ApL Kingsport Axmen

Strong Pitching Enables Split with JC in Double Header

July 30, 2016 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.-- The Kingsport Mets were able to score five runs in the final two innings of Game 2 on Friday night to salvage the double header with a 1-1 split against the Johnson City Cardinals. Johnson City rallied late to take the first game 3-2 while Kingsport took the night cap 6-3.

Saturday's contest at 7 p.m. will serve as the series finale at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.

Both of Kingsport's starters on the day put forth solid outings as Sixto Torres (0-1) and Max Wotell (3-1) tossed a combined 10.2 innings on the mound of four earned runs while yielding 13 hits and eight strikeouts in two seven-inning contests for Friday's double header.

Anthony Dimino stole the show in Game 2 when lacing the go-ahead two-run double in the top of the sixth inning and another RBI double in the inning that followed. Jose Maria also slashed Kingsport's 12th home run of the season with a solo shot in Game 2.

Game 1: Johnson City 3, Kingsport 2

Johnson City (18-17) scored early and often in Game 1's contest that started with a first pitch at 6 p.m. Andrew Knizner singled in Allen Cordoba in the first inning and Bryce Denton was able to cross home plate in the second after a sharply hit ground ball to Reed Gamache at second base bounced off the top of this glove and into center field.

Still trailing 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning, consecutive RBI base knocks from Maria and Walter Rasquin would tie the game at two runs apiece as both Ricardo Cespedes and Gamache scored after reaching base via walks from Cardinals' starter Daniel Castano.

It would not take long for Johnson City to break the tie ballgame as the Cardinals pushed a run across in the bottom of the frame that followed. Following a one-out double from Stephen Zavala, Caleb Lopes would drive in the winning run with an RBI single two batters later.

The lead would hold for a 3-2 finale as Ian Strom grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the ballgame.

Kingsport's (14-22) Torres pitched well in what was only his second start of the season for the Mets' Appalachian League Rookie Affiliate. The southpaw tossed 5.2 innings of 10-hit baseball while allowing only two earned runs and striking out five Cardinals in the process. In two starts sinced being promoted from the GCL-Mets, Torres has pitched a combined 10.2 innings while giving up only 13 hits and two earned runs to contribute an 0-1 record thus far.

Noel Gonzalez (2-0) picked up the win in relief after initially blowing the 2-0 lead when coming on in relief of Castano. Gonzalez pitched the final 1.2 innings while yielding three Kingsport hits.

Game 2: Kingsport 6, Johnson City 3

Five runs off seven hits in the final two innings of play in Game 2 of Friday night's double header sparked Kingsport's three-run win to end their four-game losing streak coming into the contest.

The K-Mets would strike first in the top of the third inning thanks to an RBI double from Gamache that plated Santo Marte from second base.

A couple of innings later in the bottom of the fifth, Johnson City would finally break through after being held to only one hit off of Kingsport's Wotell in the four innings prior. With two outs, DeAndre Asbury-Heath would work a six-pitch walk to first base and then would come around and score on a two-run home run from Joey Hawkins a batter later.

Hawkins two-run home run was the first of the short stop's career and gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead through five innings.

The K-Mets would immediately respond in the inning that followed as Dimino's two-run double proved to be the deciding factor.

Still leading 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Maria would add an insurance run with his first professional home run which was a no-doubter off Anthony Shew that travelled over the left field wall in the matter of just a few seconds.

Sparked by the long ball, Kingsport would follow Maria's bomb with four more consecutive-hits in the inning.

Rasquin and Jose Miguel Medina would follow suit with singles and the former would come around to score off Dimino's second double of the contest. William Barring, who received only his 11th start of the season, would then bring in Dimino from third base with an RBI single to center field for his third run driven in on the season.

Chris Holderman, the Mets' 2016 9th Round selection out of Stanford University, would then come on and finish the game in the bottom of the seventh while allowing only one run off two hits to end the game with the final of 6-3 in Kingsport's favor.

Wotell was awarded the win following five innings of three-hit baseball. The left-handed hurler yielded only two earned runs and struck out three Cardinals on the night. Holderman picked up his second save of the season after tossing the final two innings of the ballgame.

Greg Tomchick (0-1) took home the loss following just 1.1 innings of relief after giving up two runs. Johnson City's starter David Oca lasted only 3.2 innings of three-hit ball and Estarlin Arias blew his second save opportunity of the season in the process.

Aside from Domino's heroics, Rasquin and Gamache each tallied two hits in the win.

Game 3 of the series is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening at Johnson City's TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Jordan Humphreys will take the hill for Kingsport and will go up against one of the Appalachian League's best, Ian Oxnevad. Coverage on the Kingsport Mets Baseball Network will begin at 6:45 p.m. with Eric Cain bringing you all the action behind the mic. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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