The Gwinnett Braves defeated the Indianapolis Indians, 6-5 onThursday at Victory Field.

The G-Braves (37-31) are now only 2.5 games out of first place in the Southern Division with Norfolk and Durham both losing Thursday.

The G-Braves jumped out first with Reid Gorecki leading off the game with a triple. Brooks Conrad plated Gorecki with his twelfth double of the season.

The two teams battled back and fourth until the eighth inning when pinch hitter Van Pope’s sacrifice fly with bases loaded gave Gwinnett the final lead of the night.

Starting pitcher Eric Hacker was 2-for-2 with two doubles and three RBI to lead the Indians.

For Gwinnett, Juan Perez earned his first win pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Jonny Venters started the game, allowed four earned runs and struck out five in six innings but did not factor into the decision.

Denny Bautista was credited with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.