Twins score four in eighth to top Mets, 4-3
Published 11:30 pm Thursday, June 23, 2016
Star Photo/Bryce Phillips Elizabethton’s Travis Blankenhorn throws a runner out at first during Thursday’s game in Kingsport. Blankenhorn had a 3-run homer in the top of the eighth to tie the game up at three.
KINGSPORT—After a lackluster seven innings at the plate, the Twins came alive in the eighth inning to climb out of a 3-0 hole Thursday during their season opener against the Kingsport Mets.
In the top of the eighth, Elizabethton second baseman Travis Blankenhorn rocked a three-run homer out of centerfield to tie things up at 3-3, before teammate Jaylin Davis smacked a home run out of left field to give the Twins a 4-3 lead, a lead that would eventually become a winning score as the Twins held the Mets at bay in the last two innings.
The Mets found the score board first Thursday as they posted three runs in the second. Mets Walter Rasquin brought home Jeremy Wolf after blistering a triple. Back-to-back RBI doubles would give the Mets a 3-0 lead heading into the third frame.
The Twins had their hands full with Mets pitcher Thomas Szapucki, who opened up for Kingsport and over six innings of work racked up 13 strike outs against zero walks and two hits.
Elizabethton worked through four pitchers over nine innings with Johan Quezada spending the most time on the mound. Quezada, who was awarded the win, clocked in the fifth and worked through the seventh, while recording three strike outs against three walks. In the fifth, Quezada quickly retired the first two batters he faced. The 6-6 slinger was throwing heat as he topped out with a 98 mph fastball during his first inning tossing.
Overall at the plate, the Twins had eight hits, but that stat was overshadowed by 18 Twins striking out. Third baseman Ariel Montesino recorded three hits with one run, while Davis picked up two hits and a home run. Blankenhorn finished the night with one big hit that resulted in his 3-run homer in the eighth.
The Twins will be back in Kingsport tonight for game two of their series with the Mets.
