Yates' Two Homers Push Pulaski Past Twins, 7-6
August 25, 2013 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Pulaski Mariners News Release
Coming off a 0-for-5, five-strikeout game Friday night, M's skipper Chris Prieto showed confidence in Isaiah Yates, starting him again Saturday after a night Yates certainly wanted to forget.
Less than 24 hours later, Yates' 0-for-5 performance is a thing of the past.
Yates - dropped from second to eighth in the lineup - launched two 2-run home runs, both go-ahead blasts, propelling the M's to a season-high 16 games above .500 (39-23).
Mariners' starter Noel De La Cruz retired just one batter as the Twins jumped out front with four runs in the first. With one out, De La Cruz issued three straight walks to load the bases. Elizabethton first baseman Rory Rhodes followed with a bases-clearing double into the left field corner.
Gabe Saquilon replaced De La Cruz out of the pen. On Saquilon's first pitch, Rhodes swiped third and trotted home as Luke Guarnaccia threw the past Dan Kemp at third.
Jeff Zimmerman put Pulaski on the scoreboard in the bottom half with an RBI single to left scoring Aaron Barbosa.
Pulaski cut their deficit to one run in the second inning. Following a Guarnaccia one-out single, Kemp stroked an RBI single to left and advanced all the way to third as Twins' LF Zach Larson had a two-base error. Kemp scored one pitch later on a Yorman Landa wild pitch.
The M's grabbed their first lead of the night in the third against Elizabethton reliever Andre Martinez. Guarnaccia reached on Twins' shortstop Engelb Vielma's throwing error and Yates followed with a towering drive to left center, putting Pulaski in front 5-4.
Elizabethton tied the game in the fifth on Larson's RBI double into the right field corner, the only run they scored off of Saquilon in 5 2/3 innings.
Larson put the Twins back on top in the seventh with a RBI single off of Scott Ronnenbergh.
Pulaski threatened in the home half with runners at first and second, but Jesus Ugueto bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Mariners completed the comeback, however, in the eighth inning.
Kristian Brito led off with a single and one out later, Yates launched his second home run - a blast deep into the night sky - putting Pulaski again on top, 7-6.
Luis Pina entered in the ninth and issued a leadoff walk. He then induced a 4-6-3 double play but couldn't get the final out as Zack Granite lined a 3-2 curveball into center to keep Elizabethton's hopes alive.
Rafael Pineda relieved Pina and got Larson on one pitch - a deep drive to left that Yates caught on the warning track to end the game.
Ronnenbergh (1-2, 4.50) picked up his first win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. C.K. Irby (0-1, 3.86) suffered his first loss for the Twins. Rafael Pineda picked up his third save of the season, and the M's have now converted 18 saves in 20 opportunities.
Pulaski had 10 hits to the Twins' eight, led by the 8-9 batters. Yates (3-for-4, 2B, 2HR, 2R, 4RBI) and Kemp (3-for-4, R, RBI) carried Pulaski to a series win, their fourth consecutive series winning two out of three games.
The Mariners kept pace in the Appy East, remaining 1 =C21/2 games back as Bluefield defeated Kingsport 6-1.
Pulaski will welcome the Kingsport Mets (35-26) to town for three games beginning tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. ET. Eddie Campbell (2-3, 4.25) will duel against Mets' right-hander Martires Arias (1-6, 6.07).
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Appalachian League Stories from August 25, 2013
- Mathis delivers walk-off hit for Astros in 10th inning - Greeneville Astros
- D-Braves Drop Series Opener to Cards - Danville Otterbots
- Yates' Two Homers Push Pulaski Past Twins, 7-6 - Pulaski Mariners
- Astros defeated by Braves, 3-1, in final road game - Greeneville Astros
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