BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN

STAR CORRESPONDENT

Leftfielder Max Smith put together a 4-for-5 night for the Elizabethton Twins on Tuesday night and the Twins held off Johnson City 7-5 to take a 4-2 series lead and a 1.5 game lead in the Wes Division of the Appalachian League.

“I was just seeing the ball well and attacking pitches that I could do damage,” Smith said. “That’s really what I look forward to.”

Conspicuously absent from the lineup was first baseman and fan-favorite Albee Weiss who was promoted to Cedar Rapids following Monday’s game in which he homered – his ninth – and also had an RBI triple to give him 25 runs batted in for the season.

When asked how he was feeling after being told of his promotion, Weiss said, “I don’t have the words right now, except to say that it will be a challenge. I always like to take a challenge head on and this is no different.

“It’s the same game just a different level, and seeing as I already know a couple of guys there (Spencer Steer and Alex Isola) the transition should be smooth.”

Taking Weiss’ place in the lineup was Trevor Jensen.

Twins righthander Tyler Benninghoff, looking to put up his second consecutive quality start, gave up an unearned run in the second when Carlos Soler had an RBI double to plate Zack Jackson who reached on an infield error.

‘Betsy answered with five runs in the third frame when Ruben Santana and Smith each singled to open the frame and new call up, designated hitter Parker Phillips, got his first Appalachian league hit and RBI – a single to right.

Rightfielder Matt Wallner then doubled home two runs and after a single from Jensen, shortstop Will Holland pushed home two more runs when he reached on an infield error to make it a 5-1 game.

Another Twins error helped the Cards put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth after a leadoff walk to Jhon Torres and one out later Zack Jackson singled with Twins shortstop Will Holland’s throwing error moving both runners up 90 feet.

After a fly ball out off the bat of Victor Garcia, the second miscue of the game by Jensen allowed Torres to score with Carlos Soler reaching on the play.

A wild pitch from Benninghoff allowed Jackson to score and make it a 5-3 contest.

In the last of the fourth inning, Smith crushed a solo home run to rightfield his first in the Appy League to stake the Twins to a 6-3 advantage.

Righthander John Witkowski then came on in relief of Cardinals starter Jake Sommers and he got out of the inning with no further damage.

Benninghoff (2-1) went six innings giving up three runs (no earned) on three hits while striking out six and walking just one in gaining the win. Righty Frandy Torres came on to open the seventh and Victor Garcia greeted him with a home run to right-centerfield.

For Garcia, it was his first long ball of the season and made it a 6-4 contest.

Twins catcher Kidany Salva drove in a run with a base knock in the seventh to plate Phillips who had a pair of hits in his Twins debut.

Jackson drove in a run in the eighth with a base hit following walks to Todd Lott and Torres to cut the Twins lead to 7-5, but could do more damage as Dylan Thomas – the third Twins pitcher of the night – retired Garcia on a fly ball.

Thomas stopped the Cards in the ninth for his third save of the season.

Twins notes: First baseman / DH Parker Phillips and second baseman was called up from the Gulf Coast League on Tuesday to replace Weiss and Steer.

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E-Twins 7-5

Johnson City  010 200 110 – 5   6 3

Elizabethton   005 100 10x – 7 13 3

W – Benninghoff. L – Sommers (1-1). SV – Thomas (3).