DANVILLE, Va. - Luis Mejia's bases-clearing single handed Danville a big cushion in the bottom of the fourth, and the Kingsport Mets were unable to complete a comeback on Friday night at Legion Field.
DANVILLE, Va. - Luis Mejia's bases-clearing single handed Danville a big cushion in the bottom of the fourth, and the Kingsport Mets were unable to complete a comeback on Friday night at Legion Field.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Mejia's line drive single jumped past the diving Kingsport center fielder, Jarred Kelenic, who misplayed the ball and allowed it to reach the warning track. Mejia was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play. Braves took a 4-1 lead at that point.
Danville nabbed its 13th win in its last 18 games and it secured its sixth consecutive series victory this year, pulling within two and a half games out of first place in the Appalachian League East with 19 games left in the regular season.
Justin Smith knotted the game at 1-1 with a solo homerun off the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. The homerun was his second in as many days and gives him the team lead with four on the year.
After the K-Mets scored two in the top of the sixth, Greg Cullen and Brett Langhorne singled in runs to extend Danville's lead to 6-3. Cullen had his 10th two-hit game of the year and 14th multi-hit game overall this season. Langhorne posted three hits for the third time this year and logged his 14th multi-hit game in total.
In the top of the seventh, the K-Mets cut into the lead to make it 6-4, but Danville answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Zach Soria garnered a two-hit night, adding an RBI double to his resume, bringing in Rusber Estrada and giving Danville a 7-4 lead.
Danville added a run in the bottom of the eighth, and survived a late comeback from the K-Mets in the top of the ninth.
Kingsport's Shervyen Newton made things interesting with a two-RBI double to right center field off D-Braves pitcher Zach Seipel, cutting Danville's lead to 8-6. Seipel limited the damage with a fly out and groundout to end the game.
Matt Rowland threw five innings and gave up one earned run on the evening, earning his first professional win. His slider was working effectively and he sent down five K-Mets on strikes, allowing only one hit all evening.
The D-Braves will continue its series against the Kingsport Mets tomorrow at Legion Field. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
