Rays Even Series With Royals
BURLINGTON, N.C.- The Princeton Rays evened the Appalachian League East Division Championship Series at a game apiece with a 6-4 win over the Burlington Royals at Burlington Athletic Stadium on Sunday night.
The two teams will play a winner-take-all game three on Monday. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Burlington Athletic Stadium. For tickets call, (336) 222-0223.
The Rays opened the scoring early in Sunday's game with three runs in the top of the first inning. C Rene Pinto and LF Jesus Sanchez hit back-to-back singles with one out, and 1B Bobby Melley reached on a fielder's choice to put men at the corners with two out. A single by SS Adrian Rondon put Princeton on the board, and 2B Robbie Tenerowicz scored Melley and Rondon on a two-RBI double into the left-center field gap.
The Royals answered quickly with a four-spot in the second. 3B Emmanuel Rivera was hit by a pitch with one out, and DH Boo Vazquez followed with a walk. CF Vance Vizcaino singled to load the bases, and C Nathan Esposito doubled in Rivera and Vazquez on a ball hit to left field. A wild pitch scored Vizcaino and moved Esposito up to third, and Esposito would score on a sacrifice fly to center field by LF Jose Sanchez.
Both teams threatened in the fifth. Princeton appeared to have to scored the tying run, but CF Emilio Gustave was ruled out on an appeal to third after a sacrifice fly. It was ruled that Gustave left the bag early, thus rendering him out. In the bottom of the fifth, Royals 2B Gabriel Cancel tried to score from second on a strikeout wild pitch, but he was thrown out at the plate.
In the seventh, the Rays were able to tie the game. Gustave singled with one out, and stole second. He went to third on a groundout by 3B Blake Butera. As soon as Butera grounded out, Royals RHP Travis Eckert was pulled from the game. Eckert lasted 6.2 innings, a season high. LHP Vance Tatum entered to face RF Eleardo Cabrera. Cabrera hit a ball up the middle that deflected off of both the mound and Tatum's glove, and Cabrera beat the throw for an infield RBI single.
Eckert was charged with four runs on nine hits, while walking a batter and striking out five.
The game stayed 4-4 until the top of the ninth. DH Joshua Lowe worked a one-out walk, and Gustave followed with his third hit of the game, a single. Butera was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cabrera stepped up and hit a ground ball to second, and the Royals recorded an out at second base, but the relay throw to first was late, allowing Cabrera to reach on a fielder's choice. Lowe scored on the play. Soon after, Cabrera got himself caught in a rundown between first and second, but Gustave scampered home to score on the play.
The Royals, despite a one-out walk to Vazquez, could not score in the ninth, ending the game.
NOTABLE…
- Princeton outhit Burlington 11-5 in the win. RF Kort Peterson had the only multi-hit game for Burlington, collecting two singles.
- Esposito's two RBI in the second brought his playoff total to nine.
UP NEXT…
Game three of the series is set for 6:00 p.m. on Monday at Burlington Athletic Stadium. Barring changes, LHP Cristian Castillo is set to start for the Royals against Rays RHP Peter Bayer. For tickets, call (336) 222-0223.
Fans can also listen to the game live and for free with Matt Krause on the call. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. at www.burlingtonroyals.com.
Princeton 6, Burlington 4
WP: Reimin Ramos (1-0)
LP: Vance Tatum (0-1)