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Kingsport Axmen

Consecutive Astros Runs Doom K-Mets

August 16, 2016 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


GREENEVILLE, Tenn.-The Greeneville Astros utilized run-scoring hits in innings four through seven to break a tied ballgame and win the 10th and final Appalachian League regular season contest against the Kingsport Mets 8-4, Monday afternoon at Pioneer Park.

Following Tuesday's contest, the two squads exit the regular series with a tied 5-5 record in games played against one another. Greeneville's (27-26) 8-4 victory Monday afternoon enabled the Astros to split four-consecutive game days with Kingsport (19-34) at two games apiece.

The K-Mets wrapped up a three-game slate at Hunter Wright Stadium Monday night with their second walk-off victory in the last three days. Greeneville's win at Pioneer Park Tuesday afternoon marked the second four-run decision over the K-Mets during the four-day stretch.

Sixto Torres (0-4) was rocked to begin the day in the bottom of the first inning as the Astros took advantage of two self-inflicted errors by the pitcher to score the game's first four runs off only two hits in the inning.

Following a four-pitch walk to Stijn van der Meer to begin the frame, Torres yielded a single to Abraham Toro-Hernandez a batter later. With runners at first and second base and no outs, Frankeny Fernandez attempted sacrificing both runners into scoring position, but reached first base safely on a wide throw to the bag from Torres who fielded the ball off the mound.

With the bases loaded and still no outs in the inning, the clean-up hitter Connor MacDonald came to the plate and was awarded first base on the second error by Torres as the pitcher mishandled a hit down the third base line and was late with the throw to first base. The mishap allowed each runner to advance a base, including van der Meer who crossed home plate for the game's first run.

Reiny Beltre followed by hitting a ball on the ground to third base that drove in another run on the infield single. A batter later, Carlos Machado brought in the third run of the inning as the right fielder grounded into a 6-3 double play. MacDonald then crossed home plate later in the frame on a passed ball during an at-bat by Luis Payano that scored the fourth and final run of the inning.

After one inning of play, Greeneville held a commanding 4-0 lead.

Jeremy Wolf answered in the top of the second inning for Kingsport by drilling a 2-2 offering from Patrick Sandoval over the right field fence for the K-Mets' first run and hit of the day. The home run was the third of the season for the first baseman who now has homered two times in the last nine calendar days.

Two innings later in the top of the fourth, Kingsport would tie the ballgame with three runs off four hits to even the score at 4-4 with the Astros.

Wolf again came through for the visitors with an RBI single to left field that plated Reed Gamache who reached base on a double earlier in the inning. Jose Miguel Medina followed suit with a single after the run-scoring hit to set the table for Yeffry De Aza once again.

Much like Monday's two-run, walk-off single that defeated Greeneville just over 12 hours before, De Aza delivered again with a game-tying, two-run single to right field that plated both Wolf and Medina, just as the night before, for the third and fourth runs of the contest.

Following the big inning for Kingsport, the game was knotted at four runs apiece.

The lead did not last long, however, as the Astros scored a run in each of the four frames that followed while also keeping the K-Mets off the scoreboard in the process to cruise to the 8-4 win come the final out of the top of the ninth inning.

Both van der Meer and MacDonald would be responsible for Greeneville's final four runs in the contest over the course of the following few frames.

van der Meer came through in the fourth inning with an RBI single to break the tie while MacDonald's sixth home run of the season in the frame that followed gave the Astros another insurance run. van der Meer again plated a runner in the sixth inning with a base-hit to left field while MacDonald's sacrifice fly in the seventh brought in the contest's final run of the game.

The 8-4 Greeneville lead would hold firm until game's end as the Astros again leapt one game over the .500 mark with the win.

Picking up the win in relief for the Astros was Luis Ramirez after tossing just one inning of scoreless baseball following Sandoval's departure after four innings. The starter surrendered three earned runs in the outing off five hits while also tallying seven strikeouts on the day. Diognes Almengo came onto pitch the final four innings of the contest while walking five batters and striking out three.

Almengo's first action came in the sixth inning where the right-hander walked the bases loaded before inducing a 1-2-3 double play off the bat of De Aza to get two quick outs. The pitcher escaped the frame unscathed a batter later after forcing Raphael Ramirez to fly out to right field.

Torres took the loss for Kingsport following five innings of six-hit baseball. The southpaw surrendered six runs in the loss, though only two were earned, while striking out three batters and walking one. Blake Taylor tossed two innings of relief while giving up two runs in what was his third appearance back since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2015, and Trent Johnson capped off the day with a perfect ninth inning.

MacDonald led the way at the plate for Greeneville during the win with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. van der Meer picked up two hits and two RBIs in the win as well while Fernandez scored two runs on the afternoon.

For Kingsport, Wolf led the way by going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. De Aza drove in two runs with a single to right field in the fourth inning while Medina continued to swing a hot bat with two hits in the loss.

Wednesday, August 17, will serve as the final off-day in the 2016 Appalachian League season. Kingsport will be back in action Thursday at Princeton with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch time. Coverage on the Kingsport Mets Baseball Network will resume on Sunday, August 21, when the K-Mets begin a three-game series at Johnson City.

Tune into Kmets.com or follow the Kingsport Mets on Twitter at @Kingsport_Mets for continuous coverage of the 2016 K-Mets.

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