Gaining ground… Elizabethton goes extra innings to down Cardinals, 7-6
Published 6:00 am Monday, August 12, 2019
- Star Photo/Ivan Sanders E-Twins second baseman Anthony Prato cuts in front of shortstop Will Holland as Prato attempts to nab a runner at first base.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
The equation was simple- win one and climb a rung closer to the top spot.
Mission accomplished for the Elizabethton Twins even though it took an extra inning of baseball to get the job done as Elizabethton took a 7-6 win over Johnson City at TVA Credit Union Ball Park and shaved a game off the Cardinals lead to pull within one game of the top spot.
The E-Twins banged out 15 hits in the contest as the bats came alive at the right time with a prime opportunity to flip the leader board depending on the next two games against the Cardinals as the series moves to Northeast Community Credit Union Ball Park.
Anthony Prato carried the big stick for the Twins collecting four hits in five plate appearances including a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his second of the season.
Catcher Kidany Salva also had a solid night offensively as Salva cracked the bat for a 3-for- 5 performance with a double.
Max Smith and Charles Mack continued to hit the ball well for the Twins as both collected a pair of hits in the contest.
Elizabethton left eight men in scoring position which could have kept the Twins from having to work the extra frame.
Malcom Nunez led the Cardinals with three hits in five appearances with Mateo Gil making the most of his 2-for-5 plate performance rapping out a triple in the bottom of the first and followed that up wth a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning off Twins starting pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long.
Gipson-Long tossed 3.2 innings of baseball in his start with the Cardinals scoring four runs on five hits. Gipson-Long recorded four strikeouts and two walks in his time on the mound.
Benjamin Dum blew a save opportunity but was credited with his second win of the season against one loss after closing out the last two innings to collect the win.
A large crowd filled the stands as the announced attendance was 3,052 in a game that lasted three hours and 29 minutes.
With the win, Elizabethton ran its season record to 25-23 while the Cardinals fell to 26-22.
