Royals Explode Late To Even Series
The Burlington Royals turned a pitchers' duel into a blowout on Sunday evening at Burlington Athletic Stadium. Trailing 3-2 at the seventh inning stretch, the Royals plated 11 runs over the next two innings to win 13-3 over the Elizabethton Twins. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Royals.
How It Happened
The Twins (11-13) struck first in the second inning. 1B Zander Wiel drew a leadoff walk and scored when DH Amaury's Minier doubled into the left-center field gap. Though another batter would reach against Royals starter Matt Tenuta, he limited the damage to just one run. Burlington (13-13) answered quickly in the second, as 1B Brandon Dulin blasted a ball over the right-center field fence to tie the game.
The game remained deadlocked until the sixth. CF LaMonte Wade led off with a triple for the Twins. Two batters later, Minier lined a ball down the left field line to score Wade. Once again, the Royals answered with a strangely similar inning. Dulin led off with a triple deep in the right-center field gap. Just two batters later, RF Brandon Thomasson hit a sacrifice fly to left field that drove him in to tie the game.
Elizabethton scored again in the seventh with an unearned run. LF Daniel Kihle singled and stole second, and scored on an error in the exchange of a ground ball. Just like the second and sixth, the Royals had an answer, and this time it was a big answer. Burlington exploded for eight runs in the seventh inning. With one out, 3B Angelo Castellano was hit by a pitch. DH Austin Bailey followed with a single, and both runners moved up an extra 90 feet on a bobbled ball in right field. Dulin was intentionally walked to load the bases, and CF Ben Johnson came through with a single through the left side that drove in Castellano. Thomasson drew a bases-loaded walk, and Bailey scored. C Colton Frabasilio laced a two-run single, and LF Riley King reached on a dropped popup. 2B Brian Bien executed a safety squeeze to score Frabasilio, and SS Jose Martinez capped the inning's scoring with a two-run double.
Three more runs came home for the Royals in the eighth on King's first homer of the year. Thomasson doubled and moved to third on a Frabasilio single, and King crushed a ball over the left field fence.
Inside The Box Score
- Dulin's home run was his first since July 2 against the Kingsport Mets. He had five homers in six games, and did not leave the ballpark again until tonight.
- Frabasilio's four hits marked a new career high for the Royals' 23rd round pick this year.
- LHP Mark McCoy earned his first professional win with three innings of relief in which he did not allow an earned run. McCoy struck out three in the relief stint.
- The eight-run seventh was the Royals' highest scoring output in a single frame this season.
- Burlington had not scored in double figures this season until last night, and has since plated 10 and 13 runs, respectively, in two games.
- The game started 46 minutes late due to rain in the area.
DraftKings King of the Game
With a 4-for-5 night at the plate that included a double, an RBI and two runs scored, Colton Frabasilio wins the award for the first time.
National Honey Board Natural Energy Play of the Game
In the top of the eighth inning, the Twins' Chris Paul crushed a ball to deep center field. The Royals' Ben Johnson made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Paul of an extra-base hit.
Burlington 13, Elizabethton 3
WP: McCoy (1-0)
LP: Stirewalt (0-2)
HR: BUR- Dulin (6), King (1)
Up Next
The two clubs close their series on Monday at 7:00 p.m. RHP Igol Feliz (2-2, 4.58) starts for the Royals against Twins RHP Dereck Rodriguez (2-0, 1.61). It will be Dollar Monday Madness at Burlington Athletic Stadium. General admission seats and several concession items will be available for just $1! Call (336) 222-0223 or visit www.burlingtonroyals.com for tickets.