Five-Run 8th Inning Seals Astros Win over Twins
July 3, 2015 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Astros News Release
Greeneville Astros Pitcher Alex Winkelman
(Greeneville Astros)
Greeneville, TN - The Greeneville Astros won game one of a three game series with the Elizabethton Twins Thursday evening by an impressive score of 8-2. The win raises the Astros' league record to 6-4, placing them in a tie for first place with Elizabethton in the Appalachian League West. Greeneville's victory marks their fourth of the season, and third consecutive, at Pioneer Park.
The Astros struck early in Friday night's ballgame. After a 1-2-3 top of the first from starter Erasmo Pinales, Greeneville strung together three runs in their half of the inning. Osvaldo Duarte smacked his second double of the season to right field to begin the rally. A couple of fielding errors by the Twins' defense soon brought Duarte across home plate for the first Astros run. Myles Straw and Aaron Mizell also scored in the inning after reaching base on an error and a walk, setting the Astros off to an early 3-0 lead.
Pinales continued his dominance from the mound in the second inning, going three-up three-down and notching his fourth strikeout. He allowed one run to score after a Manuel Guzman RBI single to left field; however, he was able to work through pressure, forcing a fly-out to centerfield to end the inning and stranding men on second and third for the Twins.
Juan Delis entered the game to pitch for the Astros in the fourth. Delis, who began his career with the Astros organization at 17 years-old in 2011, allowed only one run to score while striking out two in the inning.
The score would remain 3-2 through the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Rodrigo Ayarza recorded the only hit for the Astros during the middle part of the ballgame, a two-out groundball single to right field in the bottom of the seventh. Alex Robinson took over on the hill for the Twins in the bottom of the fifth and was nothing short of perfect, striking out all six Astros hitters he faced over his two innings of work.
Alex Winkelman, the 21st round pick of the 2015 draft out of Southeast Missouri State University, relieved Delis on the mound in the fifth. Winkelman picked up the win for the Astros after tossing three scoreless innings of two-hit baseball, contributing six of the Astros' season-high 15 strikeouts in the game. The win marked Winkelman's second of the season and brought his ERA down to a mere 2.25.
Greeneville ran away with the game in the bottom of the eighth after scoring five runs thanks to four singles in the inning. Osvaldo Duarte and Myles Straw both scored on a one-out, bases loaded line drive off the bat of Randy Cesar. For Duarte, it was his Appalachian League leading tenth run scored, and for Cesar his ninth RBI of the season, putting him in fifth place in the Appalachian League. Kevin Martir and Rodrigo Ayarza also both picked up RBI as Greeneville got out to an 8-2 lead.
Cristhopher Santamaria came in to pitch in the top of the eighth inning and continued through the ninth, striking out three without allowing a single base hit. Santamaria was awarded the save as the Astros celebrated yet another victory in front of their home crowd.
The Astros will be traveling to Elizabethton for the second game of the series on Friday, July 3rd before returning back to Pioneer Park to close things out with the Twins at home on the 4th of July. Fans attending the 4th of July game will receive a promotional Astros Independence Day t-shirt and are welcome to stay afterwards to watch the largest firework show in East Tennessee.
The Astros are the Appalachian League affiliate of the Houston Astros. For more information, visit www.greenevilleastros.com or call (423) 638-0411.
Images from this story
 Greeneville Astros Pitcher Alex Winkelman |
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