Cards outslug Reds, 18-10, in Family Reunion Game

Teams combine for 28 runs, 38 hits, and five home runs at Smokies Stadium

LF Reniel Ozuna picked up a season-high four hits and drove in a pair of runs, yet the Greeneville Reds fell to the Johnson City Cardinals, 18-10, in front of 3,215 fans at Smokies Stadium in the First Annual Boyd Sports Family Reunion game. (Tracy Painter / Greeneville Reds)

By Justin Rocke

August 4, 2018

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- It was a monumental night both on and off the field. The two squads combined for an eye-popping 28 runs, 38 hits, and five home runs, as the Johnson City Cardinals climbed past the Greeneville Reds, 18-10, in front of 3,215 fans at Smokies Stadium in the First

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- It was a monumental night both on and off the field. The two squads combined for an eye-popping 28 runs, 38 hits, and five home runs, as the Johnson City Cardinals climbed past the Greeneville Reds, 18-10, in front of 3,215 fans at Smokies Stadium in the First Annual Boyd Sports Family Reunion contest.
With the loss, Greeneville drops to 17-25 on the campaign. Johnson City's triumph improved their overall mark 20-21 on the campaign.
Scoreless after one inning, Johnson City began the offensive avalanche in the top of the second. After a single and a fielding error started the frame, DH Zach Jackson (1-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SO) scorched a two-run double to right to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
CF Mike Siani (1-2, R, RBI) pulled Greeneville within one, 2-1, in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly to center, but the Redbirds answered with the long ball in the fourth.
With two on and one out, 2B Donivan Williams (3-5, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB, SO) clubbed a three-run home run into the Calhoun's at the Yard Pavilion - his fourth of the year - stretching the Cardinals advantage to 5-1. On the very next pitch, 3B Nolan Gorman (4-6, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB) ripped a liner over the fence in right for a solo homer - his 11th of the year - to make it a 6-1 affair.
The balls kept flying out of the yard in the fifth. After consecutive one-out singles, SS Michael Perri (4-4, 4 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB) slapped a three-run blast over the right-field wall - his third of the campaign - to push Johnson City's lead to eight, 9-1.
Greeneville refused to go quietly, as the battled back right away in the bottom of the inning. Three singles loaded the bags and DH Nate Scantlin (1-3, R, 2B, 3 RBI) spanked a grounder down the left-field line. The two-bagger cleared the bases and pulled the Reds to within 9-4. LF Reniel Ozuna (4-5, R, 2 RBI) followed with an RBI single to cut it down to 9-5.
CF Brandon Riley (3-4, 4 R, HR, RBI, 3 BB, SO) responded for the Cards, clocking a solo home run in the top of the sixth - his second of the year - to make it a five-run game again, 10-5. Johnson City would add three more - extending their advantage to 13-5 - in the seventh on an RBI single to right by Williams, a run-scoring double to right by C Carlos Soto (1-6, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 SO), and an infield RBI knock from 1B Dariel Gomez (2-6, 2 R, RBI, SO).
Once again, the G-Reds refused to quit, scoring the contest's next three tallies. In the seventh, the Redlegs picked up runs on RBI singles from Ozuna and RF Brian Rey (1-5, R, RBI, SO). An inning later, 2B Jonathan Willems (3-5, 2 R, HR, RBI, SO) whacked a ball into Calhoun's at the Yard for a solo dinger - his fifth of the year - to draw Greeneville back to within five, 13-8.
Johnson City managed to put the game on ice in the top of the ninth. The Redbirds scored on bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Perri, two wild pitches, a run-scoring base hit to center from LF Leandro Cedeno (2-6, 2B, RBI, 2 SO), and a sacrifice fly to center by Soto.
The Reds scratched across two more runs in the bottom of the ninth courtesy of an RBI double from 1B Justin Bellinger (1-1, 2B, RBI) and a run-scoring knock up the middle from SS Claudio Finol (2-5, R, RBI).
RHP Kyle Leahy (6.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 SO) issued five runs over six innings for Johnson City, earning his second win of the year. RHP Miguel Medrano (4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO) punched out seven, but yielded six runs (five earned) over four innings, taking his third defeat for the G-Reds.
Greeneville will attempt to salvage the final contest of the series on Sunday evening, as LHP Jacob Heatherly (0-3, 9.18 ERA) - Cincinnati's No. 19 prospect according to MLB.com - is expected to toe the slab. Johnson City is slated to counter with LHP Colin Schmid (2-0, 5.26 ERA).
The G-Reds Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 4:45 p.m. ET, leading up to the 5:00 p.m. ET start at Pioneer Park. Sunday night's contest can be heard on GreenevilleReds.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps.
Fans are encouraged to come out to the ballpark early, as the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a Pete Rose T-Shirt Giveaway.
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.