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Mets Win Extra-Inning Thriller Over Bucs

August 3, 2018

F (10): K-Mets 9 Pirates 8 W: N. Leon (2-1) L: V. Deyzel (4-2)Yoel Romero does it again.In extra innings with the game tied 8-8, Romero ripped an RBI single to score Ranfy Adon and give the Kingsport Mets a thrilling 9-8 series opening victory over the Bristol Pirates Friday

F (10): K-Mets 9 Pirates 8
W: N. Leon (2-1)
L: V. Deyzel (4-2)
Yoel Romero does it again.
In extra innings with the game tied 8-8, Romero ripped an RBI single to score Ranfy Adon and give the Kingsport Mets a thrilling 9-8 series opening victory over the Bristol Pirates Friday night at Hunter Wright Stadium. 
Early on, the Pirates took a 7-1 lead propelled by a five-run fourth inning that lasted over 30 minutes. The Mets would not give up, chipping away at the deficit with six unanswered runs.
The duo of Marbin Montijo and Eric Villanueva pitched three scoreless innings to keep Bristol at bay, allowing the K-Mets to put together a dramatic ninth inning rally. 
Trailing 7-5 with one out, Jarred Kelenic reached on an error, which allowed Ranfy Adon to score. Kelenic, the 2018 No. 6 overall pick and Mets No. 3 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, stole second and would later come around to score the tying run.
Mark Vientos, the Mets' second round pick in 2017 and No. 10 Mets prospect, singled home Kelenic to set up the extra innings finish.
Bristol would strike first in the top half of the 10th, as Mikell Granberry, the runner who started the inning on second base, scored on a wild pitch with nobody out to give his team the one-run lead.
With Bristol threatening - runners on second and third and one out - Nelson Leon took over on the mound for the Mets. Kelenic made a heads-up defensive play on Leon's first pitch, doubling up the Pirates to end the frame. The rookie caught a line drive in center field and instantly threw to second base to end the threat.
In the bottom half, LA Woodard pinch ran and began the inning on second base. After an error allowed him to move up to third, a sac fly by Kenny Hernandez brought home the tying run - later setting up Romero's walkoff single.
Kelenic, Hernandez, and Domingo Martinez each drove home a pair of runs. Martinez led the Mets with three hits on the day - two singles and a double.
Leon picked up the win for Kingsport, moving to 2-1 on the season.
The win for Kingsport was their first in extra innings under the new MiLB rules, improving to 1-4 on the season.
The Mets and Pirates are back at it tomorrow evening for Game Two of the set.
Tomorrow wraps up our "Back to School Weekend" sponsored by US Army. The first 300 fans through the gate will receive a New York Mets t-shirt.
In addition, fans will be treated to the third and final fireworks show of the season!
Gates open at 5:30 and first pitch is slated for 6:30.