Pulaski rallies past Greenevill, 9-8
The Yankees won a back and forth contest against the Greeneville Reds on Thursday night. At one point the Yanks trailed 4-0 and then again at 6-2 before some timely hitting a little luck powered them past the Reds.
Tonight was a pitching re-match from this previous Saturday when the Yanks and Reds met down in Greeneville. Reid Anderson got the start for Pulaski while Jake Gilbert started for the Reds. Anderson set a season and career high in strikeouts in his last start against the Reds but got off to a rocky start tonight.
He got an out on the first pitch of the game but then gave up a walk to the second batter. That runner stole second base and then scored on a single. The next batter hit a two-run home run to put the Reds on top 3-0. Gilbert hit the first batter he faced and the Yanks drew another walk to put two runners on the base paths but failed to get them across and they went down in order after that to end the first.
The Reds increased their lead with another run in the top of the third inning. The lead off batter walked before stealing another base and coming around to score once again on another single. Antonio Cabello led off the Yankees with a double in the bottom of the third inning before Chad Bell hit his ninth home run of the season to cut the Reds lead in half at 4-2.
Anderson’s night ended after 3.1 innings where he gave up five runs – four earned – on four hits while striking out four Reds. Sean Boyle inherited a pair of runners in relief of Anderson and got two outs but still gave up a run on a fielder’s choice on a dribbler back to the mound for the second out of the inning. After getting a ground out for the first out of the inning in the top of the fifth, Boyle gave up a solo home run and the Reds increased their lead to 6-2.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning Madison Santos got the Yankees a little closer with some luck. The ball landed at the base of the right field wall and bounced away from the outfielder and allowed Santos to make his way towards third base. The right fielder’s throw to the bag bounced off Santos’s foot and landed in the Reds dugout and Santos was awarded home on the error to cut the lead to 6-3. The Yanks weren’t done as they hit an infield single, drew a walk and then Borinquen Mendez hit an RBI double off the right field wall to bring the Yanks within two runs at 6-4. A wild pitch from the new Reds pitcher scored one more as the Yanks trailed just 6-5. The Wild pitch also moved the tying run just 90 feet away for Cabello, but he hit a sharp ground ball down the third base line that the Reds third baseman backhanded and threw on a rope across the diamond to keep the Yanks down a run.
The Reds got a lead off walk in the top of the seventh off Boyle but he worked around it and kept the Reds at bay. Bell hit a single of his own in the Yanks half of the seventh before Ryder Green followed him on base with an infield single. Santos then hit his fifth home run of the season and the Yanks erased the deficit to take an 8-6 lead.
After 3.2 innings, Boyle struck out three batters and gave up just the one run on three hits before Nelson L. Alvarez replaced him in the top of the eighth. Alvarez gave up a lead off single before striking out the second batter. The Reds then pieced together back-to-back infield singles and an error brought the Reds within one run. A wild pitch from Alvarez tied the game and moved the go-ahead run for the Reds to third base. Alvarez then got a ground ball and a strikeout to end the eighth and the game remained tied.
Cabello led off the bottom of the eighth with a single of his own. Green hit a fielder’s choice that got Cabello out at second base before Saul Torres hit a single to give the Yanks runners on first and second with two outs. A balk moved both runners over and Green gave the Yankees a lead when he scored on a wild pitch as the Yankees regained the lead heading into the ninth.
The Reds got their first two guys on to start the ninth to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. The Yanks finally got the first out when Yankees third baseman Jose Martinez tracked down a pop fly in foul territory down the left line. Alvarez then got a ground ball that resulted in a double play that sealed the Yanks second-straight come from behind win as they held on to win 9-8.
The Yankees and Reds will play tonight as the Yankees host Heroes Night at Calfee Park. All fire, police, EMS and military personnel can receive two free general admission tickets as we thank our hometown heroes with the help of SERVPRO of Montgomery & Pulaski Counties. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and gates will open at 4 p.m.