Cardinals Fight Back but Come Up Short

  In the final game of the three game series between the Blue Jays and the Cardinals, the Cardinals fell behind big early, 10-2. However, they managed to fight back with four runs in the eighth and ninth innings to cut the deficit to one but fall short 11-10.
  Similar to the first two games, the scoring started early but it wasn't the Cardinals who struck first. It was the Blue Jays, they struck first in the bottom of the first. 
    The Cardinals were shut out for the first two innings. After the Cardinals shut down the Blue Jays in the bottom of the second, they responded with a run in the top of the third to tie the game at one. After Zach Jackson hit a leadoff double, Michael Perri reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Perri stole second and then scored on a single by Donivan Williams. 
  The Blue Jays offense really came alive in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. The Blue Jays scored a combined eight runs in the third and fourth inning and led the Cardinals 9-1 after four innings.
    Johnson City managed to get one in the top of the fifth, but the Blue Jays answered with another run in the bottom half of the fifth to make it 10-2. As the game progressed, both teams shut the other down in the sixth and seventh innings. 
    The Cardinals entered the eighth down 10-2, eight runs was the biggest lead of the series. How these teams played the first two games, you would've expected a close pitchers' duel all game. However, the Cardinal bats came alive in a BIG way in the eighth. The offense unloaded for four runs to cut the lead 10-6. Carlos Soto hit a pinch hit three-run homerun and Sanel Rosendo hit a solo homerun immediately after. The Blue Jays answered with one in the bottom of the eighth to make it 11-6. 
  The Cardinals weren't done yet. With no outs, the Cardinals managed to load the bases with the first four batters of the inning. Jonatan Machado worked a bases loaded walk to cut the lead back down to four, 11-7. After a strikeout, the Blue Jays brought in Sean Rackowski to face Sanel Rosendo. Rackowski threw a wild pitch which allowed a run to score and cut the lead to three, 11-8. After a flyout, Dariel Gomez was brought into the game as a pinch hitter for Kevin Woodall and he delivered again, a 2 RBI single to bring the game within one. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays rebounded and got a groundout to end the game.
     Bluefield took the series 2-1, but the Cardinals played a hard fought three game series and kept it close all three games.
  Johnson City heads hone for their first homestand of the season against the Kingsport Mets, who completed their season opening sweep of the Princeton Mets. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 7 PM ET. Be sure to be one of the first 1,000 fans through the gates to receive a magnet schedule presented by Knoxville Employees TVA Credit Union. If you can't make it, listen online to the Johnson City Cardinals Radio Network via the Tunein Radio app. For more information on all things Johnson City, visit jccardinals.com.