Reyes Hits for Cycle in D-Braves Victory

Princeton, WV - Elmer Reyes did everything he could to help the D-Braves to a 7-5 victory over the Princeton Rays on Friday night. Everything, meaning he hit for the cycle. Reyes became the first player to do so in the Appalachian League since 2008. The win gave Danville sole possession of second place in the Appy League East and they now stand just one game behind the Bluefield Blue Jays.

Danville was able to score a run a piece in the second and third innings. In the second, Kurt Fleming singled to score Chase Larsson which made it a 1-0 game. In the third, Elmer Reyes hit a solo homerun, which most consider to be the second hardest part of a cycle behind the triple. Reyes had already doubled in the top of the first. His solo homerun was his first of the season and it gave the D-Braves a 2-0 lead.

Princeton fired right back in the bottom of the third knocking around Ernesto Silva for four runs. Silva allowed three straight singles to Felix Gonzalez, Ryan Brett, and Jake Hager. Brett's single scored Felix Gonzalez who had advanced to second on a passed ball by Chad Comer. Brett was able to take second when Kurt Fleming tried throwing Gonzalez out at the plate. Hager's single was the exact same story except it was Larsson who attempted the throw home. That made the score 2-2.

A groundout by Drew Vettleson moved Hager to third base. Cameron Seitzer walked to give the Rays runners at the corners with two down. Junior Rodriguez took advantage of the opportunity and drove a ball to deep center field for a double. Hager was able to score easily and Seitzer came all the way around from first to make it a 4-2 ball game.

It was in the fifth inning that Danville tied it back up. Elmer Reyes got the hardest part of the cycle, the triple, in the inning. His triple scored Ahmed who had singled previously. Reyes's triple prompted a pitching change for the Rays. All the second baseman needed following that was a single to complete the cycle.

Reinaldo Lopez replaced starter, Felipe Rivero, with one out in the top of the fifth. Brandon Drury singled to score Reyes and tie the game.

Reyes got his single as the second batter of the seventh inning becoming the first Appalachian League player to complete the feat since Andrew Garcia did it for the Bristol White Sox in 2008. The very next batter, Drury, homered to left field to give the Braves a 6-4 lead. Fernando De Los Santos singled later in the inning on a ball that scored Edison Sanchez. Reyes finished his night 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two runs batted in.

Princeton was able to nab one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning off of reliever, Dan Jurik. Jurik pitched the seventh and two-thirds of the eighth. Ryne Harper relieved Jurik in the eighth when the Rays were threatening with two outs and runners on first and second. Harper was able to get Justin O'Conner to fly out to Kurt Fleming to end the inning.

Harper had a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning with two strikeouts. He earned his first save of his young professional career. Danville starter, Ernesto Silva (4-4), tossed six innings in his winning effort. In those six innings he gave up four earned runs on four hits while striking out four.

The Braves finished their longest road trip of the season 6-3 and now return home tomorrow night, August 6. They will face off in game one of a three game series with the Bristol White Sox at 7:00 pm. Tomorrow night's starters will be Lucas La Point against Ryan Buch. For more information on the schedule, tickets, group nights, and/or partnership opportunities please contact the Danville Braves office at (434) 797-3792, email at [email protected], or log on to www.dbraves.com.