PAWTUCKET, RI – The Gwinnett Stripers (26-16) set a club record with their eighth straight win, a 5-2 victory over the Pawtucket Red Sox (14-25) on Saturday night in game two of the three-game series at McCoy Stadium. The Stripers raised their International League-leading home run total to 74 with blasts from Travis Demeritte and Adam Duvall.
Scoring Recap: The Stripers took a 3-0 lead in top of the first inning against Pawtucket starting pitcher Teddy Stankiewicz as Demeritte (8) crushed a three-run homer to left. The lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly to left field by Duvall. The Red Sox were held hitless over 4.0 innings by Stripers’ starting pitcher Patrick Weigel but ended the shutout in the bottom of the fifth as Josh Ockimey (11) drilled a two-run homer to right-center off Huascar Ynoa to make it 4-2. Duvall (15) hit a long solo homer to center field in the ninth off Jennry Mejia for a 5-2 final.
Stripers Stats: Weigel, pitching in his first game for Gwinnett since 2017, worked 4.0 scoreless, hitless innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Ynoa (W, 1-0) made his Triple-A debut, and allowed two runs on three hits over 3.0 innings. Jason Creasy (H, 2) and Rafael De Paula (S, 5) combined on 3.0 scoreless, hitless frames. At the plate, Demeritte went 2-for-5 with a double, homer, and three RBIs, and Duvall went 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Rafael Ortega, Andres Blanco, Pedro Florimon, and Ryan LaMarre all had two hits apiece.
Red Sox Stats: Stankiewicz (L, 1-3) lost to Gwinnett for the second time this season with four runs on nine hits over 5.0 innings. Ockimey was 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Sam Travis and rehabbing Boston Red Sox infielder Brock Holt were each 1-for-3.
Postgame Notes: Of the Stripers’ IL-leading 74 homers, 41 have come through 17 games in May (2.41 HR/game). Duvall has homered in four straight games since May 15 and six of his last eight games since May 10. Demeritte extended his on-base streak to 21 games and his hitting streak to eight games. Ockimey’s two-run homer was his fourth clout against Gwinnett this season.
Next Game (Sunday, May 19): Gwinnett at Pawtucket, 1:05 p.m. Eastern. RHP Kyle Wright (3-2, 7.23 ERA) for the Stripers vs. RHP Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 4.55 ERA) for the Red Sox. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 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.