Astros split doubleheader with Kingsport

Greeneville, TN - The Greeneville Astros (18-15) split a doubleheader with the Kingsport Mets (17-16) with a 4-1 victory and a 2-1 loss on Monday night. Therefore, the Astros end the day just as they began it, one game ahead of the Mets atop the Appalachian League West division.

The Astros took the first of two, seven inning games after producing all four runs in the last three innings. Right-handers Makay Nelson and Chris Murphy split pitching duties on the mound with Murphy picking up his first win of the season. Nelson tossed three flawless innings with a strikeout and Murphy followed with four innings, six hits allowed and one run.

The two clubs were retired with one, two, three innings through the first three frames. Kingsport's Dash Winningham notched their first hit in the top of the fourth with a single and the Astros answered with singles by second baseman Ford Stainback and first baseman Conner Goedert.

The Astros' bats came alive in the home half of the fifth beginning with a leadoff double deep to centerfield by Brauly Mejia. Catcher Christian Correa then moved Mejia to second on a sacrifice bunt. Greeneville took the 1-0 lead when Luis Payano popped a sacrifice fly to left to score Mejia.

Greeneville struck again in the bottom of the sixth inaugurated by an Arturo Michelena solo homer to left for the infielder's first of the season. The power show continued when Justin Garcia launched a two-run homer to plate the Astros' fourth run after Goedert reached on a Mets fielding error.

In the top of the seventh the Mets managed a run after Jose Figuera and Winningham singled then Figuera scored on a single by Gregory Valencia. Murphy answered by forcing Leon Canelon to ground out to end the game with a 4-1 decision in favor of the Astros.

Greeneville was led at the plate by Ford Stainback who went two-for-three. Michelena, Goedert, Mejia and Garcia were all one-for-three with one run scored as Garcia earned two RBI and Michelena one. Payano added a RBI with his sacrifice fly.

The second game of the twin bill was not as providential for the Astros as they fell to the Mets 2-1.   

Right-hander Andrew Thome started for Greeneville tossing three innings and allowing four hits with a run. Matt Bower relieved Thome throwing two innings with two strikeouts. Cristhopher Santamaria was tagged with the loss pitching the last two innings while allowing one hit and the winning run and two strikeouts.

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Luis Ortega reached on a wild pitch strikeout. Ivan Wilson followed by knocking a one-out infield single, then was bunted to second by Valencia. Dale Burdick soared a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Ortega.

The Astros answered in the bottom of the third after Payano notched a single to right then took second after Osvaldo Duarte also singled. Payano came around to score the tying run when Stainback grounded into a fielder's choice eliminating Duarte at second.

The score remained deadlocked 1-1 until the top of the seventh when Kingsport's Ortega led off with a walk then was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Wilson. Burdick hit a one-out groundball single to left to plate Ortega with what would become the winning run.

Payano led the Astros' hitters going two-for-two and scoring Greeneville's lone run. Duarte, Stainback and Hector Roa were each one-for-three as Stainback picked up his ninth RBI.

The Astros hit the road for a three-game series with the Bristol Pirates beginning on Tuesday then will return the Pioneer Park to face Kingsport again of Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 PM.    

The Astros are the Appalachian League affiliate of the Houston Astros. For more information, call (423) 638-0411.