GIL, NUNEZ ENJOY BIG NIGHTS AT THE PLATE VS. ELIZABETHTON

JOHNSON CITY - The Johnson City Cardinals rallied late to force extras but ultimately fell to the Elizabethton Twins 7-6 in 10 innings Thursday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in front of 3,052 fans. The three-game series now shifts to Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark, where the Cards and Twins meet at 6:30 Friday.
Mateo Gil finished with a home run, a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. His late game heroics helped the Cards erase a 6-4 deficit in the ninth. With two outs and two strikes, Gil launched a triple to the right field corner to score Carlos Soler from first. He then plated his third run of the game on a wild pitch to tie the score at 6-6.
Gil scored his first run in the first on a base hit from Malcom Nunez. Nunez also enjoyed a very productive evening, compiling three hits, an RBI and a run scored. Gil blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth after the Cardinals fell behind 3-1. Liam Sabino added an RBI double and Soler chipped in an RBI single in the fourth to help the Cards regain the lead at 4-3. Sabino finished with two hits and reached three times.
Jose Moreno took a no-decision as the Cardinal starter. He allowed 11 hits and five runs (four earned) over 6.1 innings. He exited in the seventh, giving the ball to Dylan Pearce with the score tied 4-4. Anthony Prato hit a two-run homer vs. Pearce to give Elizabethton a 6-4 lead that held until the ninth.
In the tenth, the Twins took the 7-6 lead on a passed ball and a wild pitch that moved designated runner Matt Wallner from second to third and third to home. Enrique Perez (2-3) suffered the loss after allowing the unearned run. Benjamin Dum (2-0) blew his second save of the year in the ninth but ultimately earned the win by holding the Cardinals scoreless in the 10th.
The Cards look to rebound Friday with RHP Hector Soto (0-0, 1.84 ERA) on the mound vs. vs. LHP Ryley Widell (1-5, 7.09 ERA). Start time is slated for 6:30 p.m. 
The Cardinals return home Sunday to begin a three-game series vs. the Princeton Rays. First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m. The first 500 fans through the gates will receive a free JC Cardinals Tennessee state outline T-shirt. More information and the full Cardinals promotional schedule can be found at jccardinals.com.
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]