Smith's Timely Homerun Lifts D-Braves to Series Win
July 12, 2018 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Danville Otterbots News Release
DANVILLE, Va. - Justin Smith's two-run homerun in the seventh inning proved to be enough for the D-Braves to collect their fifth series win of the season on Thursday night at Legion Field.
The score stood at a 1-1 standstill through six and a half innings. After Griffin Benson opened with an inning-opening double, Smith scorched a deep fly ball over the Budweiser scoreboard to give the D-Braves the 3-1 advantage.
The D-Braves would go on to score another in the bottom of the seventh off a Justin Dean RBI single, extending their lead to 4-1.
In the eighth, Danville took every opportunity of poor Burlington relief pitching. Burlington threw three wild pitches and allowed two D-Braves runs. All together, Danville brushed four across the plate.
Pitcher Matt Rowland produced his longest outing of his pro career. The product of St. Petersburg, Florida pitched five innings, allowed one earned and only four hits over 73 pitches in his fifth start of his career.
Tanner Allison took care of business as usual. The D-Braves pitcher hurled four strong innings, allowing one hit and one walk with three punchouts. The left-handed product of Lansing, Michigan, has now pitched 17.1 innings with 21 strikeouts and a 0.52 ERA.
The D-Braves offense was cooking on Thursday evening as three D-Braves logged three hits on Thursday evening.
First baseman Benson produced the best hitting evening of his career. The third-year Braves player posted three extra-base hits with two doubles and a triple. Previously Benson had only one extra-base hit in a game, and had only garnered one three-hit game in his career.
Justin Dean led all hitters with three RBIs, which was his first three-RBI game of his professional career and second multi-RBI game overall.
CJ Alexander had three hits and reached base every single time at the plate with two walks.
The D-Braves will go for the series sweep tomorrow against Burlington. First pitch is at 7 p.m.
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