SABINO, SKEELS SEND CARDS TO FIRST WALKOFF WIN OF 2019

JOHNSON CITY - The Johnson City Cardinals scored their first walkoff win of the season Monday evening at TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Liam Sabino singled home Kyle Skeels to break a tie game in the ninth and give the Cards a thrilling 4-3 victory in front of a frenzied crowd of 3,143.
Skeels proved to be a star all night for Johnson City. He homered in the third, sending a two-run blast to left off of Twins starter Ryley Widell to tie the game at 2-2. The former Coastal Carolina star reached base three times. He drew a walk in the fifth before doubling to center to start the ninth. Sabino's first hit of the evening scored him from second base to win the game.
Julio Puello got the start for the Cardinals and fired four straight scoreless innings after allowed two runs in the first. The young righty went five, scattering four hits and striking out four. 
After Skeels evened the game in the third, the Twins reassumed the lead in the sixth on three straight singles to make it 3-2 vs. Cardinal relief man Walker Robbins. Robbins put together a scoreless seventh before Tyler Peck and Dylan Pearce combined to face the minimum in the eighth and ninth. Peck and Pearce compiled four strikeouts in the final two innings. The four Cards hurlers totaled ten strikeouts for the night. 
With two outs and two strikes in the eighth, Chandler Redmond evened the game at 3-3 with an opposite field solo home run off Twins reliever Frandy Torres. The blast was his fourth of the season and extended his hit streak to a team-best 10 straight games.
Dylan Thomas (0-1) suffered the loss for Elizabethton after allowing the double to Skeels and the walkoff single to Sabino in the final inning. Pearce (1-1) picked up his first professional win after a flawless ninth. The Cardinals outhit the Twins 8-7. Terry Fuller reached for the 11th straight game with a base hit and a walk. Todd Lott reached three times and scored one run. 
The Cards (11-8) reclaimed first place in the Appalachian West from Elizabethton (11-9) and Bristol (11-9) with the win. Johnson City enjoys an off day on Tuesday before returning to action Wednesday in Bristol. First pitch between the Cards and Pirates is slated for 6:30 p.m. Starters for both teams are TBA. 
The full 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]