Banuelos flirts with perfection for Triple-A Gwinnett
Braves No. 11 prospect fans 5 in his first career 9-inning shutout
Manny Banuelos took a good shot at history on Monday night and ultimately settled for a dominant outing when his bid for a perfect game ended in the sixth inning.
The Braves' No. 11 prospect -- and Triple-A Gwinnett starter -- retired the first 15 batters he faced before allowing a leadoff single to Indianapolis' Keon Broxton. Instead of breaking down, Banuelos continued to pitch effectively, immediately picking off Broxton at first, then striking out Kelson Brown and fielding a grounder to retire Wilfredo Boscan.
After that, Banuelos surrendered one more hit while guiding the Braves to a 2-0 win. The victory marked his first in three tries and his nine-inning start was two innings longer than any other appearance in his Minor League career.
The 5-foot-10 left-hander struck out five while allowing no walks, upping his record to 6-2 and cutting his ERA to 2.03. Acquired from the Yankees on New Year's Eve, Banuelos is on track for his first winning season since 2009.
Monday was Banuelos' first nine-inning shutout. His only other complete game shutout came on August 29, 2011, when he tossed seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing just one hit and two walks in a 3-0 win against Pawtucket.