ApL Kingsport Axmen

K-Mets Snap Five-Game Losing Streak

August 10, 2014 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Apparently, returning home was just what the Kingsport Mets needed to snap out of their funk.

The K-Mets swept a modified doubleheader with the last-place Bristol Pirates on Thursday at Hunter Wright Stadium, ending a five-game losing streak. Kingsport beat the Bucs 8-7 in the completion of a suspended game from July 14 that began in Bristol, then rallied for a 3-1 victory in the nine-inning nightcap.

Kingsport (22-25) keeps pace in the Appalachian League West Division race. The K-Mets remain five games out of first place, but within three games of runner-up Greeneville. That's crucial since the top two teams in each division advance to the Appy playoffs.

The suspended game was postponed by rain with the score deadlocked at 7-all and two out in the top of the seventh. The K-Mets, who were playing on their home field as the road team for the first time in recent memory, broke the tie in the ninth inning when Leon Canelon led off with a walk, reached second on a sacrifice and scored thanks to a Bristol throwing error fielding an infield single by Luis Arrizurieta.

The second game took quite a while to ramp up, as there wasn't any scoring until the top of the sixth inning. Bristol finally broke up the mutual shutout, when Nick Buckner doubled home Danny Arribas for the first run of the game. Arribas reached on a one-out single, legging out his groundball to third on a very close play, then stole second on a controversial call that brought K-Mets manager Jose Leger onto the field to argue.

After the double by Buckner, Leger was ejected.

Kingsport finally broke through on the scoreboard in the eighth, courtesy of Luis Ortega's home run to left that led off the inning. It was a moon shot that easily cleared the wall, on the 3-1 offering from Bristol's Cesilio Pimentel. A throwing error and a single by Wuilmer Becerra put two more K-Mets on and chased Pimentel. Both runners scored thanks to Branden Kaupe, who hit a fly double into shallow right off Pimentel's relief, Luis Paula.

Bristol made it interesting, touching up Bryce Beeler for three straight singles to get a run in. A sacrifice bunt moved both the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position, and after a walk to load the bases, Kingsport brought on closer Ismael Tijerina, who induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game and log his fifth save.

Kaupe had arguably his best game ever as a professional hitter. A former fourth-round pick, Kaupe had three hits in the second game including the decisive double. In the field, although he did commit an error, he also was the catalyst on the game-ending double play.

Andrew Church had a no-decision, but looked sharp for his second straight home start. He lasted six innings, allowing a single run on five hits and a pair of walks with five strikeouts.

Check out the Kingsport Axmen Statistics



Appalachian League Stories from August 10, 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