ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Gwinnett Braves scored four runs in the first inning and four more in the fifth en route to a 9-1 victory against the Rochester Red Wings on Wednesday at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY. The G-Braves improve to 30-24 while the Red Wings drop to 26-25 on the season.
After a pair of one-out walks in the first frame, Gwinnett got back-to-back RBI singles from Barbaro Canizares and Reid Gorecki to put the G-Braves up 2-0.
G-Braves catcher Clint Sammons doubled the score with a two-run double, his fourth double of the season and first of three doubles on the night.
The G-Braves’ offense gave spot starter Vladimir Nunez the four-run cushion before he even took the mound.
Nunez got the start in place of Charlie Morton, who was included in the trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates for center fielder Nate McClouth.
Nunez held the Red Wings scoreless through the first four innings to set up the second big inning for Gwinnett.
Gwinnett added four insurance runs in the top of the fifth inning. Wes Timmons hit a lead-off ground-rule double, Brooks Conrad followed with a walk and Canizares singled to left field to load the bases. Gorecki hit a sac fly to left field that plated Timmons for the first run in the inning.
Then with one out, Sammons drove home Conrad from second with his third double of the game. With two outs, J.C. Holt tripled to center field that pushed both Canizares and Sammons across to give the G-Braves an 8-0 advantage.
The Red Wings avoided the shutout with a seventh-inning homer from right fielder David Winfree.
Winfree’s ninth homer of the season made it an 8-1 game. It was one of only four hits allowed by five Gwinnett pitchers on Wednesday.
Vladimir Nunez pitched the first four innings and was followed with Mariano Gomez, who held the Red Wings scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.
Gomez was relieved by Boone Logan who allowed the seventh inning homer to Winfree. And Logan was replaced with Juan Perez, who pitched the eighth inning while Rafael Cruz pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the victory.
Recently promoted from Mississippi, G-Braves’ shortstop Kody Kirland was 2-for-3 on Wednesday.
In his first game since being assigned to Gwinnett, Jordan Schafer was 0-for-5 but did drive in the ninth and final run of the game on a sac fly in the ninth inning.
Reid Gorecki and J.C. Holt each drove in a pair of runs in the win. Wes Timmons was 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles and two walks while Barbaro Canizares was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
But the star of the game was Clint Sammons who collected three doubles and was 4-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Gwinnett offense.
The Gwinnett Braves continue their road trip with game three in the four-game set at Rochester on Thursday. The G-Braves will start RHP Todd Redmond (2-4, 4.38 ERA), who will face Rochester RHP Jason Jones (1-4, 5.94 ERA). First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The G-Braves return home on Saturday for a four-game series against the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians).