E-Twins fend off Bristol… Early five-run lead by Elizabethton just enough to capture win, 6-5
Published 6:00 am Thursday, June 27, 2019
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton relief pitcher Denny Bentley shows his frustration after Bristol's Brendt Citta scored on a wild pitch to narrow the E-Twins lead to 6-5. Twins catcher Yeremi De La Cruz lays flat after trying to retrieve the baseball.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton second baseman Ruben Santana throws to first to retire a Bristol Pirate baserunner.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton left-handed relief pitcher Denny Bentley fires a pitch toward home plate.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twin Spencer Steer is congratulated by teammates after slugging a solo homerun that tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twin second baseman Ruben Santana tries to calm starting pitcher Prelander Berroa after the Bristol Pirates put a rally together.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton starting pitcher Prelander Berroa delivers a pitch in Tuesday's game against Bristol.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders An Elizabethton runner dives back safely as the Bristol Pirate first baseman comes down after a high pickoff attempt.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Charlie Mack of Elizabethton ducks as the Bristol second baseman attempts to turn a double play.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
Having scored just eight runs in the previous six games, the Bristol Pirates nearly doubled their season’s output on Tuesday night scoring five runs in a 6-5 loss to the Elizabethton Twins at Northeast Community Credit Union ballpark.
The Pirates (1-6) scored on the third pitch of the game as leadoff hitter Jesus Valdez deposited a Prelander Berroa delivery over the high fence in leftfield for a 1-0 Bristol lead.
Twins leadoff hitter Spencer Steer duplicated the feat as he hit a 3-1 pitch from Pirates starter Tahnaj Thomas over the fence in left to knot the game at 1-1.
In the second frame, the Twins (4-3) chased Thomas with a five-run frame that began with a pair of walks and a stolen base that put Twins runners at the corners.
Max Smith collected an RBI single and a walk to Charlie Mack loaded the bases.
Designated hitter Albee Weiss delivered a two-run double for a 4-1 Betsy advantage and one out later, catcher Yeremi DeLaCruz smacked a two-run single for a 6-1 Twins lead.
“I feel really good, which was why I was frustrated at my last at bat,” Weiss said. “I’m seeing the ball well and I feel that as long as I stay within myself and trust my bat speed and try not to do too much that’s where I’ll find success.”
Berroa went four innings giving up one run on three hits and saw his earned run average raise to 1.04. He walked three and struck out seven.
“I feel better and putting in the time and effort,” Berroa said through interpreter Richard Salazar. “I was releasing the ball a little bit higher, but I was making the adjustment. It has been two good outings, but need more consistency.”
Lefthander Denny Bentley came in to start the fifth frame and he was greeted with three hits sandwiched by a walk and gave up two runs on a bases-loaded single by Brendt Citta.
A ground ball from Daniel Rivero brought home the third run of the stanza for the Pirates and cut the Twins lead to 6-4.
A wild pitch allowed Citta to score from third and made it a 6-5 contest.
Osiris German (1-0) got the win with two solid innings of relief and Twins manager Ray Smith was complimentary of his outing saying, “The eighth inning was the key with their big boppers coming up and he humped a few good fastballs and blew away that third hitter.
“Then we had the strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out and our guy DeLaCruz bailed us out of that inning.”
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Elizabethton, 6-5
Bristol 100 040 000 – 5 8 0
E-Twins 150 000 00x – 6 11 1
W – German (1-0). L – Thomas (0-2).
