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governors’ cup playoffs

Braves stay alive with win

By Dave Konopki dkonopki@timesleader.com
Assistant Sports Editor

MOOSIC — The Gwinnett Braves were very gracious guests last night at PNC Field.

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Yankees shortstop Doug Bernier gets the throw from catcher Chris Stewart to put out Braves runner Wes Timmons to end the top of the fourth inning Friday at PNC Field.

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When Scranton/Wilkes-Barre gave them an opportunity, the Braves took advantage of it.

Four of five Gwinnett players who got on base by a walk eventually scored and the Braves went 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position to post an 8-5 win against the Yankees in Game 3 of the International League playoffs.

With the win in front of a crowd of 1,388, the Braves avoided a sweep in the best-of-five series. The Yankees, who won the opening two games of the series in Gwinnett, can clinch the series with a win tonight at PNC Field.

“It goes to show you can’t walk people,” said SWB manager Dave Miley. “When you walk guys to lead off an inning, anyone with baseball knowledge knows it’s going to come back to hurt you.”

The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when speedy leadoff hitter Freddy Guzman drilled a solo home run – his first as a Yankee and his first since July 18.

The Braves took advantage of a six-hit, five-run third inning of SWB starting pitcher Kei Igawa to take a 5-1 lead.

Things started out well for Igawa, who struck out the side in the first inning and didn’t allow a base runner in the first two innings.

First home run since July 18

But following the great start, things fell apart for Igawa in the top of the third inning.

Brian Barton and Van Pope hit consecutive singles to start the inning. Matt Young followed with a sacrifice fly to score Barton. Chris Burke singled and Wes Timmons walked to load the bases.

Jason Hayward ripped a two-run single, scoring Pope and Burke to make it 3-1. Igawa’s luck didn’t get any better when Barbaro Canizares and Diory Hernandez hit bloop singles, the latter scoring Timmons. With two outs, Heyward scored on a wild pitch to give the Braves a 5-1 lead.

With SWB trailing by four runs, Juan Miranda got the Yankees back in the game with one swing of the bat.

Freddy Guzman walked and stole second base to lead off the top of the third. With one out, Austin Jackson walked and Miranda followed with a towering three-run blast over the advertising signs in right field to cut Gwinnett’s lead to 5-4.

The teams exchanged runs in the fourth inning and the Braves added another in the top of the fifth to take a 7-5 lead. Gwinnett also scored a run in the top of the seventh to close out the scoring.

Igawa lasted just three innings, giving up five runs on six hits. The left-hander struck out six in throwing just 55 pitches. The Yankees followed Igawa with four relievers, including recent Trenton call-up Grant Duff. The big right-hander pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, walking a batter.

Jackson had two hits to lead the Yankees, who finished with just six hits. In addition to the home runs by Guzman and Miranda, Chris Stewart also drove in a run with an RBI single.

The Yankees, however, were just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

“We had some chances,” said Miley. “We were a little short on the hits.”

HOW THEY SCORED

SWB First: Freddy Guzman led off with a home run. YANKEES 1, BRAVES 0

Gwinnett Third: Brian Barton hit a single to lead off the inning and went to third on a single by Van Pope. Barton scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Young, with Pope moving to second on the play. Chris Burke singled and Wes Timmons walked to load the bases. Jason Hayward followed with a two-run single, scoring Pope and Burke. Barbaro Canizares singled to load the bases and Diory Hernandez hit a single to score Timmons. BRAVES 5, YANKEES 1

SWB Third: Guzman walked and stole second. With one out, Austin Jackson walked. Juan Miranda followed with a three-run home run. BRAVES 5, YANKEES 4

Gwinnett Fourth: Pope walked and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Young. With two outs, Timmons hit a single to score Pope. BRAVES 6, YANKEES 4

SWB Fourth: Colin Curtis led off with a walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Doug Bernier. Chris Stewart followed with a single to score Curtis. BRAVES 6, YANKEES 5

Gwinnett Fifth: Heyward led off with a walk and went to second on a groundout by Canizares. Hernandez followed with a single to score Heyward. BRAVES 7, YANKEES 5

Gwinnett Seventh: Canizares drew a one-out walk and scored on a two-out double by Hernandez. BRAVES 8, YANKEES 5