E-Twins fall to Pirates for second straight loss, 6-2
Published 6:00 am Saturday, June 29, 2019
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde E-Twins Tyler Webb goes for another well-hit ball to center field by Bristol.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Elizabethton Twins catcher Jangson Villalobos anticipates the pitch looking to pick off a Bristol runner at third base.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Going for the pick off, Elizabethton Twins catcher throws to third baseman Charles Mack after the pitch.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Short stop Anthony Prat throws to first for the force out after snagging an infield grounder vs Bristol Thursday night.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde The E-Twins Matt Wallner dashes for first after a hit against Bristol.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Elizabethton Twins short stop Anthony Prato goes for the tag out at second base in Thursday's game with Bristol.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde The Twins discuss making a pitching change during Thursday night's game against Bristol.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Twins Spencer Steer gets ahold of one vs Bristol Thursday night at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
For the second straight game, the Twins starting pitcher couldn’t get through the first inning.
On Thursday night at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark, it was Tyler Benninghoff (0-1, 27.00) who went just two-thirds of the top of the first inning giving up six runs on four hits as Bristol built a commanding lead.
The Pirates (3-6) left with a 6-2 win and a two-game win streak while the Twins have lost two straight.
“Benninghoff tried his best and gave a good effort,” Twins manager Ray Smith said. “He might shut them down over four or five innings next time out who knows.
“You get behind the eight ball right away and get down 6-0 before we have a chance to swing the bat. It makes it an uphill battle, but the bullpen I couldn’t be more impressed with the job they did.
“We were thin tonight and those guys starting with Torres threw up zeroes and gave us a chance.”
The Pirates had three doubles sandwiched around a pair of walks with Brendt Citta driving in a run with a single and Ernny Ordonez collecting one of the three doubles to deliver another run for the Pirates.
Daniel Rivero had the final double of the stanza bringing home two more runs for a 5-0 Bristol lead. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Matt Morrow plated the last run of the frame.
Meanwhile, for Bristol, righthander Jose Maldonado was perfect through four innings retiring the first 12 Twins batters he faced.
Rightfielder Matt Wallner singled to open the fifth for Elizabethton (4-5) and he came around to score on a wild pitch from Maldonado to cut the deficit to 6-1.
The Twins got stellar relief from Frandy Torres who went 3 1/3 innings giving up two hits while striking out four.
Louie Varland came on in the fifth and he pitched three scoreless frames on two hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Finally, it was righthander Nate Hadley who came on in the eighth and struck out two but gave up a hit in the ninth to Jesus Valdez before retiring the next three Bristol hitters.
“They are the type of hitters you want to throw first-pitch strikes to and get ahead of,” Hadley said. “I threw everything tonight, fastball circle change. I threw a lot more changeups than usual.”
Wallner struck his first professional home run in the ninth to make it a 6-2 contest. Wallner is the all-time home run hitter for Southern Mississippi University.
—
Bristol 6-2
Bristol 600 000 000 – 6 9 0
E-Twins 000 010 001 – 2 4 2
W – Maldonado (1-1).
L – Benninghoff (0-1).
HR – Wallner (1).
