(5-4) Gwinnett Stripers 1, (2-7) Round Rock Express 0
- Jim Jarvis, SS: 1-for-4
- Brewer Hicklen, LF: 1-for-2, BB
- Sandy León, C: 0-for-1 2BB, R, SB
- Lucas Braun, SP: 5IP 3H 0R 2BB 0K
- Hayden Harris, RP: 2IP 0H 0R 2BB 2K
- Rolddy Muñoz, RP: 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
The surging Gwinnett Stripers kept to their winning ways, this time leaning on very strong pitching to get the 1-0 win in a game that took 2 hours and 29 minutes. Starter Lucas Braun gave up just three hits over five innings of work – not allowing a run, but also struggled to generate whiffs as he had just three. Lucas did mix his pitches well inside the zone and created weak contact so he was good, but not necessarily great. He also was facing an Express team that has struggled out the gate,
with just a pair of wins in their first nine games.
Lucas did not get much to work with as Gwinnett struggled offensively as well as they had a total of four hits with none being of the extra base variety. He was able to get the win because the Stripers did score a run in the sixth inning thanks to the fast wheels of Sandy León! Sandy would lead off the inning with a walk, steal second, and went to third on a single by Luke Williams. He would then score on a Jim Jarvis double play and put Gwinnett ahead.
That was all it took as Hayden Harris, Rolddy Muñoz, and James Karinchak would pitch the games final four innings and would not allow a single hit, though Hayden and James both would walk a pair. It was a game of very few highlights, as the Stripers would strike out ten times, and walk just three times while also allowing six walks while only striking out three. That’s not typically the recipe for success, but it was yesterday, as Gwinnett picked up the win.
(3-0) Chattanooga Lookouts 3, (0-3) Columbus Clingstones 0 – F/6
- Drew Compton, 1B: 1-for-2, BB
- Adam Żebrowski, C: 1-for-3, BB
- Jordan Groshans, 1-for-2, BB
- Brett Sears, SP: 5IP 6H 4ER 2BB 6K
Rough six inning loss for the Clingstones who fall to 0-3 to start the season. As a team the Clingstones drew seven walks through five innings but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine on base. Brett Sears got the start and was okay, striking out six over five innings. He had runners on base every single inning after getting the Lookouts 1-2-3 in the first. To his credit despite all of that traffic he did just allow three runs which should be enough to keep your team in the game.
However, after scoring six runs on opening night, and seven runs the previous night it was a complete struggle for the Clingstones offensively. The Clingstones threatened in the first inning with two runners on with two outs, Adam Zebrowski grounded weakly to the shortstop to end the threat. They would then threaten again in the second inning when they drew three consecutive walks with two outs but Tristan English would ground out to the shortstop again to end that threat. The pattern would continue in the third inning as the Clingstones would have two on with one out but Ethan Workinger would ground into a double play to end that threat as well.
You’re not going to believe this but in the fourth Cal Conley would hit a two out single, steal second, and would…yes you guessed it…he would be stranded there as well via a Lizandro Espinoza fly out. And that brings us to the final inning of the game, the bottom of the fifth, when Drew Compton would draw a walk with two outs, then move to third after a Adam Zebrowski single to give the Clingstones yet another significant threat. This time it was Ethan Workinger who would fly out to left to end that threat.
Shay Schanaman would come in for Brett Sears at the top of the sixth and would walk the lead off hitter on seven pitches before the rain really came in and eventually lead to the game being called after five innings.
(0-3) Augusta GreenJackets 8, (3-0) Fredericksburg Nationals 10
- Tate Southisene, 2B: 1-for-5, R
- Conor Essenburg, DH: 1-for-4, HR (1), BB, R
- Alex Lodise, SS: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, 2 R
- Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-for-5, 2R
- Nick Montgomery, C: 2-for-3, 2 BB, R, RBI
- Dallas Macias, RF: 2-for-3, 4 RBI, R
- Davis Polo, RP: 3IP 2H 1ER 1BB 4K
- Luis Arestigueta, RP: 1IP 0H 0R 1BB 1K
- Kendry Richard, SP: 3.2IP 7H 9R 8ER 3BB 3K
Kendry Richard would start the game for Augusta and struggled – allowing eight earned runs in just 3.2 innings of work. He struggled in the first two innings as he would give up a pair of earned runs in each. After getting the Nationals 1-2-3 in the third inning, it all fell apart for Kendry as he allowed seven hitters on base, would throw a wild pitch, and allow a run from a balk. It was a complete disaster of an inning for the battery of Richard-Montgomery, as Nick Montgomery would allow two stolen bases, and have two throwing errors. This comes just two innings after Nick committed a throwing error that allowed leadoff hitter Eli Willits to steal second and third, and then score on a passed ball.
The poor pitching and defense by the two is what really ended up doing in the GreenJackets which is really unfortunate because their offense was great, and the bullpen was solid. The Augusta offense went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position, stranded ten on base, but still had 11 hits and scored eight runs with some absolute highlights. Leading those highlights is this tape measure shot by Conor Essenburg coming in at 431’.
Conor showed continued patience at the plate as he also picked up another walk and now has an .855 OPS despite hitting just .182 to start the season. Tate Southisene was solid at the plate despite going 1-for-5 as he continued to see a lot of pitches, however he continues to chase high – something to keep an eye on. Alex Lodise would go 1-for-4 with a walk as well and continued an early trend of his this season which is not chasing low and laying off sliders away and as a result he’s started off the season with a robust .385 batting average and .891 OPS.
Also looking good to start the season is Luis Guanipa as he would go 2-for-5 scoring a pair of runs. While the power still hasn’t shown up he’s not chasing and is getting the bat through the zone very quickly and is now hitting .444 with a 1.111 OPS himself.
That brings us back to Nick Montgomery who struggled behind the plate but was a force at it. Nick would get on base four times, drawing two walks, and has started the season hitting .600 with a 1.978 OPS. He hasn’t looked as vulnerable at the top of the zone and while he is still expanding a bit, it’s at least resulting in some good contact – including this opposite field single.
