Jays and Rays split Mercer Cup twinbill

 

PRINCETON, W.Va. - The Bluefield Blue Jays dropped the first game of a double-header at Princeton on Tuesday night, 3-2, but bounced back to take the night cap, 2-0.

 

Bluefield is now 31-14 on the 2013 season and holds a one-game lead over the Pulaski Mariners in the Appalachian League East Division. Princeton is 12-33.

 

In the first game of the night, Bluefield took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Dawel Lugo reached on an error by Princeton third baseman Enmanuel Paulino, allowing DJ Davis and Mitch Nay to score.

 

Princeton answered in the bottom of the second inning when Leo Correa tripled over the head of centerfielder DJ Davis, brining David Garcia and Yoel Araujo in to score and tie the game.

 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hunter Lockwood hit his fourth home run of the season to centerfield to put the Rays ahead 3-2.

 

Bluefield pitcher Chase DeJong picked up a complete-game loss and dropped to 2-1 on the season. He allowed three earned runs on six hits and struck out six Rays.

 

Josh Kimorowicz (W, 1-3) relieved starting pitcher DJ Slaton to finish the game. He did not surrender a base runner in his 1.1 innings.  

 

The loss ended the Jays' six-game winning streak.  

 

In the second game of the night, Bluefield took the lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI-double from Dawel Lugo. Later in the inning, Jesus Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Lugo and give the Jays a 2-0 lead.

 

Bluefield starting pitcher Zak Wasliewski pitched four innings and allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five hitters.

 

Yeyfry Del Rosario (W, 3-1) pitched two innings and had two strikeouts.

 

Brett Barber closed out the game to earn his sixth save of the season with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

 

Bluefield now holds a 5-1 lead in the 2013 Battle for the Mercer Cup. The Jays can clinch the title with one more win in the season series.

 

Bluefield heads to Princeton on Wednesday night to play the third game of the four-game series. Alberto Tirado (2-0, 1.72 ERA) will start for Bluefield.