NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Johnson City Doughboys

Cards Survive 3-2

August 28, 2014 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Johnson City Doughboys News Release


JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The Johnson City Cardinals were able to survive a late scare from the Kingsport Mets 3-2 at Cardinal Park on Monday night.

Johnson City (26-23) jumped on the board first once again against Kingsport. The Cards started strong after rain delayed the start 38 minutes. Christian Muscarello was hit by a pitch with one out in the first inning to be the Cardinals' first base runner. Blake Drake then followed with the first base hit as he singled to center field to put two runners on the base path for Johnson City. The next batter, Casey Grayson, then made a statement early by doubling to left-center field to clear the bases and make it 2-0.

After a silent second inning for the Cardinals, Grayson came to the plate for the second time of the game in the third inning. Grayson picked up his second hit and second double of the night to put himself in scoring position with only one out. After a flyout by Lankford, Bladimil Franco drove Grayson in to make it 3-0 with a single off the wall. It was Franco's first RBI of the year, as injury has kept him out of the lineup for most of the season.

The middle innings were quiet from both teams, but in the eighth Kingsport (25-26) came alive just as they had done the night before. Jean Carlos Rodriguez reached on a throwing error by Christian Muscarello to lead off the inning. Oswald Caraballo then doubled to left field to move Rodriguez to third, which put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Eudor Garcia grounded out to shortstop to score Rodriguez and make it 3-1 with only one out still. Anderson Gerdel, who entered in the eighth to pitch for the Cardinals, then struck out Wuilmer Becerra and forced Zach Mathieu to fly to work out of trouble.

In the Mets' last chance in the ninth they did not go down easy. Branden Kaupe singled to left field in the lead-off spot. Luis Arrizurieta and Ivan Wilson were then retired quickly to give the Mets two outs in the inning. Luis Guillorme then had a two-out RBI single to right field on a full-count pitch to make it 3-2 as Kaupe scored. Jean Carlos Rodriguez followed Guillorme with another big hit in ninth, as he beat out a slow infield chopper for a single to move the tying run to third. Caraballo came to the plate and swung at the first pitch he saw in the ninth. Caraballo hit it hard on the ground hard to Muscarello at second, who fumbled it before making the throw to first base just in time to retire Caraballo to end the game.

Steven Farinaro (2-3) was the winning pitcher for Johnson City. Farinaro threw five innings of scoreless baseball, only allowing four hits and two walks with one strikeout. Kevin Carlow replaced Farinaro in the sixth for Johnson City. Carlow had a solid outing as he struck out four of the six batters he faced in two innings of work, only allowing one hit. Gerdel earned the save for the Cardinals, his fifth of the season. Gerdel pitched two innings and gave up two runs, only one earned, on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Gaby Almonte, the Kingsport starting pitcher, only pitched three innings as he fell to 0-6 on the season. Almonte allowed all three runs on six hits with one walk in the loss.

The same two teams will meet again tomorrow night for the rubber match at Cardinal Park. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Check out the Johnson City Doughboys Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Appalachian League message board...

Appalachian League Stories from August 28, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central