Pulaski homers twice, take fourth straight series

Jordan Scott broke a 3-3 tie with a 2-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Pulaski Yankees held on for a 5-4 win over the Danville Braves on Tuesday night.

The Yankees and Braves traded two-run innings out of the starting gate with Pulaski drawing first blood in the opening inning. After Everson Pereira reached with two outs, cleanup hitter Mickey Gasper went yard to right center field to give his team a 2-0 advantage.

Next half inning, Greg Cullen evened the score with his 10th double of the season scoring Nicholas Shumpert and Michael Mateja. Luis Mejia gave Danville a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning after the Braves loaded the bases, but were unable to enforce further damage. In the bottom half of the fourth, Jordan Scott singled in Carlos Tatis to even the game once more.

In the sixth, Scott muscled a 2-1 pitch over the right center field wall with Tatis on base, giving Pulaski a 5-3 advantage. Justin Smith homered in the seventh to bring the Braves within one, but a game-ending, 6-4-3 double play in the ninth inning secured Alex Mejias’ first save as a Yankee.

Luis Medina started the game on the mound for Pulaski and worked 2.1 innings and allowed two runs, both earned on one hit, but seven walks. Wellington Diaz, added to Pulaski’s roster the previous day, pitched 4.2 innings in relief and secured the win after allowing two runs, both earned on two hits, three walks and four strikeouts.

Mejias successfully completed the six-out save allowing no runs and two hits. Following an Appalachian League off day Wednesday, the Pulaski Yankees return to Calfee Park on Thursday for the start of a three-game set against the Kingsport Mets.