GREENEVILLE, TN - Despite a franchise record five home runs Wednesday night, the Greeneville Reds (18-28) dropped the rubber match against the Bluefield Blue Jays (24-23) 12-9 at Pioneer Park. Greeneville led 4-2 after six, but Bluefield scored three in the seventh, and six in the eighth to break the
GREENEVILLE, TN - Despite a franchise record five home runs Wednesday night, the Greeneville Reds (18-28) dropped the rubber match against the Bluefield Blue Jays (24-23) 12-9 at Pioneer Park. Greeneville led 4-2 after six, but Bluefield scored three in the seventh, and six in the eighth to break the game open.
Allan Cerda got the scoring started with a two-run home run to left field off LHP Jimmy Robbins with one out in the first.
Ryan Sloniger led off the top of the third inning with a solo home run to right center field off LHP Jose Salvador. Justin Am- mons singled with one out, and scored on Miguel Hiraldo's game tying, two-out RBI-double.
Danny Lantigua led off the fifth inning with a go-ahead solo home run to center field off RHP Andrew McInvale (W, 1-0). Cerda was hit by a pitch leading off the sixth, and was removed from the game. Peterson Plaz came in to pinch run, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a dropped third strike to extend the lead to 4-2.
After retiring the first two in the seventh, RHP Raul Wallace walked Leonardo Jimenez and Miguel Hiraldo. RHP Matt Gill (L, 1-2) came into the game and surrendered a game tying two-run double to Spencer Horwitz. Horwitz scored the go-ahead run on Eric Rivera's RBI-triple.
Bluefield broke the game open with six runs in the top of the eighth. Davis Schneider led off with a double, and came into score on D.J. Daniels' RBI-single. The Blue Jays scored a run on an error with the bases loaded to extend their lead to 7-4. Two pitches later, Hiraldo hit a grand slam to left center field off Gill.
The Reds scored four in the bottom half. After RHP Meliton Reyes recorded the first two outs, Carlos Reina and Raul Juarez walked ahead of Cristian Olivo, who hit a three run home run to right field, his first of the season. Lantigua hit a solo home run to right field three pitches later to cut the deficit to 11-8.
Bluefield and Greeneville exchanged runs in the ninth. Schneider opened the inning with a double and scored on a throw- ing error in the top half. In the bottom half, Tyler Callihan hit a solo home run to right field off RHP Adams Cuevas (S, 1) to round out the scoring.
The Reds head to Pulaski Thursday to begin a three game series at Calfee Park against the Yankees. RHP Jake Gilbert (0-0, 1.80) will start the opener for the Reds.
ABOUT THE GREENEVILLE REDS
The Greeneville Reds are the Rookie affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of the ten-team Appalachian League. The Reds play at Pioneer Park on the campus of Tusculum University. To learn more about the Greeneville Reds, call 423- 609-7400 or visit www.greenevillereds.com.
