Astros' Rally Comes Up Short
August 12, 2016 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Astros News Release
Greeneville, TN - The Greeneville Astros (25-24) had a late-inning rally on Friday night but ultimately fell one run short of the first place Johnson City Cardinals (28-21) in a 7-6 loss.
The Cardinals held a 7-2 lead after six innings, but that is when the Astros started to chip away. It all began with a Reiny Beltre leadoff triple in the bottom of the seventh before he was knocked in on a Carlos Machado RBI single.
In the eighth, Frankeny Fernandez and Beltre both got on with walks. Following a balk that advanced the runners to second and third, Machado came through with a two-out, two-run single to cut the Astros deficit to two. Then, after a Cardinals pitching change, Jonathan Matute and Luis Payano connected on back-to-back singles with Payano's bringing Machado around to make the score 7-6. However, a fly out ended the inning.
Trailing by a single run heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Astros got a leadoff walk from Ray Henderson. Following a Fernandez sacrifice bunt and a Troy Sieber walk, the Astros had the tying run at second and the winning run at first with just one out. However, the Astros were unable to complete the comeback as the final two batters went down on a strikeout and a pop out to end the game.
The Cardinals had built their lead starting with a two-run third inning. Both scores came with two outs on back-to-back RBI singles by Andrew Knizner and Joshua Lopez.
The Astros quickly answered the Cardinals initial score with a Connor MacDonald two-run homer in the fourth to even the score. It was the Aussie first baseman's fifth homer of the season and got the Astros right back in the game
A four-run fifth inning, behind three doubles and a single, suddenly put the Cardinals back in control. Add one more score on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and the Cardinals had their largest lead of the night at five.
Astros starting pitcher Forrest Whitley, a 2016 first round selection, went two and two-thirds innings in his Greeneville debut. He struck out three and gave up two unearned runs on five hits.
Ian Oxnevad (5-2) got the win for the Cardinals after pitching six and one-third innings, surrendering three runs on eight hits. Reliever Leland Tilley picked up the save after pitching the final one and one-third inning.
The Astros will travel to face the Kingsport Mets in a three-game series beginning on Saturday. The Astros will return home to face the Mets in an 11:30am game on Tuesday. The Astros are the Appalachian League affiliate of the Houston Astros. For more information, visit www.greenevilleastros.com or call (423) 638-0411.
Appalachian League Stories from August 12, 2016
- Missed Opportunities Down K-Mets in Loss - Kingsport Axmen
- Astros' Rally Comes Up Short - Greeneville Astros
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