LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Gwinnett Stripers (49-38) and the Durham Bulls (53-35) split a doubleheader on Friday night at Coolray Field. Three Durham pitchers combined on a no-hitter in a 5-0 win in game one, and Gwinnett answered back with a 9-7 win in game two on a walk-off home run by Luis Marte.
Game 1 Scoring Recap: The Bulls took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run homer by Jason Coats (12) off Kolby Allard. An RBI single by Emilio Bonifacio made it 4-0 in the fifth, and a sacrifice fly by Dashenko Ricardo made it 5-0 in the sixth.
Game 2 Scoring Recap: Down 2-0, the Stripers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth as Adam Duvall hit an RBI double and Sean Kazmar Jr. (10) blasted a 400-foot two-run homer to left-center off Arturo Reyes. Durham scored twice in the fifth to go up 4-3, but an RBI double by Travis Demeritte and RBI fielder’s choice by Rafael Ortega put the Stripers back ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth. The Bulls tied it in the sixth and scored twice in the eighth to go up 7-5. In the bottom of the eighth, Ortega hit an RBI single and Jonathan Morales tied the game at 7-7 with an RBI double. In the ninth, Marte (5) hit a 395-foot two-run walk-off homer off Tyler Zombro for a 9-7 win.
Stripers Stats: In game one, Allard (L, 6-4) allowed five runs on nine hits over 5.0 innings. Game two saw Kazmar Jr. (W, 1-0) pitch a scoreless eighth inning in the first pitching performance of his professional career. At the plate in game two, Kazmar Jr. went 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, Demeritte went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI, and Marte went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs.
Bulls Stats: Jake Cronenworth, Luis Santos (W, 3-1), and Cole Sulser combined to work 7.0 hitless innings in game one. Coats went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in game one. Zombro (L, 0-1) allowed a hit to the only batter he faced in game two. Offensively in game two, Cronenworth and Dalton Kelly each went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Wong went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Quote: “I’m just going up there to battle,” Kazmar Jr. said. “I’ve been able to put some good swings on the ball, but what we were able to do tonight was special.”
Postgame Notes: In game one, the Gwinnett Stripers were no-hit for the first time since May 25, 2018 in a 7-0 loss vs. Columbus (Shane Bieber, 7.0 innings). Durham recorded their first no-hitter since July 16, 2016 vs. Syracuse (Justin Marks, 9.0 innings). Marte’s walk-off homer was Gwinnett’s second this season, first since June 18 vs. Louisville (Duvall two-run homer in the 10th inning for a 5-3 win).
Next Game (Wednesday, July 6): Gwinnett vs. Durham, 6:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Patrick Weigel (1-1, 3.38 ERA) for the Stripers vs. RHP Jose De Leon (0-1, 3.99) for the Bulls. Radio Broadcast: 5:50 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.