LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – For the second time in as many days, the Gwinnett Braves proved just one run better. Atlanta’s top affiliate rode a strong start from Williams Perez and timely hitting to a 3-2 defeat of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at Coolray Field Tuesday night. The loss guaranteed a series win for the G-Braves (8-11) over the RailRiders (9-11).
Back-to-back doubles by Rob Refsnyder and Kyle Roller combined for a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. But Elmer Reyes’ two-out single to left scored Jose Peraza to tie it up in the bottom half of that same frame.
An inning later, former New York Yankee Eury Perez blooped a two-out single to shallow right that scored Sean Kazmar and Matt Kennelly to push the G-Braves on top, 3-1.
Ben Gamel made it interested with a low, line-drive home run to right in the ninth, his first of the season. Closer Aaron Kurcz retired the next two in succession to end the game.
Williams Perez (2-0) surrendered one run over seven innings for his second win in as many starts. SWB starter Eric Wooten (0-3) gave up three runs in five innings to suffer the loss. Kurcz logged his fifth save in six tries.
The RailRiders and G-Braves conclude their three-game series at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night. SWB right-hander Kyle Davies (1-1, 6.75) faces fellow righty Matt Wisler (0-2, 4.60).
OFF THE RAILS:
Rob Refsnyder went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Over his last four games he has gone 8-for-15 (.533), lifting his average by 71 points (.193-.264).
Kyle Roller posted his fourth double and recorded his sixth RBI. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after he struck out looking in the eighth.
Relievers Danny Burawa and Jose Ramirez combined on three scoreless innings and four strikeouts. In nine appearances, Burawa owns a 0.69 ERA and .143 batting average against. He has allowed one run on six hits while whiffing 10 in his 13 innings. Ramirez has struck out 14 men in 12.1 innings on the year.
The RailRiders have lost back-to-back games at Gwinnett for the first time ever in a single season. The last consecutive losses at Coolray Field came in the final 2010 clash on June 7 and in the first 2011 meeting on April 30. The Braves moved their Triple-A team from Richmond to Gwinnett in 2009.
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