Cardinals Take Game 1 of Rain Shortened Double Header

ELIZABETHTON, TN--The Cardinals were set to begin a two-game series with Elizabethton, but the weather had other plans. After rain postponed the game on Monday between the Twins and the Cardinals, the teams were set for a double-header on Tuesday.
The Cardinals exploded for a seven-run first inning and batted around in the lineup. The starter for Elizabethton, Pedro Garcia walked Jonatan Machado to begin the game. After a single to Moises Castillo and a fielding error by Twins third baseman Alex Robles, the Cardinals had bases loaded with no outs. Pedro Garcia walked Carlos Soto with the bases loaded to score the first run of the game. Nolan Gorman then hit an RBI single to make it 2-0.   The bases remained loaded for Brian Sanchez until a wild pitch scored Leandro Cedeno from third to make the score 3-0. Sanchez then hit an RBI single to make the score 4-0 and that brought on a pitching change from Elizabethton. Pedro Garcia, who started the game, left without making an out in the first inning. Christian Broussard entered the game and three more runs crossed the plate before the Twins could get out of the first inning. 
Noel De Jesus started the game for the Cardinals and he was in top form, shutting out the Twins for the first two innings. After the Cardinals put one on the board in the third to make it 8-0, the Twins tried to answer and start a comeback.
De Jesus allowed back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the third. He managed to get a groundout, but the Cardinals couldn't turn a double play and with one out and runners at the corners, Elizabethton's left fielder, Lean Marrero hit a two-RBI triple to make the score 8-2 and that is where the third inning would come to an end.  
The rain started to come down after the third, which caused the grounds crew to lay sand on the pitcher's mound and home plate to try and absorb the water. It worked until the rain started to come down harder and harder. The Twins and Cardinals shut each other out in the fourth and fifth innings. The rain got worse, but the umpires elected to try and finish the game. 
In the sixth inning, Leandro Cedeno hit a towering fly ball to right field to lead off with a solo homerun, his fourth of the season, to make the score 9-2. After, the umpires gathered and after speaking with Twins officials, called the game in the top of the sixth. The final line for De Jesus would be 5.0 innings pitched, six hits, three strikeouts and he would get the win, his second of the season.
Since the Cardinals and Twins played over five innings, the game is considered an official game and the Cardinals got their third win of the season. Since Greeneville was rained out, both teams are tied at 3-4 on the season. The second game of the double-header between Johnson City and Elizabethton will be made up at a later date.
The Cardinals are off on Wednesday, and hop back on the road at Kingsport Thursday - Saturday. They play at Greeneville on Sunday, but return home Monday, July 2nd and 3rd to play Greeneville. July 2nd is the first Dollar Monday of the season, so be sure to get to TVA Credit Union Ballpark for the first Dollar Monday of the season! For more information, go to jccardinals.com.