Astros handle Braves, tighten playoff race

August 23, 2012 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Astros News Release


Danville, VA - The Greeneville Astros, visiting Danville for the first and only time this season, went into Dan Daniel Memorial Park and took game one of their all-important three-game series against the Braves, 7-3. The Astros (35-28) have now won seven of their last ten games and trail the Johnson City Cardinals for a playoff spot in the West division by one-half game with five to go. Meanwhile, Danville (33-26) has dropped their last five, but is still holding onto the second spot in the East with a two-game lead.

The Astros pulled away in the middle of the game, but the Braves actually held the lead early. In the first inning, Jose Peraza reached on a fielding error by Greeneville and eventually scored on a Josh Elander ground out. The Astros answered in the second when Terrell Joyce hit a RBI-single to score Rio Ruiz, who had just led off the inning with a double. Then, Danville came right back in the third with a Peraza RBI-double to take the lead back at 2-1. However, that would be the final time the Braves would be on top.

The Astros evened the game in the fourth inning when Ariel Ovando grounded into a force out and Michael Martinez was allowed to score from third. In the next inning, the Astros took the lead on Appalachian League All Star Brian Blasik's RBI-single and had the fortune of adding two more runs on a fielder's choice and a force out to put Greeneville up 5-2.

In the sixth inning, Greeneville continued to increase their lead. Back-to-back doubles by Luis Alvarez and Marc Wik brought in their sixth run of the night. Then, with two outs, Blasik came through again with a RBI-single to give the Astros a 7-2 advantage.

With three doubles on the night, the Astros tied the club record for doubles in a season with 119. That mark was first established last season and is currently second in the league behind Elizabethton's 123. Meanwhile, with 11 hits, every batter in the line-up got at least one. Now having 579 hits on the season, the Astros are tied with the Twins for the most in the league and only seven away from the team record of 586.

While the Braves went on to add one more run on a passed ball in the eighth inning, Greeneville maintained control and Michael Dimock closed the game with two scoreless innings to seal the victory. Daniel Minor earned the win after allowing three runs, with just one earned, on four hits over seven innings.

Minor, a ninth-round selection from this year's draft, has now earned a win in each of his last three starts. Furthermore, in his four starts in August, he has given up one earned run, struck out 25 and walked just two over 26.0 innings.

The Astros will face the Braves in game two of their three-game series on Friday at 7:00pm in Danville. For more information on the Greeneville Astros, please visit www.greenevilleastros.com or call (423) 638-0411.



Appalachian League Stories from August 23, 2012


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