Twins Score Four In The Third And Hold On To Beat Pulaski 4-2

Elizabethton, TN - The Pulaski Yankees dropped tonight's matchup against the Elizabethton Twins to even the three game series at one game each. The Yankees scored in the first but saw their lead disappear in the bottom of the third and never got it back as they fell 4-2.

Coming off his four-hit performance last night, Roberto Chirinos stayed dialed in at the plate and got the Yankees the first hit of the night on the first pitch of the game. Antonio Cabello followed him on base with a single of his own to give the Yankees two runners on with no outs. Ryder Green hit a ground ball that got Cabello out at second and an error allowed Green to reach and move to second on the play and Chirinos would score to put Pulaski up 1-0.
Jhonatan Munoz got the start on the bump for the Yanks and was in complete control through the first two innings. He retired the Twins in order in the bottom of the first before giving up a lead off walk in the second inning but then got the next three out in a row. Even in the third inning he seemed to have it all going by getting the first two outs to start the inning before the Twins made their move. A two-out walk was followed by a single to put runners on first and second before a Matt Waller double scored the tying run of the game and left two runners still aboard for a three-run home run to put the Twins up 4-1. The Twins looked to add more to their two out rally with the second double of the inning with two outs, but Munoz got a strikeout to end the home half of the third.
Green doubled to lead off the fourth inning and the Yankees looked like they would answer back and cut right back into the lead. However, Green was stranded at second base after the next three batters went down in order including two strikeouts for Twins starter Andriu Marin, who set a new career high with 11 strikeouts. Munoz came back out for the fourth inning and gave up a single to the lead off man before getting three straight outs, one with some help from Saul Torres who threw out the first of two runners on the night trying to steal second base.
Green was once again stranded on second base in the top of the sixth after another double, this time with two outs as the Yankees just couldn't find a way to get runners across the plate from scoring position. Green had accounted for the only two hits the Yankees had aside from the back-to-back singles to begin the game.
Munoz's night came to an end after 5.2 innings where he gave up six hits and the four runs all coming from the third inning. Nelson L. Alvarez replaced Munoz and threw just three pitches before Torres caught his second base runner of the night to end the sixth.
The Yankees tried to get some late inning magic going by beginning the eighth inning with singles from Jake Farrell and Borinquen Mendez. Chirinos popped out for the first out of the inning. A wild pitch advanced both runners and Farrell scored on a dropped third strike where everyone was safe to bring Pulaski within two runs with just one out. Once again though the Yankees went down on strikes to end the inning and any chance they had to regain the lead. Two strikeouts and a pop fly in the ninth gave the win to the Twins 4-2.
It was only the second time this year that the Yankees had scored first and lost the game making them an impressive 26-2 on the year in such situations. The two teams will be back at it tomorrow night to decide a series winner. The Yankees will be going for their fifth straight series win and look to follow a loss with a win for the sixth straight time.
The Pulaski Yankees are the Advanced Rookie level affiliate of the New York Yankees playing in the Appalachian League. Pulaski is celebrating its 54th season in the Appalachian League in 2019. Calfee Park has won league championships in 1948, 1969, 1986, 1991 and 2013. Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park opened in 1935 and was renovated for the team's first season as a Yankees affiliate in 2015. For more information, please visit www.pulaskiyankees.net or follow the Pulaski Yankees on social media, @PulaskiYanks (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.