Rays walk-off Mets again to sweep series

PRINCETON, WV- The Princeton Rays (29-24) completed a series sweep of the Kingsport Mets (19-37) with a tenth-inning walk-off 1-0 victory on Saturday at H.P. Hunnicutt Field.

After both teams failed to score through nine innings, Princeton held the Mets scoreless in the top of the tenth then rallied in the bottom half of the frame.

Rays left fielder Jesus Sanchez led off the inning with a single, his first hit in a Princeton uniform after joining the team on Saturday from the Gulf Coast League Rays. Sanchez advanced to third base on two consecutive sacrifice bunts, then scored the winning run on a RBI-single by Rays right fielder Eleardo Cabrera.

The walk-off victory in extra-innings was the Rays second of the series after catcher Rene Pinto hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning in the first game of the series on Thursday.

The victory also came after the Princeton pitching staff pitched a combined ten shutout innings. Starter Hector Lopez opened the game with six scoreless frames, giving up just one hit and striking out seven.

Relievers Austin Sweet and Bryce Zak each struck out two Mets batters in three and one inning of work, respectively, with Zak picking up his first victory of the season.

The Rays will now hit the road for a series against the Pulaski Yankees opening with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. on Sun., Aug. 21 at Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va.

The Princeton Rays have been the proud Appalachian League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since 1997. Any questions may be forwarded to the Rays' front office at 304-487-2000 or [email protected].