G-BRAVES BEAT: Homers doom Reyes; Kimbrel returns to Gwinnett

For the third straight game, the G-Braves got off to a fast start, grabbing a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second against the Buffalo Bisons,  but it would not last as the Bisons took a 6-3 win at Coolray Field. RF Mitch Jones hit a rocket for a home run over the right-field fence to tie the game at one. Catcher J.C. Boscan hit a double that drove in the second run and starting pitcher Jo Jo Reyes grounded out, but a run scored to make it 3-1.

This time they were unable to build on the early momentum. The Bisons shelled Reyes in the fourth and fifth inning with five runs to make it, 6-3 and that would be the final.  "Jo Jo made a couple of mistakes, but if he doesn’t make those it is a different game," manager Dave Brundage said after the game. "We got the lead and then those two mistakes cost us." The mistakes were two home runs. Every hit off of Reyes was a lined shot and that was ultimately his undoing in this game.

One bright spot was the hitting of Mitch Jones who went 4-for-4 with an RBI on the night. "Mitch swung the bat well, I mean the first pitch he sees is a home run," Brundage said. Jones was the only Braves player that was consistently on base, but the team did manage 10 hits off Buffalo starter Pat Misch. Misch was terrific, going eight innings before giving way to Manny Acosta, who got the save for the Bisons.

Shortstop Diory Hernandez has struggled as a G-Brave. He was batting .182 with only two RBIs coming into Tuesday’s game. Although he has only had a few at-bats, it looks like he still favors his left shoulder that was injured at the beginning of spring training. "Diory is still going through his spring training and he’s still got to get his game in shape," remarked Dave Brundage. "He’s made a few errors at short that hasn’t helped his cause much either. The surgery that kept him out until June might still be on his mind. We will see if he is able to improve with more playing time."

In a slightly surprising move, reliever Craig Kimbrel was sent down to Gwinnett. It is only surprising because of how well he has pitched for Atlanta. The main reason for the move was to make room for Takashi Saito in the Braves bullpen. "He (Kimbrel) is going to get his work in here…but he’s got to refine a few things here and he’ll do that," said the G-Braves manager. He should be the closer for Gwinnett, but that remains to be seen.