Reds ride Yon's blasts to sweep, 7-5

DANVILLE, Va. -- LF Edwin Yon blasted a pair of titanic home runs over the center-field fence, as the Greeneville Reds completed their first sweep in franchise history with a 7-5 triumph over the Danville Braves at Legion Field on Saturday night.
With the win, Greeneville has now won a season-best four in-a-row and improved their overall mark to 24-32. The four-game sweep was the first by a Greeneville team since July 25-27, 2014 against the Bristol Pirates and the first sweep of any kind against Danville in 15 years of modern-day pro baseball in the city. The D-Braves' loss was their fifth-straight, as they dropped to 29-28 on the campaign.
Trailing 2-0 after four, the Reds snagged their first lead in the fifth. After a leadoff single and a stolen base from SS Miguel Hernandez (2-4, 2 R), Yon (2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, SO) strolled to the dish with one out. The 20-year-old clobbered an offering to the right of dead-center for a two-run home run - his first of the year - to even the game up at two.
The onslaught did not stop there, as 1B Raul Juarez (1-4, R, 2B, SO) followed with a double to right. Following a fly out that moved him to third, the first baseman scored on an infield base-hit to third by 2B Claudio Finol (3-5, RBI, SO), giving the Reds the lead, 3-2.
Danville managed to tie the game back up in the bottom of the inning on a solo shot to left by SS Nick Shumpert (2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, SO) - his second of the year - but it did not remain that way for long.
Consecutive walks to C Hunter Oliver (0-3, R, BB, 2 SO) and DH Reniel Ozuna (0-2, R, 2 BB, 2 SO) started the inning and a knock by Hernandez loaded the bags. RF Brian Rey (0-3, RBI, SO) gave Greeneville the advantage once more with a sacrifice fly to center, 4-3. Immediately proceeding a wild pitch that permitted Ozuna to score, Yon delivered again. The tall right-handed swinger wallopped a ball over the wall to the left of dead-center this time at 111 mph for another two-run clout. The blast - marking the first-ever multi-home run game in Greeneville Reds history - put the squad ahead by four, 7-3.
Danville would chip away at the lead, scoring a run in the sixth on an RBI double by RF Justin Smith (1-4, 2B, RBI) and a run-scoring single to right by LF Michael Mateja (1-4, RBI) in the eighth, but that was as close as they would march.
RHP Connor Bennett (1.1 IP, 2 SO) entered with the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the eighth and struck out Shumpert to end the threat. The Buford, Ga. remained on in the final frame and retired the side in order to close out the sweep and his fourth save of the season.
Despite giving up a pair of runs, RHP Eduardo Salazar (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) earned his second-straight victory in relief for Greeneville. Once again, it came in support of RHP Lyon Richardson (4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 2 SO). Cincinnati's second-round pick gave up a pair of runs in the first but bounced back allowing one baserunner on an error over his final three frames in a no-decision.
LHP Jake Higginbotham (2.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) - who had surrendered only three earned runs all year - was taxed for seven tallies in relief, suffering his first professional defeat. LHP Tanner Lawson (3.0 IP, H, 5 SO) struck out a career-best five over three scoreless innings, as he took a no-decision for the D-Braves.
The Redlegs return home to open up a three-game, two-day series against the Kingsport Mets, starting with a doubleheader on Sunday. RHP Alexis Diaz (3-2, 3.38 ERA) is slated to go in game one for Greeneville, while RHP Ricky Karcher (0-3, 9.93 ERA) is projected to toe the slab in the nightcap. Kingsport is scheduled to toss RHP Dedniel Nunez (3-1, 4.40 ERA) in the lid-lifter and RHP Nate Peden (2-4, 6.69 ERA) in game two.
The G-Reds Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 3:45 p.m. ET, leading up to the 4:00 p.m. ET start at Pioneer Park. Sunday evening's contests can be heard on GreenevilleReds.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps. 
Fans are encouraged to arrive early on Sunday, as the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a commemorate Tony Perez T-Shirt Giveaway courtesy of South State Contractors.
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.