LAWRENCEVILLE -– Yohan Flande threw 7 scoreless, three-hit innings to lead the Gwinnett Braves to a 4-0 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday night at Coolray Field. Anthony Varvaro and Cory Gearrin also combined on the three-hit shutout, giving the International League South-leading G-Braves their fifth-straight win.
Flande (W, 2-3) cruised through 7.0 innings of scoreless baseball, surrendering just three hits and one walk while striking out five. The left-hander threw 95 pitches, 56 for strikes to lead Gwinnett to their seventh shutout win of the season. Four of those seven shutouts have been started by Flande, including his most recent win prior to Tuesday night, a 5-0 victory over Durham on April 14.
Most of the G-Braves’ offensive damage occurred in the fourth inning when they crossed the plate three times. Collin DeLome reached on a hit-by-pitch and Stefan Gartrell singled, and Gwinnett loaded the bases as Joey Terdoslavich reached on a bizarre fielder’s choice to Lehigh Valley third baseman Tim Kennelly. Jose Yepez was subsequently hit by a pitch from IronPigs’ starter Pat Misch, forcing in DeLome for the first run. Josh Wilson followed by lacing an RBI single into left field to score Gartrell, and Monday's hero Lance Zawadzki capped the inning with an RBI groundout that gave the G-Braves a 3-0 lead.
Terdoslavich singled home DeLome to raise the lead to 4-0 in the fifth.
Misch (L, 3-7) took the loss for Lehigh Valley with four runs allowed, two earned, on five hits over 7.0 innings. Reliever Brian Sanches pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the IronPigs.
Gartrell posted the only multi-hit game for either side, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. After hitting just .165 in April, Gartrell is batting .340 in May, raising his season average to .263.
The Gwinnett Braves (32-20) continue their 10-game homestand with the third of four games against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-24) on Wednesday night at Coolray Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Eric Junge (3-4, 4.44) is set to start for Gwinnett against Lehigh Valley left-hander Tom Cochran (2-1, 4.55). The game will be broadcast on radio on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.
Wednesday night is another "Winning Wednesday" at Coolray Field, sponsored by Georgia Lottery. If the G-Braves are victorious, everyone in attendance will receive a special discount offer on future games.
