Weiss five RBI night leads Twins past Royals
Published 6:00 am Friday, July 12, 2019
Star Photo/ Ivan Sanders Elizabethton first baseman Albee Weiss receives a congratulatory hand shake from third base coach Jeff Reed after Weiss connected on his second home run of the contest against Burlington Wednesday evening.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twins shortstop Will Holland throws across the diamond to record an out against the Burlington Royals Wednesday evening at Northeast Community Credit Union Ball Park.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton starting pitcher Tyler Benninghoff delivers a toss to the plate. Benninghoff (1-1) picked up the win against the Burlington Royals going five innings allowing two runs and striking out four Royal batters.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twins first baseman Albee Weiss is greeted at home plate by his teammates after slugging a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning that staked the Twins to a 4-1 lead. Weiss added a solo home run in the third inning as well totaling 5 RBI's in the contest.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twins leadoff hitter Spencer Steer has to twist his body to keep from being pegged by a pitch.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twins second baseman Anthony Prato can't come up with the baseball after a cloud of dust is kicked up by Burlington Royals second baseman Michael Massey on a steal attempt.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
One night after falling to Johnson City and falling out of first place in the West Division of the Appalachian League, the Elizabethton Twins looked to get back in the win column hosting the Burlington Royals.
Mission accomplished as the Twins took an 8-5 win over the Royals at Northeast Community Credit Union ballpark on Wednesday night. Burlington (9-12) came into the game leading the Appalachian League in earned run average (3.38) and WHIP (1.26) but both of those lofty numbers took a hit as Elizabethton collected seven hits and had nine walks.
Righthander Tyler Benninghoff started on the hill for the Twins and he struggled with a hit and two walks loading the bases for Burlington.
An RBI single for Burle Dixon gave the Royals a quick lead. A great throw from left fielder Seth Gray cut down a run as he threw out Massey at the plate.
Benninghoff went five innings giving up two earned runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked three and lowered his earned run average to 9.49 from 13.50.
“After Seth (Gray) threw that runner out I felt that it would be a different game,” Benninghoff said. “Once I got into a rhythm, I got more comfortable.
“I have a lot of confidence in the guys behind me and when Albee hit that one over the fence, it put a smile on my face for sure.”
The Twins (12-9) chased Royals starter Malcolm Van Buren in the last of the first after he walked the first three Twins hitters and first baseman Albee Weiss hit his fifth home run of the season – a grand slam.
After Van Buren walked Yeremi DeLaCruz, Burlington manager Chris Widger brought in lefthander Zack Phillips.
“I never go to the plate thinking home run or RBI,” Weiss said. “I just want to hit the ball hard and if it goes out, it goes out.
“The first one he threw me a fastball I could handle. I was just looking for a pitch to hit.”
Centerfielder Max Smith had an RBI hit to stake Benninghoff to a 5-1 lead.
In the second frame Weiss went deep once again, this time over the tall fence in left field for a 6-1 Twins lead and in the third DeLaCruz had an RBI double that plated shortstop Will Holland who walked.
Once again in the fifth, the Royals walked the bases loaded and Smith delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield to plate Seth Gray and give the Twins a 7-2 lead.
Burlington got a run in the top of the frame on a single from Michael Massey a walk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Vinnie Pasquantino.
The Royals got a pair of runs in the seventh against Twins lefty reliever Denny Bentley with Dixon driving in two runs with a double to left. Dixon finished 3-for-5 with three RBI for the Royals.
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E-Twins, 8-5
Burlington 100 011 200 – 5 10 0
E-Twins 511 010 00x – 8 7 2
W – Benninghoff (1-1) L – Van Buren (0-2)
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Appalachian League Standings
Through 07-11-2019
East Division
Team W L PCT GB
Bluefield 12 9 .571 –
Pulaski 11 9 .550 .5
Danville 10 11 .476 2.0
Princeton 10 11 .476 2.0
Burlington 9 12 .429 3.0
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West Division
Johnson City 12 8 .600 –
Elizabethton 12 9 .571 .5
Bristol 11 10 .524 1.5
Kingsport 9 12 .429 3.5
Greeneville 8 13 .381 4.5
