Royals Clinch Playoff Spot, Beat Yankees in 11
PULASKI, VA.- The Burlington Royals punched their ticket to the Appalachian League playoffs for the first time since 2012 with a 2-1 victory in 11 innings over the Pulaski Yankees at Calfee Park on Sunday night.
Burlington improves to 39-24 with the win, while Pulaski falls to 26-36.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the 11th, CF Cristhian Vasquez smacked a leadoff double for Burlington. SS Nicky Lopez followed with a single to right, putting men at the corners with no out. Despite a popout to short and a strikeout, Vasquez scampered home to score on a wild pitch with two out and 1B Chris DeVito at the plate. DeVito flew out to center, turning the ballgame over to RHP Jose Veras to finish the job.
Veras allowed a leadoff single, and a sacrifice bunt put the tying run at second. Veras proceeded to strike out 3B Dermis Garcia and induced a fly ball to center off the bat of RF Isiah Giliam to end the game.
The game had been scoreless until the top of the sixth. Royals RHP Travis Eckert allowed just three hits over five innings, striking out seven without walking a batter. The Royals put him in position to earn the win with a sixth-inning run. DH Logan Gray led off with a single, and Vasquez sacrificed him to second. A groundout by Lopez pushed Gray to third, and an RBI single from RF Jose Sanchez drove him in.
RHP Justin Camp tossed a scoreless sixth and seventh, but the Yankees tied the game in the eighth. 2B Welfrin Mateo hit a one-out single for Pulaski, and stole second. He advanced to third on a throwing error on the play. After a popout, CF Estevan Florial singled home Mateo to tie the game.
RHP Michael Silva took over for the ninth and 10th innings for the Royals, and managed to keep the Yankees off the board. Pulaski had a runner at second with one out in the 10th, but a line drive double play ended the inning and set up the Royals' go-ahead run in the 11th.
NOTABLE…
- Burlington has qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012, and third overall as a Kansas City affiliate (2016, 2012, 2010). The Royals fell in the first round in 2010 and lost in the deciding game three of the 2012 Championship Series.
- The Royals are now a perfect 8-0 against the Yankees in 2016. With a win Monday, Burlington will complete a season sweep of an opponent for the second time in 2016, having beaten Bristol in all six meetings as well.
- Sanchez collected three of the Royals' eight hits on the night. Lopez also had a multi-hit game with two hits.
- Royals pitching struck out 13 in the win, while only walking one.
- The Royals are now 1-1 in extra inning games in 2016.
- Burlington owns a three-game edge on Bluefield for first in the Appalachian League East Division with five games to play.
UP NEXT
The Royals attempt to complete the season sweep of Pulaski with a win on Monday at 7:00 p.m. RHP Ofreidy Gomez (5-3, 5.59) starts for Burlington.
Fans can listen to the game live and for free at www.pulaskiyankees.net.
Royals playoff tickets go on sale Monday, August 29! The Royals will host either a single game on Saturday, September 3 (if second place in the East Division) or game two and the if-necessary game three on Sunday, September 4 and Monday, September 5, respectively (if first place in the East Division). If the Royals qualify for the Appalachian League Championship Series, Burlington will host game one on Tuesday, September 6. For tickets, call (336) 222-0223.
Burlington 2, Pulaski 1 (11 innings)
WP: Michael Silva (2-2)
LP: Will Jones (2-3)
SV: Jose Veras (1)