Reds snap skid with marathon win over Bucs, 13-9

BRISTOL, Va. -- In a game that seemed minute as a result of the events that proceeded it, the Greeneville Reds battled back from a ninth-inning deficit and hung on to top the Bristol Pirates, 13-9, in 11 innings on Friday night at Boyce Cox Field.
With the win, Greeneville snapped their four-game losing streak and improved their record to 19-29 on the year. Bristol's loss dropped them to 22-26 on the campaign.
Prior to the contest, the team bus witnessed a major crash - that killed at least one - on I-81 South en route to the stadium. The squad exited the bus after the incident and did there best to help the injured and arrived at the field roughly 45 minutes prior to first pitch.
Tied at eight heading to the 11th, the Reds began the extra frame with a man at second and SS Miguel Hernandez (2-5, 2 R) reached on a bunt single. Following a strikeout, 2B Claudio Finol (3-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, SO) ripped a double over the third-base bag - scoring a run - to put Greeneville in front, 9-8. LF Reniel Ozuna (2-5, 2 R, 2B, 4 RBI, BB, SO) then hit a chopper for a two-run single to left, stretching the advantage to three, 11-8. A fielding error off the bat of DH Jonathan Willems (0-6) brought home another tally, while 1B Justin Bellinger (3-5, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB, SO) drove in a man with a bloop single to center to make it a five-run affair, 13-8.
Bristol scored the automatic runner at second in the bottom of the 11th on a single from DH Mikell Granberry (3-6, R, RBI, 2 SO), but RHP Ian Koch (1.0 IP, H, R, BB, 2 SO) recorded consecutive strikeouts with the tying run on-deck to seal the win.
Trailing by a run, Greeneville managed to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Hernandez and CF Mike Siani (3-6, R, 3 SO) singled, while Finol roped a double to even the contest up at six.
Bellinger blasted a two-run home run over the right-field fence - his second of the year - to give the G-Reds a 10-8 edge in the top of the 10th. Yet, the Pirates managed to tie the game in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles from 2B Chase Lambert (2-7, R, RBI, 2 SO) and 3B Dylan Busby (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 SO).
Down by a tally, the Reds grabbed their first lead in the top of the fourth. Ozuna smashed a two-RBI double to left, putting the squad in front, 2-1, while 3B Rylan Thomas (2-6, R, RBI) and Bellinger added run-scoring single to make it 4-1.
Both squads began to trade runs from that point on. Bristol pushed a couple men across in the bottom of the fourth on a throwing error and an infield RBI knock by RF Christian Navarro (1-4, 2 RBI, 2 BB). C Rob Boselli (1-3, RBI, 2 SO) cracked a run-scoring single to make it a two-run game in the sixth, but Bristol managed to tie it with a bases-loaded walk to CF Jonah Davis (2-6, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 SO) in the bottom of the inning and a free pass to Navarro with the sacks full in the seventh.
Busby lofted two sacrifice flies - one in the first to make it 1-0 and another in the eighth to give the Pirates a 6-5 lead - to account for the BriBucs other two runs.
Neither starter received a decision on Friday night. RHP Miguel Medrano (5.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 8 SO) tied a season-best with eight strikeouts for the Reds, as his counterpart - RHP Steven Jennings (6.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) - lasted six frames for the Pirates.
RHP Connor Bennett (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, ER, BB, SO) yielded his first earned run as a member of Greeneville's pitching staff, but garnered his third Appalachian League triumph in relief. RHP Austin Shields (1.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 SO) suffered his second defeat for Bristol.
The Redlegs will look to seal a series victory on Saturday night, as LHP Jacob Heatherly (0-3, 8.31 ERA) - Cincinnati's No. 19 prospect according to MLB.com - is expected to take the mound in the series finale. RHP Shane Baz (3-3, 4.46 ERA) - Pittsburgh's No. 4 farmhand according to the same publication - is projected to start for the Bucs.
The G-Reds Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 6:45 p.m. ET, leading up to the 7:00 p.m. ET start at Boyce Cox Field. Saturday evening's contest can be heard on GreenevilleReds.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps. 
Following the six-game road trip, the Redlegs will begin a three-game series against the Elizabethton Twins on Sunday, August 12. It will be a Sunday Funday at the ballpark with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
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.