LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Left-hander Michael Mader twirled a season-high 6.0 innings of one-run baseball in his Triple-A debut Thursday afternoon as the Gwinnett Stripers beat the Durham Bulls 7-1 at Coolray Field.
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Left-hander Michael Mader twirled a season-high 6.0 innings of one-run baseball in his Triple-A debut Thursday afternoon as the Gwinnett Stripers beat the Durham Bulls 7-1 at Coolray Field.
The 24-year-old Mader (W, 1-0), called up before the game from Double-A Mississippi to make the start, held the first-place Bulls to just three hits in picking up the quality start. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three, while the one blemish on his line was a fourth-inning solo home run by Curt Casali (4).
But that run didn't matter as the Stripers tagged Durham starter Forrest Snow (L, 2-2) for four runs (one earned) over his 4.0 innings.
Xavier Avery got the scoring started with a third-inning solo homer (2) that he lodged just above the right field wall.
In the fourth, all nine Gwinnett batters were sent to the plate in a sloppy inning for the Bulls. After an Austin Riley one-out walk, Carlos Franco reached on an error by second baseman Kean Wong. Dustin Peterson struck out, then Rio Ruiz reached on another error by shortstop Andrew Velazquez to load the bases. Sean Kazmar Jr. then blooped a double to left field, scoring two runs for a 3-1 lead. A walk to Avery loaded the bases again, then Jonathan Morales was hit by a pitch to score the fourth run before Snow finally got out of the inning.
The Stripers added a run off reliever Colin Poche to make it 5-1 in the fifth. Santana led off with a walk, Riley followed with a walk and after consecutive strikeouts, Ruiz delivered an RBI single through the shortstop hole scoring Santana.
After Mader exited, Luke Jackson came on in the seventh to work 2.0 scoreless, no-hit innings with a walk and four strikeouts.
The Stripers got two more insurance runs in the eighth. Kazmar walked, Avery singled and pinch-hitter Chris Stewart walked to load the bases. Jaime Schultz threw a wild pitch, allowing Kazmar to score the sixth run, and Peter Bourjos followed with a groundout to bring home Avery for the seventh and final run of the game.
Josh Ravin worked a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Avery finished the day 2-for-3 with the solo homer and two runs scored. Durham (27-18) was held to four hits, with Casali, Wong, Jake Bauers and Michael Russell picking up one apiece.
The win gave Gwinnett (19-26) its third series victory of the season and its first since April 30-May 2 vs. Charlotte.
The Columbus Clippers come into town Friday night to start a four-game series with the Stripers at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Aníbal Sánchez (0-1, 19.64 ERA), continuing a rehab assignment for Atlanta, is scheduled to start for Gwinnett, while Columbus will go with righty Shane Bieber (4-1, 1.23 ERA). Tony Schiavone the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m.
