Bluefield tops Greeneville in wacky slugfest, 21-11

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - A night after a contest featured six runs and was over in two-and-a-half hours, a combined 32 runs crossed the plate, as the Bluefield Blue Jays topped the Greeneville Reds, 21-11, in a nearly-four hour affair at Pioneer Park in front of 1,547 fans on Friday night.
The loss is the Reds' fourth in-a-row, as they fell to 3-6 on the campaign. Bluefield's victory was their second-straight, as they improved to 8-2 through ten games.
With the game even at ten after six innings, the Jays blew things open for good, as they scored 11-consecutive runs to seal the victory. 
SS Luis De Los Santos (2-5, 3 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, BB) started the inning off by giving Bluefield the lead back, as his solo home run to left - the fourth of the year for the shortstop - put the Blue Jays in front, 11-10. Dennis Holmberg's club would score five more times in the frame on a throwing error, a two-run home run by 3B John Aiello (2-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SO) - the first of his professional career - a triple by 2B Otto Lopez (5-6, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI), and a single from DH Hagen Danner (1-6, RBI, 3 SO) to take a 16-10 edge.
Bluefield added four more tallies in the eighth and one final run in the ninth. RF D.J. Neal (3-7, 2 R, 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI, 3 SO) cranked an RBI double, C Alejandro Kirk (2-5, 2 R, 2B, 4 RBI, BB) recorded a run-scoring single, an RBI infield knock by 1B P.K. Morris (2-6, 2 R, RBI, BB) and a double play to hold a 20-10 lead. In the ninth, the Jays scored one last run on a passed ball.
Greeneville initially trailed 10-4 before rallying for six runs in the sixth to briefly tie the game. 3B Jonathan Willems (2-5, R, RBI, BB, SO) slapped an RBI single, while a throwing error chased home two more tallies to pull the Reds within three, 10-7. After a pitching change, 2B Cash Case (2-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, SO) blasted a three-run homer over the wall in right - his first of the year - to even the game at ten aside.
In the first, both teams traded runs on a single by Aiello and a bases-loaded walk to Greeneville 1B Raul Juarez (0-4, RBI, BB, 2 SO).
The Jays scratched across three in the second and another in the third to jump ahead, 5-1. De Los Santos smashed an RBI triple to left, while LF Cal Stevenson (1-3, 5 R, RBI, 4 BB) brought home a tally with a fielder's choice and Neal poked a run-inducing triple. In the third, Lopez' double to right scored Bluefield's fifth run of the night.
A three-run bottom of the third brought Greeneville within a run, as SS Miguel Hernandez (1-4, R, RBI, 3 SO) singled, CF Zeke White (1-3, R) reached on an error and C Victor Ruiz (3-5, RBI, SO) added another one-base hit to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Bluefield would add five consecutive runs with two in the fourth and three in the sixth. In the fourth, Kirk slapped a two-run double and in the sixth, it was a triple by Neal, a run-scoring groundout from Kirk and a single by Lopez.
The Reds scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth, as Satchel McElroy (1-1, R, 2B) doubled and crossed the dish on a sacrifice fly to left by LF Nate Scantlin (0-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB).
Neither starter factored into the decision on Friday, as both men lasted just three innings. Reds RHP Miguel Medrano (3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO) was taxed for five runs, while Blue Jays RHP Felipe Castaneda (3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) issued four (two earned).
RHP Mike Pascoe (1.2 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 2 SO) yielded the game-tying blast to Case in the sixth but was helped out by Bluefield's offensive onslaught, earning the first win of his pro career. RHP Doug Norman (1.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) was gauged for five runs, suffering his first loss out of the bullpen for Greeneville.
In total, every player that came to bat for Bluefield reached base at least once, while every starter - minus one - recorded multi-hit games. Additionally, the Blue Jays went an eye-popping 11-for-31 with men in scoring position on Friday night.
Greeneville will attempt to salvage the final game of the series, as Cincinnati's second-round selection - RHP Lyon Richardson (0-0, 36.00 ERA) - is slated to make his Pioneer Park debut. RHP Nathanael Perez (1-0, 3.60 ERA) is expected to grab the ball for Bluefield.
The G-Reds Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 6:45 p.m. ET, leading up to the 7:00 p.m. ET start at Pioneer Park. Saturday night's contest can be heard on GreenevilleReds.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps. 
Season and single-game tickets are still available and can be purchased online at GreenevilleReds.com or by calling the Reds' Ticket Office at (423) 609-7400.