Lopez slams Cards to 8-2 win over Twins

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. - On one swing of the bat, fortunes changed. Down 2-0, 2B Irving Lopez 's grand slam in the top of the fifth inning put the Cardinals ahead for good, as Johnson City defeated the Elizabethton Twins, 8-2, on Sunday night at Joe O'Brien Field.
With the victory, the Redbirds improved their overall record to 31-25 and a season-high-tying six games over .500. Elizabethton's loss snapped a three-game winning streak, dropping them to 34-23.
Johnson City's victory - coupled with Greeneville's loss to Bristol - puts them two games up on the Astros for the final playoff spot in the Appalachian League western division.
Trailing by a pair, the Cardinals offense perked up in the fifth. SS Imeldo Diaz (2-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, SO) drew a walk to start the frame and DH Stanley Espinal (1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2 SO) followed by getting plunked. After a one-out walk to RF Carlos Talavera (1-3, R, BB, 2 SO) loaded the bases, the stage was set for Lopez. On the first pitch he saw, the left-handed swinger cracked a deep drive over the right-center field wall for a grand slam. The blast - his fifth of the year and the first grand slam by the Cardinals in 2017 - put Johnson City ahead, 4-2.
The Cardinals attacked continued in the sixth. 3B Brady Whalen (0-3, 2 R, 2 BB) made it to third to start the inning thanks to a pair of errors and scored on a RBI knock by Diaz. After a double by Espinal, LF Walker Robbins (0-4, RBI, SO) added to the advantage with a sacrifice fly to center, extending the Redbirds advantage to 6-2.
Johnson City finished off their night with single runs in the eighth and ninth. In the eighth, Whalen started the inning with a walk and moved to third on a Diaz double. On ball four to Espinal, the pitch skidded away - allowing the 19-year-old to score - making it a 7-2 affair. 
In the final frame, CF Chase Pinder (0-2, R, 2 BB, SO), C Alexis Wilson (1-4, BB) and Whalen walked to fill the bases. Diaz proceeded to hit a grounder to third, but the throw was off line. Pinder crossed the dish to make it an 8-2 Cardinal lead.
Elizabethton scored their only two runs in the first and third innings. DH Jose Miranda (2-4, RBI) ripped a RBI single in the opening frame, but SS Wander Javier (2-4, R, 2 2B, SO) was thrown out at the plate on a strong throw by Robbins to quell the rest of the rally. In the third, Javier doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by 1B Kolton Kendrick (1-3, RBI, 2 SO).
RHP Edwar Ramirez (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) bounced back from a rough beginning to the game to pick up his second quality start of the year. The 19-year-old retired the final 12 men he faced to earn his third victory of the season.
Elizabethton's RHP Brusdar Graterol (4.0 IP, H, BB, 5 SO) sat down the first 10 men he squared off against but picked up a no-decision. Johnson City battered RHP Melvi Acosta (2.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB) - who took his third loss of the campaign - for six runs in two innings.
In the win, Pinder (0-2, R, 2 BB, SO) extended his on-base streak to an impressive 31 consecutive games, while 1B Julio Rodriguez (1-5, 2B) doubled to extend his hitting streak to a team-season-best 12 straight.
Johnson City will look to take their ninth series in 11 attempts on Monday, as LHP Jacob Schlesener (2-1, 3.23 ERA) - the circuit's strikeout leader - is slated to take the hill. Elizabethton is projected to counter with RHP Nick Brown (1-1, 4.70 ERA).
The Cardinals Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 6:45 p.m. ET, leading up to the 7:00 p.m. ET start at Joe O'Brien Field. Monday evening's contest can be heard on JCCardinals.com or via the TuneIn Radio and MiLB First Pitch apps. 
Following the six-game road trip, the Redbirds will return home to open up a three-game series against the Greeneville Astros, the rookie affiliate of the Houston Astros, on Wednesday, August 23. It will be Hot Dog Heaven Night as all hot dogs that evening will be sold for just 50 cents.
Single-game tickets are still available and can be purchased online at JCCardinals.com or by calling the Cardinals' Ticket Office at (423) 461-4866.
ABOUT THE JOHNSON CITY CARDINALS
The Johnson City Cardinals are the Rookie affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Members of the ten-team Appalachian League, Cardinals baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for 80 years. To learn more about the Johnson City Cardinals, visit www.jccardinals.com.