Yankees beat Mets, 6-1 in Kingsport

Kingsport, TN – The Pulaski Yankees won game one of a three game series against the Kingsport Mets on Friday night from Hunter Wright Stadium. Pulaski jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they cruised past the Mets 6-1 in the first game of the newly dubbed “Big Apple-achian Rivalry”.

The new nickname obviously plays on the Yankees and Mets longtime Rivalry in the MLB and seemed only fitting to have a catchy new name moving forward in the Appalachian League that should last for years to come.

Pulaski jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to one of the four errors on the night by Kingsport. With two outs in the top of the first inning, Ryder Green reached first after an error by Kingsport shortstop Sebastian Epsino. Chad Bell made that error hurt by launching his fifth home run of the season to right field to put the Yanks ahead.

Reid Anderson made his second start of the year on the mound for Pulaski tonight after scheduled starter Yoendrys Gomez was called up to Single-A Charleston yesterday. Anderson has worked out of the bullpen since starting the second game of the team’s opening-day doubleheader against Johnson City. It was Anderson’s first appearance since he pitched five hitless innings against Burlington this past Sunday and was named Appalachian League Pitcher of the Week.

Anderson once again had complete command of his stuff tonight and held the Mets to four hits and one run in his six innings and set a new single-game high in strikeouts with nine. Anderson moved to 4-1 with the win and lowered his ERA to 2.77.

The Yanks were held in check until the fifth inning when they were once again able to capitalize on a pair of Kingsport errors with two outs. After Jake Farrell hit a one out single, he was able to move to second on a groundout, then, Madison Santos reached base on a throwing error that allowed Farrell to score from second and saw Santos advanced to second base himself. Santos then stole third and came around to score on a throwing error by the Mets catcher to put Pulaski ahead 4-1.

The Yankees added two more runs in the eighth. Borinquen Mendez led off the inning by hitting an infield single to the third baseman and then advanced all the way to third base on the fourth error of the night by Kingsport. Roberto Chirinos scored Mendez from third with a bunt-single down the first base side and later came around to score himself after a trio of wild pitches by the Mets to give the Yankees their sixth and final run of the game.

After Anderson, Pulaski sent Mitch Spence to the mound for the seventh and eighth innings. He did not allow a hit or a walk and faced just over the minimum batters he could at seven and earned his second hold of the year. Tyler Johnson came in for the ninth inning and gave up a lead off single and a walk before retiring the next three batters in a row to seal the win for Pulaski.

The Yankees and Mets will be back at it tomorrow evening for game two from Kingsport with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.