Gwinnett and Lynchburg Win Wild Extra Inning Games in Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap

The farm falls just one team short of a second straight organizational sweep. The theme today was extra inning games as three teams played free baseball with Gwinnett and Lynchburg both winning their. 

Charlotte Knights 6, Gwinnett Braves 7 - 13 Innings

• Mauro Gomez, 1B 3-5, BB, K, SB(5), 2 E(9), .278 Avg
• Wilkin Castillo, C 1-5, HR(4), 3 RBI, BB, K, .272 Avg
• Cory Gearrin 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1.69 ERA
• J.J. Hoover 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 4.61 ERA

Gwinnett had a wild one tonight against the Knights. The Braves got out to a six run lead by the third inning but the normally solid Todd Redmond gave all six runs back by the sixth inning. Fortunately for Gwinnett their bullpen is fantastic and combined to throw 7.1 innings of one hit ball. The Braves scored the winning run on a bases loaded groundout (attempted double play) from Matt Young.

Mississippi Braves 4, Montgomery Biscuits 1

• Mycal Jones, CF 2-3, BB, 2 SB(13), .260 Avg
• Ernesto Mejia, 1B 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, 2 K, .299 Avg
• Luis Avilan 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K, 4.58 ERA

The mercurial Luis Avilan turned in a fantastic performance for the M-Braves tonight allowing just one hit across five innings of work. Mycal Jones has turned his season around with a fantastic August. His walk rate isn't quite what it was at the beginning of the year but his contact rate has spiked and the walk rates remains good. He still struggles heavily against lefties (.633 OPS vs LHP/.830 against RHP). 

Lynchburg Hillcats 8, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 4 - 11 Innings

• Keenan Wiley, RF 2-5, RBI, BB, 2 K, .282 Avg
• Andrelton Simmons, SS 2-5, K, .309 Avg
• Joe Leonard, 3B 2-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K, .268 Avg
• Christian Bethancourt, C 3-6, 2 RBI, .265 Avg
• Ryan Buchter 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 3.62 ERA

Another wild extra inning game with the Hillcats coming out ahead. The 'Cats went into the ninth down by one run when Joe Leonard hit a sac fly to send Andrelton Simmons home to tie the game. They then dropped four runs in the eleventh inning to put the game out of reach for the former Braves affiliates. Andrelton Simmons picked up two more hits and while he has hit for a little doubles power he hasn't taken many walks and his stolen base success rate is god awful (21/38). He kind of reminds me of what we have now but with less power. 

Savannah Sand Gnats 2, Rome Braves 6

• Matt Lipka, SS 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, SB(21), .240 Avg
• Evan Gattis, C 2-4, RBI, .326 Avg
• Edward Salcedo, DH 2-4, 2B, RBI, .254 Avg
• Willie Kempf 6.1 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 3.81 ERA

Matt Lipka picked up two extra base hits tonight and raised his average to .240 - the highest it has been since early May. He is in the middle of his best month of the year but that still is just a .658 OPS. Hopefully this means he is finishing on a high note and will start 2012 on fire. Salcedo picked up just his second extra base hit of the month tonight playing DH. Maybe getting him out of the field will help him get his legs back under him. 

Danville Braves 7, Kingsport Mets 5

• Kyle Kubitza, 3B 2-5, 2B, K, SB(8) .324 Avg
• Brandon Drury, 2B 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, .350 Avg
• Edison Sanchez, 1B 1-4, HR(2), 2 RBI, .276 Avg
• Chase Larsson, LF 2-4, 2B, .241 Avg
• Fernando De Los Santos, RF 2-4, HR(1), 3 RBI, 2 K, .336 Avg

The D-Braves offense just keeps rolling along with another seven runs and six extra base hits. Edison Sanchez is finally starting to find his power stroke with two homers in his last four games. He continues to get on base at a fantastic rate (.404 OBP) but his body is still filling out and the power hasn't completely come yet. Brandon Drury has now hit in twelve straight games and is leading the league in hitting and is second in doubles. 

GCL Braves 3, GCL Pirates 4 -  10 Innings

• Ronald Luna, SS 2-4, SB(9), .277 Avg
• Brian Stamps, CF 2-4, 2B, RBI, K, .213 Avg
• Ignacio Geronimo 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2.84 ERA

Ignacio Geronimo pitched four no hit innings in this one but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead and the GCL team picks up the only loss of the night. The two teams combined for just twelve hits in ten innings but managed to capitalize one their opportunities (HBP and errors no doubt helped). 

DSL Braves

The DSL season is over and the playoffs are currently on. The Braves did not make it.