CARDS SET FOR SIX-GAME HOMESTAND STARTING WEDNESDAY

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. - Victor Garcia went deep, and Zach Jackson finished with two runs and an RBI as the Cardinals wrapped their four-game series in Elizabethton with a 7-5 loss Tuesday night. The Cards return home for a fun-filled homestand vs. the Pirates and Braves July 17-22.
The homestand opener will be an All You Can Eat Wednesday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Fans are invited to enjoy all you can eat hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos with cheese, chips, popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, and Pepsi products. Thursday will be Strike Out Cancer Night. Join the Cardinals to help strike out cancer, and enjoy a special appearance by Jason Motte. Both start times are slated for 6:30 p.m.
The Cards jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in Elizabethton Tuesday on an RBI double by Carlos Soler in the second to score Jackson. The lead did not last long though as the Twins took advantage of multiple Cardinal defensive miscues to score five times in the third and build a lead they would not relinquish.
Jake Sommers (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) in four innings of work. Tyler Benninghoff (2-1) earned the win for the Twins with six innings of starting work. He did not allow an earned run. Sommers struck out six Twins. Cardinal starters finished with 26 strikeouts over the four-game series in Elizabethton.
Garcia launched his first homer of the season in the seventh vs. Twins relief man Frandy Torres, and Jackson picked up an RBI base hit in the eighth. Each team committed three errors in the game. Todd Lott reached for the ninth straight game and tallied one run. The Cardinals rallied to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth after a Mateo Gil double. Gil finished the four-game set with three extra-base hits. 
Johnson City opens its long homestand vs. the Pirates tomorrow. RHP Jose Moreno (1-3, 10.98 ERA) is expected to start for the Cardinals. The starter for Bristol is TBA. 
The full Cardinal schedule for this season and season ticket information can be found online at jccardinals.com, or by calling the Cardinals Ticket Office at 423-461-4866.
ABOUT THE JOHNSON CITY CARDINALS
The Johnson City Cardinals are the Rookie affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Members of the ten-team Appalachian League, Cardinals baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 50 years. To learn more about the Johnson City Cardinals, visit www.jccardinals.com.
[STORY PHOTO BY ROBERT KELL]

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