Stripers pound out season-high 18 hits in victory over Tides

LAWRENCEVILLE — The Gwinnett Stripers smashed a season-high 18 hits in a convincing 8-2 win over the Norfolk Tides on Wednesday night at Coolray Field.

Every member of the Gwinnett lineup had at least one hit, including rehabbing Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (2-for-5).

William Contreras drove in Braden Shewmake with a single in the first inning to give the Stripers (8-12) a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish. Phil Gosselin laced an RBI single in the third inning to make it 3-0, and Gwinnett tacked on two runs in the fifth and eighth innings.

Delino DeShields Jr. finished the night a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk. Gosselin (3-for-5, run, RBI) and Preston Tucker (3-for-5, double, 2 runs) each had three hits, and Shewmake blasted a solo home run (2). Starter Touki Toussaint (W, 1-0) worked five innings of six-hit, two-run baseball.

The Stripers set a season record with 18 hits, smashing the previous high of 12. Gwinnett had 18 hits on three occasions in 2021, most recently on July 18 at Charlotte. Acuña is batting .368 (7-for-19) with a .941 OPS in six rehab games.

Gwinnett and Norfolk play Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Left-hander Tucker Davidson (0-1, 5.19 ERA) for the Stripers vs. right-hander Denyi Reyes (0-1, 31.50 ERA) for the Tides.