Bissonette bunts Bristol to first place in Appy West Division
The Bristol Pirates moved into sole possession of first place in the Appalachian League West Division with a 10-8 victory over the Johnson City Cardinals on Sunday night.The Pirates now hold a 1/2 game lead over the Cardinals and the Mets who are tied for second place and they hold
The Bristol Pirates moved into sole possession of first place in the Appalachian League West Division with a 10-8 victory over the Johnson City Cardinals on Sunday night.
The Pirates now hold a 1/2 game lead over the Cardinals and the Mets who are tied for second place and they hold a two-game lead over the Twins with three games remaining in the regular season. Along with the push for a playoff berth, the Pirates are now one win away from clinching their first winning season since 2008.
Johnson City jumped out to an early lead against starter
The Pirates extended their lead in the top of the fourth on a single by Valdez and a two-run double by Shackelford, but a three-run sixth inning by the Cardinals would make it an 8-7 game, and in the bottom of the seventh Johnson City tied the game on a home run by designated hitter
With runners on first and third and one out in the top of the eighth,
Valdez and Shackelford led the Pirates with three RBI each, as Valdez went 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Shackelford finished 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Acuna's two-run double was his Appalachian League-leading 20th of the season, as he became just the ninth Bristol player since 1969 to hit 20 doubles in a season and the first to accomplish the feat since
The Pirates (33-31) return to Bristol on Monday night to open up a three-game set against the Danville Braves in the final series of the regular season.