Mets edge Reds in wet affair, 7-4

KINGSPORT, Tenn. -- After a 30-minute rain delay to start the game and constant rain from the sixth inning on, the Kingsport Mets were able to scratch past the Greeneville Reds, 7-4, on Tuesday night at Hunter Wright Stadium.
With the loss, Greeneville drops to 16-22 on the season. Kingsport's victory improved their overall mark to 20-18.
The K-Mets wasted no time in grabbing the lead, jumping out to an early advantage in the first. CF Jarred Kelenic (0-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, SO) walked with one out and stole second base before moving to third on a wild pitch. 2B Luis Santana (1-5, RBI) hit a slow grounder to third with two outs, but the throw to first was late, as Kelenic scored on the single to give Kingsport a 1-0 edge.
Leading off the second, 3B Mark Vientos (2-4, R, HR, RBI, SO) smashed a laser over the left-field fence for a solo home run. The blast - his seventh of the season - put the Mets up 2-0. C Phil Capra (2-4, 2 R, SO) continued the rally with a one-out single and advanced to third on a throwing error. Once again, a slow-rolling infield single to third - this time by RF Ranfy Adon (1-3, R, RBI, BB) - drove in a tally with two down to extend the advantage to three.
Greeneville finally got on the board in the fourth. LF Nate Scantlin (3-4, 2 R) and 1B Rylan Thomas (2-3, R, BB, SO) started the inning with back-to-back singles. With one away, DH Reniel Ozuna (1-4, 2 RBI) singled off the pitcher's leg - deflecting the ball into left field. Scantlin raced home from second to pull the Reds within two, 3-1. 2B Jonathan Willems (1-3, RBI) then hit a ground ball to first. 1B Kenny Hernandez stepped on the bag and threw to second where they tagged out Ozuna to end the inning. However - since the final out was not recorded on a force - Thomas crossed home safely before the tag was applied to cut Greeneville's deficit to one, 3-2.
Kingsport squeaked back up by three in the fifth. LF Guillermo Granadillo (2-3, 2 R, BB) singled to start the inning and proceeded to swipe both second and third. After Adon walked and snagged second, Kelenic hit a chopper to first. The throw home was late - allowing Granadillo to slide in safely - on the fielder's choice, stretching the Mets lead back up to two, 4-2. Later in the inning, SS Shervyen Newton (3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 SO) cracked an RBI double down the left-field line to make it 5-2.
Once again, the Reds bounced back to pull within a tally in the top of the sixth. The Redlegs loaded the bases with nobody out, as CF Mike Siani (0-5, R, SO) reached on an error and Scantlin and Thomas got aboard with singles. Following a strikeout, Ozuna rolled into a fielder's choice to short - scoring Siani - making it a 5-3 affair. Willems immediately followed with a run-scoring single through the left side to dwindle the deficit back to one, 5-4.
The Mets would put the final touches on their win in the bottom of the eighth. Capra began the inning with a single to left and Granadillo followed by laying a bunt down. The throw to first went up the right-field line - allowing the Mets' catcher to score - to put Kingsport ahead, 6-4. During the same play, the throw to try and get the runner going to third was also wild, allowing Granadillo to come all the way around and score on what began as a bunt, making it 7-4.
LHP Andrew Mitchell (1.1 IP, 2 SO) - who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth - stayed on in the final frame and retired the side in order to garner his second save of the season.
RHP Dedniel Nunez (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 SO) put together his best start since being placed in Kingsport's rotation, going five innings to earn his second victory. His counterpart - RHP Lyon Richardson (2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, SO) - tossed 53 pitches over just two innings, suffering his fourth defeat of the year.
The Redlegs will look to even up the series on Wednesday night, as RHP Alexis Diaz (2-0, 4.15 ERA) is expected to take the hill in game two. The K-Mets are projected to counter with RHP Nate Peden (1-2, 5.96 ERA).
The G-Reds Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 6:15 p.m. ET, leading up to the 6:30 p.m. ET start at Hunter Wright Stadium. Wednesday night's contest can be heard on GreenevilleReds.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps. 
Following the three-game road trip, the Reds will return home on Friday, August 3, to open up a three-contest series against the Johnson City Cardinals. It will be a Firework Friday at Pioneer Park as all fans are encouraged to stay after the game, as they will be treated to a spectacular postgame fireworks display following the final out.

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.