ApL Kingsport Axmen

Astros Break out to Beat K-Mets 6-3 in 10

Published on July 24, 2014 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 23, 2014) - The Kingsport Mets' longest home stand of the season, and their longest winning streak of the season, ended simultaneously on Wednesday night.

The Greeneville Astros snapped out of their own doldrums, beating Kingsport 6-3 in 10 innings in the culmination of the K-Mets' eight-night stretch at Hunter Wright Stadium.

Kingsport (15-16) went 5-2 during the home stand, with a game against the Burlington Royals rained out that will be made up on Friday when the K-Mets visit the Royals. The K-Mets also surpassed Greeneville in the West Division standings, and remain tied with Johnson City for second place, though both lost ground to division leader Elizabethton and now trail by four games apiece.

Kingsport took a 2-1 lead in the second inning and widened the gap to 3-1 with six frames in the books, but things got wild late. Greeneville rallied to tie it, scoring a run in both the seventh and eighth innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, both K-Mets catcher Jose Garcia and manager Jose Leger were ejected by the home plate umpire, Chris Wood. Following a routine top of the ninth, Kingsport outfielder Vicente Lupo also got tossed after he was caught looking on strikes.

Greeneville, which won Kingsport's only other extra-inning home game by a 12-6 margin in 10 innings, once again flexed its offensive muscle in the 10th. Jason Martin and Sean McMullen both had a run-scoring double against K-Mets reliever Jimmy Duff (1-1), and Greeneville added another run after Duff was replaced on the mound to all but guarantee a victory.

Kingsport was outhit 10-3, but benefited from four errors by the Astros.

Wuilmer Becerra had two of the three hits for Kingsport. The reigning Appalachian League Player of the Week also had Kingsport's lone extra-base hit, a double to left field in the second inning, and scored on a throwing error by the Greeneville catcher on a pickoff attempt.

The outcome overshadowed a tremendous starting effort by Gaby Almonte, the K-Mets;' third-year non-drafted free agent who went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits and four strikeouts. Almonte struck out the side in the second inning.

Kingsport plays a game at Greeneville on Thursday before traveling to Burlington for a three-game series.

K-METRIC: Despite going 3-for-35 as a group on Wednesday, Kingsport remains one of the Appy's better hitting teams. This home stand concludes with the K-Mets fourth in the league in batting average (.261) and fourth in OPS (.709).

NOTES: Greeneville had lost three straight and five of seven before Wednesday's win. Three of those five losses were shutouts. ... Martin had three hits and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot in Greeneville's lineup. ... Ty Williams came on to record the final two outs in the 10th for Kingsport. ... Astros hurler Angel Heredia (4-1) recorded the win in relief, pitching the final three innings in near perfection. The only base runner he allowed reached via walk.

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Appalachian League Stories from July 24, 2014


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