LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Gwinnett Stripers (28-19) crushed six home runs to tie the Gwinnett single-game record as they defeated the Norfolk Tides (20-25) by a 13-7 score on Friday night at Coolray Field. Alex Jackson homered twice, and Rafael Ortega, Sean Kazmar Jr., Jack Lopez, and Travis Demeritte also went deep in the club’s first six-homer game since August 28, 2011, also vs. Norfolk.
Scoring Recap: The Stripers homered four times off Norfolk starter Josh Rogers to build a 10-1 lead. Jackson (9) hit a 456-foot solo homer off the top of the batter’s eye in center for a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Later in the frame, Ortega (10) belted a three-run homer to right to make it 5-0. Back-to-back homers by Kazmar Jr. (4) and Lopez (2) highlighted a five-run third inning. The Tides scored three runs off Shane Carle to cut the lead to 10-4 in the fifth, but the Stripers got an RBI double from Lopez in the fifth and solo blasts from Demeritte (10) and Jackson (10) off Francisco Jimenez in the sixth to extend the advantage to 13-4. Norfolk scored three runs off Thomas Burrows in the seventh to make it 13-7, but A.J. Minter struck out five over the final 2.0 innings to end the game.
Stripers Stats: Jackson went 2-for-4 with two homers and two RBIs, his third career multi-homer game and first at the Triple-A level. Kazmar Jr. went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, Lopez went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, and Ortega went 1-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs. Starter Ben Rowen yielded a run over 4.0 innings in a no-decision. Carle (W, 2-0) won despite yielding three runs on five hits over 2.0 innings. Minter added 2.0 scoreless innings.
Tides Stats: Rogers (L, 2-4) was tagged for 10 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits over 2.2 innings of work. Zach Vincej went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, and Anthony Santander, Ryan Mountcastle, Chance Sisco, and Jesus Sucre all had two hits each.
Quote: “I don’t think you ever get used to games like this,” Kazmar Jr. said. “One through nine the lineup is always putting together good at-bats.”
Postgame Notes: Demeritte’s homer extended his on-base streak to 26 games, tied for the longest in the International League this season. Jackson’s multi-homer game was his first since July 9, 2017 with Advanced-A Florida vs. Charlotte. The Stripers lead the IL with 83 home runs, 50 of which have come in 22 games in May.
Next Game (Saturday, May 25): Gwinnett vs. Norfolk, 6:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. TBD for the Stripers vs. LHP Luis Ysla (2-2, 4.66 ERA) for the Tides. 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.