Sixth Inning Doubles Snap Skid for K-Mets

BRISTOL, Va.- A couple of two-run doubles in the sixth inning handed Kingsport its first win in eight tries as the K-Mets battled back to take down the Bristol Pirates 5-4 in a rain-soaked Independence Day victory Tuesday night at Boyce Cox Field.
Right before and right after a 68-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth inning, Gavin Garay and Edgardo Fermin both doubled and both drove in key runs for the Mets Tuesday night. The two doubles enabled Kingsport to snap a seven-game losing streak, the club's longest since the 2012 season, and clinched the first victory since June 25 over the Johnson City Cardinals.
After three scoreless innings to begin the game, Kingsport jumped out first in the top of the fourth thanks to the third round-tripper of the season for center fielder Anthony Dirocie. The home run was a solo shot that just got out of the ball park over the right-center field wall to hand the Mets a 1-0 lead.
The Pirates battled back in the bottom of the frame in a big way-scoring four runs off three hits to take a 4-1 lead through four innings. A two-run double from Hascar Fuentes go things going four batters into the inning as the run-scoring knock was the first hit recorded on the day for the home team.
Two batters later, Ryan Peurifory followed with an RBI single to right field while the scoring was brought to a close in the inning with another run-scoring double by Nick Valaika that plated the fourth run of the frame. Bristol sent all nine batters to the plate during the frame.
After a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning, William Oxford took the place of Jose Geraldo on the mound for the K-Mets and did so by allowing a two-out runner to second base to position himself into scoring position. After a single to right field by Kyle Watson, Edison Latigua tried to score from second base, but a stellar throw by K-Mets leftfielder, Wagner Lagragane, nailed the runner in his track to bring the inning to a close.  
Kingsport rode the momentum into the top of the sixth inning and scored two runs to cut the deficit to only one at 4-3 thanks to a two-run double from designated-hitter, Gavin Garay. After relief pitcher Mason Ward loaded the bases with only one out still in the frame, time was called as the tarp was put on the field for the first rain delay of the night.
Following 68-minute rain delay, Edgardo Fermin put the K-Mets back out in front in the top of the sixth with a two-run double to the alley-way in right-center field. The drive brought in Garay and Dionis Paulino as the Mets then lead the Pirates by a 5-4 clip.
The score remained the same as Kingsport threw out both Ryan Selmer and Yeudy Colon (S, 2) to combine for the final four innngs of scoreless baseball from the K-Mets bullpen. Colon retired the final four batters he faced via strikeouts to clinch the victory in the Mets.
Picking up the win relief for Kingsport was William Oxford (1-0) after the reliever tossed a scoreless fifth inning with a strikeout and no runs surrendered. The losing pitcher on the night was Mason Ward (0-1) who came in to replace Bristol starter Brandon Ogle and surrendered the tying and go-ahead runs on the double from Fermin.
In the end, it was two-run doubles that told the story for Kingsport after Garay's knock brought the K-Mets within a run while Fermin's double four batters and a 68-minute rain delay later proved to be the difference maker in the first Kingsport Mets victory in nine days.
Aside from the key doubles from both Garay and Fermin, Paulino tallied two hits while Dirocie's home run in the fourth put the K-Mets on the board first in the fourth inning.
The second game of the series is set for Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Coverage on the Kingsport Mets Baseball Network will begin at 6:45 p.m. with the Braeden's Barbeque Pregame Show. Carlos Hernandez will get the nod for the Mets.