ApL Kingsport Axmen

Astros Cap Series off Matute's Two-Run Single

Published on August 2, 2016 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


KINGSPORT, Tenn.- The Greeneville Astros took the series following Tuesday's Game 3, 6-5 win over the Kingsport Mets in what came down to the final strike for the home standing K-Mets.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Dionis Rodriguez came to the plate for a chance to extend the contest by bringing in the tying run from first base. Rodriguez, who had already homered and collected two hits on the evening, eventually struck out to end the game on a 2-2 curveball from Greeneville's Devin Raftery who nailed down the save.

With the loss, Kingsport (15-25) drops to 10 games under a .500 record for the first time on the season and are losers of its last five series. During the span, the K-Mets have gone 4-12 in the 16 games and find themselves seven games back of the first-place Johnson City Cardinals and Greeneville Astros (22-18) who sit in first place in the Appalachian League West.

With the win, the Astros move to four games over .500 and into a share of the West's lead with the Cardinals. Greeneville has now won six of their last 10 games by taking the final two games of the series at Hunter Wright Stadium.

The deciding hit of the contest could be traced all the way back to the top of the sixth inning when Jonathan Matute, who was only competing in his second Appalachian League game all season on Tuesday night, laced a two-run single down the left field line to break a 4-4 tie.

Darwin Ramos (0-3) yielded the two-out hit, allowing both Gabriel Bracamonte and Raymond Henderson to score the go-ahead runs. None of the runs were earned to Ramos, as a fielding error to lead off the inning brought Bracamonte aboard and a strikeout to Carlos Machado two batters later should have ended the inning.

Prior to the go-ahead knock from Matute, Greeneville struck first by scoring the first three runs of the contest.

Miguelangel Sierra led off the game with a solo home run to left field on the second pitch of the contest. The blast was the 11th of the season for the short stop, tying Dermis Garcia of the Pulaski Yankees for the Appalachian League lead in the category.

In the second inning, Jonathan Arauz led off the frame with a walk and came around to score on Bracamonte's RBI triple a batter later. The catcher would then come around to score a few pitches later when Rodriguez threw a ball into center field when trying to catch Frankeny Fernandez stealing second base.

Midway through two innings, Greeneville held a 3-0 lead over Kingsport.

Things began to change in the bottom of the second. William Barring led off the frame with a walk and then scored on Rodriguez's second home run of the season-a two-run shot-that cleared the left-center field fence.

Jose Miguel Medina singled a batter later and then advanced all the way to third base on consecutive ground outs from Franklin Correa and Santo Marte at the bottom of the order. A fielding error from Connor MacDonald at first base then allowed Medina to score and Rafael Ramirez to reach first base.

Finally, with two outs and Ramirez on second base, Gamache would drive in his eighth run of the season with an RBI single to left field.

Following a four-run second inning, the K-Mets sat in the driver's seat with a 4-3 lead through two innings.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Bracamonte drove in MacDonald with a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the ballgame at four runs apiece.

The score would remain tied until the top of the sixth inning when Matute's two-run double put the Astros back out in front by two runs.

Kingsport would manage to cut into the deficit one final time on the night when Rodriguez drove in his third run of the night. An RBI single in the frame plated Jose Maria and brought the score to 6-5 where Greeneville would hold on to take the series win.

Lucas Williams (1-1) picked up the win for Greeneville after tossing two innings of scoreless baseball. Ricardo Castro started the contest and pitched the first two innings while Raftery finished it off with his first save of the season in the ninth.

The K-Mets sent newly acquired Joel Huertas to the mound in what was his first start since being demoted from the Brooklyn Cyclones. The left-handed pitcher lasted two innings-plus, giving up four hits and three earned runs. Jose Carlos Medina pitched three scoreless innings of relief before giving way to Ramos who took the loss after pitching the final four innings while giving up two runs-both unearned.

Both Sierra and Chaz Pal ended the game with two hits apiece while Matute and Bracamonte drove in a combined four runs for the Astros.

Maria led the way for Kingsport on the night, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. Rodriguez drove in three runs off a home run and a single while Gamache tallied an RBI single for the second-straight game.

Wednesday will serve as a day off for the Appalachian League before the Burlington Royals come to Hunter Wright Stadium Thursday at 7:00 p.m. to begin another three-game series. Coverage on the Kingsport Mets Baseball Network will begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Appalachian League Stories from August 2, 2016


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