The third baseman is hitting .356 over those 23 games.
While Mississippi’s game got postponed, every Braves farm team in action on Wednesday got the victory.
(25-28) Gwinnett Stripers 5, (28-25) Norfolk Tide 2
- Luke Waddell, SS: 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R
- Sebastian Rivero, C: 2-4, 2B, RBI
- Eli White, LF: 1-4, 2B, 2 R
- David Fletcher, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K
In perhaps the most surprising development out of all the Braves’ minor league affiliates this season, Gwinnett got a stellar start from David Fletcher — yes, that one — as the beat Norfolk on Wednesday.
Despite giving up one run in the bottom of the first inning, Fletcher tossed five frames of two-run ball while striking out six and only walking one.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second, the Stripers eventually took their first lead of the game. After Eli White laced a one-out double, Ramon Laureano walked before Luke Waddell singled in White to tie things up at 1-1. Two batters later, a Sebastian Rivero double plated Laureano to give Gwinnett a 2-1 lead.
Fletcher allowed an additional run in the top of the fourth inning as Norfolk knotted things up at 2-2. However, that was all Fletcher would allow in his starting debut on the mound.
Offensively for Gwinnett, things stalled a bit after their two-run second inning. Things finally turned around in the top of the eighth inning for the Stripers.
Yuli Gurriel ledoff with a single before White followed that up with a walk. After Laureano struck out, Waddell doubled into left field, scoring Gurriel and White to give Gwinnett a 4-2 lead. Alejo Lopez then singled to score Waddell to extend the Stripers’ lead to 5-2.
Following Fletcher’s performance, Brooks Wilson and Parker Dunshee took over in relief to finish the game and cap off the Gwinnett victory.
(22-24) Mississippi Braves, (26-20) Montgomery Biscuits (POSTPONED)
(25-20) Rome Emperors 10, (20-27) Greenville Drive 8
- Sabin Ceballos, 3B: 3-6, 2B, RBI
- Ambioris Tavarez, SS: 1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB
- Adam Zebrowski, DH: 2-4, HR, RBI, R, BB
- Drue Hackenburg, SP: 3.2 IP, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Despite starter Drue Hackenburg allowing seven runs in just 3.2 innings, Rome managed to win an absolute slugfest against Greenville by a 10-8 final.
After both squads went scoreless in the first frame, Greenville tagged Hackeburg and the Emperors for five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-0 lead. The righthander managed to bounce back somewhat, putting up a scoreless frame in the third inning.
Rome began to claw their way back into the game in the top of the third. Nick Clarno led off with a single but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. followed that up with a single of his own before Sabin Ceballos doubled him to third which also extended Ceballos’ on-base streak to 23 games. Ethan Workinger came through with a single, scoring Kilpatrick Jr. to make it a 5-1 game.
In the top of the fourth, Rome plated three runs to cut the deficit to 5-4. After Ambioris Tavarez was hit by a pitch, Stephen Paolini and Nick Ward drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. A Kilpatrick Jr. double would clear the bases, driving in three runs for Rome.
While things were trending in the right direction for Rome, Hackenburg allowed two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Greenville made it a 7-4 lead.
Adam Zebrowski led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run to cut the Drive lead to 7-5. E.J. Exposito followed that up with a single and Tavarez drew a walk to put a pair of runners on. After Exposito and Tavarez perfected a double steal before a throwing error allowed Exposito to score to make it 7-6. Two batters later, Ward singled to score Tavarez to finally tie the game at 7-7. In the Emperors’ final at-bat of the inning, Ceballos singled to score Paolini and give Rome an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the sixth, a Tavarez sacrifice fly scored Workinger to extend the Rome lead at 9-7.
Rome reliever Sam Strickland allowed one run in the eighth inning as Greenville was able to reduce the Emperors lead to 9-8. However, Rome was able to get that run back in the top of the ninth inning as Tavarez homered to make it 10-8.
Jared Johnson came on in relief to close things out in the ninth inning to get the save and seal off the win.
In going 3-6 on the day, Ceballos is now slashing .356/.446/.471 over his last 23 games.
(19-27) Augusta GreenJackets 9, (22-25) Fayetteville Woodpeckers 4
- Harry Owen, C: 1-4, 2B, RBI
- Cam Magee, SS: 2-4, 2B, 2 R
- Kade Kern, LF: 1-4, 2 RBI
- Luis Vargas, SP: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Augusta’s bats were too much for Fayetteville to handle as the GreenJackets tallied nine runs on nine hits in the win.
The GreenJackets jumped out to grab the first lead of the night in this one. In the top of the second, Luis Sanchez worked a one-out walk before Cam Magee singled him to third. Magee subsequently stole second before a Joe Olsavsky singled home Sanchez to make it 1-0 Augusta. Harry Owen then doubled home Magee to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the following frame, Drew Compton singled and Will Verdung and Sanchez both walked to load the bases. Compton then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-0 game before Kade Kern singled to plate Verdung and Sanchez to extend the lead to 5-0.
Augusta plated two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. After Isaiah Drake singled before moving up to second on a wild pitch. Jace Grady followed that up with a single of his own to advance Drake to third as a Drew Compton sacrifice fly brought Drake home to add to the 6-0 lead. In the next at-bat, a Verdung single scored Grady to make it 7-0 GreenJackets.
While the offense was dominating, Augusta starter Luis Vargas allowed two runs across 6.1 innings while striking out five batters.
While Fayetteville scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, Augusta promptly got those runs back in the top of the eighth. Cam Magee led off with a double and moved up to third on a Kern flyout. After Olavsky was hit by a pitch, Magee scored on a wild pitch to make it an 8-3 game. A second wild pitch plated Olavsky to extend the lead to 9-3.
After Vargas exited the game, Giomar Diaz came on in relief and tossed 2.2 innings while allowing just two runs and striking out five in the win.