Braves Give up Five Home Runs, Defeated by Yankees
Published on July 18, 2019 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Danville Otterbots News Release
DANVILLE, Va. - The Danville Braves gave up nine hits to the Pulaski Yankees on Thursday night, five of them coming via the long ball as the Yankees took the second straight game in the series 8-4.
Bryce Ball was 2-of-4 with an RBI double and Connor Blair added a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI and a walk to pace the Danville bats, but the team's four runs were not enough to make up for an explosive performance from their Pulaski counterparts.
Pulaski threatened almost immediately with a one-out triple in the first inning, but Danville starter Darius Vines stranded the runner with a pair of ground outs. In the second inning, Vines retired the first two batters before Nelson B Alvarez hit the game's first home run to right center field. Vines retired the next batter on a fly out to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the second, Connor Blair drew a one-out walk and then stole second. He advanced to third on Michael Mateja's groundout but was left on base after Cody Birdsong struck out.
In the fourth inning, Ryder Green led off the frame with a solo shot to left field to extend the Yankee lead to 2-0. In the bottom half of the inning, Danville recorded its first hit of the evening when Willie Carter singled with one out. After Ball struck out and Carter stole second, Blair singled and Carter was able to score with the aid of a throwing error to make it 2-1.
The next two innings were all Pulaski, as another solo home run in the fifth from Madison Santos made it 3-0. Saul Torres smacked the fourth home run of the night with a two-run shot to left in the sixth inning and Alvarez used a sacrifice fly to score another run and extend the lead to 6-1.
Danville wouldn't quit, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a single from Ball. Blair continued his strong game with an RBI double and scored himself the very next at-bat with a Mateja sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 6-3.
Pulaski's Green hit his second home run and the team's fifth in the top of the eighth to make it 7-3, and the Yankees scored their eighth and final run in the ninth inning on an RBI groundout. Danville attempted a rally in the bottom of the inning, as Carter walked and was driven in by an RBI double from Ball. The D-Braves had runners on second and third with two outs, but a strikeout from Victor De Hoyos ended the rally effort and the game.
The series finale comes on Friday night, with first pitch again scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Appalachian League Stories from July 18, 2019
- E-Twins Rout G-Reds 13-1 in Series Opener - Elizabethton River Riders
- Royals Dominate Blue Jays 9-3 Behind 7-Run Fourth Inning - Burlington Sock Puppets
- Braves Give up Five Home Runs, Defeated by Yankees - Danville Otterbots
- Ashcraft Tosses Five No-Hit Innings, Reds Even up Series - Greeneville Flyboys
- Yankees Power Way to Eighth Straight Win - Pulaski River Turtles
- Braves Cap Summer Camp at Boys and Girls Club - Danville Otterbots
- Twins Players Visit Niswonger Children's Hospital - Elizabethton River Riders
- Pirates Edged at Johnson City - Bristol State Liners
- Bullpen Shines as Cards Win Rainy Opener vs. Bucs - Johnson City Doughboys
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