DURHAM, NC – Sean Kazmar Jr. went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBIs, and Jack Lopez belted a two-run home run as the Gwinnett Stripers (80-59) defeated the Durham Bulls (75-64) 8-5 on Monday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. With the season finale win, the Stripers join the 2009 club (81-63) as the only Gwinnett clubs to win 80 game.
Scoring Recap: The Stripers opened a 4-0 lead as Kazmar Jr. lined an RBI single in the third and laced a three-run double in the fifth. Lopez blasted a two-run home run (12) to left in the fifth, raising the lead to 6-0. Durham cut it to 6-1 on a Mac James RBI single in the fifth, but Ryan LaMarre’s two-run single put Gwinnett up 8-1 in the seventh. The Bulls got homers from Mike Brosseau and Jason Coats in a four-run eighth to make it 8-5, but drew no closer.
Stripers Stats: Huascar Ynoa (W, 3-5) limited the Bulls to one run on three hits over 5.0 innings and struck out four for the win. Rehabbing Darren O’Day struck out two in a scoreless inning before Tyler Matzek and Patrick Weigel combined to allow four runs over the final 3.0 innings. In addition’ to Kazmar Jr.’s effort, LaMarre went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Lopez went 1-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs.
Bulls Stats: Vidal Nuno (L, 1-2), one of eight Durham pitchers, allowed one run over 1.0 inning for the loss. Coats went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, and Brosseau went 1-for-5 with a homer and one RBI.
Postgame Notes: Lopez’s home run was Gwinnett’s 200th of the season. LaMarre extended his on-base streak to 35 games, the longest active streak in the International League. Despite the loss, Durham clinched the IL Wild Card spot as Charlotte lost 7-6 at Norfolk.
Next Game (Wednesday, September 4): Game 1 of the first round of the Governors’ Cup Playoffs, Gwinnett vs. Columbus, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Bryse Wilson (10-7, 3.42 ERA) for the Stripers vs. TBD for the Clippers. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on 97.7 and 93.5 FM “The Other Side of the River.”
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The Gwinnett Stripers are the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, playing their 11th season at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga. For tickets, team merchandise or more information, visit GoStripers.com. Follow the Stripers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at GoStripers.