Shuster struck held the opposition to just two hits on the day for the Stripers.
Despite one game getting rained out, it was a successful day for Atlanta’s MiLB affiliates as the three teams in action swept their games. Jared Shuster dazzled, Joe Hudson homered twice, David McCabe drove in three and Jhancarlos Lara struck out eight in a talent-filled day.
(50-58) Gwinnett Stripers 9, (41-69) Charlotte Knights 3
- Joe Hudson, C: 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI
- Joe Dunad, 1B: 2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI
- Vaughn Grissom, SS: 3-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 BB
- Jared Shuster, SP: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Jared Shuster tossed a gem for Gwinnett, spinning seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits and notching a pair of strikeouts on the day. He and Vaughn Grissom, who continued his torrid pace with a 3-3 day at the plate, led Gwinnett to victory over Charlotte.
While Shuster was busy dominating on the mound, the offense tried to find its footing. Despite getting a two-out double from Vaughn Grissom in the top of the first inning and another two-bagger off the bat of Joe Dunad — more on him later — in the second, the Stripers were held scoreless through the first two frames.
They finally broke through in the top of the third inning. Hoy Park drew a one-out walk which Grissom followed up with a walk of his own. After Braden Shewmake flew out for the second out of the inning, Dunad laced his second double of the game to plate Park and Grissom, staking Shuster and Gwinnett to a 2-0 lead.
Gwinnett added on in the top of the fifth inning. Luke Williams led off with a single up the middle and Grissom lined a base hit into center field two batters later to move Williams to third. Shewmake notched the third single of the inning, scoring Williams but Grissom was thrown out at third as the Stripers extended their lead to 3-0. In the sixth, Williams notched his second hit of the game, an RBI-single to score Yolmer Sanchez to give the Stripers a 4-0 lead.
The Stripers broke the game open in the top of the seventh, thanks to a two-run homer off the bat of Joe Hudson over the left center field fence, increasing the Gwinnett lead to 6-0. Hudson would come through yet again in the top of the ninth, this time launching a three-run home run to give the Stripers a 9-0 lead headed into the final half inning.
After Lucas Luetge tossed a scoreless inning, Dereck Rodriguez took over on the mound and was unable to preserve the shutout, allowing three runs in the one frame. He eventually managed to retire the Knights, sealing off the 9-3 win.
(47-55) Mississippi Braves, (47-56) Rocket City Trash Pandas (POSTPONED)
Mother Nature had other ideas, forcing this game to be postponed which will be made up as a doubleheader on Friday, August 11 starting at 4:05 p.m.
(47-57) Rome Braves 9, (47-52) Winston-Salem Dash 8
- David McCabe, 2-4, 3 RBI, R
- Nacho Alvarez, SS: 2-4, 2B, RBI, R
- Adam Zebrowksi, C: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI
- Patrick Halligan, SP: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Rome staved off a late comeback attempt from Winston-Salem, winning in a nail biter by a 9-8 final.
The Braves scored first, plating a pair of runs in their first at-bat. In the home half of the first inning, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. and Nacho Alvarez led off with back-to-back singles. After Drake Baldwin grounded into a forceout, David McCabe singled to score Kilpatrick Jr. and advance Baldwin to second. Geraldo Quintero followed that up with a single, as Baldwin crossed the plate to make it 2-0.
Overall, starter Patrick Halligan was decent, as he tossed a pair of scoreless innings before Winston-Salem tagged him for two runs in the top of the third as the Dash tied the game at 2-2.
Rome would break that tie in a big way, as five runners crossed the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Much like the first inning, Kilpatrick Jr. and Alvarez reached via single and a hit by pitch, respectively to leadoff the inning. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, McCabe singled into right field to score both runners, making it a 4-2 lead for the Braves. After Quintero struck out, KeShawn Ogans singled McCabe to second base and both runners performed a double steal to put the pair in scoring position. Justin Janas walked to load the bases as Adam Zebrowksi drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring McCabe to make it 5-2. But Rome wasn’t finished there. Ethan Workinger singled into center field as Ogans and Janas both scored, extending the Rome lead to 7-2.
Tyree Thompson took over for Halligan in the top of the third inning and kept the opposition at bay through the fifth. However, the Dash tagged him for two runs before he gave way to J.J. Niekro in the top of the sixth.
Leading 7-4, Rome added on in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring two runs to make it 9-4. Adam Zebrowski launched a solo homer and three batters later, Alvarez doubled home Kevin Kilpatrick Jr.
Things went south in a hurry for the Braves in the top of the ninth, as Niekro allowed three runs as Winston-Salem cut the lead to 9-7. Miguel Pena took over for Niekro with two outs and despite allowing one run, would get the final out as the Braves took the game.
(50-58) Augusta GreenJackets 6, (47-54) Salem Red Sox 4
- Cam Magee, 3B: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI
- Will Verdung, 2B: 0-2, SF, RBI, R
- Kade Kern, RF: 1-2, R, 2 BB
- Jhancarlos Lara, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K
Augusta scored all six runs across three innings on Wednesday in what was a win over Salem to notch their 50th win of the season.
Most of the offensive contributions for the GreenJackets came courtesy of 2023 draftees – and undraftees for that matter – as all three RBI in the game came off the bat of recent additions to the Augusta roster.
In the top of the third inning, Cam Magee reached on an error to score Tyler Collins and Ambioris Tavrez to stake starter Augsuta starter Jhancarlos Lara to a 2-0 lead. The GreenJackets extended their lead in the following inning, this time scoring three times. Will Verdung and Kade Kern drew back-to-back walks before Tavrez reached on a two-out error to score Verdung to make it 3-0 Augusta. Magee followed that up with a double that scored Kern and Tavarez to make it 5-0 GreenJackets.
The offensive showing for the GreenJackets persisted in the top of the fifth, as Verdung drove in Drew Compton on a sac fly to extend the lead to 6-0.
On the mound, Lara spun six scoreless innings, striking out eight and walking a pair while scattering five hits for the GreenJackets. He would give way to Zack Austin in the bottom of the seventh, as Austin subsequently gave up three runs in the inning to make it 7-3. Austin gave up an additional run in the bottom of the eighth as the Red Sox were able to cut the Augusta lead to 6-4. The righthander managed to toss a scoreless ninth to cap off the night.