Kinston Wins Wild Game 11-10 Over Wilmington
July 22, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Kinston Indians News Release
Abner Abreu's two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning was the decider in a 11-10 Kinston win over Wilmington, Friday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Each team had 15 hits in the game. The run riot was an unconventional way for the first place K-Tribe (16-10, 54-41) to grab their 25th one-run win of the season.
Reigning Carolina League Player of the Week Marty Popham was greeted rudely in the first inning when the first seven Blue Rock batter's reached safely. Six hits and one walk from the seven plated four runs. Run scoring hits were put into play from Nick Van Stratten, John Whittleman and Kurt Mertins. Wilmington would rack up two more runs in the third inning, putting up six earned on Popham. Popham went 2 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits. Kinston's only offense in the first third of the game was a solo home run from Jeremie Tice. The second inning smash was his sixth of the season.
Kinston hit the comeback trail in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Anthony Gallas led off with a double. Tice followed with a walk. After the first out of the inning, Abner Abreu and Tyler Cannon hit back-to-back, run scoring doubles. The hits cut the Blue Rock's lead to three.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Blue Rock starting pitcher Tyler Sample ran out of gas and no one pulled over to help him. Kinston took the lead, scoring six runs or six hits, sending ten men to the plate. The bottom of the frame started with a Tice double. Adam Abraham was hit by a pitch. Abreu hit a triple to drive in both runs, cutting Wilmington's lead to one. Tyler Cannon tied the game with a run scoring single. Doug Pickens followed with a base hit. Justin Toole gave Kinston a 7-6 lead with a run scoring single. After a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Holt advanced runners to second and third base, Kinston would score two more runs thanks to RBIs from Casey Frawley and Gallas.
Trailing 9-6, Wilmington came right back with four runs of their own in the very next inning. The Blue Rocks scored four runs on four hits at the expense of K-Tribe reliever Chris Jones. Julio Rodriguez hit a two-out single to tie the score at nine. Davy Batista then smoked a double to give Wilmington the improbable 10-9 lead.
Kinston responded in the bottom of the seventh with an Abraham double. Abreu then capped off his career night with a two-run home run. The shot to left field was his 11th home run of the season. Abreu went 4-for-4, adding a triple and two singles. The five RBIs were a career high. Frawley, Tice, Cannon and Toole also had two hits for Kinston as everyone in the K-Tribe lineup reached base safely.
Kyle Landis (4-0) picked up the well deserved win, getting Kinston out of trouble in the seventh inning, then putting the Blue Rocks down in order in the eighth inning. He did not give up a hit in 1 1/3 innings of work. His ERA dropped to 1.03. Preston Guilmet picked up his 25th save in 26 attempts with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. He struck out one.
The K-Tribe will take on Wilmington Saturday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Game time 6:30 pm, T.J. House on the mound for Kinston.
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