ApL Johnson City Doughboys

Cardinals Slip 8-7 to Mets

Published on August 28, 2014 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Johnson City Doughboys News Release


JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The Johnson City Cardinals lost a tight battle to the Kingsport Mets 8-7 at Cardinal Park on Tuesday night.

The contest came down to the final half inning and ended in dramatic fashion. The Cardinals (26-24) entered the ninth trailing 8-5 and had not had a hit since the first inning. Chris Rivera led off with a walk. Bladimil Franco then reached on an infield single to put two runners on the base path. Then after a Charlie Neil strikeout for the first out, Cole Lankford was hit by a pitch to load the bases as he was a pinch-hitter for Carlos Torres.

Manager Johnny Rodriguez then elected to use another pinch-hitter, Jesus Ustariz, as Kingsport (26-26) switched to left-handed pitcher, David Roseboom. Ustariz got a big RBI with a single to off the glove of shortstop Luis Guillorme to make it 8-6. Casey Turgeon then came to the plate for Johnson City. Turgeon hit a high chopper right back up the middle, which looked to be an easy double-play ball as it went right to second base, but a miscommunication error by Guillorme and Jean Carlos Rodriguez allowed everyone to be safe as the Cardinals cut the defecit to 8-7.

Oscar Mercado then popped out to second base for the second out. With two outs, the bases are still loaded though for the Cards as they trailed by one. Blake Drake came to the plate and took the count full, but could not force an error on the pitcher, Roseboom. Instead, Drake flied out to deep left field to end the game.

Johnson City finished with only four hits in the game, two in the first and two in the ninth. In the first, the Cardinals were able to use two hits to score five runs as they took advantage of a walk, two hit by pitches, and two Mets' errors. Turgeon and Torres had the two hits, while Turgeon, Mercado, Drake, Chris Rivera, and Franco all scored. Pitches hit both Mercado and Drake, while Rivera received the walk.

Kingsport got on the board first with one run in the first, but their lead was short lived as Johnson City had their big five-run first. The Mets used back-to-back doubles from Jean Carlos Rodriguez and Oswald Caraballo to produce their first run. The next three runs came in the fifth inning as Ivan Wilson hit a three run to right field to also score Luis Ortega and Vicente Lupo, who both reached on a walk.

Kingsport also added three runs in the eighth to reach their total of eight runs on the night. Wuilmer Becerra led off with a solo home run, which was followed by a double from Ortega and a two-run home run by Lupo.

Bryce Beeler (3-1) earned the victory in relief for Kingsport, while Isaac Silva (0-1) took the loss and blown save for Johnson City.

The Cardinals now travel to the East Division for four games in Pulaski, starting with a doubleheader at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The games can be heard on the Johnson City Cardinals Radio Network.

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Appalachian League Stories from August 28, 2014


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