Cardinals' Bats Come Alive to Take Game 1 Against Bristol

BRISTOL, TN - The Cardinals were looking to get back to .500 for the season and they did after a big win in the opener against Bristol, 11-2.
The Cardinals set a season high in hits with 16, and their second most runs in a game with 11. They even came one double away from having the first player to hit for a cycle in the Appy League since July 11th, 2015. Donivan Williams went 4-5 with two singles, a triple and a three-run homerun. Johnson City got the scoring started in the top of the third, which is important because when the Cardinals score first, they were 4-1 entering today. Donivan Williams hit a triple and then Sanel Rosendo hit a double to drive Williams in.
 After that first run in the third inning, the Cardinals didn't look back, scoring in the fourth inning on a Nolan Gorman solo homerun (5) and a Donivan Williams single that scored Carlos Soto.
In the fifth inning, Leandro Cedeno doubled to lead off the inning, after Dariel Gomez grounded out, a wild pitch during Nolan Gorman's at-bat allowed Cedeno to score from third. Gorman would go on to walk and then Carlos Soto singled. With runners on first and second, Donivan Williams launched a monster three-run homerun to left field. The Pirates put one on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth and both teams were shut out in the sixth. Heading to the top of the seventh, Johnson City had the lead 7-1. 
In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals scored three runs to increase the lead 10-1. Michael Perri grounded into a fielder's choice after Donivan Williams, Sanel Rosendo, and Brandon Riley got on base with one out in the inning. Perri's fielder's choice allowed Donivan Williams to score from third, and Rosendo moved to third on the play. With runners at the corners and two outs, a wild pitch during Leandro Cedeno's at-bat allowed Sanel Rosendo to score from third. Cedeno would work a walk and then with runners on first and second, Dariel Gomez hit an RBI double that allowed Perri to score from second. 
The Pirates would add one in the bottom of the eighth after shutting out Johnson City in the top of the eighth. The Cardinals added one more in the ninth, after Sanel Rosendo led off with a single. With Brandon Riley batting, a wild pitch allowed Rosendo to move to second, and then he singled which put runners at the corners. Michael Perri then grounded into another fielder's choice which allowed Rosendo to score from third. 
The Cardinals move to 7-7 on the season and jump Bristol in the standings to third place.  
The full schedule for the season and information regarding tickets, and promotion days can be found at jccardinals.com or by calling the Cardinals Office at (423) 461- 4866.