With a 4-3 win over the Danville Braves on Sunday,
the Greeneville Astros have now won two straight series to start the
season.
Danville outhit the Astros 11-5, and Greeneville took the win
without the benefit of an extra-base hit.
The Braves jumped to a 3-0 lead
thanks to back-to-back solo homeruns by Adam Milligan and Robert Hefflinger in the third inning and
another solo shot by Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg to lead off the
fourth.
Greeneville (4-2) quickly recovered in the bottom of the fourth
with two runs thanks in large part to a couple of throwing errors by Danville, and then added the
tying run the next inning.
After first baseman Aaron Bray was walked and
advanced to second base on a wild pitch, Ryan Humphrey hit a ground ball single to right field to
bring him around to even the score at 3-3.
The Astros finally took the
lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. In Bray's next at-bat, he hit a single on a fly ball to
left field. Humphrey followed that with another base hit to advance Bray to third. Jose Altuve then
hit a ground out on which Danville second baseman Tyler Barnett threw to first and brought Bray home
for what would be the winning run.
Right-handed pitcher Daniel Sarisky,
who was making his first professional appearance, came in to relieve starter Luis Cruz in the
seventh inning. He pitched two scoreless innings, gave up two hits and had three strikeouts as he
got his first win.
Left-handed pitcher Travis Smink, also making his
first professional appearance, came on in the ninth inning to close the game and earn his first
save.
On Saturday, Greeneville rolled to 12-6
win.
The 2009 first-round selection of the Houston Astros, shortstop
Jiovanni Mier, joined the Greeneville Astros on Saturday and was in the lineup for his first
professional start. Mier finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. In his first at-bat, Mier took the
first pitch he saw for a base hit on a line drive to left field. That hit seemed to jumpstart the
Astros.
Nathan Metroka went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs.
Bralion Hyatt earned the pitching win, throwing two innings and striking out
three.
The Astros will be on the road at Princeton through Wednesday.
They return home for a series against the Elizabethton Twins starting
Thursday.
For more information and stories, see today's edition of The Greeneville Sun.
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