to give Gwinnett a 4-2 lead.
Gwinnett got three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to push its lead to 7-2. Starter Todd Redmond drew a oneout walk and Gorecki followed with a single to left. Wes Timmons then reached on a force attempt fielding error by Bisons’ shortstop Javier Castillo. Redmond scampered home on a passed ball for the G-Braves’ fifth run of the game.
Norton hit into a fielders choice that scored Gorecki for a 6-2 lead. Canizares followed that with an RBI single that scored Timmons to put Gwinnett up 7-2. In the top of the ninth, Bisons left fielder Jesus Feliciano singled whome Luis Rivera to make it a 7-3 game. But Gwinnett reliever Vladimir Nunez shut the door on Buffalo’s late rally.
Gwinnett starter Todd Redmond allowed just two runs in seven strong innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Redmond is now 4-6 with a 4.94 ERA.
Reid Gorecki, Greg Norton, Barbaro Canizares and Chris Burke each collected two hits on the night with Norton driving in three of the seven Gwinnett runs. Wes Timmons, who was 1-for-4, extended his onbase streak to 21 games with his thirdinning walk.
Buffalo starter Tobi Stoner was charged with his first loss. Stoner allowed four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. Jesus Feliciano was 4-for-5 to lead the Bisons offense, who outhit the GBraves 13-9.