Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

K-Mets jump on Bluefield early, win 5-2

Broshers launches third homer
June 23, 2014

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (June 22, 2014) - Brandon Brosher belted his third home run in a two-game span, and the Kingsport Mets got off to a good start for the first time this season, posting a 5-2 win over Bluefield on Sunday in the opener of their three-game Appalachian League series at Hunter Wright Stadium.

Kingsport (2-2) scored all five of its runs in the first three innings, showcasing a slew of extra-base hits in the process. Oswald Caraballo doubled twice and Zach Mathieu drove in a run on a towering double in the first inning. The big power surge came in the third inning. Brosher homered to right to lead off the frame, and two batters later Ivan Wilson planted one into the right-field corner for his second dinger of the young Appalachian League campaign.

Brosher now shares the league lead in home runs. He's got three, as does Burlingtion Royals first baseman Brandon Dulin, who also homered on Sunday.

Yoryi Nuez made the best start yet this season by a Kingsport hurler. He threw 5 1-3 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and a pair of walks while tallying four strikeouts. Nuez threw 78 pitches, and carried a no-hitter through the first 3 1-3 innings.

Craig Missigman worked out of a two-runner jam in the sixth inning but loaded the bases with no one out in the ninth. Kingsport skipper Jose Leger turned to Ismael Tijerina, who induced a double play and a game-ending groundout to record his first save. Tijerina is in his first full campaign as a pitcher after making the conversion from infield last year for Brooklyn.

The three-game series between the K-Mets and Blue Jays (1-3) continues Monday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

K-METRICS: Mathieu, one of the returnees from the K-Mets' 2013 West Division club, had two RBIs all of last season. He already has one and, batting fourth or fifth in the lineup to date, should see an exponential increase in that statistic.

NOTES: Jean Carlos Rodriguez started for the first time this season. The Kingsport infielder batted ninth and played second base. … Bluefield outfielder Anthony Alford walked in three of his four plate appearances. … Alberto Guzman took the loss for the Jays. Guzman allowed two runs on two hits and a pair of walks with a wild pitch and was pulled after the first inning.