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Astros get a perfect 10 against Rays, win 15-2

Greeneville breaks two club records Tuesday night
Colton Shaver is congratulated by teammates after breaking the club record for consecutive games with a home run. (James Spears)
July 26, 2017

The Greeneville Astros (17-14) got back on track Tuesday night defeating the Princeton Rays (15-18) by thirteen runs. Thanks in part to a ten run sixth inning, the Astros set two new club records for runs scored in an inning and consecutive games with a home run by a single

The Greeneville Astros (17-14) got back on track Tuesday night defeating the Princeton Rays (15-18) by thirteen runs. Thanks in part to a ten run sixth inning, the Astros set two new club records for runs scored in an inning and consecutive games with a home run by a single player.  
Astros starter Felipe Tejada kept the Rays scoreless and hitless for the first two innings of the game. Tejada ended up tossing five innings, only giving up two hits, one run and struck out three. The lone run scored on Tejada was in the top of the third inning as Jose Tonton scored on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a triple on a liner to center.
Greeneville answered back by taking a one run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Left fielder Wilson Amador walked to start the inning, advancing to second on a balk. Center fielder Gilberto Celestino lined an RBI double to right field tying the game. After back-to-back pop outs, Brody Westmoreland reached base on a throwing error which scored Celestino giving Greeneville a 2-1 lead.
With both teams failing to score in the fifth, the Rays struck first in the sixth. Second baseman Trey Hair hit his fifth home run on a line drive ball hit to right field tying the game at two runs a piece.
The Astros made the sixth inning one to remember for years to come, setting two new club records. Colton Shaver broke the first record by hitting his sixth home run of the year, a two run shot to left center as Celestino walked in the previous at-bat. Shaver has now hit a home run in four consecutive games, breaking the record of three last achieved by Miguelangel Sierra during the 2016 campaign. The second record broken was the most runs in an inning as the Astros would go on to plate eight more runs before the inning was over. The Astros quickly loaded the bases with two walks and a single by Oscar Campos. The Rays committed their second balk of the game scoring one and loading the bases for the second time in the inning by plunking Cody Bohanek. Joan Mauricio then reached first on an infield single which ended up scoring two runs as the Rays defense thought Mauricio's hit went foul. The sixth run of the inning was courtesy of a Jose Benjamin RBI single leaving runners at first and second. Wilson Amador then grounded into a force out, breaking up a double play due to his blazing speed. After batting around the order, Celestino walked for the second time that inning. A wild pitch brought home one run and two more runs crossed the plate as Shaver reached on a fielder's choice, advancing to second on a throwing error. Shaver advanced to third on a fly out to right, scoring as Brody Westmoreland reached base on another fielding error ending the ten run inning.
Looking to add more runs, Greeneville plated three more in the bottom of the eighth. After a Celestino single, Shaver doubled on a liner to center scoring Celestino and recording his fourth RBI of the night. Following a Westmoreland walk Ruben Castro tripled, scoring the final two runs of the game and securing the 15-2 Astros victory.
The Astros and the Rays will battle tomorrow night in the rubber match to decide the series. Starter Leovanny Rodriguez will be in search of his fourth win of the season and first pitch is set for 7:00pm.
The Astros are the Appalachian League affiliate of the Houston Astros. For more information, visit www.greenevilleastros.com or call (423) 638-0411.