Braves score 8 Unanswered in Game 2 Win

KINGSPORT, Tenn.- The Danville Braves topped the Kingsport Mets Tuesday night at Hunter Wright Stadium after scoring eight unanswered runs after initially tailing by two to defeat the K-Mets in Game 2 of the series 8-2.
The loss for Kingsport (12-19) is its fourth in-a-row and the most since dropping seven consecutive games after beginning the season 3-0 out of the gates. Danville (17-16) move a game above the .500 mark while capturing the series-win in Game 2 after pounding out eight runs off 13 hits and while also taking advantage of three Mets errors on the night.
Though the Braves scored in bunches during the latter portion of the game, it was a pitcher's duel early on as the game was level-headed in the early portion.
After three scoreless innings to begin the contest, the Mets finally broke through first in the bottom of the fourth with two runs off three hits.
Juan Uriarte started the rally with a solo blast to left field. The home run was his third of the season and the first since launching two bombs against Burlington in the season's second ballgame on June 23. Two batters later, Grabiel Jimenez followed with an RBI triple to right-center field-plating Dionis Pualino-and putting Kingsport up by two runs at 2-0.
Danville answered right back in the inning that followed to take a 4-2 lead off three hits and two Mets' errors. It was an RBI single from Hagen Owenby with two outs that got the Braves on the board first while Brett Laugbauer followed with his Appalachian League-leading 10^th home run of the season that was a three-run shot down the right field line.
Midway through the fifth inning, Kingsport trailed by two runs at 4-2.
Kingsport starter Garrison Bryant's day was over with two gone in the fifth as he was replaced by reliever Ronald Sanchez. Bryant, who is only an out away from pitching five innings of scoreless baseball ended the day with four runs yielded off seven hits as the righty just missed out on being in line for his first win of the season.
Danville added to its lead in a unique way in the seventh inning to up its lead to three runs at 5-2. With two outs and Braves No. 2 prospect (MLB Pipeline's No. 1 International Prospect) Kevin Maitan at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Derian Cruz to score from third base. The pitch was actually cut on and missed and should have been strike three of the sequence, but allowed the inning to prolong with a runner at first base.
The Braves were at it again in the eighth as Luis Baez tripled to lead off the inning and then later came around to score on an RBI single from Luis Mejia. Another run crossed the plate two batters later thanks to a bases-loaded walk from Yuedy Colon. It was the second batter faced for the Kingsport reliever out of the bullpen. Another run crossed in the ninth when Mejia drove in the eighth unanswered run on a fielder's choice.
Danville defeated Kingsport with a final score of 8-2 thanks to the eight unanswered runs and also handed starting pitcher Odalvi Javier (2-2) his second win of the season. The right-hander exited the contest leading after 5 1/3 innings where he surrendered only the two runs with five strikeouts in the process.
Bryant (0-5) took home the loss after a promising start to his sixth start of the season. He ended with a final line of 4 2/3 innings pitched, seven hits, four earned runs and three strikeouts with two walks.
Aside from Uriatte's home runs and Jimenez's RBI triple, there was not a whole lot of offense to be had for Kingsport Tuesday night as Paulino was the lone batter to record a multi-hit day with two early singles. The K-Mets finished with only seven hits during the loss.
Danville, on the other hand, saw Owenby drive in a pair of runs, Drew Waters collected three hits and Lugbauer drive in three runs with his 10^th bomb of the season.
Game 3 of the series is set to begin Wednesday night at 6:30 from Hunter Wright Stadium. Jose Geraldo gets the nod for the Kingsport Mets as coverage of the contest can be found on the Kingsport Mets Baseball Network beginning with the Braeden's Barbeque Pregame Show at 6:15 p.m. with Eric Cain behind the microphone.