Inoa's homer not enough in walk-off loss to Mets

A go-ahead home run in the ninth inning from Samuel Inoa wasn't enough for the Bristol Pirates on Tuesday, as they fell 4-3 to the Kingsport Mets.
The Pirates were shutout over the first seven innings before second baseman Josh Bissonette hit a two-out single to center field to score left fielder Jean Eusebio in the top of the eighth. Inoa then led off the top of the ninth with his first home run of the season, and shortstop Francisco Acuna would later score on a wild pitch to make it a 3-1 Pirates lead. The lead wouldn't last however, as the first five Mets reached base before designated hitter Scott Ota lined a one-out single to center field to give the Mets a 4-3 walk-off victory.
Starter Luis Ortiz threw five innings for the Pirates, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three. It was the second time this season Ortiz logged five innings of work, as he lowered his ERA to 3.29 - the lowest mark in Bristol's rotation. Ryan Troutman and Enrique Santana combined to allow two hits and two walks over three scoreless innings of relief, and after starting the season with an 8 2/3 scoreless innings streak, Oliver Garcia was tagged with the blown save and the loss after allowing three runs - two earned - on four hits while recording one out.
Eusebio led the Pirates with a game-high three hits to finish 3-for-4 with two steals and a run scored. Inoa's home run was the team's only extra-base hit on the night, as he went 1-for-4 in the loss. Bissonette went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and an RBI, while right fielder Brendt Citta saw his 10-game on-base streak snapped after going 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
The Pirates (6-8) will try again for the series win on Wednesday night when they send Jose Maldonado to the mound in the finale. With a win tomorrow, the Pirates will win three series in a row for the first time since July 2016, when Bristol won three straight series against the Danville Braves, Bluefield Blue Jays and Greeneville Astros.
Maldonado earned his first career win in his last start against Elizabethton, when he held the Twins to one run on two hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings.