Sanchez, Henderson homer as Astros blast Mets
July 6, 2016 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Astros News Release
Kingsport, TN - After a slow start against the Kingsport Mets (4-9) on Tuesday night at Hunter Wright Stadium, the Greeneville Astros (5-8) turned it on in the fifth inning and never looked back on their way to a 10-3 win. As a result, Greeneville manager Josh Bonifay became the club's all-time winningest manager.
The Astros were held without a hit through the first four innings, but the Mets had not fared much better. Astros starter Nathan Thompson pitched two and one-third shutout innings while allowing just two hits, walking one, and striking out four.
The Mets finally broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning. With runners at second and third and two outs, the first run of the game came on a balk.
Down 1-0, the Astros seemed to come alive in the fifth. After Connor MacDonald led off the inning with a single for Greeneville's first hit of the night, Ruben Castro and Chaz Pal had back-to-back RBI doubles into left field. Then, Raymond Henderson had a one-out RBI single and later scored on a fielder's choice to suddenly put the Astros on top, 4-1.
The hits kept coming in the sixth as the Astros extended their lead to 7-1. Justin Garcia got the inning started with a double. Then, with two outs, Chaz Pal walked and Vicente Sanchez cleared the bases with a three-run shot to right field for his second homer of the season.
With the Astros in control of the game, the Mets added one run apiece over the next two innings. The run in the sixth came on a passed ball, and a Ricardo Cespedes RBI-single accounted for the score in the seventh. However, the Astros would negate each of those scores in the top of the seventh and eighth innings.
The Astros' MacDonald connected on a run-scoring double, the team's fifth double of the night, in the seventh inning. Then, in the eighth, Henderson hit a line drive two-run homer to left field to conclude the scoring.
The home run was the first of Henderson's professional career since being selected by the Houston Astros in the 22nd round of the June Draft. In doing so, he became the twelfth different player on the Greeneville roster to hit at least one of the team's league-leading 18 home runs this season.
The Astros totaled 10 runs on 11 hits, including seven extra-base hits by seven different players. All of which came between the fifth and eighth innings.
Three players had multi-hit nights. Tyler Wolfe went two-for-four, scored a run, and stole a base. Meanwhile, Henderson also had a two-for-four night and MacDonald went two-for-five.
The winning pitcher for the Astros was Tyler Britton (2-1), who entered the game in a relief role during the third inning. The 22-year-old North Carolina native, who went three innings, gave up one earned run and one unearned run on four hits while striking out four.
Bryan Abreu and Devin Raftery combined to close out the remaining three and two-thirds innings. Abreu surrendered one run on four hits with three strikeouts while Raftery pitched the final two shutout innings, gave up three hits, and struck out three.
The four Astros pitchers totaled 14 combined strikeouts on the night, a new season-high for the club.
The win was number 75 for Greeneville's Bonifay, surpassing current Corpus Christi Hooks manager Rodney Linares' previous mark of 74 wins from 2007-09. Bonifay, who also managed Greeneville from 2013-14 before returning to the helm this season, is now in sole possession of the most managerial wins in team history.
The Astros return home to Pioneer Park on Wednesday to begin a three-game series with the Burlington Royals. Right-hander Abdiel Saldana will get the start for the Astros with first pitch set for 7:00pm.
The Astros are the Appalachian League affiliate of the Houston Astros. For more information, visit www.greenevilleastros.com or call (423) 638-0411.
Appalachian League Stories from July 6, 2016
- Rays Fall 3-2 in First Mercer Cup Game - Princeton WhistlePigs
- Sanchez, Henderson homer as Astros blast Mets - Greeneville Astros
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